With the End of the All-Star Game, the NBA regular season is nearing its end, and it's only been 50 days since the playoffs arrive. With the success of last year's NBA restructured playoffs, this year's league executives are also continuing this kind of life-and-death format. So, if the NBA playoffs start now, according to the current rankings, what will happen to the first round of playoffs?
Eastern Conference Playoffs: Raptors vs Nets Hornets vs Hawks
In the Eastern Conference play-offs, the Raptors, who are currently seventh in the East, will face the Nets at home, and the Hornets of the Youth Storm will face the Hawks who reached the Eastern Conference Finals last year. First of all, if the Nets' main players Durant, Simmons, and Joe Hargh all play in the first game (Irving can't play even on the road because of Toronto's epidemic prevention regulations), then they are undoubtedly better on paper, so it is expected that the Nets will play the first round of the playoffs as the seventh in the East and the bulls who are currently second.
Subsequently, in the game between the Hornets and the Eagles, there is no doubt that the Eagles are the more favored side. Then, in the end, the Raptors and the Hawks will decide the last playoff place, and the author is more optimistic about the Hawks entering the playoffs. As a result, the Heat, who are number one in the East, will compete with the Hawks for the first round of the playoffs.
Western Conference Playoffs: Timberwolves vs Clippers Lakers vs Trail Blazers
The Western Conference playoffs are more interesting, first of all, in the Timberwolves and Clippers game, Leonard and George are likely to return before the playoffs, then the Clippers are undoubtedly more powerful on paper, and will play a seven-game series with the seventh western conference and the second old rival Warriors, Leonard & George vs Curry, Thompson, Green, this series is undoubtedly quite exciting.
Subsequently, the Lakers and Trail Blazers game, if not unexpectedly, will end with the Lakers' victory, and the Timberwolves and healthy Lakers, undoubtedly the Lakers have a greater chance of winning, if the Lakers enter the playoffs with the eighth place in the West, their opponents are still last year's old rivals, the Suns.
Eastern Conference First Round: 76ers vs Green Army Cavaliers vs Bucks
After talking about the playoffs, then enter the playoffs, the current third-place 76ers in the East will face the Green Army, cavaliers and defending champion Bucks. In the first game, the 76ers with Embiid and Harden will most likely win the Green Army if the run-in is smooth, and the score is expected to be 4-2. Subsequently, although the Cavaliers are currently in fourth place in the East, the team lineup is plagued by injuries, and the Bucks are currently relatively healthy, if the time comes to really enter the playoffs, presumably the Bucks will be the more dominant side, and it is expected that the Cavaliers will lose 1-4 to the Bucks.
Western Conference First Round: Grizzlies vs Nuggets Jazz vs Lone Rangers
The Grizzlies in the West are undoubtedly the most surprising team of the season, they have played the third record in the West under Morant, and they will face the Nuggets led by the previous MVP winner Jokic, if Murray can return, then it is undoubtedly a huge improvement for the Nuggets' outside line, but the Grizzlies are undoubtedly a more talented team, so I am optimistic that the Grizzlies will beat the Nuggets 4-3.
The Second Game of the West Jazz and the Lone Rangers have been regulars in the playoffs in recent years, with the Jazz having the league's best defensive center Gobert and the most impactful scorer Mitchell, while the Lone Rangers have the talented teenager Doncic, the dialogue between these three will determine the direction of the series, and I am optimistic about the Jazz's 4-2 victory over the Lone Rangers. （ikuet）