Predicting each Second Round Series of the NBA Playoff

The first round of the NBA playoffs has just been completed, and the outlook of all the remaining teams is starting to be understood. Surprises, blown leads, and upsets were occurring day in and day out, such as the Timberwolves blowing two 25-point leads to the Grizzlies in game 3 or the Celtics sweeping a very talented Nets team. With many noteworthy teams taking care of their weaker opponents, the second round of the playoffs may just be one of the best in recent years.

Will the Celtics be able to slow down Giannis and get past the defending champion Bucks, or will the Bucks continue their quest to repeat by beating the Celtics? Can Luka Doncic beat the defending Western Conference Champion Suns? Is Ja Morant ready for the big stage facing the warriors? Will James Harden show up big in the Heat series? I will be answering these questions by predicting the outcome of the second series.

Celtics vs Bucks

With both the Celtics and the Bucks making quick work of their first-round opponents, we are set for what many consider the best second-round matchup in the NBA. With Khris Middleton expected not to play the entire Celtics series, the key for the Bucks is defending Jayson Tatum and also making the open shots that Giannis provides them. In games 3, 4, and 5 of the Chicago series, shooters including Grayson Allen, Wesley Matthews, and Pat Connaughton drained their open threes. This led to three easy wins for the Bucks. However, unlike the Bulls, the Celtics are a very capable defensive team, led by the defensive player of the year Marcus Smart.

For the Bucks to win the series, they must also slow down Jayson Tatum, which makes the Celtics much more vulnerable. However, I just don’t see this happening, as Tatum is not only good at finishing at the rim and shooting, but he is also a much-improved passer than he was in years before. If the Celtics supporting players can knock down their shots, and if Jaylen Brown can continue to dominate the fourth quarter as he did in the Nets series, then the Celtics should be able to squeak out 4 games against this resilient Bucks team.

Prediction: Celtics Win the Series 4–3

Heat vs 76ers

Just like with the Celtics and Bucks, the Heat and 76ers both looked like they were the much better team against both the Hawks and Raptors respectively. If not for a Trae Young game-winning floater with 4 seconds left on the clock in game 3, the Heat may have swept the Hawks. Although the Raptors series did become a bit scary after the 76ers choked games 4 and 5, their stars finally showed up in game 6, as the 76ers won comfortably in Toronto. One major note of this series is that the 76ers star, Joel Embiid, was injured in the closing minutes of game 6, so he could miss a game or two. The injuries of both Lowry and Butler could also end up mattering in this series

For the 76ers to win the series, they will need big performances from both Embiid and Harden, as the Heat are a very deep and defensively talented team. With the way that Embiid and Harden played in game 6 of the first-round series, I do think that both of them will have some big performances in the series. I also think some x-factors for the 76ers can be Tyrese Maxey, who dropped 38 on the Raptors in game 1, and Tobias Harris. The main problem with the Heat is that they don’t have a great defender for Joel Embiid, so we can expect big scoring performances from Embiid once he returns

Prediction: 76ers Win the Series 4–2

Grizzlies vs Warriors

After both teams took care of their lower-seeded opponents, we are in store for a Grizzlies vs Warriors series. These two teams played last year in the play-in tournament, with the Warriors losing by a heartbreaking 5 points despite Steph Curry scoring 39, sending the Grizzlies to the playoffs where they would eventually lose to the Jazz in 5 games. However, last year, it was Steph Curry carrying his entire team offensively, as he didn’t have a legit second scoring option. However this season, Andrew Wiggins became an All-Star, and Jordan Poole developed into a legit point guard and scorer. The Warriors also got Klay Thompson back mid-season. The Grizzlies also took major steps this season, finishing as the number two seed in the Western Conference.

The main matchup to watch in this series is Ja Morant vs. Stephen Curry. Both stars had a fantastic season, with Ja Morant even winning the most improved player award. However, in this series, I predict that Stephen Curry will win this matchup since Curry has much more playoff experience than Morant does. During the first-round series against the Timberwolves, it felt like Morant struggled sometimes, which led to most of the games being close. Curry, on the other hand, was tremendous in all the games he played, and so were Klay and Poole, which led to the series being finished in 5 games. This has to do with the fact that the Grizzlies are an extremely young team. My prediction sees the Warriors moving on to the conference finals.

Prediction: Warriors Win the Series 4–2

Mavericks vs Suns

In the first round, both the Mavericks and the Suns handled their opponents in 6 games. For the Mavericks, their star point guard Luka Doncic missed the first three games of the Utah Jazz series, where the Mavs were surprisingly able to go up 2–1. Utah won game four but then the Mavericks followed up with two crucial, which helped Luka win his first of many playoff series. For the Suns, the series against the far inferior Pelicans team went all the way to six, and in the clincher, it took a perfect performance by point guard Chris Paul. However, their main scoring threat Devin Booker was out for about 3 games, in which the Suns went 2–1. This is going to be a battle between two of the best teams in the second half of the season.

For the Mavericks to win, they need their role players such as Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie to step up big time. In the first round against the Jazz, Brunson was a big part of their success, as he dropped a pivotal 41 points in game 2 plus he also came up clutch in games 3 and 6. With Luka now back and fully healthy, this very capable Sun’s defense will have to find a way to stop him, which I think they can. The suns have one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, Mikal Bridges, who is more than good enough to at least contain Luka. With Ayton controlling the paint, and very good perimeter defense, there isn’t a weak spot to attack this Suns team. Scoring shouldn’t be a problem, as they have one of the best in Devin Booker, plus many other capable shooters and facilitators such as Chris Paul, Cameron Johnson, Cameron Payne, Mikal Bridges, and Jae Crowder. Even though I do think that the Suns have the advantage in this series, the Mavericks are capable of winning it, and will probably steal a few games.