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The playoff bracket is finally set for the Eastern Conference. The 76ers claimed the seventh seed, while the Heat rebounded from a defeat at the hand of the 76ers to earn the eighth seed.
Now that we have all the matchups, it’s time to dig into each series. Will the Celtics sweep their way to the second round? Can the Bucks advance with Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) injured?
Here’s my prediction for who will win each of the four series. All odds are provided by DraftKings. Check out our Western Conference Preview from Thunder Dan Palyo, too!
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#1 Boston Celtics vs. #8 Miami Heat
Season Series: Boston leads 3-0
Series Odds: Boston (-1800), Miami (+950)
The Heat dispatched the Bulls with ease Friday, grabbing onto the eighth seed. It was an impressive performance, given that the team was without Jimmy Butler (knee) and Terry Rozier (neck). Butler is likely to miss multiple weeks, so don’t expect to see him against the Celtics.
The Celtics completely dominated the regular season, finishing with a 64-18 record. They had a +11.4 point differential, which was the best mark in the NBA. The second-best team was the Thunder, who had a +7.4 point differential.
The Heat and Celtics have a good rivalry. If Butler and Rozier were healthy, they might be able to put a scare into the Celtics. However, as things currently stand, the Celtics are set up to dispatch them in short order.
Betting Picks: Series Spread: Boston -2.5 games (-235)
Series Prediction: Boston 4-1
#2 New York Knicks vs. #7 Philadelphia 76ers
Season Series: New York leads 3-1
Series Odds: New York (-115), Philadelphia (-105)
The 76ers were one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference at the beginning of the season, but then a knee injury to Joel Embiid derailed them. Embiid only played 39 games during the regular season, which came on the heels of back-to-back seasons in which he played in at least 66 games.
Luckily for the 76ers, Embiid made it back for the end of the regular season and logged 38 minutes against the Heat on Wednesday. While he clearly looked to be laboring at times, he finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists. The question is, how will he hold up over the course of a seven-game series?
Jalen Brunson with the 4-point play 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AuSWi7eFjr
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 12, 2024
The Knicks have their own injury issues with Julius Randle (shoulder) out. However, they do have OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson back, providing a huge boost to their defense. The Knicks were 27-14 at home this season, so having homecourt advantage in this series is huge. In the end, look for Jalen Brunson and a deep Knicks squad to advance to the second round.
Betting Picks: Series Spread: New York -1.5 games (+210)
Series Prediction: New York 4-2
#3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. #6 Indiana Pacers
Season Series: Indiana leads 4-1
Series Odds: Indiana (-120), Milwaukee (+100)
The Pacers had the Bucks’ number during the regular season. While the Bucks have veterans who are proven in the playoffs, the Pacers play at a fast pace that can cause the Bucks problems. Across their five meetings during the regular season, the Pacers averaged 128.8 points.
The headline coming into this series is the health of Giannis. He is doubtful to be ready for Game 1 and he could miss at least the first couple of games in the series. The Bucks went 4-5 in games that Giannis missed during the regular season.
The one thing working in the Bucks’ favor is that, even though Giannis could miss the first couple of games, the series will start out in Milwaukee. The Bucks were 31-11 at home during the regular season, while the Pacers were 21-20 on the road.
I’m expecting the Pacers to at least split the first two games in Milwaukee with the high likelihood that Giannis misses both of those games. That would put them in the driver’s seat to pull off the upset over the higher seed.
Betting Picks: Series Spread: Indiana -1.5 games (+115)
Series Prediction: Indiana 4-2
#4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #5 Orlando Magic
Season Series: Tied 2-2
Series Odds: Cleveland (-185), Orlando (+155)
This series is going to be a rock fight. The Magic had the third-best defensive rating in the league during the regular season, while the Cavaliers had the seventh-best mark. Both teams also ranked inside the bottom seven in the league in pace of play.
Working in the Magic’s favor is that all the pressure is on the Cavaliers for this series. It’s house money for the Magic at this point, who grabbed a playoff spot with their young roster. Meanwhile, if the Cavaliers suffer another early exit, questions will arise during the offseason as to whether or not it’s time to trade away Donovan Mitchell.
Donovan Mitchell came up big vs. the Pacers as the Cavs maintain #4 seed in East!
33 PTS | 5 AST | 4 STL | 4 3PM pic.twitter.com/KLVCQcrJsL
— NBA (@NBA) April 13, 2024
As suffocating as the Magic are on defense, I like the Cavaliers to win this series. They have more scoring punch with Mitchell and Darius Garland at the helm. The Magic were a terrific 29-12 at home, but they were just 18-23 on the road. The Cavaliers will get the extra game at home, which could end up being the difference.
Betting Picks: Series Spread: Orlando +1.5 games (-160)
Series Prediction: Cleveland 4-3
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