Getty The Warriors and Bucks are the favorites to square off in the NBA finals.
The NBA playoff bracket is locked in as the postseason starts on Saturday, April 13. NBA.com is offering a Playoffs Bracket Challenge for fans wishing to make predictions for each round. We are here to offer our predictions for every round of the postseason.
The Warriors are heavy favorites to win another title at -225, per OddsShark. The Bucks (+650), Raptors (+950) and Rockets (+1100) round out the favorites. Between the player arguments and free agency rumors, the Warriors have had a noisy regular season. It will be interesting to see if this will have any impact on their quest for a three-peat.
Here is a look at my NBA playoff bracket predictions and detailed picks for the first round.
NBA Playoff Bracket 2019
| 1st Rd. (West) | 2nd Rd. | WCF | Finals | ECF | 2nd Rd. | 1st Rd. (East) |
| 8. Clippers | 8. Pistons | |||||
| 1. Warriors | 1. Warriors | 1. Bucks | 1. Bucks | |||
| 1. Warriors | 1. Bucks | |||||
| 5. Jazz | 4. Rockets | 4. Celtics | 5. Pacers | |||
| 4. Rockets | 1. Warriors | 4. Celtics | ||||
| 1. Bucks | ||||||
| 6. Thunder | 6. Thunder | 3. Sixers | 6. Nets | |||
| 3. Blazers | 2. Nuggets | 3. Sixers | 3. Sixers | |||
| 2. Nuggets | 2. Raptors | |||||
| 7. Spurs | 7. Magic | |||||
| 2. Nuggets | 2. Raptors |
NBA Playoff 1st Round Picks: Eastern Conference
No. 1 Bucks Over No. 8 Pistons in 4 Games- Milwaukee should make short work of a Pistons team they dominated during the regular season. The bigger question is how the Bucks potentially stack up against the Celtics in the next round. While the Bucks are the favorites, the East features a wide-open race between the top four teams.
No. 2 Raptors Over No. 7 Magic in 7 Games- Don’t be surprised if this series goes six or seven games. The Magic enter the playoffs as hot as any team in the league. Orlando has played Toronto close during their regular season matchups. While the Magic could steal a game early in Toronto, the Raptors have too much firepower to overcome.
No. 3 Sixers Over No. 6 Nets in 6 Games- This may end up being one of the best series in the first round as playoff basketball returns to Brooklyn. The big question is the health of Joel Embiid. Philly has the talent to make the NBA finals, but the Bucks have looked like the better team down the stretch.
No. 4 Celtics Over No. 5 Pacers in 5 Games- Boston should be able to advance to the second round, but it is hard to pick them against the Bucks with how inconsistent the team has played this season. Boston has as much talent as any team in the East, but it remains to be seen whether they have truly rectified their issues.
NBA Playoff 1st Round Picks: Western Conference
No. 1 Warriors Over No. 8 Clippers in 4 Games- Many seem ready to pick against the Warriors this year thanks to a season filled with drama. My sense is Golden State can put together one more run. It is hard to see a team that has the horses to compete with the Warriors when they are at their best.
No. 2 Nuggets Over No. 7 Spurs in 6 Games- Denver is the new face among NBA contenders. How far can the Nuggets go? Denver is playing well enough to make the NBA finals, but it is hard to imagine them getting past the Warriors.
No. 6 Thunder Over No. 3 Blazers in 7 Games- Portland tried to avoid playing the Thunder, but it was to no avail. The Blazers rested all their starters but still ended up getting paired with Oklahoma City. With Jusuf Nurkic out for the season, the Thunder have a bit more star power making this the most likely upset of the first round.
No. 4 Rockets Over No. 5 Jazz in 6 Games- Houston fell all the way down to the No. 4 seed as the Rockets are hoping to end up with a second-round series with the Warriors. It is far from a guarantee that the Rockets will defeat a tough Utah team, but James Harden should push them through to the next round.
NBA Finals Prediction: Warriors Over Bucks in 6 Games
Many are fading Golden State but look for the dynasty to make one last championship push before they potentially go their separate ways. The Warriors team we see in the postseason is a different animal than the regular season.
If we knew how healthy the Sixers would be during the postseason, I would be tempted to pick Philly to pull off the upset over Milwaukee. The Bucks have been the most consistent team in the East this season, but will have their hands full with whoever they face. Giannis Antetokounmpo has elevated his game to the level of just a handful of players, and this will be a postseason for him to cement his status as one of the best players in the league.
Even if Kevin Durant is heading to New York, the Warriors are too talented for a team to dethrone them in the postseason. As long as they can survive a potential second-round scare with the Rockets, the Warriors are on their way to a three-peat.