2024 Eastern Conference First Round
- PC
- Apr 22, 2024
- 3 min read
Dude…
The first games of the first round concluded last night! The action is heating up and the East should be just as interesting as the West! The Boston Celtics are the #1 seed. The New York Knicks are the #2 seed and looking to go back to their old form when they dominated the league. Who else could win? The Dudes have their predictions for the first round of the NBA Playoffs in the East.
The Boston Celtics are the favorite to win the NBA Finals and it’s very obvious that they are the best team in the league. Jason Tatum is averaging 27 points per game, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. Jalen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis are a great 2nd and 3rd option. Derrick White never receives the flowers he deserves as the leader of the second unit. Boston is deep, loaded, and talented. There is only one man that can save Miami from a sweep and his name is Sir Jimmy Buckets. Jimmy sat out game 1 and looks like he may be out even longer. Butler does a great job at being the number one guy, but without him, Miami’s offense has fallen apart. They're down 1-0 in the series, if Jimmy doesn’t come back, the Celtics will sweep the Heat. If Buckets comes back, they may win 1, but Boston is too dominant to be defeated in the first round. Boston moves on in 5.
This should be a classic 7 game series headed our way. Donovan “the spider” Mitchell is trying to propel his team to the next round as they face Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic. The Cavs find themselves in a familiar position. As a 4 seed, Cleveland lost to NY last year. Now, the Spider wants redemption. Darius Garland is the elite back court counterpart. Evan Mobley continues to excel down low. The Cavs are going to be tough out. However, Banchero and company are trying to build up a program that’s been bad for centuries!! Since Shaq left Orlando, it’s been losing season after losing season. Now, Banchero has really blossomed and moved this struggling franchise forward. Franz Wagner is going to try to slow down Mobley. Suggs and Cole Anthony will have the daunting task of defending The Spider and Garland. This matchup should go back and forth, with a game 7. This is where Banchero lets loose and sends The Spida packing and questioning his future in Cleveland. The Orlando Magic win in 7.
The matchup may be closer than a lot of people expect. Milwaukee is the three seed thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, the Bucks are without Giannis for most of the first round. Dame time Damian Lillard has taken control of the rains and is driving this team. He has key role players like Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton, and we can’t forget about the “belt to ass” founder in Pat Bev. The Bucks are good, but Tyrese Hailburton has other plans. A big trade deadline pick up has boosted this Indiana Pacers team. Pascal Siakiam seems like the perfect fit. You can tell the Pacers are still working out some kinks in the system, but they have the talent to get the job done. Myles Turner, Benedict Matheriun and Bruce Brown need to step up in a big way to help push the Pacers past the Bucks. I think this game will also come down to 7 games. Giannis returns, and helps the Bucks move past an up and coming Pacers team to move onto the next round.
NY!NY!NY!!! The Knicks are back!! Or are they? Jalen Brunson has been balling in NYC and has bounced the Knickerbockers into the two seed. The 2018 NCAA Tournament Champions in the Villanova Wildcats has recreated that squad onto an NBA roster. Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart have been huge contributors to the squad. Former all star Julius Randle is another key factor. Their trade deadline acquisition in OG Anunoby has added depth and shooting to this fun and talented roster. The Sixers have Joel Embiid, who is a force on his own. Tyrese Maxey is the other factor that can cause the Knicks problem. The main concern with Philly is who else is going to score?? Kelly Oubre? Kyle Lowery? The answer is yet to be determined and I think it’ll cost the Sixers the series. I think the Knicks will win in 6.
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