NBA Playoff Picks and Preview: Eastern Conference Edition
Can the Cavs Do It All Again?
It took 82 games and a terrible evening of season-ending games to determine which of the Eastern Conference teams will continue their seasons into the playoffs. Of the teams who clinched playoff berths, most deserved their positions — save for the notable absence of the Miami Heat, who’re sitting out this year’s playoffs after recovering from a bottom-feeding first half and strong playoff push to close out the year.
While not as compelling and somewhat less watchable than the Western Conference’s playoffs, it’s still worth handicapping the first round in the East to determine who inevitably gets to face LeBron, Kyrie, and co. in rounds two and three.
Boston Celtics (1) and Chicago Bulls (8)
Regular Season: Split 2–2
Only four years after hitting the reset button by trading away franchise stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett as well as coach Doc Rivers, the Celtics have again returned to the spotlight by unexpectedly grabbing the first seed from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite their accelerated success, the team is STILL rebuilding, with the possible no. 1 draft pick coming their way via the Brooklyn Nets’ ineptness that sparked Boston’s 2013 rebuild sans Pierce and KG.
Which brings us back to the Boston’s prospects for being a true contender. The Cs are arguably the weakest no. 1 seed in recent memory, ranking ninth in offensive rating and thirteenth in defense according to basketball-reference.com. However, they’re an incredibly well-coached team, with Brad Stevens carefully managing his lineups and benching fourth-quarter killer Isaiah Thomas at crunch time in close games. This contest should ultimately serve as a litmus test to see if Boston can truly get over the hump by winning a playoff series in a matchup with a Jimmy Butler-led Bulls squad.
Final Pick: Boston in six
Cleveland Cavaliers (2) and Indiana Pacers (7)
Regular Season: Cavaliers 3–1
After mentally checking out from the better part of March, the Cavs enter the postseason looking to defend their NBA title beginning with the return of the LeBron vs. Paul George rivalry. That one-on-one matchup alone makes this series worth viewing, given the middling support from role players in Indiana and Kevin Love in Cleveland.
As far as storylines go, each team will have to address whether or not Playoff LeBron will surface on a consistent basis after his team played some of the worst defense of his career after the all-star break. For the Pacers, the series should determine if Paul George will remain in Indiana with his impending free agency and following Pacers president Larry Bird’s reconfiguration of the roster by firing coach Frank Vogel and swapping point guard George Hill for Jeff Teague.
Final Pick: Cleveland in six
Toronto Raptors (3) and Milwaukee Bucks (6)
Regular Season: Raptors 3–1
Of the four contests back East, this series promises the most fun. Toronto closed out the regular season nearing full strength with Kyle Lowry’s return to the lineup as the Raptors hope to repeat their deep run from last season and challenge the Cavs for supremacy in the conference. They’ve added depth and improved their defensive presence by trading for Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker before the midseason trade deadline and retained their potent offense with DeMar DeRozan proving himself a more than capable scorer during Lowery’s 18 games absence to wrist injury.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee surged to its playoff position by winning 14 of 18 games in March thanks to Kris Middleton’s fill-in for Jabari Parker and the difficult mismatch of guarding the long-limbed Giannis Antetokounmpo for opposing teams. The Raptors need to win now, given the age of their roster and their salary cap situation going into next season.
Final Pick: Toronto in seven
Washington Wizards (4) and Atlanta Hawks (5)
Regular Season: Wizards 3–1
Washington’s re-signing of Bradley Beal to a monster contract has reaped an immense return on investment for the Wizards, with the 23-year old wing improving his offensive output and staying healthy for a full season to become the star Washington needed to complement John Wall. While they’re primed to make a welcome return to the playoffs after last year’s dismal season, the Wiz still have some questions to address on defense, ranking in the bottom half of the NBA by defensive rating.
Thankfully, they’re matched up against a Hawks team that ranks 27th of 30 by offensive rating. The Hawks finished the season with an up-and-down performance, capped off a number of injuries and an unclear future with Paul Millsap considering opting out of his contract at the end of the year. Atlanta does play well defensively and should have an advantage in the battle of the boards, with Dwight Howard’s continued presence in the paint. Additionally, the unpredictability of this team in clutch scoring situations make the Hawks a difficult team to knockout of the postseason.
Final Pick: Washington in five
