But what we have here is predictions for the opening round. Of course all of these predictions were made BEFORE the start of the first round. These predictions have no way been influenced at all by the first weekend of the series.
So with that in mind, here's my predictions.
Indiana Pacers vs. Atlanta Hawks
The Pacers were the best team in the East for most of the year, batteling it out with the Miami Heat for the top spot in the conference. But down the stretch the Pacers have struggled, even though they won the final two games of the regular season, they still went 4-6 in the last ten games of the year. They were going up against an under .500 Hawks team that won 37 games this year. Atlanta came in heating up, going 7-3 down the stretch. Atlanta got the jump on the Pacers in game one, getting balanced attack from the whole team. Paul George paced Indiana in the ball game but it wasn't enough.
Still going in I felt that the Pacers were the better basketball team. They have been a dominating team all season, for the most part at least. The Hawks were a decent basketball team that played well below the bar. I had going in the Hawks winning one game in the series but that was it. I guess the Hawks got it out of the way now. I think the real Pacers basketball team is going to show up the rest of the series.
The Pick: Pacers in 5!
Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Bobcats
This is another one of those interesting matchups heading into the start of the playoffs. The Heat came in struggling, dropping their final three games of the season and going 4-6 in their final ten games. Lebron and the boys struggled down the stretch, which is a little un-Heat like. The Bobcats came on strong at the end of the season, winning their last 3 games and going 8-2 over their final ten in the regular season. Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson were pulling their weight and then some to help get the Bobcats into the place they needed to be going into the series with the Heat.
Then again they are still facing the Miami Heat, the two time defending NBA Champions. The team still has the core together and they still are a top tier team in the league. Sure the Bobcats will be able to hang in there with Walker and Jefferson in the lineup but the Heat will prove to be too much. In game one the Heat showed up and played their game.
The Pick: Heat in 5!
Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets
This may be the most even series amongst that in the east. Amir Johnson and Kyle Lowery have been leading the charges for the Raptors, leading them all the way to the Atlantic division title. They haven't had any real competition from anybody else in the division outside of Brooklyn. Toronto came in somewhat hot down the stretch, going 7-3 in the last ten during the end of the season. The Nets started off really slow but got their act together and pulled out a playoff spot Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were brought in for the experience factor. Sure this made them the oldest team in the league, on average age.
Garnett and Pierce were brought in for being able to come up big in big spots and thats what they did in game one of this series, with Garnett hitting big shots in the 4th quarter. Toronto is going to put up a great fight but the Nets still have too much experience which will lead to victory.
The Pick: Nets in 7!
Chicago Bulls vs. Washington Wizards
Both of these teams are coming into the playoffs hot. Chicago lost their last game of the year but went 8-2 in their final ten games. They are doing well this year without Derek Rose, who has played only five games in the last two seasons. Jokim Noah has stepped up bigtime for the Bulls this year and has seemed to take charge of this team since Derek Rose is not here. Also stepping up has been Kirk Hinrich and D.J. Augustin. But the Wizards have come on strong to close out the regular season. Nene has played out of his mind. Same goes for Jon wall and Trevor Areza as well. Washington came in on a four game winning streak and went 7-3 in the last ten to close out the regular season.
A lot of people had the Bulls pegged as a heavy favorite in this series, and so do I. But Washington pulled out a tight contest in game one. This series going in may have been tougher to pick than Nets/Raptors. Both teams are well balanced and can push the pace. Its going to be a very tough series but I don't think Washington is going to have enough to get the job done.
The Pick: Bulls in 6!
Western Conference
San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks
Surprise surprise the Spurs are the best team in the West. San Antonio has been team in the conference and one of the best teams in the league for a while now. Tim Duncan is still a top talent in this league and he has a solid supporting cast with him with the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili coming off the bench. This team is just too good not to be where they are right now. Sure the Spurs dropped their last two games of the season, but by that time they were already resting their best players because they had the best record in the league already locked up. As for Dallas, they too came in to the post season in an OK spot going 6-4 in their last ten games. Sure Dallas still has Dirk Nowitzki and sure he has a decent supporting cast with the likes of Shawn Marion and Devon Harris and Samuel Dalembert. But lets be honest here, there really isn't much of a comparison between the two clubs. The support for Duncan in San Antonio is better than that of the one Dirk has in Dallas.
I know Dallas won a title a few years back, but the Spurs are the defending Western Conference champions and they have all the tools to do it again. They showed their dominance over the Mavericks in game one with the win. Dallas will be able to take at least one game in the series, but the Spurs are going to prove to be too much.
The Pick: Spurs in 5!
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies
This series is going to be a fun one to watch, but not if your a Memphis fan. The Thunder have one of the top one two punches in the league in Russell Westbrook and some guy named Kevin Durant, who just might be the best player in the game today, not named LeBron James. The Thunder came within one win of the magic 60. Still one of the top tier teams in the entire league, they figure to be a big factor in the West yet again this year. Memphis is no slouch either, having won 50 games during the regular season. Zach Randolph and Mike Conley have been the big reasons that the Grizzlies are where they are in the West Playoffs.
We saw this happen in game one where Memphis put a bit of a scare into the Thunder late in the ball game. But it turned out that the experience of the Thunder won out. That's exactly what will happen in this series. Memphis will throw a scare into Durant and the boys but their experience will take over and pull away.
The Pick: Thunder in 6!
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors
This is the one series in the West I'm really looking forward to. Lob City has Blake Griffin DeAndre Jordan and oh yeah two of the better shooters in the game in Chris Paul and J.J. Redick. But Golden State is no slouch either. Their starting five of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, David Lee and Jermaine O'Neal are going to pose a real threat for not only the Clippers, but for anybody else they go up against in the post season. But there is one thing to note heading into this series that could have been key. In the four meetings between the teams this year, the home team won every game.
Well that notion went right out the window in game one as the Warriors walked into Staples Center and took home court away from the Clippers. Klay Thompson had a nice game in the opener to pace the Warriors to the win. This series is going to be the upset of the 1st round. The Warriors have come in playing great basketball, and so too have the Clippers. But this is going to be Golden State's time. Don't ask me why but its a gut feeling in this series we will see an upset.
The Pick: Warriors in 7!
Houston Rockers vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Houston dominated Portland during the regular season, winning three of the four games. Portland came into the series hot, ending the regular season on a five game winning streak. LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard have carried the Trail Blazers this year, and should be able to match the play of Dwight Howard and James Harden. But I think the bench of Houston will be able to help them pull it out.
The Pick: Houston in 6!
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