NBA playoffs 2023 – Experts' picks for the play-in and every first-round series – ESPN – ESPN

The 2023 NBA playoffs are here!
Sixteen teams still have a chance — some, uh, smaller than others — to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June. After losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, the No. 8 seed Minnesota Timberwolves overcame Rudy Gobert‘s suspension and Jaden McDaniels‘ wall punch to defeat the the No. 10-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, and will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
Over in the East, we have a Miami Heat team that spent all season trying to overcome injuries and inconsistency defeating the Chicago Bulls to advance to face the Milwaukee Bucks, who had the league’s best record in the regular season.
Our experts have analyzed all the data; they’ve talked to insiders across the league.
Here are their final selections.
MORE: Everything to know | Schedules | Offseason guides

Kendra Andrews: Bucks in 5
Jerry Bembry: Bucks in 5
Jamal Collier: Bucks in 5
Nick DePaula: Bucks in 6
Nick Friedell: Bucks in 4
Kirk Goldsberry: Bucks in 6
Israel Gutierrez: Bucks in 6
Tim Legler: Bucks in 5
Zach Lowe: Bucks in 5
Tim MacMahon: Bucks in 5
Bobby Marks: Bucks in 5
Dave McMenamin: Bucks in 5
Kevin Pelton: Bucks in 5
Jorge Sedano: Bucks in 6
Ramona Shelburne: Bucks in 5
André Snellings: Bucks in 5
Marc Spears: Bucks in 5
Ohm Youngmisuk: Bucks in 6
Final tally: Bucks 18, Heat 0


Kendra Andrews: Celtics in 4
Jerry Bembry: Celtics in 6
Jamal Collier: Celtics in 5
Nick DePaula: Celtics in 5
Nick Friedell: Celtics in 4
Kirk Goldsberry: Celtics in 5
Israel Gutierrez: Celtics in 6
Zach Lowe: Celtics in 5
Tim MacMahon: Celtics in 5
Bobby Marks: Celtics in 5
Dave McMenamin: Celtics in 5
Kevin Pelton: Celtics in 5
Jorge Sedano: Celtics in 5
Ramona Shelburne: Celtics in 5
André Snellings: Celtics in 5
Marc Spears: Celtics in 5
Ohm Youngmisuk: Celtics in 6
Final tally: Celtics 17, Hawks 0


Kendra Andrews: 76ers in 5
Jerry Bembry: 76ers in 5
Jamal Collier: 76ers in 5
Nick DePaula: 76ers in 5
Nick Friedell: 76ers in 5
Kirk Goldsberry: 76ers in 5
Israel Gutierrez: 76ers in 5
Tim Legler: 76ers in 6
Zach Lowe: 76ers in 5
Tim MacMahon: 76ers in 5
Bobby Marks: 76ers in 5
Dave McMenamin: 76ers in 5
Kevin Pelton: 76ers in 5
Jorge Sedano: 76ers in 5
Ramona Shelburne: 76ers in 5
André Snellings: 76ers in 5
Marc Spears: 76ers in 5
Ohm Youngmisuk: 76ers in 5
Final tally: 76ers 18, Nets 0


Kendra Andrews: Cavaliers in 6
Jerry Bembry: Knicks in 7
Jamal Collier: Cavaliers in 7
Nick DePaula: Cavaliers in 7
Nick Friedell: Knicks in 7
Kirk Goldsberry: Cavaliers in 7
Israel Gutierrez: Cavaliers in 6
Tim Legler: Cavaliers in 7
Zach Lowe: Cavaliers in 7
Tim MacMahon: Cavaliers in 7
Bobby Marks: Cavaliers in 6
Dave McMenamin: Cavaliers in 7
Kevin Pelton: Cavaliers in 6
Jorge Sedano: Knicks in 7
Ramona Shelburne: Knicks in 6
André Snellings: Cavaliers in 7
Marc Spears: Cavaliers in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Cavaliers in 7
Final tally: Cavaliers 14, Knicks 4

Kendra Andrews: Nuggets in 6
Jerry Bembry: Nuggets in 6
Jamal Collier: Nuggets in 4
Nick DePaula: Nuggets in 6
Nick Friedell: Nuggets in 5
Kirk Goldsberry: Nuggets in 6
Israel Gutierrez: Nuggets in 5
Tim Legler: Nuggets in 6
Zach Lowe: Nuggets in 6
Tim MacMahon: Nuggets in 6
Bobby Marks: Nuggets in 5
Dave McMenamin: Nuggets in 5
Kevin Pelton: Nuggets in 5
Jorge Sedano: Nuggets in 5
Ramona Shelburne: Nuggets in 7
André Snellings: Timberwolves in 7
Marc Spears: Nuggets in 6
Ohm Youngmisuk: Nuggets in 6
Final tally: Nuggets 17, Timberwolves 1


Kendra Andrews: Lakers in 6
Jerry Bembry: Grizzlies in 7
Jamal Collier: Lakers in 6
Nick DePaula: Lakers in 6
Nick Friedell: Grizzlies in 6
Kirk Goldsberry: Lakers in 7
Israel Gutierrez: Grizzlies in 5
Zach Lowe: Grizzlies in 7
Tim MacMahon: Grizzlies in 7
Bobby Marks: Grizzlies in 6
Dave McMenamin: Lakers in 7
Kevin Pelton: Grizzlies in 7
Jorge Sedano: Lakers in 7
Ramona Shelburne: Grizzlies in 7
André Snellings: Lakers in 6
Marc Spears: Lakers in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Lakers in 7
Final tally: Lakers 9, Grizzlies 8


Kendra Andrews: Warriors in 6
Jerry Bembry: Kings in 7
Jamal Collier: Warriors in 6
Nick DePaula: Warriors in 6
Nick Friedell: Warriors in 7
Kirk Goldsberry: Warriors in 7
Israel Gutierrez: Warriors in 6
Tim Legler: Warriors in 6
Zach Lowe: Warriors in 6
Tim MacMahon: Warriors in 6
Bobby Marks: Kings in 6
Dave McMenamin: Warriors in 6
Kevin Pelton: Warriors in 6
Jorge Sedano: Warriors in 6
Ramona Shelburne: Warriors in 6
André Snellings: Warriors in 6
Marc Spears: Warriors in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Warriors in 7
Final tally: Warriors 16, Kings 2


Kendra Andrews: Suns in 7
Jerry Bembry: Suns in 6
Jamal Collier: Suns in 6
Nick DePaula: Suns in 6
Nick Friedell: Suns in 6
Kirk Goldsberry: Suns in 6
Israel Gutierrez: Suns in 6
Tim Legler: Suns in 6
Zach Lowe: Suns in 6
Tim MacMahon: Suns in 6
Bobby Marks: Suns in 6
Dave McMenamin: Suns in 7
Kevin Pelton: Suns in 6
Ramona Shelburne: Suns in 6
André Snellings: Suns in 7
Marc Spears: Suns in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Suns in 7
Final tally: Suns 17, Clippers 0

Kendra Andrews: Bulls
Jerry Bembry: Heat
Jamal Collier: Heat
Nick DePaula: Heat
Nick Friedell: Heat
Kirk Goldsberry: Bulls
Israel Gutierrez: Bulls
Monday
Cleveland vs. Houston, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
All times Eastern
Tim MacMahon: Heat
Bobby Marks: Heat
Dave McMenamin: Heat
Kevin Pelton: Heat
Jorge Sedano: Heat
Ramona Shelburne: Bulls
André Snellings: Heat
Marc Spears: Bulls
Ohm Youngmisuk: Heat
Final tally: Heat 11, Bulls 5

Kendra Andrews: Heat
Jerry Bembry: Heat
Jamal Collier: Heat
Nick DePaula: Heat
Nick Friedell: Heat
Kirk Goldsberry: Heat
Israel Gutierrez: Heat
Tim Legler: Heat
Monday
Cleveland vs. Houston, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
All times Eastern
Tim MacMahon: Heat
Bobby Marks: Heat
Dave McMenamin: Heat
Kevin Pelton: Heat
Jorge Sedano: Heat
Ramona Shelburne: Heat
André Snellings: Heat
Marc Spears: Heat
Ohm Youngmisuk: Heat
Final tally: Heat 17, Hawks 0

Kendra Andrews: Raptors
Jerry Bembry: Raptors
Jamal Collier: Bulls
Nick DePaula: Bulls
Nick Friedell: Raptors
Kirk Goldsberry: Raptors
Israel Gutierrez: Bulls
Tim Legler: Bulls
Tim MacMahon: Raptors
Bobby Marks: Raptors
Dave McMenamin: Raptors
Kevin Pelton: Raptors
Jorge Sedano: Raptors
Ramona Shelburne: Raptors
André Snellings: Raptors
Marc Spears: Bulls
Ohm Youngmisuk: Bulls
Final tally: Raptors 11, Bulls 6

Kendra Andrews: Thunder
Jerry Bembry: Thunder
Jamal Collier: Timberwolves
Nick DePaula: Thunder
Nick Friedell: Timberwolves
Kirk Goldsberry: Timberwolves
Israel Gutierrez: Thunder
Tim MacMahon: Thunder
Bobby Marks: Thunder
Dave McMenamin: Timberwolves
Kevin Pelton: Timberwolves
Jorge Sedano: Thunder
Ramona Shelburne: Timberwolves
André Snellings: Timberwolves
Marc Spears: Thunder
Ohm Youngmisuk: Timberwolves
Final tally: Thunder 8, Timberwolves 8

Kendra Andrews: Lakers
Jerry Bembry: Lakers
Jamal Collier: Lakers
Nick DePaula: Lakers
Nick Friedell: Lakers
Kirk Goldsberry: Lakers
Israel Gutierrez: Lakers
Tim Legler: Lakers
Tim MacMahon: Lakers
Bobby Marks: Lakers
Dave McMenamin: Lakers
Kevin Pelton: Lakers
Jorge Sedano: Lakers
Ramona Shelburne: Lakers
André Snellings: Lakers
Marc Spears: Lakers
Ohm Youngmisuk: Lakers
Final tally: Lakers 17, Wolves 0

Kendra Andrews: Thunder
Jerry Bembry: Thunder
Jamal Collier: Pelicans
Nick DePaula: Thunder
Nick Friedell: Pelicans
Kirk Goldsberry: Pelicans
Israel Gutierrez: Pelicans
Tim Legler: Pelicans
Tim MacMahon: Thunder
Bobby Marks: Thunder
Dave McMenamin: Pelicans
Kevin Pelton: Pelicans
Ramona Shelburne: Pelicans
André Snellings: Pelicans
Marc Spears: Pelicans
Ohm Youngmisuk: Pelicans
Final tally: Pelicans 11, Thunder 5

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