NBA Playoff Predictions: Early Projections for Conference Champions

Now that the regular season has come to an end and the offseason is underway, the teams have their sights set on the upcoming playoff games. This NBA 2023-2024 season has been a whirlwind of surprises and triumphs so far and we can expect many more before the conference finals.

NBA fans are now thinking ahead and will be heading to online sportsbooks to place wagers on their predicted champions. They will be looking for those top seeded teams with the potential to make a deep playoff run.

The top six teams in each conference will secure a playoff spot, while teams in 7th – 10th spot will need to battle it out in the play-in tournament.

We take a look at the current standings in both the Eastern and Western Conferences, who the top contenders are and their strengths and potential challenges.

Eastern conference

Most likely to make the finals according to Mybookie: Boston Celtics or the Bucks

Once again, the Boston Celtics are favorites to reach the finals for the Eastern conference. They have dominated throughout the season and were top place when heading into their game with the Phoenix Suns on March 14. The game in which they secured the first spot in the playoffs.

The Celtics new core three players, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, have been averaging 70 points combined with 10.3 assists and 21.1 rebounds. Also for Tatum the 2024 MVP award could be a great potential next step in the talented player’s career.

For the Celtics, a playoff spot is an expectation having been there for the last nine seasons. They also feel they have something to prove after losing out to Miami Heat in last season’s conference finals.

Another team with a history of being top seed in the Milwaukee Bucks, who at the very least have secured themselves a play-in tournament spot. The Bucks have made the playoffs for the past seven seasons and this season should be no different.

While they were top seed last season, they lost out to Miami in a first round exit.

Possible finalists: Miami Heat

Miami Heat surprised NBA fans placing bets via MyBookie Sportsbook when they made the finals last season. The team recently ended a four game losing streak, beating the Detroit Pistons 108-95 on Friday March 15.

Under the guidance of top coach Erik Spoelstra they stand to be in with a good chance once again, particularly with solid players such as forward Jimmy Butler and center Bam Adebayo leading the way.

Other teams that could be considered potentials for the NBA finals include the Knicks. The Cleveland Cavaliers are also a team to be feared in the playoffs with Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen on the roster.

Western conference

Most likely to make the finals: Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors

The Denver Nuggets could be the team to beat in the tournament this year. As the postseason nears the Nuggets have continued to assert their dominance, with the occasional hiccup along the way. They are the defending champions having beat Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in five games for their very first championship.

Since the all-star break, the Nuggets have lost just once to the Phoenix Suns and have performed better than anyone in recent weeks overall. They have overtaken the Celtics for the number one spot in the power rankings.

If the Nuggets do win, they will be the first team to win back to back championships in the NBA since 2018 when the Golden State Warriors did just that. The only other teams to achieve this in the last 25 years are the LA Lakers (2009-2010) and Miami Heat (2012-2013).

Back to the 2023-24 season, another team looking good for playoff success from the West is the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix found themselves tittering on the edge of the play-in tournament in seventh place as they were heading to Milwaukee recently and needed to move on up at least once place.

The Suns Big Three, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker, haven’t played on the court together much during the regular season but making this happen in the postseason could be a powerful move for Phoenix.

The Golden State Warriors might not be the most sure bet for the championship given their performance this season but still have the opportunity to reach the playoffs. By mid-March, the Warriors were 15th in the NBA and four games out of the playoffs.

Possible finalists: Minnesota Timberwolves

Also worth a mention for the Western conference are the Timberwolves. They recently signed T.J. Warren to a second ten-day contract and by mid-March found themselves just just 1.5 games away from the conference’s top seed. A win in the 2023-34 championship would be Minnesota’s first ever NBA championship win.