NBA Conference Finals preview

With the NBA Playoffs second round coming to an end last weekend, four teams remain on their quest for championship glory.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers take on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the West, while Jimmy Butler's Miami Heat take on a Jayson Tatum led Boston Celtics team in the East.

Let's look at each team's journey to the NBA Conference Finals!

After starting the season 2-10 and making the playoffs by beating Minnesota in the play-in tournament, LA has defeated second-seed Memphis and last year's champions, Golden State Warriors, in six games to progress to the conference finals.

Top-seed Denver breezed past the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening round, defeating them 4-1. However, they were tested till the end against the Kevin Durant and Devin Booker-led Phoenix Suns, securing a series-clinching victory in game six of the second round.

The Miami Heat came into the NBA Playoffs as massive outsiders, playing first-seed Milwaukee in the first round. Despite that, The Heat have transformed their offense in the postseason, beating The Bucks 4-1 and defeating the New York Knicks in six games.

A 51-point night for Jayson Tatum helped Boston overcome the Philadelphia 76ers in game seven of the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-finals, setting up a clash with the Miami Heat. The Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks in the opening round 4-2.

Here's what to expect from both games!

The defense will be key for the Los Angeles Lakers if they have any serious chance of beating the Denver Nuggets. Elite defenders Jarrard Vanderbilt and Anthony Davis were huge in keeping The Warriors to an average of 109.8 points last series and will need to do something similar in this matchup.

With two-time MVP Nikola Jokic running the offensive show and his supporting cast of Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all in red-hot form, The Nuggets have an offensive threat like no other and boast a serious chance of making their first-ever NBA Finals.

Despite the brilliance of Jokic and his team, it's hard to overlook LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who look hungrier than their first title together in 2020. James is averaging 23/10/5, while Davis is averaging 21/14/3 and leading the league in rebounds and blocks.

On paper, it should be Denver who wins, coming into the game as the first seed against The Lakers as the seventh seed. However, it's hard to overlook the transformation over the last few months in The Lakers camp and LeBron James, LA in seven.

In a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat face the Boston Celtics as The Heat try to carry on their remarkable run from the eighth seed to the NBA Finals.

The Heat's Jimmy Butler has been exceptional this postseason, with his dogged defensive ability and production on the offensive end (31 ppg). For The Celtics, it's Jayson Tatum, who is trying to lead his team to another NBA Finals and comes into the series off a 51-point night in game seven.

The Celtics have the best team remaining in the NBA, with stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown complemented by former Defensive Player of The Year Marcus Smart, Al Horford, and Robert Williams. If Boston loses themselves, Miami will come hunting for them in the series.

The Heat looks like a different team from what they were in the regular season. Nevertheless, Boston is far more talented in every department and should take care of business here, Celtics in five.