What's Wright - Nick Wright's NBA Playoff + Awards Predictions: Will Lakers SURVIVE Rockets? Celtics-Nuggets Finals?

The Herd with Colin Cowherd32mApril 18, 2026

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AI-Generated Summary

Nick Wright delivers his comprehensive NBA playoff predictions and awards ballot on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, breaking down series outcomes, bracket projections, and player accolades. He predicts the Houston Rockets will defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in six games, despite LeBron James' individual brilliance, citing the Rockets' depth and Luka Doncic's potential return. Wright projects a Western Conference Finals showdown between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets, with the Nuggets ultimately winning in seven games to end OKC's title defense. In the East, he foresees Boston defeating Detroit in six games, setting up a Celtics-Nuggets NBA Finals. Wright's MVP ballot places Shai Gilgeous-Alexander first, followed by Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Cade Cunningham, with Jalen Brown and Jalen Brunson as honorable mentions. He also details his All-NBA team selections, award picks, and playoff MVP projections, emphasizing the importance of team success, impact, and clutch performance. The episode concludes with a spirited debate with co-host Demondze Wright over bracket differences and a reminder to listeners to engage with sponsors.

Key Takeaways
1

Houston Rockets will defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in six games, with Luka Doncic potentially returning for Game 6.

2

Denver Nuggets will upset the Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game Western Conference Finals series.

3

Boston Celtics will defeat the Detroit Pistons in six games to reach the NBA Finals.

4

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is Wright's top choice for MVP, followed by Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

5

Cade Cunningham's eligibility for awards is a major factor in Wright's All-NBA team selections.

…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus

Chapters
0:00
6 min

Intro & Sponsor: Love Trapped & Rorschach

The episode begins with promos for iHeart podcasts 'Love Trapped' and 'Rorschach: Murder at City Hall,' followed by a tech-focused segment on 'Mostly Human' featuring OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. These are unrelated to the NBA content and serve as pre-roll advertising.

6:10
4 min

NBA Playoff Predictions: Western Conference

Nick Wright outlines his predictions for the Western Conference playoffs, including OKC sweeping Phoenix or Golden State, Spurs defeating Portland in five games, Denver beating Minnesota in six, and Houston defeating the Lakers in six games. He emphasizes the Rockets' depth and the potential for Luka Doncic's return.

10:00
5 min

Eastern Conference & Round 2 Predictions

Wright projects Detroit sweeping Orlando-Charlotte, Boston defeating Philadelphia in six games, and the Knicks narrowly defeating the Hawks in seven. He also predicts Cleveland defeating Toronto in six, with Detroit and Boston advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.

15:00
5 min

Conference Finals & Finals Projection

I think it'd be one of the coolest stories in recent NBA history.

Highlight
20:00
5 min

Bracket Disagreements & Sponsor: Hard Rock Bet

Wright and Demondze discuss their differing bracket picks, including Wright's belief in the Spurs beating the Nuggets and OKC overcoming San Antonio. Hard Rock Bet promotes its sports betting app with a focus on live betting and same-game parlays.

High-Impact Quotes
My highest order bit is to not destroy the world with AI.
Sam Altman1:37
Viral: 90.0
I think it'd be one of the coolest stories in recent NBA history.
Nick Wright36:13
Viral: 85.0
The dude is a tower out there. I think if I was starting a team and I drafted a guy, I would pick Wimby to build around.
Nick Wright28:21
Viral: 75.0
Speakers

Hosts

Nick WrightDemondze Wright
Topics Discussed
NBA Playoff Predictions95%NBA Awards Ballot90%Team Matchups and Series Outcomes85%Player Performance and Value80%Injury Impact and Eligibility75%Coaching and Team Management70%Sports Betting and Odds65%Player Development and Improvement60%
People & Brands

Nick Wright

person

45xNeutral

Demondze Wright

person

30xNeutral

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

person

25xPositive

Nikola Jokic

person

22xPositive

Giannis Antetokounmpo

person

18xPositive

Luka Doncic

person

16xPositive

Cade Cunningham

person

15xPositive

Jalen Brown

person

14xPositive

Jason Tatum

person

13xPositive

Joe Mazzulla

person

12xPositive

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