Eastern Conference
(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) Milwaukee Bucks
Brandon Jennings was quoted earlier saying he believes the Bucks will take out the almighty Heat in six games in this opening round series. I just cannot see it happening. With the Heat clearly the team to beat entering the 2013 NBA playoffs and the Bucks losers in seven of their last ten games, I would be surprised to not see LeBron James and the Heat marching easily into the second round.
Prediction: Heat in 4
(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Boston Celtics
This first round match-up features two of the league’s most storied franchises and has the makings to be the best series in the first round of the playoffs this year. What makes this series so intriguing, despite Rajon Rondo’s season ending knee injury, the Celtics do not have the feel of a seven seed. Led by future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and one of the top coaches in the league, Doc Rivers, Boston will make this a close series. Is Jeff Green going to be the Jeff Green who exploded for 43 against the Miami Heat last month, or the Jeff Green who tends to disappear and fails to assert himself in some games? Green presence will be a huge key for the Celtics in this series. However, the Knicks and forward Carmelo Anthony are playing their best basketball of the season and Tyson Chandler’s presence becomes a huge factor in the playoffs when the game slows down and each possession becomes crucial (see Dallas Mavericks 2010-11). I think Carmelo is simply to hot right now to be stopped. Anthony is averaging 36.9 points per game this month. I like Carmelo Anthony to continue on his scoring roll and to win his second playoff series in his career in this one.
Prediction: Knicks in 6
(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks
It has been a weird season for the Indiana Pacers. Starting the season without star Danny Granger, the expectations were not very high. However, Paul George has been one of the most improved players in the league in going from the Pacers second option to THE guy and the team looked promising. They looked like a team who could give the Heat a battle in a playoff series when Granger returned. But after returning and playing in only five games, Granger was sidelined for they year to have knee surgery. Pacers still ended up with a favorable match-up against the Hawks. I would much rather play the Hawks then the Celtics. Paul George will be the best player on the court, but I think the best match-up to watch will be at the center position, which has Roy Hibbert and the highly under appreciated Al Horford going head to head. The teams seem pretty even on paper and I think it will be played relatively evenly, but Paul George and having homecourt advantage gives the Paces the edge over the Hawks in this one.
Prediction: Pacers in 7
(4) Brooklyn Nets vs. (5) Chicago Bulls
This series is going to be a battle. Even without Derek Rose all year, the Bulls had a solid season and grabbed the fifth seed by playing excellent defense and seemingly always playing harder then their opponents. Joakim Noah is a big part of the Bulls have been able to be in the position they are going into the playoffs. But, things are not looking good for Noah as the playoffs are about to begin. Noah has been deemed doubtful for Game 1 of this series from a lingering foot injury. This means trouble for the Chicago Bulls. With the injury I believe the Nets become the clear favorite in this series. Deron Williams is finally playing like the Utah Deron Williams, averaging 22.9 ponts per game along with 8.1 assists in his last 15 games and Brook Lopez is quietly one of the best offense of centers in the league. Noah not being fully healthy is going to help Lopez get easier looks around the basket. The Bulls are a solid team coached by a coach who preaches defense and hard-work in Tom Thibodeau, and will win a couple games in this series because of that, but with Noah nagged by injuries, the Nets will have the three best players on the court at all times in Williams, Lopez and Joe Johnson. Really would like to series with a healthy Joakim Noah, but without him I give the Nets the edge.
Prediction: Nets in 6
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Houston Rockets
It is only right that the Oklahoma City Thunder have to go through the guy they traded away to start the season en route to trying to overcome last seasons finals lost. James Harden and the Houston Rockets lost to the LA Lakers earlier in the week making them the eighth seed and setting them up with a match-up against the Thunder. That is not what they wanted. The season series is 2-1 with the Thunder winning their two games by an average of 26 points. Everything about this match-up gives the advantage to the Thunder. Houston gives up the 26th most points in the league, while the Thunder score the 3rd most. Jeremy Lin is notorious for being a weak defender and allowed Steve Blake to score 24 points in their regular season finale. Imagine what Russell Westbrook will do against him. Houston may have to use reserve guard Patrick Beverley, a much better on ball defender, to counter Westbrook’s offensive ability. This will hinder their offense. The Rockets will have to pick their wounds throughout this series. The Thunder also have the second best player in the league in Kevin Durant. I think the Rockets will have a shot in a game or two if they get hot from three point land, which they are highly capable of, and because they are second in the league in points per game. Other than that, James Harden will not have the same playoff success he endured in last year’s playoffs.
Prediction: Thunder in 5
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers
Well, the Los Angeles Lakers are in the playoffs. For what was such an up and down season for them, the Lakers are in a much better position now then they would have been had they lost to the Rockets and had to face the Thunder. The Spurs are a much better match-up for the Lakers. This is mostly due to some untimely injuries to many key Spurs. Guard Manu Ginobli has missed many games and even though he returned for their season finale against Minnesota, you have to wonder if he is 100%. Forward Kawhi Leonard and guard Tony Parker have been banged up recently resulting in San Antonio losing 8 of their final 13. The Lakers, on the other hand, have look good even with no Kobe Bryant, who is out for the year with an Achilles injury. It took 80 games, but Mike D’Antoni and the Lakers have finally figured out how to utilize Pau Gasol. It was on full display in the Lakers 99-95 win over Houston as Gasol recorded 17 points, 20 rebounds, and 11 assists. However, it is hard to see guard Steve Blake continue scoring around 23 points per game, as he has done in the last two games, for a whole series. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has been resting players throughout the year for the playoff grind and they will be ready. The Lakers will have a chance to win a couple games in this series because of their inside force, but no go-to perimeter scorer is going to haunt them. The Spurs led by the coaching prowess of Popovich and All-Stars Tony Parker and Tim Duncan should come out on top in this series.
Prediction: Spurs in 5
(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Golden State Warriors
This series is going to be fun. It is going to be a lot of fun actually. Two of the most high powered offenses in the league. Both teams play in front of some of the best fans in the NBA. We could have multiple shootouts in this series in which both teams go off for 120 plus points. Nuggets vs. Warriors has the makings to be a series to remember. Denver would be the favorite by most barring injuries. However, the Nuggets are another team bothered by injuries entering the playoffs. Danilo Gallinari is not available after tearing his ACL recently, and high energy guy Kenneth Faried may miss Game 1 with an ankle injury and will most likely not be 100% for the series. But the Nuggets are 38-3 at home this season. That could be the deciding factor The Nuggets simply do not lose at home and it is hard to see that happening at this point in the year. Despite Steph Curry being one of the best shooters the NBA has seen in a long time and David Lee leading the league in double-doubles (56), the superstar-less Nuggets led by Ty Lawson and a complete team first style of basketball (lead league in points and 3rd in assists) should come out of this series victorious.
Predicition: Nuggets in 7
(4) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (5) Memphis Grizzles
In a rematch of last years first round battle, this one looks like it could be going to seven games as well. The Clippers were seen as legit threat for most of the year, then people started to back off them with talk on some chemistry issues is the locker room and going 7-7 in the month of March. However, they are 7-1 in April and are starting to look like the team that they appear on paper. The Grizzles are a team that does not jump out on paper, especially after they traded forward Rudy Gay, but a frontline of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph is one of the league’s best and those two, particularly Gasol, anchor the best defense in the league. They have a balanced offensive attack with three players averaging over 14 points per game. The Clippers should win this series with All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jamal Crawford. Marc Gasol is the difference though. The “other” Gasol has made a case for All-NBA First Team and Defensive Player of the Year this season and effects every aspect of the game with his unique skillset for a big man. He will leave his impact on a series that looks like will be a repeat of last year, except with the Grizzles advancing.
Prediction: Grizzles in 7
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