The NBA’s opening tournament served its intended purpose: it became the subject of league-wide talk in the final month of the season and then spawned some attractive matches.
But the real qualifiers start on Saturday. Can the Los Angeles Lakers repeat the title of champion? The Utah Jazz team finished the best league record in the league. Does this mean that they are ready to advance towards their first title? What are you made of mosquito nets? Could former champions Kevin Durant and Keri Irving make a championship for Brooklyn?
We asked NBA experts from across the USA Today Network about their safe and bold choices for the Eastern and Western Conference Finals as well as the NBA Finals. Some of their answers may surprise you.
Jeff Zilgate, USA Today
Eastern Conference Finals
Safe choice: Sixers on bucks
The Sixers finally break through “The Process” and reach the NBA Finals with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
Bold choice: Heat more than six parts
Conference Champion Defending Titanic Hit and Jimmy Butler can shine and win East.
Western Conference Finals
Safe choice: Jazz Over Lakers
Jazz has the best NBA record, Attack # 4, Defense # 3, Stars, Depth and Training.
Bold choice: Nuggets over jazz
Taking Nikola Jujic Denver to the NBA Finals with Jamal Murray injured would be an amazing story.
NBA Finals
Safe choice: Jazz on the Sixers
The top seed from every conference has not met in the finals since 2016.
Bold choice: Dollars on clippers
There would be some severe discomfort getting to his point, but both teams have the talent to get there.
Mark Medina, USA Today
Eastern Conference Finals
Safe choice: Networks of more than 76ers
Even with injuries, lack of defense and less playing time on the field, Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kerry Irving are extremely talented.
Bold choice: Knicks over the net
The Knicks have now lived up to what the NBA has always wanted – a team championship rather than a joke.
Western Conference Finals
Safe choice: Lakers over clippers
The rivalry in Los Angeles finally took place as part of a playoff match, and LeBron James and Anthony Davis reaffirmed why the Lakers continue to dominate this city.
Bold choice: Sun over jazz
Chris Ball finally showed he can always survive the playoffs while leading the inexperienced Suns to a place never seen since Charles Barkley’s confrontation with Michael Jordan.
NBA Finals
Safe choice: Lakers Over Nets
In what would be a draw in ratings due to the tag market and star power, LeBron James won the NBA title over Kevin Durant for the first time since the Miami Heat beat the Oklahoma City Thunder nine years ago. Young Durant learned LeBron’s greatness early on from OKC.
Bold choice: Nuggets on heat
No longer content with just being a great story in the NBA bubble, the Nuggets won the NBA title over a team that would return to the World Cup Finals by relying on the best passing player in the league (Nikola Jukic).
Matt Ebers, USA Today
Eastern Conference Finals
Safe choice: Sixers on networks
Philadelphia is one of the few teams with defenders to throw three stars in Brooklyn, and Joel Embiid must wreak havoc at home against Nets Frontcourt.
Bold choice: Heat more than six parts
Miami will have to face an absolute challenge, but with Jimmy Butler and Pam Adebayo at the helm, the defending Champions of the East have the power to do so.
Western Conference Finals
Safe choice: Lakers over clippers
We finally got the Staples Center series after teams swirled around each other for two seasons, with the Lakers Clippers reminded of what’s happening in Los Angeles.
Bold choice: Nuggets over jazz
Nikola Gokic and Michael Porter Jr. elevated their games without Murray’s beauty. If they persist, they can carry the Nuggets on a surprise round to the Conference Finals.
NBA Finals
Safe choice: Lakers over Sixers
The points will be higher between the top two defenders in the league, and the Lakers have the most reliable goalscorers around superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Bold choice: Nuggets on bucks
There’s no reason to believe Nikola Gokic won’t continue posting ridiculous numbers as the presumed MVP puts Team Nuggets on his back in order to achieve an unlikely title.
Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic
Eastern Conference Finals
Safe choice: Sixers on networks
Joel Embiad insider squad maker vs. Big 3 in Brooklyn.
Bold choice: Falcons over nets
Nate Macmillan sets off on an unlikely training run with Trae Young on fire.
Western Conference Finals
Safe choice: Lakers over clippers
LeBron James, Anthony Davis won the seventh match late to top the talented Clippers.
Bold choice: Suns over the Mavericks
Phoenix returned to the finals for the first time in 1993 in deflecting Luca Doncic, Mavs.
Can the Suns fight a battle against the Lakers?
SportsPulse: Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic breaks the first-round streak between the Suns and Lakers and what Phoenix has to do to annoy Los Angeles
SportsPulse, USA Today
NBA Finals
Safe choice: Lakers over Sixers
Los Angeles reprises the NBA Champions.
Bold choice: Suns on the bucks
With Chris Paul at the front, Phoenix claimed his first NBA title after 11 years of drought.
Marla Redinor, Akron Bacon Magazine
Eastern Conference Finals
Safe Choice: Networks of More Than 76ers
A true test of the importance of defense as the Nets’ Loaded Attack puts it all together after an injury season.
Bold choice: Bucks on the Knicks.
Better to build dollars in 2021; Giannis plays like an MVP every night.
Western Conference Finals
Safe choice: Lakers on jazz
She led the Jazz League with three throws she attempted, but that didn’t hold up to the Lakers’ stifling defense.
Bold choice: Suns over clippers
Despite their lack of playoff experience, the Suns Divine Booker and Dendry Eaton grew up under the direction of Chris Paul.
NBA Finals
Safe choice: Lakers Over Nets
As the playoff match against the Warriors showed, Playoff LeBron did not lose its charm. Still in proof status with James Harden and the NBA title.
Bold choice: Jazz on the bucks
Irrespectful jazz has the perfect blend of attack, defense and rebound style that emphasizes balance and teamwork.
Michael, Indianapolis Star
Eastern Conference Finals
Safe choice: 76ers on networks
A series of 7 matches with the winning best defensive team.
Bold choice: Dollars on Sixers
The difference between Burning and reaching the Finals is Jrue Holiday.
Western Conference Finals
Safe choice: Clippers over suns
Chris Paul is the MVP candidate but Los Angeles still has the best players
Bold choice: Jazz up nuggets
The two teams hardly anyone will pick to advance, but Utah has its own shooters and creators and they have a major change in the rules of the defensive game.
Which Western Conference team is facing the most pressure to take a deep tour of the NBA Qualifiers?
SportsPulse: Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic breaks down why the Clippers feel pressured to win a championship in the NBA Playoffs.
SportsPulse, USA Today
NBA Finals
Safe choice: Nets over clippers
The Big 3 is larger than the Big 2, and the depth of Brooklyn gives them more paths for victory.
Bold choice: Sixers above the suns
It’s not so much about who has the best season over 72 games as it is who plays his best basketball right now.
Jim Okzarski, Milwaukee Journal of The Guardian
Eastern Conference Finals
Safe choice: Networks of more than 76ers
Even in the (or third) half of strength, these two were the best in the East and it makes perfect sense to see them competing in full force in the East Finals.
Bold choice: Bucks more than the 76ers
Bold thought is not only the Bucks beating the 76ers, but in the belief that they’ll defeat Miami and Brooklyn en route too.
Western Conference Finals
Safe choice: Jazz up the suns
The top seeders usually represent the conference finals, and they usually advance – and these two teams were the best in the West throughout the year.
Bold choice: Clippers Over Lakers
These teams weren’t in full swing throughout the season but the qualifiers allowed them to find a groove, and the Lakers might have run out of gas.
NBA Finals
Safe choice: Jazz Over Nets
This iteration of the grids reminds us of the first “Big Three” in Miami, who are too talented to make it to the finals but by a more solid team that beats them in the tournament.
A bold choice: bucks on clippers
The Bucks reconfigured the roster and changed their attacking and defensive schemes in a shorter period of the season, and it pays off on the 50th anniversary of their first tournament.
Evan Barnes, Memphis commercial appeal
Eastern Conference Finals
Safe choice: Bucks more than the 76ers
The two-way Jrue Holiday is the last piece the Bucks need to finally break through to the Finals
Bold choice: Networks of more than 76ers
If the “Big Three” of the net remains in a healthy state, and the Chemistry is at its peak, they will overcome defensive fears and will be the last eastern team standing.
Western Conference Finals
Safe choice: Lakers on jazz
It all hinges on LeBron James ‘ankle but it’s hard to bet on the Lakers’ experience / team defense
Bold choice: Jazz up nuggets
Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley are both healthy and Utah is roaming around her bulky shot / defense to celebrate their World Cup Finals journey since 1998
NBA Finals
Safe choice: Lakers on Bucks
James and Anthony Davis are celebrating in good health with another title even though Giannis Antetokounmo had a similar effect to Allen Iverson in 2001 in the finals.
Can the nets live up to the hype of the NBA Qualifiers?
SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports’ Jeff Zillgitt has smashed two teams at the top of the Eastern Conference that are under pressure to take a deep tour of the NBA Qualifiers.
SportsPulse, USA Today
Bold choice: Nets Over Jazz
Despite all the question marks, the networks were struck by a complete storm of health, offensive balance and laundry.
Berry Trammel, Oklahoma City, Oklahoman
Eastern Conference Finals
Safe choice: Networks over Sixers. Brooklyn has the offense. Philly has the defense. Crime is winning these days.
Bold choice: Dollars on Sixers. Jrue Holiday is the team-maker for Milwaukee. Bucks swapped a deep roster for a profound star roster.
Western Conference Finals
Safe choice: Jazz Over Lakers. Bojan Bogdanovich, Joe Engels and Donovan Mitchell give jazz enough offense, and Utah plays a little bit of defense as well.
Bold choice: Lakers on jazz. Should I replace my bold safe? The number 7 has never won the West, but that number 7 has LeBron and Anthony Davis.
NBA Finals
Safe choice: Nets Over Jazz. Brooklyn became the Golden State East. The team everyone loves to hate, but mostly unbeatable.
Bold choice: Dollars on the Lakers. Fifty years after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar planted the surname flag in Milwaukee, Giannis Anticonmou is doing the same.
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