NBA 2024-2025 Playoff Predictions

 For the record, here is my predictions from the start of the season.  

Eastern Conference:

Play-in Games:

• Orlando Magic defeats Atlanta Hawks
• Chicago Bulls defeats Miami Heat
• Chicago Bulls defeats Atlanta Hawks

1st Round:

• Cleveland Cavaliers defeats Chicago Bulls, 4-1
• Boston Celtics defeats Orlando Magic, 4-2
• New York Knicks defeats Detroit Pistons, 4-3
• Milwaukee Bucks defeats Indiana Pacers, 4-2

2nd Round:

• Cleveland Cavaliers defeats Milwaukee Bucks, 4-1
• Boston Celtics defeats New York Knicks, 4-3

Conference Finals:

• Cleveland Cavaliers defeats Boston Celtics, 4-3

Thoughts:

• To the surprise of no one, the two best teams in the East meet in the finals.  Boston has the deep playoff experience.  Cleveland has the better record- and is better rested (the top 3 players on the Cavaliers in Minutes per game are all under 32 minutes;  the top 3 for Boston are all above 33 minutes).  And Boston played a ton more games last year.
• Add it up- and the longer the series goes, the fresher Cleveland will be.  Boston's a great team- but I think Cleveland wins in game 7

Western Conference:

Play-in Games:

• Golden State Warriors defeats Memphis Grizzlies
• Sacramento Kings defeats Dallas Mavericks
• Sacramento Kings defeats Memphis Grizzlies

1st Round:

• Oklahoma City Thunder defeats Sacramento Kings, 4-0
• Houston Rockets defeats Golden State Warriors, 4-1
• Minnesota TImberwolves defeats Los Angeles Lakers, 4-3
• Denver Nuggets defeats Los Angeles Clippers, 4-2

2nd Round:

• Oklahoma City Thunder defeats Denver Nuggets, 4-2
• Minnesota Timberwolves defeats Houston Rockets, 4-3

Conference Finals:

• Oklahoma City Thunder defeats Minnesota Timberwolves, 4-1

Thoughts:

• Oklahoma City Thunder is head and shoulders above every other team in the West this year.  After them, it's a dogfight.
• I have Minnesota being the surprise team to make it to the conference finals.  Even at the 6 seed, they won 49 games- and I think they underperformed.  

NBA Finals:

• Oklahoma City Thunder defeats Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-3

I want the Cavaliers to win it all.  But objectively, Oklahoma is the best team.  They won the most games despite some serious injuries.  Maybe if Chet Holmgren has problems, the Cleveland front court will lead them to victory.  

They split the series, each team winning 1.  Cleveland won by 7.  Oklahoma won by 20.

I have to give it to the best team, not the team I'm rooting for.

Your NBA Champions- the Oklahoma City Thunder!