Let’s try this again. In this space 12 of the 16 playoff participants were accurately predicted and five of those teams were correctly seeded. However, the Orlando Magic were picked here to finish dead last in the Eastern Conference but ended up qualifying for the post-season as the 7th seed. And it will be strange to watch the NBA Playoffs unfold without Lebron James’ participation. Many are predicting predictability for the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs and they’re probably correct, though a few clear favorites may have to work harder than expected. So here are the midrangehoops.com 2019 NBA Playoffs First Round Predictions:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Detroit Pistons
Most observers figured the 2018-19 Milwaukee Bucks would be good, but not “60 wins” good. League Most Valuable Player award candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo gives Bucks’ fans optimism they haven’t experienced in decades and Khris Middleton provides a solid second scoring option, but we’ll see if yet another three-pointer-reliant squad like this one can make a deep playoff run. The Pistons, on the other hand, prefer to look inside for scoring from Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond, and had to perform at playoff intensity for a couple of weeks just to qualify for the post-season. Adjustments are everything at this point, and defensive-minded coach Dwayne Casey will have that arc covered at all times, but the Pistons lack the guard play to steal this series.
PREDICTION: MILWAUKEE IN FIVE.
(2) Toronto Raptors vs. (7) Orlando Magic
This series may provide the best chance for an upset in the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs. The Raptors are solid, but they still have just enough holdover players on their roster to react negatively to a loss in one of the first two games at home. The Orlando Magic were one of the league’s top performers after the All-Star Break, are young and don’t have the pressure of expectations. Magic coach Steve Clifford is deserving of some Coach Of The Year votes for cajoling this talented but previously defensively-apathetic squad to respect that end of the floor. In the end, however, it will be Toronto’s veteran acquisitions, Kawhi Leonard and Marc Gasol, who will make certain the Raptors avoid the first-round upset.
PREDICTION: TORONTO IN SEVEN.
(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets
The Sixers have three All-Stars (plus Tobias Harris) and will have the three best players on the floor each night against the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets did well save their season after beginning with 18 losses in their first 26 games and losing Caris Levert for an extended period. A strong December-January run caught the league’s attention. The Sixers lack depth, but the difference — in this perimeter-dominated league — will be at the center spot, where the Nets have no answer for Philly’s Joel Embiid in the paint. Nets’ big guy Jarrett Allen is a keeper, but he looked tired as the regular season concluded and will be at a strength disadvantage. Look for major run for Nets’ backup center Ed Davis.
PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA IN FIVE.
(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Indiana Pacers
The Celtics made a late run to snatch the 4th seed away from the Victor Oladipo-less Pacers. One of the league’s biggest stories of the 2018-19 NBA regular season was the Celtics’ struggle for consistency as they tried to re-incorporate Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward into last year’s Eastern Conference Finals lineup. Still, they managed to win 49 games. Losing Marcus Smart for this series will hurt Boston, as will Indiana’s size and rebounding, but Boston should have enough to pull out a tough series. I picked the Celtics to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals and will stick with it, but they’ll have to earn it even in this round, as Nate McMillan will have his guys ready for a physical series.
PREDICTION: BOSTON IN SIX.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers
One of Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers’ finest coaching jobs earned his squad a first-round playoff matchup against a stacked Golden State Warriors squad who will top the Sixers with the FOUR best players on the court — and the fifth one is only the glue guy — in every game of this series, and two of the best in the entire league. The starless Clippers can play free and easy and might even steal a home game if Lou Williams gets hot one night, but the Warriors have too many weapons, even if a starter is banged up. The Clippers will scrap, but on paper AND on the court, this is a mismatch.
PREDICTION: WARRIORS IN FOUR.
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs
Imagine you’re the Denver Nuggets. Your young squad’s continued development results in a second-place finish in the tough Western Conference you actually led for a time. Your reward? A first-round matchup against a smirking coach Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs, who are giddy about escaping a first-round gig against the Warriors due to tiebreakers. With the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic at the top of his game and dueling with the Spurs’ experienced inside-outside tandem of LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, this looks to be a long series. These aren’t even your big brother’s San Antonio Spurs, but Jokic will need one of his young backcourt guys to sparkle if Denver is going to win this series.
PREDICTION: DENVER IN SEVEN.
(3) Portland Trailblazers vs. (6) Oklahoma City Thunder
Still trying to figure these Blazers out. Last season I picked them to win their first-round matchup against New Orleans in the three versus six matchup, and they got swept. I wasn’t crazy about their off-season moves and I picked them to miss the 2019 post-season altogether. So, of course, they finish 3rd in the Western Conference once again. Unfortunately, they’ll spend the next week chasing Russell Westbrook and Paul George around as they try to erase last year’s playoff nightmare. With Josef Nurkic sidelined, the key to the series might be the efficiency of former Thunder castoff Enes Kanter, who could provide the Blazers with some badly-needed inside scoring, but will face strong resistance from Steven Adams. Like Toronto, the Blazers have to avoid a tailspin if they lose at home early. Tough call.
PREDICTION: THUNDER IN SIX.
(4) Houston Rockets vs. (5) Utah Jazz
The Western Conference is ridiculous. Only nine games separated the first and last playoff qualifiers in the regular-season standings, while only six games separated teams two through seven. With that kind of balance, the seedings can be tossed out, and the result is first-round matchups like this one, with the winner to face Golden State. The Rockets will prevail if Chris Paul can avoid injury and James Harden doesn’t succumb to fatigue after carrying the team yet again. The Rockets lost a lot of perimeter defense last summer, but they should still advance against the Jazz, who also took a small step backwards on the defensive end. Rudy Gobert was the Jazz’ second-leading scorer during the regular-season. That may have to change.
PREDICTION: HOUSTON IN SIX.
