NBA Playoffs Roundtable: Who Will Win the NBA Finals?

Isaac Harris- Warriors in 7

First Round:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 8) Portland Trail Blazers-1

2) San Antonio Spurs-4 vs. 7) Memphis Grizzlies-1

3) Houston Rockets-4 vs. 6) Oklahoma City Thunder-2

4) Los Angeles Clippers-4 vs. 5) Utah Jazz-2

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1) Boston Celtics-4 vs. 8) Chicago Bulls-2

2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4 vs. 7) Indiana Pacers-0

3) Toronto Raptors-4 vs. 6) Milwaukee Bucks-3

4) Washington Wizards-4 vs. 5) Atlanta Hawks-2

Semifinals:

1) Golden State Warriors vs. 5) Utah Jazz

2) San Antonio Spurs vs. 3) Houston Rockets

1) Boston Celtics vs. 4) Washington Wizards

2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 3) Toronto Raptors

Conference Finals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 2) Houston Rockets-1

1) Boston Celtics-2 vs. 2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4

NBA Finals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 2) Cleveland Cavaliers-3

Kevin Durant. Steph Curry. Klay Thompson. Draymond Green. That is my reasoning. Houston will try to shoot 50+ threes a game to beat Warriors in WCF but it won’t be enough. Cleveland simply can’t defend them. LeBron and his closer in Kyrie are great, but Golden State simply has too many weapons. It could be in five, but NBA loves money and will do anything to stretch it out. Warriors are the champs.

Sam Casey- Warriors in 7

First Round:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 8) Portland Trail Blazers-1

2) San Antonio Spurs-4 vs. 7) Memphis Grizzlies-1

3) Houston Rockets-4 vs. 6) Oklahoma City Thunder-2

4) Los Angeles Clippers-3 vs. 5) Utah Jazz-4

1) Boston Celtics-4 vs. 8) Chicago Bulls-2

2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4 vs. 7) Indiana Pacers-2

3) Toronto Raptors-4 vs. 6) Milwaukee Bucks-3

4) Washington Wizards-4 vs. 5) Atlanta Hawks-1

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Semifinals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 5) Utah Jazz-2

2) San Antonio Spurs-3 vs. 3) Houston Rockets-4

1) Boston Celtics-3 vs. 4) Washington Wizards-4

2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4 vs. 3) Toronto Raptors-2

Conference Finals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 3) Houston Rockets-2

2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4 vs. 4) Washington Wizards-2

NBA Finals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 2) Cleveland Cavaliers-3

Everybody knows it’s gonna be a rematch of the past two years finals. The greatness of LeBron plus the weakness of the East makes them effectively a shoo-in, and thanks to the KD move (boo) there isn’t much drama in the West’s side either. I think Houston is the only West team with a real shot to scare them, because if Harden can take care of the all and they get hot at the right times, Houston just may be able to out-shootout the Warriors. Possible but not likely. 

For the finals it’s a toss-up, can LeBron carry the Cavs to another title? In the end I think not, with the insane talent of the Warriors being too much to bear, with LeBron blowing a decisive game with a fourth quarter blown lead. Warriors in 7. 

Aaron Reed- Warriors in 7

First Round:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 8) Portland Trail Blazers-2

2) San Antonio Spurs-4 vs. 7) Memphis Grizzlies-2

3) Houston Rockets-4 vs. 6) Oklahoma City Thunder-2

Dallas Mavericks

4) Los Angeles Clippers-4 vs. 5) Utah Jazz-1

1) Boston Celtics-4 vs. 8) Chicago Bulls-2

2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4 vs. 7) Indiana Pacers-1

3) Toronto Raptors-4 vs. 6) Milwaukee Bucks-3

4) Washington Wizards-4 vs. 5) Atlanta Hawks-1

Semifinals:

1) Golden State Warriors vs. 4) Los Angeles Clippers

2) San Antonio Spurs vs. 3) Houston Rockets

1) Boston Celtics vs. 4) Washington Wizards

2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 6) Milwaukee Bucks

Conference Finals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 3) Houston Rockets-2

1) Boston Celtics-3 vs. 2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4

NBA Finals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 2) Cleveland Cavaliers-3

Warriors are stacked. Period. Durant, Thompson, Curry, Green…who do you stop? Houston won’t be able to match up with them. I think they will get sucked in trying to play GSW ball instead of Houston ball. And as much as I hate to say it, I know the league has a hand on certain things. The rematch scenario from last year speaks volumes.

The Warriors unsung kid Curry beats the great King. The King comes back to his city and bests Curry coming back from a 3-1 deficit. But I think this year, the key factor is Durant. That’s way too much fire power than the Cavs can handle, plus I know Durant as always wanted a piece of LeBron James on the big stage since that OKC/MIA finals.

Shawn James- Warriors in 6

First Round:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 8) Portland Trail Blazers-1

2) San Antonio Spurs-4 vs. 7) Memphis Grizzlies-3

3) Houston Rockets-4 vs. 6) Oklahoma City Thunder-2

4) Los Angeles Clippers-4 vs. 5) Utah Jazz-3

1) Boston Celtics-4 vs. 8) Chicago Bulls-2

2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4 vs. 7) Indiana Pacers-3

3) Toronto Raptors-4 vs. 6) Milwaukee Bucks-2

4) Washington Wizards-4 vs. 5) Atlanta Hawks-1

Semifinals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 4) Los Angeles Clippers-2

2) San Antonio Spurs-4 vs. 3) Houston Rockets-3

1) Boston Celtics-4 vs. 4) Washington Wizards-3

2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4 vs. 3) Toronto Raptors-1

Conference Finals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 2) San Antonio Spurs-3

1) Boston Celtics-2 vs. 2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4

NBA Finals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 2) Cleveland Cavaliers-2

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GS will have no trouble with Portland, but Lillard or McCollum will go supernova one night at home to stave off the sweep. The Clippers will struggle with Utah but prevail in seven at home. Westbrook will be unstoppable for two games, but Harden will be more unstoppable for four.

San Antonio will struggle with the Grizzlies and the grinder offense, but will regain their rhythm in game seven and move on. Boston will drop two to the Bulls but it won’t be as close of a series as it seems. Washington will demolish Atlanta in five. Milwaukee will start hot but fall in six to the more talented Raptors. And this may be way off, but I’m really excited to see PG and LeBron duel for seven games. 

The Warriors will beat the Clippers in six because that’s what they do. The Spurs will have an exciting, back and forth series with the Rockets and win in seven. Boston and Washington will have an entertaining slugfest as well, with Boston winning in seven. Cleveland will discover their rhythm after a long series and blow through Toronto, losing only once on the road. 

Facing another long series, the old Spurs will put up a good fight but eventually fall to the Warriors. Cleveland will handle a scrappy Boston team. 

In Part III of the Finals, KD and the Warriors will take down LeBron in six. Durant gets Finals MVP.

Evan Siegel- Warriors in 6

First Round:

1) Golden State Warriors vs. 8) Portland Trail Blazers

2) San Antonio Spurs vs. 7) Memphis Grizzlies

3) Houston Rocketsvs. 6) Oklahoma City Thunder

4) Los Angeles Clippers vs. 5) Utah Jazz

1) Boston Celtics vs. 8) Chicago Bulls

2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 7) Indiana Pacers

3) Toronto Raptors vs. 6) Milwaukee Bucks

4) Washington Wizards vs. 5) Atlanta Hawks

Semifinals:

1) Golden State Warriors vs. 4) Los Angeles Clippers

2) San Antonio Spurs vs. 3) Houston Rockets

1) Boston Celtics vs. 4) Washington Wizards

2) Cleveland Cavaliers-4 vs. 3) Toronto Raptors

Conference Finals:

Golden State Warriors

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 2) San Antonio Spurs-2

3) Toronto Raptors-4 vs. 4) Washington Wizards-3

NBA Finals:

1) Golden State Warriors-4 vs. 3) Toronto Raptors-2

I’ve got the Warriors outlasting the Spurs in the west. San Antonio’s professionalism and collective basketball IQ is unmatched, but the athleticism and three point shooting of the Warriors will prove to be too much. Kawhi Leonard will do his thing, and Lamarcus Aldridge will help make it interesting, but that will only get the Spurs halfway there.

Toronto is ready for this. Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozan is a stellar backcourt, but one can’t underestimate the other pieces on this team. Demarre Carroll will provide some solid defense and shooting, but Valanciunas, Ibaka, and P.J. Tucker will be able to stymie the unraveling Cavs.

Ultimately, Golden State is simply too much. Four All-NBA players in their starting lineup is too much for the upstart Raptors. Add in the physicality of Draymond Green, the frustration of losing last year’s finals and Oracle arena, and the Warriors and future finals MVP Kevin Durant will get it done.

Next: NOT The Golden State Warriors