NBA playoff basketball just started, but its never too early to provide predictions on matchup favorites and teams to watch going forward.Most analysts picked the Golden State Warriors to represent the West. Which club will pose the toughest challenge within the conference' Will the San Antonio Spurs make it back to the NBA Finals after two early postseason exits'Second-round matchups in the Eastern Conference should keep spectators glued to the action, specifically if the higher seeds win their first-round matchups. Which series has the potential to rank among the best in the postseason'Its hard to believe LeBron James and James Jones could reach their seventh consecutive NBA Finals dating back to their time with the Miami Heat. With a tougher road to the championship round, will we see the Cavaliers contending for consecutive titles'Houston Rockets Challenge Golden State Warriors in Western Conference FinalsJames Harden put together a spectacular season as the point guard in head coach Mike DAntonis fast-paced offensive scheme. If he doesnt win MVP, the five-time All-Star still hit a new threshold in NBA history:The Rockets rank No. 2 behind the Golden State Warriors in points per game with an electric offense, which features multiple shooters and good floor spacing. Houston buckets 14.4 three-pointers per game, 1.4 more than the Cavaliers who rank No. 2 in the category, on 35 percent shooting.Through April, forward Ryan Anderson caught fire from three-point land, hitting 48 percent of his attempts. He needed the upswing after slumping in efficiency between February and March:The burden doesnt fall squarely on Andersons shoulders to propel this team into the Western Conference Finals. However, in a probable matchup with the Spurs in the second round, forward Kawhi Leonard's defense may compromise the Rockets perimeter scoring.DAntonis offense will need its shooters to play well to knock off a fundamentally sound Spurs team that allowed 98.1 points per contest during the regular season.Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards Go Through Grueling 7-Game SeriesIts not a given, but a series between the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards could go the distance with seven tight games as the best matchup in the playoffs.The Wizards dumped former head coach Randy Wittman for Scott Brooks and returned to the postseason behind a productive and healthy backcourt. Guard Bradley Beal appeared in 77 games, which is the most hes played in a single season through his five-year career. The sharpshooting guard also knocked down approximately three shots beyond the arc per contest (2.9).Washingtons premier player, guard John Wall, ranks No. 2 in assists per contest at 10.7. Similar to the Toronto Raptors in previous years, the Wizards have the backcourt to compete with the best in the East. Nonetheless, its center Marcin Gortats double-double average that could make the difference between a semifinals exit and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.Boston ranks No. 3 in three-pointers made, but guard Avery Bradley's defense will be the key for his team combating the Wizards backcourt:Both teams will play at least six games in their opening-round series. If the favorites to win prevail, Bostons defense and well-coached roster should match up well against a high-scoring Washington team. The Wizards rank No. 5 in points scored per game.LeBron James Will Reach Seventh Consecutive NBA FinalsOn Saturday, James talked about his teams hard-fought victory in Game 1 over the Indiana Pacers:He doesnt seem concerned about the slim one-point victory but expects the team toplay better as the series progresses. Barring a matchup against the top-seeded Celtics, the Cavaliers hold a reliableedge over East opponents with dominant play on their home court:Of course, against Boston, Cleveland would have to steal a game on the road. Nonetheless, the experience alone on the Cavaliers roster should be able to push the team into the NBA Finals.If the Raptors recover from a Game 1 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, theyll push the defending champions to their upper limit. The Celtics and Wizards dont have the experience to match wit and strategy with the Cavaliers in a potential Eastern Conference Finals matchup.The competition in the East adds tougher obstacles for James to reach another NBA Finals, but the roster has the tools to overcome tough matchups and muster up another run at the Larry OBrien Trophy.Stats provided by NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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