NBA Playoff Predictions: Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett pick ADAMANT claims on season’s ‘dark horse’
NBA legends Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett reveal their picks for the most underrated team in the playoffs and why they can surprise everyone.
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Kevin Garnett (L) and Paul Pierce (R)
The NBA playoffs are always unpredictable, but this year might be wilder than ever. Several top seeds are facing tough matchups from lower seeds, and some underdogs are making a case for themselves as contenders. The postseason is going to be a roller coaster for basketball fans.
Who is the dark horse of the playoffs? That’s the question that former NBA stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce debated on a recent episode of SHOWTIME BASKETBALL. They each picked a team that they think has a chance to shock the world and win it all.
Kevin Garnett went with two teams from the Western Conference: the Denver Nuggets and the Sacramento Kings. The Nuggets had the best record in the West, but they are not getting much respect from the experts because they don’t have a lot of star power or playoff experience. But Garnett thinks that their depth, versatility, and chemistry will make them a nightmare for any team. He also gave props to their coach Michael Malone for his leadership and strategy.
The Kings are a surprise team in the playoffs, ending their 17-year drought by grabbing the eighth seed in a play-in game. They have a dynamic duo of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis have been playing out of their minds. Garnett thinks that their speed, shooting, and youth will give them an advantage over some of the older and slower teams in the West.
Paul Pierce disagreed with Garnett’s choices and instead picked one team from the Eastern Conference: the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are the reigning champs, but they had a rough regular season due to injuries. They barely made it to the playoffs as the seventh seed. Pierce thinks that despite their challenges, they are still the team to beat in the East because of their superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He also pointed out that they have a lot of playoff experience and championship DNA on their team.
Who will have the last laugh?
The playoffs have just started, and none of the underdog teams have been knocked out yet.
The Western Conference playoffs are set, and three teams from California are among the contenders. The Sacramento Kings, who finished third in the conference with a 54-28 record, will face off against the sixth-seeded Golden State Warriors, who are led by MVP candidate Stephen Curry. The Denver Nuggets, who secured the top seed with a 60-22 record, will take on the eighth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, who survived the play-in tournament. The Los Angeles Lakers, who are the defending champions, slipped to the seventh seed with a 48-34 record and will have a tough matchup against the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies, who have a young and talented core.
The first round of the playoffs began on April 15 and will be a best-of-seven series. The Kings and Nuggets are favored to advance to the second round, while the Lakers will have to overcome injuries and a strong Grizzlies team to keep their title hopes alive. All three teams have star players who can make an impact in the postseason, such as De’Aaron Fox, Nikola Jokic, and LeBron James.
It’s too soon to say who will have the last laugh between Garnett and Pierce, but they have both made some bold statements that will make the playoffs more fun and interesting. Will they be right or wrong? We’ll have to wait and see, but one thing is clear: they both love and know basketball.
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Ankush Singh
(616 Articles Published)