The 2023 NBA Eastern and Western conference finals are a return of the 2020 Orlando bubble conference finals.
Miami vs. Boston.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver.
The Lakers defeated the Heat in three seasons ago, but those two teams are the underdog in this year’s series against the Nuggets and Celtics, who are playing the Heat in the conference finals for the third time in four seasons.
All four teams have gone through changes, but the mainstays remains: The Lakers still have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and the Nuggets are back with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.
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Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart have significant playoff experience, including for the Celtics in the bubble, and the Heat’s Jimmy Butler enhanced his status as a playoff star in 2020, did the same last season and is doing it again this season.
Here are the schedules, TV info and predictions for both series:
Eastern Conference finals
* If necessary
No. 8 Miami vs. No. 2 Boston
Game 1, Wednesday: Miami at Boston, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2, Friday: Miami at Boston, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3, Sunday: Boston at Miami, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4, May 23: Boston at Miami, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
* Game 5, May 25: Miami at Boston, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
* Game 6, May 27: Boston at Miami, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
* Game 7, May 29: Miami at Boston, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Seasons series tied 2-2
Prediction: Celtics in six
Western Conference finals
* If necessary
No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 1 Denver
Game 1, Tuesday: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2, Thursday: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 3, Saturday: Denver at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 4, May 22: Denver at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
* Game 5, May 24: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
* Game 6, May 26: Denver at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
* Game 7, May 28: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Season series tied 2-2.
Prediction: Nuggets in seven
