Bold Predictions for 2024 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals
Bold Predictions for 2024 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals0 of 4
Jayson Tatum and Tyrese HaliburtonDylan Buell/Getty Images
The 2023-24 NBA campaign has been whittled down from 30 teams to four.
The conference finals are here, and the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks are the only squads still playing.
As we await the tipoffs, let’s cook up some bold predictions for both series.
Celtics Finally Get Their Sweep1 of 4
Jaylen Brown and Derrick WhiteBrian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
By now, you’ve probably heard or seen most of the numbers on just how historically dominant the Celtics’ regular season was.
In case you haven’t, Celtics broadcaster Sean Grande posted a handy summary in April:
Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBPHere you go…. pic.twitter.com/JPpc2XEwOR
And yet, Boston has still had a few games this postseason in which it looked nothing like the team that piled up that list of achievements.
The Celtics dropped a game to the Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat. They lost a game to and generally looked less comfortable with the banged-up Cleveland Cavaliers than they should have.
And now, they’re facing a high-octane Pacers team that should challenge their defense more than either of those first two opponents did. Oh, Kristaps PorziÅÄ£is is still out too.
That leads us to the prediction, which is ultimately a bet that Boston is closer to the regular-season version of itself than whatever it’s been in the playoffs.
With Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, it is uniquely capable of bothering Tyrese Haliburton. Pascal Siakam’s size could be an issue as long as PorziÅÄ£is is out, but Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can both stifle his actions from the perimeter.
And if there’s one squad that can flat-out outshoot and outscore the Pacers, it’s the Celtics, who led the league in points per 100 possessions, effective field-goal percentage (though they were tied with Indiana there) and threes per game in the regular season. Their 38.8 team three-point percentage trailed only the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 38.9.
With the Finals now looming, expect Boston to lock in and win four straight competitive games.
Tyrese Haliburton Will Lead the Pacers in Scoring2 of 4
Tyrese HaliburtonElsa/Getty Images
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers in scoring last season, and he was on his way to doing the same prior to the Pascal Siakam trade in 2023-24. So, this might not seem all that bold.
However, he averaged just 16.5 points and shot 32.2 percent from three over his last 39 games of the regular season. Then, he averaged 14.6 and shot 30.5 percent from deep in his first seven playoff games. And again, Boston has exactly the kind of perimeter defenders necessary to make life hard on him outside.
Haliburton is starting to look like the pre-injury version of himself, though. He went for 34, 35 and 20 in Games 2, 3 and 4 of the conference semifinals against the New York Knicks. Then, he had 26 points and six threes in the closeout Game 7 on Sunday.
The burst appears to be back (at least most of the way), and the 24-year-old’s deep jumpers don’t look as laborious as they did when he was nursing that injured hamstring.
And with Haliburton rounding back into form, these Pacers-Celtics games feel as likely to turn into shootouts as any from the Eastern Conference this postseason.
Remember those offensive numbers at the end of the last slide?
Well, Indiana was second in points per 100 possessions, tied for first in effective field-goal percentage, 10th in threes per game, tied for ninth in three-point percentage, fourth in fast break points and second in pace.
There will be some high-scoring games in this series, and Haliburton’s shooting is going to help Indiana stay connected (at least enough to keep things competitive).
Timberwolves Are Headed to the Finals3 of 4
Anthony EdwardsAAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post
The Minnesota Timberwolves have arrived, and it’s hard to imagine the Dallas Mavericks slowing this run after what we just witnessed them do to the reigning champion Denver Nuggets.
After losing three straight, including two on the road, to Denver, the Wolves absolutely stifled Denver in a 45-point annihilation in Game 6 and then overcame a 20-point, second-half deficit to defeat the Nuggets 98-90 in Game 7.
This is a championship-caliber defense, with a bona fide potential face in the league in Anthony Edwards leading the charge on the other end.
Minnesota is the biggest, most athletic team left in the field. The roster is deep, well-balanced and has four current and former All-Stars in the starting five.
Dallas has been impressive, and it has two of the best offensive weapons the NBA has ever seen, but the Wolves are equipped to make life just difficult enough to advance.
This year, they’ll make the first Finals in franchise history.
Luka DonÄiÄ Will Lead the Series in Scoring4 of 4
Luka DonÄiÄ and Kyrie IrvingGlenn James/NBAE via Getty Images
Luka DonÄiÄ is banged up. It’s been a running storyline throughout this postseason. And despite entering the playoffs with a career postseason scoring average of 32.5 points, he’s not even in the top 10 in points per game during this run.
Even with the injuries, though, it feels like an offensive breakout is on the way. The five-time All-Star has just been too good a playoff performer to expect him to keep shooting 42.3 percent from the field and 30.1 percent from three.
And while Minnesota has shown championship-caliber defense throughout this postseason, there are no great answers for DonÄiÄ.
No matter who’s on him, the 25-year-old is as good as anyone (with the exception of Nikola JokiÄ) at diagnosing defensive schemes, locating mismatches and taking advantage.
