The NBA Playoffs are finally here. The next two months promise to pack more excitement than the entire regular season, and once again, the Western Conference is stacked. All eight teams in the West bracket have at least 50 wins, and the eight−seeded Oklahoma City Thunder would be the fourth seed in the East. Besides the Thunder, there are no newcomers to the Western Conference pool, with every other team having playoff experience dating back to last season. The Daily breaks down the pool in the Western Conference in preparation for the playoffs:
(1) Los Angeles Lakers (57−25) vs. (8) Oklahoma City (50−32): The Thunder played the Lakers tough all season, dropping two of the first three games by just three points, and winning the most recent contest between the two, 91−75, on March 26.
Although they're the No. 1 seed, the Lakers are backing into the playoffs, having lost seven of their last 11 games in the regular season. When in sync, Kobe Bryant and company are the toughest team to beat, but they haven't shown that lately and could find themselves in a very tough series with a young and hungry Thunder team.
Fresh off claiming the title as the youngest player in NBA history to capture the season scoring title, Kevin Durant enters the playoffs with even more to prove, and the Thunder have the ability to run the Lakers into the ground with their transition game. This one could be closer than anyone thinks.
(2) Dallas Mavericks (55−27) vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs (50−32): The Mavericks seem to come into the playoffs every year with promise but always find a way to disappoint expectations and owner Mark Cuban. This year, however, the Mavericks bring their deepest and most talented roster of the Dirk Nowitzki era into the postseason.
With future Hall−of−Famer Jason Kidd at the point and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jason Terry averaging 16.6 points per game off the bench, the Mavericks have too much firepower for San Antonio. The Spurs still have the talent, but health and age are always a concern for them. Tim Duncan's 17.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game were the lowest totals in his career, and without home−court advantage in this series, it will be very tough for the Spurs to win.
(3) Phoenix Suns (54−28) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (50−32): The Suns play at the fastest pace of any playoff team, while the Blazers play at the slowest, which should make for an interesting matchup. Anchored by Steve Nash, who dropped 16.5 points and dished out 11.0 assists per game in the regular season, the Suns' offensive arsenal is scary. Amare Stoudemire (23.1 points, 8.9 rebounds per game) is virtually un−guardable in the paint, and the Suns have a bevy of three−point gunners in Jared Dudley, Grant Hill, Channing Frye and Nash, all of whom shoot better than 42 percent from beyond the arc.
The Blazers have matched up well with the Suns, though, having won two of three regular−season matchups. All−Star guard Brandon Roy, who has averaged 21.5 points per game this season, is questionable to play on Sunday with a slight tear in his meniscus. If Roy is unable to go in that one, or throughout the series, it will seriously hinder the Blazers' chance of an upset. Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge will have the tough task of containing Stoudemire, but if he gets into foul trouble, the Suns' inside−outside game will be too much for the Blazers to handle.
(4) Denver Nuggets (53−29) vs. (5) Utah Jazz (53−29): This will be the most intriguing first−round matchup of the playoffs because both teams have the ability to make it to the Finals. The biggest factor in this series will be home−court advantage; the Nuggets went 34−7 at home but 19−22 on the road, while the Jazz saw similar results, going 32−9 at home and 21−20 on the road. If the Jazz can steal a win from the Nuggets in the first two games in Denver, the series will likely go deep to six or seven games.
The Nuggets have all the pieces for a championship run: playoff−experienced Chauncey Billups at point and one of the NBA's most dynamic scorers in Carmelo Anthony. With Kenyon Martin back from injury and J.R. Smith coming off the bench to stretch the defense with his shooting ability, the Nuggets will be a vicious opponent for any team.
The Western Conference playoffs always feature tough−fought battles with long series, heroic performances and constant upsets. This year, the balance between the No. 1 and No. 8 seeds is as even as it has ever been. But in the end, the winner will be the team that can win the best on the road. At 27−14 away from home, look for the Mavericks to make it out of the West and get the chance to win the title.
