What lies ahead in the NBA postseason?
The Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves are advancing to the first round, while the Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers each have another chance at grabbing their respective conference’s No. 8 seed on the final night of the play-in tournament. (Here’s a refresher on how the play-in works.)
While the league’s two top-seeded teams — the East’s Miami Heat and the West’s Phoenix Suns — await their opponents, six first-round series are set: Boston Celtics vs. Nets, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies vs. Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz.
Can Boston slow down Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving? How will Joel Embiid and James Harden fare in the duo’s first playoff series together? What impact will Luka Doncic‘s calf strain have on the Mavericks’ chances? Our panel of NBA experts is picking each first-round series.
Note: Predictions for the final play-in tournament games will be unveiled Friday.
MORE: The 75 things to know for the NBA postseason | Schedules
EAST FIRST ROUND
Jerry Bembry: Nets in 6
Nick Friedell: Nets in 7
Kirk Goldsberry: Celtics in 7
Israel Gutierrez: Celtics in 7
Richard Jefferson: Nets in 7
Tim Legler: Celtics in 7
Andrew Lopez: Nets in 7
Bobby Marks: Celtics in 7
Dave McMenamin: Nets in 7
Kevin Pelton: Celtics in 7
Omar Raja: Nets in 7
Jorge Sedano: Nets in 7
Ramona Shelburne: Celtics in 7
Andre Snellings: Celtics in 7
Marc J. Spears: Nets in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Nets in 6
Final tally: Nets 9, Celtics 7.
Kendra Andrews: Bucks in 5
Jamal Collier: Bucks in 4
Nick DePaula: Bucks in 5
Nick Friedell: Bucks in 4
Kirk Goldsberry: Bucks in 5
Israel Gutierrez: Bucks in 4
Richard Jefferson: Bucks in 5
Tim Legler: Bucks in 5
Andrew Lopez: Bucks in 6
Tim MacMahon: Bucks in 5
Bobby Marks: Bucks in 6
Dave McMenamin: Bucks in 4
Kevin Pelton: Bucks in 4
Kendrick Perkins: Bucks in 6
Omar Raja: Bucks in 5
Jorge Sedano: Bucks in 4
Ramona Shelburne: Bucks in 5
Andre Snellings: Bucks in 4
Marc J. Spears: Bucks in 6
Ohm Youngmisuk: Bucks in 5
Final tally: Bucks 20, Bulls 0.
Kendra Andrews: 76ers in 6
Jamal Collier: 76ers in 7
Nick DePaula: 76ers in 6
Nick Friedell: 76ers in 7
Kirk Goldsberry: Raptors in 7
Israel Gutierrez: 76ers in 7
Richard Jefferson: 76ers in 6
Tim Legler: 76ers in 7
Andrew Lopez: Raptors in 6
Tim MacMahon: 76ers in 6
Bobby Marks: Raptors in 6
Dave McMenamin: 76ers in 7
Kevin Pelton: Raptors in 6
Kendrick Perkins: 76ers in 6
Omar Raja: 76ers in 7
Jorge Sedano: Raptors in 7
Ramona Shelburne: 76ers in 7
Andre Snellings: Raptors in 7
Marc J. Spears: 76ers in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: 76ers in 7
Final tally: 76ers 14, Raptors 6.
WEST FIRST ROUND
Jerry Bembry: Grizzlies in 6
Nick Friedell: Grizzlies in 5
Kirk Goldsberry: Grizzlies in 6
Richard Jefferson: Grizzlies in 5
Tim Legler: Grizzlies in 5
Andrew Lopez: Grizzlies in 5
Bobby Marks: Grizzlies in 5
Dave McMenamin: Grizzlies in 6
Kevin Pelton: Grizzlies in 6
Kendrick Perkins: Grizzlies in 5
Ramona Shelburne: Grizzlies in 6
Andre Snellings: Grizzlies in 6
Marc J. Spears: Grizzlies in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Grizzlies in 6
Final tally: Grizzlies 14, Timberwolves 0.
Kendra Andrews: Warriors in 5
Jamal Collier: Warriors in 6
Nick DePaula: Warriors in 6
Nick Friedell: Warriors in 7
Kirk Goldsberry: Warriors in 6
Israel Gutierrez: Warriors in 7
Richard Jefferson: Warriors in 6
Tim Legler: Warriors in 6
Andrew Lopez: Warriors in 7
Tim MacMahon: Warriors in 6
Bobby Marks: Warriors in 7
Dave McMenamin: Nuggets in 7
Kevin Pelton: Warriors in 7
Kendrick Perkins: Warriors in 6
Omar Raja: Warriors in 7
Jorge Sedano: Warriors in 7
Ramona Shelburne: Warriors in 5
Andre Snellings: Warriors in 7
Marc J. Spears: Warriors in 6
Ohm Youngmisuk: Warriors in 7
Final tally: Warriors 19, Nuggets 1.
Kendra Andrews: Mavericks in 6
Jamal Collier: Mavericks in 6
Nick DePaula: Mavericks in 6
Nick Friedell: Mavericks in 7
Kirk Goldsberry: Jazz in 7
Israel Gutierrez: Mavericks in 6
Richard Jefferson: Jazz in 7
Tim Legler: Mavericks in 7
Andrew Lopez: Mavericks in 6
Tim MacMahon: Jazz in 6
Bobby Marks: Jazz in 6
Dave McMenamin: Mavericks in 6
Kendrick Perkins: Jazz in 7
Omar Raja: Jazz in 6
Jorge Sedano: Mavericks in 7
Ramona Shelburne: Mavericks in 7
Andre Snellings: Mavericks in 6
Marc J. Spears: Jazz in 6
Ohm Youngmisuk: Mavericks in 5
Final tally: Mavericks 12, Jazz 7.
