NBA Playoff Schedule: Ideal Matchups for Opening Round

The NBA playoffs are almost here and the picture is nearly set with the exception of a few seeds still to be decided over the last few days of the season.

But looking at the current situation, there are some possibilities for great matchups in the first round.

Let's take a look at some of the most ideal match ups that NBA fans would love to see in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat

This rivalry goes back to the '90s, where plenty of bad blood existed between these two teams that often resulted in hard fouls and even on-court brawls.

At one point, the Knicks-Heat rivalry was close to that of the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox matchup.

Things have died down over the past decade as the Heat have been in and out of winning, while the Knicks have been abysmal for a decade.

But all that ends with this matchup as playoff basketball will raise the stakes between these two teams and re-ignite the rivalry of old. The further this series goes, the more heated I expect it to get.

I can tell you this: Knicks' fans have this one circled because it's against the man who spurned them to join the Heat and that is, of course, none other than Lebron James.

Expect to see plenty of old replays of Jeff Van Gundy hanging on people's legs and Allan Houston knocking down last-second runners. That could be the only glory Knicks' fans get out of this series.

Series prediction: Heat in five games.

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies

This would be a battle between two teams that are on the rise with a great shot at shocking the world and going all the way.

The Clippers are in the first season of the Blake Griffin-Chris Paul era and have revived what was a dead franchise this season.

However, finishing behind the Los Angeles Lakers in the standings certainly didn't help make the Clips the team to beat in Los Angeles.

This series, and these playoffs as a whole, could be the launching point for the Clippers takeover of the city they play in.

On the flip side, the Grizzlies are coming off an incredible season that had them upset the No. 1 seed in the San Antonio Spurs and all the way to Game 7 of the Western Conference semi-finals.

This season, the Grizz have helped themselves with a better seed and have chosen not to test fate in 2012.

With both team's bigs and a talented back court, this matchup from a position to position standpoint is just about as good as it gets.

Playoff prediction: Memphis Grizzlies in seven games.

Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks

Of all the first round matchups in the NBA playoffs, this four-five game is the most even possible series you can get out of all the scenarios.

The Celtics are on their last leg as their core players of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce might be broken up next season in favor of rebuilding for the future. I expect them to come out motivated with that thought in the back of each of their heads.

For Boston, there will be no tomorrow.

The Hawks are a team that are also on their last leg of sorts. With their inability to win the big game and get to the promise land, Atlanta might lose their power forward, Josh Smith, to free agency after next year.

Winning will no doubt keep their best player happy—and in Atlanta.

This could be a team that is broken up soon and this might be one of the last chances for this core of players to get something done.

Both teams play solid defense and the only question will be who can score the ball better than the other. Look for this to be an incredible series that will have two teams with a no-tomorrow mentality.

Playoff prediction: Celtics in seven games.