NBA Playoffs 2017 Predictions, Preview: Experts Reveal Picks for First Round of This Year's NBA Playoffs
It's that time of the year again when National Basketball Association experts make their picks and predictions for the first-round matchup of the league's playoffs. For the third straight year, the Golden State Warriors enter the playoffs as the odds-on pick to reach the NBA Finals. However, other teams are geared up to overthrow the defending champion.
For the Eastern Conference bracket, the Cleveland Cavaliers are still considered the favorite to reach the finals despite losing their No. 1 seed to the Boston Celtics.
In the Celtics vs. Bulls playoff, experts predict that while the Celtics have fought hard to earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls have a good chance at winning considering their dangerous squad. Since taking Rajon Rondo on board, the Bulls have become a new team.
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In the Cavaliers vs. Pacers match, experts find it hard to get an accurate representation of what the defending champs will look like in the playoffs. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are all in good shape but they need to revive their chemistry. On the other hand, the Indiana Pacers have seemed sluggish since the beginning of the season. Considering that, the experts' prediction is Cavaliers in five.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors are seen as a deep team with good guards, defense and size but they might just be another underrated team heading into the playoffs. In their match against the Milwaukee Bucks, experts predict that Raptors will win in five.
Now in the Western Conference, Stephen Curry is still the leader of the Warriors but experts say he could get knocked out by some of the Portland Trail Blazers' strongest guards. While some predict that the Trail Blazers will win over the Warriors in six games, most experts predict that the Warriors will win in four.
In San Antonio Spurs' match against the Memphis Grizzlies, experts claim that the Grizzlies have not fared any better in their recent matches. As Mike Conley, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol's three-headed attack lost its bite, the team entered the playoffs losing five out of six games. Hence, experts' playoff prediction is Spurs in six.
Experts also predict that Oklahoma City Thunder will beat Houston Rockets in seven.
