NBA Playoffs 2018 are finally here. Regular season wrapped up on Wednesday and now we know who made it to the postseason, and who will spend their time planning vacations.

We decided to use this small window between the end of the regular season and start of the first round of the playoffs on April 14th to think hard about everything we have seen in the past 82 games and enter the “predictions business.” We made our picks for the winners of all the NBA Playoffs 2018 first-round series and we shall stick with them until the very end. This time we are predicting Western Conference. (You can check out our Eastern Conference predictions here.)

Even the regular season in the Western Conference was crazy and exciting. We didn’t know whether Minnesota Timberwolves or Denver Nuggets will make the postseason cut, while only top two seeds were locked. The first round of the NBA Playoffs 2018 will be even crazier, but there can only be one winner per series. Here is what we think who that will be.

(1) Houston Rockets vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves

Prediction:
Houston Rockets win 4-1

Why:
Since Jimmy Butler is coming from an injury, he won’t have a great impact on the series. However, he will manage to win one game for the Minnesota Timberwolves at home, under the condition that both Karl Anthony Towns and Andre Wiggins bring their A game. The rest of the series will be blow-out wins from the Houston Rockets.

(2) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs

Prediction:
Golden State Warriors win 4-2

Why:
Why won’t the Golden State Warriors sweep the series? Because they don’t have Stephen Curry, and the San Antonio Spurs have Gregg Popovich. There will be a couple of close games, and this will be overall uncomfortable series for the Warriors. Note: In case that Kawhi Leonard finds his way back before the tip-off of the first game in the series, we take the Spurs.

(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (6) New Orleans Pelicans

Prediction:
Portland Trail Blazers win 4-1

Why:
No one expected the Portland Trail Blazers to be the third seed in the Wild West, and somehow they did. Damian Lillard has been phenomenal this season, and he is the type of player who can drop 50 on you in a heartbeat. But so is Anthony Davis, you will say. Well, Davis doesn’t have a capable supporting cast like Lillard and never won a playoff game. He will now, but that will be all.

(4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (5) Utah Jazz

Prediction:
Oklahoma City Thunder win 4-1

Why:
First of all, hat down to Quin Snyder for taking Utah Jazz to the fifth seed with a rookie point guard, defensive specialist, and group of outcasts. Donovan Mitchell has absolutely balled this season, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he was to win the Rookie of the Year award. With all of that said, there is no way Jazz takes the Oklahoma City Thunder to six games or more. Despite all of their ups and downs during the season, the Thunder are a team built for the postseason and have tons of playoff experience. This and the sheer will of Russell Westbrook is taking OKC to the second round.

The post Opinion: NBA Playoffs 2018 First Round Predictions – Western Conference appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Each of the 32 teams in the NBA has played 82 games as of Wednesday night, and the regular season has officially wrapped up. While we knew most of the participants in the postseason before, yesterday’s games were crucial in determining playoff matchups and who gets the home court advantage in the first round. Now, we have the NBA Playoffs Brackets all locked up.

The biggest thriller without a doubt was the game between Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, where the winner would enter the Western Conference playoffs and the loser would miss out on them. Although the Nuggets forced the overtime, the Timberwolves ended up being more composed and made sure they are going to play in the postseason for the first time since 2014 with a 112-106 win. Jimmy Butler and the co. will now face the Houston Rockets in the first round.

Another interesting game in the wild wild West was the matchup between the Utah Jazz and the Portland Blazers where the winner was set for the thirds seed. Blazers came through with a 102-93 win and will face with the sixth seed New Orleans Pelicans. Jazz, on the other hand, have fallen down to five seed, losing the home court advantage and are now locked to play with Oklahoma City Thunder.

In the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers has trashed the Milwaukee Bucks 130-95 and secured the third seed. This also worked out in the favor of the Bucks, who will now face the two seeded injury-plagued Boston Celtics in the playoffs. The Washington Wizards suffered a 92-101 loss to Orlando Magic and will have to play against the first seeded Toronto Raptors.

The first NBA Playoff games are scheduled for April 14th. You can check out the full NBA Playoffs Brackets for both conferences below.

Eastern Conference

(1) Toronto Raptors vs. (8) Washington Wizards
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Milwaukee Bucks
(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Miami Heat
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Indiana Pacers

Western Conference

(1) Houston Rockets vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves
(2) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs
(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (6) New Orleans Pelicans
(4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (5) Utah Jazz

The post NBA Playoffs Brackets Set as the Regular Season Wraps-Ups appeared first on SportzBonanza.

NBA Playoffs 2018 are finally here. Regular season wrapped up on Wednesday and now we know who made it to the postseason, and who will spend their time planning vacations.

We decided to use this small window between the end of the regular season and start of the first round of the playoffs on April 14th to think hard about everything we have seen in the past 82 games and enter the “predictions business.” We made our picks for the winners of all the NBA Playoffs 2018 first-round series and we shall stick with them until the very end. This time we are predicting Western Conference. (You can check out our Eastern Conference predictions here.)

Even the regular season in the Western Conference was crazy and exciting. We didn’t know whether Minnesota Timberwolves or Denver Nuggets will make the postseason cut, while only top two seeds were locked. The first round of the NBA Playoffs 2018 will be even crazier, but there can only be one winner per series. Here is what we think who that will be.

(1) Houston Rockets vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves

Prediction:
Houston Rockets win 4-1

Why:
Since Jimmy Butler is coming from an injury, he won’t have a great impact on the series. However, he will manage to win one game for the Minnesota Timberwolves at home, under the condition that both Karl Anthony Towns and Andre Wiggins bring their A game. The rest of the series will be blow-out wins from the Houston Rockets.

(2) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs

Prediction:
Golden State Warriors win 4-2

Why:
Why won’t the Golden State Warriors sweep the series? Because they don’t have Stephen Curry, and the San Antonio Spurs have Gregg Popovich. There will be a couple of close games, and this will be overall uncomfortable series for the Warriors. Note: In case that Kawhi Leonard finds his way back before the tip-off of the first game in the series, we take the Spurs.

(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (6) New Orleans Pelicans

Prediction:
Portland Trail Blazers win 4-1

Why:
No one expected the Portland Trail Blazers to be the third seed in the Wild West, and somehow they did. Damian Lillard has been phenomenal this season, and he is the type of player who can drop 50 on you in a heartbeat. But so is Anthony Davis, you will say. Well, Davis doesn’t have a capable supporting cast like Lillard and never won a playoff game. He will now, but that will be all.

(4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (5) Utah Jazz

Prediction:
Oklahoma City Thunder win 4-1

Why:
First of all, hat down to Quin Snyder for taking Utah Jazz to the fifth seed with a rookie point guard, defensive specialist, and group of outcasts. Donovan Mitchell has absolutely balled this season, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he was to win the Rookie of the Year award. With all of that said, there is no way Jazz takes the Oklahoma City Thunder to six games or more. Despite all of their ups and downs during the season, the Thunder are a team built for the postseason and have tons of playoff experience. This and the sheer will of Russell Westbrook is taking OKC to the second round.

The post Opinion: NBA Playoffs 2018 First Round Predictions – Western Conference appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Each of the 32 teams in the NBA has played 82 games as of Wednesday night, and the regular season has officially wrapped up. While we knew most of the participants in the postseason before, yesterday’s games were crucial in determining playoff matchups and who gets the home court advantage in the first round. Now, we have the NBA Playoffs Brackets all locked up.

The biggest thriller without a doubt was the game between Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, where the winner would enter the Western Conference playoffs and the loser would miss out on them. Although the Nuggets forced the overtime, the Timberwolves ended up being more composed and made sure they are going to play in the postseason for the first time since 2014 with a 112-106 win. Jimmy Butler and the co. will now face the Houston Rockets in the first round.

Another interesting game in the wild wild West was the matchup between the Utah Jazz and the Portland Blazers where the winner was set for the thirds seed. Blazers came through with a 102-93 win and will face with the sixth seed New Orleans Pelicans. Jazz, on the other hand, have fallen down to five seed, losing the home court advantage and are now locked to play with Oklahoma City Thunder.

In the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers has trashed the Milwaukee Bucks 130-95 and secured the third seed. This also worked out in the favor of the Bucks, who will now face the two seeded injury-plagued Boston Celtics in the playoffs. The Washington Wizards suffered a 92-101 loss to Orlando Magic and will have to play against the first seeded Toronto Raptors.

The first NBA Playoff games are scheduled for April 14th. You can check out the full NBA Playoffs Brackets for both conferences below.

Eastern Conference

(1) Toronto Raptors vs. (8) Washington Wizards
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Milwaukee Bucks
(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Miami Heat
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Indiana Pacers

Western Conference

(1) Houston Rockets vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves
(2) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs
(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (6) New Orleans Pelicans
(4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (5) Utah Jazz

The post NBA Playoffs Brackets Set as the Regular Season Wraps-Ups appeared first on SportzBonanza.