NBA Opening Night Predictions

The season of Basketball is here! The preseason is done and the regular season games start tonight! Later on in the week, I will post my predictions for who will win the East, who will win the West, who will win Rookie of the Year, 6th Man, etc.

But for now, let's get into the games that are going down tomorrow night.

Orlando Magic @ Indiana Pacers - 7:30 p.m. NBA TV

- The outstanding rookie out of Indiana, Victor Oladipo makes his debut for the Magic. His versatile skill set brings a new dynamic to this Magic team that lacked a offensive consistency last season (ranked 25th in total offense) and what he brings is a defensive presence to this team. He's a great defender, can lock up and get physical with players to force turnovers. He's an all around great player on both sides of the ball. He doesn't have an exceptionally strong team around them, but I believe they'll be better than last season.

- But they face a team all about defense. Indiana led the league in rebounds last season and had the best defense against the 3 point shot. They can crash the boards with Hibbert down there, can defend the perimeter very well depending on the matchups they use, and they've shot shooters. They'll be without Granger, but with Hill running the point and West making jumpers from 17 ft, they're a hard team to defend against and play against because their defense is so stifling. And at Home, Orlando is in trouble. I smell a blowout. The Pacers aren't a flashy team. They play at a consistent pace, but they can force turnovers and make transition baskets. The Pacers still remain a threat to Miami. More so than Chicago, in my opinion.

Prediction: Pacers Win



Chicago Bulls @ Miami Heat - 8 p.m. TNT

- The defending Champions, Miami Heat host the Chicago Bulls and the returning Derrick Rose. In the playoffs, the Bulls, riddled with injuries, still stole a game from Miami. The Bulls have Rose back and Noah is 100% so their offense will back at full strength and their defense has gotten better. Jimmy Butler is flying under the radar, in my opinion. He's shown what he can do in the playoffs. He's not a great scorer, but he's mostly an asset because of his defensive ability. Bulls have Noah out there with his energy crashing the boards and getting points in the paint. The Bulls aren't a great defensive unit all around, but there are players on that team that can get physical with the Heat players and generate turnovers.

- But here's why the Heat will win. You've got Lebron, Wade, and Bosh leading the charge. Their bench is extremely deep. Ray Allen coming off along with Battier hitting the corner 3's and The Birdman for his energy and defense around the rim. But the X-Factor is Greg Oden. A HEALTHY Greg Oden is dangerous. He's a big body that can get fight for those boards and brings a great offensive presence to that team. Miami just gets deeper every year. Their achilles heel is that when you get physical with Miami, they tend to turn the ball over. When you press them in a halfcourt set, they struggle to put up consistent points. They rely too much on jumpshots and transition points. They were never exceptionally well at getting to the rim. The Bulls can match up with Miami defensively and contain that offense.

- But at Home, their energy levels go up a few notches. They can execute a trap defense and when they get out in transition, there's no other team better. They can hit those open buckets if they have the space, but their lack of consistency down low is key. If Oden can play like we know he can, then this team gets a boost. At home, on a night where they get their rings, I believe Miami with the Home crowd behind them will be on fire. With Rose back with the Bulls, they are a legitimate threat to Miami in the East, but I don't see them winning THIS game.

Prediction: Heat Wins




Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers - 10:30 p.m. TNT

- The Clippers debut with Doc Rivers as their Head Coach. It's going to be interesting to see the dynamic he brings to this team. I'll say this, the Clippers can go far if they have some consistency to go with their size. DeAndre Jordan brings a defensive presence, but he can't make free throws, or make great shots. Hollins is 7 feet tall, but how can be consistent? Clippers lack consistency. Chris Paul is the best player on the team, but he needs consistency from his big men, especially Blake Griffin. I love his dunks and what he does, but he needs to work on his defense, his post moves, his jumpshot, and everything else that can make him a more effective big man down low, rather than just a dunker. Hopefully, Doc instilled some defensive discipline within this team.

- The Lakers.....where do I begin. No offense to Kobe, but he ran Dwight Howard out of town. I'm calling it the way I see it. I knew their personalities were going to clash. Now, Kobe just has Nash around him. They did add some pieces to their bench. They brought Farmer back, they've got Jordan Hill. Blake is on there, along with Nick Young and Jodie Meeks. I personally hope to see Meeks get some playing time because he's a good shooter. Kaman brings size, which is about it. Kaman isn't even a decent scorer and defender. His main job will be to pull those boards down. Gasol is just soft down low, scared to take to the hoop, flops a lot, and focuses on getting his jumpshot better. The Lakers all around the board are not a good team. Sure they'll be able to score, but they'll lack a defensive consistency and the Clippers offense is the type of team to take advantage of that.

- The Clippers can expose some matchups and score some easy buckets. CP3 vs Nash will be fun to watch, Kobe will have something to prove coming out being ranked 25th and all. But the Clippers are just a better squad than Lakers. They were last season. Lakers are a mess of an organization. The Clippers got better in the offseason. I expect a good showing from them.

Prediction: Clippers Win




Enjoy The Games! I'll be back tomorrow with my predictions of who will win the East and the West and everything else throughout the week.


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By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

NBA Playoffs: Round 2 Predictions

Round 1 is over and Round 2 has begun! It was a pretty good first round too. Before I get to Round 2, I'll just make some quick notes about the games I got wrong and what surprised me.

- I didn't expect Denver to get handled like they did by Golden State. Golden State played Denver's style of basketball and beat them at it. Denver couldn't stop them, couldn't slow them down, and couldn't even out score them. I'm sure Denver will be back next season fully healthy and ready to go.

- The Clippers lack of size and offensive efficiency came back to bite them. DeAndre Jordan proved to be a liability on offense and on defense. Last season, Reggie Evans and Kenyon Martin had the size to go up against Gasol and Randolph. 1 year later, both those guys are gone and Gasol and Randolph dominate the paint. Clippers threw everything and still couldn't stop them. They have a lot to look at in the offseason.

- I wasn't too surprised Boston and Miami went 6 games. I knew Boston was gonna get it together, but I never thought they would ultimately win the series. If they had Rondo, it'd be a different story, but it showed that without Rondo, the offense doesn't flow very well. 

- Heat and Spurs advance easily. Called those two.

- I wasn't surprised the Nets lost, but I was surprised at how good this series was. 7 games and a great 3 OT game. Playoff basketball at its best.

- OKC will miss Westbrook. They were lucky to beat Houston. I was worried about them once Houston beat them in OKC in Game 5. I'll explain more about Westbook in the OKC/Memphis breakdown.

Onto my Round 2 Predictions!

(1) Miami Heat vs (5) Chicago Bulls

I hate to say this, but I feel sorry for The Bulls. An injured Bulls squad goes 7 games against a young team like Brooklyn and only get 1 day off before starting their second round series against The Miami Heat. Derrick Rose is still not playing, and now Luol Deng is out. This Bulls team cannot catch a break. I don't think they stand much of chance against Miami.

I don't know if rust will play a factor, but I think Miami will still come out and play at a high level, no doubt about that. That team is extremely lethal on both sides of the ball. A lot of people have complained about how easy the Heat have it. First the Bucks, now an injured Bulls team, but you can't control what happens in the playoffs. We already know how good Miami is. Their offense is very energetic and streaky, and powerful. Their defense is underrated cause fans know Miami for their offense. Their defense isn't that bad. #7 during the season and #2 in the playoffs right now. 

The Bulls need a lot of help to pull this one off. If Derrick Rose was actually playing, I give them a shot, but I think The Bulls drew a bad match here. Joakim Noah has emerged as one of my favorite players in these playoffs. Playing with an injured foot, his energy is amazing, and his playmaking ability keeps rising. I always liked Noah, but these playoffs made me like him even more. He's going to be key against The Heat. Nate Robinson has to have some big shooting nights too. I think he can outplay Mario Chalmers and attack the basket better. Boozer is hot and cold. He'll have nights where he plays great on both sides of the ball and then there's nights where you forget he's on the court. Like I said in their series against Brooklyn, they have consistent playmakers, but it comes down to which Bulls team shows up. 

If The Bulls play as hard as they did in the Brooklyn series, they can make this a 6 game series, but The Heat are a much different breed. Their offense is better, their bench is better, and they play better defense. I'm not gonna count the Bulls out, but Miami is just too good and The Bulls are too hurt.

Showstopper Prediction: Miami Heat in 5 games

(2) New York Knicks vs (3) Indiana Pacers

I realize I'm a little late on this, but I'm here now. We saw in the first round that the Knicks had nights where they struggled on offense and just couldn't buy a bucket. And Boston's defense wasn't even that great. They just couldn't make consistent shots. But now, they're playing a whole different beast. Despite that first round 6 game series against The Hawks, the Pacers are still a solid team from top to bottom. The Knicks live and die by the 3 point shot and unfortunately for them, The Pacers have the best overall defense and best defense against the 3 point shot. You saw it yesterday. The Pacers took advantage of their matchups, got easy baskets in the paint, killed the Knicks on the boards, and made more three pointers than the Knicks themselves. 

I just think it's a bad matchup for New York, but they can adjust. Chandler hasn't done much and Hibbert crashed the boards. Hibbert isn't a great offensive presence, but he and Chandler will be fighting down low for those boards. It'll be up to Chandler to rise to the occasion and actually show up. The Knicks have a slight advantage in the backcourt. I think George Hill is a better shooter than Felton, but Felton is quicker and streaky. It's gonna be good seeing them go at it more. Paul George is going to have to show up against Melo cause when he gets hot, he won't miss. David West is going to be key as well. His size and getting good looks will be pivotal for the Pacers. 

The Knicks defense is average, but the only they can beat teams is to outscore them. The Pacers have a habit of being hot and cold. Take the Hawks series for example, they have shown that they have nights where they can't knock down consistent shots and struggle on defense as well. The Knicks will have to adjust and learn from what Indiana did to them in Game 1. The Knicks need to get better offensively. They can't solely depend on the 3 point shot. They need to get more points in the paint and need to attack the basket more. Also, their bench needs to produce too. I think it'll be a LONG series for New York. Pacers already lead 1-0. The Knicks need to steal 1 game in Indiana because the Pacers are very good at home.

Showstopper Prediction: Indiana Pacers in 6 games

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (4) Memphis Grizzlies

Let me start off by saying that the loss of Russell Westbrook is so HUGE. What people don't understand is that yea Kevin Durant is the best player on the team, but Westbrook creates the offense. He's a playmaker and brings stability and energy to that OKC offense. He's the second superstar and the second scoring option. That's a really big hit to this team. That being said, while they're still trying to adjust to not having Westbrook, I think this is a bad matchup for them. It showed in Game 1 when OKC struggled to knock down consistent shots. It had more to do with the Memphis defense, but still. 

Reggie Jackson has come on and has produced, but he's no Westbrook. Kevin Durant is going to have to carry a bulk of the work in this series. He's gonna need some help. This is where a guy like Kevin Martin shows why he was given all that money and replaced James Harden. He's going to have to come up big in this series if OKC wants to advance. It's gonna be tough for Perkins and Ibaka to not only score, but defend the tag team of Gasol and Randolph. Randolph can shoot and can dominate and get easy points in the paint. Gasol is just an overall great athlete. The Grizzlies front court is just too damn good. OKC is going to have to figure out a way to stop guys Conley and Pondexter and the other Memphis shooters. Maybe move Thabo over and cover Conley. He's a good defender and can cause problems for Conley. Either way, OKC will have to be efficient on offense. Reggie Jackson will have to make plays, Kevin Martin has to show up, and Durant need to be Durant. 

The Grizzlies have a chance to beat this team. They have the defense to stop OKC. Without Westbrook, it should be easier to stop them now. Gasol and Randolph will have their way getting points in the paint. They still have one of the best defenses in the league and are great at perimeter defense and playing the ball. The only problem I see with Memphis is that they aren't very efficient on offense. They rely so much on their defense that sometimes they struggle to score consistent points. If Memphis can steal Game 2, they have a chance to win the series, because these guys are a very different team at home. Their energy level is off the charts and they just flat out play a better style of basketball at home. Simply put, they're very good at home.

This is a series that can go 7 games. OKC was lucky to escape with that win in Game 1 with Durant's clutch shot. OKC will have to adjust because I guarantee Memphis won't blow that kind of lead again. OKC's playmakers are going to have to show up and try to score on Memphis' stingy defense. This is gonna be a good series. Memphis has a shot to win this in 6 games. But if it comes down to a Game 7 in OKC, I don't think Memphis can pull it off.

Showstopper Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder in 7 games

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs (6) Golden State Warriors 

A lot of people are saying that this is gonna be an interesting series, but I don't know. I have a newfound respect for The Warriors after eliminating The Nuggets by playing their style of basketball. And I can admit that I underestimated them. The Nuggets had no defense to stop them, couldn't hit consistent shots and were just outplayed by Golden State. So, kudos to them, but I think the buck stops here.

David Lee will play, but it'll only be for a couple minutes. Who knows how healthy that hip is. Stephen Curry will have his hands full with Tony Parker, but I believe he'll get his. Thompson will struggle, but he'll get his points too. Jarrett Jack will need some efficiency off the bench. The bigs will have a tough time down low as well. The Warriors need to run and gun and force the Spurs to play their game and more importantly, they need to get HOT from down town. The best 3 point shooting team in the league will have one or two of those hot shooting nights. If The Spurs try to play Warriors basketball, it's gonna turn out too well. The Spurs have had some games where they get out and run too, but the Warriors are more efficient at that style of basketball. 

I believe The Spurs frontcourt can outplay The Warriors frontcourt. Andrew Bogut has always been a stud, but it's gonna be a big change going from a gimpy Kenneth Faried and Javale McGee to a seasoned veteran like Tim Duncan. I think The Spurs will have success with points in the paint with their bigs. The Spurs aren't the best defensive team, but they still play good defensive basketball when they have to. They're just so efficient playing half court basketball. They make great passes and always find somebody open downtown, whether it's Ginobli, Danny Green, Matt Bonner, Kawhi Leonard, or even Gary Neal. They have a talent of making that extra pass to get the shot off. Tiago Splitter has been known to have good offensive nights and is an average defender. Needless to say, The Spurs are one of the deepest teams left in the playoffs. 

What I like about The Spurs is that they force you to play their style of basketball. Like last year against The Clippers. No high flying, lob city stuff. They slowed that down and forced the Clippers to beat them in half court basketball and they couldn't do it. Hence why they got swept. The Spurs are extremely efficient in the half court set, and I don't think The Warriors are better at half court basketball than The Spurs are. That's what it'll come down to. I wouldn't be surprised if Golden State wins the series because the Spurs have been so hot and cold, but The Spurs are too good.

Showstopper Prediction: San Antonio Spurs in 6 games

There you have it! My Round 2 Predictions. Should see a lot of good basketball. I'll be back once Round 2 is over and break down the Eastern and Western Conference Finals!

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By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

Which team can stop The Miami Heat?

The Miami Heat are the favorite to win the NBA Championship for the second consecutive year. They dominated the season locking up the best seed and winning 27 straight games. They started the playoffs as everybody expected and swept the Bucks quite easily.

Simple question: Who can stop The Miami Heat?

The Pacers have the defense to slow Miami down, but the Hawks are giving them a fight and might be in danger of losing in the first round. Pacers are either a poor road team, or The Hawks are actually that good. They've been shooting on this Pacers defense and getting good baskets down low. I still have Indiana winning, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Hawks beat them. The #6 seeds in these playoffs are not going down without a fight. Indiana was beat 3 times during Miami's winning streak.

The Hawks wouldn't stand a chance. I'll get that out of the way now. The Hawks aren't offensively disciplined enough to take down an efficient offense like Miami.

The Knicks could give Miami a run for their money, but it'll be an offensive explosion. The Knicks don't have the defense to stop Miami. Their best bet would be to try and out score them and I don't even know if they can do that even with the leading scorer on their team. Miami doesn't play around and can pour on the points as well. It'll be about which defense can lock down in crunch time.

The Spurs have a golden ticket through the remainder of the playoffs. If Golden State can take care of business against Denver, I think this will be The Spurs biggest test. The Warriors are streaky, can shoot the hell of the ball, and have a terrific home court. But if they can get past them, nobody else can stop them. The Thunder can't beat them without Westbrook. Whether people want to believe it or not, Westbrook is the catalyst that provides stability to this team and gives them some energy and passion on the court. Durant may be the best shooter on this team, but Westbrook makes this team go. The Spurs have the playmakers and the discipline to contend with Miami.

What about Golden State? If they can handle Denver, they can give The Spurs a run for their money. If The Warriors somehow reach the Finals and face Miami, they can play them well too. They're the best 3 point shooting team in the league and their front court could give Miami some problems. They also have Stephen Curry.

The Miami offense can break through the Memphis defense. They've put the clamps on Lob City so far. They wouldn't do it against Miami. The Clippers are in the same boat as The Knicks. They would have to outscore Miami and make bigger plays. Miami would win that one every time.

Provided the Bulls can get past Brooklyn, I think they're the only team in the East that may have a shot at taking Miami. The Bulls like to play them tough, get physical with their players, and get out and shoot the basketball. The Heat will have a hell of a time defending the Bulls perimeter shooters and defending Joakim Noah down low. Even injured, he's a great presence down low. The Bulls can really match up well with the Heat better than people think. It would be a good series, but the Bulls are very inconsistent. You never know which team you'll get.

So, in The East, The Bulls can match up well, play defense, get physical and force turnovers. The Knicks will have to out score Miami to beat them because they won't beat them with their defense.

In the West, if the Spurs get past the second round, they could beat Miami. The Thunder without Westbrook can't, Memphis can't, and The Clippers (no matter what people say) wouldn't be able to either.

Either way, this list of teams that stand in the way of Miami repeating is very short. We'll just have to see how the rest of these playoffs turns out.



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By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete

NBA Playoffs Predictions

It's that time of the year again! The NBA Playoffs are here and this the time we see who really is the best team in basketball. Casual fans and hardcore NBA fans unite! I'm gonna break down all the first round matchups and give you my predictions. This is gonna be a long blog post, so get your popcorn and soda pop ready. Here we go!

EAST:

Game 1 - Sun. April 21, Milwaukee at Miami, 7 p.m., TNT

I remember when Monta Ellis, or somebody on the Bucks said they could run with The Miami Heat. I beg to differ. This season has shown that nobody in the East can go toe to toe with The Miami Heat and the reigning  and defending MVP Lebron James. The Heat are very underrated on defense. They like to pressure teams, and constantly press to force turnovers. They're the best fastbreak team in Basketball and their efficiency rating is off the charts. They've also added Ray Allen, The Birdman, and Rashard Lewis to their team. Miami is stacked with playmakers.

The Bucks have almost no answer for anything Miami brings to the table. They don't have the size on defense to harass Lebron, they don't have any size down low to get and space and good points in the paint. Ersan Ilyasova is a force down low, but how productive is going to be against Miami? The Bucks can't force The Heat into bad turnovers, especially at home where they seem to dominate most of the time. I hate to say Milwaukee has no chance because anything can happen in the playoffs, but The Heat just beat them in every category. I mean, Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings will get their points in bunches and JJ Redick is good for some points off the bench. The Bucks are a young, athletic, and versatile team, but I don't see them beating Miami. They'll be lucky to get one game. I'll be generous and give them that.

Showstopper Prediction: Miami Heat in 5 games

Game 1 - Sat. April 20, Boston at New York, 3 p.m., ABC

This is probably the one game out of the East I'm looking forward to the most. The Knicks have had their moments this season. They started out, REALLY strong, kind of fizzled out in the middle of the season, but finished winning 16 out of their last 18 games and winning the Atlantic Division for the first time since 1994.

If this was a few weeks ago and Rondo was healthy, I would say, I'd take Boston in 6 games, but just watching The Knicks get better and better and get back to their ways and now Carmelo overtakes Durant for the scoring title. Boston just isn't the same team without Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo, but they've still got Paul Pierce, a tenacious defender in Avery Bradley, and great playmakers like Jason Terry and Jeff Green. Plus, they've got one of the best coaches in basketball, Doc Rivers. The only problem with the Knicks is that they live and die by the 3 ball. Melo, Novak, Kidd, Felton, and JR are exceptional 3 point shooters and I'm sure Doc knows that. He's not going to leave them on the perimeter and rain down 3s all day. The Knicks are going to have change up a few things to contend with Boston.

This is the most important year for Melo and The Knicks. They've gotta get out the first round. They've been bumped from the first round 2 years in a row now by Boston and Miami respectively. Melo himself has been bumped out of the first round 8 of his last 9 appearances. All that being said, I think the Celtics are due for a swift exit from the first round this time around. Boston's defensive ability is the only thing that can extend the series, but The Knicks' offense is just too good this year. Their frontcourt is suspect at times, but they're very efficient on offense and once they get going, it's hard to stop them. The Knicks need a lot of things to go wrong to mess this up.

Showstopper Prediction: New York Knicks in 6 games

Game 1 - Sun. April 21, Atlanta at Indiana, 1 p.m., TNT

Indiana drew a good matchup here. The Pacers have the best defense in basketball and are the #1 rebounding team in basketball. They're lucky Chicago didn't draw that #6 seed because that's a bad matchup for them. 

The Hawks don't get talked about a lot, but they've been quietly playing good basketball this season. Josh Smith has put together another overall good season scoring 17.5 points per game, averaging around 8.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds. Losing Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson is still HUGE, but Josh Smith is no scrub, Jeff Teague is still an exceptional point guard, and Al Horford is still playing at high level. He's always been a very underrated big man in my eyes playing on a struggling team. 

But Indiana is just a better team. Indiana plays slow and keeps the pace to match their playing style. They can spend the series exploiting their matchups against Atlanta. They've got the playmakers in David West and George Hill on the offensive side of the ball and with Roy Hibbert and Paul George guarding the rim, it'll be hard for Atlanta to get any decent points in the paint. And as I mentioned before, Indiana is the top rebounding team in the league, the Hawks are 23rd in that category. The Pacers are the #1 team in the NBA in scoring points in the paint. I don't the Hawks have any sort of answer for the balance of defense and offensive consistency.

Showstopper Prediction: Indiana Pacers in 5 games

Game 1 - Sat. April 20, Chicago at Brooklyn, 8 p.m., ESPN

The crowd in Brooklyn is gonna be rowdy, but I don't like their chances against Chicago. Deron Williams has been back to playing at the all star level we know he can't play at, Brook Lopez is putting together yet another solid season, and Joe Johnson looks to emerge as the superstar the Nets need. 

But, Chicago is a whole different breed. They've been playing exceptionally well over the last few weeks, but their success in the playoffs depends on the health of Joakim Noah. Noah is a such an intimidating presence in the paint of the offensive and defensive side of the ball and The Bulls need that because The Nets have Lopez to score and Evans to rebound and defend and putbacks if he's in the right position. 

The Bulls are more physical then the Nets, but getting points in the painted area could be a problem without Noah. Boozer scores decent numbers when he has to, Luol Deng is great playmaker, Kirk Hinrich has seemingly taken the spot of Kyle Korver and provide some needed points on the perimeter, and Nate Robinson has taken over for Derrick Rose, but he is NOT Derrick Rose. 

All that being said, The Nets don't have enough physical intensity to deal with the Bulls and not enough consistent playmakers to contend with Chicago's lineup. Brooklyn will provide a stellar challenge because I believe their frontcourt will get some needed points in the paint. This also depends on if Joakim Noah is healthy because he can be a force down there as I mentioned before. But The Bulls are resilient and are out to prove that they can get it done without Derrick Rose. It all depends on which Bulls team shows up in these playoffs. They're starting off on the road and their road record isn't exactly eye-popping (21-20) so they need to be ready.

Showstopper Prediction: Chicago Bulls in 6 games

WEST:

Lots of intriguing matchups in the West. Let's get right to them!

Game 1 - Sun. April 21, Houston at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m., TNT

This matchup is really intriguing because both of these teams play at almost the same pace. They like to go up and down the court and can score in bunches. Houston is 2nd highest scoring team in basketball with OKC at #3. 

James Harden is the key to Houston avoiding a sound beating at the hands of the defending Western Conference Champions. His playmaking is crucial to Houston being able to pull off the upset, but his supporting cast will have to back him up. This will also be Jeremy Lin's first playoff appearance, so it'll be impressive to see how he performs. Not to mention the big man Omir Asik down low is #3 in the league in rebounding and they have a very underrated forward in Chandler Parsons. Houston likes to quicken the pace and move up and down the court similar to OKC. They love to move the ball around and get a man open. They don't depend on the 3 ball as much like some teams do. Sounds like an even match, right?

Wrong. What Houston's downfall will be is their defense. Houston can score all the points they want, but they have to be able to defend because OKC can match their offensive consistency, but they can also defend when it's time to defend have the ability to pull away from their opponent. Houston is 16th in the league in defense while OKC has the #3 overall defense in the NBA. OKC has Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, the league leading blocker in Serge Ibaka, and exceptional players in Thabo and Perkins. But the 6th man is key here. Harden was big for OKC last season, and now they've got Kevin Martin. Kevin Martin can ball, no doubt about that, but his minutes off the bench will be pivotal.

Houston and OKC will score alot of points on each other, but it will be who has the better defensive prowess enough to lock down and force turnovers. Too much OKC, too much playmaking and defense for Houston to handle. I don't think Houston will get swept, but this will be a good series.

Showstopper Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder in 6 games

Game 1 - Sun. April 21, Los Angeles at San Antonio, 3:30 p.m., ABC

Let me choose my words carefully as to not upset the hardcore Kobe Lakers fans out there. The Lakers have absolutely no chance against San Antonio. I've said to this to a few friends of mine that The Lakers wouldn't get in the playoffs and they made it by the skin of their teeth. But man, did they ever draw a bad matchup here.

Here's how the Lakers look; Kobe Bryant is injured and Steve Nash is dealing with some injuries, Pau Gasol has been M.I.A. for most of the season, Dwight Howard finally turned on the switch and is playing close to the level he was at in Orlando and Steve Blake has been picking up the slack for the injured Nash. That's all well and good, but they're playing the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are also banged up as well. Manu has been dealing with some injuries as well and hasn't been playing like himself and Tony Parker has been inconsistent since coming back from his injury. All the more reason San Antonio brought in Tracy McGrady. People forget how good this guy used to be in his heyday with Magic before his own injury problems.

Even with their injuries, The Spurs are better up and down the roster than The Lakers. If Kobe and Nash were healthy, then I could see this series going 6, maybe 7 games, but the Lakers aren't beating The Spurs. As good as Dwight Howard is, Tim Duncan is no scrub. He's not going to let Dwight get those easy shots off of screen and picks. Duncan's fundamentals will prevail over Howard's versatility and athleticism. Even without their Big 3, The Spurs still have Danny Green, Kawai Leonard, and Steven Jackson as a great supporting cast. The Spurs overall roster is just too much for the Lakers to handle. The Lakers also have a 18th ranked defense while The Spurs are #4 in total points scored and the league leading team in assists. 

Laker Nation better be prepared for a first round exit.

Showstopper Prediction: San Antonio Spurs in 5 games

Game 1 - Sat. April 20, Golden State at Denver, 5:30 p.m., ESPN

Out all of the games in the first round, this is the one I'm looking forward to the most. Right off the bat, Golden State can forget the notion of winning a game in Denver. They've been AMAZING in the Pepsi Center. 38-3 to be exact. The best team at home in the NBA this season. Golden State plays well on their home court, but not as well as Denver. 

The Nuggets offense is so explosive and fast. They like to go up and down the court with haste. Danillo Gallinairi is a BIG loss to this team because he's a very underrated perimeter shooter, but they've still got leading scorer Ty Lawson, superstar Andre Iguodala and a tenacious big man in Kenneth Faried who can snatch down offensive boards and score with the best of them. Denver has a ton of playmakers on offense and at home, they don't take their foot off the gas. 

Stephen Curry holds the all time record for most 3's in a single season and he's the one person that gives Golden State a fighting chance in this series. Not to discredit Andrew Bogut, Jarrett Jack, and David Lee, but Stephen Curry is the premiere playmaker on this team and needs to open up opportunities to get David Lee and Andrew Bogut going. Also, Jarrett Jack is going to be an integral part of Golden State's gameplan coming off the bench. Curry will get his because Lawson is coming back from injury. He says he's fine, but I think he might a little gimpy. Curry will get his and keep Lawson on his toes. 

The Warriors have a slight advantage in the rebound category and their frontcourt is more athletic and can provide more consistent points in the paint, but as far as overall efficiency goes, Denver is the #1 offensive team in basketball and Golden State themselves are only 13th in the league in defense. Denver is just going to be too much for Golden State to handle. Stephen Curry and his team need to be ready or else things could get ugly. It's gonna be a great series. 

Showstopper Prediction: Denver Nuggets in 5 games

Game 1 - Sat. April 20, Memphis at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m., ESPN

Here we go again. The Los Angeles Clippers face off with the Memphis Grizzlies for the second straight season. This time, the roles are reversed, Clippers are the #4 seed and Memphis is #5 seed. Who could forget their epic 7 game series from last season. Game 1 one the series saw The Clippers come back from 27 down to beat Memphis on their homecourt and win Game 7 on that same court. A great start to the first round indeed. The Grizzlies are out for some revenge this year.

This time around, things are a tad bit different. The Grizzlies are much better on defense ranking #2 and allowing just fewer than 90 points per game. Their defense is ferocious, forces turnovers, can body and outsize players down low, and can lock down defend and press the court with the best of them. A defense this good is something they lacked last year. They've also got some size and athleticism down low. Marc Gasol puts together another efficient season with 14.1 points per game and averaging almost 8 rebounds per game. Of course, Zach Randolph will be an integral part of their offense averaging 15.4 points per game and 11.2 rebounds per game. I feel like the absence of Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo is big. They don't have that one superstar who can take the game over in clutch situations. Sure Michael Conley is good, but he'll need to turn his game up in the playoffs to give Memphis a chance.

Lob City however has had their fair share of problems off the court, but I'm sure things have quieted down by now. The Clippers are still #4 in scoring, Chris Paul is still (in my opinion) the best point guard in the league right now in terms of playmaking abilities, player efficiency, and #2 in the league in assist, and have guys like Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan ready to dunk on somebody if need be. DeAndre may lead the league in FG percentage, but he needs to improve his FT shooting. Jamal Crawford is in the running for 6th man of the year and he's going to give Lob City a much needed boost. Nobody on Memphis can contend with CP3 or even defend a guy like Jamal Crawford. Guys Jerryd Bayless and Darrell Arthur will need to step up.

Tough choice here, but I'm gonna have to go with The Clippers again. As much as I want to pick to Grizzlies because I think their defense is so strong, the Clippers just have too much depth and they can play against anybody with the ability of their frontcourt. It just seems like another bad matchup for the Grizz. They don't have enough offensive efficiency to contend with The Clippers. Grizz seem to rely more on their defense, but sometimes struggle to score consistent points. They can slow down The Clippers, but can they score the points to beat them. This series could go either way, but we're in store for another great series.

Showstopper Prediction: Los Angeles Clippers in 7 games

There you have it. My picks and predictions. Enjoy the first round matchups of the NBA Playoffs everybody! 16 Teams. 1 NBA Champion. Let the games begin.

Also, as an early NBA Finals Prediction, I'm gonna go Heat vs Thunder in a rematch from last year. If The Spurs weren't so banged up, I'd choose them, but unless they get it together, I'm going with OKC.

Feel free to Comment.

By: Gerald "Showstopper" Prophete