(CNN Philippines) — Winning many games in the NBA regular season puts a team on notice.
Winning in the playoffs sets apart the great from the fake.
It’s down to 16 teams vying for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, the biggest prize in pro basketball.
Can the Golden State Warriors defend their title? Will the Denver Nuggets finally break through as the top squad in the Wild West? Can the Boston Celtics make a return trip to the finals? Are the Milwaukee Bucks a legitimate threat to the throne?
These are some of the questions that will be answered in the next couple of weeks.
We take a quick look at the first round matchups and predict which teams will advance to the next round.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Denver Nuggets vs (8) Minnesota Timberwolves
The Nuggets run their offense around Nikola Jokic. The All-Star big man from Serbia carries Denver with a complete arsenal.
The Wolves are expected to clog the shaded area and throw different sets of defenders to contain Jokic.
The twin towers of Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert could slow down Jokic. But the Nuggets have Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon who can light up the scoreboard.
We’ve seen number eight seeds shock the top team in the past, but there’s no way it could happen here.
Jokic absolutely can’t exit in the opening round.
Prediction: Nuggets in 5
(4) Phoenix Suns vs (5) Los Angeles Clippers
With Kevin Durant in tow for the Suns, the landscape changed in the Valley.
When he joined Phoenix in February, the Suns became a serious title favorite. This also paved the way for his critics to call Durant a ring chaser again.
Durant, alongside Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Deandre Ayton form a deadly unit. They will be tested right away and the conclusion of this series will reveal their readiness to contend for the crown.
Phoenix is yet to lose a game when Durant is on the floor for the Suns. That is a scary thought for the Clippers heading into this matchup.
Kawhi Leonard will get his buckets, but how far can he last for the Clippers?
With Paul George’s status still uncertain due to a knee injury, the Clippers will have to dig deep in their rotation to give a good fight.
Prediction: Suns in 6
(3) Sacramento Kings vs (6) Golden State Warriors
The Kings finally ended the longest postseason drought in major American sports with a lineup composed of rising players.
Sacramento is playing its best basketball in over a decade, anchored by All-Stars Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox and surrounded by a solid supporting cast.
Bad news for the Kings though as they collide with the reigning champions Warriors.
What makes Golden State scary is that they turn into a different beast in the playoffs. The Warriors show up when it matters.
Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Jordan Poole will get their time to shine. But the returning Andrew Wiggins will spell the difference for Golden State in this series.
Prediction: Warriors in 6
(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs (7) Los Angeles Lakers
Amid the off court drama that happened involving their prized player Ja Morant, the Grizzlies finished the regular season with their fourth-best mark in franchise history.
What’s their reward for such remarkable performance? LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Lakers.
The Lakers are a different team since revamping their roster at the trade deadline. They know how to close out games but it won’t be pretty.
Capturing his fifth title is definitely the motivation that will fuel LeBron to be all out in this series. It will further cement his status as one of the greatest ever.
It’s obvious that the key for Memphis to win is to limit the production of LeBron and Davis. The Grizzlies should also be wary of the Lakers’ role players because if they don’t give respect to their opposing bench, an upset is on the horizon.
Out of all the matchups, this is the only one that could be settled in a winner-take-all contest.
Prediction: Lakers in 7
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs (8) Miami Heat
Looking at their regular season meetings, this series should be close. However, the Bucks are on a different level right now.
Milwaukee holds the home-court advantage throughout this postseason after having the league-best regular season record.
The success of the Bucks did not come solely from superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Their bench stepped up big time when one key guy is unavailable, and that shows that Milwaukee is a force to be reckoned with.
The Heat hasn’t been as consistent as they would have planned. Miami has the tools but these are not enough to put a scare into the Bucks.
Prediction: Bucks in 5
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (5) New York Knicks
This is an intriguing series because the main plot here is about which side got the better deal during the offseason.
The Cavaliers acquired Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz in a blockbuster trade.
Mitchell is averaging a career-high in points and is making his teammates better merely with his presence.
On the other hand, the Knicks signed free agent Jalen Brunson who previously played in the shadows of Luka Doncic in the Dallas Mavericks.
Brunson showed that he’s capable of being the leader, but it’s yet to be proven if he’s worth the price.
Prediction: Cavs in 6
(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs (6) Brooklyn Nets
There’s no doubt that all eyes will be on Joel Embiid in this duel.
The big man from Cameroon is the clear cut best player in this slugfest. He will easily average 30 points and more than 10 rebounds in this series
James Harden is also a player to look out for in the Sixers. He will be going up against his former team that’s now with a bunch of guys that weren’t there when he left seven months ago.
The Nets found a breakout star in Mikal Bridges, who was obtained in a four-team trade from the Phoenix Suns earlier this year. The 26-year-old is leading Brooklyn with an average of over 27 points in 23 outings.
Problem for the Nets is they don’t have the firepower that can match Philadelphia’s, especially if the series goes the distance.
Prediction: Sixers in 6
(2) Boston Celtics vs (7) Atlanta Hawks
The Celtics are the heavy favorites in this series, but the Hawks have enough talent and depth to make this series fun to watch.
Boston is a versatile squad that can make adjustments on the fly, while Atlanta has scorers who can flip the switch in a moment.
Controlling the boards will be pivotal in this matchup. The Celtics need Robert Williams III to work extra hard on the glass against the Hawks’ frontline of Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the most potent offensive duo in the league, will lead Boston to a deep postseason run again and Trae Young is not that “man” who can spoil that.
The result of this meeting is already set in stone with the Celtics overwhelming Atlanta.
Prediction: Celtics in 5
