2018 NBA Playoffs: Semifinals Predictions

Here are my predictions for the Semifinals for the 2018 NBA Playoffs.

Eastern Conference
(1) Toronto Raptors vs (4) Cleveland Cavaliers: The Raptors are coming off a six game series win over the Washington Wizards. The Cavaliers are coming off a seven game series win over the Indiana Pacers. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan deserve credit for coming up big in this series and they have the backcourt advantage in the series over George Hill and Kyle Korver although Hill came off the bench in game seven and Tristan Thompson started. The Cavs have a slim frontcourt advantage with Thompson and Kevin Love over the Raptors's Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valenciunas (unless LeBron James starts at power forward and Love moves back to center). The Raptors bench is solid, but Fred Van-Vleet has not been healthy. The Cavs bench changes by the game it feels like and guys like Rodney Hood and Cedi Osman have to play well. That said, the best player in the series is LeBron James, who should win the MVP this season and he will lift the Cavs to their fourth straight Eastern Conference Finals.
Prediction: Cavaliers in six games.

 (2) Boston Celtics vs (3) Philadelphia 76ers: The Celtics are coming off a seven game series win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The 76ers are coming off an impressive five game series win over the Miami Heat. With Jaylen Brown out for game one, the Cetlics will probably start Marcus Smart with Terry Rozier in the backcourt. The Sixers backcourt is great with Ben Simmons and JJ Redick. Joel Embiid alone gives the Sixers the frontcourt edge along with Dario Saric over Boston's Semi Ojeleye and Al Horford. The Sixers bench is really good with Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilaysova leading the way. I think the C's are better off with Ojeleye off the bench and Aaron Baynes starting, but it's worked out for them. Marcus Morris has to step up for the C's off the bench. If the C's are to make this a series, Jayson Tatum and Brown have to step up again. The Sixers are just better this time around although this pick would be a lot harder if Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward were healthy.
Prediction: 76ers in six games.

Western Conference
(1) Houston Rockets vs (5) Utah Jazz: This should be an interesting series. The Rockets are coming off a five game series win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Jazz are coming off a six game series win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams have great backcourts with Chris Paul and James Harden for Houston and Donovan Mitchell and Ricky Rubio for the Jazz (although Rubio may miss most of the series with a hamstring injury). Royce O'Neale will start while Rubio is out with Joe Ingles on the wing. The Jazz have the frontcourt advantage with Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert although the Rockets have a good frontcourt with Trevor Ariza starting at the 4 with Clint Capela. The Rockets bench is solid with Eric Gordon and Luc Mbah a Moute leading the way. The Jazz bench is solid with O'Neale, Jae Crowder, and Alec Burks. That said, Harden is the best player in the series although Mitchell and Gobert will keep the Jazz hanging around although they'll miss Rubio.
Prediction: Rockets in six games.

(2) Golden State Warriors vs (6) New Orleans Pelicans: The Warriors are coming off a five game series win over the San Antonio Spurs. The Pelicans are coming off an impressive four game sweep over the Portland Trail Blazers. The Dubs are getting Steph Curry back for game two of the series and he and Klay Thompson provide a backcourt edge for the Warriors although Jrue Holliday and Rajon Rondo have been tremendous for the Pels. The frontcourt advantage goes to the Pelicans solely because of Anthony Davis. Nikola Mirotic has had moment for the Pelicans starting at the 4. It should be interesting to see once Curry comes back to see what the Dubs frontcourt will look like to start games since of late it's been Draymond Green and Kevin Durant starting up front with Andre Igoudala starting at the 3. My bet is that they go back to their normal starting five with either Zaza Pachulia or Jake McGee starting at the 5 with Igoudala off the bench. Shaun Livingston, Kevin Looney, and David West have been solid off the bench lately for the Dubs and the Pela don't have a good bench at all, but it held it's own against the Blazers with guys like Ian Clark and Darius Miller getting minutes. That said, the Warriors will be healthy and they'll get to their fourth Conference Finals in a row although Davis will steal a few games for the Pelicans.
Prediction: Warriors in six games.