NBA Playoff Preview

The NBA Playoffs begin tomorrow afternoon and there are a lot of things to look forward to. I am going to breakdown each first round matchup and then give my prediction for the series.

Eastern Conference:

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers
-This is an intriguing matchup under one condition: Derrick Rose aggravates one of the many lingering injuries that he has faced throughout the season. The 76ers have talent and were able to take the Heat to 5 games in last year's playoffs, but I just don't think they have enough to give the Bulls a legitimate run for their money. Andre Iguodala will likely matchup with Luol Deng, and I really can't find a player on their roster that could stop Derrick Rose. Evan Turner or Jrue Holliday will likely get that difficult job. I like the Bulls in 5.

(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks
-What a series this is going to be. Heat-Knicks used to be a huge rivalry in the late 90's, however, this will be the first time that these two teams have met in the playoffs since 2000. Both teams are filled with big name players including 6 All-Stars between the two. This will be a tough series for the Heat. I think if the Knicks had a point guard, they could upset the Heat. With Jeremy Lin out, Mike Bibby and Baron Davis will do most of the work at the point guard position. The Heat struggle against teams that have a solid facilitator. The Knicks just don't have one. The Heat swept the season series 3-0, and I boldly believe they will make a statement in the first round and SWEEP the New York Knicks.

(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Orlando Magic
-Have you fallen asleep yet? I sure have. This series would have been much more exciting had Dwight Howard not needed surgery on his back causing him to be unavailable for the playoffs. Ryan Anderson and JJ Redick are the only thing standing between the Indiana Pacers and a trip to Miami. The young core of talent that Larry Bird has put together in Indiana is impressive. Roy Hibbert, Darren Collison, Paul George, and George Hill are all 25 or younger. This team will be strong into the future. I like the Pacers in 5.

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
-Even though Boston is the 4 seed, the Hawks have homecourt advantage in this series because they have a better overall record. I think this series will be one of the best in the first round. We saw the Hawks take the Celtics to 7 games back in 2008 and I think we are on the verge of another thrilling series. The Celtics are back for one final shot at a title and Kevin Garnett may be playing the best basketball he's played since he won the NBA title back in 2008. I think the Celtics will move on just because of the experience on their roster. Celtics in 6.


Western Conference:

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Utah Jazz
-The Spurs have the top spot in the West for a second consecutive season. We all remember them bowing out early to the 8 seeded Grizzlies last season and they have another difficult matchup on their hands. The Jazz have enough talent to play with the Spurs. Gordon Heyward, Al Jefferson, and Paul Millsap can flat out play with the Spurs. Utah also has the veteran Raja Bell, who is a lock down defender that could guard either Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili. But, I just don't see the Spurs going out in the first round 2 years in a row. I like the Spurs in 6.

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks
-This is a rematch of the Western Conference Finals from a year ago. The Mavericks won that series in 6 games and went on to win the NBA title. The Thunder will not have forgotten that. This is a tough draw for the Thunder having to play the defending champions in the first round as a 7 seed, but the Mavericks just aren't the same team they were last season. They lost 6 players from that championship team and took a wild card in Lamar Odom that turned into a major bust. The Thunder have their eyes on a title and won't lose this series. I like the Thunder in 6.

(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets
-George Karl's team has over-achieved this season. I don't think many people saw them as the 6 seed in the West a year after trading away Carmelo Anthony. The Nuggets have a solid young core of talent led by Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson, but I just don't think they have enough to beat the Lakers. Particularly, the matchups in the frontcourt just don't add up. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum make up one of the best duos inside in the league and you're telling me JaVale McGee or Timothy Mozgov is going to shut one or both of them down? YEAH RIGHT. Oh yeah and the Lakers have a guy named Kobe Bryant, if you didn't know. He's pretty good. Lakers in 5.

(4) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers
-This is going to be one hell of a series. I don't care what supporting cast the Clippers have. Any team with Chris Paul on their roster is going to be a tough out. And then add Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Kenyon Martin, Randy Foye, Caron Butler, and Mo Williams and you have a damn good team. But lets not forget about the Grizzlies. Tony Allen will likely get the call to guard Chris Paul, which should be a fantastic battle in the backcourt. I think Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol stack up well against the bigs from the Clippers. Don't forget the Grizzlies have playoff experience. They were a game away from the Western Conference Finals last season. This to me, is going to be the best series in the NBA playoffs. There's no question in my mind that it goes 7 games, and homecourt advantage pays off for Memphis. Grizzlies in 7.


It's going to be an exciting month and a half so buckle up. In June, there will only be two teams standing and I believe they will be the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Man, what a finals that would be. In the end, I like the Miami Heat to take the NBA title. Lebron James will finally break through and get his first championship. Can't wait to watch it all unfold.

--GM