The Conference Finals are set with the Nuggets falling to the Thunder in Game 7 after a hard-fought series.
The Timberwolves and Thunder will face off tonight in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, while the Pacers and Knicks kick off the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday.
This marks the seventh consecutive year there will be a different NBA champion. Be warned: Some unorthodox predictions follow, as it truly is anyone’s championship to take.
The six-seeded Timberwolves might look like a walk in the park to most fans, but they deserve more credit. With all eyes on Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, people have not realized the matchup nightmare the rest of Minnesota poses.
As a second option, Julius Randle has been averaging 24 points in the postseason, giving Minnesota a much-needed offensive boost. Pair this with Naz Reid, who is shooting almost 47% from three off the bench, and the defense-minded Thunder will already have their hands full.
Speaking of defense, Rudy Gobert, as a true rim protector, should give Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren plenty of problems. Don’t expect many easy lobs to be completed for OKC like in the series against the Nuggets.
As good as the Timberwolves can be, the Thunder are the one-seed for a reason. SGA is an offensive machine that churns out 30-point games like an assembly line.
Oklahoma City has also shown that when faced with a tough opponent, even giving up a couple of games, they have the resolve to win. This is mainly thanks to their stellar defense that has continued into the postseason.
It is mildly concerning that a banged-up Nuggets team pushed the Thunder to seven games. This exposed a previously believed notion that OKC was a bulletproof team that held no weaknesses.
While the Timberwolves deserve more respect and have the matchup potential, SGA and the Thunder will show up win or lose.
Minnesota will show up big in game one, stealing a game on the road, but will return home with the series tied 1-1. The Thunder will return the favor, evening the series 2-2, heading back to Oklahoma.
The Thunder will make a statement in Game 5, taking the lead 3-2. Anthony Edwards will respond accordingly in Game 6 to keep the Timberwolves alive, but OKC will ultimately take the cake in Game 7.
A 25-year-old rivalry returns in the ECF with the Pacers vs. the Knicks. Last season, New York had to deal with multiple injuries throughout the regular season and playoffs.
In the Conference Semifinals, the Knicks ultimately fell to the Pacers in seven games. Many claimed Indiana was gifted a Conference Finals appearance due to injuries and did not truly earn it.
A year later, both teams are healthy and ready to put all the excuses to rest. The Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson, have shown up when it matters most, completing some outrageous comebacks to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Pacers, led by Tyrese Haliburton, have seemed to catch fire, and no one has been able to cool them off. The deciding factor for the series victor will heavily rely on stamina.
Brunson and the Knicks’ slower-paced offense control the tempo and take control of the game. Twenty-point leads are not enough to put them away, as they will claw their way back, determined not to be blown out.
Look for Karl-Anthony Towns to have a big series as well. In the past three games against the Pacers, KAT has averaged 30 points and 12 rebounds. If Indiana is not able to find an answer for Towns, he and Brunson will pick them apart over a series of long.
Lucky for Indy, their offense and three-point shooting have been top tier in the postseason. The Pacers’ hot streak at the end of the season has only compounded into the playoffs.
Haliburton has emerged as a true star point guard, knocking down big shots in the clutch and assisting his team to back-to-back Conference Finals.
Should the Pacers’ three-point shooting hit a slump, their dreams of a Finals appearance in 25 years may crumble. One aspect that has helped them avoid this pitfall is their deep bench.
On any given night, Indiana has eight players who can consistently knock it down from deep and go for 20+ points. In a straight-up starters vs. starters matchup, however, the Knicks take the edge.
New York’s concern is the lack of a bench. Should a starter have an off night or worse, get injured, the Knicks will be out of luck.
For this reason, and the Pacers’ unrelenting offense, Indiana takes the overall advantage in the series. The series will be split 1-1 after New York’s home games.
Returning to Indiana, the Pacers will once again go up 3-1. The Knicks will come back in Game 5 but lack the depth to push the series any further, falling in six games to Indiana 4-2.
Expect both series to be lengthy, as both teams are more evenly matched than they appear. In the WCF, the Thunder will be tested, but will ultimately overwhelm the Timberwolves in seven.
For the ECF, the most likely outcome is the Pacers outrunning the Knicks in six games. Regardless of the outcome, we should be in for some great basketball games that will decide a new champion in quite some time.
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