The NBA postseason began almost 3 weeks ago, since then we've seen some thrilling first-round matchups and what's building up to be one of the most tightly contested NBA postseasons.
As the first round ends, we are left with the final 8, they'll face off in the Western and Eastern Conference semi-finals. The first round provided us with some action-packed series, the Kings and Warriors went all the way to 7, Jimmy Buttler shocked Giannis and the Bucks, and New York won their first Playoff Series since 2013.
Below is a list of the match-ups for the conference semi-finals:
-Denver Nuggets vs Pheonix Suns
-LA Lakers vs Golden State Warriors
-New York Knicks vs Miami Heat
-Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers
All 4 fixtures will be close with no true favourite from here, the number 1 seed the Nuggets are facing the immensely talented Suns. The Lakers will go against the Warriors. In a battle of the underdogs, the Knicks are up against the Heat, and lastly, the two powerhouses of the East will be facing off in the Celtics vs 76ers.
To create predictions for the rest of the 2023 playoffs, we've used pre-existing predictions which were created using machine learning models. Out of the remaining teams, the team with the highest chance of winning the championship trophy is Boston Celtics, they're followed by the 76ers. From the West, the Nuggets have the best odds at winning followed by the Warriors.
So in the West, we predict that the Nuggets will beat the Suns and the Warriors will beat the Lakers. And in the East, Miami will make it to the Conference Finals, where they will meet the Boston Celtics. For a more detailed overview head over to www.thevsportsblog.com
