NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Predictions

The first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs went as many NBA fans expected. The Knicks were the betting underdogs to beat the Philadelphia 76ers, which surprised us. As we predicted, The Knicks defeated the 76ers in six games, and now they'll face the Pacers. The Pacers had an easier matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, who suffered injuries to their All-Stars, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. The Pacers closed out the series at home in six games. As expected, in five games, the Celtics steamrolled the Heat, which was missing Jimmy Butler. The Cleveland Cavaliers took a tight series against the Magic in seven games. The Cavaliers had to make an impressive game seven comeback to get through that series. They will now face off against the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are every NBA team's nightmare, even without Kristaps Porzingis. With all this being said, the Eastern Conference is about to get interesting. #2 New York Knicks vs #6 Indiana Pacers | Knicks in 6 The New York Knicks have looked incredible despite the injury to All-Star forward Julius Randle. The Knicks defense, led by head coach Tom Thibodeau and defensive standout OG Anunoby, has looked great. The series between the Knicks and the 76ers was exciting. Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson is the first player to score 39 points in four straight playoff games since Michael Jordan. Jalen Brunson is one of the most impactful free-agent signings in recent memory. He may even be in the MVP conversation. Even at points when the Knicks couldn't rely on Jalen Brunson, the Knicks supporting cast, they have stood out. An unfortunate blow for the Knicks is the season-ending injury to Bojan Bogdanovic. The Knicks supporting cast still looks excellent. The Knicks play as a team, rebound, and play tough defense, which wins Playoff games. The Knicks are capable of causing the Pacers matchup nightmares. The Pacers will have to play as a team and not rely on Tyrese Haliburton to run the offense in every game. It is also important to mention that the Knicks are a much better road team than the Pacers. The Bucks are a much weaker defensive team than the Knicks, which the Pacers must prepare for. The Pacers won the season series 2-1; however, the Knicks were battling injuries during two of those games. Even with injuries, the Knicks still managed to win 50 games. Although the Pacers are one of the best offensive teams in the NBA, they are also one of the worst defensive teams. Defense wins games in the Playoffs, and the Knicks were near the top of the league in that category. The Knicks offense in the regular season was average; however, in the Playoffs, it was stellar. Even though the Pacers have a talented roster, the Knicks will beat the Pacers in 6 games due to defense, rebounding, and team play. #1 Boston Celtics vs #4 Cleveland Cavaliers | Celtics in 5 The Boston Celtics were the favorites to win the NBA Playoffs. They will miss Kristaps Porzingis for what is likely the whole series. Although the Porzingis injury will hurt the Celtics, Jarrett Allen's status for the Cavaliers is uncertain. These injuries will mean fewer rebounds for both teams. Rebounding is essential in the playoffs; however, the series most likely won't come down to rebounds. The Celtics starting lineup is still elite despite missing Kristaps Porzingis. The Celtics are arguably the best two-way team in the NBA. Their roster is loaded with talent. Talent doesn't always win games; however, the Celtics play as a team. There have been games where Donovan Mitchell has had to carry the Cavaliers, which is very concerning. Although the Magic play great defense, so do the Celtics. The Cavaliers offense struggled in the first round. The Magic did a great job defending the Cavaliers, but the truth is the Cavaliers were missing easy shots. They were one of three teams to average below 100 points in the first round. It is important to note that the Cavaliers play good defense. It is unlikely that the Cavaliers defense will be able to bail them out against the Celtics, which means the only way the Cavaliers would have a remote chance to win this series is if the offense steps up. Considering what we've seen from the Cavaliers, it isn't easy to see this happening, especially against the Celtics. The only positive sign for the Cavaliers offense is that the Celtics are missing Kristaps Porzingis' paint presence. The Cavaliers will have trouble matching up against the Celtics. The Celtics will overwhelm the Cavaliers and beat them in five games.