SneakerReporter NBA 2022-23 Western Conference Playoff Predictions

SneakerReporter NBA 2022-23 Western Conference Playoff Predictions

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by | Apr 15, 2023 | Featured, NBA

The NBA regular season has ended, and every team has played its 82-game season. Only 16 teams remain for one objective… to reach the NBA Finals. 8 teams in each conference will compete to reach the Finals.

 

No. 1 Denver Nuggets (53-29) Vs No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40)

The Denver Nuggets are coming into this series with the best record in the West. They’re also coming into this series with the Timberwolves a little banged up, especially after a long season. Nikola Jokic is in the MVP race again after having yet another amazing season. Joker will be trying to continue that as they host the Timberwolves who are banged up themselves coming into this series. Minnesota will be without Jaden McDaniels (Hand) and Naz Reid (Wrist) out indefinitely. On the season the Nuggets and Timberwolves series is 2-2 as the Timberwolves roster looks different from those games during the season. With that being said the Timberwolves will have to make sure that Joker doesn’t go off by having Rudy Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns on him all series on switches. If they can contain Nikola and make someone else beat them this could be a good series for the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards will need to try and slow down Jamal Murray and make sure that he has his game going as well on both ends. If Anthony Edwards takes that next leap in this series and has a good two games where he’s the best player on the court Minnesota will be in good shape. Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns will be spectacular in this series.

The Denver Nuggets have all the talent in the world and they have a lot of length as well. You have Nikola and Jamal to worry about but Michael Porter Jr and Aaron Gordon will also make things tough on you. If the Nuggets play their brand of basketball in this series and get the big men of Minnesota in foul trouble it could get ugly fast. Nikola is a problem for any team and if he has his scoring, passing, and rebounding all going he can be a nightmare to defend because of the versatility he possesses. Joker is the head of the snake and if he has it going in Denver it could be a very long series or short series depending on the Timberwolves counter. The Nuggets have the size and length to match up with the Timberwolves but it will come down to making the right plays in this series.

Prediction: Timberwolves Win the Series (4-2)

 

No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies (51-31) Vs No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers (43-39)

 

The Los Angeles Lakers are peaking at the right time and it’s been a collective effort. This team is loaded from top to bottom now after their moves at the trade deadline and can make some serious noise in the playoffs. In order for them to do that they have to disrupt the parade inside Ja’s city first. The Lakers won the season series 2-1 and both teams didn’t look like how they do today heading into this playoff series. It’s going to be a tough task to stop LeBron James and Anthony Davis especially when they have a true chance to win another championship. LeBron has been a complete monster these past couple of weeks and looks like he has his legs back under him from missing that time with injury. The Grizzlies will have to throw multiple bodies at LeBron to slow him down and if that doesn’t work it could get ugly. LeBron is pass first but he also knows how to get to his spots and knows how to get to the line. The Grizzlies will need to slow him down and hope that they can contain Anthony Davis with Jaren Jackon Jr if they want a chance at this series. Austin Reeves has been playing amazing basketball and his plus/minus is unreal showing his impact on the game. The Lakers depth is what will get them this win in this series because any night it could be a role player that can contribute to the win like a DLO or Schroder. The Lakers defend at a high level as well and that stems from their coach Darvin Ham so this could be a grind-it-out type of series for sure.

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies always want the smoke and let it be known they not ducking either. If Memphis wants to win this series they will need a 1st Team All NBA caliber series from Ja Morant. Ja will need to be the best player on the court on both ends. We know he’s electric with the ball and he can create for his teammates but he has to be the selfish one in this series. Morant will need to lead them in points and assists while making some of those hustle plays as well. Ja Morant can’t do it alone he will need Bane to show up in this series and make a huge impact with his shot-making ability. The Lakers aren’t a team that you can take lightly and they know that so trying to get them in foul trouble will help the Grizzlies as well. The Memphis Grizzlies have depth on their team as well but they don’t have as much experience as the Lakers do in the playoffs so it will come down to who makes the best decisions with no errors. Memphis will need to play big inside and Davis will be a nightmare matchup without Steven Adams in the lineup.

Prediction: Lakers Win the Series (4-2)

 

No. 3 Sacramento Kings (48-34) vs No. 6 Golden State Warriors (44-38)

 

The Sacramento Kings shocked the world this season getting the 3rd seed in the Western Conference this season. For that great season, they won the prize of playing against the defending world champion Golden State Warriors who are coming off a 150+ point performance against the Blazers. This has been a special season for the Kings and they have a special dynamic duo with Fox & Sabonis I just believe they ran into the wrong team this season in the standings. Fox has taken his game to another level and so has Sabonis but the Kings don’t have the firepower to keep up with the Warriors on the offensive end. The Kings can pull the upset if they can control the pace of the game and if they can force the Warriors into some tough shots throughout the series. The defense will be key for the Kings in this series because you don’t want to get into a shooting contest with the Splash Brothers. The Kings have Fox who is known to get in the passing lanes and get the steals so he will need to do that and more while Sabonis commands the boards in the paint. The Kings will need some huge help from the role players like Keegan Murray, Trey Lyles, and Malik Monk if they will pull this off. The inexperience is there but anything is possible in the NBA.

The Golden State Warriors are the defending champions and they have the pedigree every year to win the whole thing. That pedigree is Steph, Klay, and Draymond as long as they are healthy this team always has a chance no matter the situation. During the season the Warriors went 3-1 against the Kings and made it look easy I’m expecting the same in this series. The Warriors will be too much for the Kings as they have mismatches all over the court and it will be tough to knock the champions out. Not much to say in this prediction because I simply believe in the Warriors and their championship DNA.

Prediction: Warriors win the Series (4-1)

 

No. 4 Phoenix Suns (45-37) Vs Los Angeles Clippers (44-38)]

 

This series would have been the best out of the Western Conference for sure but the injury to Paul George derailed that dream matchup. The Suns are coming into this at full strength ready to make a statement against the Clippers. So far in the short term the Suns are undefeated with Kevin Durant in the lineup with Booker/Paul/Ayton. This could be a special playoff for the Suns if they can make it work against the Clippers. Now the Clippers aren’t a pushover they have some dogs over there as well with Westbrook and Leonard. This is gonna be a great series but the Phoenix Sunds have so much firepower in their lineup that the Clippers might not be able to handle it without Paul George. The season series is out the window as both teams look different so this will be a case of who really wants it. The Clippers would need a huge boost from Russell Westbrook because if he can turn into that MVP Russ that would be huge in this series to help Kawhi out. Kawhi will need to get back into his Spurs mode and really put this Clippers team on his back to have a chance in this series. Kawhi vs KD will be must-see TV and we will be ready for it. The Clippers have the depth as well in this matchup so I see them getting a couple of games because of that alone.

The Phoenix Suns just look like a well-oiled machine right now and it will be tough to stop their starters from getting to their spots and doing what they want. Durant and Booker are a walking bucket and both can give you 40 per night. If Ayton can hold his own in the paint and help out with being that dominant big then this could be a very quick series because he’s the X-Factor for sure. Chris Paul has the IQ and skills to get it done as the Clippers don’t really have anyone that can contain him so it will be interesting to see if this Suns team is Finals Ready in my opinion and they look SCARY.

Prediction: Suns Win the Series (4-2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)  (Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images) (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Apr 15, 2023 No Comments
SneakerReporter NBA 2022-23 Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions

SneakerReporter NBA 2022-23 Eastern Conference Playoff Predictions

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by | Apr 15, 2023 | Featured, NBA

The NBA regular season has come to an end and every team has played their 82 game season. Only 16 teams remain for one objective… to reach the NBA Finals. 8 teams on each conference will compete to reach the Finals.

No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks (58-24) Vs No. 8 Miami Heat (44-38) 

The Milwaukee Bucks enter the playoffs with the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks will look to sweep Miami Heat and advance to the next round. Arguably one of the best players in the league Giannis Antetokounmpo will be leading the way for the Bucks with his teammates backing him up as they’ve proved they are one of the best teams in the league. This Bucks team could be very dangerous heading into the playoffs and are hungry to head back to the NBA Finals. 

The Miami Heat punched their way into the playoffs after losing to the Atlanta Hawks in the play-in tournament and then beating the Chicago Bulls for the final spot in the eastern conference playoff picture. The Heat nearly missed out on the playoffs but a good team victory against the Bulls proves that they could surprise the Bucks and make it an interesting series. Jimmy Butler will look to lead his teammates against the best team in the East. 

Prediction: Bucks Win the Series (4-0)

No. 2 Boston Celtics (57-25) Vs No. 7 Atlanta Hawks (41-41) 

The Atlanta Hawks punched their ticket to the playoffs with a win over the Miami Heat in the Play-In tournament while on the road. The Hawks haven’t had the season they’ve wanted but still clawed their way into the playoffs. With a young team and Trae Young leading the way now is the time they have to play well together, they are playing arguably one of the toughest teams in the league as they are going up against the defending Eastern Conference Champions. The Road will not be easy for the Hawks, they’ll need to play the most efficient basketball they’ve played all season against the Celtics. 

The Boston Celtics are the defending Eastern Conference champions and are looking to make a trip back to the NBA Finals. A lot of critics and teams were interested to see how the Celtics would play since Joe Mazzulla took the head coaching job, and the Celtics showed no signs of slowing down. They were able to obtain the second seed in the eastern conference. The Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown duo will look to lead their team to success in this series and advance to the second round. 

Prediction: Celtics Wins the Series (4-0) 

No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers (54-28) vs No. 6 Brooklyn Nets (45-36)

The Brooklyn Nets are an entirely different team in the second half of the season. The Nets had Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to start off the season but both were traded before the NBA Trade Deadline. The Nets have built themselves quite a team since the trades and were able to obtain a playoff spot. The Nets will head into the playoff as underdogs but they do have the talent to keep up with the 76ers and could make this series interesting. 

As for the Philadelphia 76ers they’ve dealt with injuries this season but were up there with the top teams in the league and were able to secure the third seed in the Eastern Conference. James Harden seems to be finding his rhythm and looks to be displaying his best in the NBA playoffs and make an NBA Finals run with teammate Joel Embiid who could potentially be the league MVP.  The 76ers have their work cutout for them and look to make a strong statement in round 1. 

Prediction: 76ers win the Series (4-1)

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31) Vs New York Knicks (47-35)

This series may be the most interesting in the eastern conference. The Cavaliers made a big splash last summer to get Donovan Mitchell and secured the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. Many critics thought that they wouldn’t make it this far but the Cavaliers front court has been underrated this season. The Cavaliers defense has been solid all season and will look to limit Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle if he’s ready to play. 

As for the Knicks they could be without Randle and will have to rely on Brunson to run the offense. If the Knicks have both those players then this series can be interesting but if Randle isn’t set to go it could be a hard series for the Knicks. This series will depend on if Randle will be able to put up numbers and show that he is the star for the Knicks. The Knicks will have their hands filled defensively as they have to guard Mitchell and Darius Garland. 

Prediction: Cavaliers Win the Series (4-3)

Apr 15, 2023 No Comments
Minnesota Timberwolves Battle Through Adversity To Beat The Pelicans (113-108)

Minnesota Timberwolves Battle Through Adversity To Beat The Pelicans (113-108)

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by | Apr 9, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off a very impressive win against the San Antonio Spurs yesterday. Today they had to face the New Orleans Pelicans in a game that would determine a lot of the seeding going into the Play-In Tournament. Both Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns were questionable heading into this game but both suited up. This was going to be a huge matchup as Brandon Ingram has been hot and so has Karl Anthony Towns since coming back from his calf strain.

 

From the tipoff, this was a game that was going back and forth in the Target Center. Brandon Ingram was unstoppable and looked like the prime version of Dirk Nowitzki with his fadeaway jumper. The Timberwolves were throwing multiple defenders on Ingram but it wasn’t working. Jaden McDaniels was the primary defender on Brandon Ingram but he was limited when he got 2 quick fouls that put him on the bench. Brandon Ingram was the Pelican’s offense as the man had himself a 21-point quarter. It seemed as though nothing was going right defensively on Ingram but Anthony Edwards was up to the task for the remainder of the game. Once Brandon Ingram got some rest at the beginning of the 2nd quarter that’s when the Timberwolves were able to gain some momentum. Anthony Edwards started to get into the paint and was able to hit some tough shots with people all over him.

 

When Anthony makes those tough shots it gets his game going and he gets very active on the defensive end as well. Brandon Ingram came back in the game and started to get it going again but this time around Edwards was all over him leaving Jonas Valančiūnas with Rudy Gobert. The Pelicans were having Valančiūnas outside the paint so that it can limit the impact that Rudy Gobert had inside the paint. Anytime that Valančiūnas got the ball on the perimeter he was taking Rudy away from the basket and it was hurting the Timberwolves during a certain stretch. You can’t really blame Rudy as he was already banged up coming into this game. It was tough to see as during a timeout tempers were shown on the sideline as Rudy got into it with teammate Kyle Anderson. This moment can either make or break a team and this was a moment where Anthony Edwards/Karl-Anthony Towns took over and showed maturity.

 

 

The Timberwolves were already down at halftime after the altercation on the bench. Shortly after that Jaden McDaniels took his frustration out on what he thought was a tarp flap and it happened to be concrete as seen below. Jaden McDaniels was reported to have fractured his hand and will be out for some significant time. This all happened within the flow of the game that still needed to be won by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

 

 

In that 2nd half, the Timberwolves came out with some heart as they quickly put together a 5-0 run to start the 3rd. Once they got that quick run going it got the crowd back into the game. Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns were the ones to put the team on their backs. Karl-Anthony Towns was unreal in that 2nd half as he was able to hit back to back 3 pointers during a sequence where he had defenders all in his face. This was the KAT that myself and all the Timberwolves fans missed while he was hurt. Towns made it known in that 2nd half that he was back and if the Pelicans wanted to go small ball he was going to punish them.  The Pelicans faded away from Jonas Valančiūnas in the 2nd half as they wanted to play smaller. What Willie Green and the Pelicans didn’t know is that Towns was going to make them regret putting Herb Jones on him. Every position in the 3rd or 4th quarter was run through KAT and the Timberwolves had the mismatch. If they came to double KAT he found the open man and more than likely got it to Anthony Edwards.

 

 

Karl-Anthony Towns finished the game with 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists on the night with ease. Tonight he showed why he’s still one of the best big men in the NBA and that performance has led the Timberwolves to the 8th seed in the Play-In Tournament. Anthony Edwards had a sequence tonight where he was able to block CJ McCollum’s dunk attempt and came down the other end and scored a crazy basket. The job that Anthony Edwards did on Brandon Ingram in the 2nd half won’t get talked about much because of the adversity they sustained but it was special. Anthony Edwards finished with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists. He’s locked in at the right time and he’s growing into that two-way player. With McDaniels about to be out they need Edwards to take it to another level now. Tauren Prince came off the bench and gave them 18 points in 35 mins. If he can come in and give them an offensive boost in the play-in that would be clutch.

 

Brandon Ingram finished the game with 42 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists today but it wasn’t enough to beat the Timberwolves. With that being said the Timberwolves will be heading to LA to play the Lakers on Tuesday night as they start the Play-In Journey.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)

Apr 9, 2023 No Comments
The Timberwolves Clinch Play-In Spot By Defeating The Spurs (151-131)

The Timberwolves Clinch Play-In Spot By Defeating The Spurs (151-131)

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by | Apr 8, 2023 | Featured, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA

The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming into this game needing to win out if they want to have a chance to grab the 7th seed in the West. To do that, they had to handle the task at hand in Austin, TX. The Spurs were without Keldon Johnson and Zach Collins whereas the Timberwolves needed to play their starters to secure a spot in the play-in tournament. This is the front end of a back-to-back for the Timberwolves so they needed to make light work of the Spurs ASAP.

 

At the beginning of this game, you can tell that the Spurs were playing an extremely competitive game as Tre Jones was everywhere. It goes to show you that many of these Spurs players were still playing for jump security heading into next season. Tre Jones showed that his job would be more than secured as he can be one of the key pieces to the Spurs puzzle moving forward. It seemed as though Jones was all over the place getting rebounds and finding his teammates with ease. Tre Jones could go right at the Timberwolves’ defense with ease as he finished the game with a triple-double. Tre Jones had 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists on the day. The Spurs had 6 players in double figures against the Timberwolves and managed to score 131 but the Timberwolves just had it going offensively today. The Timberwolves scored 151 points and had 7 players in double figures as they were led by Anthony Edwards who finished with 33 points. Anthony Edwards as he came out the gates setting the tone in this game scoring with ease. The Spurs had no answer for Edwards as he was able to score over and around the Spurs’ defenders. When Edwards plays like this the Timberwolves are unstoppable and today it showed what the team can actually be when things are clicking.

 

 

Karl-Anthony Towns looked really good out there as well with 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. It’s good to see KAT getting back in the swing of things on the offensive and defensive sides. When KAT plays on both ends like he did today anything is possible. I truly believe if KAT didn’t get hurt this team would be locked into a seeded instead of the play-in tournament but things happen and you have to overcome. Rudy Gobert has been a rebounding machine and he did just that against the Spurs today as they had no big man in the paint that could stop him. Rudy had 13 rebounds and when he commands the paint like he did today this team is tough to beat as the Spurs found out. Rudy was the defensive anchor in the paint with 4 blocks today as well to add to his boards. The mix of KAT and Rudy has been special every time they grace the floor together. Jaden McDaniels took over that 3rd quarter and was able to drop 12 points in the quarter alone. We already know he is an All-Defense caliber player but when he scores the ball like he has since the All-Star breaks it makes it tough on anyone and the Spurs found that out today. This Timberwolves team is clicking at the right time and will have a game with the Pelicans tomorrow to determine their fate in the NBA play-in tournament. Below are the seeding opportunities for the Timberwolves heading into tomorrow’s game.

 

The Minnesota Timberwolves would finish (7th seed if they beat the Pelicans, Lakers lose to the Jazz) (8th seed if they beat the Pelicans, but Lakers beat the Jazz) (9th seed if they lose to Pelicans)

 

 

 

Photo Credit: (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)

 

Apr 8, 2023 No Comments