The semifinal round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs are nearly in full effect. Although there are still a few first round matchups still awaiting a climatic end, a few of the second round matchups are set and underway. Teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Lakers, Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks headline the semifinals, but each of them have a tall task in front of them that they must overcome if they want any chance at reaching the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy.
The stakes have risen and the level of competition is only getting better as the league’s eight remaining teams duke it out for an opportunity to keep their championship hopes alive. With that, here are my key storylines, x-factors, and series predictions for each matchup in the NBA Eastern and Western Conference brackets.
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Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors
Starting in the Eastern Conference, two of the big heavyweights in the Celtics and Raptors were the first to tip off in Round 2 as Boston jumped out to 1-0 lead in the series with a 112-94 victory to take Game 1 over the weekend. Game 1 was a true team effort for the Celtics as Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart led the way with 21 points apiece along with four other players scoring in double-figures.
We all already understand that Boston is a young, talented team that has excellent wing play from Tatum and Jaylen Brown and a good one-two punch of offense and defense from Smart and Kemba Walker. What really makes the Celtics dangerous is when they get big contributions from the center position like they did in Game 1. Daniel Theis and Robert Williams combined for 23 points and 20 rebounds on the night in 25 minutes or less on the floor. Center has always been this team’s weakness especially offensively so this was a bright spot that they definitely hope to build upon throughout the rest of this series.
Celtics vs. Raptors Game 1 Highlights
On the other side, the Raptors showed in Game 1 that although their depth is significant, it does not mean much when their stars have a bad game. Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry combined for only 30 points and even Fred VanVleet who has been hot for a majority of the NBA restart only had 11 points in Game 1. Just like the Celtics, the Raptors also had six players in double-figures, but without their star players truly leading the charge, the group effort did not amount to much.
The Raptors were outrebounded (50 to 40) and their biggest downfall came from behind the arc where they made only 10 out of 40 three-point attempts (25%). If Toronto plans to make this a competitive series they have to shoot better from three and their stars need to rise to the challenge. Easier said than done, but it is their only ticket to notching this series up 1-1 and flipping the momentum in their favor.
Prediction: Boston Celtics is 6
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat
Coming off of a powerful statement this past Thursday, the Milwaukee Bucks may honestly be one of the biggest wildcards in this year’s second round. They could come out guns blazing with the motivation of playing for the admiration of Jacob Blake and other Wisconsin natives in hopes of reaching redemption after being dismantled by Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors last season. Or in the wake of trying to stand up for a cause bigger than themselves, they could get caught slipping by a gritty Miami Heat team that is more than capable of taking them out. This series will come down to heart, will and whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo can get significant contributions from guys like Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Eric Bledsoe on a nightly basis.
For the Miami Heat, they may be the team that the Bucks wanted to see the least this postseason. The Heat already lead the regular season series against the Bucks 2-1 and they have the kind of personnel that can hang with Milwaukee on both ends of the floor. On offense they have been getting great contributions out of their young guys Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson who have all stepped up in a big way this postseason, showing out against the Indiana Pacers. 34 year old Goran Dragic may be one of the oldest players on the team, but he is showing that he provides a well needed punch for Miami offensively as this postseason he is averaging a career-high 22.8 points per game.
Defensively, the Heat have hard-nosed guys like Jae Crowder, Andre Iguodala at the wing position who will be able to match up well with Antetokounmpo and Middleton which will be pivotal if they want to win this series. And of course there is Jimmy Butler. It feels weird calling a near 20 point per game scorer who is also one of the best two-way players in the league an X-factor, but Butler and his leadership really is the deciding factor of this series. Butler has the ability to put his stamp on the game on either side of the court but his ability to galvanize the troops is what makes him special. His ability to rise to occasion and elevate those around him will be the difference in this series as Miami looks to reach their first Conference finals since the 2013-2014 season.
Prediction: Miami Heat in 7
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets
With the return of Russell Westbrook for the Rockets and the underwhelming play of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari in Game 5, it looks as though Houston will more than likely prevail tonight and move onto the next round. Taking that into consideration I believe that Houston is a dangerous team that could potentially upset Lebron James and the Lakers. The Rockets led by James Harden have been launching threes like crazy since returning the restart including a historic 58 three-point attempts in Game 4 against the Thunder.
This team may have a relatively low conversion percentage on threes (just over 30%) but they shoot them at such a high volume that the defense always has to be conscious of their ability to get hot. Breakout players like Jeff Green, Danuel House and Eric Gordon have all contributed more than expected and came up big in Westbrook’s absence. Now with the team at full strength and firing on all cylinders, this team could spell trouble for a Lakers team that has struggled heavily this season shooting the three-ball.
Rockets vs. Thunder Game 5 Highlights
For the Lakers, they still have Lebron James and Anthony Davis, two of the top five players in the league and that is a tough duo to match up with. For Los Angeles, this series is going to be more about how they defend the Rockets high octane offense more than it is them needing to try to outshoot the Rockets. The Lakers have been struggling from beyond the arc since the restart, Danny Green in particular and that is something that hopefully they will rectify moving forward, but they did show in Round 1 against the Blazers that they are capable of buckling down against a team that can score in the 120s on a nightly basis. If the Lakers defensively can duplicate what they were able to do against Portland, they have the chance to end this series early. If not, they may be in a dog fight against a team full of guys more than ready to put the ball in the hoop.
Prediction: Houston Rockets in 7
LA Clippers vs. Winner of Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz
Regardless of who comes out on top, we all need to give a huge kudos to Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray, two ascending stars who are displaying why the future of the NBA is extremely bright. I chose the Utah Jazz in seven games at the beginning of this series and I am sticking to that but nonetheless, a mentally exhausted team will be entering the lions’ den of a hungry Clippers team that can only get better from here.
The LA Clippers had a bit of a scare against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in Round 1, but they have a lot of things to look forward to. For one, we all expect Paul George to play better as the intensity of the playoffs continues to ratchet up. George has had scored 15 points or less in 4 of the 6 games played against the Mavericks, but he also had a 35-point outburst in Game five where he shot 4 of 8 from the three point line and shot 66.7% from the floor. George’s ability to get back on track and turn back the clock to when he was a top-3 MVP candidate last season will be what turn the Clippers into the true title contenders we know they are.
On top of that, an undersized center in Montrezl Harrell is a lot better fit for a matchup against Denver or Utah as supposed the Mavericks who have two guys in Kristaps Porzingis and Boban Marjanovic that stand at over 7-foot-2. Lastly, after coming off of a series victory against a young Dallas team in just six games, the Clippers will be relatively well rested in comparison to either the Nuggets or the Jazz who will be coming off a draining seven-game series with little rest between the start of the second round.
Prediction: LA Clippers in 5
BSL Analyst
Hi there! My name is Jalon Dixon, but most people just call me Jay. As an aspiring, young sports writer and podcaster, I enjoy discussing sports (mainly basketball and football) and sharing my knowledge with others. Growing up right in the middle of Towson University, Morgan State, Goucher College and others, I have gotten the chance to learn so much about a handful of the different athletic teams that thrive here in Baltimore. I want to be the voice of local fans and teams that may not get the same spotlight as others, but still play a big part in our everyday lives. My motto is “Always Embrace Conversation,” so if you ever want to give me feedback on a piece or even just have a friendly sports debate, feel free to email me! Hope you enjoy my work and maybe even learn something along the way.