NBA Playoffs Round 2 Picks
Eastern Conference
(2) Celtics vs (3) 76ers
On his latest podcast, Bill Simmons tried to say this was the biggest/longest-running rivalry in the NBA, and specifically called it out as bigger than Celtics/Lakers. That may (or may not) be true for Celtics fans, but it’s definitely not true for neutrals like me. I don’t give a shit about the Celtics playing the Sixers. But when the Celtics & Lakers play, I start wearing green a lot more.
Anyway, on to the pick. On paper, this should be the Celtics for sure. Two things going for the 76ers: First, they have (probably) the best player in the series in Joel Embiid. He hasn’t really done it in the playoffs yet, but past performance is not a predictor of future success. If he plays like Joel EMVPiid, the Sixers have a real chance. Second, the Celtics don’t always show up. If the Hawks can beat them twice in 6 games, the Sixers should be able to do at least one better. I’ll say Celtics in 7, but almost any result wouldn’t surprise me.
(5) Knicks vs (8) Heat
Is it the late 90s/early 2000s again? I’m sick of these reboots. I’ll say Knicks in 7, but again I don’t feel very confident.
Western Conference
(1) Nuggets vs (4) Suns
Full disclosure: I’m a Suns fan, and I can’t be fully objective on them from here on out. With that said, I’ll do my best to keep things realistic. These teams met in the second round two years ago, but a lot has changed:
- Jamal Murray is healthy
- Kevin Durant is on the Suns
- All of the Suns’ forwards from 2021 are gone
- Chris Paul is way worse now
You’ll notice that 3 of those 4 are good for the Nuggets or bad for the Suns, so I’m not expecting another sweep. But I do like their chances. If 2021 Playoffs DeAndre Ayton shows up, he does about the best job on Jokic in the league without getting help. Which means Jokic will still put up massive numbers, but 1.) will have to work for them, and 2.) won’t be able to set up his teammates nearly as well. On the other end, I think the Suns have the personnel to heavily exploit Jokic’s defensive liabilities. I think it’ll be a really fun series, and I’ll say Suns in 6.
(3) Kings vs (7) Lakers OR (6) Warriors vs (7) Lakers
If I’m able, I’ll come back and edit this section once we know who’s playing.
