What will be the final and who will be NBA champions?
Sébastien Gente (Flashscore France): Denver Nuggets 4-1 New York Knicks
To win the final, you need a team with certainty. But, far from the cliché 'defence wins championships', you need a complete and complementary big five. Key players have returned from injury, Denver are complete, in form, have already won the title and are seeking revenge against the Oklahoma City Thunder after their elimination in game seven last year. The conference final will undoubtedly be the toughest encounter.
In the final, the Knicks, who take a step forward every year, have no excuses. With a strong, highly-paid squad that has been playing together for the last two years, in an Eastern Conference with no real standout side, this is far too good an opportunity not to return to the finals 27 years on.
Finals MVP: Nikola Jokic
Michaela Gaislerová (Flashscore Global): San Antonio Spurs 4-2 Boston Celtics
Wemby's (Victor Wembanyama) power grab is underway. The French superstar is in his third season and playing the best basketball of his life. After missing almost half of last season with a blood clot in his shoulder, he has returned sharper, stronger and more motivated, contributing to one of the fastest and most effective rebuilds in recent Spurs history.
There's no denying that San Antonio's future looks bright, but there's also no reason to think that the Spurs aren't already capable of winning it all. They dominated the #1 seed Thunder 4-1 in the regular season and have the assets and confidence to book their ticket to the finals.
The Celtics have exceeded all expectations this season, proving that their strength lies not in individuals but in the core of the team and their coaches. They fought for the Eastern Conference title without their best player, and since the return of Jayson Tatum to the squad at the beginning of March, the Celtics have gone from strength to strength. They can challenge for the Larry O'Brien trophy, but will ultimately lose out to the Spurs' relentless, close-knit, well-oiled machine.
Could San Antonio win the title sooner than expected? Absolutely. But with a phenomenon like Wembanyama in the squad, it's more than likely. He dominates both ends of the court and makes his teammates better. The winger posted ridiculously good and efficient stats in the regular season, and that wasn't his ceiling yet.
If Wemby takes his game to another level in these playoffs, Spurs will outlast top teams like the Nuggets, Thunder and Celtics to win it all.
Finals MVP: Victor Wembanyama
Tolga Akdeniz (Flashscore Global): Denver Nuggets 4-2 Boston Celtics
At the moment, I'm really leaning towards the Denver Nuggets. They're riding one hell of a wave with 12 wins in a row, and the Jokic factor is really hard to ignore.
They were the best team offensively during the regular season with an offensive rating of 121.2, one point ahead of all other teams. A lot of that has to do with Jokić, who is unquestionably the best offensive player in the NBA.
He averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists this season, becoming the first player to lead the league in rebounds and assists.
But Jamal Murray also enjoyed what is arguably his best regular season, averaging 25.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists. He hit 48.3% of his shots from the field and 43.5% of his three-pointers, his best career numbers.
He and Jokic are arguably the best duo in the NBA in terms of the way they bounce off eachother, and with Murray always raising his game in the playoffs, they could do a lot of damage.
More importantly, their squad looks much stronger this year. Last season, they lost to the Thunder in game seven of the Western Conference semi-finals, largely due to injuries and a smaller squad than the Thunder. If they can all stay fit, I think they'll go all the way.
Finals MVP: Nikola Jokic
Moritz Kasper (Flashscore Germany): Boston Celtics 4-3 Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC seem to have the easiest route to the conference finals, along with the Suns, Lakers or Rockets. That's why they'll have the edge over the Spurs.
Boston's disappointing end to the season last year will motivate them for another title run and allow them to put together one of the most impressive runs (compared to pre-season expectations).
Eric Himmelheber (Flashscore USA): Denver Nuggets 4-2 Detroit Pistons
The Nuggets go into the playoffs on the back of a 12-game winning streak and unquestionably dominate the offensive statistics as the best team in terms of points scored.
This season, they are 3-1 against the Spurs, Timberwolves and Rockets, 3-0 against the Suns, 2-2 against the Warriors, 2-4 against OKC and 1-2 against the Lakers, but we all know how the Nuggets have handled the latter in the playoffs. My money is on Denver in seven games against OKC in the Western Conference Finals for a rematch before reaching the finals.
In the East, the Pistons have remained the top seed all season. I don't see anyone beating them at any point until the final.
Which team will be the surprise of the playoffs?
Sébastien Gente (Flashscore France): Toronto Raptors
A group that's been dormant for a few seasons now, but everyone seems to be coming of age at the same time. With a deep roster, a number of players capable of putting up 20 points a game and a Scottie Barnes we're hoping explodes, the Raptors have what it takes to get past the Cavaliers, who are frankly unimpressive, and then, possibly against the Pistons, who may be top of the East but have absolutely no experience of the playoffs.
A conference final and the project will get off to a flying start.
Michaela Gaislerová (Flashscore Global): Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers finished fourth in the Eastern Conference, just one game behind the third-placed Knicks. Cleveland acquired James Harden at the trade deadline, and the move has paid off as the team has improved and strengthened. Harden is a decisive player, capable of giving his team the edge they need to win tough games and get the better of slightly superior opponents.
Cleveland have a balanced, talented squad with playoff experience, and it will show. The second-round clash with the Detroit Pistons will be an epic duel, but the Cavaliers will come out on top after a thrilling seven-game series.
Cleveland's attacking arsenal and depth won't be enough to clinch a place in the final and send the Celtics home, but their long playoff run will live long in the memory. And it will send a clear message to the league for next season: watch out for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Tolga Akdeniz (Flashscore Global): Atlanta Hawks
I think the Atlanta Hawks have a good chance of springing a surprise against the New York Knicks in the first round. Since the All-Star Game, the Hawks have won 19 and lost 5, the best record in the Eastern Conference.
What's more, since the transfer of Trae Young in January, the Hawks have changed the way they play, becoming more solid in defence while improving in all areas of attack. They have relied on Jalen Johnson, who averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game during the regular season.
Since Young's departure, they have posted the 12th-best attack and sixth-best defence, which illustrates these points. Naturally, the Knicks will be favourites, but the Hawks have no pressure and are brimming with confidence. They could well go all the way in this series.
Moritz Kasper (Flashscore Germany): Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks will eliminate the New York Knicks in the first round, adding a little more suspense to their playoffs. In the second round, the Hawks will put up a fierce fight against Boston, but will lose out after a six or seven-game series, while the Knicks will have to do some soul-searching.
Eric Himmelheber (Flashscore USA): Nobody
It may be a controversial opinion, but I don't see any team capable of springing a surprise in these playoffs. I think the Pistons, Celtics and Knicks are the clear favourites in the Eastern Conference, as are the Thunder, Spurs and Nuggets in the Western Conference.
Take a look at the first round alone. In the East, the Hawks have a 1-2 record against the Knicks. The 76ers had a 2-2 record against the Celtics without Tatum, and they are now also without Embiid. Neither the Magic nor the Hornets have a positive record against the Pistons.
In the West, the Blazers have a 1-2 record against the Spurs. The T'Wolves have a 1-3 record against the Nuggets. Houston are 1-2 against the Lakers. And then the Suns have a 2-3 record against the Thunder and the Warriors have a 0-4 record against them.
The only lower-ranked team with a positive record against its first-round opponent is the Raptors (3-0) against the Cavaliers.
Which team will disappoint in the playoffs?
Sébastien Gente (Flashscore France): Detroit Pistons
The Pistons' situation is somewhat unexpected, given that while they were expected to win this season, they probably weren't expected to be on the throne of the East. But their inexperience in the playoffs could come at a high price... Especially as Cade Cunningham still seems to be a bit thin physically, and if he or Jalen Duren get injured, their ambitions will probably be over. Watch out for a slip-up in the first round against a team from the play-in round who have nothing to lose.
Michaela Gaislerová (Flashscore Global): Los Angeles Lakers
A year ago, the Lakers lost to the sixth-ranked Timberwolves in just five games, suffering an early, unexpected and somewhat embarrassing first-round exit. This season, Los Angeles are out for revenge. And the team appeared to be in fine form, peaking at the perfect time: they lost just one game in March, after Luka Doncic caught fire and literally set opponents on fire, averaging 37.5 points per game. But that success was short-lived, with the franchise losing Doncic and elite sharpshooter Austin Reaves to injury in early April.
Their return date remains uncertain, but both are expected to miss the start of the playoffs, when the Lakers take on the fifth-placed Houston Rockets. It's a tough match-up; the Rockets rely on Kevin Durant, one of the most feared scorers in NBA history. It's hard to imagine the Lakers beating Houston without their two key players, but even if the stars return in the first round, their weeks away and the team's lack of cohesion will be felt. Despite high expectations and title aspirations, the Lakers will have to resign themselves to another first-round exit.
Tolga Akdeniz (Flashscore Global): Los Angeles Lakers
It may be a bit harsh, given all the injuries they have to deal with, but the Lakers will find it hard to get past the Rockets in the first round.
The Rockets were far from convincing during the regular season, and if the Lakers had a fully fit squad, I could see them winning. But with Reaves expected to miss the first round, and Luka unlikely to return until midway through the series (or towards the end if it goes only four or five games), I think they'll suffer another first-round exit after being beaten by the Timberwolves at the same stage last year.
Eric Himmelheber (Flashscore USA): Boston Celtics
Who could really be a disappointment? The Lakers will have to do without Luka in the first round, so they might not even qualify for the next round. The Rockets? No. Denver or San Antonio? Just not going to happen.
I'd say Boston. They might beat the Sixers easily, but they're quite capable of collapsing against the Knicks in the next round, should they face them. If the Knicks get knocked out by the Hawks, then we'll have the real answer to that question.