The NBA regular season came to a close Wednesday night and the highly anticipated first round of the 2002 NBA post-season will begin on Saturday, starting every team over at 0-0.
This year, however, things will be a little different. Everyone expected to be watching the usual suspects - the Knicks, the Heat, and an un-retired Michael Jordan - at this point in the season, but that is not the case. New powers have emerged in the NBA, most of them in the Eastern Conference, with the rise of the New Jersey Nets, Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics, who hold the top three spots in the East, respectively.
The Western Conference is where the true super-powers preside, however. All eight teams in the West that qualified for the playoffs, with the exception of the Seattle Supersonics and perhaps the Utah Jazz, can roll through any Eastern team they face in the finals.
Here is a series by series breakdown of the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Eastern Conference
(1) New Jersey Nets vs. (8) Indiana Pacers
Jason Kidd has turned the Nets around from perennial losers to the number one team in the East and is looking to lead his team to a championship. In their way stands one of the greatest playoff performers of all time - Reggie Miller and the Pacers.
The Pacers will cause problems for the Nets, and there is a chance of an upset here. The Pacers have all the talent to do it, and were it not for the poor coaching of Isaiah Thomas at the helm, I would say they could. But with Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin, and Keith Van Horn on the hardwood and Head Coach Byron Scott on the bench, the Nets will subdue Reggie and the Pacers.
Nets over Pacers, 3-1
(2) Detroit Pistons vs. (7) Toronto Raptors
Detroit came out of nowhere this season to win their division and take the number two seed in the East. The emergence of Ben Wallace as a super-human rebounder and shot-blocker and the selfless plays of Jerry Stackhouse - unlike what we have seen in the past - contributed greatly to their rise.
In contrast, the preseason favorite Raptors have been in disarray all season long. It wasn't until superstar Vince Carter went out for the season with an injury that the Raptors decided to make a run at the playoffs. It's all for naught, because without a true scorer on the team, they have no chance of upending the surging Pistons.
Pistons win 3-0
(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers
The Celtics' two-man show of Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker has worked well all season long, landing the Celts in the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
Allen Iverson may miss the first round of playoffs with a broken wrist for the Sixers, the returning Eastern Conference champions. Without Iverson, the Sixers have a snowball's chance in summer of upsetting the Celtics.
Celtics win 3-1
(4) Charlotte Hornets vs. (5) Orlando Magic
The Hornets made a surprise run in last year's playoffs and look to do it again this year with Baron Davis and Jamal Mashburn running the show, facing off against Tracy McGrady-powered Orlando Magic.
McGrady will give the Magic a chance to knock off the Hornets, but it will be too much for him and his bad back, as the Magic will likely submit to the Hornets. If Grant Hill was not injured for a second consecutive season, the Magic could have made a run in these playoffs.
Hornets win 3-2
Western Conference
(1) Sacramento Kings vs. (8) Utah Jazz
The Kings have been the league's best team all season long, posting a league best 61-21 record. Even without superstar Chris Webber in the beginning of the season, the team displayed true grit and explosive scoring ability. With Webber in the lineup, Mike Bibby replacing the erratic Jason Williams at point guard, and the home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, Sacramento is virtually unstoppable and it could be their year if things go right.
The Kings will face the Jazz in what will be Malone and Stockton's last run in the playoffs. It's been said before, but this is the end for them. You cannot play forever.
Kings win 3-1
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Seattle Supersonics
This could be the dark horse series in terms of being one of the most competitive. The Spurs have potential league MVP Tim Duncan and two stars near the end of their careers in Steve Smith and David Robinson.
The Sonics came out of nowhere this season to make the playoffs. Gary Payton is playing some of the best ball of his career and will look to give fits to San Antonio's rookie point guard Tony Parker. Expect the expected though, as the Spurs will prove to be just too big for the Sonics and rebounding will become a major factor.
Spurs win 3-2
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers
These teams are familiar foes after facing off for the past two years in the playoffs. The Lakers are looking to make it a three-peat as the NBA champions and they very well could do it with the most dominating player in the game, Shaquille O'Neal, and its arguably best player, Kobe Bryant.
The Lakers will face a very formidable opponent in the Blazers, who will look to avenge the humiliating sweep they suffered in the first round last year. Portland has all the tools to do it with Rasheed Wallace, Bonzi Wells, Damon Stoudamire, and a host of other superstar players. If the Blazers take one early in LA, they can pull this off.
Blazers win 3-1
(4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Minnesota Timberwolves
The Mavericks will look to use their Blitzkrieg attack throughout the playoffs. No team in the NBA has as much firepower as this team; they can score from anywhere on the court, at any time. Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley, Raef Lafrentz and Nick Van Exel are perhaps the best five on the floor in the NBA.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are used to getting bumped in the first round, and will likely get bumped again. Maybe it's time to start shopping around Kevin Garnett, because the T'Wolves won't be going anywhere soon.
Mavericks win 3-0
