The 2018/19 regular season is officially over and the playoff matchups are set. Here are the upcoming series:
Eastern Conference
(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Detroit Pistons.
- Season series: Bucks 4-0
(2) Toronto Raptors vs. (7) Orlando Magic
- Season series: 2-2
(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets
- Season series: 2-2
(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Indiana Pacers
- Season series: Celtics 3-1
Western Conference
(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers
- Season series: Warriors 3-1
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs
- Season series: 2-2
(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (6) Oklahoma City Thunder
- Season series: Thunder 4-0
(4) Houston Rockets vs. (5) Utah Jazz
- Season series: 2-2
Will any of the top seeds find themselves in trouble during the first round? Which series belongs on NBATV and which one will be the most entertaining? Let us know your thoughts on the playoff matchups in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
Best series OKC-UTA. Worst series DET-MIL and ORL-TOR
Orlando plays Toronto hard .. not my fav if I’m TO tbh. Also OKC isn’t playing Utah lol.
I’m excited for Philly/Brooklyn, Houston/Utah and Boston/Indy
Both 1/8 and 2/7 series should be done in 5 or less. But the rest could easily go either teams way.
The Thunder will be the only lower seed to win. It’ll probably be the best series, too. Going 7 games
The Thunder could easily beat the Nuggets as well. They have a good draw, no Houston of Golden state until conference finals.
The Nuggets have won 6 in a row against OKC, including the full 4 game sweep this season, with this season’s results having an average victory margin of more than 9 points per game.
Nuggets will have a tougher time with the Spurs, if the Spurs can still win physically… although they don’t seem to have the personnel for that anymore.
OKC was 2-7 before the 5-0 end. I’m not confident in them. The particular refs they get will matter.
I think both 3 seeds lose in the first round. Portland just doesn’t win when it counts and Brooklyn is my sleeper pick. I could easily see the Nets making the Eastern Conference Finals with this draw.
1st round – Bucks in 5, Raptors in 6, Nets in 7, Celtics in 5, Warriors in 4, Nuggets in 6, Thunder in 6, Rockets in 5
2nd round – Bucks in 6, Nets in 7, Warriors in 7, Nuggets in 6
Con Finals – Bucks in 6, Nuggets in 7
Finals – Bucks in 5
I don’t think the TV people will be happy with a Milwaukee v Denver finals though.
I don’t think the TV people need to worry about that happening. And come on, the Nets beating the Bucks AND the Celtics?
I think he has them beating the 76ers and Raptors, which is even more surprising.
I love how the Nets play, but they’re just overmatched against deeper teams.
I wouldn’t say depth is what will challenge BKN in the playoffs, in fact their bench is one of the best in the league. I would say it’s star power as most times it’s top level talent that wins games. If Embiid is not 100% then the Nets definitely have a chance.
Vegas odds are PHI 79%/ BKN 21% though I think it’s closer to 70/30 or even 65/35. Toronto is 3-1 against them this season and 0-1 since the Marc Gasol pick up. It’s their size the Nets could struggle with but I would still give them a puncher’s chance.
The last couple weeks I was looking at this and thinking wouldn’t it be so crazy if Portland won the 3 or 2 seed over Denver or Houston and I’m so pumped up that they took it from Houston
Don’t need to see GSW in the 2nd round
See the Rockets!
looking forward to embiid getting his ass kicked
Keep looking until the end of time ’cause ain’t happening, man Boston hasn’t had a player like him since Bird so…
Toronto, Boston & Portland are the only top seeds at risk of losing in the first round.
Orlando has done a good job against Toronto, but I should point out that in one loss, they were missing both Lowry and Valalciunas, and Leonard in the other one.
I don’t think the TV people need to worry about that happening. And come on, the Nets beating the Bucks AND the Celtics?
My picks:
Bucks in 4
Toronto in 6
Sixers in 5
Boston in 5 (RIP, my sweet Pacers)
GS in 5
Nuggets in 5
Portland in 7
Houston in 5
Way to go out on a limb there Mr Chalk.
Thanks!
Portland vs OKC looks like the only competitive series listed
Brooklyn vs Philadelphia…could go 7 with Jojo being hurt
Best Eastern Conference 1st round matchup for sure. I think MIL and BOS both sweep DET and IND. Toronto beats Orlando in game 5 at home. This one is going 7 but I’m not sure which way to go. People forget it took a Jimmy Buckets step back three GW just to even have a 2-2 season series.
The Rockets could be the sleeper team, not just to win the 2nd round but the finals
I think the Celtics/Pacers and the Nuggets/Spurs will be the most competitive. Biggest upset looks like it will come in the West, with so many deep teams. I like the Spurs as a “surprise” winner in the first round. Trail Blazers are banged up, so I see the Thunder taking that series.
Bucks in 4
Raptors in 4
Sixers in 5
Pacers in 7
Warriors in 4
Spurs in 7
Thunder in 6
Rockets in 6
second round guesses (injuries will likely play a factor):
Bucks over Pacers in 4
Raptors over Sixers in 5
Rockets over Warriors in 6
Thunder over Spurs in 6
Conference Finals:
Raptors over Bucks in 6
Rockets over Thunder in 6
NBA Finals:
Rockets over Raptors in 6
WHY is Indy giving more PT to Wes Mathews and Ty Evans than to Cory Joseph? This is a series for Boston to get some momentum. Could be a near sweep.
I like the Sixers-Nets series the most in the EC, but I’ll watch them all at this point.
The Nets are the best pick to break up a Bucks-Raps EC final.
GSW-Clips, GSW-Rockets, GSW-Blazers, GSW-Bucks, GSW-offseason after title #5, outstanding TV.