AND now that the 2021 NBA playoffs are already here, it’s time to take another hard look at the first-round matchups guaranteed to keep the loyal fans up to their feet, with smiles on their faces.

Defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and the superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis are back in the playoffs, although as No. 7 seed making it through the four-team play-in in the wild, wild West.

The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler are also back in the East as the No. 6 seed hoping to duplicate their success last season.

But the contenders in both confences have also arrived in the playoffs armed to the teeth and ready to take over.

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. 8 Washington Wizards.

Regular season: Philadelphia wins series, 3-0.

As the East’s top team with 49-23 win-loss record and NBA MVP candidate Joel Embiid at the helm, the 76ers should have an easy path to the second round.

The 76ers have also won all three regular season games against the Wizards, 113-107′ 141-136 and 127-101.

In fact, some NBA experts are talking about a sweep by the 76ers against the Wizards, who will enter the post-season with the worst record at 34-38.

Embiid (38.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg) is the biggest reason.

Except for a brief stretch, the 76ers have been the best team in the East all season and a healthy Embiid has much to do with it.

The 27-year-old Embiid should bully his way against Robin Lopez and Washington’s second-tier defenders. So dominant was Embiid that he averaged 30 points on 60.4 percent shooting in all three 76ers’ victories.

His supporting cast of Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, Dwight Howard and Danny Green should also make the 76ers far more superior than the Wizards.

..Russell Westbrook, the new NBA’s Mr. Triple Double, and Bradley Beal, who finished second to Stephen Curry as NBA scoring leader, should make it fun, however.

Westbrook and Bradley have shown they can take over any given game, especially after the All-Star break.

Our pick: 76ers in six

No. 2 Brooklyn Nets vs. No. 7 Boston Celtics.

Regular season: Broolyn wins series, 3-0.

Brooklyn and its “Big Three” of Kevin Durant Kyrie Irving and James Harden should be favored against a Jaylen Brown-less Boston team that struggled hard to the finish as the No. 7 seed.

With Durant (26.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 5.6 apg), Irving (26.9 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.8 rpg) and Harden (24.6 ppg, 10.8 apg, 7.9 rpg) in the line-up, the Nets are built not just to compete but to win the championships.

The superstar trio played together for just the second time since Feb. 15 and combined for 82 poinrs in Brooklyn’s 104-93 win over Boston in their series opener.

The Celtics’ biggest hopes of a monumenral upset are Jayson Tatum (26.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 4.3 apg) and Kemba Walker (19.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.0 apg).

Tatum is capable of producing big numbers on any given night like the 50-point explosion he had against the Wizards.in their play-in battle last May 19.

Brown’s absence, however, .is expected to make life a lot more difficult for the Celtics, especially on the defensive end.

Pick: Nets in five.

No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Miami Heat

Regular season: Milwaukee wins series, 2-1.

In much-awaited rematch of last season’s showdown, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are tipped to exact sweet revenge against Butler and the Heat.

There are two reasons given by analysts in picking the third-seeded Bucks over the sixth-ranked Heat.

First, the Bucks are better-prepared and better-equipped to handle the Heat now than they were in the previous season.

Second and more importantly the Bucks now have Jrue Holiday, who could really be the difference-maker.

Butler, Bam Adebsyo and Miami’s banged-up crew are not nearly as good as they were last season and coach Eric Spoelstra really has work cut out for him.

Pick: Bucks in six.

No. 4 New York Knicks vs. No. 5 Atlanta Hawks

Regular season: New Yor wins series, 3-0.

Of the four first-round playoff matchups, the Knicks-Hawks durl should be close and interesting.

But New York should get this one mainly because of Most Improved Player candidate Julius Randle,who averaged 37.4 points and 12.3 rebounds in all three Knicks victories over the Hawks in the regular season.

Unless Hawks superstarbTrae Young can do something really special, Madison Square Garden should be rocking again.

Pick: Knicks in six.

Next: Western Conference

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