The NBA playoffs may not officially begin until Monday, but the post intensity will hit Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex two days early.
After an exciting Thursday of seeding game action, the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies have secured places in the play-in round of the Western Conference. (Game 1 is 14:30 ET on ABC, and if the No. 9-seeded Grizzlies win, it will force a decisive Game 2 Sunday at 16:30 ET on ESPN.)
The victory secures a meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers, but every other opening round series is set. How many sweeps will there be? Will we see a historic rise in the neutral environment of the NBA’s Florida bubble?
Our experts make their predictions for the West play-in and every matchup of first round.
MORE: What you need to know for the 2020 playoffs | Complete playoff schedule
Note: Memphis must beat Portland twice to advance. The winning play-off will have to do with the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in Round 1. Picks from experts for Western Conference 1 vs. 8 matchups will be added after the play-in round.
Jerry Bembry: Trail Blazers
Nick DePaula: Trail Blazers
Nick Friedell: Trail Blazers
Andrew Han: Trail Blazers
Andrew Lopez: Trail Blazers
Tim MacMahon: Trail Blazers
Bobby Marks: Trail Blazers
Dave McMenamin: Trail Blazers
Kevin Pelton: Trail Blazers
Jorge Sedano: Trail Blazers
Ramona Shelburne: Trail Blazers
Other ‘Snellings: Trail Blazers
Marc Spears: Trail Blazers
Eric Woodyard: Trail Blazers
Royce Young: Trail Blazers
Ohm Youngmisuk: Trail Blazers
Integer: Trail Blazers (16).
MORE: Why the Grizzlies have a chance to outsmart the Blazers 
Jerry Bembry: Outside in 5
Nick DePaula: Outside in 5
Nick Friedell: Bucks in 4
Andrew Han: Bucks in 4
Andrew Lopez: Bucks in 4
Tim MacMahon: Bucks in 4
Bobby Marks: Bucks in 4
Dave McMenamin: Bucks in 4
Kevin Pelton: Bucks in 4
Jorge Sedano: Bucks in 4
Ramona Shelburne: Outside in 5
Other ‘Snellings: Bucks in 4
Marc Spears: Outside in 5
Eric Woodyard: Bucks in 4
Royce Young: Bucks in 4
Ohm Youngmisuk: Bucks in 4
Integer: Bucks (16).
Jerry Bembry: Raptors in 5
Nick DePaula: Raptors in 5
Nick Friedell: Raptors in 4
Andrew Han: Raptors in 5
Andrew Lopez: Raptors in 5
Tim MacMahon: Raptors in 4
Bobby Marks: Raptors in 4
Dave McMenamin: Raptors in 5
Kevin Pelton: Raptors in 4
Jorge Sedano: Raptors in 5
Ramona Shelburne: Raptors in 5
Other ‘Snellings: Raptors in 4
Marc Spears: Raptors in 5
Eric Woodyard: Raptors in 5
Royce Young: Raptors in 5
Ohm Youngmisuk: Raptors in 5
Integer: Raptors (16).
Jerry Bembry: Celtics in 6
Nick DePaula: Celtics in 5
Nick Friedell: Celtics in 5
Andrew Han: Celtics in 6
Andrew Lopez: Celtics in 6
Tim MacMahon: Celtics in 6
Bobby Marks: Celtics in 5
Dave McMenamin: Celtics in 5
Kevin Pelton: Celtics in 5
Jorge Sedano: Celtics in 6
Ramona Shelburne: Celtics in 6
Other ‘Snellings: Celtics in 6
Marc Spears: Celtics in 6
Eric Woodyard: Celtics in 6
Royce Young: Celtics in 6
Ohm Youngmisuk: Celtics in 5
Integer: Celtics (16).
Jerry Bembry: Warm in 6
Nick DePaula: Warm in 6
Nick Friedell: Warm in 5
Andrew Han: Warm in 6
Andrew Lopez: Warm in 6
Tim MacMahon: Warm in 6
Bobby Marks: Warm in 7
Dave McMenamin: Warm in 5
Kevin Pelton: Warm in 6
Jorge Sedano: Warm in 5
Ramona Shelburne: Warm in 6
Other ‘Snellings: Warm in 6
Marc Spears: Warm in 6
Eric Woodyard: Warm in 6
Royce Young: Warm in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Warm in 6
Integer: Heat (16).
Jerry Bembry: Clippers in 6
Nick DePaula: Clippers in 6
Nick Friedell: Clippers in 5
Andrew Han: Clippers in 5
Andrew Lopez: Clippers in 6
Tim MacMahon: Clippers in 6
Bobby Marks: Clippers in 5
Dave McMenamin: Clippers in 6
Kevin Pelton: Clippers in 5
Jorge Sedano: Clippers in 5
Ramona Shelburne: Clippers in 5
Other ‘Snellings: Clippers in 6
Marc Spears: Clippers in 6
Eric Woodyard: Clippers in 5
Royce Young: Clippers in 6
Ohm Youngmisuk: Clippers in 5
Integer: Clippers (16).
Jerry Bembry: Nuggets in 5
Nick DePaula: Nuggets in 6
Nick Friedell: Nuggets in 7
Andrew Han: Nuggets in 6
Andrew Lopez: Nuggets in 5
Tim MacMahon: Nuggets in 7
Bobby Marks: Nuggets in 7
Dave McMenamin: Nuggets in 5
Kevin Pelton: Nuggets in 7
Jorge Sedano: Nuggets in 6
Ramona Shelburne: Nuggets in 6
Other ‘Snellings: Nuggets in 6
Marc Spears: Nuggets in 7
Eric Woodyard: Nuggets in 7
Royce Young: Nuggets in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Nuggets in 6
Integer: Nuggets (16).
Jerry Bembry: Thunder in 6
Nick DePaula: Thunder in 6
Nick Friedell: Rockets in 6
Andrew Han: Rockets in 7
Andrew Lopez: Rockets in 7
Tim MacMahon: Thunder in 7
Bobby Marks: Thunder in 6
Dave McMenamin: Rockets in 6
Kevin Pelton: Rockets in 6
Jorge Sedano: Rockets in 6
Ramona Shelburne: Rockets in 6
Other ‘Snellings: Rockets in 6
Marc Spears: Thunder in 7
Eric Woodyard: Rockets in 6
Royce Young: Thunder in 7
Ohm Youngmisuk: Rockets in 7
Integer: Rockets (10), thunder (6).
.
