2024 NBA Playoff Predictions: Eastern & Western Conference Picks

The NBA playoff bracket is set for what promises to be another memorable postseason. Will the Nuggets go back-to-back? Will we witness LeBron James' final playoff performance? Will the Bucks put up a fight with Giannis in street clothes?

We turned to our Covers NBA experts for answers and they didn't hold back. Check out their NBA picks for the winners of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals, the NBA Finals, and the NBA Finals MVP award below.

NBA Playoffs picks

NBA Playoffs exert analysis

Rory Breasail: Denver stays on top

Western Conference Finals winner: Denver Nuggets
Eastern Conference Finals winner: Boston Celtics
NBA Finals winner: Denver Nuggets
NBA Finals MVP winner: Nikola Jokic

To be the king, you have to beat the king. This pick is less about what the Denver Nuggets have proven this season and more about no other team making an overwhelming case to supplant them.

The Nuggets’ season-long point differential doesn’t scream repeat, but we’ve seen how dangerous this team is at its best. Nobody in the NBA has shown even a workable plan to prevent Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray from generating quality shots in clutch time, and with Peyton Watson in the playoff rotation their defensive ceiling is higher than last season's championship team. 

Andrew Caley: Thunder boom

Western Conference winner: Oklahoma City Thunder
Eastern Conference winner: Boston Celtics
NBA Finals winner: Oklahoma City Thunder
NBA Finals MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Have you seen these other predictions? So boring. Let’s mix it up by picking… a No. 1 seed? Well, some feel the Oklahoma City Thunder won’t go far in the playoffs because of their inexperience. But the Thunder are legit.

Here are the teams that rank in the Top 5 in both offensive and defensive rating: the Celtics, and the Thunder. End of list. They have an MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And have proven they can beat top teams all season. OKC is a combined 13-5 against the other Top 5 teams in the West. And hell, they went 1-1 against the Celtics. The loss? SGA didn’t play. Roll Thunder!

Douglas Farmer: Nuggets knock off Celtics

Western Conference Finals winner: Denver Nuggets
Eastern Conference Finals winner: Boston Celtics
NBA Finals winner: Denver Nuggets
NBA Finals MVP winner: Nikola Jokic

When healthy, the Denver Nuggets are the most talented team in the NBA and one that can match nearly any playing style. The versatility of Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. matches up against both the Timberwolves’ size and the Celtics’ wings. Combine that with the two-man offensive brilliance of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murry, and Denver should defend its title. A brilliant individual performance could top the Nuggets, but their overall consistency should win out in any seven-game series.

The Celtics can match lineups with just about anybody, but they will have to sacrifice either size against the Nuggets’ front line or defensive versatility against that two-man game. Either way, Denver will set the scoring pace throughout the Finals.

Jon Metler: Celtics hang banner No. 18

Western Conference Finals winner: Dallas Mavericks
Eastern Conference Finals winner: Boston Celtics
NBA Finals winner: Boston Celtics
NBA Finals MVP winner: Jayson Tatum

If we're picking regardless of the odds, I'm going with the Boston Celtics to win the NBA Finals. They have the easiest path to the Conference Finals, assuming the Philadelphia 76ers take care of business in the Play-In Tournament. The 76ers, New York Knicks, and Milwaukee Bucks would all be on the other side of the bracket. The Denver Nuggets' path through the Western Conference is a lot more challenging. I'd be stunned if the Celtics aren't the team representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.

The Celtics have the best starting five in the NBA, and they have been able to manage everyone's minutes throughout the regular season while capturing the No. 1 seed with ease, so they should be healthier than most teams when they reach the NBA Finals. If everyone remains healthy, especially Kristaps Porzingis, it's hard to imagine anyone defeating the Celtics in a best-of-seven series.

Rohit Ponnaiya: Going Green

Western Conference Finals winner: Nuggets
Eastern Conference Finals winner: Celtics
NBA Finals winner: Celtics
NBA Finals MVP winner: Jayson Tatum

This is about as chalky as it gets, but the NBA is a league where the cream often rises to the top. The Celtics have been easily the best team in the league all season while the defending champion Nuggets have the league's top player in Nikola Jokic along with the perfect supporting cast to complement his skillset. The Celtics are deep, talented, and experienced, and have the highest-rated offense in the league along with the second-best defense.

The Nuggets will make it out of the Western Conference with the young Timberwolves and Thunder experiencing some growing pains. However, Denver won't be able to able to beat Boston and not having the home-court advantage in a hypothetical finals matchup could be the deciding factor.

AJ Salah: Denver gets it done

Western Conference Finals winner: Denver Nuggets
Eastern Conference Finals winner: Boston Celtics
NBA Finals winner: Denver Nuggets
NBA Finals MVP winner: Nikola Jokic

Chalky pick, sure, but I think only contrarian logic can land you at another Finals matchup when there are so many question marks with pretty much every other contender in both conferences.

Once we arrive here, the Celtics — despite their undeniable top-end talent — simply have no answer for Jokic, despite throwing the kitchen sink at him defensively for two meetings he utterly bludgeoned them in this season. Jamal Murray’s also proven himself as a big-moment player who levels up at the highest stakes.

Meanwhile, Boston’s led by a dude who’s oscillated between brilliance and disappearing in big playoff games, and coached by guy whose postseason acumen drew all kinds of scrutiny last season. The Celtics are the sexier pick, but the Nuggets — who’ve done the damn thing before — should be the more dependable one here

Ways to bet on the 2024 NBA Playoffs

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NBA Finals futures

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Recent NBA Finals Matchups 

Over the past decade, a handful of teams have dominated the NBA Finals. In fact, with the exception of the Toronto Raptors and the San Antonio Spurs, all the teams below are in the 2024 NBA Playoffs or Play-In Tournament, speaking to the organizational smarts (and pursestrings) of these elite franchises. 

How do the NBA Playoffs work?

The NBA playoffs are an exciting and highly anticipated time in the world of professional basketball. The playoffs consist of a series of elimination rounds that determine the champion. Based on their regular-season performance, the top Eastern Conference and Western Conference teams compete in a bracket-style tournament format to determine the overall winner.

The NBA playoffs are divided into several rounds, typically starting with the First Round, followed by the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and ultimately the NBA Finals. Each round is a best-of-seven series, where the first team to win four games advances to the next round. The higher-seeded team, which had a better regular-season record, has the advantage of hosting more games in each series. However, every team must win at least one game on the road to advance. The playoffs are known for their intense and high-stakes atmosphere, with teams giving their all to compete for the chance to win the prestigious Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy and be crowned NBA champions. The playoffs showcase elite basketball talent, with thrilling performances, close games, and memorable moments that captivate fans worldwide.

2024 NBA Playoffs schedule