NBA: Way-too-early bold pre-season playoff predictions for the 2023-24 season

Western Conference Finals predictions

I predict that the Western Conference playoffs are going to be absolutely memorable. On paper, there are five teams that could seemingly make the conference finals – the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers. I believe that the Warriors and Mavericks will both make it out of the bracket and play for a chance to represent the conference in the NBA Finals.

I have the Warriors taking out the defending champion Nuggets in the conference semifinals and the Mavericks surprising the masses by ousting the top-heavy Suns in the conference semifinals as well. Both of those results in the semifinals will set up what could end up being an epic matchup in the conference finals between Luka Doncic and Stephen Curry.

In that matchup, I predict that the Warriors’ depth is just going to be too much for Luka and Kyrie Irving to overcome. The Warriors, for the seventh time in 10 years, will make it back to the NBA Finals.

Golden State Warriors over Dallas Mavericks in 7 games