Portland Trailblazers vs. San Antonio Spurs
Portland upset my Rockets behind superhuman performances from LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard and they will pose big problems to the older Spurs, who had to go the distance with the Mavs in round 1. And while the series will be uptempo and full of offense, I think Tony Parker will give the Portland defense fits inside. And I think San Antonio's much greater depth off the bench proves to be the difference maker.
Spurs in 6
LA stuck together through the Donald Sterling fiasco to win a tough 7-game series with their rivals from Golden State, while OKC surprisingly struggled mightily with the gritty Grizzlies, also need 7 games to beat them. In a star-studded point guard matchup between Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, I think it comes down to LA's superior inside play with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Kevin Durant should have a field day outside, but I don't think OKC has enough frontline depth to contain to red-hot Griffin and Jordan.
Clippers in 6
Eastern Conference
Washington Wizards vs. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are a shell of their early season greatness, as they had to rally from a 3-2 deficit just to beat the 37-win Hawks, while the Wizards upset the depleted Bulls in 5. This pick isn't so much about Washington, as it is about the Pacers. Roy Hibbert had a pathetic series against Atlanta, and I expect Nene to dominate inside, just as he did to Joakim Noah in Round 1. I think Trevor Ariza should be able to contain Paul George, and Washington has a better backcourt at the moment (Wall/Beal > Hill/Stephenson)
Wizards in 6
Brooklyn Nets vs. Miami Heat
The veteran Nets squeaked by the inexperienced Raptors in 7 games, while the Heat rested following a 4-game sweep against the Bobcats. And although Brooklyn shockingly swept the Heat in the regular season 4-0, I don't see that happening again in this series, especially given the erratic play of Deron Williams, who got manhandled by Kyle Lowry in Round 1. And although KG and Pierce have had their battles with LeBron and the Heat in the past, they are just too old and won't be able to keep up this time around.
Heat in 5
My First Round Record: 5-3
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