Eyes On NBA: 2018-2019 Boston Celtics Preview

By @Phranchize19 and @TrueGodImmortal

Introduction
As September is well underway, we now can prepare for the return of the NBA season. While the Western Conference seems pretty much a lock for the amazing Golden State Warriors dynasty, for the first time in 8 years, the East will likely see a new champion. With the Heat and the Cavs making the Finals the last 8 years and LeBron James joining the Lakers, the East is wide open. Who is the favorite so far? Well, that would be the Boston Celtics. Today, we take a look at the Celtics for this upcoming season and give our predictions. How far will they go? Let's take a brief look at last year, their additions, and losses.

*Last Year’s Record: 55-27 (Eliminated From The Eastern Conference Finals)
-Following a great season that saw them win 55 games, the Celtics are back fully healthy with Gordon Hayward ready to play and Kyrie Irving healthy as well. So, with that said, what is the cap for this talented Celtics team? Let's take a look at the additions, losses, and how the season should look for them.

*Additions: Robert Williams (draft), Brad Wanamaker

*Subtractions: Shane Larkin (signed to Turkey), Abdul Nader (traded to Thunder) Rodney Purvis (waived) 
         

                                            
*Best Player: Kyrie Irving
*X-Factors: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown
*Player To Watch For: Gordon Hayward
*Record Prediction: 60-22 (Making The NBA Finals)

Projected Starting 5
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Gordon Hayward
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Al Horford 

This small ball lineup is the likely starting lineup for a good amount of the season, though they could start Theis or Baynes at the 5 and bench Tatum, but it is really likely to have Tatum in the starting lineup even if his minutes and numbers take a small hit with Horford back in the lineup. Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart will be the anchors for the second unit and this could make the Celtics easily the most dangerous team in the Eastern Conference without question.

Keys To Success
For the Celtics, it all goes through their depth, which is definitely something to rave home about. Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, Kyrie, Tatum, Jaylen, Al Horford, Hayward, Aron Baynes, and more help round out one of the more solid rosters in the league. I would consider them to be the second best team in the NBA under the Warriors and this season should reflect that.

Final Thought
In our honest opinion, this is the team to beat in the Eastern Conference and they may very well be the second best team in the NBA as of now. The depth this team showed after their stars went down amazes me. The only way they don’t make the NBA Finals is if they get hurt. No team plays harder for their coach and no coach gets more out of his players than this group. So, the question is, what is the ceiling for the Celtics? I say the NBA Finals and a hard fought series loss to the Golden State Warriors if everyone is healthy. If Kyrie is not healthy or Hayward goes down, or even a Tatum or Horford being out for extended periods when it counts, Philly or Toronto could sneak in there and win the East. Still, if I'm a betting man, the East runs through Boston until further notice.

-EOTR

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Eyes on the Ring 9:29 PM  1 comment

Eyes On NBA: 5 Young Teams And Their Potential

By @TrueGodImmortal

The NBA is currently full of young talent all throughout the league on just about every team.... except the Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, and 90% of the San Antonio Spurs roster really (they have two younger players with huge potential). Despite this, literally every team has a promising young star under 25 that could really do some damage and continue to progress in the league. For some teams, it's more than just a promising young star... It's majority of the roster. Today, I wanted to take a moment to look at the younger teams today and see what their potential could be together this season and in future years. Let's get into it.

*Chicago Bulls

-This season will be an interesting one for the Bulls as it seems they are prime to tank and hopefully walk away with a top 3 draft pick. Most Bulls fans struggle with knowing what they want, but if I'm the Bulls, I want the no. 1 pick and to be smart, I take Marvin Bagley III. With Michael Porter Jr. already experiencing injury issues and the other possible picks for the team not seeming as promising, I think the plan this year will be to win 20-25 games and go for the no. 1 draft pick if they can't get it. Here's the thing that showcases a possible change in the culture for the Bulls in a year or two. Lauri, their current rookie, is doing well, and has a huge upside as he continues to develop as a player. Kris Dunn is off and on, but he's an amazing defender and Denzel Valentine seems ready to break out and shine. Imagine a Bulls team that can keep those three focused and ready, alongside Zach Lavine, an explosive scorer, when he comes back. Add a top 3 draft pick alongside maybe one or two veteran acquisitions in free agency, and this team could be knocking on the door of the playoffs within the next 3 seasons. Though Gar and Pax don't give us much to be excited about.... I'll attempt to trust the process for Chicago.

*Orlando Magic 

-Coming in just at below 26 years for the team's average age, the Magic are surprising people in a major way. They've slipped below .500 now in the East and likely won't make the playoffs, but when it all starts clicking on a regular basis for this team, they could be deadly. Aaron Gordon is proving to be an important factor for this team and he might be the driving force, while names like Evan Fournier, Biyombo, and Jonathan Simmons could prove to be impactful if they all manage to stick in Orlando. I don't see heavy playoff contention this season or next season for the Magic, but with some more adjustments and additions to the roster, the Magic could very well end up as a team clawing for that 7th or 8th seed sooner than later.

*Boston Celtics 

-The average age of this team is 25 years, but you would think this is a veteran team with the way they play so far this season. Led by the now veteran savvy of Kyrie Irving, the Celtics are poised to run the East, especially when Gordon Hayward is healthy. The improvement of Jaylen Brown and the focus of  veteran Al Horford helps them stay poised and composed, while Jayson Tatum is entering his name in the Rookie Of The Year talks with consistent olay. Terry Rozier has been solid, as has Daniel Theis, and the Celtics havr amazing defense, which has led them this season to a 16 game win streak. Their cap for this season? Likely the Conference Finals, but at very best, a 5 game loss in the NBA Finals. Still, next season, if they can all stay healthy, the Celtics should own the East and maybe years beyond.

*Los Angeles Lakers 

-Don't look now.... but the Lakers are currently in a playoff spot. They're not quite there yet, but with heavy improvement and continued focus on defense, they could make some noise in the stacked Western Conference. Led by Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, and Brandon Ingram, the Lakers may have found their core three guys to run with, along with solid complementary pieces in Jordan Clarkson and Josh Hart. Julius Randle is playing decent so far, but it is likely that his future isn't with the Lakers. Still, without Randle, the Lakers can add more pieces and have enough room to add a huge free agent or two after this season. If Paul George steps into the Lakers uniform and plays alongside their young core, it could see a return to form for the Lakers that many of us didn't see coming for quite some time. They're young and prone to make mistakes so I won't crown the Lakers as a playoff contender yet, but in a year or two, they could be knocking on that 6th or 7th seed spot, aiming for a shot at greatness.

*Philadelphia 76ers 

-Coming in just a little under 25 years as their average age, of all the teams on this list, I have the most faith in the 76ers. They have two future legends in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons if they can stay healthy. If they can remain healthy and keep improving as players, the league might be in trouble. Ben Simmons looks like he's due to be an All Star sooner than later, and Embiid is more than likely going to get voted in this year, as he might be the best big in the East. If Markelle Fultz can get healthy and come back just as good as we hope he will be, alongside the solid Robert Covington, there's no telling what level of greatness we might be able to witness for this team. Add in a wild card like Saric, and the 76ers might be heading to the playoffs and making some moves throughout. I still think they are a year or two away from a Conference Finals and possible Finals appearance, but if they manage to stay healthy and keep developing their players, they have huge potential for the future. The East could be all about the Sixers sooner than we think.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 3:52 AM  No comment

Eyes On NBA: 5 New NBA Duos To Watch

By @TrueGodImmortal

So, the NBA season is nearing and there's so much to watch out for. After a few trades and free agent signings, we now have a number of top tier duos in the NBA that could end up doing some damage or making some noise. In addition to the already existing juggernaut in Golden State, the stacked team in Cleveland, and of course the duos in Washington, Toronto, and New Orleans, we now have 5 new duos to get used to. Not included here? LeBron James and Isaiah Thomas, because we don't really know how soon it'll be before Isaiah will play. That aside, let's take a look at 5 new duos to watch for.

5. Paul Millsap and Nikola Jokic
(Denver Nuggets)

-This COULD be a post nightmare for some teams, and I think Denver suits Millsap pretty well. My biggest concern is that these two won't mix well, but with the type of players they are, it should work to give Denver some solid offense. While Denver needs to really work on their backcourt, their frontcourt is set, and of all the new duos, this is the most slept on of them all and underappreciated. Millsap doesn't make the Nuggets a championship team, but he definitely can make them a playoff team again.

4. Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward 
(Boston Celtics)

-It is surprising in many ways that Kyrie and Hayward both would end up in Boston, but we knew Boston would end up making some big move. I just never expected Isaiah Thomas to leave and I never expected Kyrie to leave Cleveland. Hayward was clearly heading to Boston and with the system they have in Boston, it is fairly certain to be a fun thing to watch Kyrie as the no. 1 option. The question remains, is this big time All Star duo enough to push the Celtics beyond the Cavs and to the NBA Finals? That remains to be seen. The sure thing is that it'll definitely be fun to watch regardless.

3. Jimmy Butler and Karl Anthony Towns
(Minnesota Tinberwolves)

-As a Bulls fan, it sucks that Jimmy Butler is gone. For Minnesota fans, you have to be ecstatic. The playoff drought should finally be coming to an end. The Wolves don't seem championship bound, but with Butler provided scoring and defense for the Wolves alongside KAT and his natural abilities, this duo could work very well to help the team see the Conference Finals at best and at worse, the first round of the playoffs. This duo will be fun to watch and I think Butler takes over where Wiggins couldn't. That'll be interesting to watch play out. 

2. Chris Paul and James Harden
(Houston Rockets)

-This duo is the most intriguing. These two have never played with a player of this magnitude on each end. Harden can comfortably go back to his shooting guard position, but he's still a good passer and a primary ball handler, and so is CP3. This will end up being an interesting dichotomy and while I can't for sure say that it will work like everyone expects it to, on paper, the Rockets look very good. Chris Paul is silently beginning his late career decline (defensively mostly), but outside of that, he's still a viable player and Harden was just a MVP candidate, so he for sure has the tools to help this team. Will this duo work? Will the Rockets make the Conference Finals? That remains to be seen.

1. Russell Westbrook and Paul George
(Oklahoma City Thunder) 

-This duo is the most intriguing. Russell Westbrook had a decent team around him, but he carried the scoring load in OKC. He has been used to having a second option most of his career and PG has been a first option on his own team, so putting these two chiefs together to make something happen should result in instant playoff success. If Paul George plays solid defense and scores at will like he usually does  when focused, the fact remains that we might see the Thunder as a top 3 seed in the West and a sleeper to make the Conference Finals. This is the duo you need to watch out for the most.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 2:02 AM  No comment

Eyes On NBA: The Kyrie Irving/Isaiah Thomas Trade

By @TrueGodImmortal 

By now, you know the news. Kyrie Irving is a Boston Celtic. The same team that he helped to destroy in the Conference Finals is now touting his services as their new no. 1 guy. For all the talk of the previous trades that could have went down for the Celtics, this might have been the smartest trade for them the next two years. While it does seem like they could have pulled off the Jimmy Butler trade, one has to wonder what stopped the Celtics from making that happen. Do the Celtics view Jimmy Butler as a lesser player than Kyrie? Certainly, Kyrie is a better offensive player than Jimmy, but Butler is a much better defender. This is what makes this a bit strange.

In a way, one would think the Celtics could have pulled off the biggest move of the century if they would have traded Crowder, Bradley, and a 2017 pick to the Bulls, but the truth is clear now. The Celtics didn't want to lose their pick THIS YEAR. Then, one would think they could have traded IT for Kyrie, and Kyrie and Butler would have been able to play together alongside Hayward. However, there are a few things about that which make it tough to complete. For one, contracts and cap room. Two, Butler isn't a proven winner YET. The same could be said for why the Celtics didn't trade for Paul George. While George would have been a great addition for the Celtics now (and #BunnyTalk would have been in full effect), he was only a one year rental. The Celtics still have draft picks for the future, and more than likely, their 2018 pick was going to be yet another player they will need to develop. The Celtics haven't necessarily been the best drafters, and Ainge has lost out on a lot of players for holding onto draft picks, so maybe he finally broke and decided to get rid of some guys who were important to their organization.

Now, when the trade went down earlier, many seemed to think that the Cavs won the trade and finesse the Celtics. Upon deeper inspection of the trade, this was mostly an even trade. One look at the Cavs roster and you see they have a mostly full roster already with very little wiggle room. Adding Isaiah Thomas was a solid addition for them, as was Jae Crowder, and I think the first round pick could be very important in the future. However, this is clearly a deal that only helps in the now, for this season, and their roster changes could make for some huge issues and chemistry problems. One would have to imagine that IT would enjoy his role as the 1st option in Boston, and he's never played with a guy as polarizing as LeBron. While IT is a veteran and can understand working to help your team win, he's built his name and fame off of being the guy in Boston. Taking a backseat to LeBron, which is going to happen, might not suit him as well as he thinks. Add to the fact that IT is a huge liability on defense, along with a lingering hip injury that could flare up or return at any time, and you see one reason why the Celtics were so quick to trade him. That, in addition to the fact that we watched the Celtics add Gordon Hayward to their team, as well as Marcus Morris, Jayson Tatum, and are developing Jaylen Brown still, the Celtics have a very young core with some great guys to feed off, so losing IT doesn't hurt as much as one would think.

Now, as far as Jae Crowder, this is where most people think that the Cavs won, and you're right and wrong. The Cavs need someone who can play defense, and Crowder is a solid defender, but make no mistake about it, the Cavs would have been better off acquiring Avery Bradley than Crowder. Crowder has regressed some as a defender and hasn't seemed as motivated overall at times. I would imagine playing with someone like LeBron might work one or two says. Either Crowder has a good season in a much smaller role, or he struggles to find his place to fit in, like most players have when they play with LeBron. Since returning to Cleveland, we've watched J.R. Smith, Shump, Kevin Love, and others struggle to fit into smaller roles under Bron. Will Crowder fit into the ISO system that Cleveland runs? With names like Jose Calderon, Derrick Rose, and Richard Jefferson in the Cavs lineup, it could be really tough to see how all these egos adjust, something that is going to be one to watch out for.

So, how does Boston move forward and win this trade? It's simple. At the current moment, Boston has the potential to go and get two free agents to fill the roster holes that are now there after the trade, but a look at their roster doesn't seem so bad. As much as I was looking forward to the possibility of Kyrie in New York next to Porzingis, the truth is, Kyrie next to Al Horford, Gordon Hayward, and Marcus Morris isn't bad at all. Jaylen Brown showed improvement all season and he might turn out to be one of the more successful draft picks for the Celtics in the long run. The same goes for Jayson Tatum. The Celtics have the vision and believe Jaylen Brown could possibly fill in where Avery left off. Perhaps not as good yet, but they have faith in him. They also have Marcus Smart, who despite some mistakes and horrible flops, has proven to be solid when need be for the Celtics. Terry Rozier and Aron Baynes could provide some solid bench minutes as well, and while on paper, the Cavs have the better roster, in reality, the younger and fresher Celtics could be a problem.

Regardless, if I had to pick a winner in this trade, it's the Celtics barely. They lose a pick next year sure, but that allows them to go with what they have and keep pushing. They keep some pieces, but plug in better pieces as their starting lineup changes drastically. They don't have to worry about paying IT the max when he becomes a free agent next season, and they have Kyrie for the next two seasons, along with Hayward for four years, and Horford for a few more years, while they allow Crowder to play on the Cavs and fight it out for playing time (which could have been an issue for him on the Celtics with Hayward in town). For the Cavs, they now have an entirely new roster, with an even bigger defensive liability, a draft pick for next season, but the possibility that LeBron leaves again, and IT could also leave this off-season. What will be the true fallout from this? Only time will tell, but this coming season will be pure greatness.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 2:00 AM  No comment

Eyes On NBA: Eastern Conference Finals Preview- Cavs vs Celtics

By @TrueGodImmortal 

It seems as if we are one step closer to the inevitable. The NBA Finals is expected to be the same as it has been the last two years, and there's not much evidence to dispute that. Be that as it may, the Warriors and Cavs being on a crash course for their rubber match does have a few stops in the destination. For the Warriors, it's the slightly depleted Spurs team who have seem to lost a bit of their heart. For the Cavaliers, it's the tough Boston Celtics, who just don't seem like they are ready to go away. Now, most people would assume that the Celtics are a possible cakewalk for the Cavs, and while I don't necessarily disagree, one thing we've learned is to not count this Celtics team out. With Isaiah Thomas focused and ready to lead his team, what could be the outcome of this interesting Conference Finals battle? After 10 days of rest, LeBron, Kyrie, and Love gather their troops and head into Boston to begin the next chapter of the Eastern Conference playoff journey. Let's take a look at the Eastern Conference Finals.

*Cleveland Cavaliers 
-Much like the 2015 season, the Cavs are in the 2nd seed with an inferior team at the no. 1 spot. Now, this does nothing to discredit the Celtics at all. Isaiah Thomas is a star, Avery Bradley is a superb defender and can score in bursts, but the Cavs are and will be the best team in the Eastern Conference. Why? Because they're built to be that way. Let's he honest. There's no team in the East stacked like the Cavs, and the same could be said for the Warriors in the West. However, what makes the Cavs the best is not only having the best player in the game at the helm, but a great supporting cast as well. Delusional Cavs (Bron) fans will say Bron has no help as they usually do when he loses (this is why it's tough to talk basketball with them at times), but we all know Bron has a lot of help. Kyrie Irving is an amazing player. Kevin Love is a solid player who can provide you with 20 points and 10 rebounds on a regular basis. Tristan Thompson is an 80 million dollar rebounder. JR Smith is a bit streaky in terms of his shooting, but he's a solid option and a great shooter when he's on fire. Deron Williams isn't the great point guard he once was, BUT the truth is, a former All Star is one hell of an option for a backup point guard. The same could be said for Kyle Korver, one of the best shooters in the game and a former All Star in his own right.

So, with that being said, there's no other team in the East who even comes close to the Cavs in terms of roster. On paper, the Cavs blow everyone else except maybe one or two teams in the West out of the water. However, a big issue for the Cavs has been (and still is) their defense. They didn't exhibit the best defense against the Pacers nor the Raptors, but that's fine, they didn't need to much because they'd have enough scoring and ball movement to get the job done. In this series, this might be a cause for the Cavs to tighten up on defense, but with 10 days rest, how will this play out? Will the Cavs come in on the road renewed and easily take over? Or will they be rusty, slow to move the ball, and unfocused? If that happens, then this series might be more interesting than expected. If there's one team in the East that you don't want to be unfocused against, it would be this Celtics team. They've got a lot of heart, despite not being as stacked roster wise, so it's a true possibility that the Cavs could lose a game 1 or 2 on the road, BUT it's honestly not that likely. I think we will see the Cavs come out with a burst of energy with every game, and LeBron will be magnificent as he always is in the playoffs. If for some reason, Bron isn't 100% locked in or all the way there, then that could be trouble for the Cavs. However, the likelihood of that happening is very slim.

*Boston Celtics 
-The Celtics are a Cinderella story this year. With the small Isaiah Thomas as their leader, the Celtics have been a rather undersized team this year, but they won 53 games and clinched home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. With players like Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics have some weapons. The issue with their weapons is consistency. The Celtics haven't been extremely consistent and after getting off to a rocky start early in the season, they eventually snatched the no. 1 spot from the Cavs, who at one point seemed to have it virtually locked up. Going into this series, for the Celtics, the reality is they have to play the greatest 48 minutes of basketball possible every game go even be able to compete. Can they? Sure they can, as we saw the Celtics take a home victory over the Cavs in the regular season. We also saw the Cavs destroy the Celtics at home too, so this could go either way.

If the Celtics could pull off the upset, they might be in a prime position going into the offseason. Surely, if the Celtics could get 1 or 2 games against the Cavs, or even push them to 7, adding Markelle Fultz in the draft and possibly Gordon Hayward in free agency would make them a much bigger threat to the Cavs next season, right? This is a young team, still learning the ropes, so to see them gel together and work so well is a testament to the great coaching of Brad Stevens. Do the Celtics realistically have a shot of winning this series? Not really, but I didn't think they would win over the Bulls or Wizards either, so I won't completely count them out.... it just seems unlikely.

*Prediction
I won't take up too much of your time with this one. While many people see the Cavs sweeping the Celtics, we've seen the Celtics won't die without a fight. I predict the Cavs in 5 hard fought games, possibly 6, but silently, I'm hoping for this series to go 7 games. Is it possible? Yes. Is it likely? No. The Cavs are headed to their third straight Finals for a date with destiny... and the Warriors.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 4:23 PM  No comment

Eyes On NBA: The First Round Playoff Picture

By @TrueGodImmortal

The playoffs are here. There isn't much I can say aside from that. After a long 82 game season, the biggest stretch is here. 16 teams. 8 playoff series that will be cut down to 4 playoff series, then 2 playoff series, and the NBA Finals. However, I'm getting ahead of myself. Right now, we have 16 teams to focus on, and these matchups that make up the first round of the playoffs. Today will be a preview of these matchups with a look into how the series could possibly end up. Will the Warriors coast through their first round battle? Will the Cavs get on track and sweep the Pacers? Can the Bulls upset the Celtics. Let's take a look.

Eastern Conference
The East is not as competitive as the West, but there's some good teams in the conference and this will see some interesting games. The Raptors are on a roll and have their 2nd straight 50 win season, the Bucks were out of contention at one point and managed to come back to snag the 6th seed, while the Bulls manage to keep the super hot Miami Heat out of the 8th seed. The Cavs aren't the no. 1 seed this year, instead they are the no. 2 seed, but that might not even matter. Can the Celtics live up to their no. 1 seed? Only time will tell. Let's take a look.

(1) Boston Celtics vs (8) Chicago Bulls 

-On paper, this is closer than anyone would want to admit. Al Horford hasn't made much of a difference for the Celtics, but Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, and Jae Crowder have been stepping up big time for the no. 1 seed Celtics. The Celtics are the no. 1 seed for the first time in nearly 10 years, and they could have a date with destiny. However, when the Bulls are on, they are on. They had a great record in the regular season against all of the top playoff teams and they swept the season series against the Cavs. If Jimmy Butler can be clutch as always, Dwyane Wade shows up like he did last year in the playoffs, and the rest of the Bulls work well together, we could see a true upset. As a Bulls fan, I'm biased, so I pick the Bulls in 7. Realistically, it could end up as the Celtics in 6. Either way, this should be a good series.

(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (7) Indiana Pacers

-The Cavs went through more struggles this regular season than we've seen them before. They upgraded their bench, got that backup PG they needed, added a top tier three pointer shooter to come off the bench and now the Big 3 is all healthy (minus a nagging injury to Kyrie). This has to mean good news for them right? Yes and no. They don't seem as dominant as they have been, but it's the regular season and they could afford to have some bad games. Still, you don't expect the Cavs to lose the first seed in the East and yet for the 2nd time in 3 seasons, they did. Surely, the Cavs dominate like they did the last 2 years in the playoffs right? They should, but I'm not so sure. Bron shows little signs of fatigue but father time is undefeated. Kyrie could go down with an injury and while I expect Kevin Love to be solid, the fact remains that the team chemistry has been lacking. However, Bron will be on the floor at least 42 minutes a game, and that is usually enough to beat most teams (except a few times this regular season). The Pacers have found a rhythm and seem focused, and Paul George has been playing great lately. Will the Cavs defense finally get right? Or will the Pacers surprise everyone and push the Cavs harder than expected. The worst thing to do is face a team that has momentum on their side, and all jokes aside, the Pacers have great momentum at the moment. I still see the Cavs winning in 5 games, but it will not be as easy as we expect it. If I was being honest, I could see a 6 or 7 game series if the Pacers play the best basketball they've played all year in this series. I'm 99% sure the Cavs win, but there's that 1% of doubt, but make no mistake, if the Pacers actually managed to beat the Cavs, they would have to give their all, which would drain their energy for future playoff matchups. I'll still go with the Cavs in 5, possibly 6, if the Pacers can take advantage of the Cavs spotty play on the road.

(3) Toronto Raptors vs (6) Milwaukee Bucks 

-Giannis carried the team on his back after losing Jabari Parker, and they are in a prime position. The Bucks have had a solid run leading into the playoffs, and they can turn that into a virtual upset of the Raptors, but Toronto is a sleeper team in the East. They have Ibaka now, a focused starting lineup, a healthy Kyle Lowry, and a deadly DeMar Derozan. I'd like to think the Bucks can fight with the Raptors, but something leads me to believe the Raptors can walk away with the victory in a 6 game series. If the Bucks pull off the upset here, I'll be surprised. Giannis deserves more, but I think the Raptors are just the better team by far.

(4) Washington Wizards vs (5) Atlanta Hawks

-I did not expect the Wizards to be here. By the way they've played the last few weeks, they don't even want to be in this position. However, with Bradley Beal and John Wall both getting some rest, it is very possible that they could get back in form that made them seem unstoppable during the stretch that had them contending for the 2nd and 3rd seeds at one point. If the Wizards played hard over the last 15 games or so, it's a chance they could have walked away with the 1 or 2 seed. Still, the Wizards are a focused team and stand the best chance of beating the Cavs if anyone. However, the Hawks have been pretty hot to end the season after an inconsistent ride, and they have been solid overall. Their bench beat the Cavs with the big 3 in the game and that honestly would interesting to watch. Still, the Hawks have a fighting chance against the Wizards here, much like they did 2 years ago when they matched up. However, I see the Wizards taking the win in 6 games, led by the consistency of Wall and Beal. Hawks could take it in 7, but I'd go with the Wizards in 6.

Western Conference
The toughest conference has the tougher and more exciting matchups for the most part. The two MVP finalists are playing each other, the Blazers get another shot at the Warriors after coming up short last year. The Spurs and Grizzlies have what feels like their 20th playoff series against each other, and the newfound rivalry of Clippers and Jazz continues over to the playoffs. This should be a lot of fun to witness and I can't wait to watch the Western Conference side of things.

(1) Golden State Warriors vs (8) Portland Trailblazers 

-I don't expect much out of this series if I'm being honest. One thing that's deadly is a team that's on a mission. Granted, every team should be on a mission, but there is no team more on a mission than the Golden State Warriors. After blowing a 3-1 lead in the Finals after a 73-9 season, expect to see more of the dominance we have come to see from the team during the last few seasons in this series. This is not to say Dame or CJ won't show up, but Nurkic had a terrible injury and he won't be 100% during this series at all. KD is back and in rhythm, Steph is Steph again, Draymond is the best defensive player in the league this year, Andre Iguodala is a top choice for 6th Man of The Year and Klay Thompson is going to be focused as well. That's too much for just about any team to overcome. The Blazers will put up a fight, but I expect the Warriors to either sweep them or win in 5 games. The Warriors win.

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs (7) Memphis Grizzlies

-The playoff series that just never seems to end. Don't get me wrong. I was excited to see Kawhi in the playoffs and Vince Carter get another run, but with Tony Allen out, I expect this series to be boring and slightly disappointing. The Spurs could either sweep the Grizzlies or end up winning in 5 games, but the Grizzlies don't stand a chance. Grizzlies were a tough match in the regular season, but that won't work as well here in the playoffs, especially without Tony Allen.

(3) Houston Rockets vs (6) Oklahoma City Thunder

-The battle we all wanted. The chance at redemption for the Rockets after losing in 5 games last year in the first round, and a chance to prove his team is better and he deserves the MVP (though it's a regular season award) over Harden. The two MVP candidates doing battle in the first round is a great story and I think this will be a tougher than expected series. Many have the Rockets easily winning, but this leads me to believe that they've once again underestimated Russell Westbrook. Russ has been the most clutch player for his team and with breaking the triple double record monkey off his back, I think he goes hard and leads the Thunder to an upset victory in this series. Realistically, the Rockets should win in 5 or 6, but the longer the series the goes, the more it benefits OKC I believe, so I'll go out on a limb and say OKC in 7.

(4) Los Angeles Clippers vs (5) Utah Jazz 

-The Jazz and Clippers had a pretty intense game where tempers flared this season. For that alone, I'm looking forward to this series. The defensive juggernaut that is Rudy Gobert will be a force to be reckoned with I'm sure and the matchup between him and DeAndre Jordan will be interesting to say the least. Gordon Hayward, Chris Paul, and of course Blake Griffin will be the players to watch in this one. I predict the Jazz in 7, but if the Jazz can't get an offensive rhythm going, I'll say the Clippers could steal it in 6 or 7. Defense would be the deciding factor here and Utah has better defense and that's why I think they will win and move on to likely face the Warriors.

The playoffs are exactly what we have been waiting for, and now that they're here, the best is yet to come. Could we see a sleeper team get out the first round like the Pacers, Bulls, or Grizzlies? It's possible. Will any series go 7 games? It's also possible. Only one way to find out and that's to tune in.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 2:55 PM  No comment