NBA playoffs
As we wrap up the first round of the NBA Playoffs, those who consider themselves true championship contenders survived preliminary tests, while a couple of pretenders, the Dallas Mavericks and the Denver Nuggets, are once again headed to the golf course a month or so early. One thing is certain, the second round should prove to be interesting.
EAST
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (61-21) vs. 4. Boston Celtics (50-32)
Anything short of a title would be a disappointment for recently crowned MVP Lebron James, and I shudder to think about the mental state the city of Cleveland would be in if the Cavs lost in Round 2. Experts believe that in order to keep "the King" from relocating his throne to the bright lights of Broadway and the New York Knicks this summer, an NBA championship is an absolute necessity. Management has done all that it could, providing Lebron with a supporting cast far superior to the one he had two years ago when they fell short to the Celtics in game 7 of the Eastern Conference semis.
As for Boston, the Celtics temporarily silenced the growing concerns about old age and tired legs with a resounding first round victory over Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat in five games. The Celts would have swept the series if Dwayne Wade did not catch fire in Game 4, netting five three-pointers in the fourth quarter en route to a 46 point outburst that appeared to be a farewell performance to the fans in Miami (Wade, a free agent this summer, will be actively pursued by Chicago and New York).
Expect the Celts to make the series more competitive than most people think, but at the end of the day, Cleveland has Lebron, while Boston has three aging superstars that have seen their better days.
PREDICTION: CAVS IN 7
2. Orlando Magic (59-23) vs. 3. Atlanta Hawks (53-29)
The Magic faced little resistance from the Charlotte Bobcats in Round 1, leading to a sweep of the series, and have been resting while the Hawks struggled in their series against a Milwaukee Bucks team composed of promising rookie point guard Brandon Jennings and a band of castaways whom many felt would be jobless at this time a year ago.
Kudos to Head Coach Scott Skiles for visiting the nursing home earlier this season and convincing players such as Kurt Thomas and Jerry Stackhouse that they still had a pulse, and maximizing the limit amount of talent on his roster after star Center Andrew Bogut went down with a season ending injury right before the start of the playoffs.
The Hawks jumped to a 2-0 lead in the series with a couple of resounding home victories, then seemed to simply lose interest, hitting a lowpoint when they squandered a 12 point 4th quarter lead at home in game 5, allowing the Bucks to take a 3-2 series lead before Atlanta appeared to realize that round 1 of the playoffs is not simply a fire drill, and going through the motions will soon land you on the living room couch.
The Hawks cannot afford to lose focus against the Magic, or else this will be a quick series, as they are facing an Orlando team that considers itself a true contender, having reached the Finals a year ago and adding perennial All Star Vince Carter this past summer. One thing to watch will be the play of Magic center Dwight Howard. In the first round, the Bobcats took Howard out of the series by rotating big bodies into the game and playing Howard physically, frustrating the big man to an extent as he spent much of the series in foul trouble. If Howard can stay on the floor against the Hawks, expect Orlando to advance.
PREDICTION: ORLANDO IN 6
WEST
1. Los Angeles Lakers (57-25) vs. 5. Utah Jazz (53-29)
Many expected to see a rematch of last year’s conference finals in this series, but the Jazz proved just how important team basketball is in the NBA Playoffs, dismantling a more talented Denver Nuggets team that seemed to miss Head Coach George Karl more than ever, as star reserve J.R. Smith accused his teammates of playing “selfish” after the Nuggets’ Game 4 loss in Utah.
The Lakers survived a tough series with the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder in six games, as Kobe Bryant proved that he is not yet ready to pass the torch to the neophyte scoring champion, Kevin Durant. As long as Kobe’s body holds up and the Lakers’ front line can stay out of foul trouble, LA should be able to advance without much resistance, as they simply have too much size for the banged up Jazz to contend with. One thing to watch, however, will be how the Lakers attempt to contain Jazz star point guard Deron Williams, as the aging Derek Fisher was in no way a match for young Thunder sensation Russell Westbrook in Round 1, and should have even more problems with the All Star Williams in this round.
PREDICTION: LAKERS IN 5
3. Phoenix Suns (54-28) vs. 7. San Antonio Spurs (50-32)
Many expected to see the Mavericks in this series, however San Antonio once again figured out a way to advance, receiving a star performance from reserve George Hill in Games 4 and 5, leaving Dallas with more questions than ever about its mental toughness, as star Dirk Nowitzki has now led his team to 11 straight 50 win seasons, but seems destined to be remembered more by his futility in the NBA playoffs than the accolades he annually collects during the regular season. San Antonio defeated the Mavs by playing them extremely physical, and even downright dirty on a couple of occasions.
Over the past few years, the knock on Phoenix has been that its style of play is not built for playoff basketball, as the Suns look to push the ball and prevent a dogfight, while the Spurs welcome such battles. In its defense, Phoenix has shown more of an interest on the defensive side this season, and star forward Amare Stoudamire has been playing with a renewed zeal, as he seemed to have figured out that the more 30+ point performances he turns in at this time of the year, the more expensive he will be once free agency comes around.
At the end of the day, however, the Spurs have already proven themselves at this time of year, while it remains to be seen if the Suns can take the next step towards a title.
PREDICTION: SPURS IN 6
