@@Boston Celtics

Prediction time, who will be making it out of this side of the bracket and into the ECF?

  • April 18, 2024


I know some fans are in the “I want the hardest road possible to shut everyone up” club, and I’m slightly in that club as well. But I’m honestly glad that for a team that won 64 games, we don’t have to see any of these teams until at least the conference finals.

But we should have some great basketball to watch, a bloodbath between teams that don’t really like each other. With Philly getting Embiid back in their lineup and Milwaukee possibly losing Giannis for a couple of games, both of these series are extremely interesting.

I’ve personally got the Sixers and Bucks making it the next round. And I might not get a lot of agreement here, but I think Philly finally breaks through and makes it to the ECF.

44 comments

  1. Even with Giannis hurt I’d be surprised (and delighted) if the Pacers knock them out. I got the Knicks over Philly too, Embiid doesn’t look healthy.

  2. If Embiid’s main issue is conditioning, I can see him getting into the swing of things and reaching the ECF. For some reason I just don’t believe in the Bucks or Pacers to challenge whoever wins that series. It feels like both of their defenses may not hold up, and even if Embiid’s not at 100% if the plan to guard Maxey is “pray” then that feels like it won’t work super well.

  5. It’s between the Knicks and Sixers imo whoever wins that series probably goes on a run and I think it’s a 7 game slugfest.

  6. Depends on health, fully healthy I think Philly has been clearly the 2nd best team in the East, but Embiid looks like playoff Embiid again. I’m not sure what’s going on there, the guy took months off, came back and dominated, and now is just slogging again.

    As it stands now with everyone at their health, idc who comes out the other side, we will demolish them.

  7. indiana, they’ve matched up well against milwaukee even in games where giannis went nuclear, with giannis injured they’re beautifully set for an upset. And i just don’t have faith in philly or new york that one’s more of a gut feeling.

  10. All of those other series are going to be bloodbaths. Celtics really have things lined up beautifully for their run. No excuses. If they play right they shouldn’t lose a game before the ECF

  13. Pacers in 6, Knicks in 7

    Knicks over the Pacers in 6

    Knicks @ Celtics in the Conference Finals

    The Pacers, ironically enough, are great at “pushing the pace” getting out quickly in transition and that is the Bucks greatest weakness.

    Now if Giannis isn’t healthy, which he isn’t, that leaves Dame to take the workload. Dame, in the past, has shown he’s capable; however, he has lost a step and has been widely inconsistent offensively down the stretch of the season. Middleton can’t stay healthy even though he’s looked better at various sports throughout the year. The Pacers need to get Haliburton back on track and IF they do, it will be a very short series, potentially 5 games for the Pacers to advance.

    Now the Knicks are a physical team as we all know and Brunson has achieved superstardom in my opinion. Guy is a menace offensively. Now what hurts the a Knicks here is not having Randle but with Embiid hobbled as well that favors the Knicks. The Sixers don’t have great, consistent scoring forwards and the Knicks have 2 good defensive forwards in Hart and OG that can be used to guard Maxey and wear him out. Sixers will put up a fight but this could go 7 IF Embiid is healthy, if not, Knicks can make this a 5-6 game series at the max.

  14. Knicks. I called a ecf of celtics vs Knicks a few months ago (not on here) and im sticking with it.

  15. Give me the Knicks and and Bucks. Idk I just sorta have this belief in the bucks to take care of Indy but lose in round 2′

  16. It will be the Sixers. It won’t be easy but they’ll make it there. They’ll have a last second win and at least one or two come-from-behind victories. Philly fans will be stroking their dicks about being a “team of destiny”.

    Then they’re going to get crushed by the Celtics. Embiid will be gassed. Other players will be banged up. Maxey will try and put the team on his back. Boston will stomp them in Philly and win by 30, essentially crushing their soul.

    Boston in 5.

  17. That’s a spicy take considering how Embiid played last night. I have the complete opposite of you – I got the Knicks and Pacers into the 2nd round. The Knicks have been hot and playing well, and I don’t trust this year’s end-of-season-8-game-winning-streak any more than I did last year’s with Phoenix and Durant. Plus, my guess is that Embiid will get hurt again before the series is over. This is all ignoring the fact that Embiid only now has 2 weeks under his belt and the Sixers are also missing DeAnthony Melton.

    As for the Pacers-Bucks…Milwaukee still can’t guard anyone, so likely they expected to be able to outscore teams in the playoffs. If that’s the case it is a BAD draw to get the Pacers, who should be able to run up the score on a bad defensive team like the Bucks. And if their transition defense regresses at all back to how it was earlier in the season…not good. Plus, they’ll be missing Giannis for probably 2 games, and he’s their only hope of winning.

  18. As a Celtics fan I am only not afraid of New York. They seem to be the easiest opponent to face.

  21. That pacers series probably goes 7 games especially if Giannis misses 2 games

    Knicks and Sixers probably go 6. If embiid was healthy I’d say they could beat them in 7 but he’s clearly not 100% and will get gassed by New Yorks frontcourt . Then again maxey and Brunson will be going at it . I just think New York comes out on top because their role players can get hot

    If Knicks play the pacers that series could go 7

  22. If Embiid stays healthy, the sixers will. We sound like the only healthy team outside Indiana who is not consistent

  23. The 4 of these teams are basically evenly constructed and I could see either series going either way.

    The Pacers should not be able to beat the Bucks, but the Bucks have underachieved so bad all year, they are basically the Great Value brand Pacers unless Giannis goes for like 40/15. They can’t defend anyone, and Dame has been unwilling or unable to pick up the slack this year, he has not been the offensive boost they hoped for, while also being horrendous on defense. So they’re only slightly better defensively and nowhere near as potent offensively, again unless Giannis goes nuclear. I think this series leans toward the Pacers especially because they’re probably going to take a split or 2-0 lead back to Indy without Giannis starting the series, and the Bucks have been horrible on the road this year.

    NY…it’s hard to imagine these guys are the 2 seed, because they’re not that loaded, but Brunson has been playing MVP-level for the last few weeks, and all of their role players have made a jump. They always play super hard and can really hang with anyone. If they play to their ceiling they could sweep the Sixers tbh, but I don’t know if they can do that consistently, and the Sixers can beat you a lot of ways…if they’re on. Embiid looked pretty terrible yesterday and if Philly is going to play like that, they’ll get bounced quick, but if Embiid gets his shit together and the team plays like they want to, it could be a tough series.

  25. If Embiid can stay on the floor, Philly. That Philly/NY series is gonna be great, though.

  26. Not sure why so many people are so confident in Embiid considering how hobbled and terrible he looked in the play-in game. And the fact that he’s a known playoff under-performer and has terrible conditioning.

  29. NY really has the material to slow Embiid. 2 powerful centers who can take turns. Philly doesn’t really have the material to slow Brunson.

    Now, one is MVP, the other is “just” an all-nba player.

    If people are right and Embiid isn’t 100%, their only chance is to somewhat luck out and sweep NY. They can’t win a 7 game series.

    Pacers – Bucks ? I mean it’s all about Giannis, if he was healthy I’d give him 90% chances to beat them, but he’s not.

  30. Knicks.

    Stephen A Smith will be insufferable but that’s the most likely outcome.

  31. I expect the Knicks. They should be able to take care of Philly, and I have no confidence in either the bucks or pacers of taking more than 2 games off of them.

  32. If Embiid gets close to 85-90% I’d take the 76ers, but tbh all these teams are losing to the Celtics in 5 or 6.

  36. Even though they got the win Philly really did not look impressive to me yesterday. Embiid clearly needs more time after his injury to get back into game shape. Miami also killed them on the glass and the Knicks are one of the best in the league at attacking the offensive glass. I think the Knicks will handle them easily and I like them to win in the next round as well, assuming Giannis isn’t able to return to full strength

  38. I got Bucks in 7 if Giannis comes back remotely healthy. Frankly, even if he isn’t healthy the pacers just aren’t the team they were when they were dog walking the bucks during regular season. Hali just isn’t putting up numbers like he was, they’ve lost Bruce brown and mathurin, and Siakam and Hali’s play style haven’t jelled great as of yet. So it’s kind of a coin flip for me. Both incredibly mid ass teams.

    Knicks are going to kill them on the glass and out try the sixers. It’s gonna be a slugfest, and I’m taking the knicks if embiid can’t get it together. The sixers just do not have enough guys who can consistently get a bucket.

  39. Pacers and Knicks are what I’m expecting. Coin flip which one of those win. If Brunson goes off then sure but I think if almost give advantage to Pacers

  43. Knicks, momentum, belief and a killer lead guy in Brunson with playoff experience. Magic and Cavs aren’t ready, Pacers Bucks feels like a tossup with Giannis out, and the Sixers look like shit. Embiid is dangerous but looks super out of shape, and he’s barely played with guys like Buddy Hield, no time to establish chemistry. Miami zone would’ve won them the playin without a legacy game from 35 year old Batum. I don’t think Maxey is ready to be a #1 option for a 7 game series to pick up the slack either

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