2013 NBA Picks and Odds: Eastern Conference Playoff First-Round Series Predictions: For the third year in a row, the Eastern Conference was home to the team with the best record in the NBA. The defending champion Miami Heat won six more games than the next-closest team and 12 more games than the second-place team in the Eastern Conference. While Miami’s 66-16 record was certainly impressive, it only guarantees home-court advantage and not a second straight championship. There are still series to be won, and for the eight teams that made the playoffs in each conference, everyone starts at 0-0. With that in mind, here is a look at the first-round matchups in the Eastern Conference for the 2013 NBA playoffs and the teams that should have the edge in each.
No. 1 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 Milwaukee Bucks
The good news for the Bucks is that they have an arsenal of perimeter scorers that can get hot at any time and one of the best shot blockers in the NBA at center in Larry Sanders. The bad news is that Sanders has been hobbled lately and star scorer Brandon Jennings has also been dealing with injuries. Of course, there is also the issue of the Bucks trying to take down a Miami team that had the best record in the NBA by a wide margin and ranked fifth in the league in points per game and fifth in fewest points allowed. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are going to be matchup nightmares for Milwaukee’s smaller, perimeter-oriented lineup, and the high-scoring Heat offense is going to be firing on all cylinders. Meanwhile, Miami also has the length and athleticism on the perimeter to force the Bucks into taking contested 3-pointers on a routine basis. I’ll be generous and say Milwaukee has one hot shooting night from downtown and steals a game, but Miami is going to cruise.
Prediction: Miami Heat Win in 5 Games
No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Boston Celtics
Although they sometimes live and die by the 3-point shot, the New York Knicks overwhelmed Boston during the regular season with their powerful offense. However, the pace of the game tends to slow down during the postseason, and Paul Pierce and the Celtics are still among the better teams in the NBA at executing in the half court at both ends. Not to mention the fact that the Celtics are a veteran-laden, battle-tested bunch that knows exactly how to handle the pressure that comes in the postseason. On the flip side, the Knicks are trying to erase a recent history of first-round playoff exits. All the pressure in this matchup is on New York, and while Boston might be outclassed in terms of offensive firepower, the Celtics will have the mental edge. If Boston forward Jeff Green can manage to contain Carmelo Anthony, an upset is possible. That being said, Anthony and the Knicks are just playing too well on offense right now to bow out early. The Celtics won’t be an easy out, but New York will end its playoff drought.
Prediction: New York Knicks Win in 6 Games
No. 3 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks
You have to feel a little bad for the Hawks. Every year they fall somewhere between the No. 4 to No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, and every year, they have minimal playoff success. Unfortunately, it will likely be more of the same this season after drawing a Pacers’ team that led the NBA in rebounding and in fewest points allowed per possession The Hawks counter with a deep bench and a balanced offense, and they should actually have an edge at the point guard spot and the power forward position thanks to Jeff Teague and Al Horford. The head-to-head matchup between Atlanta’s Josh Smith and Indiana’s Paul George will also be an intriguing one, but overall, the Pacers’ defensive-minded style and big size advantage inside with Roy Hibbert gives Indiana an overall edge. The Pacers have a championship-caliber defense this year while the Hawks are the same solid but unspectacular team that can’t advance in the playoffs.
Prediction: Indiana Pacers Win in 5 Games
No. 4 Brooklyn Nets vs. No. 5 Chicago Bulls
At this point, it has to be assumed that Derrick Rose isn’t going to return at all this year. Granted, the Bulls weathered the absence of their former MVP during the regular season to make the playoffs, but they have been sputtering since center Joakim Noah has been hobbled. When Noah is the middle, Chicago can dominate the glass and suffocate opponents on defense. Without him, they can be average defensively at times and streaky on the offensive end. Not to mention the fact that the Nets have big bodies like Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace inside to bang with the Bulls’ frontcourt. Meanwhile, Chicago is going to have a rough time matching up with Brooklyn’s backcourt duo of Deron Williams and Joe Johnson. The Bulls are going to grind things out because that’s what they do, but in the end, the Nets will be able to squeak out a series against a Chicago team that is less than 100 percent at the wrong time.
Prediction: Brooklyn Nets Win in 7 Games
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