Tank's Second Round NBA Playoff Preview: Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference
#1. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #4. Indiana Pacers
Cavaliers in Six
The Cavaliers walked over a nearly non-resistant Miami Heat team in the first round, closing out a commanding sweep with back-to-back 35-point wins on the road. The Pacers, meanwhile, took down the Bucks in five, with Tyrese Haliburton's father nearly starting a brawl. This could be one of the best series of the second round. The Cavs dominated the East, winning 64 games, while the Pacers always rise in the postseason. Despite those 64 wins, Indiana won three of four regular-season meetings between these teams. The Pacers have both the size and shooting ability to win the series, as they hope to get to the Conference Finals for a second straight season. The Cavaliers, however, have a balanced scoring led by Donovan Mitchell, which will be a problem to stop. I expect this to be a close, even series going six games, before the Cavs find the right formula to stop the Pacers and advance.
2. Boston Celtics vs. 3. New York Knicks
Celtics in 4
The reigning champion Boston Celtics treated the NBA regular season like a warm-up for this time of year. They did win 61 games and easily got the two-seed in the East. They then beat the Magic in five games to set up a showdown with the Knicks. The Knicks have reached their ceiling. They are in the second round for the third straight year, and head into it in worse shape than the previous two years. They were fortunate to beat the Pistons, as Detroit's inability to close out games and non-call in Game 4 saved New York from an offseason of uncertainty. Jalen Brunson is the Knicks' lone hope; he can take over games and win with big shots as he did in Game 6 in Detroit. However, the Celtics will not make the mistakes that the Pistons did. Add in Boston's defense, ability to hit the glass, and hit shots; the reality is bleak for New York. This series will not be close, and the Knicks will not win a game.
Western Conference to be posted tomorrow
