Keys to matchups
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 8 Detroit Bucks win if ... they play the brand of basketball they played all regular season. They’re the No. 1 overall seed for a reason, and lack of playoff success in recent years should have no impact on what they’re able to accomplish this time around.
Pistons win if ... Blake Griffin (who’s dealing with knee soreness) and Andre Drummond are the second- and thirdbest players in the series. The Pistons also have to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo, limit the Bucks’ 3-pointers and dominate the offensive glass. If all of those things happen, they’ll have a shot.
Need to know
❚ Bucks — Finished the regular season ranked first in the NBA with a net rating of +8.6.
❚ Pistons — Lost seven of their final 11 regular-season games.
No. 4 Boston vs. No. 5 Indiana Celtics win if ... Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum play to their potential. The Celtics have been inconsistent all season, and, as simple as it sounds, they need their best players to play their best basketball. Pacers win if ... they can score consistently against Boston’s sixth-ranked defense. Indiana is ranked No. 18 in offense and will need their balanced scoring, depth and ball movement to excel.
Need to know
❚ Celtics — Irving is one of three players to average at least 23 points, six assists and five rebounds this season.
❚ Pacers — Seven players average double-digit points per game, led by Bojan Bogdanovic (18) and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Domantas Sabonis (14.1 points, 9.3 rebounds). No. 3 Philadelphia vs. No. 6 Brooklyn Sixers win if ... Ben Simmons, J.J. Redick, Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid find a groove as a group. They have played just 161 minutes together this season.
Nets win if ... they can defend Embiid in the low post and Harris, Butler and Redick on the perimeter. It will take a team effort, but the Nets have the personnel to make things difficult. If Embiid’s knee soreness is more serious, all bets are off.
Need to know
❚ Sixers – Redick made 240 3-pointers this season, the fourth time in five seasons he has made at least 200.
❚ Nets – D’Angelo Russell was one of just two players this season to average at least 20 points and seven assists with 200 3-pointers made.
No. 2 Toronto vs. No. 7 Orlando Raptors win if ... the ghost of playoffs past doesn’t haunt them. This is one of the best teams in franchise history.
Magic win if ... absolutely everything goes right. The Raptors are more experienced and more talented.
Need to know
❚ Raptors — Kyle Lowry, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka have played a combined 417 playoff games in their careers.
❚ Magic — Nikola Vucevic was one of five players to average at least 20 points, 12 rebounds and three assists.