NBA Playoffs: Western Conference First Round Preview
By Ryan Mayer--
(CBS Local) The NBA regular season has come to an end, and now we've got the marathon of playoff basketball to take us to mid-June. The Western Conference was stacked as usual during the regular season and provides multiple options for teams that could end up representing in the Finals.
With the first round getting underway Saturday, let's take a look at the matchups and how they break down for these squads.
#1 Golden State Warriors vs. #8 New Orleans Pelicans
Season series: Golden State, 3-1
No offense to the Thunder, but I was rooting for the Pelicans to win on the final night of the regular season in order for them to secure a spot in the playoffs. The reason why is very simple: Anthony Davis, the 22-year-old Pelicans big man who's the most exciting young player in the league.
In another year, on a higher-seeded team, he would be getting legitimate talk in the MVP race. The problem is we won't get to see him for long because they're playing the best team in the league. The Warriors ended the regular season at 67-15 and a ridiculous 39-2 on their home floor. Andrew Bogut will have his hands full with Davis down low, but Stepthen Curry and Klay Thompson along with Andre Iguodala all have mismatches against the guys who will draw the defensive assignments (Tyreke Evans, Jrue Holiday and Eric Gordon). Maybe New Orleans steals a game in which Davis goes nuts, but it's one and done this year for The Brow.
Prediction: Warriors in 5
#4 Portland Trail Blazers vs. #5 Memphis Grizzlies
Season series: Memphis, 4-0
These two teams limped into the postseason. The Grizzlies had Mike Conley, Tony Allen and Marc Gasol all miss time down the stretch. The Blazers have had Chris Kaman, Nic Batum, C.J. McCollum, Dorrell Wright, Arron Afflalo and Wes Matthews all miss games in the last two weeks. Matthews, of course, is out for the year after blowing out his Achilles.
Who gets healthiest first will be key, but this matchup was worst-case scenario for the Trail Blazers, in my opinion. The Trail Blazers have plenty of ability offensively, and it would have been able to win a series against the Clippers or the Rockets. The Grizzlies, though, present a different challenge because of how good they are defensively.
Memphis dominated the season series by sweeping all four games. On top of that, because of the weird NBA rule about winning your division, Portland is the fourth seed but won't have home-court advantage in this series. In the end, I think Memphis is able to lock down on Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge.
Prediction: Grizzlies in 6
#3 Los Angeles Clippers vs. #6 San Antonio Spurs
Season series: Tied 2-2
Remember when I said the Grizzlies were the worst matchup for the Blazers? Same goes here for the Clippers drawing the defending champion Spurs.
Both teams come in red hot after winning nine of their final 10 games to end the regular season. It's been the same old song and dance for San Antonio, as around early March people started counting the Spurs out by saying they were no longer a threat and couldn't put together another run. They then proceeded to win 22 of their final 26 games, including 11 in a row at one point.
The traditional passing of the torch continues in San Antonio, as it's gone from David Robinson to Tim Duncan to Manu Ginobili to Tony Parker and now to Kawhi Leonard. Gregg Popovich and crew just keep humming along.
The Clippers won 55 games once again, but the problem I always have with the Clips is their depth. Outside of the starting five, this team is pretty weak. I'm still waiting for the year when they put it all together. I don't think it's this year as they bow out again in the first round. If you want to count out the Spurs go ahead. I've learned my lesson.
Prediction: Spurs in 6
#2 Houston Rockets vs. #7 Dallas Mavericks
Season Series: Tied 2-2
This series is intriguing to me. There was the bad blood after the Chandler Parsons contract situation in the offseason and the scrappy, physical regular-season games. Then the Mavericks seemed to have a ton of chemistry issues after first bringing in the mercurial Rajon Rondo, who butt heads with coach Rick Carlisle.
Now, the Mavs have four of their final five games heading into the postseason.
Meanwhile, the Rockets have gotten an MVP-caliber season from James Harden, solid contributions from a developing Terrence Jones and outside shooting and defense from wing Trevor Ariza. They've even revived Josh Smith.
A big key in this series for me is the health of Dwight Howard. Harden has carried this team and can do so again in this series, but a quality, energetic effort from Howard would be a huge boost obviously down low and would make it a shorter series in my mind. As is, like most series here in the West, I think it goes longer.
Prediction: Rockets in 6
