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New predictions for the East finals, West finals and NBA champions

The NBA restart begins Thursday night, as the Utah JazzNew Orleans Pelicans and LA ClippersLos Angeles Lakers showdowns welcome fans back to basketball after the league’s four-month hiatus.

Will we be watching an all-Los Angeles Western Conference finals? Plenty of our experts think so.

Meanwhile, the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks don’t begin their restart until Friday against the Boston Celtics (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), in a matchup of two teams capable of a Finals run. How many of our experts are picking against Giannis Antetokounmpo & Co. to make it out of the Eastern Conference?

Let’s run though the list as our insiders make their East finals, West finals and NBA Finals predictions.

MORE: NBA Power Rankings, plus best and worst cases for all 22 teams


Eastern Conference finals

Jerry Bembry: Milwaukee Bucks over Boston Celtics

Nick DePaula: Milwaukee Bucks over Miami Heat

Nick Friedell: Toronto Raptors over Milwaukee Bucks

Jonathan Givony: Toronto Raptors over Milwaukee Bucks

Andrew Han: Milwaukee Bucks over Philadelphia 76ers

Chris Herring: Milwaukee Bucks over Toronto Raptors

Baxter Holmes: Milwaukee Bucks over Boston Celtics

Andrew Lopez: Milwaukee Bucks over Boston Celtics

Tim MacMahon: Milwaukee Bucks over Toronto Raptors

Bobby Marks: Milwaukee Bucks over Toronto Raptors

Kevin Pelton: Milwaukee Bucks over Toronto Raptors

Jorge Sedano: Milwaukee Bucks over Philadelphia 76ers

Andre’ Snellings: Milwaukee Bucks over Toronto Raptors

Marc Spears: Toronto Raptors over Milwaukee Bucks

Eric Woodyard: Milwaukee Bucks over Boston Celtics

Royce Young: Milwaukee Bucks over Philadelphia 76ers


Final tally: Milwaukee Bucks (13); Toronto Raptors (3).

Western Conference finals

Jerry Bembry: LA Clippers over Los Angeles Lakers

Nick DePaula: LA Clippers over Los Angeles Lakers

Nick Friedell: LA Clippers over Los Angeles Lakers

Jonathan Givony: Los Angeles Lakers over LA Clippers

Andrew Han: LA Clippers over Los Angeles Lakers

Chris Herring: LA Clippers over Los Angeles Lakers

Baxter Holmes: LA Clippers over Los Angeles Lakers

Andrew Lopez: Los Angeles Lakers over LA Clippers

Tim MacMahon: Los Angeles Lakers over LA Clippers

Bobby Marks: Los Angeles Lakers over LA Clippers

Kevin Pelton: LA Clippers over Los Angeles Lakers

Jorge Sedano: Los Angeles Lakers over LA Clippers

Andre’ Snellings: Los Angeles Lakers over Houston Rockets

Marc Spears: LA Clippers over Los Angeles Lakers

Eric Woodyard: Los Angeles Lakers over LA Clippers

Royce Young: LA Clippers over Los Angeles Lakers


Final tally: LA Clippers (9), Los Angeles Lakers (7).

NBA Finals

Jerry Bembry: LA Clippers over Milwaukee Bucks

Nick DePaula: LA Clippers over Milwaukee Bucks

Nick Friedell: LA Clippers over Toronto Raptors

Jonathan Givony: Toronto Raptors over Los Angeles Lakers

Andrew Han: LA Clippers over Milwaukee Bucks

Chris Herring: Milwaukee Bucks over LA Clippers

Baxter Holmes: LA Clippers over Milwaukee Bucks

Andrew Lopez: Milwaukee Bucks over Los Angeles Lakers

Tim MacMahon: Los Angeles Lakers over Milwaukee Bucks

Bobby Marks: Milwaukee Bucks over Los Angeles Lakers

Kevin Pelton: LA Clippers over Milwaukee Bucks

Jorge Sedano: Los Angeles Lakers over Milwaukee Bucks

Andre’ Snellings: Milwaukee Bucks over Los Angeles Lakers

Marc Spears: LA Clippers over Milwaukee Bucks

Eric Woodyard: Los Angeles Lakers over Milwaukee Bucks

Royce Young: LA Clippers over Milwaukee Bucks


Final tally: LA Clippers (8), Milwaukee Bucks (4), Los Angeles Lakers (3), Toronto Raptors (1).

Jerry Bembry: Memphis Grizzlies

Nick DePaula: Portland Trail Blazers

Nick Friedell: Portland Trail Blazers

Jonathan Givony: New Orleans Pelicans

Andrew Han: Portland Trail Blazers

Chris Herring: Memphis Grizzlies

Baxter Holmes: Portland Trail Blazers

Andrew Lopez: Portland Trail Blazers

Tim MacMahon: Memphis Grizzlies

Bobby Marks: Portland Trail Blazers

Kevin Pelton: Memphis Grizzlies

Jorge Sedano: Portland Trail Blazers

Andre’ Snellings: Portland Trail Blazers

Marc Spears: Portland Trail Blazers

Eric Woodyard: Portland Trail Blazers

Royce Young: Portland Trail Blazers


Final tally: Portland Trail Blazers (11 votes), Memphis Grizzlies (4); New Orleans Pelicans (1).

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