| Is it hot here or is the NBA just heating up? |
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| Written by Matthew Russell | |
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After the tightest conference race in NBA history in the west the NBA playoffs are upon us. In the west all eight teams in the Western Conference Playoffs won 50 games. In the Eastern Conference only three teams broke the 50 win mark. So what is the west missing? The league’s best team, the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons are the only teams in the east with winning records against the west. So the Table is set. In the Eastern Conference we have the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavilers, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Atlanta Hawks. In the Western Conference we have Los Angles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and the Denver Nuggets. The Golden State Warriors became the winningest team excluded from the Playoffs since the league went to a 16 team format. The last three teams excluded from the Western Conference playoffs all would have made it in the east and all have at least .500 record against the East. In the east the obvious favorites are the Celtics, but problems could wait in the fold for the Big Three in Boston. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and company are have lost three games to the Washington Wizards, who hold the NBA’s fifth seed. The Wizards have the Cavilers in the first round for the third year in a row. Cleveland has won both previous playoff match ups, but this season they split the regular season contests 2-2. The Wizards are the only team in the league with a winning record against the Celtics, but the Wizards will have to get through LeBron James and his Cavs to test their mettle against the mighty Celtics. Somehow in the East the Pistons seems to fall out of the conversation despite being the second best team in the East and the only other team in the East with a winning record over the entirety of the West. In the east the conversation seems to center around the Celtics and the LeBrons, but the Pistons are always a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. The Orlando Magic, who hold three seed in the playoffs, and Dwight Howard are also being overlooked. Howard has been one of the most impressive players in the league and will be more than a handful for anyone. It also deserves to be mentioned that the Magic are the last team in the East whose record would even make the playoffs in the West. In the West things are a little less cut and dry. The Lakers are coming into the playoffs as many people’s pick to win the conference, but any team even down to the eight seed Nuggets are capable of putting together a run. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant and the top seed in the west. Also, after one of the worst heists in NBA history they have Pau Gasol, and look to be the team to beat. If the game comes down to the wire Bryant is the best closer in the entire NBA. If they have to grind a series out in a physical half court game the Lakers have Gasol and the much-improved seven footer, Andre Bynum. If the Lakers play well on the defensive end they will most definitely be the team to beat in the west. The New Orleans Hornets have been one of the best stories in the league this year. The Hornets will be making their first appearance in the Playoffs since being moved to the Western Conference in the 2004-2005 season. The Hornets will also be making this appearance in style as one of the top teams in the west. The San Antonio Spurs are back again. The Spurs have been the most successful NBA franchise in the last decade with four championships, but have yet to repeat. This year they have once again compiled one of the west’s best records and are one of, if not the best, defensive team in the league. Tim Duncan is as consistent as always, and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili add much needed scoring and youth on the outside. The Utah Jazz are one of the more intriguing teams in the league. They are great at home where they have won 28 of their last 29 contests, but on the road they are a pedestrian 17-23. Since the Jazz can end the season no higher than the four seed, they will have to win some games on the road in the Playoffs. The Rockets managed to rattle off the second longest winning streak in NBA history this season. They started the win streak with center Yao Ming, but finished it without him. While the winning streak is impressive, the Rockets came up with many of those wins playing against the lower tier teams in the league. What the Rockets will bring is outstanding hustle, defense, perimeter shooting, and Tracy MacGrady. MacGrady has never won a playoff series, and this year won’t be the easiest for him without his seven foot, four inch partner in crime, Yao. Phoenix is coming into the playoffs after making one of the most controversial trades in NBA history. The Sun’s midseason deal for Shaquille O’Neal caused head scratching from anyone who was watching. After a 3-6 start with the diesel the Suns have gone 14-6 with The Big Cactus. After the O’Neil trade Amare Stoudemire has been playing as well as anyone in the league. With the O’Neil the Suns are scoring more, and now have another option when the game slows down. Dallas has limped into the Playoffs thanks mostly to Dirk Nowitzki playing through an ankle injury that was supposed to put him out for the rest of the season. The Nuggets secured the last playoff spot in the west by winning six of their last ten. With Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson the Nuggets can score with anyone, but cannot defend anyone. |
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