Well my friends, we have made it. The time has come for the NBA playoffs and I am absolutely stoked to see who will come out on top in November. Since there are eight series to be played, I’m not going to go as far in depth on this piece. If I did, you would be reading all day long. When the next round comes, I will take a deeper dive since there won’t be as many series to talk about.

The West

Lakers (1) vs Blazers (8)

First, this isn’t going to be the traditional 1 vs 8 seed series. Portland is a year removed from the Western Conference finals and seems to be back at full strength just at the right time. If Lillard and McCollum can go off like they have been, this series will be really interesting. The Lakers have struggled in the bubble and can’t seem to find guys who will create shots. I’m a firm believer that Anthony Davis is going to average 30 and 12 for the series, but will playoff LeBron come out in the series? If he does, nobody can defend him either. Lakers in 6.

Clippers (2) vs Mavericks (7)

I believe that this series is the worst possible matchup for Luka Doncic. Going against Paul George and Kawhi Leonard for seven games straight is no easy task. If he’s able to play the way he has been, he will have to be considered a top three player in the league; I just don’t think that will happen. On top of that, I don’t think Porzingis will be able to pick up the points that are being left out there by Luka.  Also, this is what Kawhi Leonard has prepared for all season. He sits out a lot of minutes in the regular season because he knows the playoffs are different atmosphere. I think he will dominate the series. Clippers in 5.

Nuggets (3) vs Jazz (6)

This is a series that the Nuggets should handle easily. From top to bottom they have a very deep team, something that Utah does not. Now, with losing Mike Conley for at least a couple games (his child was born), the Jazz don’t look competitive at all. I think Michael Porter Jr. could really be an X-factor in this series and this could possibly be his coming out party. I really do like Donovan Mitchell and think he is great, but I don’t think he’s going to be able to do it all on his own. Nuggets in 5.

Rockets (4) vs Thunder (5)

This will arguably be the best first round series out of all of them this season. Without Russell Westbrook for the first couple games, I think the Thunder can really take advantage of that. Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander actually complement each other really well, similar to him and Harden in Houston. I think Steven Adams will be a potential X-factor in the series if he can get a lot rebounds against the smaller Rockets team. Then, you ask yourself how much he will play because of the small ball that the Rockets are playing. All that being said, James Harden is still James Harden. Rockets in 7.

The East

Bucks (1) vs Magic (8)

I keep trying to think of ways to fathom how the Magic could even compete in one game, but I can’t. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the MVP and the Magic are just not there yet. I would honestly rather see the Suns put in the place of the magic. Yeah, I think that about does it for that one.  

Bucks in 4

Raptors (2) vs Nets (7)

This is another series that could get out of hand very quickly. Although the Nets have been gritty in the bubble, they do not have the star power to win this series. If the star power for the Nets that is not in Orlando was playing, it would be a completely different series. The Raptors are a very well rounded team that can honestly do it all. On top of that, Kyle Lowry is having an awesome season compared to last year when they won the championship. I think the only chance the Nets have to win a game is if Caris Levert plays unbelievably well in a game. Raptors in 4.

Celtics (3) vs 76ers (6)

I think this series might be the last one for Brett Brown in Philly. Without Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid will have to step up his game immensely. This year though, he has played way too inconsistently to think that he can carry this team past a young, star-studded Celtics team. Also, I think the Celtics are hitting their stride at the right time. Brad Stevens has been playing his starters a lot of minutes in the bubble to get them back on track, and it’s working. With Kemba Walker at 100%, Jayson Tatum continuing to get buckets, and everybody else playing how they have been, I don’t think the 76ers stand a chance. Celtics in 5.

Heat (4) vs Pacers (5)

This is a series that I think can be really competitive. The beef that the Heat and the Pacers have right now is already pretty high, so you know it will be chippy. On top of that, I am definitely on the Jimmy Butler side of the beef; he’s just too good for TJ Warren to be talking all that smack about him. The Heat are just a better team, but I think Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner can make this series really interesting. Not having Domanatas Sabonis will be a major loss for the Pacers.                         Heat in 6.

I’m saying this with my best Bruce Buffer impression, ITS TIME!!!!!