NBA Playoffs Preview - First Round

The NBA playoffs are underway and a lot teams have something to prove. In the NBA's second season a couple of bad games mean an early summer vacation. Let's see who is going to advance to the next round and who is going to go home.

THE EASTERN CONFERENCE: 

#1 Atlanta Hawks vs #8 Brooklyn Nets- Both of these teams have been on the opposite ends of the spectrum this season, with the Hawks leading the Eastern Conference for most of the season while the Nets just backed into the playoffs on the last day of the regular season. The Hawks are looking to prove to the league that they are a true contender and their success in the regular season wasn't a fluke. For that I imagine they would need to make it at least to the Eastern Conference Finals and anything less would be a disappointment. The Nets have been playing better basketball of late and have been carried by the superb play of Brook Lopez. Over the month of March Lopez played at an extremely high level which netted him the East player of the week awards at the end of March and beginning of April. But unfortunately for Lopez he has his work cut out for him against this fantastic Hawk defense. Lopez could will the Nets to one win at home but nothing more. The Hawks are likely to throw Al Horford or Paul Millsap (sometimes at the same time) on Lopez which will be a tough match up for him. With not much scoring elsewhere the Nets will struggle to put up points which will make this a short series. Atlanta in 5

#2 Cleveland Cavaliers vs #7 Boston Celtics- In what was supposed to be a rebuilding season for the Celtics they managed to pull off a 23-12 record after the all-star break to sneak in as the 7th seed in the East. Brad Stevens has been nothing short of fantastic as the young coach for the young Celtics team. He has been great in drawing up last minute plays as well as playing the correct rotations in crunch time. The addition of Isiah Thomas has been fantastic for the Celtics, as Thomas has emerged as a 6th man of the year candidate. Unfortunately for the Celtics, a man by the name of LeBron James stands in their way as an ugly stepsister, looking to ruin this fairytale season. The Cavs have constantly been in the media, these things will happen when LeBron is on your team, from people wondering what exactly LeBron was doing on that two week break in Miami to questioning whether or not Kevin Love is happy with his role. Despite all the off court distractions the Cavs have been playing great basketball since LeBron's return from injury and the additions of JR Smith and Timofey Mozgov have made the Cavs favorites in the East. An intriguing question for the Cavs is how will Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving fare in their first postseason? The answer to that question will play a role in how much success the Cavs have in the postseason this year, but ultimately this team will go as far as LeBron can take them. I see the Cavs wrapping this series up rather quickly in order to get as much rest as possible, as a second round match up with the Bulls is lurking in the future. Cavs in 5

#3 Chicago Bulls vs #6 Milwaukee Bucks- Jason Kidd should be considered as a candidate for Coach of the Year with the effort he has done with this young Bucks team. The second pick of the 2014 draft Jabari Parker was lost for the season with a torn ACL but this team didn't miss a stride. The Greek Freak has made huge leaps in his game and he is one of the most versatile players in the NBA. The addition of Michael Carter-Williams gives the Bucks an additional play maker and someone who makes the game easier for everyone else. The Bulls have to be pleased to finally see Derrick Rose on the playoff roster, these will be his first playoffs since his unfortunate ACL injury in 2012. Since Rose has been back the Bulls offense has been running a lot more smoother with the defenses paying more attention to Rose, allowing for the rest of the team to get better looks. Pau Gasol has had a resurgence with this Bulls team, posting good enough numbers to be an Eastern Conference all-star. This is the first year that the Bulls have been somewhat healthy for the playoffs and if they are playing their best basketball, Bulls fans should believe that they can beat any team on a given night. The Bucks have the length to compete in a few games, but the Bulls are much more talented on both sides of the ball. Also coach Tom Thibodeau isn't afraid to play his starters 40+ minutes a night so don't be surprised to see very few substitutions from the Bulls. As has been the case for the Bulls in seasons past they will only go as far as Derrick Rose can take them. Anything less than a meeting vs the Cavaliers in the second round would be a disappointment. Bulls in 6

#4 Toronto Raptors vs #5 Washington Wizards- Both of these teams have been disappointing as of late and have slid down the standings since the all-star break. With both coaches on the hot seat, these playoffs will go a long way in determining in which coach keeps his job. The Wizards have the best player in this series in John Wall and will need him to carry this team as far as he can. The Raptors have their own stud point guard in Kyle Lowry, an excellent defender who can also be trusted with the ball in crunch time. The Wizards are a lot older than the Raptors with veterans such as Paul Pierce, Marcin Gortat, and Nene. Pierce helped eliminate the Raptors last year when he was on the Nets with many clutch baskets. This series will come down to which team can execute down the stretch as I expect many close back and forth games that will be decided in the 4th quarter. Out of all the first round playoff series, this one has been the most difficult to predict, as either team can win with a week of good basketball. In this close match-up I am leaning towards the team with the best player and veteran experience, as John Wall and Paul Pierce will close a couple of games down the stretch. Wizards in 6

THE WESTERN CONFERENCE: 

#1 Golden State Warriors vs #8 New Orleans Pelicans- The Pelicans scored an impressive win on the last day of the season over the San Antonio Spurs to slide into the final spot of the Western Conference. Anthony Davis has been nothing short of phenomenal this season, looking like every bit of the superstar that people predicted him to be. But unfortunately for him his first playoff experience will likely be extremely short as Davis has to play the juggernaut that has been the Golden State Warriors this season. One of the best aspects of the Warriors this season has been their excellent home record. With only two losses at home the entire season it is almost it will be very difficult for a team to steal a game at home against the Warriors because it seems like even when the Warriors don't play that well at home they somehow manage to win anyway, evidenced by their last second win vs the Suns a couple of weeks ago. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Warriors have an undefeated home record until at least the Western Conference Finals. The Pelicans may pull one out at home thanks to Anthony Davis but it should be a short playoffs for the Brow. Warriors in 5

#2 Houston Rockets vs #7 Dallas Mavericks- James Harden has carried this injury riddled Rockets team all the way to the second seed. Even though he might not win MVP he has to be considered one of the best players in the league and someone who can take over a series if need be. The X factor for the Rockets will be the health of Dwight Howard. If he can play his best the Rockets will be contending for the Finals and will be a tough out. The Mavs have been struggling to fit Rajon Rondo into their offense and have been stagnant the last month of the season. The problem for the Mavs is that they don't have anyone that can match up against Harden and they might have to put Rondo on him. This series will be a test for Chandler Parsons as he will be going up against his former team. If Parsons can take some of the scoring load away from Dirk and Monta Ellis the Mavs might be able to steal a few games. I see a couple of  overtime games in this hard fought series as the Rockets prevail on a great performance by James Harden. Rockets in 6 

#3 Los Angeles Clippers vs #6 San Antonio Spurs- It is extremely unfortunate that the Clippers, who have been playing great basketball as of late, have to play the Spurs in the first round round of the playoffs. Chris Paul has been playing like an MVP and has carried this team in spite of injuries to Blake Griffin. CP3 has been extremely efficient the season and with JJ Reddick they make one of the best offenses in the league. The Spurs were looking at a number two seed on last day of the regular season but with a loss to the Pelicans they dropped all the way to the sixth seed. Kawhi Leonard has been one of the best players in the league after his injury and he makes the Spurs a championship contender with his play. This maybe Tim Duncan's last season so the Spurs will definitely try to end his illustrious career on a high note. With Greg Popovich and the big three you can never count this team out come playoff time. I expect the Spurs to steal one of the first two in LA and eventually advance to the next round. Spurs in 6

#4 Memphis Grizzlies vs #5 Portland Trailblazers- Both of these teams looked prime for a playoff run until poor play and injuries led them to the middle of the Western Conference standings. The Grizzlies looked like an elite contender about two months ago, but have cooled off since and the Blazers suffered a brutal season ending Achilles injury to Wesley Matthews who was having a career season. Damian Lillard has hit a slump after the all-star break and Lamarcus Aldridge has been playing with a broken hand for the better part of the season. In addition Arron Afflalo might not play Game 1 because of a shoulder injury which means the banged up Blazers might have to start Allen Crabbe at shooting guard. The Grizzlies have elite defenders in Marc Gasol and Tony Allen and each will make life difficult for Aldridge and Lillard. With all of the injuries to the Blazers, the Grizzlies can put more pressure on Aldridge and Lillard due to the lack of scoring elsewhere. The injuries to Portland heavily tilt this match up to the Grizzlies favor. I see the Grizzlies stealing one of two from the Blazers at home and advancing to the next round. Grizzlies in 6

The NBA MVP Race

This season has had one of the best MVP races in recent memory. With the season coming to an end there are four very deserving candidates and in a different year they would be well deserving of winning the trophy. But we can only have one winner. Let's see the top 10 most valuable players so far:

1.  James Harden-Houston Rockets 27.5 ppg | 7.0 apg | 5.7 rpg | 26.81 PER

What Harden has been doing this year is nothing short of amazing. He has carried the Rockets to the second seed in the tough Western Conference and the third best record in the NBA. It is even more amazing considering the fact that Dwight Howard has only played 36 of a possible 76 games this season. Including Howard the Rockets have had a ridiculous amount of injuries to their entire team.

• Patrick Beverley- Played 56 games Out for the season with a torn ligament
• Terrence Jones- Played 27 games has been out with 5 different injuries this season
• Kostas Papanikolau- Played 41 games has been out with knee and ankle injuries
• Joey Dorsey has played 63 games

You can make an argument that Trevor Ariza, who hasn't missed a game this season, has been the second best player for Rockets. The 51-point game that Harden delivered on Wednesday vs the Kings was a perfect example of what a talented scorer he is. He went 16-25 from the field in addition to 8-9 from 3 along with 8 rebound and 6 assists. Harden can score on you from the outside, inside, free throw line, or mid range. He really is one of the most talented scorers we have in the league today and he is my vote for MVP.

2. Stephen Curry- Golden State Warriors 23.8 ppg | 7.8 apg | 4.3 rpg | 27.87 PER

This has been a magical season for the Warriors, posting a 60+ win season for the first time in franchise history along with the best record in the NBA. In addition the Warriors clinched their first division title since 1975-1976. It has also been a fantastic season for the phenom Stephen Curry. He is 16 3's away from breaking his own record of 3-pointers in a season while shooting a ridiculous 43.6% from deep. That percentage is extremely impressive when you consider the fact that he takes a league leading 8 3-pointers a game. His ability from the 3-point line makes him practically impossible to guard. The Warriors have an all around great team but Curry truly makes them one of the championship favorites. He will be a joy to watch for years to come. 

3. Russell Westbrook- Oklahoma City Thunder 27.6 ppg | 8.7 apg | 7.3 rpg | 29.01 PER

With the injury to Kevin Durant we have seen Westbrook fully unleashed and it has been amazing to watch. He has 10 triple-doubles this season, including that ridiculous stretch where he pulled off four consecutive triple-doubles. To put in perspective how impressive that streak was there is a four-way tie for second place and each of those players only has three triple-doubles each. When Westbrook steps on the floor it is must see basketball. You don't know if he's going to have another ferocious dunk, an unbelievable block, or a game winning shot. He plays every game with his heart out and you have to respect the intensity he brings to the court. Kobe Bryant was quoted saying that "Westbrook has Mamba blood in him" which is as high praise as you can get. But the sad truth is that no matter how well Westbrook plays he won't be a serious candidate for MVP with the Thunder being an 8th seed. 

4. LeBron James- Cleveland Cavaliers 25.6 ppg | 7.3 apg | 5.9 rpg | 26.07 PER

In 2011 Derrick Rose won the MVP and many felt it was controversial because voters were too tired of voting for LeBron and they wanted a new winner. There is a debate to be had on whether or not Rose deserved that MVP but you cannot make that argument this year. There are great candidates this year and it will not be up for debate if/when LeBron doesn't win MVP. Now this isn't a knock against LeBron, it is actually evidence for how many great performances there have been by many different players this season. LeBron has been his usual great self, leading the Cavs to the second best record in the Eastern Conference. Kyrie Irving has had a great season himself, but take no mistake this is LeBron team. They have been 28-6 since LeBron came back from injury including an impressive 15-1 record against the Western Conference. 

5. Chris Paul- Los Angeles Clippers 19.2 ppg | 10.2 apg | 4.6 apg | 25.83 PER

It is bizarre to think that the best point guard in the NBA has been under the radar this season, but that is what exactly has happened this season. With the impressive performances of guards such as Curry, Westbrook, and Irving, CP3 has been putting up another great season without much fanfare. His 41 point 17 assist games vs the Blazers on Wednesday was proof that Paul could still take over games if he wanted to. The most impressive thing about Paul's game was that he a turnover on the first play of the game, and didn't have a single turnover for the rest of the game. What makes the Clippers so dangerous in the playoffs is that CP3 can shut down the other teams point guard while scoring and passing at will. Many people thought the Clippers would tumble down the standings with Blake Griffin out with injury; instead they have stayed 5th in the West and are one game away from home court advantage in the first round thanks to Chris Paul.

6. Anthony Davis- New Orleans Pelicans 24.6 ppg | 10.4 rpg | 2.1 apg | 31.15 PER

Before the season there was a lot of debate when ESPN ranked Anthony Davis as the third best player in the NBA. People brushed it off and somewhere Davis must have been listening. He has been on an absolute tear this season and is on track to win an MVP in the future. He plays like a young Kevin Garnett and that has to make Pelican fans ecstatic. His ability to attack the basket as well as defend the basket makes him one of the most versatile players in the NBA. Davis is as athletic as anyone in the NBA and just having him in the paint automatically makes the Pelicans one of the better defensive teams in the league. His potential is through the roof and watching him drag a mediocre Pelicans team to the 9th seed as a 22-year old is impressive in its own right. Even though we probably won't see Davis in the playoffs this year, watching him this season has been a pleasure. I expect to see Anthony Davis play basketball deep into April and May soon, as he is going to take over the league.

7. LaMarcus Aldridge- Portland Trailblazers 23.6 ppg | 10.3 rpg | 1.8 apg | 22.90 PER

LaMarcus has continued to be one of the most underrated players in the league. His play style isn't as entertaining as the players above him on this list, but he still gets results. The Blazers are sitting as the 4th seed in the West even though they have been hit with a myriad of injuries. Sharpshooter Wesley Matthews is out for the season with an Achilles injury and Dorrell Wright is set to miss 4-6 weeks with a hand injury. In addition to these injuries, Damian Lillard and Nicolas Batum have had down seasons. It is impressive that Aldridge has been able to lead this team to where they are and home court advantage in the playoffs would be huge for this injury-riddled team. People may be sleeping on Aldridge in the long regular season, but he'll make sure to remind everyone that he is one of the best power fowards in the league come playoff time. 

8. Paul Millsap- Atlanta Hawks 17.0 ppg | 7.9 rpg | 3.0 apg | 20.17 PER

At number 8 comes Millsap is also a forward who is not talked about often. With the success of the Hawks this season Millsap has been the steady force leading this team. He is the experienced veteran that can be counted on to make the right play in crunch time. Nobody expected the Hawks to be in first place like they are and it has been a combined team effort. However in the playoffs when the Hawks need a basket they trust Millsap to bail them out if necessary. If the Hawks want to win a championship they will need Millsap's experience and his leadership. 

9. Marc Gasol- Memphis Grizzlies 17.5 ppg | 7.9 rpg | 3.8 apg | 21.52 PER

One of the most consistent players in the NBA, Gasol has put in another fine season. Every year analysts peg the Grizzlies as the dark horse to win the championship and they have come up short every year. The Grizzlies will need a great performance from the Gasol to reach the ultimate prize. He has been great on the defensive end but needs to perform on offense as well when the Grizzlies go on dry spells and can't score. In the Western Conference playoffs it is difficult to beat any team and the road to the Finals is tough, but the Grizzlies have the roster and depth for a deep run. However, they will need an MVP type performance from Marc Gasol.

10. Pau Gasol- Chicago Bulls 18.5 ppg | 11.8 rpg | 2.8 apg | 22.80 PER

As a Lakers fan it's bittersweet to see Pau play so well this season. He truly has had a renaissance year and has been the best player for the Chicago Bulls this season. Gasol has been fantastic on the offensive end and leading the team in scoring with Derrick Rose out yet again. The Bulls have the third best record in the East and are primed for a playoff run once everyone get healthy. The Eastern Conference is wide open and if Gasol can put together a good couple of months like he has been this season, the Bulls could be playing in June for the championship.