The NBA Conference Finals have arrived, delivering unexpected matchups between the Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves. With the stage set, it’s time to make our bold predictions for the Eastern Conference Finals and Western Conference Finals.
We did fairly well with our bold predictions for the second round, correctly projecting the Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks series to go seven games, Anthony Edwards scoring 40-plus twice, Jaylen Browns stepping up for the Celtics and more.
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Now it’s time to look ahead and dive into our bold predictions for the NBA Conference Finals.
Anthony Edwards goes off for 40-plus points in Game 1 victory
The Mavericks had very few answers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander late in the series, resulting in the Oklahoma City Thunder guard scoring 30-plus points in the last five matchups. Anthony Edwards will likely pose an even bigger problem. Coming off a sub-par shooting night in Game 7, Edwards will erupt in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals with 40-plus points in a Timberwolves’ victory.
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Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown
The Indiana Pacers were one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA during the regular season, ranking 24th in Defensive Rating (117.6) and they rank 13th in the NBA Playoffs (118.1). A well-rested Celtics team has a prime opportunity to deliver a blowout victory in Game 1 at home. With Kristaps Porzingis still sidelined, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will each score 30-plus points in a resounding series-opening victory.
Karl-Anthony Towns averages double-doubles in the Western Conference Finals
Game 7 felt like a turning point for Karl-Anthony Towns. Rightfully blamed for some playoff disappointments and drawing foolish fouls, Towns stepped up for Minnesota in the closeout game. It was more than just the game-sealing dunk, it was 23 points, 12 rebounds and other big shots in crunch time. While Dallas had a size advantage over the Oklahoma City Thunder, that is not the case against Minnesota. This is going to be the series where KAT shines and receives some well-earned kudos from the basketball world.
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Kristaps Porzingis doesn’t play in the Eastern Conference Finals
The Boston Celtics have already ruled out Kristaps Porzingis for Games 1 and 2. There’s still hope that he can return midway through the ECF, even increased optimism in Boston. However, the All-Star forward has admitted he’s making “slow progress” and how the Celtics fare early in the series against Indiana could heavily dictate the level of patience with Porzingis. Hosting the first two games, we believe the Celtics will take a 2-0 series lead and with that early advantage, more reports will surface that Porzingis remains “day-to-day” and is “progressing” but he never plays in the ECF.
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Aaron Nesmith delivers a revenge game against the Boston Celtics
Aaron Nesmith began his NBA career with the Boston Celtics, selected with the 14th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. However, the opportunities just never came. He is now thriving with the Pacers, coming off a season with career-highs in scoring (12.2 PPG) and perimeter shooting (41.9 percent). In Game 3 of the Pacers vs Celtics series, Nesmith will come through with 20-plus points including four three-pointers made against the Celtics.
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Kyrie Irving’s redemption arc continues
With so many great playoff series going on, Kyrie Irving hasn’t been in the spotlight as much as he should. In the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers, Irving came through in clutch moments and averaged 26.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.8 steals in the six-game series. He wasn’t nearly as dominant against Oklahoma City, but this WCF is putting Irving on the doorstep of a career-defining trip to the NBA Finals. With so much attention being paid to Luka Doncic, we believe the Mavericks vs Timberwolves series will also be remembered as when Irving reminded everyone that he is one of the best guards in the NBA. As for what that means statistically, 20-plus PPG and 7 APG.
Luka Doncic delivers his first 40-point game of the NBA playoffs
Luka Doncic is one of the best scorers in NBA playoff history, based on career averages, but a myriad of injuries have limited that ability this year. All of that will come to an end in this series. The Dallas Mavericks star will likely be bottled up a bit early in the series against Minnesota, but in a return home to Dallas, Doncic will approach the 50-point mark in a crucial Mavericks’ victory.
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Tyrese Haliburton recaptures early-season form
In the first half of the regular season, Tyrese Haliburton looked like one of the best players in basketball. In his first 32 games, Haliburton averaged 24.2 points, 12.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. After a prolonged absence due to injury, he ended the regular season averaging 16.8 points and 9.3 assists per contest. Fortunately, near the end of that Pacers vs Knicks series, we saw something much closer to his top form. Haliburton knows how important this moment is for his early legacy and he’ll deliver some of the best basketball in his life, averaging 20-plus points with nearly 10 dimes per game.
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Boston Celtics win Eastern Conference Finals
The Pacers’ playoff run is impressive. Even when accounting for some very good fortune with their opponents’ injuries, Indiana stepped up when it needed to and rallied to take the series in New York. However, the Celtics are simply the superior basketball team. More talent, more experience and superior defensively. Boston should win the ECF in no more than six games, but we’ll say the Celtics pull it off in a gentleman’s sweep.
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Minnesota Timberwolves go to first NBA Finals
The Timberwolves already slayed the biggest giant in the NBA. Now, they have home-court advantage against a thin Mavericks’ roster. Not only that, Anthony Edwards has thrust himself into superstardom and Minnesota offers both the size and defensive pieces to match up with the Mavericks. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic can make it interesting, but the Timberwolves will win the Western Conference Finals in six games. Get ready for a Timberwolves vs Celtics NBA Finals matchup.