2016 NBA Playoffs Quarterfinals Predictions

Here are my predictions for the first round of the 2016 NBA playoffs.

Eastern Conference
(E1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs (E8) Detroit Pistons: This should be an interesting series and actually should be competitive. LeBron James and his team are prohibited favorites to come out of the East, but this Pistons team won't be a pushover. Stan Van Gundy has done an outstanding job this season coaching the team and making personnel decisions. Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond are a pretty solid point guard/big man combo and they will get there fair share of pick and roll play. That said, the Cavs are still the team to beat and they'll make short work of the Pistons, although it will be competitive.
Prediction: Cavaliers in five games.

(E2) Toronto Raptors vs (E7) Indiana Pacers: This series should be a fun and interesting one to watch. The pressure is on the Raptors, who lost in the first round the last two seasons, to win a playoff series for the first time in some time. The Pacers are back in the postseason after missing out last season and Paul George has had a great comeback this season after breaking his leg almost two years ago. George will keep the Pacers in the series but the Raptors led by the great backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, will propel them to the second round.
Prediction: Raptors in six games.

(E3) Miami Heat vs (E6) Charlotte Hornets: This is going to be a great series. Miami is back in the postseason after a one-year absence sans Chris Bosh being out for the season yet again with a blood clot. Charlotte is one of the leagues biggest surprise in the league this season and here they are in the playoffs with a very solid team on both ends led by two of the leagues more improved players in Nic Batum and Kemba Walker. Dwayne Wade has been healthy pretty much all season and he and his team are poised to go on a run in the playoffs this season. This is going to be a fun series to watch and I like Wade and the Heat to move on to the second round.
Prediction: Heat in seven games.

(E4) Atlanta Hawks vs (E5) Boston Celtics: This has a chance to be the best series of the first round. Atlanta made the right call by not trading their core players at the trade deadline because they played great ball post All-Star break. Boston has improved vastly this season and Brad Stevens is one of the better coaches in the league. Isaiah Thomas is one of the more improved players in the league and he has emerged as the Celtics go to scorer at the end of games. This was a tough call, but I like the Hawks with the great front court of Al Horford and Paul Milsap to lead the Hawks to the next round over a hard working Celtics team that doesn't quit.
Prediction: Hawks in seven games.

Western Conference
(W1) Golden State Warriors vs (W8) Houston Rockets: Here is a rematch of the 2015 Western Conference Finals. The Warriors are the best regular season team in NBA history with that historic 73-9 record led by MVP favorite Stephen Curry, who should be the first unanimous MVP ever. The Rockets have been a massive disappointment this season and are lucky the West as a whole wasn't as deep as it was the last few seasons. James Harden will get his points, but the Warriors will make quick work of a team that's been a hot mess most of the season.
Prediction: Warriors in four games.

(W2) San Antonio Spurs vs (W7) Memphis Grizzlies: Here's a rematch from the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals. Both of these teams are different now mainly due to roster turnover. The Spurs set a franchise record with 67 wins this season and they are the best defensive team in the league led by arguably the leagues best two-way player in Kawhi Leonard. Memphis is missing Marc Gasol and Mike Conley due to injuries and they have some other injuries too and their best healthy player right now is Zach Randolph. The Spurs will make quick work of this Grizzlies team, who's just too banged up right now although I wouldn't rule out some close games and even a win for the Grizzlies.
Prediction: Spurs in four games.

(W3) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (W6) Dallas Mavericks: This series has a chance to be better than people think. Oklahoma City has two of the best five players in the league in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and they're poised to go on a long run this year. Dallas with a revamped roster from last season is back in the postseason led by Dirk Nowitzki, who isn't the same player as he was five years, but he's still very good. The Mavs are a solid offensive team, but they're not good defensively and who's stopping Durant and Westbrook? The Thunder should make short work of this Mavs team although I can see the Mavs stealing a game.
Prediction: Thunder in five games.

(W4) Los Angeles Clippers vs (W5) Portland Trail Blazers: This series is the best one of the Western Conference first round games. The Clippers have had a bizarre season and Blake Griffin missed most of the season with a broken hand and Chris Paul kept this team together and had a great season. Portland had an incredible season considering they lost four of their five starters from last season and here they are in the playoffs led by Damian Lillard. Lillard and CJ McCollum will get their points, but the Clippers are getting Griffin healthy and they should win a competitive series.
Prediction: Clippers in six games.