2018 NBA Playoffs: Ranking the first-round matchups

 3. Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Season Series: OKC 3-1

This series is going to be a fascinating matchup between teams that came into the year with massively different expectations. OKC has been a divisive team all year. Their ceiling is incredibly high, but they have been plagued by inconsistency. Utah once looked dead, sitting at 19-28 in January.

But, after the return of DPOY favorite Rudy Gobert, their dominant defense has fueled them down the stretch. This series will be a war, and the key for the Jazz will be the effectiveness Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in a playoff environment with experienced stars like Russell Westbrook and Paul George on the other side.

Prediction: Thunder in 7