With the Play-In starting tonight, let’s take a look at the odds for the First Round series that are already set. With the news of Damian Lillard out for the start of the postseason, Indiana’s ride back to the Eastern Conference Finals just got a bit easier.
And now with Benn Mathurin active for postseason play, take the favorite in that ⅘ matchup. The Los Angeles Clippers have been getting a lot of love in the market against Denver. We can’t bet against the best player in the world and the most versatile big man ever. Not yet.
Detroit vs New York is bound to get chippy. The Knicks are the most talented squad, but with the lack of depth coming off the bench, Detroit should be able to handle the punches and stick it back to Brunson, Thibs, and New York.
Motor City won three of their four matchups in the regular season against New York, while Cunningham averaged 30.8 PPG and 8.3 APG. Even if you put one of OG or Bridges on the talented point guard, he’ll find Duren, Beasley, Harris, and the other Detroit shooters for open looks.
Not to mention, Josh Hart gets the worst matchup possible in the uber-athletic Ausar Thompson, who could wreak havoc on the Knicks' offense.
With Damian Lillard out to start this series, Indiana has this series locked down. After a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals that resulted in one OT loss and two one-possession losses to the champion Celtics, the Pacers are back and even better than last season.
Benn Mathurin is playing offense at an elite level, and the duo of Siakam and Turner is a nightmare matchup for Lopez, Giannis, and Milwaukee. This series is Indiana 5-4 over the last two seasons, but with one of these squads at full health and the other battling to find consistent offensive options besides Giannis, I have the favorite coming out of this Eastern Conference rivalry matchup.
The Bucks went 16-8 to end the year without Dame, and although this record looks outstanding, they ended their season with New Orleans twice, Miami, Philly, and Phoenix. Yes, wins are wins, but Indiana simply has the higher-powered and faster-paced offense, which will win out in this potential six or seven-game series.
I’m against the consensus here. The Clippers have to show me they can win a playoff series while keeping everyone healthy before I trust them. Denver won their last game against L.A. without Jokic and Gordon (LA was without Kawhi).
Although Zubac is a potential All-NBA 3rd Team player, we are talking about Nikola Jokic. The best player of the 2020s and the most versatile big man of all time. The coaching change has sparked something in this team, and especially on the defensive end, winning their final three regular-season games while allowing 112 PPG (at Kings, vs Grizzlies, at Rockets).
Again, I trust Denver more than Los Angeles, and that’s the basis of this pick. It will be a six or probably seven-game series, and when push comes to shove, and Denver needs a play on the offensive side of the ball, they will get it done.