NBA Playoff Conference Finals Predictions: The Aura of Inevitability

Guess I can't blame any injuries on my incorrect guesses last round, as I only got two of the four series right. That brings me to 9-3 thus far in the playoffs with four of the series predicted in the right number of games.

I did watch more of the second round than I did the first, and it seems likely that I'll probably find reason to watch even more in the conference finals. Well, in the West, at least.

While the first round was something of a formality with a few competitive (but still pretty bad) series sprinkled in, the second round finally gave us the first compelling series with the otherwise favored Spurs being knocked off by the much more dangerous Thunder. We'll get what could possibly be another close series in the Western Conference, but the year indeed seems to be shaping up to live up to the subtitle of my pre-season NBA predictions post.

Maybe we'll get some surprises this round, but my guess is that the best will not come until the last series of the year. And maybe that's exactly as it should be, seeing as I (and many others) had been thinking that a Golden State-San Antonio series this round (which obviously isn't happening) should have been the Finals. 

For once, the Dubs are not my most confident pick:

Cleveland Cavaliers over Toronto Raptors in four games

If the Cavs haven't lost a game yet, I see no reason to say that this round is going to be the one where that finally happens. Sorry, Toronto.

Golden State Warriors over Oklahoma City Thunder in six games

As surprising as the Thunder have been, Golden State seems like a team more geared to play the OKC style than the Spurs proved to be. I don't doubt that Oklahoma City puts up a fight, but the Warriors should be able to take advantage of any off-nights from Russell Westbrook or Kevin Durant.