<p>Welcome to the NBA’s postseason. Every franchise has played 82 games across the course of the regular season and from here on out, only the strong will survive.&nbsp;</p> <p>Yes, it’s time for the NBA Playoffs. Both the East and West have already been whittled down to eight teams each (Play-ins pending) and there are some mouth-watering matchups on the cards.</p> <p>There’s no two ways about it, this is high-stakes basketball - it’s kill or be killed. Who has the talent, experience, and ability to survive the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs? Let’s find out, shall we? Check out our NBA Playoffs preview and predictions below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>NBA Playoffs – Eastern Conference Predictions</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Boston Celtics (No. 1 seed) vs Miami Heat (No. 8 seed)</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Boston Celtics are statistically the best team in the NBA. They have the best offensive rating, arguably the deepest squad in the country and the best overall net rating.</p> <p>They’ve made the Conference Finals in three of the last four seasons, but is this the year they finally break their hoodoo and go all the way?</p> <p>Regardless of who they face, they are rightly heavy favourites to advance. However, an Eastern Conference Finals rematch from last season against the Miami Heat would make for a very interesting series indeed. April specialist Jimmy Butler has since gone down with a season ending injury, so there is no doubt that Boston fans will be feeling more confident against the Florida based team that orchestrated their downfall last year.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong>&nbsp;Boston in 5.</p>

<h3>New York Knicks (No. 2 seed) vs Philadelphia 76ers (No.7 seed)</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>New York’s main man Jalen Brunson has been having a season to remember.</p> <p>Despite his side being riddled with injuries all season, he has helped the Knicks secure the second seed in the East against all the odds. Julius Randle’s season ending injury was just one of a number of obstacles they’ve had to overcome to get to this point.</p> <p>Can Brunson now carry the Knicks to a deep playoff run? Well, their collective team play could give them the edge over any team.</p> <p>However, advancing from this series won’t be easy, especially since they have been matched up against reigning MVP Joel Embiid and his Philadelphia 76ers. With Brunson’s recent form and Embiids playoff history not being of his usual calibre, we’re taking the Knicks in this one… just.</p> <p><strong>Prediction</strong>: Knicks in seven.</p>

<h3>Milwaukee Bucks (No. 3 seed) vs Indiana Pacers (No. 6 seed)</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>When it comes to the Bucks you know what you’re getting with the Greek Freak and Dame Time, but inconsistencies throughout the season could come back to haunt them here.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Their opponents, the Pacers, are the second-best offensive team in the NBA and are a young and hungry team led by assists leader Tyrese Halliburton.</p> <p>It would be foolish to count them out of this one, remember their impressive run to the In-Season Tournament Finals earlier this season?</p> <p>On top of that, they’ve also won four out of five matchups against the Bucks this season.</p> <p>At the end of the day, the easy answer here is to pick the Bucks due to experience and star power, but this is a matchup that could go very well go to seven.</p> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Bucks in seven.</p>

<h3>Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 4 seed) vs Orlando Magic (No. 5 seed)</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Cavs have had to deal with injuries all season, now there are nagging injuries to their backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland which could pose a challenge.</p> <p>Their front court of Mobley and Allen are quite the challenge for any team and will be the ones to carry them through if they are to win here.</p> <p>Looking at the Magic, they are a young hungry team, led by the talented Paolo Banchero.</p> <p>They have the second-best defensive rating around, but will this be enough to get them past the Cavaliers?</p> <p>If the Cavs can stay healthy, we don’t think so, simply due to their superior experience in situations such as this.</p> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Cavaliers in 6.</p>

<h2>NBA Playoffs – Western Conference Predictions</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 1 seed) vs New Orleans Pelicans (No. 8 seed)</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Thunder are the 2nd youngest team in the NBA and have been built around All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rookie Chet Holmgren.</p> <p>While they currently have the second-best net rating in the NBA their inexperience is tipped to be a huge hurdle in the Playoffs.</p> <p>However, there is a reason they are the No. 1 seed in one of the most competitive conferences in recent memory.</p> <p>They’re set to play&nbsp;the Pelicans after&nbsp;the Kings and&nbsp;Golden State were bundled out. It will not be an easy match up, but one they should win.</p> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Thunder in 6.</p>

<h3>Denver Nuggets (No. 2 seed) vs Los Angeles Lakers (No. 7 seed)</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>What a series this will be. First, we have the Nuggets, the reigning NBA champs.</p> <p>Led by the seemingly unstoppable Jokic, the West runs through Denver and like everyone, we expect them to make a deep playoff run, if not go all the way and defend their title.</p> <p>Then there’s the Lakers. With a 17-9 record to close out the season, could the Lakers finally break the hoodoo that has prevented them from winning against the Nuggets in seven consecutive matchups?</p> <p>The defending champions are expected to make another run for the championship, but it will not be an easy matchup going against a healthy Lebron James &amp; Anthony Davis. This is a series not to be missed.</p> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Nuggets in 5.</p>

<h3>Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 3 seed) vs Phoenix Suns (No. 6 seed)</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Timberwolves have the best defensive rating as a team and have Rudy Gobert, who has the best defensive player rating this season.</p> <p>This brick wall at the back paired with a healthy Karl-Anthony Towns back, will give their supporters hope that they can make a deep Playoffs run.</p> <p>First, they’ll have to make it past the star power of the Phoenix Suns.</p> <p>The Suns have been dealing with injuries to their stars for most of the season, but now they all should be back on deck.</p> <p>They also finished the regular season with a healthy record, so could momentum be about to swing their way at the right time?</p> <p>They also won all three matchups against Minnesota this season and the star power of a fit and firing Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal is almost impossible to tip against.</p> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Suns in 5</p>

<h3>Los Angeles Clippers (No. 4 seed) vs Dallas Mavericks (No. 5 seed)</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Mavs main man Luka Doncic is having an MVP-worthy season, with Kyrie Irving and their trade deadline additions helping him take Dallas to a 18-9 record to close out the season. They are going to be hard to stop in this kind of form.</p> <p>For the Clippers having to deal with injury to Kawhi after a relatively healthy season is a huge blow. Once again, the fitness of their stars remains the biggest factor for how far they will go this postseason.</p> <p>As one of the deepest teams in the NBA, can LA rely on their cast of supporting characters to make a deep run? Ultimately, this is a tough one to pick, with both teams possessing championship qualities.</p> <p><strong>Prediction:</strong> Mavericks in 7.&nbsp;</p>