Jalen Brunson today: 40 PTS 8 REB 7 AST 47% FG 🔥🔥🔥🔥 KNICKS SECURE THE SECOND-SEED.
In a fantastic NBA Sunday filled with expectation, we arrive to what has been an excellent season closure regarding the amount of games with things at stakes. There have been several changes in the Eastern Conference standings so we're breaking down everything that has been left after the lasts matchups.
Boston Celtics (1)
Sitting atop of everyone else in the Eastern Conference (and in the Western Conference) we can find the team that took over the season months ago, and never let anyone get near them. Boston Celtics ended up with a league best 64-18 record, they've earned full homecourt advantage for the postseason and they'll try to continue cruising their opponents. The Celtics will wait to meet their first round rivals, with four different opponents alternatives: Sixers, Heat, Bulls and Hawks. Boston owned Chicago and Miami, won the regular season series against the 76ers 3-1, and tied at two wins against Atlanta.
The Celtics are everyone's candidate to win it all, they'll have to back up everything they did in the regular season. The expectations are sky-high and the team will need to handle the pressure upon them.
New York Knicks (2)
The New York Knicks were the lasts in finish their final game. In an overtime nailbiter, the Knicks overcame the Bulls by one point, as they earned the second seed in the East. A remarkable campaign for New York, led by a phenomenal Jalen Brunson, who finished the last game with 40, earning MVP chants from all the Madison Square Garden. As Boston, the Knicks will have to wait to meet their opponents.
New York prevailed in the individual series against both Miami and Philadelphia . They will be playing without their All-star Julius Randle, out for the season. The good news is that the team has continued to win consistantly despite that. How far could the Knicks can go this playoffs?
The confirmed series for the first round of the Eastern Conference will be something else. We'll be witnessing some great battles early this playoffs. The Orlando Magic will be facing the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Milwaukee Bucks, who ended up third, will be playing against the 6th seeded Pacers.
Milwaukee Bucks (3) vs Indiana Pacers (6)
This is a really interesting series between two rather inconsistent teams. While Indiana outlcassed the Bucks in the regular season, all five of their duels were played in the early stages of the campaign. A lot of things have changed. Indiana lost Mathurin for the season, the Bucks fired Adrian Griffin and hired Rivers as their head coach, to name a few major ones. At the end of the day, the Bucks should overcome Indiana, they are the better team.
Head to Head 2023-24: Pacers dominated 4-1
Last game: January 3rd, Pacers win 142-130
Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs Orlando Magic (5)
The Cavs had already secured the fourth spot, as Orlando entered Sunday as fifths. The Magic secured the spot defeating the Bucks and will now face a Cleveland team who's more experienced in the playoffs and wants to improve what they accomplished a year ago. Two teams that put a lot of energy on the defensive end. It'll be a hard fought series.
Head to Head 2023-24: tied 2-2
Last game: February 22nd, Orlando win 116-109
Play-in Tournament
Philadelphia 76ers (7) vs Miami Heat (8)
Both teams won their respectives final matchups as the Sixers clinched that 7th seed an will be playing against Miami on April 17th. This a duel between two teams that know each other very well. Philadelphia will be playing at home against a team that knows how to defeat them, but with Embiid recovered they have the upper hand. The winner gets to play against the New York Knicks. A lot of classic showdowns are coming.
Head to head 2023-24: 2-2
Last game: April 4th, Philadelphia wins 109-105
Chicago Bulls (9) vs Atlanta Hawks (10)
This series was already decided. Both teams finished with a negative record and will be playing to see how survives in playoff contention. The game will be played also on April's 17th and the survivor will be playing another death match against the loser of the Miami vs Philly showdown.
Head to head 2023-24: Chicago leads 2-1
Last game: April 1st, Atlanta wins 113-101
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