Breaking News: WEMBANYAMA NOOOOOOO! Never in a million years would I have expected my king, my GOAT, Victor Wembanyama to get injured with less than nine minutes left in the second quarter. The injury happened on a driving play by the center, through which he charged forward after a spin moving, and, expecting contact, threw himself forward. This momentum led to Wemby’s unexpected fall, in which he landed on his jaw, after which he promptly left the game. According to NBA.com, Wembanyama has entered concussion protocol. He will be out indefinitely, with a possibility to return for Game 3.

Playoffs for Both Conferences

1 vs 8:

Here, let’s start with the West’s notorious matchup of the reigning champs versus Jalen Green and friends. Who could POSSIBLY win this series? Well, suffice to say, SGA isn’t the clutch player of the year and the reigning MVP for no reason. Currently, OKC holds a 2-0 lead over the Suns, with both games ending in a blowout, with SGA averaging 31.0 ppg, 4.5 apg, and 8.0 apg on 57% true shooting. Honestly, this series is as well over, as I doubt a homecourt advantage will do anything to weaken the Thunder. Overall, OKC in four games.

Now, for the East, with a much more surprising matchup, we have the Detroit Pistons against the Orlando Magic. Turns out, Paolo Bancharo really CAN lead a team against Cade, with the Magic inciting a late quarter win against Detroit. Despite this, the Pistons still gained a vital Game 2 win, tying the series at 1-1, with Game 3 being set in Orlando on Saturday. Overall, the Pistons in five, MAYBE six, games.

2 vs 7:

We, yes WE, all shed tears on Tuesday when OUR king, WEMBANYAMA, left the game with a concussion. Despite this, Stephone Castle, Luke Cornet, and Devin Vassell held the Blazers with a ten point deficit until the late fourth quarter. It was here that Portland, led by Deni Avdija, slowly climbed back, ending the game with a narrow 106-103 victory over San Antonio. To be frank, an injury to Wemby may be what the Blazers need to stretch this series to six games. Depending on how many games Wemby misses, I still have the Spurs in five or six games.

Now, in the East, we had the Philadelphia 76ers versus the Boston Celtics. Both Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum are back to their playoff selves, which has already led to them securing a top seed in the East despite this being a “tanking” year. With that in mind, the Boston Celtics ABSOLUTELY SWEPT the 76ers in Game 1. The Sixers, however, really did “want Boston” in the end, with a surprising Game 2 victory against Philly. Despite this minor setback, I still see the Celtics winning this series in six games, depending on Joel Embiid’s health.

3 vs 6:

Why are the three and six seed matchups ALWAYS legendary? For the West, the EVERLASTING Nuggets and Timberwolves matchup strikes again. This series has already set itself up for a seven game series, with both teams being tied with one win. This series could really go either way, with Nikola Jokić dropping 24 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists in the Game 2 loss. While Rudy Gobert has been anchoring the Minnesota defense for years, I still believe in the Nugget’s chances. All in all, Denver in seven games.

Now the Knicks and Hawks are REALLY bringing back the 2021 playoff flashbacks. While New York obtained a vital Game 1 win in MSG, they managed to blow a fourteen point lead in the fourth quarter to the Hawks, eventually ending with a one point loss. Again, losing one game doesn’t break the Knicks’ playoff aspirations, but they NEED to win Game 3. Overall, for the sake of all Knicks fans, the Knicks in six games.

4 vs 5:

What have we learned from this Rockets/Lakers series? Well, UNC LEBRON JAMES still has one more in him, Luke KENNARD is ice-cold from three, and Houston needs to rethink their championship dreams. Currently, without Luka Dončić, the Lakers hold a 2-0 lead over Durant and the Rockets. Alperen Şengün is playing like a bum, Amen Thompson is trying his best, and Durant was held to just three points in the whole SECOND HALF! It’s safe to say, Houston, we have a problem; the Lakers in five games.

We MIGHT be changing the name of LeBronto to Donvonto with this first round series. The Cavs have absolutely DEMOLISHED the Raptors and are currently leading 2-0, with the next two games being in Toronto. This Cleveland team really is built for the East, so still, despite the Raptors’ steady fight, the Cavs in four. games

Conclusion

Just like many NBA fans, this is my favorite time of the year. My Knicks have a chance to win the championship in the weakest Eastern Conference to date, the Spurs have the chance to make history, and OKC may be the first team to go back to back since the 2018 Warriors. Whatever you do, make sure you tune in to the Knicks game; we need all of the support we need!