It’s that time of the year again; the NBA Playoffs are here. This year features teams that we have not seen in the playoffs in a while. However, we will also see teams that have been in the playoffs for the past couple seasons. The next couple months should be interesting as we watch the best teams compete for the elusive trophy.

This year, some new teams have made the playoffs that did not make the postseason last year. These teams include the Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, and the Miami Heat. Of these teams, I think the Indiana Pacers will make the farthest run. The Pacers are a stacked team that can dominate on any given night. With Paul George back from his gruesome leg injury from last year, the Pacers are back in the playoffs thanks to him. George leads the team in scoring with 23.1 PPG and also steals with 1.9 SPG. The Pacers also have a deep team. Myles Turner, Rodney Stuckey, and CJ Miles all come off the bench for the Pacers, and provide a much needed spark for the team. The reason I do not think the Heat would advance next round because they are missing Chris Bosh, their second leading scorer, and he would be needed against the dominate Charlotte Hornets led by Kemba Walker.

In June, I predict that the Golden State Warriors will be victorious, defending their title. They just broke the single season record with most wins with 73, a feat not even Michael Jordan’s Bulls could achieve. Furthermore, led by impeccable shooting of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, the sky’s the limit for this team. Also, it seems that the Warriors have a second point guard on the floor with Draymond Green. Green leads the team with assists per game with 7.4, and he is a power forward! Despite a talented starting lineup, the Warriors also have a talented bench to complement the team. The NBA playoffs started this past Saturday and will continue into mid June.