During the NBA playoffs, fans see the returns on 82 hard-fought regular season games and all unanswered questions become clear as day -- sometimes in ways staggeringly unexpected.
With the postseason starting later this week, here are five bold predictions for what will happen...
1. Pacers and Clippers take out fledgling franchises
The No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed matchups in each conference often provide much of the first round entertainment, and feature two teams usually close in talent and performance. This spring's slate -- likely to be enjoyable -- will actually serve better as a ceremonial goodbye to the reigns of two once-contenders.
The Pacers will be taking on the Bucks, who will be playing without veteran star Damian Lillard after a rocky and ineffective season. Milwaukee is no longer a feared Eastern Conference elite, and this will only be reaffirmed when Indiana advances to the next round.
Meanwhile in the West, the Clippers will challenge the Nuggets, who just recently fired the major architects of their 2023 championship team -- head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth. Denver is clearly moving toward a transition period, and Los Angeles is eager to push them along, having found success behind a healthy Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
2. Julius Randle comes around
After spending the first half of his career falling short of the playoffs, Julius Randle finally led the Knicks there in three of four seasons, only to be haunted by the experiences that followed. He crumbled in 2021, struggled through injury in 2023, and completely missed 2024 with a shoulder issue.
But this is the time Randle turns it around. He looked increasingly comfortable as his first season with the Timberwolves progressed, and a nice first-round matchup with the wing-heavy Lakers creates plenty of opportunity for him in a critical contract year.
Expect the usual, rumbling, stat-stuffing Randle in this year’s playoffs. Minnesota may not be able to make a deep run, but it won’t be because he fell short again.
3. Playoff version of Jalen Brunson defies doubters (again)
Like clockwork, the playoffs arrive and Brunson’s prior work is immediately forgotten -- this time in order to stamp rising star Cade Cunningham as the best player in the Knicks-Pistons series.
For those who need reminding: During last year's playoffs, Brunson became the first player since Michael Jordan to record four consecutive 40-point games. That's also only a snapshot of what he’s been able to achieve in the postseason.
Once again, expect Brunson to block out the noise and have, at the very least, a spectacular first-round series for New York. He shouldn’t have anything left to prove against Detroit, but if the dissenters insist on clamoring, the added motivation is welcome.
4. Lakers make Western Conference Finals push
It’s hard to predict anything but chalk in this year’s bracket, with so many juggernauts leading the standings. But one team that could surprise with the strength of their push is the Lakers, who've resembled an entirely different squad since acquiring superstar Luka Doncic.
They’re probably a year removed from truly contending, but they boast a flexible and suffocating defense. And playing on the side of the bracket that includes the Timberwolves, the Rockets, and play-in tournament teams allows them to avoid the West's grim reaper. Los Angeles also has two of the best playoff performers of their respective generations, both with chips on their shoulders.
5. Thunder over Celtics in NBA Finals
Perhaps this isn’t "bold," per se, but the likeliest outcomes don’t always come true -- and some still favor Boston as the NBA’s kingpin. But the pick to win it all is Oklahoma City in six games. They have more functional depth, even more lineup flexibility, and the likely MVP of the league in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
