NBA Playoffs: First Round Predictions

Rather than carry on with team assessments I’ll just get straight to my NBA Playoff predictions. I’ll keep it very brief so you can tell why you feel a certain team will win and advance.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

Chicago – Boston: Even without KG Boston wins this one. The only player the Cees need to deal with is Derrick Rose. Yes Ben Gordon can shoot but someone has to get him the ball – after all.

Boston in five

Detroit – Cleveland: Detroit is supposed to summon their collective playoff experience and mount a serious challenge to the Cavs – right? Right? Not. The series will be entertaining if you like Jeff Van Gundy – Pat Riley, New York – Miami-type games in the 80s.

Cleveland in four.

Dallas – San Antonio: This will be one of he best first round matchups. Both teams are a bit long in the tooth – with the Spurs being longer – but both are proud franchises. Can Josh Howard play like he did before he was injured, which happens to be the most versatile player on the Mavs? Who is Gregg Popovich going to use to guard Dirk? Is Tim Duncan going to last through the series? Which Spurs player will step up and be the number three scorer behind Duncan and Tony Parker? Can Rick Carlisle motivate the Mavs to keep San Antonio under 100 points?

There are plenty of questions to be answered when these teams hit the floor. And it will take quite a few games to get those answers.

San Antonio in seven.

Houston – Portland: This has the chance to be as compelling a series as the Spurs-Mavs meeting. Portland is amped to be the number four seed and have he home court advantage for this series against Houston. The Rockets, on the other hand see this as an opportunity to escape from their recent first round flameouts. 

Mark my words, without Tracy McGrady the Rockets will upset the Trail Blazers. Between Ron Artest and Shane Battier Brandon Roy gets shut down just enough for Houston to adance.

Houston in six.

SUNDAY’S GAMES

Utah – LA Lakers: The Jazz nearly collapsed completely  down the stretch. But they managed to hold onto the eighth and final spot in the West. For their troubles they get the Lakers. But Jerry Sloan’s team took LA to six last season and this year’s team looks much like last year’s squad. Whether they trust each other like last year’s version of the Jazz remains to be seen.

This will be the first of four physical series the Lakers play because each opponent believes that LA is soft. The Lakers will prove they are not the 2007-208 Lakers.

LA in five. 

Philadelphia – Orlando: Can the Sixers harness all that athletic talent and use it to put the ball in the basket? If they can, Philly can beat Orlando. The Magic showed themselves to be vulnerable and leaderless in the final two weeks of the season. They also looked susceptible to quick teams that have multiple players that can take their defender off the drible.

Too bad the Sixers are not that team.

Orlando in six.

Miami – Atlanta: Most people are looking forward to this series. The main question is, can D-Wade play MJ and carry the Heat past the Hawks? Miami hasn’t nearly the talent the Haws have, but talent alone doesn’t win games. And for that reason alone this series will be closer than most people think. 

The Hawks will move on, but it will not be easy.

Atlanta in six.

New Orleans – Denver: New Orleans does not at all look like they did last season. Actually, the Hornets are playing to their potential this year, while last season was a dream year where everything went just right. Denver, on the other hand, is a hyper-inflated number two seed. Byron Scott will figure out a way to make the Nuggets dread playing the Hornets. And the Nuggets, despite new “leadership” from Chauncey Billups, will fold.

This series will produce will be the most notable first round upset.

New Orleans in six.

Those are my picks. See you in the second round.