#1 San Antonio Spurs vs. #8 Memphis Grizzlies
Coach Gregg Popovich did a great job of managing his veterans' minutes throughout the course of the season, but unfortunately Manu Ginobili threw a wrinkle in those plans by hyper-extending his right elbow in the season finale. Healthy or not, the Spurs are going to have a difficult time dealing with a Grizzlies defense that led the league in both steals and forced turnovers. Memphis' perimeter shooting (their greatest weakness) will have to be on target for a chance at an upset. In the end, the Spurs' championship experience will prove to be too much for the up and coming Grizzlies. San Antonio wins in seven.
#2 Los Angeles Lakers vs. #7 New Orleans Hornets
The Lakers, true to form, are struggling mightily as they enter the playoffs. Winning their last two after suffering a five-game losing streak, they nearly blew a 20-point fourth quarter lead against Sacramento on Wednesday to preserve the second seed (and avoid Portland!). Questions revolve around how much Andrew Bynum, Matt Barnes, and Steve Blake will be able to contribute as they go for their third straight championship. L.A., however, could not have asked for an easier first-round matchup as the Hornets, without the services of stud David West, stand no chance in this series. Lakers will sweep.
#3 Dallas Mavericks vs. #6 Portland Trailblazers
The Mavericks have been historic underachievers in the playoffs. In 2007 they became the first one seed to lose a best-of-seven series (after going 67-15 in the regular season), and last year they lost to San Antonio in the first round despite being the two seed. The Trailblazers, on the other hand, have overachieved tremendously under the direction of Nate McMillan. Despite dealing with roster-depleting injuries, Portland has managed to win on a regular basis and pose a huge threat to the Dirk Nowitzki/Jason Kidd led squad. This series could go either way, but my gut is telling to me respect Coach McMillan's brilliance. Portland in six.
#4 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #5 Denver Nuggets
Oklahoma City has two of the most difficult players to guard in two-time scoring leader Kevin Durant and explosive point guard Russell Westbrook. Denver, on the other hand, has good balance, depth, and a chip on their shoulder (give credit to the departed Carmelo Anthony for that). Coach George Karl has done a marvelous job of getting this new group to jell so quickly and the Nuggets have a great chance of knocking off the team that some people believe will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. This should be an excellent series to witness. The Thunder will advance, but it will go the full seven games.
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