After a thrilling opening round of the NBA playoffs that saw the NBA-best Phoenix Suns getting tested by the New Orleans Pelicans and their trio of unheralded rookies, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks sending the Utah Jazz into an uncertain offseason and the Boston Celtics breaking out the brooms against the league’s preseason title favorites, here we are in the conference semifinals.
And although the higher seeds advanced in every series in Round 1, something tells us that won’t happen again along the road to the NBA Finals.
The Memphis Grizzlies, who needed three double-digit fourth-quarter comebacks to oust the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games, could be vulnerable against Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and a revitalized Golden State Warriors squad that just eliminated the reigning MVP.
The Celtics have been the hottest team in the league since the start of the season’s second half. Their reward? Giannis Antetokounmpo and the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.
What drama awaits in the second round? Our NBA experts break down each series.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Series odds and stats
Basketball Power Index (BPI): Miami 75%
Caesars Sportsbook: Miami -420 | Philadelphia +320
Offensive ratings: MIA (113.0, 12th) | PHI (113.0, 11th)
Defensive ratings: MIA (108.4, 4th) | PHI (110.2, 12th)
MIAMI HEAT (1)
How the Heat got here
The regular season was a war of attrition for a Miami team that trotted out 23 different starting lineups because of various injuries but still managed to capture the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
That plug-and-play attitude came in handy in the first round, with Kyle Lowry (hamstring) missing Games 4 and 5 and Jimmy Butler (knee) out for Game 5, and the Heat found a way to defeat the Atlanta Hawks without them.
“I just think that we have each other’s back,” Heat forward Caleb Martin said after eliminating Atlanta.
Sneaky first-round MVP: P.J. Tucker
Tucker’s numbers might not overwhelm — he ranked sixth on the team in points per game…
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