Denver Nuggets (1) vs Phoenix Suns (4)
Prediction: Suns win 4-2
Reasoning: Coming into the playoffs, the Suns had arguably the most talented roster, and so far it has shown. Devin Booker was historically great in the First Round, putting up 37.2 points per game, and Durant backed him up with 28.4. With this offensive-juggernaut of a duo leading the way, the Suns handled the Clippers in a quick 5 games. However, there’s some extra context to be added here. Not only were all the games extremely close and competitive, but in addition to not having Paul George for the entire series, Kawhi Leonard got injured and did not play after game 2. This led to three straight throwback Westbrook games to keep the series entertaining. The Nuggets also took care of their series in 5 games, but in a more dominant fashion. Murray led the way in scoring with 27.2 points per game, followed by Jokic’s 26.2. Ultimately, we expect Phoenix’s ridiculous offensive firepower and 124.2 offensive rating from the first round to carry over into this round. While the Nuggets should also be successful on offense, it will come down to the fact that we think it will be easier for the Suns to consistently score on the Nuggets than it will be the other way around, so we’ll take the Suns in a close and competitive series.
Golden State Warriors (6) vs Los Angeles Lakers (7)
Prediction: Lakers win 4-2
Reasoning: For only the second time in NBA history we will witness a 6 seed face off against a 7 seed in the NBA playoffs. The Lakers pulled off an impressive upset over the Grizzlies on the back of their stifling defense spearheaded by Anthony Davis, and they had a balanced offensive attack, having a different scoring leader in each game. The Lakers defense was dominant in the paint and held the Grizzlies to a mere 104.7 offensive rating. On the other hand, the Warriors pulled out a 7 game win in one of the most entertaining series in recent history against the Kings. The two teams were evenly matched, but at the end of the day the playoff experience of the Warriors proved too invaluable as Curry dropped 50 points in game 7 to put the nail in the coffin. Witnessing yet another LeBron vs Curry matchup is sure to be entertaining, and it will come down to a couple of interesting matchups and dynamics. The Warriors will likely continue to play at the very least Draymond Green, and could continue their practice of adding another big like Looney to their lineups, and this would allow Anthony Davis to guard them while having their guard defenders hound Curry and Thompson. If the Warriors do indeed add Looney or Jamychal Green to their lineups with Draymond, then these defensive matchups become a bit easier for the Lakers, as they can continue to handle the Warriors outside pressure with the likes of D’Angelo Russell and Jared Vanderbilt, while having LeBron’s and Davis’s dominant interior presence. However, if the Warriors don’t add two bigs to their lineups it could prove problematic defensively where Davis and LeBron can attack their smaller matchups at the rim. Ultimately we think that the Lakers’ defensive versatility will allow them to win a close series.
All-Star Analytics 