Photo courtesy of NBA via Wikipedia.
The second round of the NBA playoffs was full of exciting matchups and unexpected endings. In the East, the Pacers and Knicks defeated teams no one expected them to beat. In the West, the Timberwolves and Thunder took care of business against their opponents. Now that the second round is over, it’s time to predict who will win the conference finals.
The Oklahoma City Thunder vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves
I think, after looking at this matchup, it’s going to take all seven games to decide who advances to the NBA Finals.
The Thunder are coming into this matchup after a tight series with the Denver Nuggets that went to seven games. What ultimately lifted the Thunder through the series was outstanding play from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Thunder won two close games where Gilgeous-Alexander was the engine of their offense. The other two games were won in blowout fashion — including Game 2, when they put up 149 points.
The Timberwolves have had time to rest following a five-game series against the Golden State Warriors. After a surprising loss in Game 1, the Timberwolves rattled off four straight wins against the Warriors.
This dominant string of wins came in large part from Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards both averaging over 25 points per game in the series.
Both teams have the offensive firepower to win in the playoffs. However, the Timberwolves have shown better defense and hustle, which is why I think they’ll take this series in seven games.
The New York Knicks vs. the Indiana Pacers
It may have taken six games and an untimely injury to Jayson Tatum, but the Knicks are in the conference finals for the first time since 2000. As a team that many thought Boston would make quick work of, the Knicks pulled off the upset.
Not only were the Knicks hot on offense when they needed to be, but they also played solid defense throughout the series. Based on their performance, I think the Knicks have the ability to wear down most opponents to advance to the NBA Finals.
The Pacers, however, are even better than I expected. After predicting they would beat the Cavaliers in seven games, I was shocked when they beat them in five. Everyone on the Pacers' roster came together to elevate the team offensively, including in their last-second comeback that won them Game 2 of the series.
They comfortably defeated the Cavaliers in every other game of the series — largely driven by their efficient shooting and impeccable ball movement.
Now, in a rematch of the 2000 Eastern Conference finals, I don’t see the result changing. While the Knicks have shown an ability to grind out low-scoring defensive wins, that defense largely works when teams rely on isolation plays.
The Pacers play offense more as a team than in isolation, and if they can maintain their three-point efficiency, they will win this series in six games.
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