As we discussed on Monday, the postseason is off to a fascinating start in the Western Conference, where the underdogs in all four series won Game One. The results in the Eastern Conference haven’t been quite as surprising so far.
The No. 1 Sixers and No. 2 Nets took care of the Wizards and Celtics in their respective Game Ones. Although Washington and Boston were competitive, the star power of the higher seeds may be too much for the two play-in teams — Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris racked up a combined 67 points for Philadelphia on Sunday, while Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden scored 82 of Brooklyn’s 104 points on Saturday.
Meanwhile, after upsetting the Bucks in last year’s second round, the Heat have dug themselves a 2-0 hole in this year’s first round, and Monday’s loss was especially one-sided. Milwaukee poured in 46 first-quarter points and 22 total three-pointers en route to a blowout victory.
Based on what we’ve seen so far, the most exciting Eastern Conference series in the first round should be the one featuring two teams that have spent the last few years out of the postseason. The Knicks and Hawks went down to the wire on Sunday, with Trae Young clinching an Atlanta victory by hitting a floater with less than a second left in regulation.
The Celtics, Wizards, and Heat still have plenty of time to turn things around, but oddsmakers view it as a long shot that any of these three clubs will pull off a comeback. BetOnline.ag currently lists the Nets as -2750 favorites, meaning that if you want to bet on Brooklyn to win the series, you’d have to risk $2,750 in order to win just $100. The Sixers (-1800) and Bucks (-1000) are also heavy favorites.
The Hawks’ Game 1 upset has made them the frontrunners over the Knicks, but Vegas still views that series as practically a toss-up compared to the other three — Atlanta is only a -255 favorite.
We want to know what you think. Will the East’s top three seeds hold on and win their respective series with relative ease, or will the Celtics, Wizards, and/or Heat come alive and make things interesting? Do you expect a long series between the Hawks and Knicks? Who are you picking to win that one?
Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!
ESPN expert Tim Legler prediction
Knicks in 6
Lakers in 6
Clippers in 6
If/when LA loses again tonight will he change his prediction to Lakers in 7?
Hawks, 76ers, bucks, nets
Bucks, 76ers
Bucks
As a Bucks fan, I’ll go along with this! They do seem determined this year…
Hawks, 76ers, Heat, Nets
Nets, 76ers
Nets
Celtics, 76ers, hawks, heat
Hawks, celtics
Hawks
Celtics coming back from down 0-2? Not likely.
I’m no Nets fan, but they should have little problem reaching the ECF.
Umm…idk if you heard but they’re increasing garden capacity for the next 2 home games AND their g league team just got a new name.
How many college coaching job offers did Stephen Silas get this year? That’s what I thought!
Yep, things are looking up for the Cs!
6ers, Nets, Bucks(all up), Nix(upset)
6ers, Nets over Bucks (best EC series)
Nets over 6ers
Nets over Clips but Utah over Nets.
Kind of vague, but then page is kind of late, and that is kind of a lame excuse!
I think it will be easier for the Nix to get over themselves than the Hawks.
No way Heat can pull off their forwards-up 2-3 this year, or any other kind of defense.
The decline of Kemba
Hawks are not winning. Knicks will get over their nerves. And just grind like they did all yr. Thibs needs to wake up. Just win a series. I like Sixers and Bucks. I want to see them in Finals. Both can beat Nets. Big Noise is not happening this yr. Nets are easier to D up than great Warrior teams. They are predictable. Where Warriors could hurt you with their bench. Nets offense is all about three guys. No real team should fear that. You know exactly what to do. In the old days KD and Harden would get abused on D. Today it’s a bunch of woozies.
Lol
I don’t understand what’s keeping the Celtics from hitting the reset button around Tatum.
Jalen, Smart, Kemba ……
What’s crazy is if you looked back three years ago, the nets were going no where with no draft picks and the Celtics had a great young core to build around.
While the Celtics could still be successful in the coming years, if we predicted this series a few years ago, it would be lopsided for the Celtics, not the nets
What’s crazier is that 2 years ago a couple of superstars decided to team up in New York, and they got another superstar to join them a year later.
Not sure what the Nets organization did to facilitate this other than be in a major market/New York city.
There is a story there… The 2019 team made a lot of momentum with non-stars. Dinwiddie recruited Irving and Durant followed b/c Brooklyn seemed “cool”.
Clippers similar story.
Let’s say Celtics give Fournier 1 year 12 million contract
Celtics team salary is $147 million next season
8 million over luxury tax line
What is next?
How to upgrade the roster?
I have also asked Lakers fans the same question
How to upgrade the roster if Lakers are knocked out in the first round now?
Celtics biggest needs are Center, bench wings and some downtime for walker so he can hopefully heal. I think they have a solution for center in-house with the Time Lord. Everybody but the Suns need bench wings it seems so that one’s going to be tough.
I guess you don’t know Fournier makes 15 mill.
Don’t see Celtics resigning Fournier. I like him for Knicks. Celtics have never replaced Horford production on D and O. They have been trying ever since and failing. Would of been much easier to just sign him. He would of took less to stay. Classic undervalue of player production and value to team. Ainge he is an idiot. Celtics sign Drummond to 20-25 mill. They are in Finals next yr. Get rid of Thompson.
Lol you can have Fournier, I have not been impressed. Though I don’t see him thriving in a market with even higher expectations.
EF is overrated. It’s easy to rack up points on a crappy team.