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The first-round series between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers is poised to be among the most well-coached and hard-played in the postseason. If Brad Stevens' maddeningly inconsistent team reaches a level approaching its peak, though, the absence of Victor Oladipo will probably keep that matchup from being as competitive as one would expect between four and five seeds. The Pacers, as surprisingly good as they've been since losing their franchise player in late January, just don't have the firepower to keep pace with a Celtics team living up its level of talent.
No other opening-round matchup in the league is set heading into Wednesday's action, with the postseason less than 72 hours from tipping off. The final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference still needs to be decided, and six seeds in the Western Conference remain up for grabs. There's no telling how the final night of the regular season unfolds, nor how it will ultimately affect the playoff picture. But in a perfect world for NBA fans, these are the potential first-round series Wednesday's games would yield.
Eastern Conference
- (1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Orlando Magic
Giannis Antetokounmpo and company, based on regular season results alone, are basketball's only juggernaut. They were going to roll over their first-round opponent no matter who it was, and the Magic, as much credit as they deserve for making the playoffs for the first time since 2012 during Steve Clifford's debut, inspire less excitement among casual fans than any other team in the field.
- (2) Toronto Raptors vs. (7) Detroit Pistons
The Raptors, held back all season by minor injuries and planned absences, will finally be at full-strength in the playoffs. If they match up with the Pistons in the first round, that's a good thing, too — Toronto went 0-3 against Dwane Casey's team during the regular season. There are many caveats suggesting regular season results won't hold in the playoffs, of course: The Raptors were only fully healthy for one of those matchups; the Pistons' margin of victory was a total of 10 points; one game was decided by a buzzer-beater, and one went to overtime; and Marc Gasol was around to tangle with Andre Drummond for only one of those games.
Still, given Toronto's time-honored history of underachieving in the playoffs, expect Air Canada Centre to be extra, extra antsy should Detroit make this series interesting early. Here's hoping Blake Griffin's healthy.
- (3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets
The Sixers have been completely unable to contain opposing guards since trading Robert Covington, and no team in the NBA boasts as many dynamic ball handlers as the Nets. It's easy to imagine games in this series being played in the 110s and 120s, too.
Note: The Bucks, Raptors, Sixers, Celtics, and Pacers are locked into their seeds.
Western Conference
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- (1) Golden State Warriors vs. (8) Oklahoma City Thunder
Kevin Durant back in Oklahoma City, during what could be his final playoff run with the Warriors. Steph Curry vs. Russell Westbrook. Durant vs. Paul George. The mean-mugging toughness of Draymond Green and DeMarcus Cousins vs. the stoic strength of Steven Adams. The storylines here write themselves, even before considering the incredible wealth of talent between these two teams.
One potential swing factor: Oklahoma City has more length and athleticism than any team in the league, with viable switch defenders at every level of the floor. If the Warriors aren't making shots, this series could get very competitive very quickly.
- (2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers won the season series over the Rockets 2-1, but go ahead and throw those regular season results out the window. Carmelo Anthony and Tobias Harris were on the floor for both of Los Angeles' early-season wins, and the Rockets' 135-103 drubbing of the Clippers last week came with Patrick Beverley, Doc Rivers' best option against James Harden, resting a sore hip. Bonus: Chris Paul playing against his old team, and Austin Rivers playing against his father's.
- (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) San Antonio Spurs
What better test of the inexperienced Nuggets' playoff mettle than a first-round tilt with Gregg Popovich and the Spurs? Denver and San Antonio split their regular season meetings 2-2, with neither team having an answer for Nikola Jokic or LaMarcus Aldridge.
- (4) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (5) Utah Jazz
The only guard in basketball who's been objectively better than Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell over the season's second half is James Harden. Watching the humble, confident, high-octane guards go at it for seven games in two of the league's most hostile environments, occasionally guarding one another, would more than make up for the absence of a battle on the interior between the injured Jusuf Nurkic and Rudy Gobert.
Keep an eye on Portland's lineup construction should this matchup come to fruition, by the way. Enes Kanter, the Blazers' replacement starter in the middle, struggles to finish against length, and is woefully ill-equipped to deal with Utah's maze of hand-offs and screens on the other end. If sophomore big man Zach Collins grows up quickly, Portland could limit the effectiveness of Gobert.
Note: The Warriors and Jazz are locked into their seeds.
