2015 NBA Finals

#1 Golden State Warriors vs. #2 Cleveland Cavaliers

The Warriors are playing for their first NBA Championship in 40 years. The Cavaliers are back in the Finals for the first time since 2007 and have never won an NBA championship. With two new franchises in the spotlight you might expect there to be some malaise from the casual fan about this matchup. However, that is not the case for this series. You have this year's MVP Stephen Curry on the Warriors and the best player in the entire world right now, LeBron James on the Cavaliers. Both teams steamrolled their opponents in the Conference Finals. Cleveland swept the Atlanta Hawks and the Warriors needed just five games to dismiss the Houston Rockets. Cleveland has won seven straight playoff games, while the Warriors have won seven of their last eight playoff games. We will be watching the two best teams going at it, and while the NBA Playoffs lack the charm of upsets that March Madness produces, their Finals typically do match up the very best teams, leading to some highly entertaining basketball.

Curry versus Kyrie Irving will be fascinating to watch. Not only because they are both fantastic players, but because we will see how well Irving can keep up with Curry as he continues to battle injuries this postseason. Curry didn't shoot particularly well in the last two games against the Rockets, and perhaps not coincidentally that occurred after the hard fall he took in Game 4 against Houston. Curry says he is completely healthy and the week off between Conference Finals and the start of the NBA Finals should mean we see Curry return to his blazing form. Irving missed Games 2 and 3 of the series against the Hawks but returned for Game 4 and played pretty well. Cleveland didn't seem to miss Irving much against Atlanta but they will need him at his best in this series against Golden State. LeBron can only do so much and the Warriors are far more talented than Atlanta. Warriors SG Klay Thompson was having his best shooting day in a while in Game 5 against Houston, then took a knee to the head and has since been diagnosed with a concussion. He is practicing but his status is still up in the air for tonight's Game 1. I expect him to play, which means Cavs SG Iman Shumpert will need his head on a swivel to keep up with Thompson. Shumpert was miserable in Games 1 and 4 against Atlanta, and much better in Games 2 and 3. He has to be constantly on in this series, where scoring will be at a premium to try to keep up with Golden State's attack.

Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green will face the toughest task of their young careers as they try to guard LeBron. Green is pretty strong defensively, and Barnes has been turning up his offensive game recently, and ended the Rockets series with one of the best performances of his young career. Their goal will be to frustrate James, and find ways to try to limit his impact on the game. James has struggled with his shooting in these playoffs but he is such a complete player that it hasn't mattered. He has still found ways to get assists, and rebounds. No one can stop LeBron, but he can be contained. He has shown a new level of maturation to his game that wasn't there in previous Finals appearances though, so the Warriors gameplan should mostly focus on stopping LeBron's over performing supporting cast. Cleveland would appear to have a distinct advantage inside with Tristan Thompson and Timofy Mozgov. Thompson and Mozgov continued to give quality minutes and production against Atlanta, and have been huge in offsetting the loss of Kevin Love in these playoffs. Andrew Bogut played pretty well against Dwight Howard in the Conference Finals but with the Twin Towers that Cleveland has, bench player Festus Ezeli will be called upon to provide a lot of help in this series. Speaking of the benches, the Cavs have a torch thrower of their own in J.R. Smith. Matthew Dellavedova continues to annoy his opponents and earn a reputation as a dirty player, but he also has been highly productive for Cleveland in the playoffs. James Jones is mostly a minutes eater for Cleveland and can give LeBron a few breaks to catch his breath. Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala provide lots of minutes off of the bench but can be hit or miss as far as production. I would argue the Cavs have the more productive bench of the two teams.

So if Cleveland has the better bench and the best player in the world, that means I expect them to win the series right? Wrong. Golden State is one of the best teams we have seen in the NBA. They are 79-18 this year and don't get talked enough as perhaps one of the best teams ever. However, if they beat Cleveland and win the Championship they will earn their place in history. While Cleveland does have a size advantage, I don't think it will matter when the Splash brothers are hitting their shots left and right. The Warriors have gone through the battles of the tough West while Cleveland has benefited from being in the pathetic East. Homecourt advantage will also be huge in this series. Beating the Warriors at Oracle is next to impossible and in order to win this series Cleveland will have to do that at least once and probably twice. I think James can lead the Cavs to a title eventually and what he has done this postseason without Love and a good chunk of time without Irving has cemented his legacy. But a fourth loss in the NBA Finals awaits him as Curry will add the Finals MVP to his regular season MVP trophy case and Warriors coach Steve Kerr will become the latest to win Championships as both a player and coach.

Prediction: Warriors over Cavaliers, 4-2

2015 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Finals

#1 Atlanta Hawks vs. #2 Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland and Atlanta were both down 2-1 in their Eastern Conference Semi-Finals series, but each team stormed back to win three straight games and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals. A trip to the Conference finals has been a long time coming for the Hawks, while for Cleveland they are back for the first time since 2009. For the best player in the world, LeBron James this is his fifth straight trip to the Conference Finals.

Despite being without Kevin Love and also missing Kyrie Irving for stretches, Cleveland made the Chicago Bulls look silly. Irving is going to be back for Game 1 and his battle with Hawks point guard Jeff Teague will be fun to watch. Teague has blossomed under Mike Budenholzer's system and become one of the better distributing and all around point guards in basketball. Cavs SG Iman Shumpert isn't nearly the shooter that his counterpart Kyle Korver of the Hawks is. However, Korver had a rough series against the Washington Wizards and really struggled to find his shooting form. Against the Wizards the Hawks were able to get away with that, but to have any chance of beating James and the Cavs, Korver will have to be his usual lights out. Cleveland has really developed well in their interior with Timofy Mozgov and Tristan Thompson. Mozgov and especially Thompson were straight dominant against Chicago, grabbing every missed shot in sight. The Cavs playoff rotation is the usual 8 deep we see from most teams, and they received excellent contributions from their bench against Chicago. SG Matthew Dellavedova and SG J.R. Smith were crucial in closing out the Bulls and the Cavs will be unbeatable if they continue to get that type of production off their bench. James Jones will see minutes from time to time and the rest of the Cavaliers roster is littered with guys you are surprised to find still in the league, like Kendrick Perkins, Shawn Marion and Brendan Haywood.

It will be imperative for Atlanta that Al Horford and Paul Millsap limit Thompson and Mozgov's effectiveness in a way that Chicago was unable to. The Bulls were definitely hurt by missing Pau Gasol for a few games and also having Joakim Noah playing injured. Millsap and Horford come into the series healthy, so it will be interesting to see if Mozgov and Thompson carry their domination over to this series. SF DeMarre Carroll will have the unenviable task of trying to guard or at least contain James. If you haven't heard much about Carroll you will know all about him after this series. That is because you will either be hearing a lot of "LeBron blows past Carroll" or "Carroll with excellent defense on James" during this series. Carroll is a great scorer but the Hawks will need him at his best defensively in this series. The Hawks shrunk their bench a bit against the Wizards, mostly using the weirdest looking man on the planet PG Dennis Schroder and PF Mike Muscala. PF Pero Antic and SG Ken Bazemore also see some minutes but Budenholzer seems to be relying more on his starters the further Hawks go into the playoffs.

The Cavs aren't seeming to miss a beat without Love and I don't think the Hawks are the team that can stop James from reaching his fifth straight NBA Finals. I think that the Hawks have the players to limit some of the contributions Cleveland's less heralded guys had against Chicago but the Hawks rely so heavily on some of their chuckers that I think that will be their undoing in this series. Cleveland will reach their first NBA Finals since 2007, and move one step closer to adding another heartbreaking chapter to their sports history.

Prediction: Cavaliers over Hawks, 4-2

2015 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Finals

#1 Golden State Warriors vs. #2 Houston Rockets

Both the Warriors and Rockets faced adversity in the Conference Semi-Finals, but overcame series deficits to reach the Western Conference Finals. After losing two straight to Memphis to go down 2-1, the Warriors ripped off three wins in a row, including two on the Grizzlies homecourt. The Rockets appeared dead in the water after being blown out in LA two straight games, to go down 3-1 in that series. But they won Game 5 at home and then overcame a 19 point deficit in the third quarter at LA to win Game 6, before dominating the Clippers in Game 7 to close out the series.

This series will pit two of the best players in the game right now on opposite sides. You have the Warriors MVP point guard Steph Curry and then you have the Rockets team MVP shooting guard James Harden. Harden has been blasted in the past for his lack of defense, but he will be forced to work on the defensive end when he faces up against Klay Thompson. If not Thompson is going to kill the Rockets. The difference maker in this series will be which Dwight Howard shows up for Houston. Howard will have the definite matchup advantage against Andrew Bogut and if he has some of that old Dwight in him he could be downright dominant. The other matchups are pretty even as Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala will be mixing it up with Trevor Ariza, Josh Smith and Terrence Jones.

Both teams have mostly settled on an 8 man rotation in the playoffs and for the Rockets, guards Pablo Prigioni and Corey Brewer have provided valuable minutes. Golden State gets strong bench minutes from PG Shaun Livingston and Iguodala. David Lee is a shell of his former self and plays limited minutes off the bench, so any contribution he makes this series would be a bonus.

The strong defense of the Memphis Grizzlies wasn't enough to beat Golden State and if Houston tries to just outscore Golden State they have no prayer of winning this series. The Rockets are not a very good defensive team outside of Ariza and Howard, and as mentioned above Howard isn't the player either offensively or defensively that he used to be. Houston will certainly give the Warriors a challenge and I think they can definitely steal one game at Oracle Arena, but I can't picture them having the personnel necessary to take four games from Golden State. If they had the Howard of 2009 then I might be tempted to pick them but Harden alone isn't enough to beat a team as good and well coached as Golden State. The Warriors will win this series and reach their first NBA Finals in 40 years.

Prediction: Warriors over Rockets, 4-2

2015 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

#1 Atlanta Hawks vs. #5 Washington Wizards

The Wizards had a week of rest before starting this series against while Atlanta, while the Hawks had just one day of rest. It showed late in yesterday's game when Washington pulled away from Atlanta late to take Game 1 on the road and immediately wrest homecourt advantage away from the Hawks.

Atlanta received balanced offense from their starters in Game 1, but almost nothing from their bench. Drew Gooden and Otto Porter Jr. have been magnificent for Washington coming off the bench in these playoffs and continued that yesterday. The Hawks are known for being a good defensive team but yesterday only were able to force six Wizards turnovers. The Wizards managed to win yesterday despite getting 0 points from Nene as Bradley Beal led the way with 28 points. Beal and Wall both battled through injuries yesterday and their health is obviously tantamount to the Wizards continuing their strong play. Paul Pierce continued to be brilliant for Washington, scoring 19 points even if he was jacking up a few too many threes yesterday. Marcin Gortat struggled to keep up with Al Horford on the boards and that is something to watch as the series progresses.

Washington also can't continue to count on Kyle Korver to struggle like he did in Game 1, shooting just 3 of 11 from three point range. Jeff Teague had his moments in Game 1 but will need to play much better the rest of the series for Atlanta to overcome Washington. All of the Hawks struggled with their shot yesterday, and while some of that might have been heavy legs, credit has to be given to the Wizards defense, which has been superb all year. Pierce had no answer defensively for the Hawks DeMarre Carroll yesterday and Carroll has been Atlanta's best player in these playoffs. Randy Wittman will try to find more ways to put Porter on Carroll, as he has a much better chance of keeping up with him than Pierce.

The Wizards are about equal to Atlanta when it comes to starting five talent. Atlanta's regular season record was much better, and a lot of that has to do with the edge in coaching the Hawks have with Mike Budenholzer over Wittman. However, to Wittman's credit, he is on a pretty hot streak right now when it comes to coaching decisions and he has Washington playing their best basketball at the right time. With Pierce in tow and with how shaky Atlanta has looked in the playoffs, I think the Wizards take a leap from next year and reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

Prediction: Wizards over Hawks, 4-3


#2 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. #3 Chicago Bulls

Cleveland got past the upstart Boston Celtics in four games in Round 1 but it came with a heavy price. They lost Kevin Love for the rest of the season with a separated shoulder and JR Smith is suspended for the first two games of this series after a dirty play he committed in the Game 4 clincher. Chicago beat Milwaukee in six games, and you never knew which Bulls team would show up from game to game. They laid a huge stinker at home in Game 5, then came back and obliterated Milwaukee on the road in Game 6 to close out the series.

This is easily the best series of the Conference Semi-Finals, mostly due to the insane amount of talent that each team has. The Cavs Kyrie Irving will do battle with Derrick Rose at point guard. For the first two games it will likely be Iman Shumpert starting in place of Smith, going against the incredibly improved Jimmy Butler. LeBron James and Mike Dunleavy will theoretically match up, but I expect Tom Thibodeau to throw many different players on LeBron throughout the series. Tristan Thompson will see his minutes jump with the absence of Love and hell, maybe even Kendrick Perkins' corpse will be exhumed for this series as the Cavs try to fight the size of Chicago's bigs Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah. Cavs center Timofy Mozgov will likely rotate defensively against Noah and Gasol.

You can't tell me that not having Love for this series or Smith the first two games won't have an affect on Cleveland. James is easily the best player in the league and obviously his presence is most important, but Love and Smith aren't chopped liver. Chicago shows signs of easily being the best team in basketball and then other times looks completely average. A main reason for that inconsistency is Rose's inconsistency. Rose has struggled when he gets a lack of rest between games, and his will is going to be tested in this series that is mostly one night on, one night off. But what has changed about Chicago is that it isn't just Rose anymore. Butler can score and Gasol can score, not to mention their bench options like Kirk Hinrich, Aaron Brooks, Taj Gibson, and Nikola Mirotic.

With Love and Smith available for all potential seven games, I would probably pick the Cavs. But I think the Bulls will steal a game in Cleveland to start the series and then make Cleveland play catch up the rest of the way, before ultimately stealing another game in Cleveland in the deciding seventh game, and causing the city of Cleveland another torturous sports moment.

Prediction: Bulls over Cavaliers, 4-3

2015 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Semi-Finals

#1 Golden State Warriors vs. #5 Memphis Grizzlies

The Warriors had to fight and claw but were able to dispatch the New Orleans Pelicans in four games and will be well rested for this series. The Grizzlies got past Portland in five, but it came with a steep price as point guard Mike Conley suffered a facial injury and it is unknown when he will be back.

Conley's absence means Steph Curry will see a mix of Nick Calathes and Beno Udrih guarding him. The Grizzlies finished with the second best defense in the NBA in points allowed per game, and it will take a peak defensive effort from guys like Tony Allen, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol to slow down the Warriors offense. The Warriors are all about getting their points with jump shots, which could be a problem for Memphis as their best defense resides more in the paint. Grizzlies SG Courtney Lee will be tasked with trying to contain Curry's fellow splash brother, Klay Thompson.

So while Golden State has the advantage at the guard position, the Grizzlies have the personnel to match up with Golden State inside. Randolph and Gasol are rebound and scoring machines, and Allen remains on of the best defenders in the NBA. Position wise Allen would be guarding Harrison Barnes or Draymond Green, but I wouldn't be surprised if Memphis puts Allen on Curry or Thompson from time to time. Bench wise, neither team is particularly deep but has some big name players, as the Grizzlies deploy Vince Carter off their bench, while the Warriors have Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston as their main reserves.

It's a shame Conley likely won't play this series because having him in the lineup makes a huge difference for Memphis. Even without him, the Grizzlies are highly talented and have a lot of veteran players that have played in these big spots. They will give the Warriors all they can handle and unlike New Orleans they will actually break through and win a couple games. However, it won't be enough as I expect the Warriors to not lose a game at home in this series and eventually finish off Memphis in six.

Prediction: Warriors over Grizzlies, 4-2


#2 Houston Rockets vs. #3 Los Angeles Clippers

Houston beating Dallas in the First Round wasn't a surprise, it was with the relative ease that they did it. The Clippers had their coming of age series victory over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in a thrilling seven games. Chris Paul was crying and the Clippers were celebrating like they won the NBA Finals. Will they have anything left in the tank against a superb Rockets team?

The Rockets begin and end with James Harden but the key to their improved play this season is the defensive focus that coach Kevin McHale has been able to instill in them. They have also been well served by the addition of Trevor Ariza this season. Dwight Howard missed a ton of time this season, but the Rockets didn't miss a beat. Now, Howard appears to be rounding back in form, playing his usual heavy minutes and adding both offense and defense. Terrence Jones was another Rocket that missed significant time this season, but is getting healthy and adding an extra dimension to the Rockets offensive attack. Veterans Jason Terry and Cory Brewer share time at shooting guard, and Josh Smith has been an excellent in-season pick up. Starting point guard Patrick Beverley is out for the season, so the only true point guard the Rockets employ is Pablo Prigioni.

Paul is likely to have a strong series since because of the Rockets lack of options at point.  He comes into the series nursing some injuries, and may miss Game 1, but once he is back he will smoothly reinsert himself into things. The more fascinating matchups will take place inside with Howard battling Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Matt Barnes is the Clippers crazier, louder version of Ariza, but the Rockets don't have a sharpshooter quite like J.J. Redick. The Clippers bench has been much maligned this season for how much depth it lacks. Jamaal Crawford is excellent and what made one of the differences in the Clippers/Spurs series was the emergence of Austin Rivers. Glen Davis gives the Clippers some decent minutes off the bench, but he always seems to be getting knicked up.

The Rockets and Warriors seem destined to meet and to me are clearly the two best teams in the West. The Clippers expended so much to get past the Spurs and the turnaround will be quick for this series, so I instantly think they start from behind. Their lack of depth will hurt them more against Houston, as the Rockets trend younger than San Antonio. Harden and Howard will lead the Rockets to the ultimate showdown with the Warriors.

Prediction: Rockets over Clippers, 4-2

2015 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference First Round

Best Series: #3 Los Angeles Clippers vs. #6 San Antonio

This is going to be a fantastic and fun series to watch. The Clippers can shed the talk about them the past few seasons that they are a good regular season team but can't take the next step in the playoffs. Even just winning a playoff series wouldn't necessarily change that perception for people, but if they knock off the defending champions, that will earn people's respect.

Both of these teams are playing their best basketball of the year, which means fans can expect peak performances and the best matchup possible from both sides. Chris Paul versus Tony Parker and Blake Griffin versus Tim Duncan are two fantastic battles. It is such a classic battle of youth versus veteran influence. The advantage as far as athleticism obviously will go with Paul and Griffin in those battles, but basketball isn't only about athleticism. The advantage in smarts goes to the Spurs veterans who are so battle tested that a matchup like this they could almost handle in their sleep. We even get to see a Duke versus Carolina battle with shooting guard J.J. Redick going against Spurs shooting guard Danny Green. DeAndre Jordan makes a ton of wow plays, but his counterpart Thiago Splitter makes the smart plays. Then you have the wildness of Matt Barnes, against the calm demeanor and workmanlike approach of Kawhi Leonard.

The Spurs get a ton of contributions off the bench from Marco Belinelli. Manu Ginobli and Boris Diaw. The Clippers bench will counter with chucker Jamal Crawford, and Spencer Hawes, but the Spurs will definitely have the depth advantage. This series will not just be an exhibition in great basketball and athleticism but also the psychology of the game. Two coaches with NBA titles, Gregg Popovich and Doc Rivers will try to outwit each other and Rivers will try to will an effort out of his players that they haven't been able to give in the past.


Lowest Seed to Advance: #6 San Antonio

The defending champions were underwhelming for a large portion of the season, but caught fire towards the end of the year. They are peaking at just the right time and remind me of the #6 seed Houston Rockets that won the NBA title in 1995. They will be highly dangerous in the playoffs and I fully expect them to reach the Western Conference Finals and engage in a classic battle with the Warriors.


Best One on One Matchup: Rockets SG James Harden vs. Mavericks SG Monta Ellis

If the Oklahoma City Thunder had managed to make the playoffs then this would have easily gone to Russell Westbrook facing Steph Curry. Now, the mantle for best one on one matchup in the First Round of the Western Conference playoffs involves another MVP candidate James Harden, as he faces Monta Ellis. Neither player is known for their defense, although Harden did make a concerted effort to improve on that side of the floor. Ellis was excellent for the Mavs, averaging 19 points a game. He led the Mavericks in scoring, a mantle long held by Dirk Nowitzki. For the Mavericks to upset Houston, Ellis will have to keep the scoring pace with Harden. Harden was incredible this season, carrying a Rockets team without Dwight Howard for the majority of the season to 56 wins. Everyone talks about Harden's scoring, but as a shooting guard he still averaged 7 assists per game and did a great job of getting his teammates involved. These two players will show the best that offense has to offer in the NBA and will be highly entertaining.


Predictions:

#1 Golden State Warriors over #8 New Orleans Pelicans, 4-1

#5 Memphis Grizzlies over #4 Portland Trail Blazers, 4-2

#2 Houston Rockets over #7 Dallas Mavericks, 4-3

#6 San Antonio Spurs over #3 Los Angeles Clippers, 4-2

2015 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference First Round

Best Series: #4 Toronto vs. #5 Washington

The Raptors message for the playoffs will be that maybe they don't have the defense to win a championship, but they have the offense to at least win a first round series. Toronto finished fourth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 104 points per game. However, they also gave up triple digits in points per game, and that has been creeping up as an issue as Toronto limped to the finish line.

The Wizards jumped out to a fast start this season but they also played a lot of medicore to bad teams during that time. Once the schedule got harder the Wizards struggled and things got so bad at times that there was talk that Washington should fire coach Randy Wittman. They have battled various injuries throughout the season, especially SG Bradley Beal, but they enter the playoffs as healthy as they have been. 

The Raptors leading scorer is SG DeMar DeRozan. He will be matched up with the Wizards Bradley Beal. I will detail it more later on in this post but Kyle Lowry versus John Wall will the ultimate matchup to watch. Both teams have equally skilled big men, with Marcin Gortat of the Wizards and Jonas Valanciunas. SF Terrence Ross and PF Amir Johnson round out the Raptors starting five and will face off with SF Paul Pierce and PF Nene. Kris Humphries, Otto Porter Jr., Drew Gooden and Ramon Sessions figure to be part of Wittman's playoff rotation. Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez are the Raptors strongest bench contributors.

The Wizards have a far different identity from the Raptors. They are an average offensive team but very strong defensively. Normally, defense wins out, but I think homecourt advantage will make the difference in this series, as Toronto edges Washington in a thrilling series.


Lowest Seed to Advance: #4 Toronto

I don't foresee any upsets in the First Round. The most competitive series will be Toronto versus Washington, with Milwaukee versus Chicago as the next most competitive series. I think the youth and lack of playoff experience for Boston will make them fall short in stealing a game from LeBron James and Cleveland, while Brooklyn will be lucky to win one game against the Atlanta Hawks.


Best One on One Matchup: Raptors PG Kyle Lowry vs. Wizards PG John Wall

I know this has been a Raptors/Wizards heavy post but it is the only truly intriguing series in the East. Sure seeing Celtics vs. Cavs will be fun for nostalgic reasons but the Celtics are no match for Cleveland. Kyle Lowry missed a few weeks recently with a back injury but returned to the lineup April 10th and appears to have shaken off any rust he had. Lowry averaged 18 points, 7 assists and 5 boards this year. He played well against Wall and the Wizards in the regular season and made some crucial plays down the wire in tight games. Wall rested for most of the last week of the regular season, so he should be raring to go when the series tips off Saturday. Wall also played well against Lowry this season and you can expect both players to come out firing in this series. Wall averaged 18 points as well this season but also had 10 assists per game, giving him the slight advantage over Lowry. Neither player can single-handedly lead their team to victory but whoever wins this one-on-one battle will go a long way to helping their team win.


Predictions:

#1 Atlanta Hawks over #8 Brooklyn Nets, 4-1


#4 Toronto Raptors over #5 Washington Wizards, 4-3

#2 Cleveland Cavaliers over #7 Boston Celtics, 4-0

#3 Chicago Bulls over #6 Milwaukee Bucks, 4-2

2014 NBA Finals

#1 San Antonio Spurs vs. #2 Miami Heat

Spurs vs. Heat II, the rematch. Last season's series was phenomenal, going to seven games and filled with memorable moments. You had Tony Parker hitting a buzzer beater in Game 1, Danny Green coming from out of nowhere and setting an NBA Finals record for most three pointers made in a series, the Heat looking dead and buried in Game 6 before Ray Allen hit a three to save their season, and then the Heat holding off the Spurs in Game 7. Each team is back this year with most of the same supporting cast and another long, thrilling series is anticipated.

The biggest question entering the series is the status of Spurs point guard Tony Parker. Parker left the Spurs series clinching win against Oklahoma City early, but all signs point to the break between the end of the Conference Finals and the start of the Finals as allowing him the necessary time to heal to be ready to go tonight. Parker had a strong showing in last year's championship and with him once again facing an overmatched Mario Chalmers the results should be the same this year, even if Parker is hobbled. You can bet that the Heat will be paying much more attention to Green this season than they initially were going into the series last season. Green was a huge difference maker in the series, and it is no coincidence that the Spurs lost the final two games of the series once Miami figured out how to defend Green and made him a non factor. The Heat are hopeful that with the rest they have given Dwyane Wade throughout the course of the season that he will be an effective player throughout the series. In last season's Finals he had his moments but it was obvious that he was hurt and looked a shell of his former self. All eyes will be on the LeBron James/Kawhi Leonard matchup. Leonard is a strong defender, excellent rebounder, and overall did an admirable job against James last season. One difference this year is that Lenoard has improved his offensive game, and will make James work harder on the defensive end. Shane Battier is headed towards retirement but is still a starter on the Heat because he can hit the occasional three pointer and he still flops and draws charges with the best of them. Tim Duncan is phenomenal at the age of 38. He took over Game 6 in overtime against the Thunder, and you have to think that missed bunny he had in Game 7 last year against Miami still haunts him. Duncan wants another ring bad, and I expect a very good series from him. Chris Bosh hasn't been talked about much this year in the playoffs as in previous years. He was having a strong playoffs but did have his problems with the Pacers. He has almost completely morphed into an outside shooter, and is not a traditional center in any sense of position. Thiago Splitter is that more traditional center, and he is one reason that the Spurs will likely have a major rebounding advantage.

The Spurs have a major advantage with their bench against the Heat. Manu Ginobli, Boris Diaw, Patty Mills, Marco Belinelli, and hell even Matt Bonner are all capable of logging significant minutes and contributing. Diaw led the Spurs in scoring in their Game 6 win at Oklahoma City. I will be watching Ginobli closely in this series. His sloppy play really hurt the Spurs towards the end of last season's series. It got so bad that I was openly questioning why Ginobli was still playing late in games. He has to make the smart passes and avoid turning into a turnover machine. He has to let the game come to him and not force the action like did last season. For the Heat the guys that will see the most time off the bench are Ray Allen and Chris Andersen. Rashard Lewis was resuscitated in the Pacers series and actually was able to hit some shots, so he could see some extended playing time as long as he is helping on offense.

This is a series that is very tough to call. I think most people agree that they would be surprised if it goes less than six games. Both teams have their reasons of motivation, but what makes the difference in my mind is I think the Spurs have gotten better as a team since last year, while the Heat have slightly regressed. I also think that homecourt advantage, something the Spurs didn't have last year and cost them, will make a difference this year, especially if the series goes seven as I expect. James is Superman and he will get close to pushing the Heat to a three-peat but ultimately I expect Ginobli to play better this year, Duncan to play better this year, and Parker to be MVP as the Spurs win their fifth NBA championship.

Prediction: Spurs over Heat, 4-3

2014 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Finals

#1 San Antonio Spurs vs. #2 Oklahoma City Thunder

The Spurs received all they could handle from the Dallas Mavericks in the First Round and then barely had to break a sweat to dispatch the Portland Trail Blazers in five games. The Thunder didn't have quite as easy a road. Like the Spurs, they were taken to seven games in their First Round series, but although they only had to play one more game in the Conference Semi-Finals, each game with the Los Angeles Clippers was a grind. Then the news got worse for Oklahoma City as it was learned that Serge Ibaka will miss the rest of the playoffs with a calf injury. For whatever reason, the Spurs are skeptical that Ibaka really isn't available but all signs point to Ibaka not playing in this series.

The Spurs had an injury scare of their own against Portland in their Game 5 win as Tony Parker had to leave the game early with an injury. However, the time off between series has given Parker time to heal and he should be 100 percent for the Conference Finals. He is the Spurs leading scorer, facilitator and best player. He will matchup against Russell Westbrook of the Thunder. It will be Parker's task to limit Westbrook's scoring opportunities and try to force Kevin Durant to shoulder the scoring load for OKC. Danny Green starts at shooting guard but Manu Ginobli usually gets more playing time than Green off the bench. Thabo Sefalosha doesn't contribute much on offense for the Thunder but he is one of their best defenders and with Ibaka out, even more pressure will be on him to perform well defensively. Kawhi Leonard has the unenviable task of trying to slow down Durant. Durant played superbly against the Spurs in the regular season and is a major reason why the Thunder swept all four games against the Spurs. Durant has struggled with his shot at times this postseason but ever since being challenged by the local media in OKC, he has been nearly unstoppable and put the Thunder on his back in the series against the Clippers. With Ibaka out for the series that means that veteran Nick Collison will see much more playing time. I also expect Steven Adams and Kendrick Perkins to perhaps play at the same time to try to match up with the size of Tim Duncan and Thiago Splitter. Adams, Perkins and Collison are all very limited offensively but one of them will have to step up and replace Ibaka's 12 points per game in these playoffs.

Caron Butler, Reggie Jackson, and Derek Fisher will see the most time off the bench for Oklahoma City. Jackson has turned into a reliable bench player, and the Thunder don't see a lot of drop off when he is on the floor. For the Spurs, Boris Diaw, Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli will see a good amount of time coming off the bench. Diaw is another big man at the Spurs disposal and also another Spurs big man with better offensive skills than the Thunder's big men.

Unless you're a Spurs fan, you have to feel for the Thunder. For the second straight season they have lost a key contributor in the playoffs. They couldn't overcome the loss of Westbrook last season and without Ibaka in this series, I don't think they will be able to get past the Spurs. Ibaka is mostly known for his shot blocking presence and defense, but his offense will be missed as well. Unless someone from the Thunder like a Collison, Adams, or Perkins can find some offense, I think too much pressure will be on Durant and Westbrook's shoulders in this series to score the ball. The Spurs are playing with a ton of confidence right now and they smell blood with the Thunder hurting. Defense will be the difference in this series, as the Spurs defensive prowess will overcome the scoring power of OKC.

Prediction: Spurs over Thunder, 4-2

2014 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Finals

#1 Indiana Pacers vs. #2 Miami Heat

The Indiana Pacers might have just completed the bumpiest road ever to a Conference Finals. The Pacers are a respectable 8-5 in the playoffs this year, but when they lose, they like to lose in spectacular fashion. But despite their late season struggles, they are right where they want to be, with homecourt advantage against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat have taken a much more comfortable road to the Conference Finals, losing just one playoff game so far. When these teams closed the regular season, the Heat basically decided to concede the #1 seed to Indiana, hedging their bets that it didn't matter whether or not they had homecourt advantage. Now, we get to find out if that was a smart move or complete arrogance by Miami.

This is a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference finals and these are two teams that know each other quite well. The single most important player in this series might just be Roy Hibbert of the Pacers. In last season's Conference Finals with Miami, Hibbert gave the Heat nightmares throughout that series and was the main reason the Pacers nearly knocked off the Heat. Hibbert has shown his importance to the Pacers even more this year. Some of the Pacers worst playoff performances have come when Hibbert has inexplicably disappeared. But when Hibbert has been on his game, the Pacers have looked like one of the better teams in the NBA. Chris Bosh was badly outplayed by Hibbert in last year's matchup, but he seems to be playing with far more confidence this season. He can't let Hibbert get too comfortable down low, but he also doesn't have the body to match up with Hibbert when Hibbert is in the zone. Another crucial component of the Pacers starting lineup is David West. West is the Pacers leader, and his clutch performance in Game 6 against the Washington Wizards helped propel Indiana to be able to close out that series. The Wizards had no one that could match up with West, but the Heat are hopeful that Shane Battier can stay on West and limit his offensive game. Paul George is the Pacers best player and his one on one matchup with LeBron James will once again take center stage in this series. George is important as the Pacers best player, but he isn't good enough to single-handedly will the Pacers to wins. They will need Hibbert, West, and especially Lance Stephenson to provide strong play for them to have a chance in this series. Stephenson is a wild player, and he seems to be off in his own world sometimes, but he is so valuable to the Pacers when he is playing well that coach Frank Vogel has no choice but to play him major minutes. Dwyane Wade isn't the player he once was but he still makes the Heat a more formidable team when he is on the court. His presence alone takes pressure off of James to feel like he has to do everything. Each team doesn't have exceptional point guards. The Pacers George Hill is solid but not spectacular, and Mario Chalmers of the Heat is mostly known for being James, Wade, and Bosh's whipping boy. But both players are capable of scoring and playing strong defense and any contributions they provide are a welcome addition.

The Pacers need more out of their bench in this series than they got against the Wizards. Luis Scola, Evan Turner, and Ian Mahinmi have to play much better in this series. Even C.J. Watson who was a complete non-factor against Washington, will be needed to spot Hill some in this series. Miami's best bench contributor is the ageless Ray Allen, and the energetic Chris Andersen. I wouldn't be surprised if you see Andersen and Bosh out on the floor at the same time quite a bit in this series. Andersen is the type of energy player that could really get into Hibbert's head and throw him off his game.

Predicting any series the Pacers are involved in this year seems fruitless. You just have no idea which Indiana team will show up from game to game. That level of inconsistency will be their downfall against Miami. Indian has the homecourt advantage but are just 3-4 at home in the playoffs this season and have been blown out multiple times. I expect Miami to take Game 1 on Sunday and control the series from there. The Pacers will have their moments in this series but it is clear that the Heat are the top dogs in the East and destined to make their fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals.

Prediction: Heat over Pacers, 4-2

2014 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

#1 Indiana Pacers vs. #5 Washington Wizards

The Pacers inexplicable free-fall at the end of the regular season carried over to what many thought would be an easy First Round series against the Atlanta Hawks. After being embarrassed at home in Game 5, the Pacers had to go to Atlanta to save their season. They were trailing late in Game 6, when David West put the team on his back, leading them to victory. Then at home in Game 7, the Pacers controlled the game and looked more like the dominant team they had been for the first half of the season. Now the question is, did that come from behind series win over Atlanta reignite the Pacers, or did they just luck out against an overmatched opponent? They will find out quickly when they take on the Wizards, the newest "it" team in the NBA. The Wizards took out the Chicago Bulls in five games and have many calling them a bigger threat to the Miami Heat than even the Pacers are.

The Wizards will have the edge for sure at point guard with John Wall going against Indiana's George Hill. Hill is serviceable, but the question is will he be able to keep up with the speed of Wall? The Pacers shooting guard Lance Stephenson is in a contract year and sometimes that shows as he attempts to play hero ball. Bradley Beal is mature beyond his years on the basketball court and quickly becoming one of the better shooters in the NBA. The Pacers will have the best player on the court, Paul George but George will be facing off with an excellent defender in the Wizards Trevor Ariza. The big man battle should be fascinating to watch as David West goes up against Nene and Roy Hibbert and Marcin Gortat face off. Nene has been key for the Wizards all season and he proved to be a matchup nightmare for Joakim Noah in the First Round. As mentioned above, West came up huge for the Pacers in their series with the Hawks. A lot was asked of West because of how miserable Hibbert was for most of that series. Hibbert did have his best game in Game 7 and Indiana has to hope that he has snapped out of whatever funk he has been in. If he isn't, Gortat could have a huge series. Gortat should be able to get Hibbert in foul trouble as Gortat is much more of a threat offensively than any big man Atlanta could throw against Hibbert.

The Wizards mostly employ Andre Miller, Trevor Booker, and Martell Webster off the bench, while veterans like Al Harrington and Drew Gooden could see spot duty. Ian Mahimi and C.J. Watson are employed by Pacers coach Frank Vogel, and Mahinmi outshone Hibbert in most of the First Round. Luis Scola fell out of the rotation the last two games of the series against the Hawks, but with the Wizards throwing a lot of players out there, I expect him to see some more time. Evan Turner has seen his minutes reduced drastically as that trade the Pacers made earlier in the season looks worse and worse.

I certainly underestimated the Wizards in the First Round but don't plan on making that mistake this time around. I still think the Pacers are a mess and got lucky that they played such an atrocious team in the Hawks. The Wizards have much more talent than Atlanta, and unless Indiana gets back to early season form, they are going to have their hands full with Washington. I believe the Wizards will make the Conference Finals for the first time in 36 years. I believe the edge they have at point guard with Wall and what Gortat should be able to do to Hibbert will carry Washington past Indiana.

Prediction: Wizards over Pacers, 4-2


#2 Miami Heat vs. #6 Brooklyn Nets

The Heat wrapped up their series against Charlotte in four games, which feels like weeks ago. The Nets grinded out a seven game series victory over the Toronto Raptors. Once again, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will get a chance to try to take out LeBron and the Heat. The Nets beat the Heat in all four regular season meetings this year, so that does give them some added confidence coming into this series.

The Nets have the advantage at point guard with Deron Williams being superior to the Heat's whipping boy Mario Chalmers. Even at 60% or whatever he is these days, Dwyane Wade is superior to the much traveled Shaun Livingston. Joe Johnson played excellently for the Nets in their Game 7 win over Toronto, and is becoming the Nets go to scorer and ball handler late in games. But the focus for him will have to be on the defensive side of the ball as he attempts to not let LeBron James go crazy. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are far removed from their prime and play far less minutes than they used to, but their playoff experience has proven invaluable so far. Shane Battier is out there for the Heat to play solid defense and hit the occasional three pointer. Chris Bosh should be able to outmuscle and outhustle Garnett but might have some problems facing Andray Blatche when he comes off the bench,

Jason Kidd likes to employ his bench as much as possible, meaning you should expect to see guys like Mason Plumlee, Alan Anderson, Mirza Teletovic, Marcus Thornton, and even Andrei Kirilenko could see some time. For Miami, regulars off the bench include the ageless Ray Allen, the high energy Chris Andersen, Norris Cole and James Jones has somehow found his way back in the rotation.

I wouldn't read too much into Brooklyn sweeping Miami during the regular season, that will be thrown out the window once these two tip off tomorrow night. The Heat become a different, more focused team on the playoffs and if anything, those regular season losses will ensure that the Heat are ready to play the Nets. I think the Nets can defeat the Heat once or twice, but overall, don't have the skill to beat the Heat 4 times in a series.

Prediction: Heat over Nets, 4-2

2014 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Semi-Finals

#1 San Antonio Spurs vs. #5 Portland Trail Blazers

The Spurs were given everything they could handle by the Dallas Mavericks in the First Round, before eventually prevailing in seven games. The Trail Blazers won their first playoff series in 14 years in dramatic fashion on Friday night. Damian Lillard hit a three pointer at the buzzer to give Portland the victory over the Houston Rockets.

The point guard battle will be dynamic in this series between the Spurs Tony Parker and the Blazers Lillard. Lillard showed no signs of being overwhelmed by the playoff stage in the First Round and he will give Parker a ton of trouble when it comes to attempting to guard him. The other huge one-on-one battle will be Tim Duncan going against LaMarcus Aldridge. Duncan still plays at an extremely high level but Aldridge looks like a young Duncan with how he played against the Rockets. The Blazers have the size to match up with not only Duncan but Robin Lopez may have the advantage over Tiago Splitter. Nicolas Batum can also be a dynamic scorer for the Blazers but he will draw Kawhi Leonard, one of the better defenders in the league. Wesley Matthews of the Blazers and Danny Green of the Spurs are the shooting guards and both can fall in love with the three pointer.

The Blazers mostly employed a 7 man rotation against the Rockets, with Thomas Robinson and veteran Mo Williams getting the most action off the bench. Boris Diaw, Manu Ginobli, and Patty Mills ensure that the Spurs don't feel a major letdown when they have to go to their bench. The Blazers have the point guard, big man combo that could have them as legitimate title contenders for the foreseeable future. I expect them to give the Spurs plenty of trouble in this series, especially if Duncan cannot slow down Aldridge. In the end, I believe the Spurs experience will be the difference, as will home court when this series goes seven games.

Prediction: Spurs over Blazers, 4-2


#2 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #3 Los Angeles Clippers

Both the Thunder and Clippers were involved in exhausting seven game series in the First Round. The Thunder overcame a 3-2 series deficit, when Kevin Durant responded to being called out by his hometown newspaper as unreliable. The Thunder also benefited from the Memphis Grizzlies being without their best player Zach Randolph for game 7, as he had to serve a suspension. The Clippers/Golden State Warriors series took a backseat to the audio tapes that came out of their owner Donald Sterling espousing his racist views. The team was able to overcome the distraction and behind coach Doc Rivers have seemed to become even closer as a team.

Both of these teams average well over 100 points and aren't exactly known for their defense, so fans of offensive basketball will be in heaven. There is also plenty of star power in this series. Chris Paul of the Clippers and Russell Westbrook of the Thunder are two of the premiere point guards in the NBA. Paul is the more typical point guard, looking to feed the ball to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Westbrook runs into criticism because he looks to shoot, despite having the second best player in the game on his team in Kevin Durant. Westbrook is an exceptional offensive talent though so it is understandable why he looks for his own shot. The Thunder's Caron Butler is still playing heavy minutes despite being older as coach Scott Brooks relies on his experience. J.J. Redick is in there to make threes and that is about it. However, that one aspect of his game is something he does better than almost anyone else. Serge Ibaka will be tasked with attempting to slow down Blake Griffin. Ibaka likely doesn't have the offensive skillset to get Griffin into foul trouble but he could upset Griffin's offensive game through his sheer defensive skill alone. Kendrick Perkins still starts for the Thunder but his backup Steven Adams saw more time than Perkins in Games 6 and 7 of the Memphis series and that trend could continue with the Thunder needing some youth to keep up with the Clippers DeAndre Jordan. Durant played great at the end of the Thunder's first round series but prior to that he was having a hard time with the Grizzlies Tony Allen. In this series he will have to contend with Matt Barnes. Barnes is a strong defender like Allen and also an instigator and could throw Durant off his mental game.

Derek Fisher and Reggie Jackson see plenty of time off the bench. Fisher's shot isn't as reliable as it used to be, but he still makes enough three pointers that you can't ignore him when he is on the court. Jackson has really grown as a player this season and it was his play and ability to hit big shots that saved the Thunder's season with a Game 4 win in Memphis. The Clippers bench is highlighted by 6th Man of the Year Jamal Crawford, as well as reliable backup point guard Darren Collison. Danny Granger and Glen Davis will also see time off the bench but their minutes have become pretty minimal.

This series will basically come down to which team plays just enough defense to slow down the other teams proficient offense. I think the biggest matchups in this series will be how tight Barnes plays Durant and also if Adams is able to not let Jordan completely overwhelm him and abuse him. I think the Clippers have just enough of an edge in athleticism and more offensive weapons than the Thunder and that will be what keys them to the slight upset.

Prediction: Clippers over Thunder, 4-3

2014 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference, First Round

#1 San Antonio Spurs (62-20) vs. #8 Dallas Mavericks (49-33)

It almost seems like Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, Tim Duncan, and Gregg Popovich could win 50 or 60 plus games for the next 20 years. The Spurs strung together 19 straight wins at one point this year and comfortably finished at the top of the Western Conference. In addition to Parker, Ginobli and Duncan, three other Spurs average double figure scoring. Kawhi Leonard, Marco Belinelli, and Patty Mills. Danny Green and Boris Diaw are just a point shy of averaging double figures, and Thiago Splitter isn't too far behind them. The Spurs have tons of options offensively and have a host of contributors both starting and coming off the bench. The Spurs excel on offense, ranking 6th in the NBA and also on defense, as they were the 6th best scoring defense in the league this season.

After a one year absence Dallas is back in the playoffs, and will be looking to win their first playoff game since winning the NBA Championship in 2011. The offense still revolves around the excellent shooting of Dirk Nowitzki but the addition of shooting guard Monta Ellis has taken some of the scoring load off of Dirk. Jose Calderon and Devin Harris give the Mavs a solid 1-2 punch at point guard, same for the small forward position where Vince Carter spells Shawn Marion. Samuel Dalembert has been a strong presence in the middle, leading the Mavericks in rebounds and blocks. Off the bench, former Spur DaJuan Blair and Brandan Wright gives the Mavericks even more size and length. Jae Crowder is another player that Rick Carlisle can insert into games to get some of his aging vets a breather and reliably count on.

I think this has the potential to be a highly entertaining series. Both teams can score the ball but where the Spurs have the major advantage is their superiority to the Mavericks on defense. That will be the difference in the series, but I do expect the Mavs to steal a couple games and make San Antonio sweat.

Prediction: Spurs over Mavericks, 4-2


#4 Houston Rockets (54-28) vs. #5 Portland Trail Blazers (54-28)          

James Harden and Dwight Howard get all the headlines, and rightly so, but you could argue that Houston actually has a big three with the outstanding season former Florida Gator Chandler Parsons had this year. Parsons averaged the second most minutes per game on the team and was third in scoring, averaging 16.6 points per game. Point guard has been a bit of a revolving door position as both Patrick Beverly and Jeremy Lin have battled nagging injuries. Terrence Jones has turned into a reliable scorer and starter, and is getting a lot more open looks with the presence of Howard to go with Harden. Off the bench the Rockets best players are Omer Asik, who I guess they made happy after he wanted to be traded when they brought in Dwight, and Francisco Garcia, who it feels like has been around forever.

The Trail Blazers had a major bounce back year this season, thanks mostly to the fact that their starters avoided injuries for most of the season. Damian Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, and Robin Lopez each started all 82 games this season. That means the Blazers have a team that is used to playing with one another. The other starter, LaMarcus Aldridge missed just 13 games, which for him and his injury history, is a huge accomplishment. Veteran Mo Williams sees a lot of time off the bench, as does Dorell Wright. Thomas Robinson also comes off the bench and while it doesn't appear he will ever live up to his draft status, he does give the Blazers a solid 10-15 minutes a night.

Neither team is very good defensively so expect to see a lot of high scoring games in this series. I believe that Howard and Harden are better than player that the Blazers can throw at them. I know that Aldridge and Lillard are very good, but they will be outmatched in this series and the Rockets will move on to the Second Round.


Prediction: Rockets over Trail Blazers, 4-2

#2 Oklahoma City Thunder (59-23) vs. #7 Memphis Grizzlies (50-32)

Kevin Durant was spectacular this season and should be earning his first even MVP award. He averaged 32 points per game this year, and helped keep the Thunder rolling while Russell Westbrook dealt with injuries and missed half the season. Westbrook is healthy now and hopeful to get through the playoffs healthy, which he was unable to do last season and it ultimately cost the Thunder. Revenge will be on Oklahoma City's mind as they were dominated in the playoffs last year by these same Grizzlies. Serge Ibaka was the Thunder's second most reliable player, leading the team in rebounding and averaging an impressive 2.7 blocks per game. If you try to drive on the Thunder you most likely will be getting swatted by Ibaka. Reggie Jackson has been solid at point guard, learning from veteran Derek Fisher who can still come off the bench and hit big shots. The shooting guard position has been in a state of flux since Thabo Sefalosha went down with an injury in early March. Sefalosha is back but Scott Brooks has tried to limit his minutes. Caron Butler has been a solid veteran addition, and has been lethal from three points range when he has played. Kendrick Perkins only plays about half the game now, but the Thunder still rely on his rebounding presence to give them an edge on the boards.

The Grizzlies are built similarly to the Chicago Bulls. They are a below average offensive team but play some of the best defense you will see in the NBA. After a slow start to the season the Grizzlies caught fire and still managed to reel off a 50 win season. Their big three is Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, and Marc Gasol. Courtney Lee has been solid for the Grizzlies at shooting guard, and Tayshaun Prince has been a steadying veteran influence for this team. Kosta Koufos, Mike Miller, and Nick Calathes see the most time off the bench for Memphis. I think the biggest surprise of the season for Mempis has been how reliable the aging Miller was. Miller played in all 82 games this season, hitting almost 46% from three point land.

Last season the Grizzlies caught the Thunder short handed but this year they should receive the Thunder's best shot. Because of that and also because the Thunder has Durant who has played at another level all season, I believe Oklahoma City will be able to score on the Grizzlies tough defense and the Grizzlies won't be able to put up the offense to keep up.

Prediction: Thunder over Grizzlies, 4-2


#3 Los Angeles Clippers (57-25) vs. #6 Golden State Warriors (51-31)

The consensus seems to be that this is the most anticipated First Round series of this year's playoffs. Both teams play a fast-paced, exciting brand of basketball. Both teams are actually better on defense than they are given credit for. Adding to the intrigue is that these teams don't like one another. In past games, there have been multiple skirmishes and Klay Thompson already started the trash talking this week when he called Blake Griffin a flopper. The Clippers led the league in scoring this year behind Griffin, while Chris Paul continues to be a dual threat point guard that can score and then make you pay when you focus on him by finding the open man. Darren Collison has fit in nicely as Paul's backup and someone that can keep the offense flowing and allow Paul some breathers. Shooting guard has been a revolving door position for LA as J.J. Redick has battled injuries. However, Redick should be ready to go for the playoffs and if he is able to find open looks, he is always dangerous. Matt Barnes and DeAndre Jordan are the toughness that goes with the finesse of some of the other Clippers players. Jordan has really had a breakout season, averaging almost 14 rebounds per game and getting double-doubles on the regular. Danny Granger was picked up during the season and is expected to be ready for the playoffs, although his level of contribution remains a question mark. Other vets that see time off the bench include Glen Davis and Hedo Turkoglu.

The Warriors have had a season of trials and tribulations this year, with assistants coming and going and coach Mark Jackson's job status being called into question often. Despite that, they still won 51 games. The newest challenge for them going into the playoffs is the injury to Andrew Bogut. With Bogut out the Warriors will have to trot out Jermaine O'Neal's corpse more than they would like in this series. He has no prayer of being able to match the athleticism of Jordan or Griffin. The Warriors will still have a chance though because of Steph Curry. Curry is an incredible player, never afraid to shoot and able to score all around the court. He is also good at being unselfish and getting his teammates involved and is strong defensively, averaging almost 2 steals per game. Thompson is the Warriors other sharpshooter and as made evident in the playoffs last season, if both those guys are on fire, the Warriors are almost unbeatable. Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green don't add a ton on offense but they are part of the reason the Warriors have improved defensively this season. Off the bench, Harrison Barnes, Jordan Crawford, and Steve Blake give the Warriors a trio of guys that can be trusted with the ball and can spell starters at critical times.

With Bogut I might lean for the Warriors upset, but his absence is going to be glaring and will likely mean monster series for Griffin and Jordan. Watching Chris Paul and Steph Curry do battle will be tons of fun to watch, and also seeing if these teams get into it at all and hearken back to playoff basketball from the 80s and 90s. I expect the series to go seven games, and the Clippers to finish the Warriors off at the Staples Center.

Prediction: Clippers over Warriors, 4-3        

2014 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference, First Round

#1 Indiana Pacers (56-26) vs. #8 Atlanta Hawks (38-44)

The Pacers started off the year hot, and then fizzled down the stretch, but still managed to hold off the Miami Heat for the number one seed in the East. Their leader is Paul George, and the team's dip in play has coincided with George's own struggles. The Pacers aren't an exceptional offensive team, but they make up for it with their defensive toughness led by David West and Roy Hibbert. Hibbert has come under some fire recently as his offensive performances have been dreadful and his toughness has been questioned. Somehow Lance Stephenson is the team's leading rebounder over the monstrous Hibbert. George Hill is solid but not spectacular at point guard, and off the bench the Pacers have Luis Scola, Evan Turner, C.J. Watson and Ian Mahinmi to spell their starters.

The Hawks squeak into the playoffs with a horrible record, and have changed from the perfectly average team to the just slightly above bad team. The Hawks are the only team in the Eastern Conference to allow over 100 points per game and make the playoffs. It is slightly commendable that they still managed to make the playoffs despite being without their best play Al Horford for the majority of the season. Also, when you look at a starting lineup that consists of Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, Paul Milsap, Cartier Martine, and Pero Antic you realize just how terrible the New York Knicks were that they couldn't make the playoffs over this team. Shelvin Mack, formerly of Butler, and Elton Brand, formerly a player of consequence in the NBA are the Hawks main bench contributors.

The Pacers should use this series as a chance to gain back some of the confidence they may have lost over the past month. The Hawks might be able to steal a game in Atlanta, but otherwise this series should be smooth sailing for the Pacers.

Prediction: Pacers over Hawks, 4-1


#4 Chicago Bulls (48-34) vs. #5 Washington Wizards (44-38)

This is a matchup I would prefer was not happening as I like both teams. The Bulls once again overcame an injury to Derrick Rose, traded away Luol Deng and still managed to win 48 games. Tom Thibodeau is clearly one of the best coaches in the league. The Bulls have a ton of trouble scoring, but win games because they never take plays off and play suffocating defense. Their leading scorer si a guy that doesn't even start for them, D.J. Augustin. However, the biggest reason for the Bulls success this season has been the play of Joakim Noah. Noah led the team in rebounds, assists, and blocks, and averaged a double-double this year. The Bulls are likely parting ways with Carlos Boozer and his massive contract this off-season but for now they will hope that he can string together some good offensive showings to make up for his lack of defense. Jimmy Butler epitomizes the Bulls will as a team and their toughness on defense. Kirk Hinrich provides veteran leadership and steady play at the point guard position. Mike Dunleavy can be dangerous when his shot is hitting, especially from three point land. Taj Gibson isn't always consistent but he is another large component of the Bulls toughness on the defensive end.

The Wizards are back in the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, and their faith in John Wall is starting to be rewarded. Wall led the Wizards in scoring, steals and assists. He continues to improve his outside shooting, and he was reliable, playing in all 82 games this season. Another reason for Washington's return to the playoffs is the play of big men Marcin Gortat and Nene. Gortat played in 81 games this year, and almost averaged a double-double. Nene is injury prone as always but with him healthy going into the playoffs he will provide Washington a huge lift both offensively and defensively. Bradley Beal continues to look like a future franchise player, and Trevor Ariza looks a lot like the Ariza that helped the Los Angeles Lakers to a title in 2009. The Wizards also have a lot of veterans at their disposal off the bench, including Andre Miller, Al Harrington, and Drew Gooden.

I don't like this matchup for the Wizards. While the Bulls can be beat because of their trouble scoring, I believe their defense is going to frustrate some of the Wizards younger players and give someone like Wall fits. I also think that Thibodeau will outcoach Randy Wittman and that edge will be the difference in the close games that I expect to see in this series.

Prediction: Bulls over Wizards, 4-2


#2 Miami Heat (54-28) vs. #7 Charlotte Bobcats (43-39)

The Heat have struggled down the stretch but haven't exactly been trying to win. They decided to rest LeBron James and Chris Bosh for the last few games and basically conceded the one seed to the Pacers. Dwyane Wade did play in the last few games but has been dealing with injuries all season long and is definitely on the tail end of his career. The Heat are looking for the three-peat and whether they get it or not chances are this is the last season of the Big Three of James, Bosh, and Wade. The story is the same for the Heat as it has always been, teams kill them on the glass but they win with their defensive intensity and the fact that they have the best player on the planet in James. Ray Allen continues to defy aging and can still hit a clutch three when you need it. The Birdman, Chris Andersen provides a ton of energy off the bench, and other big men that might see some time are Greg Oden's corpse and the formerly highly touted Michael Beasley.

Michael Jordan was crushed by the media when the Bobcats were the laughing stock of the league, but strangely hasn't received much credit for the Bobcats resurgence this season. Charlotte is one of the better defensive teams in the league and has a nice nucleus of young talent. The addition of Al Jefferson has made a huge difference, and Jefferson is having one of the best seasons of his career. Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson give the Bobcats a nice scoring punch in the backcourt, while forward Josh McRoberts and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are solid. Off the bench, Cody Zeller has had a promising rookie year and Bismack Biyombo led the Bobcats in blocks this season. Gary Neal is another strong player off the bench and he had a good series against Miami last year in the Finals as a member of the Spurs.

Charlotte comes into the playoffs playing their best basketball of the year but I expect the Heat to quickly regain their dominant form. I think Charlotte has the players to be competitive with Miami, but not the experience to ever make the Heat feel any real danger. I think Charlotte can steal a game at home but otherwise, it will be smooth sailing for Miami.

Prediction: Heat over Bobcats, 4-1


#3 Toronto Raptors (48-34) vs. #6 Brooklyn Nets (44-38)

The Raptors are one of the bigger surprise stories of the season. Not that anyone really gives a crap about divisions in the NBA but the Raptors did win the Atlantic division. Despite this achievement, the rumor is that the Nets basically tanked their final two games so they would face the Raptors in the First Round. The Raptors don't have a ton of sizzle or household players but they play very well together as a team. DeMar DeRozan is Toronto's leading scorer, and Kyle Lowry is one of the bestter point guards in the league that you probably haven't heard of. Center Jonas Valanciunas is a force on the defensive end and glass and also scored in double figures this season. PF Amir Johnson was the team leader in blocks. Depth is not Toronto's strong suit but Grievis Vasquez brings a ton of energy and can light up the scoreboard when he comes off the bench. The Raptors pulled off a lot of trades this year and after a slow start and specifically when they shipped off Rudy Gay they seemed to find themselves as a team.

Brooklyn came into the season with a ton of expectations after trading for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, but then got off to a dreadful start. Seems seemed even bleaker when they lost Brooke Lopez for the season, but after the All-Star break the Nets righted the ship. The Nets are a team with balanced scoring as Joe Johnson led the team with just 15 points per game. Garnett is no longer the scorer he once was but he can still grab rebounds with the best of them. Pierce picks and chooses his spots but is a far cry from the electrifying player he once was. PG Deron Williams has taken a ton of criticism in recent years and injuries have curtailed his game but he can still find the open man as good as anyone in the game. Mason Plumlee has been a real bright spot for Brooklyn this year and played very well coming off the bench. Andray Blatche has also seemed to find a home in Brooklyn, providing the Nets with reliable scoring off the bench.

I don't think the Raptors are going to take too kindly to the Nets basically tanking to set up a matchup with them. While Brooklyn did play much better basketball in the second half of the season, I still am not sold that they have the cohesiveness as a team to make a run in the playoffs. Just because the Raptors don't have a lot of big name players doesn't mean they aren't a strong team. I expect DeRozan to have a huge series and the Raptors to come out on top in a hard fought seven game series.

Prediction: Raptors over Nets, 4-3

2013 NBA Finals

#1 Miami Heat vs. #2 San Antonio Spurs

The old Big Three versus the new Big Three. The Spurs big three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli are three for three in NBA Finals. The Heat's big three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh are one for two and looking to repeat as champions. The Spurs are back in the Finals for the first time since 2007, and for the first team this group is facing the Eastern Conference's #1 seed in the championship. San Antonio hasn't played in a week and a half, after sweeping the Grizzlies in four. They have been dominant in the playoffs, winning twelve of their fourteen games. Miami is coming off a physical, grueling seven game series with the Indiana Pacers. Will the younger team be too beat up, while the older, veteran team will feel rested? Or will it work the opposite way, where the Heat will remain firing on all cylinders, while the Spurs look rusty?

The most critical player in this series is someone you probably wouldn't think of, Spurs SF Kawhi Leonard. It will be Leonard's responsibility to try to guard LeBron James. Leonard won't be the only one who guards James, but he will get the bulk of the responsibility. Now, you don't really guard James, as his size and strength make that impossible, but you can try to slow him down a bit and not allow him to drive the lane at will. Leonard is a strong defender and will give James a lot more problems on defense than the Pacers Paul George was able to. James saved the Heat against Indiana when Wade and Bosh could do nothing. If Wade and Bosh struggle like that again, it may not be a slam dunk that James can dominate this series, like he did against Indiana. Another interesting matchup battle will be what the Heat do to guard Parker. Parker was unconscious against the Grizzlies and you figure going straight up against Mario Chalmers would give the Spurs a major advantage. I expect the Heat to throw James on Parker late in games, as they have done in the past against electric point guards, such as the Bulls Derrick Rose. Backup point guards are Gary Neal for the Spurs and Norris Cole for the Heat. Both provide pretty steady play off the bench, and while obviously not as good as the guys in front of them, they are at least serviceable. At shooting guard the Heat have Wade and Ray Allen, while the Spurs start Danny Green and bring Manu Ginobli off the bench. Green has earned that starting role by playing good defense and hitting his shots. Green is a 45% shooter and a 43% shooter from three point land. When him and Allen are on the court you may just see them trade three pointers. It didn't get talked about much because the Spurs swept the series, but Ginobli did not play very well. Now some of that can be attributed to having one of the league's best defenders, Tony Allen on him. Wade is not as good a defender and is also hobbled with injuries. Wade stepped up his play in Game 7 but for most of these playoffs he has been a non-entity. It will be interesting to watch to see what kind of series he has in the Finals, and if he can find his offensive groove a bit more.

The Heat's lack of size really came back to bite them in the Pacers series. Against the Spurs it will be a bit of an issue but not nearly as big as one, no pun intended. Obviously, Duncan is a fantastic player and Udonis Haslem and the Birdman Chris Andersen will have their hands full with him. But beyond Duncan, none of the Spurs other bigs are that imposing. Tiago Splitter can block some shots but he isn't a presence on the boards. Boris Diaw, is a decent defender, but not someone that can change a series. It is mystifying to me how DaJuan Blair has fallen out of favor with Popovich. Maybe Pop will give him some more playing time in this series to take advantage of the Heat's lack of size. The Heat's Shane Battier started losing minutes as the Conference Finals went one and it is kind of hard to see what his role will be in this series. Maybe when Matt Bonner is on they can stick Battier on him, as Bonner isn't very athletic and really just a threat from three point range. Bosh had a terrible series against Indiana, but this series sets up nicely for him. If he wants to, I think he can battle Splitter inside and not have to merely settle for jumpers. Bosh has no excuse to struggle in this series, and he needs to definitely make more of an impact on the glass playing a Spurs team that isn't a strong rebounding team.

The 2-3-2 format is employed for the NBA Finals and is a huge part of this series. The team with homecourt advantage is basically guaranteed of winning the series if they go into Game 6 up 3-2. It is next to impossible for a road team to win the last two games on their opponent's home court. I think that rather than looking rested, the Spurs will look rusty in Game 1 and the Heat will win comfortably. In Game 2, the Spurs will have their legs back and will knock off Miami to tie the series up. It is in San Antonio where I think the Heat will take control of the series by winning two out of three in San Antonio. That will set up Game 6 in Miami, where the Heat will close things out, with LeBron James once again winning Finals MVP. While I think the Spurs are a better team than the Pacers, matchup wise, they are much more favorable for Miami to face than Indiana was. Their advantages, such as having Parker at point, can be mitigated by Miami, who can put James on him. I don't buy Splitter or Diaw as being difference makers like Roy Hibbert and David West were, which will allow Bosh to have a much better series. The Spurs would be adding another championship had the Pacers advanced, but against Miami, I don't think they have the players needed to knock off the Heat. LeBron will take home his second straight title and all the talk next season will be about the Heat going for a three-peat.

Prediction: Heat over Spurs, 4-2

2013 NBA Playoffs - Eastern Conference Finals

The "trash talk" has already begun between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers as they meet in the playoffs for the second straight year. Pacers coach Frank Vogel didn't kiss the Heat's ass enough for King Lebron James liking, so he had a little hissy fit about it. The Pacers pushed the Heat hard last season, going up 2-1 in their Eastern Conference Semi-Finals series, before dropping the final three games. Do they have what it takes this season to finish the job they started and upset the Heat?


#1 Miami Heat vs. #3 Indiana Pacers

Literally, the single biggest reason that people give the Pacers a chance in this series is Roy Hibbert. The Heat have no one that can match up with Hibbert. Please don't tell me that Chris Bosh, James Jones, Joel Anthony or Udonis Haslem can. Hibbert is a beast compared to those three. The Pacers will dominate the boards in this series, no doubt about it. If the Heat aren't hitting their shots at strong rate, they could lose the series. Now that seems pretty obvious, but in this series, playing strong defense won't be enough for the Heat to win. They were able to score some points against a strong Bulls defense, but that Bulls team was missing many pieces. Also, they let a depleted Bulls team have some pretty strong offensive showings against them.

The edge at point guard goes the Pacers, although George Hill did suffer a concussion in the series against the Knicks, so he may not be all the way back. He played 42 minutes in the Game 6 clincher, but struggled, shooting just 2-10 from the field. Mario Chalmers is always hit or miss for the Heat. He either randomly breaks out a strong game or you usually barely notice him on the court. At shooting guard of course the Heat have the advantage with Dwyane Wade, but its not as far a gap as usual. Wade has been hobbled, and save for the last half of Game 5 against Bulls he was basically ineffective. Lance Stephenson typically doesn't contribute a ton but busted out for 25 points in the Game 6 win against New York.

A great one on one matchup to watch in this series is LeBron James going against Paul George. You don't always get to see each team's best players go up against one another but that is the case in this series. Can James limit George's effectiveness, as George is a highly consistent scorer? Will George be able to slow down LeBron and force James into some turnovers? George is very good at creative turnovers on the defensive end, averaging almost 2.3 steals per game in his last 10 games. Of course, playing LeBron is an entirely different animal, and if LeBron is already feeling a bit slighted, watch out. As mentioned above, the interior battle could be a huge mismatch for Indiana, not just with Hibbert but also with David West. The Heat will have to find answers for Hibbert and West, or the Pacers will be content with feeding the ball inside all series.

Coming off the bench for Heat you will see Ray Allen, who is coming off a mostly forgettable series against the Bulls. Also, Shane Battier receives a good amount of times, while Norris Cole and Chris Anderson see some spot duty. Anthony and Jones have basically disappeared from the rotation but perhaps we will see more of them this series. The bench isn't the Pacers strong suit, with only Tyler Hansbrough or D.J. Augustin being guys they can somewhat rely on. If either team gets contributions out of their bench in this series, it could be the difference maker.

The Heat blew out the Bulls in two games but otherwise really struggled with a very depleted Chicago team. The Pacers are without Danny Granger but have been that way for basically the entire season and still won 49 games. Basketball is about matchups and the Pacers are a tough draw for the Heat. Miami is the best team of the four remaining but I think the Pacers can challenge them. Especially, when they play at home in Indiana, where they are 6-0 in the playoffs. In fact, something will have to give because the Heat are currently 4-0 on the road in the playoffs. I think the Pacers can get this series to a seventh game, before LeBron and company close them out.

Prediction: Heat over Pacers, 4-3

2013 NBA Playoffs - Western Conference Finals

One half of the Western Conference finalists is as expected, the San Antonio Spurs. But the other half has crashed the party, the Memphis Grizzlies. Now who knows if the Grizzlies would have gotten past the Thunder with Russell Westbrook, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that the Grizzlies are playing outstanding basketball, and in many people's minds will be the favorites in this series. That is because two years ago as an up and coming 8 seed the Grizzlies throttle the #1 seed Spurs in the First Round of the playoffs. Can the Spurs get their revenge two years later, and make it back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2007?


#2 San Antonio Spurs vs. #5 Memphis Grizzlies

This series will be a clash in styles and philosophy. The Spurs still have that tag of being boring but they are actually a fast-paced, high scoring team. The Grizzlies are a bruising, grind it out style of team. They win games by keeping their opponents in the 80s and low 90s. They dictated the series against the Thunder and Oklahoma City wasn't able to overcome the Grizzlies defensive toughness. The Spurs will have more reliable offensive weapons than the Thunder, who had to rely way too much on Kevin Durant. The Spurs get scoring from all of their key players, and when one guy struggles, like Manu Ginobli did in the Game 6 win against Golden State, other bench guys can pick up the slack, like a Gary Neal who had 12 points in 8 minutes last night. While the Spurs are much more offensive oriented than the Grizzlies, they do play good defense. They took control of the Warriors series as they eventually wore out Golden State's shooters.

There will be some great individual matchups in this series, highlighted by the Grizzlies Zach Randolph going against the Spurs Tim Duncan. Duncan has seemed rejuvenated this season, but might face his toughest challenge yet with the bruising Randolph. The other battle of the bigs will be between Marc Gasol and Tiago Splitter. This is where the Grizzlies have the biggest advantage to me. Gasol is such a complete player, and has more mental toughness than his brother Pau. He doesn't shy from the big moment, as evidenced by his series clinching shot in Game 5 against the Thunder. He is a much better offensive player than Splitter, and a better defensive player. Perhaps, Gregg Popovich will give DaJuan Blair some more minutes in this series to try to combat Randolph and Gasol.

The guard battle will be Tony Parker, Danny Green, and Manu Ginobli going against Mike Conley, Tony Allen, and Jerryd Bayless. Conley is playing the best basketball of his career in these playoffs and took the Thunder's Reggie Jackson to school in the Conference Semi-Finals. Allen made life miserable for Kevin Durant, and in this series he will be expected to stop Ginobli and Green from cashing in on the open three point looks they love so much. Bayless has been mostly steady coming off the bench for Memphis, which is important, since one of the Grizzlies weaknesses is their lack of depth.

Memphis is playing like a team that is more confident than ever and like they are destined to make that leap to the NBA Finals this season. Matchup wise they have the edge over the Spurs in different areas that I think will help push them past San Antonio. It will be a battle and should be a fun series to watch, but their leaders, Randolph and Gasol will prove to be the difference as the Grizzlies earn their first ever trip to the NBA Finals.

Prediction: Grizzlies over Spurs, 4-3