April 14, 2018 is the start of the 2018 NBA Playoffs aka National Nut Up Day!

Nut Up, Put Up and Shut Up…

In The East…

The Pacers can beat the Cavs. Just because people have been sleeping on the Pacers doesn’t make that less true. The problem with the Cavs? LeBron has that playoff switch…the rest of them don’t.

Can the Pacers beat the Cavs? Yes.
Will the NBA let the Cavs be eliminated in the first round? No.
Question. Every. Call.
Accept Nothing At Face Value.

Key Question: Will the NBA allow the Cavs to be eliminated in the first round?

Raptors…several scenarios. If the Raps beat the Wizards (handily) next round they could face the Cavs. To eliminate both the Wizards and the Cavs would go a long way to silencing a lot of the hate they’ve earned in the playoffs. That said Lowry had 11 points in the first game; so the hate is well and good.

The other thing is: this is the only year for the Raps: Boston will have a healthy team next year; Philly is getting better and may improve and LeBron James, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard could all switch teams. So if the Raps are gonna reach the Finals this is the year to do it…that said they can’t beat anybody in the West.

Key Question: Wizards…John Wall has been playing since 2010. Why would you let yourself go out in the first round? Is that who you are? Because that is who you are. Next!

Celtics should beat the Bucks…the Bucks have under performed this year while the Celtics overachieved this year.

Philly can beat the Heat but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Heat win that series. Sixers…I don’t trust the process. If you’re losing you are a loser; winning is a culture and a choice. Let’s see what ya got.

The East is down to Raps and Cavs with Philly as a dark horse.

The West…

Golden State is going back to the Finals. And going to win it all.

Stop trying to sell me on the Rockets. D’Antoni in the NBA Playoffs: 2005 Suns 62 wins: Lost in Conference Finals. Same with 2007 Suns. 2008 Suns won 55 games and? Lost in First Round. Shall we talk about Chris Paul’s playoff record? Never made it out the second round. Rockets are the West-Raptors.

OKC should beat Jazz but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jazz beat them. OKC is as disappointing as a Canadian Target store.

Portland should beat New Orleans but New Orleans will probably upset them. Pelicans seem hungrier.

Key Question: Pelicans…Anthony Davis has been playing since 2012. Why would you let yourself go out in the first round? Is that who you are? Because that is who you are. Next!

Key Question:  Trail Blazers…Damian Lillard  has been playing since 2012. Why would you let yourself go out in the first round? Is that who you are? Because that is who you are. Next!

Warriors win.

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Also published on Medium.