The home stretch for the Larry O’Brien trophy started on Saturday and with a handful of intriguing story lines already in place from the end of the regular season, the journey to the “chip” may be one of the most exciting in recent memory. While I still have the Purple and Gold hoisting the trophy come June, their stumble at the end of the regular season may have some questioning my sanity.
EASTERN CONFERENCE ROUND 1
Cavs vs. Bulls = Cavs 5
The Bulls squeaked into the playoffs by a single game (thanks in large part to CB4′s blown layup against GSW!) and while they have nothing to lose and everything to gain, they just don’t have the horses to keep up with the Cavs. Derek Rose will put up a solid series of numbers and the Varejao/Noah battle of bad hair and ugly mugs will be epic, but in the end the Bulls have a former Dukie on their roster and that as we all know leads to failure in the NBA.
Celtics vs. Heat = Celtics 7
Depending on which basket Rasheed decides to shoot on, this series could go either way, but i would like to think that the Celts have at least one series left in them. Built for a championship two years ago, the aging, injuries and ego have all taken their toll on Boston. If the Heat has any hope of winning, DWade is going to have to drop 35+ each night, as aside from BEasy, he really doesn’t have much help…….yet.
Magic vs. Bobcats = Magic 5
The man in the middle will dominate this series for the Magic, as D12 will have his way in the paint. Even Gortat will give the Bobcats big men some problems. And when the ball doesn’t go inside, the three ball will also favor the team from Orlando. Charlotte will be looking to impress their new owner and that motivation might be enough to steal a game at home, but nothing more.
Hawks vs. Bucks = Hawks 6
At the beginning of the season, few believed “Young Money” could thrive in the “L” after his one year stint across the pond. And even more fans had the Bucks penciled in for the lottery draft, rather than the post season. However Jennings and his “ROY” season has brought the Bucks back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006. The Hawks were my “dark horse” team to follow at the start of the season and the addition of Jamal Crawford made them even more enjoyable to watch. This series will be the most exciting and competitive in the Eastern Conference first round, but in the end the Hawks have too much firepower for the young Bucks.
WESTERN CONFERENCE ROUND 1
Lakers vs. Thunder = Lakers 5
Mind games and experience will give the Lakers a victory before the series even starts, and having Kobe will guarantee one more. However the other two “W’s” will be hard fought battles for the Purple and Gold. Look for KD to push his name into the spotlight even more during this series as ABC and TNT adore the underdog hero. The Thunder will grab one at home and will force Buss and Kupchak to reassess their point guard situation in July.
Nuggets vs. Jazz = Nuggets 6
This series is going to come down to the battle between Earl Smith and Kyle Korver. Yes, the respective stars will have an impact but ultimately it will be the role players who will decide the series. Smith can go 1-12 and then drop four straight bombs, while Korver is less flashy but a bit more steady. The Nuggets will be playing for Uncle George, who should be back for the second round, while the Jazz may still be impacted by Boozer (another Dukie) who has already expressed his desire to relocate (then said no, then yes, then no).
Mavs vs. Spurs = Mavs 7
This may be the most competitive series in round one of the Wild West. Counting out TD, Manu and Pop would not be wise, regardless of their seventh seed. The Mavs loaded up their roster with the addition of Butler and Haywood, who have helped give Dallas the depth that they need to get by the veteran Spurs. The Diggler has yet to make up for that horrendous Finals series of 2006, and this might be his best chance yet.
Suns vs. Blazers = Suns 6
Having Nash totally makes up for having a Dukie on the roster, and Amare apparently has not been affected in a negative manner by not being moved by the trade deadline. They may not be running under seven seconds, but ten to thirteen and a stronger focus on defense has led the Suns to a great regular season and primed for a strong playoff run. Further west, the Blazers have been not just bitten, but more like totally devoured by the injury bug, to the point in which they should just be playing in protective bubbles. The loss of BRoy for two weeks opens up minutes for Webster, Rudy and Bayless, but without their main man, the chance of me heading down to the Rose Garden to see a Lakers/Blazers game is pretty much out the window.
