The first round is all wrapped up in the NBA Playoffs, and it's time to start taking a look at the next slate of matchups. The first round was fairly calm, with most top seeds prevailing and moving on, but there is no telling what could happen this time around. In this article, we will breakdown each matchup and make predictions for who will win how many games.
Western conference 2nd round: (1) Thunder vs. (5) Mavericks
The Thunder, one of the youngest teams to ever reach the second round, are vulnerable against a team like the Mavericks. Dallas has the right ratio of vets to young guys who will shape the franchise for the future. With Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving holding priceless playoff experience, they were able to best a star-studded Clippers team in 6 games in the first round. To contrast that, they have young up-and-comers Derrick Lively and Josh Green as 6th and 7th man off the bench. They stuck with PJ Washington, Derrick Jones Jr. and Daniel Gafford in the starting lineup, prioritizing experience over raw skill.
In OKC, , the Thunder are riding high after cruising past the Pelicans in the first round. They have a young and ready big 3 with SGA, Josh Giddey, and Chet Holmgren. Along with that core, they have co-stars in Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams. On paper, this is their series to lose, but none of the key players on this squad are yet to be in a situation like this at the professional level. If they are able to win this, all Thunder doubters (myself included) can officially be silenced .
X-Factor Players: Jalen Williams (OKC) and Derrick Lively (DAL)
Prediction: Mavs in 7. Yeah, I don't believe in the Thunder enough. If Dallas believes they can win with Luka and Kyrie, this is the year to do so. No matter who wins, this series is sure to be a nail biting and entertaining grind. I believe that the Mavs two superstars will be too much to overcome, as Giddy and Holmgren will struggle to adjust to the big stage early on, and recover just a little bit too late.
Western Conference 2nd round: (2) Nuggets vs. (3) Timberwolves
Both teams made quick work of their first round opponents, despite them both being projected close matchups. The Timberwolves stole a huge win in Denver in game 1, giving them the edge at the start of the series. Still, the reigning champion Nuggets are bound to come back stronger and ready to fight. They have the likely MVP in Nikola Jokic, and a good number 2 with Jamal Murray. However, if they want to win this series, they need contributions from guys like Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and 6th man Christian Braun.
The Timberwolves will obviously need continued contributions from Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, but arguably more important is former DPOY Rudy Gobert keeping Jokic in check. Holding their top scorer to below his season average will force him to pass to there key players, in turn lowering the teams total score. This will put less pressure on Towns and Edwards as they won't need to score as much, preserving their energy for later in the series and giving the Wolves a huge boost.
X Factor Players: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (DEN) and Mike conley (MIN)
Prediction: T-Wolves in 6. I think they can do it. The defense of Rudy Gobert has been so overlooked since he was traded to Minnesota, but this is his chance to remind everyone of it. Anthony Edwards has shown that he can become the new face of the league in these playoffs, and this series will only further that thought. They looked unbeatable in the first round, even against the Suns Big 3. Maybe they are...
Eli Knight
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