Hollinger and Duncan Project Celtics, Nuggets to Meet in 2026 NBA Finals

John Hollinger and Nate Duncan of Dunc’d On Prime have made their bold predictions for the 2026 NBA playoffs, projecting the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets to clash in the NBA Finals. The duo ranked every first-round series and beyond, picking winners in each round and identifying key storylines, matchups, and breakout candidates. With the league shaping up for another competitive postseason, the 2026 playoffs look to be a mix of grueling matchups and emerging stars.

The Celtics and Nuggets are projected to meet in the Finals after sweeping through their respective conferences. Boston’s depth and consistency give them an edge in the East, while Denver’s core of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray remains the most dangerous in the West. The projected Finals MVP is Jokic, who averaged 28.7 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 9.1 assists this season.

The most interesting series is the projected Western Conference Finals between the Nuggets and Lakers, which could feature a historic Jokic vs. LeBron James matchup. The least interesting series is the first-round clash between the 76ers and Magic, where Philadelphia’s star power is expected to dominate.

For individual matchups, the battle between Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant is highlighted as the best one-on-one duel. Durant, coming off a season with 31.3 points per game, faces a high-stakes challenge against the Mavericks’ young star. Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo is deemed to have the toughest matchup, likely facing Jokic in a physical and strategic test.

Conversely, LeBron James is projected to face the easiest matchup in the Eastern Conference, with his team expected to avoid top-tier competition until the Finals. The coaching matchup between Mike Malone and Erik Spoelstra is called the best, while the pairing of Ty Lue and Ime Udoka is labeled the biggest mismatch.

The series with the most variables is the projected Phoenix Suns vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the second round, where injuries and in-game adjustments could swing the series. The rotation player most likely to have his role cut is Boston’s Sam Hauser, while the deep rotation player who could emerge is Denver’s Aron Baynes.

The most important non-star player is projected to be Boston’s Payton Pritchard, who averaged 12.4 points and 5.1 assists this season. The best playoff defense is given to the Celtics, who held opponents to just 108.3 points per game this season, while the best playoff offense is the Nuggets, who averaged 121.8 points per game.

The projected first-round MVP is Jayson Tatum, who led the Celtics in scoring with 27.3 points per game.

The next episode of Dunc’d On Prime will break down the full playoff projections and highlight the most compelling storylines to follow as the 2026 season approaches.