The second round of the NBA playoffs are underway, after a very interesting first round in which a Swarm AI made up of basketball fans posted a 6-2 record. With Eastern Conference play getting underway tonight, Unanimous AI researchers brought together a similar group of fans to look at the lay of the land in the playoff landscape as it sits with the smoke clear from round one.

When Unanimous runs different swarms throughout an entire post-season tournament, it serves a couple of purposes. A later swarm can either re-affirm the findings of an earlier swarm or it can offer a contrary view. The key factor with either of those outcomes is that the first-round games become important new data points to consider.

As an illustration, last week a swarm of hockey fans largely confirmed the results of the first round NHL playoffs swarm. Today’s NBA playoff swarm, however, saw enough in the first-round games to change their opinion on a couple of previous forecasts – especially in the Eastern Conference.

Last week the swarm picked Boston and Toronto as the biggest forces in the Eastern Conference playoffs. After seeing the Celtics struggle to get past Milwaukee and after seeing Lebron James play some of the best basketball of his storied career, things have changed. For one thing, as the replay above demonstrates, the group are now firmly trusting “The Process” in Philadelphia. In fact, they predict the exciting young Sixers team will break through to the finals.

In the Western Conference, despite upsets by the Pelicans and Jazz in the first round, the swarm’s opinion is still strongly in favor of a collision-course conference final between Houston and Golden State. If fans get that coveted matchup, the replay above confirms an earlier swarm and suggests the Rockets will dethrone the reigning champions.

Every week, Unanimous AI publishes predictions made by its Swarm AI platform. Want to have those picks delivered to your inbox? 

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