NBA: One team every playoff favorite should want to avoid in the first round

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TORONTO, ON – MAY 05: Singer Drake looks on as Head Coach of the Toronto Raptors Dwane Casey shouts to his players as Drake looks on from his seat in the second half of Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre on May 5, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

Breaking down the one team that every playoff favorite in both the Eastern and Western Conference should want to avoid in the first round

The 2018 NBA playoffs begin in roughly three weeks, but it’s becoming more and more clear by the day which teams will be participating in the league’s postseason and which ones will be preparing for the NBA Draft Lottery.

While seeding is yet to be determined in both conferences, we have a good feel as to which teams will be hosting playoff series.

In the Western Conference, you have the Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers pretty much locked in at seeds 1, 2 and 3, respectively. For the sake of this article, we went ahead and awarded the Minnesota Timberwolves the 4 seed in the West, mostly because they have the easiest schedule of the three teams bunched together.

Out East, the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics have the 1 and 2 seeds locked up. You’d expect the Cleveland Cavaliers to hold onto the 3 seed and we awarded the Philadelphia 76ers the 4 seed due to their easy schedule down the stretch.

With that sorted out, what teams should these favorites be wary about heading into the first round of the playoffs?

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