NBA Conference Finals Preview

Lakers and Celtics to advance??? Hey ,  We are down to a final four in what has been an unpredictable NBA Playoffs so far. Let's dive in and look at the two conference finals matchups.  #7 Los Angeles Lakers vs #1 Denver Nuggets  In a rematch of the 2020 Western Conference Finals we have the Lakers and the Nuggets squaring off.  Denver is probably one of the least talked about one seeds in history, but don’t be fooled, they are a really good team.  With Nikola Jokic leading the way they have one of the best big men in the game, and they have great compliments in Jamal Murray (who is finally healthy) and Michael Porter Jr.  On the other side the Lakers are lead by Lebron James, Anthony Davis, and a strong supporting cast.  Currently the Nuggets are favored but I don’t think this matchup really fits Denver.  Anthony Davis does not get nearly the appreciation he deserves but he has been the best and most important Laker throughout these playoffs.  Essentially the trend has been when Davis plays well the Lakers tend to win, which does not bode well for Denver.  Nikola Jokic is great offensively but Davis is great defensively which should somewhat minimize Jokic and his effectiveness.  Meanwhile, Jokic is atrocious defensively so I expect Davis to have his way on the offensive end of the floor.  It will then be up to which supporting cast can play better – it’s close, but I like the Lakers cast a bit more, especially defensively.  I have not even touched on Lebron James who I expect to have another steady series despite the fact that he too seems to not get nearly the appreciation he deserves.  Combine Lebron and Davis with a strong Lakers supporting cast and I like the Lakers to win in 6 games.  #8 Miami Heat vs #2 Boston Celtics  This series will be decided by Jimmy Butler.  It will take something monumental for the Heat to upset the Celtics, and Butler will have to be at the forefront.  Boston looks like the best team in the NBA after their demolition of Philadelphia, so how Jimmy Butler deals with the Celtics will be the tell to this series.  On paper the Heat are even worse than the Sixers so from that standpoint it is tough to see how Miami pulls this off….  Of course on paper the Heat were worse than the Bucks and we all know how that turned out.  Look for Miami to run in transition as much as possible to try and avoid Boston’s length, which I think is the Celtics greatest asset.  Yes Boston has two great scorers in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown but what won that game 7 vs Philly was the defense which only allowed 10 points in a crucial 3rd quarter.  Overall Boston’s defensive makeup is similar to peak Golden State with Kevin Durant and Draymond Green.  Everyone talks about how great the Warriors were offensively, but their defense is what won them their championships (and of course their offense was also great – the Warriors had the best offense and defense in the league at their peak)  Which brings me back to Miami’s need to push the tempo – Boston is great in the halfcourt defensively but the easiest way to overcome that is to not allow the Celtics to get set up on defense.  This should be easier for the Heat to embrace than Philadelphia ever could since Miami’s best player is a guard and Philly’s is a center.  In addition to pushing the pace, Miami is going to have to hope for some cold shooting nights from Boston, which can happen given how much the Celtics live by the three point shot.  So if all of this happen can Miami win this series? Yes, they can…. But will they?  No, but they will make it closer than people think.  I expect this series to go 6 games with Boston advancing to the NBA Finals.  Best regards, Olin G. Head of Research at Juicy Wagers       JuicyWagers.com is a publisher and the information provided through its products and services are for informational purposes only. To the extent any such information is deemed to be advice, such information is impersonal and not tailored to the needs of any specific person. JuicyWagers.com and its affiliates are not responsible for any actions taken by a user of their published information. Headley Investment Analysis, Inc., 201 West Vine Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507, United States You may [unsubscribe]( or [change your contact details]( at any time.