SPURS VERSES BLAZERS SECOND ROUND PREVIEW

Spurs

The Spurs come into this series coming off of seven game series with the Dallas Mavericks. The speed of the Mavs caused the Spurs some trouble as well as their duo of Ellis and Dirk. The Spurs had the best record in all of the NBA and every year everybody thinks that the Spurs will fall apart and every year they keep preforming well and surprising people. They have a older big three that keeps preforming well including on of the most underrated point guards in the NBA. One thing to keep in might with them is how their starting shooting guard and small forward preform throughout the series. These two player will have to play well for them to move on in the playoffs.

Blazers

The Blazers would of had a seven game series of their own if it was not for the heroics of their up and coming point guard Damian Lillard making a game winning three pointer at the buzzer to win game six. The Blazers are led by Lillard and their start power forward Aldridge. Aldridge was on fire in this series especially for the first two games of the series where he averaged 45 points. The other players like their shooting guard for example will have to preform well in this series if they want to win this series and move on.

BACKCOURTS:

Spurs

The Spurs starting backcourt consists of one of the most underrated points guards in the NBA in Tony Parker. Parker is an experienced veteran who knows how to win and is both great at both passing and scoring. Their shooting guard is great at shooting threes but sometimes goes into cold spurts. He could be one of the x-factors in determining who wins this series and moves on.

 Blazers

The Blazers backcourt is one of the up and coming back courts that is good now but could turn into one of the top 5 in the NBA. Lillard is already one of the better point guards in the NBA and could turn out to be top 5 in the NBA. Their shooting guard plays good defense and shoots the ball fairly well. He will be an x-factor for the Blazers. One of the things to look at is which starting shooting guard plays better in this series. 

FRONTCOURT

Spurs

The Spurs front court consist of one two up and coming player which are their small forward and center. The other player in their starting front court is Mr. Fundamental in Timmy Duncan. He has been one of the best players in the league ever since he has drafted a long time ago. You can basically put him down for a 10 points and 10 rebounds every game. His position battle with Aldridge will be a fun one to watch. However it will be important to see how their 3 and 5 do and they will need to do well to win this series.

Blazers

The Blazers are often looked over especially their power forward Aldridge. He played like a superstar in the first round series against the Rockets and if he keeps playing like that it will be hard for the Spurs to guard him and will open it up for the rest of his teammates. Lopez the center was a underrated pick up in the offseason. Also their small forward is a veteran that is good for a mostly young team. They will have to have good play from him as a role player to win this series.

Bench

Spurs

The Spurs have two of the best bench players in all of the NBA in Ginoblli and Mills. Ginoblli is the third part of their big three and is really good at getting to the rim and also has a good jumper. Mills has been stuck on the Spur's bench for a few years but the past couple years has finally been given a chance and is making the most of it. The thing to watch for is do the Spurs have a third and fourth player off of the bench that is contributes consistently throughout the series. 

Blazers

The Blazers do not have a very deep bench at all at will need at least 2 to three player to contribute throughout this series. The best player on their bench is probably Mo Williams and he isn't really that good. They will need him and the rest of their bench to show up if they want to beat the Spurs who made the finals last year.

PREDICTION: The Spurs have better players, a better bench, more veteran leadership, and a better and deeper bench. This is not saying that the Blazers are a bad team they are really good they are just a year or two away from being able to get to the finals. Blazers get a few good players either from the draft or free agency and you will be in contention to make the finals, but right now you just aren't deep enough. Spurs in 6.

HEAT VERSES NETS SECOND ROUND PREVIEW

HEAT
The second seeded Heat made easy work of the Bobcats who posed no threat to the reigning champs. There was really only one player on the Bobcats who semi caused some problems for the Heat but other than that it was easy sailing for the Heat who won their opening series in four games. The Heat and their big three, which consists of Lebron, Wade, and Bosh, carry this team. However when they are at their best is when their supporting cast is playing well. In this series, they will need their role players to play well in order to win this series against a veteran led Nets squad.

NETS
The Nets come into this second round matchup coming off of a tough seven game series with the Toronto Raptors. Joe Johnson was a big reason why they won game seven as he scored 26 points. Another reason they won the series was the veteran leadership of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Both players had at least 10 points and Paul Pierce had the deciding block on the final shot by the Raptors to try to win that game. The Nets will need their veterans as well as Johnson and Williams to play well in this series if they want to upset the Heat and go on to the Eastern Conference Finals.

BACKCOURTS:
HEAT
The Heat's backcourt consists of a decent point guard who is good at making corner three and an aging shooting guard who is one of the better players in the NBA when healthy. When healthy, this is one of the better backcourts in the NBA. Though their point guard does not really have to do much except sit in the corner and wait for one of the big three to pass it to him in the corner for a three. Wade, their shooting guard and one of the Heat's big three, is good at taking it to the rim. You want to Heat to be shooting jump shots if you can. One thing to watch for is what Wade shows up. If he shows up being one of the best players in the NBA the Nets will be in trouble.
NETS
When the Nets backcourt is doing well and on track, they are one of the better ones in the NBA. However sometimes they get off track and tend to slack off. I do not think that they will be doing that because off the veterans on this team and because they are facing the defending champs. Also their shooting guard has a back for preforming well in the forth quarter at the end of games. He usually is the one to make big shots and usually he makes them. He will have to be making shots throughout the game though if the Nets are to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
FRONTCOURT
HEAT

The Heat's front court consists of the other two thirds of the big three as well as a decent player that pays well with the big three. When you have the best all around player on you team it usually means good things for you. How to Heat use him though will be interesting to watch will he mainly be behind the three point arc or will he be in the post and making drives to the basket and getting to the free throw line. Also the other players on the team will have to have some impact for the Heat to move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.

NETS

The Nets front court consists of two very experienced veterans who help this team especially in the playoffs. These are players who have won the championship before and also have beaten the Miami Heat before. They know what it takes to get to the top and win it all which is what they were brought in to do. They play the best when the pressure is at its highest and they will have to show up now that they are playing the reigning NBA champs.

Bench

HEAT

The heat's bench has a lot of veterans who bring a number of different things to the team. Some are really good at shooting threes. Others are really good at playing defense and playing at the rim on the offensive end. The Heat's bench will just have to play decent enough to keep the score differential at what it is at so that the Heat can win and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.

NETS 

The Nets bench has a number of players that shoot threes at a decent rate as well as a few players that play good defense and do not produce much at this point on the offensive side of the ball. Their bench will have to do better than the Heat's bench if they want to win this series and move on.

PREDICTION: 

Somehow the Heat had trouble with the Nets during the regular season as the Nets were the only team in the NBA to beat them every time that they played them. The Nets somehow found a way to get passed the Heat during the regular season. However, the playoffs are a different story. The Nets will have to prove that the regular season games were not a fluke and that they can beat the Heat in the playoffs. I do not think that they can beat the Heat 4  times out of 7. I think that it will be closer than people think it is though. Heat in 6.

Pacers vs Hawks series preview

Hello all! Welcome to the start of the NBA playoff series previews that I will doing throughout the entire NBA playoffs, one post for each series of the NBA playoffs! Here we go!

INDIANA

Indiana (56-26) comes in as the with the best record in the Eastern Conference and the number 1 seed, but has not had the best ending to the year as they have been slumping to the finish line. During their last 25 games, the Pacers were 12-13, not how you want to finish the season to get momentum going into the postseason. They have one of the top ten to top fifteen players in the NBA in shooting guard/small forward Paul George. Last year the Pacers got to the Eastern Conference championship series before losing to the eventual NBA champion Miami Heat in 7 games. The Pacers have one of the best defenses in the NBA ranking second lowest in points allowed per game at 92.3. Their defense was first in opponents shooting percentage at 42% and were 4th in 3 point opponent shooting percentage at 34.5%. The main problem for them is can they score enough points to get through to the NBA finals. They do have two really good post players in David West and Roy Hibbert who is in consideration for the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Defense is the main thing that carries this team though and if they make it to the finals and possibly win it, it will be because of their great defense.

ATLANTA

Atlanta ( 38-44) barely got into the playoffs and with a losing record. Because of this and other years where teams having losing records getting into the playoffs, some people are trying to change it so that the teams with better records get into the playoffs. However, they got the 8th best record their conference so that means that they are in the playoffs. Atlanta relies a good deal on the three point shot which they take around 26 threes a game which is second most in the NBA. Although they shoot a lot of threes they do not make a good percentage of them at 36.3%. Atlanta also turns the ball over too much at about 15 a game. They do however have some good players like power forward Paul Milsap . If their bigs cannot get Hibbert and West into trouble and they don't make that many three this could be a very short series for the Hawks.

STARTERS 

PG INDIANA George Hill ATLANTA Jeff Teague

Neither of these players are that great, but are good players. George They do what they have to do Hill get about 10 points per game and about 3.5 assists per game which is not good for a starting point guard in the NBA. However the Pacers do not need him to be a star for them to do well. The Hawks however need Teague to be one of their best players especially because the best player is hurt. Teague is averaging 16 ppg and 6.7 apg which is slightly above average for a starting point guard. In this matchup, I expect Teague to have the better series. 

ADVANTAGE: HAWKS

SG INDIANA Lance Stephenson ATLANTA Kyle Korver 

Lance Stephenson was a role player turned pretty good player for the Pacers when he plays well the Pacers usually play well. He is good in transition, plays good defense, and is decent at making threes. Korver is basically a three point specialist who does nothing else. He probably should not be starting, but instead be a bench player at least with his skill set. Korver does happen to be one of the best in the NBA at making threes though and makes them at a rate of 47% which is the best in the NBA. 

ADVANTAGE: PACERS

SMALL FORWARD INDIANA Paul George ATLANTA DeMarre Carroll

Paul George is one of the best players in the NBA with length and can shoot and drive to the basket well as well as play defense well. He averages 21.7 ppg 6.8 rebounds per game and 3.5 apg. He is one of the best all around players in the game and definitely the best player on the Pacers. If the Pacers want to win the title, he will have to play like an MVP for that to happen. Carrell is one of the many three point shooters on this team of many. He will be more thicker of a player for George to guard so if he has any post game he might want to do that. But I do not think that this will be much of a contest – too much George.

ADVANTAGE: PACERS

PW INDIANA David West ATLANTA Paul Milsap

David West is a legitimate pro who is one of the leaders of the Pacers both on and off the court. He is a low post threat with a good medium range jump shot. He averages 14 ppg and about 7 rpg and has been a good player for a long time in the league. Paul Milsap is the Hawks real leading scorer bc Horford got hurt. He is another one of the typically low post power forwards with good size for the position. He can also go out and shoot the three at a decent rate. This position battle I expect to be extremely close with the the edge to West.

ADVANTAGE: PACERS very slightly 

C INDIANA  Roy Hibbert ATLANTA Pero Antic

Roy Hibbert is a really tall center that blocks lots of shots but doesn't get as many rebounds as you would hope for from your starting center. He has a really good hook shot from either hand and side of the post. He was 4th in blocks per game this year with 2.25. Pero Antic is basically a backup center starting bc of injury he has a bad field goal percentage for a center which should be a great amount higher for a center. Additionally he is shorter and not a big as Hibbert and he likes to shoot threes like everyone and the Hawks. Hey probably the water boy for the Hawks probably shoots a lot of threes. Hibbert should dominate this matchup and I don't see much of problem for him.

PREDICTION: Even though the season series was 2-2, I do not see the Hawks posing much of a threat for the Pacers. George and company push their will on the Hawks and move on without too much trouble. Pacers in 5.

NBA Playoff Match ups (First Round)

As I stated in my last post, I will be previewing each series of the NBA playoffs which start on Saturday. These are the match ups for the first round of the NBA playoffs. To get into the playoffs the teams had to have one of the best eight records in there respective conference and are seeding according to their records in their respective conference. The team with the better record/seed has home court advantage for that series. Each series is a best out of seven series, that means win 4 games and you are moving on to the next round. Win four series and you are the next NBA champion. Here are the first round match ups of the NBA playoffs:

In the Eastern Conference, the number 1 seed, the Indiana Pacers (56-26) will be playing the 8 seed Atlanta Hawks (38-44). The number 2 seed Miami Heat (54-39),the reigning NBA champions, will be playing the 7 seed Charlotte Bobcats (43-39). The number 3 seed Toronto Raptors (48-34) will be playing the 6 seed Brooklyn Nets (44-38). And the number 4 seed Chicago Bulls (48-34) will be playing the 5 seed Washington Wizards (44-38).

In the Western Conference, the number 1 seed and best record in all of the NBA during the regular season, San Antonio Spurs (62-20) will be playing the 8 seed Dallas Mavericks (49-33). The number 2 seed Oklahoma City Thunder (59-23)will be playing the 7 seed Memphis Grizzlies (50-32).
The 3 seed Las Angeles Clippers (57-25) will be playing the 6 seed Golden State Warriors (51-31).
And the number 4 seed Houston Rockets (54-28) will be playing the 5 seed Portland Trail Blazers (54-28).

I will be posting the playoff preview with my predictions starting tomorrow please comment on them with your opinions and what your predictions and thoughts are also, thanks.

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