Western Conference
New Orleans Pelicans (awful team
name) Vs Golden State Warriors
No team has kicked
more ass this season than the Warriors. They have slowly been building a solid
team over the years and it finally has come along this season. Stephan Curry is
balling uncontrollably this season, there is no doubt in my mind he is the
league MVP. Curry has been lights out and carried the Warriors throughout the
season, he’s had plenty of help with his surrounding cast including another
sharp shooter in Klay Thompson. The Pelicans also have an emerging star who has
had a great season, Anthony Davis. Davis has had a breakout season and there is
no doubt that he is the reason why the Pelicans are in the playoffs. The
problem for them is that he has suffered way too many injuries and I don’t
think they have the fire power to keep up with Golden State. The Warriors have been
playing some of the best basketball and have maintained it up until this point.
Offensively and defensively there aren’t going to be too many teams that will
be able to hold this team back and I definitely don’t think that’s going to
happen in this matchup.
Warriors over Pelicans 5 games
Portland Trailblazers Vs Memphis Grizzlies
Portland has just
been decimated by injuries this season, which is why I don’t have much hope for
them in this matchup. The Grizzlies have been playing some excellent basketball
throughout the season, led by Marc Gasol who is having yet another great
season. The Grizzlies play smothering defense and are tough in the paint. This
matchup would be more interesting if the Blazers weren’t struggling this
season, but that is not the case and the Grizzlies should have no problem
moving onto the next round!
Grizzlies over Blazers 5 games
San Antonio Spurs Vs Los Angeles Clippers
I knew I was going to
feel bad for whoever had to face off against the Spurs in the first round of
the playoffs. The Clippers have had an up and down season. Sure they’re a good
team, but not even half as good as I expected them to be when the season began.
The Clippers have had to battle through injuries this season and never really
got into a rhythm with one starting lineup. The Spurs on the other hand have
come rolling into the post season full steam ahead ready to try and win another
Championship. Tim Duncan is still balling hard, there isn’t one bad thing you
can say about the way he continues to dominate at his position he truly is a
timeless player. Beyond Duncan the rest of the Spurs are as dominant as ever,
Kawhi Leonard has been lights out, Tony Parker is playing well and the bench
steps it up when they need to. I think the Spurs are ready to dominate another
post season and the Clippers are just one team in their way. It should be a
good series, but the Spurs are playing some great basketball right now and I
expect that to continue on into the next round.
Spurs over Clippers 6 games
Dallas Mavericks Vs Houston Rockets
James Harden has been
playing some of the best basketball of his career this season and it’s shown
with how well his team has fared this season. No thanks to the flying vagina,
Dwight Howard, that fool has spent most of the season nursing his busted
ovaries or something. The Rockets rely heavy on offense, which is why Harden is
killing it this season, but beyond him the Rockets are kind of thin and don’t
have much fire power. So the key for their opponents will be to frustrate
Harden and I feel like the Mavericks will layout that blueprint for the rest of
the playoff teams that may possibly face the Rockets at some point this post
season. The Mavs have had an up and down season, they’ve had their moments but
overall they’ve been fairly mediocre. The Rondo trade hasn’t made them any
better, until now that is. Rondo is a player who always steps it up come
playoff time and I have a feeling he is going to put the Rockets on the brink
along with Dirk Nowitzki, who is retiring after this season so you know he’s
going to put it all out there for his last hurrah, but ultimately I believe the
Rockets will prevail. The Rockets overall are a better team from top to bottom
and Harden will be tough to hold down for an entire series.
On a side note I will
say it’s going to be tough to say goodbye to another great player from this
era, Dirk Nowitzki . I respect the way he has played the game and it was nice
to see him win his Championship against The Heat in an epic battle a few years
ago. I’m a Lakers fan for life, but also a basketball fan and Dirk was a class
act all the way. I enjoyed watching his career from start to finish.
Rockets over Mavericks 7 games
Eastern Conference (awful first
round matchups)
Brooklyn Nets Vs Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks stormed
into the season as a surprise team. They had a great regular season, maintained
the dominance and now have the top seed in the Eastern Conference. This was not
expected at all before the season began, but the Hawks have proven everyone
wrong and are playing some of the best overall team basketball in the league,
WITHOUT a superstar player. We’ll see if that becomes a problem later in the
playoffs, but I’m fairly confident that this will be an easy series for the
Hawks. The Nets are garbage and have no shot at even winning a game in my
opinion, but hey you know me I’m always bitchy!
Hawks over Nets 4 games
Washington Wizards Vs Toronto Raptors
This will be the ONLY
possible good matchup we have in the first round in the Eastern Conference.
Both of these teams matchup well against eachother. The Wizards are led by a
solid tandem of guards with John Wall and Bradley Beal. Neither are afraid to
take the big shot from the outside or drive into the hole and knock down a
layup or take the hard foul. Gortat is playing tough defense in the middle and
old ass Paul Pierce can still ball! The Raptors started the season off hot,
with Kyle Lowry leading the charge. But after Lowry began getting injured on
and off throughout the season they really have cooled off. The Raptors are tough
on defense so there should be some fun battles to watch in the paint, but I
think where the Wizards will have the edge is with Paul Pierce. He always steps
it up come playoff time and even though he isn’t the “go-to” guy anymore, you
still have to trust him in the post season. Dude is cold and just elevates his
game, I think he’ll prove that again in this matchup.
Wizards over Raptors 6 games
Milwaukee Bucks Vs Chicago Bulls
Derrick Rose is
healthy (for now) and ready to go just in time for the playoffs! The good thing
for The Bulls is they are so used to playing without him that when he misses
time it doesn’t hinder them. As a matter of fact The Bulls have battled through
injuries to key players throughout the season and still play well. Pau Gasol is
back and playing at a high level, I personally have a soft spot for Gasol since
I’m a Lakers fan and he helped bring us two Championships, so I am not
surprised in the least by his dominant play and so far he has been the go to
guy for The Bulls. This should be a nice warm up to help Rose get some more
playing time before the next round, which will hopefully be more interesting on
The Eastern Conference side compared to some of these atrocious first round
matchups!
Bulls over Bucks 4 games
Boston Celtics Vs Cleveland Cavaliers
The Celtics have no
shot in this matchup so I’m not going to bother giving any analysis on the
matchup! One word describes this matchup and that is… SWEEP!
Cavaliers over Celtics 4 games