The NBA playoffs are right around the corner with about 10 games left in the regular season for each team. So far in the Eastern Conference, the number one East team, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the number three Washington Wizards have both clinched a playoff spot and won their respective division, while the Boston Celtics and the fourth ranked Toronto Raptors have both clinched playoff spots. Behind them, it’s the Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, the Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat fifth through eighth in the East, still looking to clinch a spot.

The Western Conference has five teams who have clinched playoff spots. The Golden State Warriors, the San Antonio Spurs, the Houston Rockets, the Utah Jazz and the L.A. Clippers. Following them in the final three spots, but still yet to guarantee a playoff birth, are the OKC Thunder, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trailblazers, who are up by one game over the Denver Nuggets for the final playoff spot.

My prediction is the current teams that are in those open playoff spots will be able to hold off the other teams and will make it to the playoffs. I think the Washington Wizards will end up beating out the Cleveland Cavaliers for second in the East with Cleveland moving back to third, forcing them to play Milwaukee in round one. The first round I think is a given to the Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and the Cleveland Cavaliers, as they should have no problem with their first round teams. I see the Toronto Raptors, however, getting beat by the Atlanta Hawks in first round, but it should be a close playoff series between the two.

The Western Conference first round should also be easy for the Warriors, the Spurs and the Utah Jazz. I think Russell Westbrook and the OKC Thunder will upset the Rockets in the first round by beating them, as I think Westbrook will get turned on in that first round series, leaving them out early as well as the L.A. Clippers, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trailblazers.

Round two in the East would be the Boston Celtics vs. the Atlanta Hawks, and the Washington Wizards vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers. As the number one team, I think the Celtics will be able to tear through the Atlanta Hawks and go 4-0 in round two. The Cavaliers vs. Wizards should be a tight, nail-biting series, but I think with the way the Wizards have been able to close out games this year, they’ll be able to top the Cavs and knock out the defending champs in round two. This leaves the Boston Celtics vs. the Washington Wizards, who have made one of the biggest rivalries between two teams this year, for a hard-fought showdown to see who goes to the finals. It will be a close series, it should go to a tie-breaking game 7, but I believe that with the momentum and the heart that the Wizards have had this year, they should be able to beat the Celtics and advance to the NBA finals.

For the Western Conference, Kevin Durant, who is currently injured, will be back for the playoffs, and after already winning in round one, he and Stephen Curry will defeat the OKC Thunder, while the San Antonio Spurs will beat the Utah Jazz. That leaves the Warriors and the Spurs. I think once Durant comes back from injury, he’ll be so fired up in the playoffs that it’ll carry this team through the Western Conference finals and into the NBA finals.
So, the NBA finals in 2017 will see the Washington Wizards vs. the Golden State Warriors. This should be a great series, after Durant hurt his knee playing against Washington in the regular season, he’ll come back with a vengeance, but will come up short, as the Wizards will cap off an outstanding, unprecedented year in Washington basketball history and win their first NBA championship since 1978.