By Rocky Garza Jr.
If we look back to the previous preview I wrote, I went 3-1 on my predictions for the games, so I decided to give it another run to see if I can at least get all of them correct.
In the listed playoff matchups below, we give a preview and prediction to each game that is slated for Monday.
Eastern Conference
(1) 76ers, (8) Wizards— PHI leads 3-0
Channel: TNT
Streaming: Silverandblack.TV
Time: 6:00 P.M.
Preview: The Sixers are coming off a 132-103 rout this past Saturday over the Wizards.
Joel Embiid heard MVP chants from Sixer fans who made the trip to Washington as he put up a playoff career high with 36 points in just 28 minutes.
His performance was the second-fewest minutes played by a player to score 35-plus points since the NBA’s shot clock era began in 1954, according to ESPN.
At the end of the day, as I mentioned in Saturday’s preview for this series the Sixers have too much talent for the Wizards to handle.
I expect Beal and Westbrook to give it all they got, but the Sixers will start planning how to contain Trae Young after tomorrow. (I expect the Hawks to close out the series Tuesday)
Prediction: Sixers send the Wizards fishing and await the winner of the Hawks-Knicks.
Western Conference
(1) Jazz, (8) Grizzlies— UTAH leads 2-1
Channel: TNT
Streaming: Silverandblack.TV
Time: 8:30 P.M.
Preview: This series hands down has to be the most exciting first round matchup for NBA fans, as they have been fortunate enough to see the young stars Morant Mitchell go back and forth at each other.
We also even had Dillion Brooks who can be known to be a pest on the defensive side get chippy with Mike Conley, as he trash talked Conley on one side of the court and then had a 3 buried in his eye.
This was the only game I got wrong on the prediction side and I have to say it’s going to be a tossup for each game.
However, I’m believing in the Grizzlies responding to send a message back to the Jazz that they belong , because of the desperation factor and they will be playing motivated to go back to Salt Lake City all tied up. Expect a big game from Morant and Mitchell as per usual, but Memphis should squeak out a close one.
Prediction: Grizzlies go back to UTAH with the series tied 2-2.
