It’s that time of the year again folks. The NBA Playoffs are about to kickoff this weekend. Even with this lockout shortened 66 game season, there were still plenty of memorable moments to look back on. Blake Griffin could make his own personal top 10 dunks of the year, but the play of the year for many is his posterization of Kendrick Perkins. Then of course, there is Ron Artest, sorry Metta World Peace, that “accidentally” elbowed James Harden in the head That gave him a 7 game suspension which makes the Lakers shorthanded to start the playoffs. The Bucks traded disgruntled guard Stephen Jackson and oft-injured center Andrew Bogut for the scoring-machine guard Monta Ellis, and young, exciting Ekpe Udoh. There were many other storylines as well.
As of Wednesday April 25, 2012, these were the playoff matchups. In the west, there is the #1 seed, San Antonio Spurs, who will play the #8 seed, Utah Jazz. Then the #2 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder will play the #7, defending NBA champs, Dallas Mavericks. The #6 seeded Denver Nuggets will attempt to upset the shorthanded #3 seeded Los Angeles Lakers. Rounding out the field, there is the #4 seeded Los Angeles Clippers who will play the #5 seeded Memphis Grizzlies.
My predictions are that the Spurs win in in a close series, the Thunder blow out the MAvericks, the Lakers squeak past the Nuggets, and it is a toss up between the Grizzlies and Clippers. With all that being said, crazy stuff can happen in the playoffs. Any team can upset a higher seed at anytime. I believe the Thunder will win in a tough matchup against the Lakers, and whoever wins the Clippers-Grizzlies series beats the Spurs. I will stick with my preseason prediction of the Thunder making it through the deep Western Conference into the NBA Finals.
The East has four teams that I strongly believe can make a run for the NBA title. Those teams would be the Heat, Bulls, Celtics, and Knicks in that order. The problem is that the #1 seeded Chicago Bulls play the #8 seeded New York Knicks in the first round. The #2 seeded Miami Heat will play the #7 seeded Philadelphia 76ers in a rematch from last year’s first round. The #3 seeded Indiana Pacers will take on the #6 seeded Dwight Howard-less Orlando Magic. Finishing off the first round are the #5 seeded Atlanta Hawks who will try to upset the #4 seeded Boston Celtics.
My predictions are far more easier than in the West. I have the Bulls beating the Knicks in a very close 6 or 7 game series. The Heat will take care of business against the 76ers. Without Dwight Howard, the Pacers will have no problem dispatching the Magic. And then the older, more experienced Celtics will take care of the younger Hawks. The Heat will win a good series against a very talented Pacers squad. The Bulls will squeak past the Celtics in a very hotly contested, possibly classic series. That sets up the rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals of the Heat versus the Bulls. I believe the Heat will beat them again to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA FInals.
I stuck with my and many sportswriters early season prediction of the Durant, Westbrook, Harden led Thunder against the Wade, Lebron, Bosh led Heat in a battle for the title.
Both of these teams could win the title, but I would have to go with my favorite team, the Miami Heat. This series could also be an instant classic.
The NBA Playoffs are sure to be a great show as they always are. I can not wait for the Finals. Go Heat!