Western Conference First Round Preview and Predictions
- (1) Golden State Warriors Vs. (8) New Orleans Pelicans: Warriors in 5.
Congratulations to the Pelicans for making the playoffs for the first time since 2011. But this series is going to end quickly. The playoff experience will be great for Anthony Davis as he makes his mark for one of the best players in the league, but the Warriors are on a completely different level. The Dubs have their sights set on a championship, and they are not going to let the Pelicans get even close to winning this series. Stephen Curry will continue his dominance, as he will most likely be voted the MVP. I have to give one win for the Pelicans though. Davis will go off just enough to help them secure a victory. But one victory could mean a lot for this young and talented team.
- (2) Houston Rockets Vs. (7) Dallas Mavericks: Rockets in 7.
A rivalry renewed. A Texas showdown. Chandler Parsons going against his old team. Jason Terry going against a team he helped win a championship. The list of storylines can go on for this series. In the regular season, the Rockets had the upper hand on the Mavericks even without Dwight Howard. MVP candidate James Harden has been known for taking a step back during the playoffs, but I do not expect that to be the case this time. The Rockets are playing with a chip on their shoulder after a heartbreaking end to their season last year. The mid-season acquisitions that both the Mavericks and Rockets made could be the x-factors in this series. Corey Brewer and Josh Smith have really provided a spark off the bench for the Rockets. Since the Mavericks acquired Rajon Rondo, the offense has taken a hit. It does not seem that Rondo has the best relationship with the team and coach Rick Carlisle. Houston is ready for a deep run in the postseason, and they will get the job done.
- (3) Los Angeles Clippers Vs. (6) San Antonio Spurs: Clippers in 7.
Alright, hear me out on this one. The Clippers and Spurs are arguably the two hottest teams heading into the postseason. For Chris Paul, this is a career-defining series. He simply cannot afford another early exit. Also, the Clippers are too talented of a team to constantly be making early exits. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan have been playing out of their minds lately, and are ready to help Paul get out of this very tough series. If the Clippers want to pull this off, the bench has to step up. The second unit has held this team back from being considered serious contenders. In all honesty, no one wants to play the Spurs come playoff time. This could finally be the year they are knocked out in the early stages. The Spurs are the 6 seed, which means they will never have home-court advantage in the playoffs. It does not matter how experienced a team, home court matters this time of year. The Spurs have put themselves in a tough situation, and I expect it to take a turn for the worst. This could very well be the best series in the first round. You heard it here first; the Clippers will beat the Spurs.
- (4) Portland Trail Blazers Vs. (5) Memphis Grizzlies: Grizzlies in 6.
Even though the Grizzlies are the 5 seed, they will have home court in the playoffs. This series was actually very tough to pick. Both these teams are being hit with injuries left and right. Rumors are surfacing that Mike Conley could possibly be shut down for the season, which would completely change the outcome of this series. Tony Allen still has not come back, and he is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. For the Blazers, Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge have both been battling injuries. While it is expected for them to be ready for the series, both will still be pretty banged up. Damian Lillard had one of the greatest postseason moments ever last season, and he is looking to get better. In the end, the Grizzlies will win the battle of the injured. They have more experience and the defense to lock down Aldridge’s mid-range game. The addition of Jeff Green has been huge for the Grizzlies as he provides scoring that they desperately needed. When their offense is flowing, they are very hard to beat.
Once again, we are in for a historic Western Conference first round. Unless the Pelicans pull off one of the greatest upsets of all time, do not think any of the other series have an underdog. The Western Conference is just that good.
