NBA Playoffs Second Round Predictions

New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers

    Jalen Brunson and the Spike Lee-led New York Knicks are set to take on the Rick Carlisle-led Indiana Pacers in the second round of the NBA Playoffs to decide who will be losing to the Boston Celtics en route to raising their 18th Championship banner. The Jalen Brunson and Rick Carlisle feud narrative is at play in this series, with Brunson supposedly feeling snubbed over missed playoff minutes when Brunson and Carlisle were both with Dallas. Brunson is the second New York Knick since Bernard King to score at least 39 points in four consecutive playoff games, on an average of 30 shots a night. What’s more impressive, confidence or ability? If Tommy Thibz decides to continue the ‘give Brunson the ball and get out of the way’ game plan, Brunson may average 60 points a game this series. Indiana has been questionable at best in defending guards this season, with particular emphasis on guards who put up a high volume of shots. The Pascal Siakam acquisition has been a massive part of Indiana's success, which gives me some optimism in this series, but at the end of the day, it's going to be Knicks in six.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets (Game 2)

  Anthony Edwards is the best player through the playoffs so far. If PorchTalk was handing out first-round playoff MVP's it'd be Anthony Edwards 100 times over. The Denver Nuggets came into the playoffs with the #2 ranked defense during the regular season, and Edwards made it seem like he was playing pickup in a park on a Sunday afternoon. 43 points on 58% from the field as a 22-year-old against the second-best defense in the NBA. Anthony Edwards was not allowed inside of a Casino only two years ago. The four quick games against Phoenix were Chris Finch masterclasses as it showed how stifling having two 5s on the floor can be, particularly when one of them shot 40% from three this year. To ensure a fair trial for Michael Malone and company, I have to acknowledge that Denver is coming into the series beat up; however, it is hard for me to imagine that a fully healthy Nuggets squad would yield drastically different results after watching this Game 1. It feels like Jokic is going to have to score 40 a night to keep Denver in this. A subjectively foolish man would argue that the Denver Nuggets got 'lucky' that the Lakers couldn't close out a two-dollar tab as L.A. led for over 150 minutes in the series. The Darvin Ham-led Lakers couldn't pass a sobriety test sober as a nun, if this were not the case, we could be looking at an entirely different series. At the end of the day, it's T-Wolves in six.

Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

  This series will be over in five games, six at the most. I will rename PorchTalk to SchmuckTalk if this series sees seven games. Donovan Mitchell scored 89 points through games six and seven against the Orlando Magic, so a 40-point Donovan Mitchell night is obligatory, it'll probably happen in Boston too. Donovan Mitchell is already a prime name in offseason trade talks, which means Boston has a chance to end the Mitchell-Cleveland era Undertaker style. I cannot write off this Cleveland team entirely with Kristaps Porzingis seemingly being off the floor for at least a majority of the series, but as I said in the beginning, Celtics in five.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

 I have to start by acknowledging my disdain for the Oklahoma City Thunder almost entirely based on the worst piece of the media this century, the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren AT&T commercial. Bias aside, we have to hit the breaks on the Thunder. This team is too young in a sport where postseason experience is vital for long-term success. Look at Kyle Lowry, for all I know Kyle Lowry bags groceries at Safeway during the regular season, but you better believe that Kyle Lowry will be on a roster and on the floor come mid-April.

 Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are playing with so much synergy, rather the Mavericks team as a whole, that I am convinced business is booming for every sage shop in the DFW area. This team is playing at such a high level that a 29/10/10 night from Lukal has Stephen A. asking if we should be concerned the next morning. I cannot take away from the talent of this Thunder team, but in my humble opinion, from playing in plenty of NBA playoff games, experience is king for any basketball in May. Luka Doncic made an extremely compelling case for MVP this season, which will only be bolstered by the Mavericks closing out the series in six games. 

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