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The first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs begins on Saturday. A total of four games will be played on the first day of the postseason, with three matchups coming from the Eastern Conference and one coming from the West.
Several teams, like the Sacramento Kings, have exceeded expectations and finished the regular season with high seeds. The Golden State Warriors, on the other hand, are much better than their record indicates and may have another deep playoff run.
It's important to note that the 2023 NBA Playoff bracket hasn't been finalized yet. There are two more play-in games left to play before we get a clear playoff picture.
2023 NBA Playoffs will have many amazing matchups in the West
The Denver Nuggets (53-29) finished their regular season as the top seed in the West, but their first-round opponent hasn't been revealed yet. The Nuggets will face the winner of a matchup between the OKC Thunder (40-42) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40).
Another interesting first-round matchup in the 2023 NBA Playoffs will be between the Memphis Grizzlies (51-31) and the LA Lakers (43-39). While the Grizzlies have been a much better team, they are dealing with several injuries that will make the postseason much harder.
The Sacramento Kings (48-34) will face the Golden State Warriors (44-38) in another interesting matchup. While the Kings have been amazing this year, the Warriors are still defending champions and beating them will be very tough.
You may be interested in reading: NBA Playoffs TV schedule 2023: Broadcast schedule, where to watch, and more
Finally, the Phoenix Suns (45-37) will square off against the LA Clippers (44-38). This first-round series has a lot of potential, but too many players are injured, including Paul George and Kevin Durant.
Eastern Conference will be fun to watch as well
The Milwaukee Bucks (58-24) finished the season with the best record in the league and will face the winner of a matchup between the Miami Heat (44-38) and the Chicago Bulls (40-42) in the first round.
The second-seeded Boston Celtics (57-25) will match up against the Atlanta Hawks (41-41). The Hawks defeated the Heat in their first play-in game and it'll be interesting to see how well they fare against Boston.
The 2023 NBA Playoffs will also have a matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers (54-28) and the Brooklyn Nets (45-37). The Nets have changed for the worse since the trade deadline and are underdogs in the series, but could win a game or two.
You may be interested in reading: Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls record this season, odds, rosters, and more for NBA Play-In Tournament 2023
The last matchup will be between the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31) and the fifth-seeded New York Knicks (47-35). This is a clash between two young squads in the East and will be very fun to watch.
