The NBA Playoffs, Predicting Every Matchup and Sharing My Regular Season Awards

The NBA Playoffs has begun, I shared my thoughts on the games and my predictions for the NBA Playoffs and regular season awards

 WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #8 New Orleans Pelicans

This series will be fantastic as we have a young Oklahoma City Thunder team and a more experienced, yet still young New Orleans Pelicans squad. The Thunder no doubt win this series as the young core of Oklahoma City’s will be a threat for years to come, and this is the year where they go on a run, making a statement to the rest of the league.

Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder win 4-2

#2 Denver Nuggets vs. #7 Los Angeles Lakers

A repeat of the 2023 Western Conference Finals series will be a similar result. The Denver Nuggets cruise through the Los Angeles Lakers, scoring on both the perimeter and in the paint. Denver is the most experienced playoff team in the West and is nearly impossible to stop. They are too much for the Lakers to handle.

Prediction: Denver Nuggets win 4-1

#3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. #6 Phoenix Suns

This game is filled with NBA and future NBA greats with Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker on the Phoenix Suns and Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert leading the Minnesota Timberwolves. Both teams have a certified star, a good secondary star, and a solid supporting cast around the stars. Phoenix’s experience does not matter that much as the young Timberwolves come out of this series as winners.

Prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves win 4-2

4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. 5 Dallas Mavericks

The Los Angeles Clippers taking on the Dallas Mavericks should be the best series in the Western Conference. Just like Minnesota vs. Phoenix, you have an excellent amount of talent on both rosters coming with playoff experience. This is going to be the third time in five years where these teams meet in the first round. Watch out for LA’s Kawhi Leonard as he will dominate in both his mid-range game and in the post. Luka Doncic is a player for Dallas that you want to watch out for as well. Doncic is a superstar and he should average over thirty points per game throughout this series. Don’t forget the Clippers’ Paul George and James Harden as well as Dallas’ Kyrie Irving. These guys also make an impact on their teams’ performance but the Mavericks barely move on to round two.

Prediction: Dallas Mavericks win 4-3

Round Two

#1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #5 Dallas Mavericks

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Luka Doncic. Two MVP candidates in one series? This will be a masterclass to remember. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks are two phenomenal teams but Thunder escape in six games to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder win 4-2

#2 Denver Nuggets vs #3 Minnesota Timberwolves

The best series yet. It is the Denver Nuggets vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves. The reigning champions vs. a young three seed. Denver moves on to face Oklahoma City, punching their ticket to the Western Conference Finals.

Prediction: Denver Nuggets win 4-3

Western Conference Finals

#1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #2 Denver Nuggets

This series be closer than people think but the Oklahoma City Thunder are not ready to face the Denver Nuggets just yet. Though the Thunder have a chance next year, this is not their year to make it to the NBA Finals. Denver wins and repeats as the Western Conference champions.

Prediction: Denver Nuggets win 4-2

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Boston Celtics vs. #8 Miami Heat

Though the Miami Heat entered the 2023 playoffs as an eighth seed and made it all the way to the NBA Finals, this year will be different. Miami is missing their star Jimmy Butler with a knee injury. He was the main reason they even made the Finals. Without Butler, this Heat team isn’t the same and Boston is too athletic of a team for Miami.

Prediction: Boston Celtics win 4-0

#2 New York Knicks vs. #7 Philadelphia 76ers

The New York Knicks had an incredible trade deadline this season, adding former Toronto Raptor O.G. Anunoby and an older three-point shooter in Bojan Bogdanovic. New York has gone 20-3 with Anunoby on the floor and 16-12 with Bogdanovic. This team has enough to beat Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. Though Philadelphia has the former MVP, the Knicks have more young talent and depth.

Prediction: New York Knicks win 4-2

#3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. #6 Indiana Pacers

This series will not be the most fun to watch. Sure, you have Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo on Milwaukee Bucks as well as Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam on the Indiana Pacers, but both teams are dealing with injuries and this will decrease the fun of the games. Bucks star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is out with a significant calf injury that will likely sideline him for multiple games. Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin is also injured with a torn labrum. The Antetokounmpo injury is especially bad for Milwaukee as he is the star of the team. Once he returns, the Bucks start to go on a roll, advancing to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

Prediction: Milwaukee Bucks win 4-2

#4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #5 Orlando Magic

What a year it has been for the Orlando Magic! They went from being a projected near-bottom seed in the East to becoming a possible contender all in the span of nine months. Their young second-year star Paolo Banchero and top three-point shooter Franz Wagner lead the way along with former Gonzaga Bulldog Jalen Suggs. This team has a bright future ahead, but they do not have what it takes to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. 2024 All-Star Donovan Mitchell is one of the best guards in the league along with Darius Garland. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley form a dominant duo on defense with Cleveland’s excellent three-point shooter, Sam Merrill, providing great baskets coming off the bench. Though Orlando deserves to be celebrated for all of their accomplishments this season, Cleveland is a dangerous contender in the conference.

Prediction: Cleveland Cavaliers win 4-2

Round Two

#1 Boston Celtics vs. #4 Cleveland Cavaliers

As the Boston Celtics cruise their way past the Miami Heat, they beat the Cleveland Cavaliers too. The Cavaliers’ run stops right here as the Celtics prove to be the biggest contender in the Eastern conference and the least fraudulent. Jayson Tatum dominates the series, especially on the perimeter and makes the Cavaliers' defenders look silly as Boston embarrasses Cleveland and starts the Donovan Mitchell trade rumors.

Prediction: Boston Celtics win 4-1

#2 New York Knicks vs. #3 Milwaukee Bucks

This series will be huge for New York, especially for guard Jalen Brunson. Brunson needs to prove he is legit and can control the team even without co-star Julius Randle. Brunson proves he can control this team without Randle and force New York to build around him. Sure, the Milwaukee Bucks have Antetokounmpo and Lillard, but Brunson proves to be enough as he leads his team to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Prediction: New York Knicks win 4-3

Eastern Conference Finals

#1 Boston Celtics vs. #2 New York Knicks

Though Jalen Brunson proves he is the New York Knicks' leader in round two, he does not get as many buckets against the Celtics. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday destroy New York on the glass, leading to a NBA Finals appearance for the Boston Celtics.

Prediction: Boston Celtics win 4-2

NBA Finals

#2 Denver Nuggets vs. #1 Boston Celtics

The NBA Finals everyone saw coming and we will be in for a treat as we see the defending champion Denver Nuggets against the best team in the regular season, Boston Celtics. There will be a large number of stars on the court in Nikola Jokic, Jayson Tatum, Jamal Murray, and Jaylen Brown. Do not forget the great number of three-point specialists as well on both sides. The Boston Celtics solidify their franchise as the best ever, officially winning their eighteenth title to raise them over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Prediction: Boston Celtics win 4-3

NBA Regular Season Awards

Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Sixth Man of the Year: Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings

Most Improved Player: Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Clutch Player of the Year: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Coach of the Year: Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder

Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves

Most Valuable Player: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

All-NBA Teams (to be eligible for any awards, these players had to play at least sixty-five games to qualify)

1st Team: Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum

2nd Team: Jalen Brunson, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant

3rd Team: Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, Domantas Sabonis, Paul George

Honorable Mention Team: Tyrese Haliburton, Bam Adebayo, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Zion Williamson

Comeback Player of the Year
The NBA does not give this award out but it should be an award so here is my Comeback Player of the Year

There were not many big injuries that happened either last season or this season. The same thing goes for players making a comeback. Sure, you have guys like Isaiah Thomas getting signed after almost retiring as a free agent, but Thomas has not played the biggest role in a Phoenix Suns uniform. There is one player who has stuck out however. This is a player who was in Europe last season and had not played in the NBA since 2021 in Dante Exum of the Dallas Mavericks. Exum was supposed to be a star in the NBA. He was drafted fifth overall in the 2014 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. But after a few years struggling and not playing productively, the Australian guard found himself out of the league. However, he came back this season and averaged 7.8 points per game on 49.1% three point shooting on the red hot Mavericks. Exum has solidified his role on this team and will hopefully stay in the league in the next few years.