NBA Playoffs: My Picks for Day 1

Welcome to the Truda Report everybody. The NBA Playoffs start today, and I'll be giving you my winners of the series, as well as my winners of the first games. To express your opinion or request a new topic follow and comment on my Instagram page @thetrudareport or email me at [email protected]

Indiana Pacers (7) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (2):
For the series, I'm taking the Cavs to win in 5 games. I haven't seen enough from the Pacers this year to challenge LeBron in the Playoffs, despite Cleveland's recent struggles. I do think that the Pacers can come away with one game, and I think that comes within the first two games. For that reason I'll go out on a limb and say that the Pacers open up the Playoffs with a victory. If the Cavs struggles are going to carry over into the postseason, it will only be in the first two games, so I'm willing to take Paul George's squad.

Milwaukee Bucks (6) @ Toronto Raptors (3):
I'm taking the Raptors in 7 games. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a rising star and he has shown the ability to carry his team in pivotal moments, but with Kyle Lowry back and DeMar DeRozan playing at a high level, they will be too much for the bucks to handle. Neither team is great on their home court (Raptors are 28-13, Bucks are 23-18) so I expect at least one home loss from each team. Today is not one of those days though, so I have the Raptors winning Game 1.

Memphis Grizzlies (7) @ San Antonio Spurs (2):
Like most sane people, I'm not betting against Gregg Popovich in the first round of the Playoffs. Mike Conley has been quietly amazing for Memphis this year, Zach Randolpf has been alright, and Marc Gasol is no joke.  The problem is, Kawhi Leonard is a stud and can lock down Conley on defense, and LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol match up well against Randolph and the younger Gasol brother. I'm taking the Spurs in 5, but I don't expect the Grizzlies lone win to come early in the series.  Therefor, I have the Spurs taking Game 1 tonight.

Utah Jazz (5) @ Los Angeles Clippers (4):
The Clippers have never made the Western Conference Finals, and their big 3 of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan keep getting close but fall short every time. There has been a lot of talk about the big 3 being broken up, with Blake Griffin the most likely to be cast away, although the notion of sending a star like him away is hard to deal with for Clippers fans. I think that the Clippers make things even more confusing for themselves by having a decent playoffs, and then falling short again, making management and personnel tasks more difficult this off season. I like the Jazz, so I'm taking the Clippers in 6 just because I think Utah can steal a couple games due to a comeback in the final minutes of Games 3 and 5. I'm taking the Clippers in the first game though, because I never expect a Doc Rivers team to loose the opening game of the Playoffs.