The second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs is officially over. The second round brought us a series that went to six games, and two that went to the seventh and final game. Only one series was wrapped up quickly, which was the Milwaukee Bucks beating the Boston Celtics in five games.
Golden State wrapped up their series in six games, eliminating the Houston Rockets once again. Despite the Warriors losing Kevin Durant to injury in Game 5, the Rockets couldn’t overcome the Warriors. They would play the winner of the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets series. Portland beat Denver on the road in a Game 7 despite Damian Lillard not shooting well. C.J. McCollum had 37 points on 17-29 shooting and nine rebounds. Lillard had 13 points on 3-17 shooting, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and three steals.
In the Eastern Conference, the Bucks had already advanced and were waiting on either the Toronto Raptors or the Philadelphia 76ers. Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors eliminated Philly in Game 7 on a buzzer-beating shot that bounced multiple times before dropping in.
That shot put Leonard at 41 points for the night, and now they will face the Bucks.
With that, let’s get into both Conference Finals matchups.
Bucks vs Raptors
The top two teams in the Eastern Conference facing off.
Leonard and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the two names everyone will be watching this series. Leonard has been one of the best two-way players in the playoffs, while Giannis is also in that conversation and is a strong candidate for season MVP. Leonard has a championship and a NBA Finals MVP on his resume, while Giannis is in his first Conference Finals.
Franchise wise, Milwaukee is looking to get to their first NBA Finals since 1974. Meanwhile, Toronto will be looking for their first Finals appearance ever. The Bucks lost just one game so far this playoffs in a rout from the Celtics, but rallied to win four straight. The Raptors have rallied from an 0-1 deficit against Philly, and a 1-2 deficit against Brooklyn.
I expect this series to go to the wire.
Warriors vs Trail Blazers
The Golden State Warriors are once again in the Conference Finals, and four games away from the NBA Finals. The Warriors are looking to get to their fifth consecutive NBA Finals, and win their fourth championship in five years. Portland, on the other hand, is in new territory for their current guys.
It should shape up to be a fun matchup for these two incredible backcourts. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum against Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. If Kevin Durant misses more than one game, this will make this matchup even more interesting to watch. Even if we know which team is more talented.
This series will probably be over before the Eastern Conference Finals.
Game 1 of Warriors and Trail Blazers is tonight.
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