Experts' predictions for the Eastern Conference, Western Conference and NBA Finals
The NBA restart begins Thursday night, as theUtah Jazz-New Orleans Pelicansand LA Clippers-Los 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 through 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).
Bonus: Who wins the West's No. 8 seed?
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).
