Spring has sprung and all casual NBA fans are coming out of their cocoons and being welcomed back to pro basketball. You remember the NBA, the thing you hate to admit that you have some interest in during the regular season and claim to only watch games during the playoffs, “when the games count”. Somehow these same fans will tell you what each team needs to win and why that team sucks, but again, somehow they did not follow the NBA during the regular season. How does that happen?
For those of you still holding on to the mantra that you did not follow the NBA regular season, here is what you missed leading into round 1 of the playoffs starting on Saturday.
The Michael Jordan-less Chicago Bulls are the best team in the NBA per their regular season record. For the first time since 1998 the Bulls are going into the playoffs with home court advantage throughout. They have a young athletic team headed by their MVP candidate, Derek Rose. Youth aside this team has depth, size, and play tremendous defense. A match up against the Miami Heat appears to be imminent in the conference finals.
For those of you waking out of a 10 year comma, the San Antonio Spurs are still a relevant team having taken the second best record in basketball and top seed in the West; yes that same team with Duncan, Parker, and Ginobli. They still grind the ball out with great defense and a half court game that is difficult to stop. The Admiral’s ship has sailed but his crew continues to get it done.
The team to beat out of the West is still the 2010 NBA champs, the Los Angeles Lakers; still feel like you haven’t missed much in the NBA over the past ten years? The Lakers exploded out of the gates after the All-Star game being the NBA’s hottest team until the end of the season. Their 2-5 record at the end of the regular season is a sign of the grind not a reflection of the team. Their hopes will hinge on starting center, Andrew Bynum. He hyper extended his knee on the second to last game of the regular season. If he can produce in the later rounds, the Lakers appear to be headed to another finals appearance.
The offseason acquisition of LeBron James and Chris Bosh appeared to be a mistake early in the season for the Miami Heat. Limping out of the gate and enduring a 5 game losing streak during the season, all haters were ready with torches and pitchforks to chase the brash team out of the NBA. But as the season wore on, they found their niche. Stabilizing and improving along the way, the Heat captured the second best record in the East. Their second round match-up with the Boston Celtics should be a thriller. The Celtics are battle tested for the playoffs but are starting to show signs of their age.
Talk about ten years ago… The AARP cardholding Celtics will wheel out a lineup that includes Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Shaq! Will this group be one and done? The newly recharged New York Knicks could make it interesting but I only see them winning one game against the Celtics. The Celtics should push the Heat in the second round. An early exit in the playoffs could be the end of the run for this group. Barring an off-season pick up, this lineup does not have the energy to contend anymore.
Looking for a new team to follow? The Oklahoma City Thunder is your team. Led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, this team has all the pieces to make a run and steal a series or two. They took the Lakers to 7 games last year. The addition of center Kendrick Perkins will add interior toughness and rebounding should they face the Spurs and/or Lakers.
The most puzzling team of them all is the Orlando Magic. Talk about talent and ability with no direction. They have enough to make another run to the finals but they seem to lack that “it” quality. Their second round matchup with the Chicago Bulls will end another year of frustration for that team and fans alike.
What’s an opinion without a prediction?
In the East my heart is telling me Bulls vs. Celtics but my mind is telling me Bulls vs. Heat. I think the Celtics will pack the paint and make “King” James and his court mates a jump shooting team, something they are not the best at doing. Experience and talent over talent and attitude, I’m going Celtics vs. Bulls with the Bulls winning the East. The rest of that bracket plays out as seeded even though the Atlanta Hawks won the regular season series over the Orlando Magic.
In the West things are a little bit more difficult. Spurs and Lakers have playoff ready made teams. The wild card is the Oklahoma City Thunder.
On with the picks: The Dallas Mavericks are upset by the Portland Trailblazers in the first round. The Thunder and Nuggets have a shootout in the first round but the Thunder prevails in 6 games. The Lakers are pushed to the limit vs. the Trailblazers, if Bynum is healthy, but squeak out the series to face… the Thunder! Spurs lose in the second round this year leaving a 4 seed vs. 2 seed Thunder vs. Lakers West finals. If the Lakers are healthy it’s hard to pick against them. With the playoffs being dragged out over a couple of months, this poses an advantage to the older teams like the Lakers with multiple days rest between games. I think the Thunder pushes the Lakers 7 games after a tough series against the Trailblazers.
The worn out Lakers vs. the fresh Chicago Bulls is your NBA finals this year folks. The Lakers will not have enough gas in their tank for their third straight series against a younger team. The Bulls win this one in 6 games.
Just to clarify, the ten year comma in the NBA is real… but more like the 30 year comma. Only 8 different teams have won a NBA title in the past 30 years… yes only 8! The Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Spurs, Heat, Philadelphia
No comments:
Post a Comment