NBA Playoff Preview

The road to the NBA Finals is finally upon us and it promises to be full of twists and turns along the way. This is the Lakers' chance to prove that their surplus of talent was worth all of the money it cost and that their late season breakdown, winning only four of their last eleven games, was only a fluke. With the talent of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, etc, the Lakers are hoping to be able to get on track for another three-peat reminiscent of the consecutive championships they won from 2000-2002. This is the final year that Cleveland has to get LeBron James his first championship ring and convince him to not take his talents elsewhere. The Charlotte Bobcats finally made the playoffs since joining the league as an expansion team in 2004. For many teams, a lot rides on how the playoffs unfold and who stands above the rest, victorious in the end.

In the West, the LA Lakers (57-25) have earned themselves the number one seed. They will be pitted against the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-32), who sit at the bottom of the West with the number eight seed. Despite the unanimous feelings that the Lakers should win this series, they stumbled to the regular season finish line and are looking like a team suffocating under the pressure. The Thunder have been playing well and their star player Kevin Durant, who is playing in his first playoff game, is salivating at over the chance to knock Kobe Bryant and Co. off their high horses. The Lakers led the regular season series 3-1. I predict that the Lakers will win this series in six games.

The number two and seven seeds, the Dallas Mavericks (55-27) and the San Antonio Spurs (50-32), will battle it out in the first round this year. The Mavericks, who are coming into the playoffs with the best win streak in the West, are looking good and are feeling confident. However, the Spurs have a knack for knocking off higher seeded playoff teams, which could lead to the most likely upset this year. The Mavericks led the regular season series 3-1. I predict that the Mavericks will win this series in seven games.

The third seeded Phoenix Suns (54-28) will take on the sixth seeded Portland Trailblazers (50-32). Despite a talented roster, the Trailblazers look to be outmatched by both the athleticism and scoring ability of the Suns, especially with their star player Brandon Roy out due to an injury. The Trailblazers led the regular season series 2-1. I predict that the Suns will win this series in five games.

The final game in the West will be between the fourth seeded Denver Nuggets (53-29) and the fifth seeded Utah Jazz (53-29). With both teams pretty evenly matched, this series should come down to whose stars will shine brightest: Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups of Denver or Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer of Utah. Denver led the regular season series 3-1. I predict that the Nuggets will win this series in seven games.

In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers (61-21), led by all-star LeBron James, earned themselves the top seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs for the second year in a row. This will put them against the eighth seeded Chicago Bulls (41-41), who barely earned themselves a playoff spot with a win in their regular season finale. Despite their efforts to make the playoffs, they shouldn’t be much of a challenge for the dominant Cavaliers. The regular series was split, 2-2. I predict that the Cavaliers win this series in four games.

The second seeded Orlando Magic (59-23) will be matched up against the Charlotte Bobcats (44-38), a franchise that is getting its first taste of the playoffs this year. Orlando has the longest winning streak in the NBA heading into the playoffs, and shouldn’t have too much trouble dispatching a team that is just glad that its summer didn’t start as early as it usually does. The Magic led the regular season series 3-1. I predict that the Magic will win this series in five games.

The third seeded Atlanta Hawks (53-29) will face off against the sixth seeded Milwaukee Bucks (46-36). The Bucks are coming into the series looking to upset one of the hottest teams in the NBA without their best player, Andrew Bogut, who they lost to injury. Without Bogut, the Bucks will be lucky to win a single game against Josh Smith and his Hawks. The Hawks led the regular season series 2-1. I predict that Atlanta will win this series in four games.

The final game in the East will be between the fourth seeded Boston Celtics (50-32) and the fifth seeded Miami Heat (47-35). The Heat are one of the hottest teams headed in the playoffs, having won nine of their last ten, while the Celtics have only won three out of their last ten. Boston has struggled down the stretch and the Heat are looking to capitalize on their momentum. The Celtics swept the regular season series 3-0. I predict that the Heat will win this series in seven games.

As I predicted last year, I expect the Lakers to barely squeeze their way past the opposition in the West and stumble into the Finals purely due to their overwhelming amount of talent. As for the East, I again see the Cavaliers conquering everyone that stands in their way and going head-to-head with the Lakers in the Finals in one of the most highly anticipated matchups in NBA history.

Now, for you Lakers fans, brace yourself. I predict that the Cavaliers will come out victorious over the Lakers in six games. James (“The King”) will get his ring and will stay in Cleveland, which is where he belongs. Shaquille O’Neal, who hopped on the LeBron train at the beginning of this season, will taunt Kobe with his new shiny championship ring and will retire a happy man. Lakers fans will riot in the streets of LA and all will be right in the world.