5-On-5 Roundtable: Conference Semifinals Predictions

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Feb 23, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) drives to the basket against Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Welcome back to the Hoops Habit Roundtable! For the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs, five of our writers made some predictions for each playoff series in the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Now that the conference semifinals matchups are officially set, we’re back to do it again. Before we get started, let’s take a look at how everyone fared in their first round predictions (SPOILER ALERT – We’re all super unique):

Michael Dunlap, Hoops Habit Editor-in-Chief: 6-2

Phil Watson, Hoops Habit Assistant Editor: 6-2

Gerald Bourguet, Hoops Habit Assistant (To The Regional) Editor: 6-2

Shane Young, Hoops Habit Staff Writer: 6-2

Nathan Giese, Hoops Habit Staff Writer: 6-2

The first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs was like if you stretched the first weekend of March Madness into two weeks of pure basketball goodness. There were more four-point plays, overtimes, Game 7s, F-bombs, suspension controversies and Mike Scott sightings than we’ve ever seen in a first round. Coming off one of the greatest and most competitive opening rounds in NBA history, we can only hope the conference semifinals continue the trend.

Are the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder back to their top of the food chain ways? Will LeBron James get his revenge on Mason Plumlee? Are the Indiana Pacers a good team still or will the Washington Wizards walk all over them? And just how many four-point plays can we expect out of ~~Jamal Craw4d~~ Jamal Crawford? Here’s what our writers have to say in their conference semifinals predictions, starting with the East.