The NBA postseason begins its second week, with the Eastern Conference red hot. Here are the latest details of the first round series.
Miami Leads Milwaukee
The loss of Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a key factor in the Miami Heat's 2 games to 1 lead. For its part, Miami has taken advantage of the situation to put the Milwaukee Bucks on the ropes.
The 121-99 victory by the Heat in Game 3 put an exclamation point on what has been a tough series for the Bucks. With Antetokounmpo's status in doubt for Game 4, the Heat have a chance to take control of the series. The Bucks need to channel desperation to avoid what would be the biggest upset of these playoffs.
Atlanta Against the Ropes
The series between the Atlanta Falcons and the Boston Celtics has gone as expected. The Celtics' 3 games to 1 lead should surprise no one. Although the fourth game was relatively tight at 129-121, the Celtics have shown the dominance that has characterized them in recent seasons.
The series could be decided on Tuesday in Boston. The odds for Boston to advance are at 99% while bookmakers have the odds at -2,400 in favor of the Celtics. Fans looking for a safe bet may find it here. It looks difficult for the series to return to Atlanta for a Game 6 especially with the form Jayson Tatum has shown in this series.
76ers Do Their Thing
The 4 games to 0 sweep by the Philadelphia 76ers over the Brooklyn Nets has come as no surprise. Brooklyn entered the playoffs on the wrong foot after sending their two biggest stars to other teams. The Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades were more about cementing the foundation for the future than the present.
For the 76ers, the outlook in the second round would be a showdown with the Celtics. Unless the Hawks pull off a true miracle, the second round series between the 76ers and Celtics will be one to look forward to. The 76ers will need James Harden at his best if they are to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
THE NBA PLAYOFFS ARE ON!!!🔥
Here's how the series in both conferences stand. For now 76ers is the first team that got their qualification to Conference semifinals after sweeping the Nets.🏀Today's ▶️Juegos:
👉Heat vs Bucks, 5:30 p.m.
👉Lakers vs Grizzlies, 8:00 p.m. pic.twitter.com/l0PDi19DkR- Diario Diez (@DiarioDiezHn) April 24, 2023
Knicks one step closer
The New York Knicks are one step away from reaching the second round by leading the Cleveland Cavaliers 3-1. For the Knicks, this mild upset puts the Knicks on course to face the winner of the series between the Bucks and Heat.
At the rate things are going, the possible second round series would be between the Heat and Knicks. This second round series would be one that few would have envisioned. However, it could be one of the most entertaining series in the Eastern Conference.
