The NBA Playoffs are upon us once again, but this time David Stern and the NBA have changed it up a little. The first round will now be the best of seven match-ups as opposed to the best of five that we have seen in previous years.
The following is a series by series breakdown of all the playoff match-ups that are beginning this weekend, starting tomorrow.
No. 1 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 8 Phoenix Suns
The San Antonio Spurs have been playing the best basketball out of any team all season, and potential MVP Tim Duncan will look to take them to the title once again this year. Phoenix may only be the eighth seed, but this team is no slouch. In fact, if they were in the East they would probably win it. Look for Stephon Marbury, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion to give the Spurs all they can handle in the first round, as they took three of four from them in the regular season. But this is the playoffs, and they should not be able to topple Duncan, Tony Parker, Emanuel Ginobili and the rest of the Spurs.
San Antonio wins 4-2.
In a rematch of last year's first round match-up, in which the Kings won, the Jazz and Sacramento will renew acquaintances in this year's playoffs. The aging core of John Stockton and Karl Malone will most likely give it one last run, since Malone has hinted at leaving after the season is over, but Sacramento is still seething about not being able to defeat the Lakers in last year's Western Conference Finals. Look for them to take it out on the Jazz.
Kings win 4-1.
Now this is what playoff basketball is all about. Two of the deepest teams in the league going at it in the first round. You have the high-flying Mavericks going up against, well, the just plain high Blazers. Dallas is most likely very relieved that they narrowly avoided a first round match-up with the Lakers, who would have taken Dallas apart, but they cannot overlook Portland. The Mavericks' offense is still the best in the league, but their shoddy defense will be exposed in the playoffs. Dirk Nowitzki will match up with Rasheed Wallace, and Wallace will go after him like a rabid pit bull. If Portland can stay sober, they can upset Dallas with the tough as nails team they have. Wallace, Bonzi Wells, Derek Anderson, and Scottie Pippen against Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Michael Finley and Shawn Bradley. I'll take the bad guys over the pretty boys any day.
Blazers in seven.
Along with the Dallas-Portland series, this one may prove to be the most intriguing. Minnesota's Kevin Garnett has never escaped the first round in umpteen attempts, but this year he has upped his game and made a case for himself as the league MVP. The Lakers were reeling early, but have bounced back to regain their usual dominance. But something is different this year, they just don't seem to have "it." This will be the year that Shaq and Kobe falter as they attempt to carry their job squad teammates to another title. This is the year the Lakers fall. Even if they somehow manage to escape the first round, they WILL NOT make it through the gauntlet that is the Western Conference. I repeat, they WILL NOT win the West this year. This may very well be the end of the Shaq-Kobe era.
T'Wolves win 4-2.
No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic
Tracy McGrady is perhaps the best player in the NBA, but it is unfortunate for him that his team would probably be the worst in the NBA without his services. But he is on the team, and his presence alone is enough to alter a series. Detroit's defense will be too much for the Magic however, and McGrady will not be able to carry Orlando on his back in a seven game series against the likes of defensive machine Ben Wallace and the rest of the Pistons.
Detroit wins 4-1.
This is why the Bucks changed up their roster with a trade-deadline deal. To make an impact come playoff time. Gary Payton and Desmond Mason will provide the spark along with Sam Cassell to oust the defending Eastern Conference Champions. Payton knows what it is like to make a run at the finals - his old team the Sonics did it in '96 - and he is the perfect point guard to match up against the Nets' Jason Kidd. Everyone hates the departed Keith Van Horn, but he will be sorely missed by New Jersey. Richard Jefferson cannot carry a team on any given night, and neither can Kenyon Martin. Jason Kidd will have to carry too heavy of a load against the feisty Bucks.
Payton, Cassell, Mason and the Bucks prevail in seven games.
Without a doubt, the Pacers have the deepest and most talented squad in the "Leastern" Conference. It's just too bad that their coach Isaiah Thomas is just plain God-awful. On the other hand, the Celtics epitomize why the East is so bad. They have two really good (but not excellent) players in Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker (although they are chuckers), but the rest of the squad is filled with a bunch of nobodies. You just can't go all the way with players like Eric Williams and Vin Baker on your squad. Indiana has all the tools to take the East and play in the NBA Finals, they just have to keep their hotheads under control. If Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest and Brad Miller can keep their tempers in check, expect this team to make a run to the finals. And don't forget they still have Reggie Miller on their squad along with the newly acquired Tim Hardaway, two players known for playoff theatrics.
Indiana wins 4-1.
This could be the closest of all the playoff series, for the Sixers and Hornets are two teams that match up well with each other. You have the one-man team Allen Iverson going against David Wesley and Baron Davis, and then Van Horn locking horns against Jamal Mashburn. Expect a few buzzer-beating games in this series, with the last second shots going to Iverson and Davis, who can sink the big shots when they count the most. Iverson will lay everything on the line for his team, but it should be interesting to see if the rest of his team, including Derrick "whoop-de-damn-do" Coleman, respond in the same fashion. Mashburn will win his match-up against Van Horn, and Davis and Wesley will do enough to slow Iverson down over seven games.
Hornets win it 4-3.
