The NBA playoffs have reached the crucial Conference Finals stage, where only four teams remain, each having navigated a distinct path to get here.
In the Western Conference, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder secured their spot after a challenging seven-game series victory over Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. This marks the Thunder`s return to the Conference Finals for the first time since the 2015-16 season. Their opponent, the Minnesota Timberwolves, reached the West Finals by defeating the Golden State Warriors in a relatively quick five games. This is the second consecutive trip to this round for Minnesota, who were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in last year`s Conference Finals.
Moving to the Eastern Conference bracket, the New York Knicks eliminated the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics, in six games, making their first appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years. They face the Indiana Pacers, who upset the East`s top seed, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in a swift five-game series. This is also the second consecutive Conference Finals appearance for the Pacers, who were swept by the Celtics in this round last year.
With the stage set for the Conference Finals, our panel of NBA experts provides their predictions for the outcomes.
Eastern Conference Finals: Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks
Experts weighed in on the series between the No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers and the No. 3 seed New York Knicks. The consensus leans towards New York, with 9 experts predicting the Knicks to advance, while 4 experts picked the Pacers.
Western Conference Finals: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
In the Western Conference matchup between the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves and the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder, expert opinion is more divided but still favors the Thunder. Out of the experts surveyed, 8 predict Oklahoma City will win the series, while 5 forecast a victory for Minnesota.