The 2023-24 NBA Playoffs are set and we have a ton of exciting showdowns as early as in the first round. The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers will play-in a series that could go seven games, and play-in games featuring the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Miami Heat will make it very interesting for the top seeds in both conferences. We have predicted the complete 2024 NBA Playoffs bracket until the winner of the NBA championship is named.
Eastern Conference Play-In
(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Miami Heat
The Philadelphia 76ers are in the play-in tournament because Joel Embiid only featured in 39 games this season, but they are still a threat. Embiid back, Tyrese Maxey is still an All-Star, and the 76ers will have enough motivation to defeat the Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat. The Heat couldn’t care less about losing their first play-in game because they like their chances against the winner of the Bulls and Hawks matchup as they embrace the underdog role yet again.
Prediction: 76ers defeat Heat and advance as 7th team in the East
(9) Chicago Bulls vs. (10) Atlanta Hawks
The Bulls and Hawks will compete against each other in the play-in game with a chance to face the title-challenging Heat. While the path ahead for both teams will likely end in the next game, it will still be an entertaining watch. Trae Young can make anything happen, but the Bulls might have enough with DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, and Coby White to get over the hump.
Prediction: Bulls defeat Hawks and play against Heat for 8th place
(8) Miami Heat vs. (9) Chicago Bulls
The Miami Heat will likely not lose in the play-in tournament, because they like to make it hard on themselves. Jimmy Butler will likely find his playoff form, although we don’t expect him to be as great as he was in 2020 and 2023 because it might not be possible. Still, Butler has help with the returned Tyler Herro and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr and Miami will play Boston in the first round.
Prediction: Heat defeat Bulls and advance as 8th team in the East
Western Conference Play-In
(7) New Orleans Pelicans vs. (8) Los Angeles Lakers
The Pelicans are a strong team this season, finishing with the 13th-ranked offense and 8th-ranked defense. The competition in the West meant New Orleans had to fall in the play-in tournament because they are a playoff team but won’t have enough to take out LeBron James and Anthony Davis so early. James and Davis have too much size, talent, and experience and will play the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
Prediction: Lakers defeat Pelicans and advance as the 7th team in the West
(9) Sacramento Kings vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
The Kings and Warriors had an extremely entertaining seven-game series in the first round last year and we could get a glimpse of another one this season. The Kings should have won the series but experience proved to be too much, meaning the Warriors could once again leave them frustrated. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and company will likely earn a chance against the Pelicans for the 8th seed.
Prediction: Warriors defeat Kings and play against Pelicans for 8th place
(7) New Orleans Pelicans vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have Stephen Curry and a ton of playoff experience, but defeating the Pelicans might be too tall of a task. If Zion Williamson is healthy, expect the Pelicans to come up with a shocking upset and occupy the 8th seed for a chance to play the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.
Prediction: Pelicans defeat Warriors and advance as the 8th team in the West
Eastern Conference First-Round
(1) Boston Celtics vs (8) Miami Heat
Celtics fans might be a little nervous about the Miami Heat, and for good reason, but this will be the first round of the playoffs and the stars will be fresh and ready to play. A showdown in the later rounds could see the Heat come up with an upset, but it won’t happen so early. Anything can happen when it comes to the Heat, but the Celtics should win in five games.
Prediction: Celtics defeat the Heat in five games to make it to the second round
(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers
The Knicks and 76ers would have been one of the most exciting first-round matchups in recent memory if not for Julius Randle’s injury. All eyes will be on Joel Embiid and how healthy he can be because a dominant Embiid will make it very hard on the Knicks. Julius Randle is ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury and there will be too much pressure on the 5’11” Jalen Brunson to come up with an upset.
Prediction: 76ers defeat the Knicks in six games to make it to the second round
(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Indiana Pacers
The Milwaukee Bucks have not impressed us as much as we thought since they ended the season ranked 21st in OPPG and 19th in defensive rating. Still, they have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard and that will be enough to defeat the Tyrese Haliburton-led Indiana Pacers in six games.
Prediction: Bucks defeat the Pacers in six games to make it to the second round
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic team has matured so quickly that they won’t be ready to take out the Donovan Mitchell-led Cleveland Cavaliers. Mitchell received a ton of criticism for allowing a first-round exit last year, and this will be the season he guided the Cavaliers to the second round although the team’s run likely won’t get farther than that.
Prediction: Cavaliers defeat the Magic in five games to make it to the second round
Western Conference First-Round
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) New Orleans Pelicans
The Thunder and Pelicans matchup will be extremely entertaining, making it to six games at a minimum. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player in the series and that could be the difference because we still don’t know what to expect from Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. The fact that the Thunder are the first seed also gives them the juice in this matchup.
Prediction: Thunder defeat the Pelicans in six games to make it to the second round
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers will have to win a play-in tournament to play their nemesis right now: the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and company will make relatively quick work of the Purple and Gold because they swept them last season and have gone 3-0 in the regular season in 2024. LeBron James might be running out of time to win his fifth championship with this loss.
Prediction: Nuggets defeat the Lakers in five games to make it to the second round
(3) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (6) Phoenix Suns
The Timberwolves and Suns matchup will be extremely exciting. The Timberwolves are bigger with Rudy Gobert inside and have Anthony Edwards to combat the likes of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. This series will go seven games and the Timberwolves will likely get over the hump to prove they are one of the strongest teams in the West while the Suns need to regroup and fix the roster this summer.
Prediction: Timberwolves defeat the Suns in seven games to make it to the second round
(4) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (5) Dallas Mavericks
By far the most evenly matched and exciting series in the 2024 Playoffs feature Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers and Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. The Clippers have more talent than the Mavericks and a deeper roster so they should win, but never count out what Luka can do when he gets to the playoffs. The Clippers might squeak out a win in the seventh game but it won’t get easier for them in the later rounds.
Prediction: Clippers defeat the Mavericks in seven games to make it to the second round
Eastern Conference Semifinals
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers
The Celtics will be at full force against the Cavaliers in the second round of the playoffs, and will likely win four out of their six games against them. Likely starting with a 2-0 lead, the Celtics have too much size and talent to be denied just yet and they will send the Cavaliers home with an important summer coming up for Donovan Mitchell.
Prediction: Celtics win in six games to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals
(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers
We certainly respect a healthy Joel Embiid because he is a difference-maker, but his coming back late in the season means there is too much to overcome in just a short amount of time. Giannis Antetokounmpo can match what Embiid can do, and Damian Lillard is still a clutch player who can be a difference-maker. Expect the Bucks to do enough to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Prediction: Bucks win in six games to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals
Western Conference Semifinals
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (4) Los Angeles Clippers
The Oklahoma City Thunder will be happy to be in the second round but they lack the experience of Kawhi Leonard, Paul Goerge, and James Harden. Even Ty Lue has more experience than Mark Daigneault, and that could be the difference in a seven-game series. The Thunder will take this on the chin and be back stronger than ever over the next few seasons.
Prediction: Clippers win in seven games to make it to the Western Conference Finals
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (3) Minnesota Timberwolves
The Nuggets won’t miss the chance to be in the Western Conference Finals. The Timberwolves just aren’t ready yet, especially if Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t 100% healthy. Anthony Edwards is not a superstar on the level of Nikola Jokic (yet), and we can’t disrespect the reigning NBA champions by predicting a loss before the Western Conference Finals.
Prediction: Nuggets win in six games to make it to the Western Conference Finals
Eastern Conference Finals
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks aren’t the same team that geared up for a 2021 NBA Finals run and that will be the difference. The Boston Celtics are simply too good this year, Jayson Tatum is better, and Kristaps Porzingis will be a difference-maker in the series. Giannis cannot be contained for long and he will stretch the series to seven games, but the Celtics will make the NBA Finals for the first time since 2022.
Prediction: Celtics win in seven games to make it to the NBA Finals
Western Conference Finals
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (4) Los Angeles Clippers
The Nuggets will have the edge no matter who they play-in the Western Conference Finals. The Clippers will find it hard to have an answer for Nikola Jokic because there will be too much on Ivica Zubac to handle the Serbian. James Harden’s playoff disappearing acts are also worrying and one untimely injury to Kawhi Leonard or Paul George could see the Nuggets get to the NBA Finals for the second straight year.
Prediction: Nuggets win in six games to make it to the NBA Finals
2024 NBA Finals
Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets
This will be the hardest series to predict. It will come down to the finest margins, meaning a turnover or missed assignment in crunch time could be the difference. The Celtics have shown they can lack focus in big games while the Nuggets have shown the opposite since last year. The Nuggets have also gone 2-0 against the Celtics this season, and have the reigning Finals MVP Nikola Jokic.
However, this is likely Boston’s season. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have a lot to prove and the additions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis mean they have the talent to win at home and steal a game on the road. The series will likely go to seven games and Boston will finally get over the hump to win their first NBA championship since 2008.
Prediction: Celtics defeat the Nuggets in seven games to win the NBA championship
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