NBA Playoffs- Western Conference First Round Preview and Predictions

The Western Conference playoffs will be stacked with high-quality games in the first round. We have several huge matchups coming up this early, and we will run through all of them in this text. Stay tuned for five minutes, and we also recommend visiting the NBA playoff betting guide written by our friend Kreighton.

Phoenix Suns vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Chris Paul and the boys have been more than dominant throughout the entire season, racking up 64 wins and posting only 18 losses. They had certain injuries, but Monty Williams’ team rose above all that to dominantly close the campaign.

We don’t need to tell too much about this unit. Each player has its role and they act as a team. Booker scores points, Paul organizes the game, Ayton is doing the dirty work, Bridges is the defender, etc.

On the other side, we have the New Orleans Pelicans who reached here through the play-in tournament, finishing ninth after the regular part of the season ended. They would beat the Spurs at home first and then the Clippers on the road. The Pels have two dominant scorers, CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram, plus Jonas Valanciunas, who is now one of the top 10 centers in the NBA.

Still, that won’t help them eliminate the Suns, and we expect to see an easy advance of the franchise from Phoenix to the next round.

Pick: Suns in five

Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz

The Jazzers and the Mavs battled for this fourth place and a home-court advantage at the end of the year, and in the end, Dallas managed to grab it. However, the price for that was too high, and we are sure that the Mavs fans would renounce that if possible.

Luka Doncic’s injury in a meaningless game against the Spurs changed everything. The Jazzers are the absolute favorites now. Luka is projected to play, but his strained calf might be problematic, meaning that he won’t be 100% ready. He averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 boards, and 8.7 assists this year.

On the other side, the Jazzers healed all of their injuries, and are coming into the playoffs lock and loaded. With the home-court advantage, we believe that they won’t miss a chance to reach the next stage.

Pick: Jazz in six

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Ja Morant and the boys surprised everyone by finishing second in the West, and displaying the most attractive basketball in the league. On the other side, the Timberwolves are next to the Grizzlies when talking about the excitement in their events.

These are two offensive-minded teams, with the note that the Grizzlies have a far more diverse attack than the Timberwolves, who rely mostly upon Towns, Edwards and Russell. Minnesota eliminated the Clippers in the play-in tournament showing that they know to play tough when needed, yet still, they are an offense-first team.

When it comes to betting here, over in each game would be our pick. But since we have to predict the series winner, our choice is Grizzlies in seven.

Pick: Grizzlies in seven

Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets

It is, without a doubt, the biggest matchup of the entire first round when looking at the names involved. Two championship contenders going one after another. On one side, we have a two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry, while on the other, the reigning NBA MVP, who has the best chance to win this year’s trophy.

But, even though this series looks bombastic and explosive, the reality is quite different. You see, Jokic is everything that the Nuggets have at the moment. He is the entire team, while on the other side, the situation with the Warriors is different. The Dub Nation has a deep roster and several players able to decide the game.

That is why we believe that Steve Kerr’s boys won’t have any trouble reaching the next stage.

Pick: Warriors in five