NBA analysts predict conference semifinal winners and playoff takeaways

13 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · May 4

Most pick the Knicks over Philadelphia and the Thunder over the Lakers, while the Spurs are favoured against Minnesota and Cavaliers-Pistons draws split opinions.
Joel Embiid's health and Luka Doncic's absence loom over two headline series, with analysts citing New York's depth and Oklahoma City's defence as decisive advantages.
The panel's broader themes are defence, parity in the East, injury-driven volatility and how rebounding gambles can backfire as the race to the NBA's final four begins.

As playoff scoring plummets, is the NBA shifting from a 3-point era back to a defense-first, grind-it-out style of basketball?

Can LeBron James carry the Lakers past the top-seeded Thunder without an injured Luka Dončić?