FanPost

2013-2014 NBA Playoff Predictions

I assume we'll see an official post of this kind at some point, but for now I'll get the ball rolling on playoff predictions! I didn't do any in-depth analysis, this is simply a gut feeling/wishful thinking (SPOILER: I don't have a Heat vs. Spurs Finals! Call me crazy). Who's going to win each series? I put the teams' regular season win - loss record in parentheses. What are your predictions?

  • Round 1
  • Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers vs. Atlanta Hawks (2 - 2) - Pacers in 6

Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Bobcats (4 - 0) - Heat in 4

Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets (2 - 2) - Nets in 7

Chicago Bulls vs. Washington Wizards (1 - 2) - Bulls in 5

  • Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks (4 - 0) - Spurs in 5 (sorry, Mavs)

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies (3 - 1) - Thunder in 6

LA Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors ( 2 - 2) - Clippers in 6

Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trailblazers (3 - 1) - Rockets in 5

  • Round 2
  • Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers vs. Chicago Bulls (2 - 2) - Pacers in 7

Miami Heat vs. Brooklyn Nets (0 - 4) - Nets in 6

  • Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs vs. Houston Rockets (0 - 4) - Spurs in 7

OKC Thunder vs. LA Clippers (2 - 2) - Thunder in 5

  • Round 3
  • Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers vs. Brooklyn Nets (4 - 0) - Pacers in 5

  • Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs vs. OKC Thunder (0 - 4) - Thunder in 6

  • Finals

Indiana Pacers vs. OKC Thunder (1 - 1) - Thunder in 5

UPDATE 5/4/14!

First Round Recap:

Well, that took longer than expected! So I obviously got a few things wrong, but as Stuart Smalley used to say on SNL, "That's...OK". NO ONE expected to have as many Game 7s as there were in the 1st round, and I gotta say I really thought the Bulls would have more fight in them. Even though the Wizards took the season series against the Bulls, I thought the playoffs would be a little different...c'est la vie. Got to give those Wizards credit, they are a scrappy little team. And the Pacers, although they advanced to the next round, have demonstrated that they are still the Pacers we saw in the latter part of the regular season - not feeling too confident about them going all the way now. So we revisit what I thought and what actually happened, and then move on to the amended predictions for the next rounds:

  • Round 1
  • Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers vs. Atlanta Hawks (2 - 2) - Pacers in 6 - It took the Pacers 7 games and a long-awaited appearance from Roy Hibbert to finally show the Hawks the door.

Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Bobcats (4 - 0) - Heat in 4 - Only one of two predictions that I actually got on the nose. I don't think many people other than Bobcats fans thought otherwise.

Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets (2 - 2) - Nets in 7 - This was the other correct prediction. The Nets are a baffling team, capable of sweeping the Heat in the regular season, but I figured they would have some trouble with this young Raptors squad.

Chicago Bulls vs. Washington Wizards (1 - 2) - Bulls in 5 - Wrong! Wizards in 5! Oops!

  • Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks (4 - 0) - Spurs in 5 (sorry, Mavs) - Glad I got the number of games wrong, but obviously wish I would have gotten the victor wrong as well. The Mavs fought hard and had a pretty great series, but that Game 7 blowout was disheartening. Love the Vince buzzer beater, though. Unforgettable moment! MFFL!

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies (3 - 1) - Thunder in 6 - Actually, Thunder in 7, and we will never know if the presence of Z-Bo in Game 7 would have swayed this in a different direction. These two teams had a pretty epic series, reminiscent of the 2011 Conference Semifinals struggle - that one had an OT game and a triple overtime, this one had 4 OT games!!

LA Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors ( 2 - 2) - Clippers in 6 - Clippers took this one in 7, with no love lost between either team - there were reports of a tiff in the hallway after Game 7 between members of both teams. What will the future hold for coach Mark Jackson? Hand down, man down?

Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trailblazers (3 - 1) - Rockets in 5 - Another series where I picked the wrong victor, but another exciting matchup to watch. That Damian Lillard buzzer beater to take the series was pretty special. 3 OT games this series.

Amended Predictions:

  • Round 2 (Amended after Round 1 outcomes)
  • Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers vs. Washington Wizards (2 - 1) - Pacers in 6 - Against my better judgement, I am steadfastly sticking with the Pacers (for now) to take this series. Maybe that Game 7 victory over the Hawks will jolt them into being the Pacers that we saw in the first half of the season. I do not expect the Wizards to go gently into that good night without a fight, however.

Miami Heat vs. Brooklyn Nets (0 - 4) - Nets in 6 - Sticking with this one, even though the Heat have had a lot of rest by now after dispatching the Bobcats so easily. Nets, do your thing. Please.

  • Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trailblazers (2 - 2) - Blazers in 6 - This and the other Western Conference semi should be a joy to watch, simply because I really have no idea who will take either one. It's a crap shoot as both teams in both series tied their respective regular season wins against each other. I think the Blazers are rolling right now, and of course I am also hoping the Blazers avenge the Mavs.

OKC Thunder vs. LA Clippers (2 - 2) - Thunder in 6 - Changing this from 5 as I think the Clippers are a much stronger force than I originally thought.

  • Round 3 (amended after Round 1 outcomes)
  • Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers vs. Brooklyn Nets (4 - 0) - Pacers in 7 - Yeah, I'm probably crazy, but, you never know...

  • Western Conference

Portland Trailblazers vs. OKC Thunder (2 - 2) - Trailblazers in 6

  • Finals (amended after Round 1 outcomes)

Indiana Pacers vs. Portland Trailblazers (1 - 1) - Trailblazers in 5

Obviously, this Finals matchup depends on the Nets bouncing the Heat, and the Pacers figuring things out quick. I'm also giving the Trailblazers a lot of credit as the only team that was able to prevent a 7th game in their series, and I realize it took a buzzer beater to do so. This year could very well be another Heat vs. Spurs, but I don't want to go that route until it's absolutely necessary!!!

UPDATE 5/16/14!

Second Round Recap:

Once again: don't ever take me to Vegas unless you want to lose. The second round was not as exciting as the first, but how could it have been?? That was a first round for the ages. Let's recap Round 2!

  • Round 2
  • Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers vs. Washington Wizards (2 - 1) - Pacers in 6 - Hey, I got this one right!! Somehow, the hot and cold Pacers managed to defeat a lesser team in less than 7 games. How will they fare against Miami? Uhhhh, I'm scared to find out.

Miami Heat vs. Brooklyn Nets (0 - 4) - Nets in 6 - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....yeah, I could dream right? The Heat made short work of the Nets, eliminating them in 5 games. Guess the regular season really IS different than the playoffs.

  • Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trailblazers (2 - 2) - Blazers in 6 - Nope! I really thought the Spurs would be tuckered out after the 1st round battle with the Mavs, and that Portland would be in Destroyer mode. The Blazers whimpered and bowed to the Spurs in 5.

OKC Thunder vs. LA Clippers (2 - 2) - Thunder in 6 - The other series I pegged correctly. That Game 5 ending was a little iffy, and I think this series could have gone either way easily, but the Thunder prevailed.

  • Round 3 (amended after Round 2 outcomes)
  • Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat (2 - 2) - Heat in 5 -The Pacers have been really bad and (somewhat) good in these playoffs, but in my opinion have never regained the dominance they enjoyed in the first half of the season. That's not going to get it done against a "motivated by a 3peat prospect" Heat team. I hope I am wrong about this outcome, however.

  • Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs vs. OKC Thunder (0 - 4) - Spurs in 6 - I actually think the Spurs have turned things around and, despite losing all 4 games to the Thunder in the regular season, they will pull a "Heat 2nd round" and beat the Thunder in 6.

  • Finals (amended after Round 2 outcomes)

Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs (1 - 1) - Spurs in 6 - If these two teams meet again in the Finals, there's no way the Spurs lose for the 2nd year in a row, even if Pop himself has to get out there and start playing some D. Defeat the 3peat!

UPDATE 6/2/14!

Third Round Recap:

This round went pretty much just like everyone, myself included, thought it would. The Heat once again defeated the Indiana Pacers to advance to their 4th straight Finals appearance. I can see more bandwagon fans a-flockin' now! Meanwhile, in the mighty Western Conference, the timeless Spurs defeated the OKC Thunder (who, I'll just throw this out there, will never win a championship, in my opinion, and I've been saying that since 2011) to finally get their rematch against a Heat team that improbably defeated them last year.

  • Round 3
  • Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat (2 - 2) - Heat in 5 - Actually, Heat in 6. The Pacers had a tiny bit of fight in them, but I think we all knew where this was going after that Game 2 win by the Heat in Indiana.

  • Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs vs. OKC Thunder (0 - 4) - Spurs in 6 - Yep, Spurs in 6. Incidentally, both this series and the Heat/Nets series serve as a good reminder that anything can happen in the playoffs, as both of the victors in their respective series were swept by their opponent during their regular season series.

  • Finals (amended after Round 3 outcomes)

Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs (1 - 1) - Spurs in 6 - Nothing to amend here. I still say Spurs in 6, and the SA Big 3 can get their vengeance and ride off into the sunset.

Reader submitted. Opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of our editorial staff.