NBA Playoffs: Predicting which 4 teams will reach conference finals

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Our NBA.com experts have made their predictions for who will reach the conference finals:

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(1) Boston vs. (4) Cleveland

Celtics in five. They’re missing their starting center and facing a healthier team than their first-round opponent. But the Celtics remain the best team in the league and, with their Game 5 victory over Miami, they’re 22-4 without Porzingis. The Cavs are a very good team with a star who can give them a chance on any night. They’ve played well against Boston this season, but they haven’t shown that they can score efficiently enough to keep up with the Celtics over the next two weeks. — John Schuhmann, who explains his pick and more.

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(2) New York vs. (6) Indiana

Knicks in six. New York is more likely to set the pace for this series, which will thwart Indiana’s biggest strength, that faster preferred style. Jalen Brunson has been irrepressible, averaging 31 points since the All-Star break with a usage rating (35.5) that would match Luka Doncic’s season-long mark. And while we don’t want to put too much weight on the In-Season Tournament, the Pacers did shrink with the NBA Cup on the line in Las Vegas. This stage is even bigger. — Steve Aschburner, who explains his pick and more.

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(1) Oklahoma City vs. (5) Dallas

Thunder in seven. Brace yourself for plenty of bouts of brilliance from Doncic and Irving. Pressure won’t affect them. But the question is whether they’ll be able to maintain that standard of play an entire series. That’ll be tough against OKC, which finished the regular season ranked fourth in defensive rating. Gilgeous-Alexander has been a steady performer all season with a supporting cast that fits almost perfectly. The Thunder are deeper and healthier overall. — Michael C. Wright, who explains his pick and more.

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(2) Denver vs. (3) Minnesota

Nuggets in seven. This series should be rich in contrast and drama. Both teams are equipped to move on, and after they swept the Suns, the Wolves stamped themselves as a title contender. Will home court be the edge for Denver? More likely, the moments of truth in each game will show us which star — Edwards or Karl-Anthony Towns or Jokic or Murray — will make the big shot. Let’s go with the champs, barely, in such situations. — Shaun Powell, who explains his pick and more.

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