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Utah Jazz & rest of NBA: Playoff Preview and Predictions

By Jared Woodcox

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 2: PJ Tucker #17 of the Houston Rockets plays defense against the Utah Jazz on February 2, 2019 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 2: PJ Tucker #17 of the Houston Rockets plays defense against the Utah Jazz on February 2, 2019 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 29: Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons inbounds the ball during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Little Caesars Arena on January 29, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Cassy Athena/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 29: Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons inbounds the ball during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Little Caesars Arena on January 29, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Cassy Athena/Getty Images) /

1. Milwaukee Bucks – 8. Detroit Pistons

Regular Season Series: Milwaukee 4-0

The Milwaukee Bucks are the number one overall seed as they finished with an NBA-best record of 60-22, meaning they’ll have home court in every round they face, including a potential Finals appearance. That comes as little surprise as Mike Budenholzer is an incredible coach that has done a great job with Milwaukee and they’re led by MVP-candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo is a force in and of himself as an athletic freak of nature and a defensive ace, but he’s also surrounded by ample talent in the likes of fellow All-Star Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe and several others. Between depth, stingy defense and overall basketball intelligence that starts with Budenholzer and trickles down through a well-rounded roster, it’s entirely feasible that this Bucks team could go all the way to the Finals.

They shouldn’t meet too much first-round resistance as they’ll be facing a less than formidable Detroit Pistons team that limped their way into the playoffs and didn’t clinch a spot until the final day of the regular season. Their best player Blake Griffin is banged up and purportedly is still day-to-day heading into the postseason. Even if he were full-strength, though, this Pistons team has been about as inconsistent as can be.

They finished a mediocre 41-41, don’t really jump out in any stat category and aren’t overwhelmingly deep. Assuming Griffin makes it back and because of the playoff acumen of head coach Dwane Casey, I can see Detroit potentially earning one victory, but not much more. Milwaukee dominated the regular season series and I foresee a repeat of that in the postseason as the significantly more talented team should prevail in a gentleman’s sweep at most.

Prediction: Bucks in 5

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