NBA Playoffs 2014: Updated Championship Odds and Full Postseason Predictions
The 2014 NBA postseason is swiftly moving upon us.
After a long, arduous road throughout the regular season, many teams have already cliched a berth in the playoffs. Others were not so fortunate as plenty more were already eliminated.
A few teams within the postseason ranks are still jockeying for position as higher-seeded teams generally yield better results.
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Even though we aren't 100 percent certain how each team will be seeded, it's never too early to dish out some predictions.
Oddsmakers have already been hard at work—championship odds are already available for playoff-bound teams. Here's a look:
| Atlanta Hawks | +25000 | +25000 | +25000 |
| Charlotte Bobcats | +27500 | +25000 | +15000 |
| Chicago Bulls | +5000 | +4000 | +3500 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +8000 | +6600 | +8000 |
| Golden State Warriors | +2800 | +2800 | +4000 |
| Houston Rockets | +1800 | +2000 | +2200 |
| Indiana Pacers | +650 | +600 | +750 |
| LA Clippers | +825 | +800 | +1200 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +10000 | +6600 | +6000 |
| Miami Heat | +180 | +200 | +225 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +3000 | +2800 | +2200 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | +415 | +450 | +375 |
| Phoenix Suns | +15000 | +15000 | +15000 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +3500 | +4000 | +4500 |
| San Antonio Spurs | +390 | +300 | +250 |
| Toronto Raptors | +6600 | +6600 | +8000 |
| Washington Wizards | +15000 | +15000 | +10000 |
Some of these lines may come as a surprise, but nonetheless, that's how Las Vegas sees it.
Taking into account what we already know and considering the aforementioned odds, let's take a crack at determining which teams will enter the playoffs and how the entire postseason will eventually shake out.
Postseason Seeding Predictions
It's a pretty tight race right now with several teams fighting for position. Taking each team's remaining schedule into consideration, we really shouldn't see much movement in the current standings.
| West | |
| 1 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 3 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 4 | Houston Rockets |
| 5 | Portland Trailblazers |
| 6 | Golden State Warriors |
| 7 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 8 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| East | |
| 1 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2 | Miami Heat |
| 3 | Toronto Raptors |
| 4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 5 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 6 | Washington Wizards |
| 7 | Charlotte Bobcats |
| 8 | Atlanta Hawks |
Round 1 Predictions
The top-seeded teams are in prime position for a reason: They've been the league's best all season long. That won't change in Round 1 as all teams seeded No. 3 and higher advance with ease.
No. 4 seeds aren't so lucky—especially in the case of the Chicago Bulls. The Brooklyn Nets have been surging as of late, and the Bulls are catching them at the wrong time. This will lead to the upset victory of Round 1.
| West | |
| Spurs vs. Grizzlies | Spurs |
| Rockets vs. Trailblazers | Rockets |
| Thunder vs. Mavericks | Thunder |
| Clippers vs. Warriors | Clippers |
| East | |
| Pacers vs. Hawks | Pacers |
| Bulls vs. Nets | Nets |
| Heat vs. Bobcats | Heat |
| Raptors vs. Wizards | Raptors |
Quarterfinals Predictions
In the West, the Spurs continue to roll along. It's almost inconceivable any team would be able to take them down at this point. Expect a highly entertaining contest between the Thunder and the Clippers. This one will come down to the wire, but Kevin Durant and Co. get the nod.
Down go the Pacers on the East side of the bracket. This team hasn't looked sharp lately, and like the Bulls, they are catching the Nets at the wrong time.
Surprisingly enough, the relentless Raptors take down the Heat. It's all about health deep in the playoffs, and Miami had a tough time keeping its starters on the court. The Raptors take advantage.
| West | |
| Spurs vs. Rockets | Spurs |
| Thunder vs. Clippers | Thunder |
| East | |
| Pacers vs. Nets | Nets |
| Heat vs. Raptors | Raptors |
Semifinals Predictions
A classic No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup takes place in the West. Expect the Spurs and Thunder to duke it out in a big way. However, the most efficient, well-rounded team gets the win here as Oklahoma City doesn't have enough defensive prowess to stop San Antonio.
It really shouldn't come as much of a surprise that a No. 3 seed and No. 5 seed from the East are battling it out for a spot in the championship. In this case, the Nets' hot streak comes to an end as a Toronto team that has jelled very nicely late in the season continues to pour it on.
| West | |
| Spurs vs. Thunder | Spurs |
| East | |
| Raptors vs. Nets | Raptors |
Finals Prediction
Now, we arrive at the finals.
It's an interesting matchup between the Spurs and Raptors as each team is full of depth and plays well as a unit. This could very well go to seven games due to each team's prowess at home.
It will be San Antonio taking it all here, though. This team is simply too good to keep pace with over such a long stretch, and home-court advantage will help the Spurs secure the title.
| Spurs vs. Raptors | Spurs |
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