The playoffs are here. That means excitement, heartbreak, and primetime basketball. Eight teams have a chance to win the ultimate honor in basketball—an NBA championship.

This article will be my prediction about the outcome of the NBA playoffs. By the time you read it, we will both know if I was right or wrong. This is currently the third round of the playoffs. I will be predicting those games.

Eastern Conference Finals: #2 Boston Celtics vs. #1 Miami Heat

A lot of people expected this conference finals matchup. This should be an exciting rematch from the 2020 conference finals featuring two of the league’s premier players, Jayson Tatum and Jimmy Butler. Tatum is coming off of the best year of his young career, averaging 27 points and eight rebounds per game. He was outstanding in the first two rounds of the playoffs, hitting a game-winner in round one. The Celtics also have Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, who can shut down the best scorers in the NBA.

However, the Miami Heat also have serious star power. Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat had an incredible season. Butler is shooting 48% from the field, which is the second-best of his career. The Heat also have defensive superstar Bam Adebayo, who can guard every position on the court. 6th Man of the Year winner Tyler Herro adds scoring and depth to their bench. This makes the Heat one of the most complete teams in the NBA and a legitimate threat to win the championship.

X-Factor for this series: Grant Williams

We saw a mere glimpse of what Grant Williams could do in game seven against the Milwaukee Bucks. He hit seven threes in a 27-point outing, which won them the series. He has proven that he can be a huge contributor to the Celtics’ Offense. He will need to be playing his best if he wants to help the Celtics advance to the finals.

Prediction: Heat win in 7 games

The Heat will win this series. What they lack in flashiness, they make up for by being the most complete team. They have great defense, size in the post, great shooters, and a great leader in Jimmy Butler.

Western Conference Finals: #3 Warriors vs. #5 Mavericks

No one expected the Mavericks to be here. First, they had to beat the one-seeded Suns, who won 64 games this season. The man leading this team is superstar Luka Doncic. Doncic is the whole package; he has size, ball handling, great vision, and playmaking, but most of all, he is a natural scorer. Meanwhile, the Warriors beat the two-seeded Grizzlies with the absence of Ja Morant.

X-Factor in this Series: Jordan Poole

Jordan Poole has been more than a pleasant surprise this playoff season. In his playoff debut, he scored 30 points against the Denver Nuggets and has kept up the sensational play throughout the year. Poole, playing as well as he is, adds so much more offensive depth for the Warriors. He is a great 6th man to compliment their starting five, and a reliable option when scoring is needed. If he keeps playing as well as he has been, the Warriors will win the series.

Prediction: Warriors win in 6 games

Despite all that Luka has done for the Mavericks, the Warriors’ offensive power will be too much for the Mavericks to handle. I also think that the Mavericks shooters will have to knock down more shots than they have versus the Warriors. We saw a glimpse of how well they could shoot the ball against the Suns in game 7. The only chance the Mavs have of beating the Warriors is if they hit the shots that Luka creates for them.

These playoffs have been exciting, and these conference finals will be a treat to watch. The amount of star power on all four teams will be amazing to see live. For my finals prediction: the Warriors will beat the Heat in 7 games.