NBA Playoffs Preview (Saturday edition)
(1) Warriors vs (8) Rockets
Look, the Warriors have only lost nine games since last June. I just don't see a team that actually plays Mike Beasley big minutes being able to tack on loss number 10 for the Dubs. One promising aspect of this matchup that bodes well for the Rockets is that the have the stud wing defenders (Patrick Beverley and Trevor Ariza) to give the Splash Brothers fits.
The Warriors are going to win this series. The only way the Rockets win a game is for Dwight to have a vintage-Dwight game. While Andrew Bogut is a fantastic defensive center, when push comes to shove the Warriors will always try to make the other team adapt to their style of play by going with the Death lineup, swapping Iggy in for Bogut. Donatas Montejunas has absolutely no shot against Draymond Green in this series, and while the Warriors have many other advantages, this one may be highlighted the most since its obvious Draymond just plays with more fire than Montejunas.
Prediction: Warriors in 4
(2) Raptors vs (7) Pacers
Can the Raps finally make it out of round 1? As a two seed playing a seven seed, it seems very likely that the Raps advance, but Paul George still has the potential to be the best player on the court in this series. The number one rule for picking a winner is which team boasts the best player. While that can totally be up for debate due to the overall beastliness of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozen, George can guard both of them and run the team on offense.
Still though, George has no real reliable sidekick going into this series. Monte Ellis? The antithesis of reliable. George Hill? meh. Myles Turner? The kid is 20; maybe for one game. Ian Mahimi? please. That really is it, so the Pacers, if they hope to win this series, will virtually need a Herculean-like effort from George every night, as well as one of the role players to put up a monster game.
With the Raps, Lowry and DeRozen will get 20 in their sleep. Jonas Valinciunas turns it up in the playoffs. Their bench is deep and versatile.
Raptors in 6
(3) Thunder vs (6) Mavs
The talent gap is too wide here for the Mavs to have a fighters chance. They will probably win at least one game due to a combination of Rick Carlisle out-coaching the hell out of Bill Donovan, the Thunder having a mental lapse and some Dirk magic sprinkled in. Other than that, Westbrook and Durant are going to steamroll this team on offense.
But please, anyone who believes the Mavs are winning are delusional.
Thunder in 5
(4) Hawks vs (5) Celtics
An intriguing series featuring teams each without a bona-fide superstar, but with a bundle of stars and two super sharp coaches in President elect Brad Stevens vs Mike Budenholtzer.
A thing hurting the Celtics in this matchup is that their best defenders all roam the perimeter, while the Hawks' two best players and perhaps the two best in the series are big men Paul Millsap and Al Horford. Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart will waste their extraordinary defensive talents on Kent Bazemore and Kyle Korver, solid players who would rarely sniff 20 points in a playoff game while being guarded by average defenders.
The Celtics have their weaknesses inside, but on offense combined with the jittering Isaiah Thomas and acumen of Stevens, their offense will hum along. This series will be close and I'm pretty certain that it will go 7.
Celtics in 7.
Look, the Warriors have only lost nine games since last June. I just don't see a team that actually plays Mike Beasley big minutes being able to tack on loss number 10 for the Dubs. One promising aspect of this matchup that bodes well for the Rockets is that the have the stud wing defenders (Patrick Beverley and Trevor Ariza) to give the Splash Brothers fits.
The Warriors are going to win this series. The only way the Rockets win a game is for Dwight to have a vintage-Dwight game. While Andrew Bogut is a fantastic defensive center, when push comes to shove the Warriors will always try to make the other team adapt to their style of play by going with the Death lineup, swapping Iggy in for Bogut. Donatas Montejunas has absolutely no shot against Draymond Green in this series, and while the Warriors have many other advantages, this one may be highlighted the most since its obvious Draymond just plays with more fire than Montejunas.
Prediction: Warriors in 4
(2) Raptors vs (7) Pacers
Can the Raps finally make it out of round 1? As a two seed playing a seven seed, it seems very likely that the Raps advance, but Paul George still has the potential to be the best player on the court in this series. The number one rule for picking a winner is which team boasts the best player. While that can totally be up for debate due to the overall beastliness of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozen, George can guard both of them and run the team on offense.
Still though, George has no real reliable sidekick going into this series. Monte Ellis? The antithesis of reliable. George Hill? meh. Myles Turner? The kid is 20; maybe for one game. Ian Mahimi? please. That really is it, so the Pacers, if they hope to win this series, will virtually need a Herculean-like effort from George every night, as well as one of the role players to put up a monster game.
With the Raps, Lowry and DeRozen will get 20 in their sleep. Jonas Valinciunas turns it up in the playoffs. Their bench is deep and versatile.
Raptors in 6
(3) Thunder vs (6) Mavs
The talent gap is too wide here for the Mavs to have a fighters chance. They will probably win at least one game due to a combination of Rick Carlisle out-coaching the hell out of Bill Donovan, the Thunder having a mental lapse and some Dirk magic sprinkled in. Other than that, Westbrook and Durant are going to steamroll this team on offense.
But please, anyone who believes the Mavs are winning are delusional.
Thunder in 5
(4) Hawks vs (5) Celtics
An intriguing series featuring teams each without a bona-fide superstar, but with a bundle of stars and two super sharp coaches in President elect Brad Stevens vs Mike Budenholtzer.
A thing hurting the Celtics in this matchup is that their best defenders all roam the perimeter, while the Hawks' two best players and perhaps the two best in the series are big men Paul Millsap and Al Horford. Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart will waste their extraordinary defensive talents on Kent Bazemore and Kyle Korver, solid players who would rarely sniff 20 points in a playoff game while being guarded by average defenders.
The Celtics have their weaknesses inside, but on offense combined with the jittering Isaiah Thomas and acumen of Stevens, their offense will hum along. This series will be close and I'm pretty certain that it will go 7.
Celtics in 7.
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