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For six years, Chris Paul did everything in his power to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to the NBA Finals. Now, only one side will have a chance of getting there. Phoenix Suns bowlers face the Clippers in the Western Conference Finals, and the winner will have a chance to win the NBA championship that has eluded both of them for decades.
Of course, Paul will miss an unspecified amount of time due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. The Clippers are missing a star of their own as Kawhi Leonard is absent with a knee injury. They don’t know when he’ll be back either, and that makes this series one of the most unpredictable post-season series.
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In the Eastern Conference, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks topped the Brooklyn Nets for their second appearance in the Conference Finals in three years. They got the surprising Trae Young and Atlanta Hawks, who knocked out number one Philadelphia 76ers in seven games.
Now, all four teams will see their depth tested against the conference finals opponents as we will see two tough fights between the Clippers Suns and the Hawks Bucks. Who will win and play in the 2021 NBA Finals? Here’s what our experts say.
(2) Phoenix Suns vs (4) Los Angeles Clippers in West Finals
Reiter’s Opinion: Chris Paul in the young Phoenix team found this composition for his potential masterpiece, Clippers without Kawhi, which, despite the return of Utah, won’t pose enough challenge once CP3 returns. Devin Booker is a superstar, Deandre Ayton has taken 10 giant steps forward this season, and Phoenix will muster the same energy and assurance under the pressure that brought them here to keep it going. Choose: suns in six
Quinn’s take: It was a valiant effort for the Clippers to get here without Kawhi Leonard, but right now, it looks like he’s out for a lot longer than Chris Paul. Even if not, Suns is a little better equipped to play without the best player. Devin Booker can pick up on the burden of creating shots, and the Suns will do a better job of refusing a dribble hack than Jazz did (although Ayton runs the same risk as Rudy Gobert against these small Clipper formations). These injuries make the final streak less predictable at conferences in quite some time, but I’ll be relying on Phoenix for a bit. Choose: suns in six
Botkin’s take: Kawhi Leonard’s exit is the difference. Chris Paul will likely return at some point in the series, and I’m having a hard time finding a single hole in the Phoenix attack. We’ll see how Eaton handles mini clippers. But he can also beat them to the glass and Phoenix has plenty of variants in the lineup. The Clippers can win this even without Leonard. It’s loaded with archery and Paul George is in star mode. will be tight. But I give preference to the sun. Choose: suns in seven
The Wimbish Way: Even without Kawhi, I think L.A. could still win this series. The Clippers will have many players to throw at Devin Booker, Michael Bridges, and Chris Paul (when he returns). It’s not going to be an easy series, and both teams are going to have their picks, but I think the Clippers are sneaking through The Sun in what should be an exciting series. Picking: Clippers at Seven
Ward-Henninger’s opinion: The Clippers’ approach to the small ball should have the same effect on Deandre Ayton as it did on Rudy Gobert, which should help Los Angeles stay in a streak in which they excel – at least on paper. Chris Paul’s absence is clearly the key factor here, but assuming he returns to Game 3 at the latest, the Suns should be able to fend off the pesky Clippers without Kowhi Leonard. As great as Reggie Jackson, Terrence Mann and Marcus Morris were, a lot was required of them against a good team like the Suns. Choose: suns in seven
Maloney’s Opinion: It would have been surprising if the Clippers could shut down the jazz without Kawhi Leonard, but their claim to win an entire series while short is overrated. Chris Paul’s absence for the first game at least gives the Clippers some hope, but the Suns are a really good team, so we’ll be riding with them. Choose: suns in seven
Herbert’s Opinion: Without knowing what happened with Kawhi Leonard or Chris Paul, that makes a big mockery of me. But I suppose I’ll take the team that can play fives in attack and what kind of defense they want. Versatility (almost) everything. Choose: clippers in six
Kaskey-Blomain’s Opinion: Depth is huge in the post-season, and the Clippers seem to be the deeper team in this game. Additionally, the Clippers are the most experienced team when it comes to post-season play. Outside of Chris Paul and Jay Crowder, the Suns don’t have much post-season experience at all. The unknown status of Kawhi Leonard makes this series somewhat difficult to pick, but Paul George played excellent basketball in Leonard’s absence to close out the Jazz in the semi-finals, and if he can continue to play at such a high level, the Clippers could make their debut in The NBA Finals. Picking: Clippers at Seven
(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs (5) Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference
Reiter’s Opinion: The Hawks continue their daring and surprising run, and they make it tough on the favorite series. But the Bucks, freed from the fear of losing to the Nets, comfortably returned to more consistent play. Kris Middleton hits shots, Jrue Holiday knocks out some awful performances, Bucks plays lock D, and Giannis looks just as aggressive and capable as he did at the end of that streak. Milwaukee hasn’t played, consistently, to the level he can, but that’s changing in the Eastern Conference Finals. Choose: Dollars in Six
Botkin’s take: Jrue Holiday has a throwback streak. Atlanta will miss De’Andre Hunter more than they did against Philadelphia in this series. Milwaukee’s defense was great against the nets, and Trae Young would find life challenging, although I fully expect him to have a good, albeit hard-earned streak. I want to choose Atlanta. Believe me. This is one of the most fun NBA stories I can remember, probably since Stephen Curry and the Warriors came on the scene in the 2013 playoffs. But my head tells me the run ends here. The Bucks are quite a bit good, despite their issues with composing the shots. Choose: Dollars in Five
Quinn’s take: If the Hawks were at full power, I’d give them a boxer’s chance. But De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic’s seeming faltering exit is draining a lot of talent for me to really think of the Hawks here. Jrue Holiday is more suited to defending Trae Young than Ben Simmons, and unlike Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t appear to be playing on one leg. It was a brave effort, and if the Hawks are in full force next season we may have a different conversation, but for now, this is the Milwaukee streak we’re losing. Choose: Dollars in Five
The Wimbish Way: This will be the most complete and toughest team the Hawks will face in the playoffs to date, and after beating the injury-ridden Nets, it looks like Milwaukee is ready to advance to the NBA Finals. Jrue Holiday offers a capable defender trying to check out Trae Young, and the Hawks won’t have anyone to contain Giannis Antetokounmpo, who should have a big streak against Atlanta. Choose: Dollars in Six
Maloney’s opinion: This has been a really nice run by the Hawks, but the fact that they’re still here says more about the Sixers than it does. The Bucks are the better team and should win this series without too much trouble. Choose: Dollars in Five
Kaskey-Blomain’s Opinion: The Hawks have been a post-season surprise so far, but their run ends here. The Bucks are the deepest and most experienced team in the series, In Holiday, the Bucks have an excellent option to defend Young, who is Atlanta’s attacking engine. On the flip side, the Hawks are likely to struggle with Milwaukee size as Chris Middleton, Brooke Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo could all pose problems for Atlanta. The Hawks’ ability to collect points may allow them to steal a game or two, but in the end Milwaukee will prove too much for the young Atlanta team. Choose: Dollars in Six
Ward-Henninger opinion: The Atlanta defense has been underestimated, and the occasional droughts in Milwaukee are well documented, so I think this will be a closer series than it might seem on paper. The Hawks have played nothing to lose after the season, and now the Bucks have everything to lose as the favorites to make it to the Finals. I trust Trae Young for close matches, and there should be a lot of them in this series. In the end, however, the Bucks should pull it off with Game 7 winning at home. Choose: Dollars in Seven
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