NBA Playoffs: Conference Finals

by chasegage, posted in Basketball, Blogs, NBA, Sports

Conference Finals

May 14, 2017

by Chase Gage

 

 

Well, maybe this round will actually produce a competitive series or two.

The Cavaliers and Warriors have yet to drop a single game, while the Spurs and (Celtics/Wizards) have both taken at least 6 games to win in each of the first two rounds. Do the Spurs have what it takes to challenge the Warriors for a spot in the Finals? Will LeBron make his seventh-consecutive trip to the championship? Bring on the rematch? I guess we’ll see.

Conference Semi-Final Predictions vs Reality
Prediction Reality
Golden State in 5 Golden State in 4
San Antonio in 6  San Antonio in 6
Boston in 7  Game 7 Monday Night
Cleveland in 5 Cleveland in 4

 

 

 

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

(1) Golden State vs (2) San Antonio

  • Season Series:
    • 2-1 San Antonio
  • Prediction:
    • Golden State wins series 4-2
  • Reasoning:
    • The Warriors are a team on a mission. They spent more time leading by 20+ points in the first two rounds than they did trailing. The Spurs had some trouble with both the Grizzlies and Rockets, but those are two strong teams in the West. The Warriors faced the Trail Blazers and the Jazz, two teams that basically met expectations by being swept. How healthy is Kawhi Leonard? That may be the key to all of this. If the answer is “nearly 100%”, then the Spurs may be able to win a couple of games before the Warriors make their third consecutive Finals appearance. If the answer is anything else, the Warriors might get a little more rest than anticipated while waiting for someone to come out of the East (unless the Cavs complete another sweep, that is).

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

[(1) Boston vs?] (2) Cleveland [vs (4) Washington?]

  • Season Series:
    • vs Boston: 2-1 Cleveland
    • vs Washington: 2-1 Cleveland
  • Prediction:
    • Cleveland wins series 4-1
  • Reasoning:
    • LeBron James has won the East the past six years. Will the Celtics/Wizards stop that trend? Do you really think they have a chance? Maybe that’s the better question to ask.
    • Whether the Wizards or Celtics win Game 7, the Cavaliers will win this series in five games. Maybe six if John Wall/Isaiah Thomas play their best basketball ever, but I’d still bank on five.

 

 

Finals Prediction:

(1) Golden State vs (2) Cleveland…again

Surprised? Probably not. Check back in the Finals for actual in-depth analysis, since those games will actually be competitive.

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