Round Two Storylines

[WigNosy]

WESTERN CONFERENCE - SPURS/TRAILBLAZERS

THE SPURS: After falling short to a hot-shooting Suns team a season ago, the Spurs ran away with the West this season and are looking to find their way back to the Finals. They'll start the series a little short-handed due to a wrist injury to Hinrich but he will be back barring a sweep and the Spurs have talent up and down the roster - the road to the Finals in the West still runs through San Antonio.

THE BLAZERS: The Blazers fast-forwarded their rebuild when they traded for Steven Hunter and Ron Artest to form an instant contender built around some of the best defenders in the league. They've made things miserable for teams all season and after forcing the Timberwolves to adjust to their style, it's clear they're going to try to force teams out of their comfort zone in order to beat them.

THE MATCHUP: Arron Afflalo versus Richard Jefferson at shooting guard. On the Spurs' side, you know Josh Smith and Luis Scola are going to get theirs (even against the likes of Stephen Hunter) and you know Artest is going to be able to chew up either Ryan Anderson or Nicolas Batum and Derrick Rose won't be slowed early in the series while Hinrich is out. So the real intrigue lies in each team's third scorer. Afflalo has been a revelation this season as a 3-and-D guy and Jefferson's numbers are down this season due to having to share the ball, but he's still capable of dropping 30 any given night. If Afflalo wins this matchup, either by having a big night scoring or by locking up Jefferson, the Spurs should win. If Jefferson goes off, the Blazers are probably going to win.

THE PREDICTION: I don't know that the Spurs have anyone to stop Artest unless they try covering him with Josh Smith - and if they do that, Artest may well shut Smith down. To quote the 76ers' GM, "OPs gonna OP." Add to that the fact that Derrick Rose should go nuts in the first three games before Hinrich gets back (Russell Westbrook is not going to be able to stop him). Going to have to pick the Trailblazers and "Limitless" in seven games - I think they exploit Hinrich's injury to take an early series lead and use that to hang on until Game 7 where Artest goes nuts. However, I suggest the Spurs' training staff keep a lot of air casts nearby given Artest's playoff history last season.

WESTERN CONFERENCE - CLIPPERS/WARRIORS

THE WARRIORS: Won the division over the Clippers on a tiebreaker even after the horrible Anthony Morrow broken leg threatened to derail their season. The Warriors made the playoffs last season with Steph Curry and have now added more pieces to a squad that I think fits really nicely together after a long period away from the playoffs. They check all the boxes for "star roleplayers" with a stud defensive center (DJ), a gifted offensive big man (Z-Bo), a three-and-D wing (DerMarr), snipers without a conscience at the 2 spot (Morrow and Gordon), and superstar-in-the-making (Steph). Is this the year all the pieces lock together?

THE CLIPPERS: A playoff regular the last few seasons, they've transitioned from being built around a sweet-shooting big man (Dirk) to... um... being built around a sweet-shooting big man (Durant). It's kind of an older bunch, and it looks like they're getting ready to reset a lot of the role-players after this season, but they are very familiar with their style of play, unapologetic about it, and are ridiculously efficient on offense. Will their sweet outside shooting from Dirk and Durant nullify the traditional big man defense of the Warriors?

THE MATCHUP: Dirk versus Z-Bo. Whichever one of these guys asserts his will on the other offensively will dictate the way this series goes - will it be a low-post slugfest (favors Z-Bo and the Warriors) or will it turn into a shooting contest (favors the Clippers, Steph notwithstanding). Whichever team has to blink to put a defender appropriate to stop Dirk or Z-Bo on them will have had to compromise their identity and will have a hard time winning the series.

THE PREDICTION: This is a tough call - last year's Suns squad made me wonder if outside shooting has come to rule the day yet - if it has, the Clippers should win. But I like the fact that the Warriors can play multiple ways - if they focus on their guards, they become a team of marksmen; if they focus it inside, they can be efficient with their bigs. I don't think the Clippers have that versatility. That and the Warriors have homecourt. I'll give it to the Warriors in 7.

EASTERN CONFERENCE - 76ERS/HEAT

THE SIXERS: GM Balls O'Hard did a fast rebuilding job this off-season, pulling in Dwyane Wade and Amare Stoudamire to make his team one of the most athletic and efficient in the league, and that ruthless efficiency coupled with Tyson Chandler anchoring a filthy defense has the team looking like the title favorites this year and for the next couple of seasons. He's hoping the Sixers gel this year instead of taking a couple of years to get to know each other.

THE HEAT: A team that has built through the draft - perhaps excruciatingly slowly - the Heat will definitely miss the injured Serge Ibaka who would have given them another big body to throw at Amare. The Heat are a team with a lot of size, but perhaps a little slow in the backcourt. They're a team that's made the playoffs the last couple of years but are trying to take the next step up to the conference finals - and there may be a creeping sense of urgency - Al Jefferson could opt out after this season and LeBron will hit unrestricted Free Agency after next year for sure. The Heat may need to win now to keep their core from departing for greener pastures.

THE MATCHUP: LeBron James versus Dwyane Wade. While they probably won't be directly guarding each other, either one of these guys can dominate the game in a number of ways and will looking to cement the title of "second best" pick in their draft class (behind Bosh). They're both in their primes; it's time for them to show us what they can do.

THE PREDICTION: I think the Heat can create some interesting problems in this series, but only if they make some serious lineup changes - Jose Calderon is not going to be able to keep up with Wade at Point Guard and can't exploit Wade the way Deron Williams did last series. Hawes has to score enough to pull Chandler away from the basket and they have to throw bodies at Amare to keep him out of the paint. There are just too many adjustments that the Heat have to make and hope things go their way for me to favor them. I'll take the Sixers in 5.

EASTERN CONFERENCE - HAWKS/MAGIC

THE HAWKS: The irony is not lost on this writer that the Hawks shut down their starters once they had locked into the #2 seed to keep them healthy - and that now their two biggest contributors (at least if you believe EWA) are in street clothes. They may have managed to cobble together a lineup to sneak past the Raptors last round, but will have a much tougher time with the Magic.

THE MAGIC: After going all-in 5 seasons ago and falling just short of the Finals, the Magic have finally made it out of the rebuilding process and rode one of the league's most high-powered offenses back to playoff success. With several guys who are threats to score anywhere on the floor and the computer-named sixth man of the year in Carmelo Anthony, the Magic are looking to repeat their earlier success:

THE MATCHUP: Rashard Lewis versus the Hawks' forwards. Injuries and trades have caused the Hawks to roll out an interior-based lineup that could spell matchup issues both ways. Lewis will struggle with the strength of Gasol or Brand inside but neither Gasol nor Brand can probably keep up with Rashard on the perimeter. If Rashard is able to get loose and knock in threes, this will be a short series. If the Hawks can drag him inside and wear him out in the post, they might have a chance. (I should note I think it's a foregone conclusion Goran Dragic is going to torch the Hawks without Devin Harris to keep up with him so no real drama in the matchup there.)

THE PREDICTION: The Magic have the talent to give even a fully-healthy Hawks team fits. Without Duncan and Harris, they should have the edge, though the Hawks' homecourt advantage will probably help make this series closer than it should be. Magic in 6, closing it out at home in Orlando.

[WigNosy]

WESTERN CONFERENCE - SPURS/TRAILBLAZERS
THE PREDICTION: I don't know that the Spurs have anyone to stop Artest unless they try covering him with Josh Smith - and if they do that, Artest may well shut Smith down. To quote the 76ers' GM, "OPs gonna OP." Add to that the fact that Derrick Rose should go nuts in the first three games before Hinrich gets back (Russell Westbrook is not going to be able to stop him). Going to have to pick the Trailblazers and "Limitless" in seven games - I think they exploit Hinrich's injury to take an early series lead and use that to hang on until Game 7 where Artest goes nuts. However, I suggest the Spurs' training staff keep a lot of air casts nearby given Artest's playoff history last season.

THE RESULT: Blazers won in 5. Right team, wrong number of games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE - CLIPPERS/WARRIORS
THE PREDICTION: This is a tough call - last year's Suns squad made me wonder if outside shooting has come to rule the day yet - if it has, the Clippers should win. But I like the fact that the Warriors can play multiple ways - if they focus on their guards, they become a team of marksmen; if they focus it inside, they can be efficient with their bigs. I don't think the Clippers have that versatility. That and the Warriors have homecourt. I'll give it to the Warriors in 7.

THE RESULT: Clippers won in 7. Right number of games, but wrong team.

EASTERN CONFERENCE - 76ERS/HEAT
THE PREDICTION: I think the Heat can create some interesting problems in this series, but only if they make some serious lineup changes - Jose Calderon is not going to be able to keep up with Wade at Point Guard and can't exploit Wade the way Deron Williams did last series. Hawes has to score enough to pull Chandler away from the basket and they have to throw bodies at Amare to keep him out of the paint. There are just too many adjustments that the Heat have to make and hope things go their way for me to favor them. I'll take the Sixers in 5.

THE RESULT: Sixers won in 5. Right number of games, right team!

EASTERN CONFERENCE - HAWKS/MAGIC
THE PREDICTION: The Magic have the talent to give even a fully-healthy Hawks team fits. Without Duncan and Harris, they should have the edge, though the Hawks' homecourt advantage will probably help make this series closer than it should be. Magic in 6, closing it out at home in Orlando.

THE RESULT: Hawks won in 7. Wrong on both teams and number of games... but can't deny I'm glad I was wrong.

[NickMalone77]

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