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It’s playoff time. You know the players and the teams and what’s at stake because we’ve been here before. So let’s just do this. (If you’re in New York, hit up Barclays on Friday night, too.)
THE FIRST ROUND
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Cleveland Cavaliers (1) Vs. Detroit Pistons (8)
Jack Winter: Cavaliers in 5. LeBron James was absolutely dominant over the season’s last three weeks, but the Pistons have enough defenders to throw the four-time MVP’s way to frustrate him – for one game. Maybe.
Matt Rothstein: Cleveland in 5. The matchups are more intriguing than a 1-8 normally is, but LeBron is in killer mode and the Pistons don’t have a stopper. Between Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris, at least one Piston is going to have a really rough series.
Jamie Cooper: Cleveland in 5. Detroit is back in playoffs after a seven-year absence, and the energy and momentum behind that might be enough to help them steal a game in this series before being eliminated.
Jordan White: Cleveland in 6. The Pistons give the Cavs more trouble than they thought, even with LeBron James in playoff mode.
Fred Katz: Cleveland in 5. Wherever Detroit has talent, Cleveland has more of it in the same spot. And given Tristan Thompson’s energy and defensive abilities, the Cavs big man seems like he could handle Andre Drummond throughout a seven-game series about as well as any other defender.
Spencer Lund: Cleveland in 5.
Toronto Raptors (2) Vs. Indiana Pacers (7)
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Winter: Toronto in 6. Indiana is uniquely suited to bother the Raptors, with gifted individual players and an overall defensive scheme poised to limit Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. There are two sides to the floor in basketball, though, and the Pacers just don’t have the horses to beat Toronto in a seven-game series.
Rothstein: Toronto in 6. The Pacers are just so inconsistent that it’s hard to know who’s going to show up. On paper, Paul George can defend DeRozan well, and George Hill could probably hold up against Lowry, and Ian Mahinmi could be a problem for Valanciunas. But if the Pacers can’t score (and they really struggle to do so at times), then it won’t matter one bit.
Cooper: Toronto in 6. This series could be a more interesting than we expect. Indiana has more weapons that you might expect, including a fully-recovered Paul George.
White: Toronto in 6. The Pacers show up for the first half of the series, but the firepower and grit of the Raptors overwhelms them eventually.
Katz: Toronto in 6. The Raptors are aching for revenge on the Nets and Wizards for bouncing them from the postseason during each of the past two years. Unfortunately, the Pacers are about to be collateral damage
Lund: Indiana in 7. I don’t want this to happen, but I have a sinking feeling it will. This is a total gut call because Toronto is very good, but I see Paul Pierce catching fire and leading his team and a breakout Myles Turner performance to a series win.
Miami Heat (3) Vs. Charlotte Hornets (6)
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Winter: Hornets in 6. This is Kemba Walker’s time to shine, and Charlotte’s first-round matchup has him poised to do it. Behind their increasingly underrated floor general and a wild home crowd, the Hornets beat the Heat in what many consider a major upset – but is actually anything but.
Rothstein: Miami in 5. While I love Kemba’s heart and Steve Clifford’s coaching, I don’t see Dwyane Wade losing in the first round, especially when Hassan Whiteside could eat Cody Zeller (and Kemba’s drives) alive. Without a true superstar, the Hornets will get smothered.
Cooper: Miami in 7. This should be one of the better matchups of the opening round, and Charlotte’s offense and particularly its three-point shooting will give Miami headaches, but the Heat ultimately win out.
White: Miami in 7. This takes second-billing to the Hawks/Celtics match up. A fascinating contrast in styles and two of the best, most under-appreciated coaches in the league dueling it out. The Heat survive, barely.
Katz: Charlotte in 6. The Hornets are one of the playoffs’ most-balanced teams, and though Miami finished out the year strong — and with an improved offense — it did so against one of the league’s easier schedules. Let’s see how they hold up against one of the NBA’s best-coached squads.
Lund: Charlotte in 7. Same thing as my Indy upset over Toronto. Charlotte just caught fire at the right time this season and we’ll look back on Miami’s 5-point third quarter against them in the regular season and know it was a watershed — for both teams.
Atlanta Hawks (4) Vs. Boston Celtics (5)
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Winter: Boston in 6. Might Boston’s wild win over Miami in the finale pulled Brad Stevens’ team from its late-season funk? Either way, the Celtics present some real challenges for the Hawks’ dominant defense with a playmaker like Isaiah Thomas and their penchant for pinging the ball all over the floor.
Rothstein: Atlanta in 7. I don’t really want to pick a winner here, since these teams are both well-drilled defensive units who rely on motion and passing more than star power on offense. It should be the most fun first-round series in the East. Uhhh…Paul Millsap?
Cooper: Atlanta in 7. This should be a bloodbath. These are two of the league’s scrappiest defensive teams, but Atlanta simply has more talent in the end.
White: Atlanta in 6. From a pure basketball standpoint, this might be the best series in the first round. The talent of the Hawks wins out, but not before the Celtics give them everything they can handle.
Katz: Atlanta in 7. This is nearly impossible to choose. The talent levels are similar. And you can take your pick between Brad Stevens and Mike Budenholzer, though Bud did have his on and off moments making mid-series adjustments during last year’s postseason. But in the end, homecourt advantage wins out.
Lund: Atlanta in 5. Boston gets their first playoff win, singular, since KG was on the team!
Golden State Warriors (1) Vs. Houston Rockets (8)
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Winter Golden State in 4. Houston just might be the least disciplined team in basketball, a recipe for disaster against the most flammable offense the league has ever seen.
Rothstein: Golden State in 4. lol.
Cooper: Golden State in 5. Lots of folks are wondering whether James Harden is good enough to will his team to one victory in this series. I also wonder that.
White: Golden State in 4. The lifeless corpse of the Rockets versus the juggernaut that is the Warriors. That’s an easy one.
Katz: The Warriors are clearly miles ahead of the Rockets, but James Harden could be able to steal a game for Houston before Golden State closes out the series.
Lund: Golden State in 6. I think Harden wins two at home and we have to listen to 36 hours of nonsense about the Warriors choking, but maybe this is just because I’m in a foul mood because I wanna be watching the Jordan Classic instead of writing these predictions.
San Antonio Spurs (2) Vs. Memphis Grizzlies (7)
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Winter: Spurs in 4. The Grizzlies are a great story, but just lack the oomph to compete with the Spurs. What a shame these familiar playoff foes aren’t meeting with Memphis at full strength.
Rothstein: San Antonio in 4. ouch.
Cooper: San Antonio in 4. The depleted Grizzlies just don’t stand a chance here, and it will be heartbreaking to watch them have to try.
White: San Antonio in 5. Because Gregg Popovich is nothing if not a gentleman.
Katz: San Antonio in 4. The Grizzlies roster is deteriorated. The Spurs, who would be comfortably the best team in the NBA during a normal season, are good to go. It’s hard to imagine how this series could be close.
Lund: San Antonio in 4. The Grizz are the worst team in the playoffs. The Spurs are very good. Those preceding 14 words were way too much for this series.
Oklahoma City Thunder (3) Vs. Dallas Mavericks (6)
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Winter: Oklahoma City in 5. Rick Carlisle, Dirk Nowitzki, and American Airlines Center will be enough for the Mavericks to steal one game from a team they have no business beating in the playoffs, but the Thunder are just too good.
Rothstein: Oklahoma City in 5. With Chandler Parsons out, I don’t think the Mavs have enough firepower to outscore the Thunder. And that’s without even asking the truly horrifying questions: Who’s going to guard Kevin Durant? My god, who’s going to guard Russell Westbrook? Deron Williams?
Cooper: Oklahoma City in 5. Like Houston, Dallas might be capable of eking out a victory here behind a throwback performance from Dirk Nowitzki.
White: Oklahoma City in 5. Russell Westbrook is the perfect defense against Rick Carlisle’s warlock magic.
Katz: Oklahoma City in 5. Rick Carlisle could end up out scheming Billy Donovan throughout the series, and because of that, Dallas could snatch a game it wouldn’t otherwise win, but the talent disparity here is too great to consider a Mavs upset.
Lund: Oklahoma City in 7. Rick Carlisle is a very good playoff coach, which is a dolled up way of saying he’s a very good coach. But Russ and KD are too much over a full, surprising series. (Dirk goes for 50 in one game and has some ridiculous quote about one-upping Kobe.)
Los Angeles Clippers (4) Vs. Portland Trail Blazers (5)
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Winter: Los Angeles (Clippers – lol-Ed) in 6. This might be the best first-round series of the playoffs. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum present unique problems for a Clippers team that’s still adjusting to Blake Griffin’s recent return. Moda Center will be absolutely crazy, too. In the end, though, Portland just doesn’t have the talented size or overall depth to beat Los Angeles.
Rothstein: Los Angeles in 6. As much as I love Dame, he can’t guard Chris Paul. Chris Paul can guard Dame on some nights. Blake Griffin is back. DeAndre Jordan is salivating at dunking all over Miles Plumlee (who has actually been quite good, but still). The Blazers will get a game or two in Rip City with that crowd and some Lillard heroics, but…
Cooper: Los Angeles in 6. In the West, the Blazers are just about the only team primed for a first-round upset, but I’m not quite willing to go that far. The Blazers’ scrappy play will definitely make this series interesting, and expect one or two Herculean efforts from Lillard, but the Clippers will ultimately prevail.
White: Los Angeles in 6. In the West, the Blazers are just about the only team primed for a first-round upset, but I’m not quite willing to go that far. The Blazers’ scrappy play will definitely make this series interesting, and expect one or two Herculean efforts from Lillard, but the Clippers will ultimately prevail.
Katz: Portland in 7. A complete toss up, but something about the spunky Blazers just screams upset.
Lund: Los Angeles in 6. What they said.
CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
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Cleveland Cavaliers Vs. Boston Celtics /Atlanta Hawks
Winter: Cleveland over Boston in 5. Cleveland is peaking at the right time, and can mix and match lineups to account for any advantages or disadvantages presented by Boston’s style. Also: It’s LeBron versus the Celtics. Come on. Jae Crowder is fantastic, but he can’t stop The King in a seven-game series all by himself.
Rothstein: Cleveland over Boston in 6. This was a lopsided series last year when Kyrie was hurting and Love was already out. The Hawks are better defensively than they were last year, but I still don’t see them having an answer for engaged LeBron D or Tristan Thompson’s manic work rate.
Cooper: Cleveland over Atlanta in 6. This will essentially be a repeat of last year’s conference finals, outcome included.
White: Atlanta over Cleveland in 7. The Hawks are clicking on all cylinders, and unlike last year, are completely healthy. Though LeBron still puts up ridiculous numbers, the rest of the Cavs fail to click, leaving the Hawks to advance to the conference Finals
Katz: Cleveland over Atlanta in 5. The Cavs steamrolled the Hawks during last year’s Conference Finals. Atlanta may give them a slightly tougher time this year, but the run to the Finals shouldn’t be too tough for Cleveland once again.
Lund: Cleveland over Atlanta in 7.
Toronto Raptors Vs. Miami Heat /Charlotte Hornets
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Winter: Toronto over Charlotte in 7. The best series of the playoffs ends with a classic Game 7 in Toronto.
Rothstein: Toronto over Miami in 7. This should be a fantastic series, filled with strong-willed warriors going at it. I can see Dwane Casey using Bismack Biyombo heavily to boost the interior against Whiteside, and the Lowry-DeRozan backcourt will really tax Wade and Goran Tragic.
Cooper:Toronto over Miami in 7. This is a tough one, but Toronto has been the better team all season, so I give them the nod.
White: Toronto over Miami in 6. If Chris Bosh were playing, it’d be a totally different story. Without Bosh, though, the Raptors are simply too much for the Heat.
Katz: Charlotte over Toronto in 6. The Hornets are good. They really are! I don’t know why I feel like I have to scream this. We don’t see many deep-playoff upsets during the NBA playoffs. Maybe the Hornets could be an exception.
Lund: Charlotte over Indiana in 6. DeMarre Carroll shuts down Paul George and Kyle Lowry plays the series of his life.
Golden State Warriors Vs. Los Angeles Clippers/Portland Trail Blazers
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Winter: Golden State over Los Angeles in 5. Poor, poor Clippers. They’re a championship-caliber team for a second year running, but it just doesn’t matter.
Rothstein: Golden State over Los Angeles in 5. Chris (Paul), I respect you, I know you’re great, but you still aren’t making the Conference Finals.
Cooper: Golden State over Los Angeles in 5. The Clippers didn’t really come close to beating the Warriors in the regular season, and I just can’t see them winning more than one game in this series.
White: Golden State over Portland in 5. Dame’s heroics win a game for the Blazers, but a game is all they get.
Katz: Golden State over Los Angeles in 5. I have a feeling this will be one of those series where all the games are close, btu where the Clippers can’t get over the hump. That seemed to be the theme of this year’s regular-season matchups between these two rivals. It’d only make sense to continue into the postseason.
Lund: Golden State over Los Angeles in 4. Chris Paul smashes his hand punching the wall after a Game 3 loss in Los Angeles and they get blown out at home in Game 4.
San Antonio Spurs Vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
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Winter: San Antonio Over Oklahoma City in 7. Despite more athleticism than ever before, San Antonio’s lack of all-court physical dynamism compared to Oklahoma City will rear its ugly head again. Good thing the Spurs boast superior two-way schemes and overall talent, then.
Rothstein: San Antonio over Oklahoma City in 6. I know the trope is that stars trump scheme in the playoffs, and the Thunder have the stars, but they don’t have the offensive flow to hold up against possibly the best defense ever. Serge Ibaka will have to find previous year’s form to hold up against LaMarcus Aldridge.
Cooper: San Antonio over Oklahoma City in 7. The Thunder’s lack of depth beyond their two superstars will catch up with them in this series.
White: San Antonio over Oklahoma City in 7. It’s a hard-fought battle, but Kawhi clamps down on Kevin Durant in the waning moments of game seven, and that’s all she wrote for the Thunder
Katz: San Antonio over Oklahoma City in 7. Are you really going to pick against the 67-win Spurs before they get to the Warriors in the Conference Finals? I didn’t think so.
Lund: Oklahoma City over San Antonio in 6. Spurs are shocked at home in Game 1 when KD puts up 55. They can’t recover one of their own in Oklahoma City and the Thunder put them away back in OKC.
CONFERENCE FINALS
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Golden State Warriors Vs. San Antonio Spurs/Oklahoma City Thunder
Winter: Golden State over San Antonio in 5. Maybe Golden State is just an absolutely awful matchup for San Antonio? It certainly seemed that way after four strangely uncompetitive regular season games, and nothing will change in the playoffs. Sucks.
Rothstein: Golden State over San Antonio in 7. Oh man oh man oh man. Can we just cancel next season and have these two teams play 82 times? I don’t want either team to lose, and I don’t know how they would, but the Dubs just beat the Spurs twice and they have one more home game.
Cooper: Golden State over San Antonio in 6. This should be a good series, but it just doesn’t look like the Spurs have what it takes to upset the champs.
White: Golden State over San Antonio in 7. The matchup everyone wanted lives up to the hype, and the Warriors prove to have too much firepower for even the Spurs’ historic defense
Katz: Golden State over San Antonio in 5. The Warriors are too good. In any other year, the Spurs are the champs. Five games seems too few, seven seems like too many, and picking Dubs in six would mean I’d predict the Warriors to close out on the road. So, we’re laying up with Golden State in five.
Lund: Golden State over San Antonio in 4. Not what we expected. A coronation rather than a bloody skirmish.
Cleveland Cavaliers/Atlanta Hawks Vs. Toronto Raptors/Charlotte Hornets
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Winter: Cleveland over Toronto in 6. Toronto has the individual defenders to limit James, and Kyle Lowry is good enough to mitigate the influence of Kyrie Irving. Can Jonas Valanciunas stay on the floor, though? That will prove pivotal in a series that will be better than most are anticipating. Regardless, LeBron will rise to the occasion with his team’s back against the wall in The Six.
Rothstein: Cleveland over Toronto in 7. Lowry will be on a personal mission to humiliate Kyrie, Luis Scola will make Love look like a fool, and dammit LeBron’s still on the Cavs, isn’t he?
Cooper: Cleveland over Toronto in 7. The Raptors will end their historic season more or less like the Hawks did last spring.
White: Atlanta over Toronto in 7. The devastating combination of Al Horford and Paul Millsap is simply too much for the Raptors’ interior.
Katz: Cleveland over Charlotte in 4. The Cavs swept last year’s Conference Finals. Couldn’t LeBron just go FULL LEBRON mode and carry his team past Charlotte when he’s only four wins away from his seventh Finals appearance?
Lund: Cleveland over Toronto in 5.
THE FINALS
Golden State Warriors Vs. Atlanta Hawks/Cleveland Cavaliers
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Winter: Golden State over Cleveland in 4. The greatest team ever cements its status in basketball lore.
Rothstein: Golden State Over Cleveland in 5. Hopefully Cleveland can make it through the playoffs healthier this time, so that when the Warriors STILL dominate them, LeBron finally realizes he’ll never win a title in Cleveland and bounces in free agency again. What a wonderful offseason that would be for everyone not in Ohio.
Cooper: Golden State over Cleveland in 6. This will essentially be a repeat of last year, despite the Cavs going into it with a full roster (fingers crossed).
White: Golden State over Atlanta in 6. The Hawks’ soaring ascent comes to an end at the hands of Steph Curry and company. The Warriors take the crown, and in so doing, cement themselves as the best team in NBA history.
Katz: Golden State over Cleveland in 5. If the Dubs are too good for the Spurs, they’re certainly too good for the Cavs. This is the best regular-season team ever. They’ll take care of business in the playoffs, too.
Lund: Golden State over Cleveland in 4.
I was tempted to just leave that. I’ve been tired of this exercise for a while, but the Cavs aren’t beating the Warriors, even once. LeBron will approach MJ’s 63-point playoff scoring record in Game 3, though.