Will Locklin: Boston Celtics vs Denver Nuggets 

NBA Finals Winner: Celtics in six games

NBA Finals MVP: Jayson Tatum 

In the first half of the season, the Celtics were by far and away the best offensive team in basketball. Boston sported a high octane five out attack that spread defenses out to the max and attacked the open seams that followed. Even with a dip in their win percentage during the post All-Star break stretch, the Celtics are still meant for playoff basketball. Boston’s two-headed star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined with a stifling switching defense will be enough to get by Philadelphia and Milwaukee in rounds two and three. 

Meanwhile in the West, it’s anyone’s game which is why the Nuggets, the conference’s most reliable and consistent team, will finally reach the NBA’s summit. With a full healthy rotation, the Nuggets showed what they’re capable of offensively, posting the league’s fifth best offense in the regular season. Defensively, Denver has question marks but so do other contenders in the West. Ultimately, the Nuggets will overwhelm opponents with their potent offense and Nikola Jokic will silence his doubters with an NBA Finals bid this postseason. 

Boston and Denver would be an excellent matchup if they were to meet in the NBA Finals. Give me the Celtics to take it in a hard fought six games because of Boston’s ability to slow down the Nuggets offense enough while scoring the ball at a high rate themselves. Don’t expect Tatum to perform poorly in the Finals again; he will show out this time around.