The Eastern Conference semifinals are set and NBA fans have a great weekend to look forward to, with the 76ers traveling north of the border to take on the Raptors this Saturday followed by the Celtics traveling to Milwaukee to face the top-seeded Bucks on Sunday afternoon.
The Bucks took two out of three from the Celts during the regular season, with the Bucks winning on their home floor and the teams splitting the two games played in Boston. Both teams are coming off impressive sweeps – of the Pacers (albeit without Victor Oladipo) and Pistons – and will now face off against a more even-matched opponent.
The Bucks lost to the Celtics in last year’s postseason, falling in Game 7 to a Celtics team led by Terry Rozier, Al Horford, and Jayson Tatum. Both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward are now back in the fold, but the Bucks are also a much better team this season behind MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo and new head coach Mike Budenholzer.
On the other side of the bracket, the Sixers and Raptors will face each other in the postseason for the first time since 2001, when the Sixers and Hall-of-Famer Allen Iverson pulled out the series win in Game 7 despite a stellar performance from an in-his-prime Vince Carter. The Sixers are looking to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since that season, while the Raptors are looking for the first conference championship in franchise history.
The two-seeded Raptors won the regular season series between the teams 3-1, with Toronto winning both games at Scotiabank Arena and the Sixers splitting their home games at Wells Fargo Center. Both teams have new faces this postseason, with the Raptors adding Kawhi Leonard this summer and the Sixers trading for starters Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris during the 2018/19 season.
So, based on the above and any other factors you may consider, which match-up do you think will be the most compelling? Will either or both series go the full seven games? Will there be a sweep? Let us know what you think in the comments.
I’ll take the C’s in 7 upsetting the Bucks with the Raptors taking care if business against the 76ers also in 7. The more compelling of the two being the 4th seed putting away the 1. Middleton is the x factor for me, if he is aggressive with the 3’s and knocking them down at his usual rate, then the C’s will be toast. They really need one of their lead players to be knocking down the three, hard to forsee them over coming Boston’s shooters if Bledsoe and Middleton are even mediocre from behind the arc, regardless of how well what role players like mirotic and brogdon are shooting
They are both amazing and I can’t wait. The first round was a waste of time like always, but the rest of the playoffs are lined up to be the most exciting one we’ve had in many years. Probably since the Celtics vs LeBron years.
Really hoping to see Bucks 76ers in the conference finals.
For sure, for sure! If healthy there is no better match up than Giannis/Embiid! In the RS they played the best games against each other. Best 2 teams in the EC with the best 2 players, who wouldn’t wanna see them fighting it out for a shot at the championship!