NBA Playoff Predictions

In case you missed my team-by-team breakdown from Monday, you can click here and read all 8,300 words!

Moving on, here is how I see the playoffs turning out:

EAST

Conference Quarter-Finals

#1 Chicago over #8 Detroit

-          Detroit is building but they’re just not ready to compete in the playoffs with a dominant team in Chicago. Also, who on Detroit would guard D-Rose?

#2 Indiana over #7 Cleveland

-          Kyrie might be a budding star, but the rest of his team is not. Indiana is a complete team and will dominate this matchup.

#3 Miami over #6 Atlanta

-          Poor Atlanta. Easily the sixth best team in the East; easily swept out of the playoffs.

#4 Brooklyn over #5 New York

-          This is a series that would go seven games and have massive momentum swings. In the end, however, the series would be won by the Nets due to New York’s inability to matchup with Brooklyn.

Conference Semi-Finals

#1 Chicago over #4 Brooklyn

-          This would be a very close matchup. I think the Bulls’ wing players shut down the Nets’ wing players. And the Nets’ bigs would dominate the Bulls’ bigs. The difference? Who would you rather have, D-Will or D-Rose? Thought so.

#3 Miami over #2 Indiana

-          How talented is the East? Indiana is one of the three best teams in the NBA…yet, they may only be the third best team in the East. It wasn’t too long ago that the West was way, way better. Anyways, this series plays out like a lot of Miami series over the past few years – they get their backs against the wall and then LeBron unleashes hell on his opposition.

Conference Finals

#3 Miami over #1 Chicago

-          This kills me…but I have to. When Chicago was the #1 seed three years ago (the first year of the Big 3 in Miami), they dominated the Heat in game one prompting Chuck Barkley to call the Bulls the “best defensive team” he’s ever seen. Well, four games later, the Heat won the series 4-1. Every game was close, but Chicago could not finish well enough to beat the Heat. They have one closer, D-Rose, and once you single him out, double him constantly, and force him to pass, it’s all over. I think Miami still have the playoffs edge over Chicago. I think they win this series in 6, with Chicago winning games 2 and 4.

WEST

Conference Quarter-Finals

#1 Oklahoma City over #8 Minnesota

-          Minnesota will be happy to make the playoffs but they can’t hang with OKC in a seven game series.

#2 LA Clippers over #7 Dallas

-          This is where Dallas’ D kills them. Without defense, you’re nothing in the playoffs, and Dallas has no defense.

#6 Memphis over #3 Golden State

-          The matchup of the playoffs! I actually think Golden State is a better overall team but the matchup here is very interesting. Does Golden State go big? Or does Memphis go small? My guess, Golden State changes their game to match Memphis, slowing the game down and leading to a Memphis victory.

#4 San Antonio over #5 Houston

-          Houston does not have the depth or experience to truly play with San Antonio. Matching up with Tony Parker will be a nightmare for Houston.

Conference Semi-Finals

#1 Oklahoma City over #4 San Antonio

-          Here is where a healthy Russell Westbrook makes all the difference. San Antonio does not have anyone to matchup with Westbrook and he can run wild against this Spurs team. Also, I’m banking on Manu losing it this year and being a non-factor.

#6 Memphis over #2 LA Clippers

-          And here is the end of the trilogy! These two teams have met in excellent playoff matchups the past two seasons and this year will be no different.  Again, everything will depend on matchups and I love, LOVE, the Memphis bigs versus the Clipper bigs. This is why the Clippers need to go out and find a new center…and fast!

Conference Finals

#6 Memphis over #1 Oklahoma City

-          I don’t know how to pick this matchup. I’m banking on a Memphis move during the year that improves their SF position, so I don’t think this is going to be where Tayshaun Prince shuts down Kevin Durant. But I do look at the OKC supporting cast and have a lot of questions about them. So, although I think OKC can beat San Antonio, I’m not sure they beat Memphis. The Grizz are a good team with an ownership group looking to advanced statistics to find good players on favorable contracts. I believe they’ll be successful in finding those types of players this year to improve any weakness they may have. To me, that’s the difference. Someone off the bench who has a game or two where they light it up for Memphis.

NBA FINALS

So, here we are. Miami versus Memphis. The Grizz, a team you must adjust to or suffer the consequences of being dominated down low. However, the difference here is, I think LeBron can play the four man against these guys and guard Gasol -- maybe not successfully, but that won’t matter, because once you have LeBron at the 4, that creates a massive mismatch on defense for Memphis, forcing them to go smaller and try to matchup. Because of this LeBron induced matchup, I think Miami wins in five.

Look for my All-NBA selections and Yearly Award predictions tomorrow night!