Paul Klee, sports editor

The playoffs surprise will be … Adam Silver finally admits the NBA has a real perception problem. It more than raised eyebrows when the Lakers got Luka Doncic for a bag of beans. The commish should institute an anti-flopping rule (one, two, three strikes, you’re suspended) and anti-tanking rule (stripping draft picks) to boost interest in a league absent courage at the top.

Nuggets-Timberwolves series: Nuggets in 7

We know Joker and Ant-Man will get theirs in bunches. So who plays the role of series surprise? Beware of Minnesota super-sub Terrence Shannon Jr., who scored 26, 33 and 23 points to close the regular season. Was the 25-year-old feasting in garbage time, or emerging as a serious threat off the bench?

Western Conference finals: Thunder over Nuggets in 7

Remember the old days when Nuggets Nation lamented how NBA supremacy always went through major markets like Los Angeles and the Bay Area? Well, the cream of the crop now is in Denver, Oklahoma City and San Antonio, which are three of the coolest venues to catch a game but won’t draw Jack Nicholson or Denzel Washington anytime soon. I’m tempted to take the Nuggets here. But their up-and-down health issues would require stability.

Eastern Conference finals: Pistons over Knicks in 7

Pop quiz: Name the Detroit Pistons’ home arena. Tough one, eh? It’s Little Caesars Arena, which might come as a surprise to those of us old heads who associate the Pistons’ championship seasons with the venerable Palace of Auburn Hills. And if the Pistons can recapture their 60-win magic in the playoffs? Little Caesars will be cooking and a nightmare for visiting teams.

NBA Finals: Thunder over Pistons in 5

Between the Nuggets, Thunder and Spurs, the Western Conference gantlet is going to be must-watch TV and a joy for the lucky folks who can afford tickets. It won’t be a surprise if Nikola Jokic continues the best individual season in NBA history into the NBA Finals. (And how silly are NBA voters to deny Joker an obvious MVP award?) Buckle up. This field is the toughest of Joker’s reign.

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Mark Kiszla, sports columnist

The playoffs surprise will be … The Victor Wembanyama Era begins now. Well, to be more accurate, the Wemby Era began way back in the summer of 2024, when he led France to a silver medal at the Olympics. He is well on the way to returning the Spurs back to their full Tim Duncan glory. San Antonio is more talented than Oklahoma City, Denver and everybody in the East. Yes, the Spurs are young. And that inexperience could cost them in these playoffs. But if Wemby decides it’s already his league? Look out.

Nuggets-Timberwolves series: Nuggets in 7

As much as I’d like to tell y’all this series will be no problem for Denver … It wouldn’t be prudent. Nikola Jokic owns Rudy Gobert. Laughs at him. Can score 40 against Gobert on any given night. But the Nuggets are better when Joker doesn’t have to carry such a heavy offensive burden. How long this series lasts depends on how consistently Jamal Murray can be spectacular. If there’s a clunker or two by the Blue Arrow, this series is going to be long and painful.

Western Conference finals: Spurs over Thunder in 6

While the whiners among us like to blast Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a free-throw merchant, I’m going to give SGA his flowers for being the NBA player most reliable for scoring the basketball when his team needs a bucket the most. So when Shai wins MVP again, I will tip my hat. But do not be surprised if the Thunder is eliminated by the real MVP and the Spurs.

Eastern Conference finals: Celtics over Cavs in 5

I do not like green eggs and ham. And let me add: I do not like the Pistons, Sam I Am. Detroit has done a remarkable job rebuilding its franchise. J.B. Bickerstaff is a better coach than his father. But this season feels too soon for Detroit Rock City. We all wrote off the Celtics for this year when Jayson Tatum hurt his Achilles last year. We made a mistake. A big one.

NBA Finals: Celtics over Spurs in 6

As tempted as I am to push all my chips to the center of the table on Wemby, the next Spurs dynasty will have to wait a year. The C’s get their second chip in three seasons. And the Nuggets are left with a sticky question: With San Antone, OKC and Beantown looking strong for the foreseeable future, how does Denver maximize what remains of Joker’s prime?

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Chris Schmaedeke, digital sports editor

The playoffs surprise will be… the Atlanta Hawks. Since trading Trae Young to the Wizards, Atlanta has been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. It’s not a matchup the New York Knicks are looking forward to. Make sure to watch Jalen Johnson for the Hawks; he is on the verge of being a superstar.

Nuggets-Timberwolves series: Nuggets in 5

These teams are very different from the two that battled in the 2024 Western Conference semifinals. Denver only played three guys off the bench and two of them were Reggie Jackson and Justin Holiday. This year, Denver has enough depth to take care of Minny. No matter what, Anthony Edwards will be scary.

Western Conference finals: Thunder over Nuggets in 7

The tough road the Nuggets face ends in another Game 7 loss in Oklahoma City. This series will be filled with close games and plenty of heated “discussions” after some hard fouls. In the end, Oklahoma City will just be too much for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

Eastern Conference finals: Pistons over Celtics in 7

There will be two conference-final Game 7s this year. Detroit has been the best team in the East all season and will prove it with a home win over the Boston Celtics. Cade Cunningham officially becomes a superstar as he hits a game-winner and comes out as the best player in a series that has Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

NBA Finals: Thunder over Pistons in 6

The NBA will have its first back-to-back champion since the Golden State Warriors. It’s boring to pick the top seeds to make the NBA Finals out of each conference, but the Pistons have been good all year. And Detroit is one team that can get as physical as the Thunder. SGA has another great series as he wins Finals MVP.

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Vinny Benedetto, Nuggets writer

The playoffs surprise will be… The Rockets. Before Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves got hurt, the Lakers, Timberwolves and Nuggets were hoping to get matched up with Houston in the first round. Now, the Rockets have won nine of their last 10 to roll into the postseason with momentum. Houston eliminates the Lakers in five games and pushes the Thunder to six games before bowing out.

Nuggets-Timberwolves series: Nuggets in 5

Denver knows its best bet to make a serious run requires taking care of its early opponents in as few games as possible. Minnesota’s too good to be swept, but the Timberwolves have just enough injury questions to make a five-game series manageable.

Western Conference finals: Thunder over Nuggets in 7

The Nuggets give themselves a chance by taking care of Minnesota and San Antonio in a combined 11 games, but that’s still one more game than the Thunder will play against the No. 8 seed and Rockets. Oklahoma City is simply too deep and too good, which leads to some tough offseason conversations for Denver’s front office.

Eastern Conference finals: Knicks over Pistons in 6

New York has the depth and flexibility to make the Finals for the first time since 1999. Detroit’s first-round series against the Hornets or Magic will be harder than anticipated before an easier matchup against Cleveland in the second round. The Knicks can defend well enough to make Detroit’s life too difficult in the conference finals.

NBA Finals: Thunder over Knicks in 5

After being tested by the Rockets and Nuggets, Oklahoma City survived the two best teams it will face before the Finals start. New York’s happy to be there, but a couple of blowout wins by the Thunder in the first two games of the series take the wind out of the Knicks’ sails. It’s time to talk dynasty.

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Chris Tomasson, Broncos beat writer

The NBA playoffs surprise will be… The Pistons, trying to conjure up memories of the Bad Boys, will turn out to be just bad in the playoffs. Despite having gone 60-22 and claiming the No. 1 seed in the East, the Pistons won’t make it to the Eastern Conference finals, falling to the Cavaliers in the second round.

Nuggets-Timberwolves series: Nuggets in 6.

If the Nuggets need any motivation, all they need to do is dust off films of the 2024 playoffs, when they were upset in seven games by the Timberwolves in a West semifinal, which included blowing a 20-point third-quarter lead at home in Game 7. Oh, and the Nuggets also have Nikola Jokic.

Western Conference finals: Thunder over Spurs in 7.

The Nuggets will try to have something to say about it, But, if not, Thunder-Spurs playoff battles could end up being legendary well into the 2030s. Both teams are very young and armed with superstars, the Thunder having Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Spurs having Victor Wembanyama. For this season, the Thunder’s playoff experience will end up making the difference.

Eastern Conference finals: Celtics over Cavaliers in 6

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum is rounding into form just in time for the postseason. After suffering a torn Achilles in the playoffs on May 12, 2025, he returned March 6 and has been getting better with each game. He scored 32 points the last time he took the floor. Now, he’ll come up big in the postseason.

NBA Finals: Thunder over Celtics in 7

When the Thunder win a second straight NBA title, at least the folks in Seattle won’t be as ticked off as they were last year. That’s because Seattle looks to be in great position now to land an expansion team. The Seattle SuperSonics, of course, moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. And now, with their impressive young team, the Thunder are threatening to start a dynasty.

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Tyler King, college sports writer

The NBA playoffs surprise will be… James Harden and the Cavaliers. After 18 months of talk about whether or not this Cleveland team can win at the highest level, the Cavs finally make it back to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since LeBron James left thanks to Harden, of all people. Both Harden and his new team conquer some playoff demons before suffering heartbreak against the Knicks in a Game 7.

Nuggets-Timberwolves series: Nuggets in 6

The fear factor for Denver fans should be somewhere between 2023 and 2024. Minnesota isn’t the pushover it was when the Nuggets romped on the way to their first championship three years ago, but without Karl-Anthony Towns, the Wolves are no longer the team built specifically to beat Denver. Edwards is good enough to win a pair of games in this series, but that’s it without any real help.

Western Conference finals: Nuggets over Thunder in 7

The world is about to find out what a healthy Gordon would’ve meant in last year’s Game 7 as Denver stops OKC’s quest to go back-to-back. The Nuggets are healthier and deeper than they were a year ago, and Cam Johnson is going to hit a couple of big shots in this series as Jokic also reminds everyone he’s still the best in the world, even though Gilgeous-Alexander will receive a second straight MVP trophy during the series.

Eastern Conference finals: Knicks over Cavaliers in 7

There probably isn’t a team under more pressure to make the Finals in the entire league than the Knicks. Owner James Dolan isn’t going to put up with another frustrating playoff exit, but the Jalen Brunson-led group is going to make it a special few months at Madison Square Garden as New York gets to enjoy its first NBA Finals run since 1999.

NBA Finals: Nuggets over Knicks in 7

This was my preseason pick, and I’m sticking with it (even if my head is telling me not to). Both of these teams have been playing great basketball to end the regular season and deliver an epic Finals, with the teams splitting the first four games before Denver takes Games 5 and 7 in the Mile High City to win its second title in the Jokic era.