Western Conference
Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Mavs edged Portland through outstanding backcourt play of Jason Kidd and Jason Terry. Meanwhile, LA took care of the Hornets despite dropping Game 1 at home.
The key in this semifinal series will be how well Dallas will defend the trio of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom. Wanting to get rid of the "soft" label that has been put on them over the last couple years, Marc Cuban's team will get their chance to prove it. And what the heck, I think they have a very good shot. Although, I think Dallas will have a hard time stopping Kobe one-on-one, I think Dallas' big men can neutralize the Laker bigs. Tyson Chandler and Brandon Haywood will not back down from any challenge underneath, and I think Dirk Nowitzki will be a matchup nightmare for Pau Gasol when he takes him outside. Probably won't happen, but the Lakers can't win it every year (can they?)
Mavericks in 7
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
How about them Grizzlies? I bandwagoned on them before the playoffs (because of Battier) not expecting much in return. Boy was I pleasantly surprised. Zach Randolph absolutely destroyed Tim Duncan head-to-head and San Antonio's resurgent season turned out to be fluke. OKC, meanwhile, took advantage of Denver's awful defense and ran them off the court in 5.
In this series, it will be all about the match-ups. For Memphis to have a chance to pull off another upset, Z-Bo will have to win his individual match-up against Thunder shot-blocker Serge Ibaka. In addition, Shane Battier will have to slow down the red-hot Kevin Durant. If both of these things happens, Grizzlies have a shot. The ultimate ex-factor, in the end, though is OKC point guard Russell Westbrook, who I don't see Memphis having an answer to.
Thunder in 6
Eastern Conference
Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls
The ATL pulled off a mammoth upset in round one, dispatching Dwight Howard and the Magic, through the ridiculously hot shooting of Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford. Can they keep it going and beat the Bulls, which struggled against up-start Indiana?
I don't think so. Certainly, they have the capability to prove me wrong, but you just can't continue to win in the playoffs by depending so much on perimeter jump shots. The Hawks will have to get center Al Horford involved in this series, and his effectiveness against Joakim Noah will be integral for their season to continue. In the end, too much D-Rose (who will dominate this series against Kirk Hinrich and Crawford) and not enough ball movement against a good defensive team dooms the Hawks.
Bulls in 6
Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat
So much for the panic in Beantown. Okay, so the Knicks were actually terrible, but the C's looked on championship form in sweeping NY. Miami, likewise, just overwhelmed Philly with its talent.
Now, it's time to rumble. It'll be Boston's Big 3 against Miami's Big 3. It'll be two of the top defensive teams in the league. It'll be LeBron trying to take revenge against Boston for humiliating him in last year's playoffs. And in the end, it'll be Boston's bench depth, playoff experience, and team chemistry that will put Miami's championship parade off for at least a year. Miami is definitely more talented (LeBron and Wade should dominate), but Boston is a better complete team.
Celtics in 7
My First Round Record: 6-2
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