The second round of the NBA playoffs tips off Friday night with the Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets, but the rest of the action hits early next week. After an entertaining first round, the NBA Conference Semifinals 2024 promises to be even better.
Let’s dive into our 10 bold predictions for the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
Anthony Edwards delivers two 40-point games, averages 30-plus PPG in the series
In the four-game sweep over the Phoenix Suns, Anthony Edwards averaged 31 points and 6.3 assists per game. He did this with one 40-point game and two contests with 33 or more. We think the Minnesota Timberwolves star can deliver even better individual results in the NBA Conference Semifinals 2024. Edwards has proven he delivers his best stuff in the biggest moments and there isn’t a stage bigger than taking on the reigning NBA champions with Minnesota a huge underdog. We’ll predict in a six-game series, in which Denver wins, Edwards scores 40-plus points twice and averages over 33 points in the series.
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Nikola Jokic snags two triple-doubles, averages 29-12-10 in series
At this point, the NBA playoffs are just an opportunity for Nikola Jokic to rocket up the list of all-time greats on his way to potentially winning back-to-back titles. When Jokic last faced Rudy Gobert and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs, he averaged 26.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9 assists and 1.2 steals per contest in the five-game series. For as good as Gobert is defensively, he’s no match for what Jokic does on the court. Denver will have its hands full with Anthony Edwards, but the young guard elevating his game means Jokic takes his to another level. By the end of it, Denver will advance to the Western Conference Finals and Jokic will have multiple triple-doubles and average nearly 30 points.
Luka Doncic cracks 50-point mark twice, snags a triple-double
During the regular season, Luka Doncic averaged 34 points, 13.5 assists and 11.5 rebounds per game against the Oklahoma City Thunder (two contests). For as willing of a facilitator as Doncic is, the NBA playoffs are the time when he and Kyrie Irving need to control everything. That means cutting down on the assists and taking more shots. After shooting 40.5 percent against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round, we think Doncic will take over against Oklahoma City. By the time the Mavericks vs Thunder series wraps, Doncic will have two 50-point games and have averaged close to 37 PPG.
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Oklahoma City Thunder knock out Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks in 5 games
The two things the Oklahoma City Thunder lack in the NBA playoffs are size and experience. Oklahoma City finished the regular season 28th in rebounding (49.2 PPG), which would pose a significant problem if they advance past the NBA Conference Semifinals. However, the Mavericks’ leading rebounders are Luka Doncic (6-foot-7), rookie Dereck Lively and Kyrie Irving (6-foot-2). Oklahoma City matches up well against Dallas, especially with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander able to attack the Mavericks defensively. It’s possible inexperience is the undoing for the Thunder, but we think they can take this series in a gentleman’s sweep.
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Indiana Pacers take the New York Knicks to seven games
Even without Julius Randle, the New York Knicks have enough to advance past the NBA Conference Semifinals. However, they just went through an extremely physical and draining battle against the Philadelphia 76ers, which could easily carry over into the second round. While the Knicks play great defense, Indiana is phenomenal at protecting the basketball – 2.38 assist/turnover ratio in regular season – and they can find some opportunities to force New York into a fast-paced game. If Indiana does that, it will be even more effective against a more exhausted Knicks team that has already played a ton of minutes this season.
Jalen Brunson plays the hero at Madison Square Garden
There are still questions about how far a small guard can take you in the NBA playoffs. It’s a question hanging over the New York Knicks and it’s fair to admit the team doesn’t reach the NBA Conference Semifinals without some wild success from the perimeter from Josh Hart. This will be Brunson’s series. While we do expect Indiana to make this a long second round for New York, Brunson will be the hero at Madison Square Garden with three clutch fourth-quarter performances that secure victories and Brunson will be the one who sends the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals.
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NBA Conference Semifinals TV ratings drop
At a time when the NBA is trying to secure billions of dollars from networks for the broadcasting rights to its games, this is an important time. Unfortunately for NBA commissioner Adam Silver, the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers aren’t here, leaving a massive void of TV markets in the NBA Conference Semifinals. While the excitement for the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics will help things, we won’t be surprised if the reports after the second round are that the league-wide ratings were at the lowest point in several years.
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2 game-winners hit during the NBA Conference Semifinals
We’ll first be specific with this bold prediction. Instead of a bucket with under 10 seconds left that wins the game, we’re specifically talking about game-winning shots with under 2 seconds left at are essentially a walk-off moment. The first will come in the Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves series, with Jamal Murray hitting a buzzer-beater to take a critical game in Minnesota. We’ve also got our eye on the Eastern Conference, with the Indiana Pacers winning it in the final 2 seconds on a last-second bucket.
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Jaylen Brown elevates his game with Kristaps Porzingis sidelined
The 2024 NBA Playoffs are critical for Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics. Just about everything went right for the team in the regular season, with Boston clearly demonstrating it was the best team in the NBA. Yet, everyone is still waiting for the other shoe to drop in the playoffs. The Kristaps Porzingis injury seemingly opens the door for heartbreak, as the All-Star won’t return to play in the NBA Conference Semifinals. However, we think this is when Brown steps up. The All-Star will record a pair of 30-point performances in the series, with three games of 25-plus points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals.
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Boston Celtics get a lot of rest after series sweep
The opponent doesn’t really matter to us. Neither the Cleveland Cavaliers nor the Orlando Magic looked threatening in their series and even for a Boston Celtics team without Kristaps Porzingis, they have way too much depth and talent to overwhelm their second-round opponent. There will be a few double-digit victories for Boston included in the four-game sweep and it will provide the locker room and fan base with confidence amid uncertainty regarding when Porzingis can return.
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