Due to some college finals preparation, I was not able to post anything about the opening round of the NBA playoffs. Do not fret though, I have been watching games and taking all the information I can so I can make some educated picks.
So far, it has been a very interesting year for the playoffs. Most of the favorites powered through their first round match ups while many of the closer seeded series proved to be very close. I have to say that the Warrior's dispatchment of the Denver Nuggets was the highlight of the first round. This team has surprised a lot of people and I would love to see them continue to advance as far as they can. Another big moment in the first round was the Knicks near collapse. I think this series showed some of the weaknesses this team has going forward. It will be interesting to see how they can cope with the Pacers.
So what surprises lurk for us in the next round? Let's take a look.
The San Antonio Spurs vs The Golden State Warriors- As much as I would like to see the Warriors continue to be successful it will be very hard for them to move forward against the Spurs. Known as the Quiet Dynasty, the Spurs possess the defensive talents to take them to the promised land once again. Tony Parker will lead the Spurs on the offensive end and will be aided by the return of Bois Diaw. Steph Curry will continue to be explosive, but will only manage a couple of good games. The one thing that will really hurt the Warriors is their inability to beat the Spurs. The last time they won in San Antonio was in 1997 and to be able to win playoff series, you have to win at home. I see the Spurs jumping out to a 2-0 lead and winning in 5 games.
The Oklahoma City Thunder vs The Memphis Grizzlies- I think the Thunder could be in some trouble in this series. It seems like year after year, the Griz meander through the regular season, just to turn it up come playoff time. The Grizzlies' core of Randolph, Conley and Gasol will shine down low as the Thunder's fading Ibaka starts to crack. This will not be enough to beat this Thunder team though. Durant will put this team on his back, which should be good enough for a few wins. In the end, the Griz will make the Thunder nervous, but Durant will pull the series out for the Thunder in game seven.
The Miami Heat vs the Chicago Bulls- Let's be honest. Does anyone see the Heat losing this? Lebron is on another level right now and the Heat have all the supporting cast. The Bulls are without Rose which means they still don't have that feared attack they had last year. The Bulls might be able to snatch one game at home, but I see the Heat sweeping the series.
The New York Knicks vs The Indiana Pacers- I think the Knicks are going to have some major issues with the Pacers. This Indiana team place with such a togetherness and it's really hard to beat them at home. With Hibbert, Hill, West and George all averaging double figures in scoring, they are a really hard team to beat when they are on a role. Their issue is that they struggle on the road. The Knicks have a different issue. They are a very talented team, but I don't think they believe they can win it all. This shows as they were trying to close out the Celtics. It almost seemed as if they didn't believe they were good enough to close out the series. The other issue is they rely on Carmelo Anthony too much. If he can stop taking so many low percentage shots and find the open man, the Knicks could be deadly. I believe someone will rise for the Knicks and lead them past the Pacers. The home team will win every game in this series as it goes the distance with the Knicks coming out on top.
Thanks for reading!
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