The first round of the playoffs has some potentially electric match-ups. I'm going to breakdown these match-ups and predict winners for the first round. After the first round is over I will also preview the conference semi-finals.
Here are the playoff match-ups in the East:
#1 Miami Heat vs #8 Milwaukee Bucks:
This is the easiest series to predict by a wide margin. No one is doubting that the Heat will get to the NBA finals so a first round series is basically child's play to a team that ripped off 27 straight wins. Although Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis can be an explosive back court at times, the Heat should have no problem sweeping a team that got into the playoffs with a losing record.
Prediction:
Heat win the series 4-0
#2 New York Knicks vs #7 Boston Celtics:
Arguably the most intriguing first round matchup simply because the Celtics and the Knicks genuinely dislike each other. But although the names are big the Celtics play of late has not been. The Celtic's have lost 13 of their last 20 games. They lost 3 out of the 4 games they played against the Knicks in the regular season so they shouldn't be favored by no means. I think the Celtics were hoping to turn on a "switch" for the playoffs and make a run but I don't see that happening. This series wont be easy for the Knicks but they have been playing too well (winning 16 of their last 18 games) and the Celtics have been to bad.Prediction:
Knicks win the series 4-2
#3 Indiana Pacers vs #6 Atlanta Hawks:
This isn't a glitzy matchup and most people wont want to watch this series and I don't blame them. The visiting team's fans seems to routinely outnumber the amount of Hawks fans in Atlanta so who knows how interested their fans get. I will give props to the Hawks for remaining in the same playoff spot as last year after losing Joe Johnson. Josh Smith and Al Horford really stepped up for the Hawks this season, but they are still the team that gets a 5 or 6 seed and loses in the first round of the playoffs. Indiana is to good defensively and to big in the paint for the Hawks to keep up.
Prediction:
Pacers win the series 4-1
This series is a tough one to predict because I don't know what teams are going to show up. Are the Nets going to play like they have been over the last month? Where Deron Williams has been averaging 27 points a game? or will they play like the Nets that played in the middle of the season that barely impressed anyone? The Bulls are a wildcard because they have the defense to beat any team on any night but have an offense that struggles to score 80 at times. The Bulls did themselves a favor over the last week earning the 5 seed and facing the Nets instead of the Pacers but it's hard to pick them with out many scoring threats. If Derrick Rose finally decides to come back, it could change the outlook of the series completely. Right now though the Nets have a very slight edge.
Prediction:
Nets win the series 4-3
The west will have more entertaining playoff series and will be a lot closer than the East series.
#1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #8 Houston Rockets
What a story this series presents! The Thunder trade Harden to the Rockets and then they earn the #1 seed for the first time since Shawn Kemp led a Seattle Supersonics team in the 90's. Then Harden leads a Rockets team to a surprising playoff berth. Although the Rockets squandered a chance to get as high as the 6th seed by losing to the hapless Suns and the Lakers in their last 2 games they are still a dangerous offensive team. Last time out Harden dropped a 40 point game in route to defeating the Thunder for the first time this year but his efficiency has slipped lately (40 percent shooting the last month). The Thunder handled the Rockets 3 out of the 4 times they played and I expect that to continue. As explosive as the Rockets offense is, they have have no desire to play defense. Thats a big no no against an offensive power house like the Thunder.
Prediction:
Thunder win the series 4-1
#2 San Antonio Spurs vs #7 LA LakersThe Lakers got the one opponent that they actually have a chance with in the first round. They just beat the Spurs a few nights ago in the first game after Kobe Bryant's season ending injury. Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol look refocused over the last few games stepping up for Bryant's absence. In yesterday's game they had a combined 33 points and 38 rebounds between the two. Their monstrous front line is sure to give the Spurs some trouble. The Spurs have limped into the playoffs literally with injuries to Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker resulting in a 4-7 record over their last 10 games. Still it is hard to bet against a Spurs team that is used to the playoffs. The Lakers still don't have Kobe or play defense and Spurs coach Greg Popavich is the best in the game. I think the Spurs like that everybody is counting them out in the 1st round. This series has 7 games written all over it.
Prediction:
Spurs win the series 4-3
#3 Denver Nuggets vs #6 Golden State Warriors
I hope you like points because this series is going to be a track meet. The Nuggets are a little beat up with Kenneth Faried injuring his ankle, Ty Lawson just returning from an injury, and Danillo Gallinari being out for a year. But they are still rolling along as Wilson Chandler has stepped up in Gallinari's absence. They are deep and almost unbeatable at home. The Warriors are a very good team as well but they aren't as deep as the Nuggets and don't play enough defense to keep up with them. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson give them enough shooting to sin a few games but not enough to win the series. If Andrew Bogut would have provided the inside presence for the Warriors like he was supposed to the Warriors would be a more lethal team. Expect a lot of high scores in this one though.
Prediction:
Nuggets win series 4-2
These teams gave us the best series last year. The Clippers beat the Grizzlies in 7 games, winning game 7 on the road in Memphis. I expect this rematch to be just as entertaining within the game but I don't know if I see it going the full seven games. I wouldn't be surprised if this went all 7 games but the Grizzlies lost Rudy Gay from last year. The Grizzlies have also had trouble against the Clippers all season only winning 1 of the 4 games against them this year. The Clippers are a lot healthier than they were last year in the playoffs and have a lot more talent and depth then they had last year as well. I expect the Clippers to continue their strong play this year although they have been shaky down the stretch.
Prediction:
Clippers win series 4-2
Although I don't see any major upsets in the first round I do think that these playoffs will be more entertaining then the last couple playoffs because the west is more open then ever. Also I'm looking forward to see who can challenge the Heat in the East.
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