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          Predicting the most likely and most competitive NBA first-round series

          How likely is a Rockets-Thunder first-round matchup? Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images
          • Neil JohnsonMar 26, 2017, 11:49 AM
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            • Analytics developer at ESPN
            • Ohio native and Ohio State University graduate
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          With only a few weeks left in the regular season, what are the most likely first-round playoff matchups? And which ones will be the most competitive?

          Here are the five likeliest series according to ESPN's Basketball Power Index (BPI), ranked by how close they projected to be.