The West
The NBA Playoffs are almost here. As of now and throughout the majority of the year the Suns have had the best record in the NBA. I wrote an article on their potential to win a championship last year and they came up just short. They have come back stronger and hungrier this year. I think what they have done on the court during the regular season will translate to the playoffs. They have continued to play well even with CP3 sidelined. I think that is a major reason to believe in them. They have more trust in their bench than last year. They are currently the favorite to win the Finals.
Another Western Conference team I am honing in on is the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets have been all about the Joker over the last few years. He has been the best big man in the NBA over that span.
They have played this year without their number two guy Jamal Murray and have still seen some success.
Unfortunately, it’s not certain if Murray will return to play this year. If he is comfortable playing ahead or at the beginning of the playoffs, I think they will have a shot. They have a good roster with the addition of Aaron Gordon and DeMarcus Cousins. The health of Michael Porter Jr is also in question. I will be keeping my eyes on their health as we progress towards the postseason.
The Warriors are obviously never out of the picture. They are the best dynasty of this generation. They have the experience and skill that it takes to win the Finals.
Other than that, I and probably most others would be surprised to see any other team make a run. I wrote about the Lakers and their chances of even making the playoffs. If they do make the playoffs it would be absolutely ridiculous to see Lebron turn their season around and lead them to another ring.
The East
The East is a tougher Conference to judge. There is more balance throughout the teams. You’ve got the defending champion Bucks, the new-look 76ers, the C’s, the Nets, and then the Miami Heat, confusingly as the number one seed.
The Nets haven’t really fulfilled their expectations. With Harden being gone they are trying to figure out their new style. Kevin Durant and Kyrie are both experienced champions. If they get hot, they could be hard to stop. Kyrie has missed 35 games this year with the mandate issues; however, it looks like he won’t have to sit out anymore. They also have Ben Simmons in their back pocket.
The Heat have been in a good place after their finals appearance, although it feels like they aren’t actually the best team in the East. Jimmy Butler would have to be on another level to carry them to another appearance.
The 76ers are a dangerous team with two superstars but it would be a really quick turnaround to win a championship right away. I think they have better chances in the future.
That leaves me with the Bucks and the Celtics. As a Boston fan, I’m going to have to go with the Celtics. They have been the best team in basketball during the second half of the season. Jayson Tatum has been one of the most dominant players in the league.
In a team effort, I think they could take down the Bucks. The duo of Tatum and Jaylen Brown has the potential to be unstoppable. In their last four games, they have combined for 235 points.
My finals prediction is that the Celtics will take on the Suns or the Nuggets.
If it’s not the Sun’s year, it feels like it’s anyone’s year. I would be happy to see any team raise a banner, for the love of the game.
For more follow me on Twitter and Tallysight. For more Hoops content follow us with Belly Up Hoops.
