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#2 - Phoenix Suns
Riding on stellar playoff runs by Devin Booker and Chris Paul, the Phoenix Suns are a series win away from their first NBA finals appearance since 1993. Head coach Monty Williams has done a phenomenal job of coaching the roster, and every individual, from A-listers to role players, has delivered.
The Phoenix Suns are going to miss point guard Chris Paul for the second game of the series as well, after he was ruled out of Game 1 due to Covid-19 protocols. However, Devin Booker has taken up the dual role of being the team's primary playmaker and scorer in his absence, and it looks like Paul won't be a major miss until the time he is on the sidelines.
The ESPN NBA playoffs prediction model indicates that the Phoenix Suns have a 34.2% chance of winning-it-all. Our forecast is that the Suns will reach the finals, albeit it is difficult to say whether they'll be able to prevail over the team that comes out of the East.
#1 - Milwaukee Bucks
Out of all the teams remaining in the 2021 NBA playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks stand the best chance of winning the coveted Larry O'Brien trophy. The Bucks possess a two-way superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo, along with an impressive supporting cast. Khris Middleton was a top-3 player in the Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets series, while Jrue Holiday is a threat on both ends from the guard position.
Throw in role players like Brook Lopez and PJ Tucker, and one could argue that the Milwaukee Bucks have the best team on paper out of the 4 teams. The Bucks should not have problems getting past the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference finals, and they will be strong favorites in the 2021 NBA playoffs finals as well.
ESPN's model suggests that the Bucks have a 47.2 % chance of winning the title, and we concur with them.
Guess the Lakers players!
