NBA playoffs preview

Western Conference #1 Rockets (65-17) #8 Timberwolves (47-35) Season: Rockets 4-0

Key stats: The Rockets were 42-3 when James Harden, Chris Paul and Clint Capela played. The Timberwolves ended the NBA’s longest playoff drought at 14 years by beating the Nuggets in overtime Wednesday.

Outlook: The Timberwolves’ breakthrough is quelled by this matchup, pitting their middling defense and second-worst opponent field-goal percentage (47.5) against the Rockets’ juggernaut offense. Jimmy Butler is back, and that is essential because the Timberwolves were 10-13without the two-way star. It has been a franchise-record offensive season, but the Timberwolves don’t have the 3-point shooting to hang with the Rockets, especially with Eric Gordon getting hot after the All-Star break. Losing Luc Mbah a Moute to a shoulder dislocation for at least the first round is a defensive blow, but the Rockets starting lineup has fared well with stopper P.J. Tucker.

Pick: Rockets in five.

#2 Warriors (58-24) #7 Spurs (47-35) Season: Warriors 3-1

Key stats: The Warriors average 14.4 fewer points per 100 possessions without Stephen Curry. The Spurs are the first playoff team with only one player averaging 12 or more points since George Mikan’s 1953-54 Lakers.

Outlook: It’s a rematch of last year’s conference finals, which shifted once Kawhi Leonard was hurt in Game 1. Leonard remains out, leaving LaMarcus Aldridge to lead the Spurs after he shot only 41 percent in last year’s series. The Warriors likely will be without Curry (knee) for the series and went 17-14 without him this season. They stumbled to a 7-10 finish with G League call-up Quinn Cook starting in place of Curry but remain positioned to vie for a third title in four years. The Spurs rank fourth in defensive rating, but Leonard was the best matchup against Kevin Durant. The Spurs have an 11-game home winning streak and eight-game road losing streak.

Pick: Warriors in six.

#3 Trail Blazers (49-33) #6 Pelicans (48-34) Season: 2-2

Key stats: The Blazers won 21 of their final 24 home games. The Pelicans averaged 121.2 points in their final five games, winning them by an average of 18.

Outlook: The Pelicans changed into the NBA’s fastest-paced team after losing DeMarcus Cousins in January. Anthony Davis, now at center, and Jrue Holiday, now at shooting guard, got help from forward Nikola Mirotic, who is even better since shaving his beard (21.9 ppg in seven games). The Pelicans go from a No. 5 defensive rating with Holiday on the court to No. 30 without him. The Blazers surged to the third seed with a 13-game winning streak but had a 5-7 finish. The Damian Lillard-C.J. McCollum backcourt averaged 48 points. Jusuf Nurkic, injured at this time last year, helped improve the defense and has four double-doubles in his last five games.

Pick: Blazers in seven.

#4 Thunder (48-34) #5 Jazz (48-34) Season: Thunder 3-1

Key stats: The Thunder had the NBA’s best record (6-3) against the league’s top three teams — the Rockets, Warriors and Raptors. The Jazz led the NBA in average scoring margin (plus-9.3) after the All-Star break.

Outlook: The matchup has the intrigue of the Thunder’s star-studded potential against the Jazz’s young phenoms. The Thunder teamed Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony for this, and it needs to work for them to keep George. The team buy-in is there. Westbrook went from NBA scoring leader to NBA assist leader. The Thunder hustle like crazy to lead the league in deflections, 50/50 balls, offensive rebounds and turnovers created. The Jazz counter with a defense that ranked first in the 56 games Rudy Gobert played. Donovan Mitchell is the first rookie to lead a playoff team in scoring (20.5 ppg) since Anthony in 2003-04.

Pick: Jazz in six.

Eastern Conference #1 Raptors (59-23) #8 Wizards (43-39) Season: 2-2

Key stats: The Raptors rank fourth in the NBA in bench points per game (47.7) after finishing 26th the previous two seasons. Wizards forward Otto Porter has a better plus-minus (plus-5.2 per 100 possessions) than John Wall or Bradley Beal.

Outlook: Among playoff teams, only the Warriors backcourt has started together as long as the Raptors’ Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan and the Wizards’ Wall and Beal. This is proving ground for Lowry and DeRozan after fading in past postseasons, including a nine-game losing streak in series openers. The Raptors maintain leads without them better because their revamped offense increased 3-pointers and decreased isolation play. The Raptors boast a top-five offense and defense with the East’s most blocked shots. The Wizards lost 14 of their final 21 but went 2-2 with Wall, who shook off two months of rust to average 28.5 points and 13 assists in the final two games.

Pick: Raptors in five. #2 Celtics (55-27) #7 Bucks (44-38) Season: 2-2

Key stats: The Celtics led the NBA in defensive rating, giving up 101.5 points per 100 possessions. The Bucks ranked last in rebounds per game (39.8) but second in forcing turnovers (15.6).

Outlook: Each team adjusted on the fly, but the Celtics handled more adversity, losing Gordon Hayward early and Kyrie Irving late. The Celtics lean on defense but also rank second in 3-point shooting with rookie Jayson Tatum and Al Horford finishing in the NBA’s top 10. Their offense relies on youth, and Tatum, Terry Rozier and Jaylen Brown closed the season strong. This is Giannis Antetokounmpo’s third try at advancing the Bucks in the postseason for the first time since 2001. The Bucks fired coach Jason Kidd, traded for Eric Bledsoe and welcomed back Jabari Parker, and they clicked for the NBA’s third-best offensive rating over the last month.

Pick: Celtics in six.

#3 76ers (52-30) #6 Heat (44-38) Season: 2-2

Key stats: The 76ers’ 16-game winning streak is the longest in NBA history entering the playoffs. The Heat played nine overtime games and won six one-point games.

Outlook: Joel Embiid (orbital fracture) might not be available early in the series to continue his feud with Heat center Hassan Whiteside, but the 76ers won their last eight games without him. Embiid is essential to a deep run as a reliable post-up scorer and the anchor of a defense that held opponents to an NBA-low 43.4 percent shooting. The 76ers starting five outscored opponents by 21.4 points per 100 minutes. The Heat counter with the balance of an NBA-high nine double-digit scorers, grit and the tactical nuances of coach Erik Spoelstra, who goes against Brett Brown in his head coaching playoff debut.

Pick: 76ers in seven.

#4 Cavaliers (50-32) #5 Pacers (48-34) Season: Pacers 3-1

Key stats: The Cavaliers went 39-0 when leading after three quarters. Since Jan. 6, the Pacers have led the NBA in opponent turnovers and ranked fourth in scoring defense.

Outlook: It’s a rematch from last year, when the Cavaliers won in a sweep decided by a total of 16 points. The casts are much different with LeBron James carrying a retooled roster. The playoffs are new to Cavaliers such as Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson, but veterans Kevin Love, Jeff Green and J.R. Smith have played well lately. Only the Suns ranked behind the Cavaliers in defensive rating. The Cavaliers’ first step toward a fourth straight Finals trip involves handling Victor Oladipo, who averaged career highs in points (23.1), rebounds (5.2), assists (4.3) and steals (NBA-high 2.4). Darren Collison led the NBA in 3-point accuracy (46.8 percent) and assist-to-turnover ratio (4.28 to 1).

Pick: Cavaliers in five.