NBA Playoff Schedule 2012: 3 Teams That Will Breeze Past 1st-Round Opponent
The NBA playoffs are all about survival of the fittest.
It’s about teams that can outlast the opposition in any way possible. Who cares if the opponent is easy, the goal is to advance while exerting the least amount of energy possible. After the most grueling 66-game stretch in league history, every team is tired; meaning the faster a team can close out an opponent the better.
That’s great news for the following three teams, who should have no problem advancing to the second round in either a sweep or five games.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls may be dealing with a hobbled Derrick Rose, but that shouldn’t matter against a Philadelphia 76ers team (assuming they don’t leap frog NYK) that has fallen off a cliff since the All-Star break. They lack the crunch time scorer to close out games and don’t exactly possess a very intense home crowd. Going 9-13 down the stretch doesn’t exactly scream upset potential.
The Bulls went 2-1 against Philly this season and that includes a road win.
Chicago has more depth, playoff experience and more talent. I’d be shocked if this series lasts longer than five games.
Sometimes it’s as simple as this…whose going to guard Rose??
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are short on playoff experience, but they lucked out when it was announced Orlando Magic forward Dwight Howard would miss the rest of the season.
That means Jason Richardson, Ryan Anderson and JJ Redick will be relied upon heavily to unseat a Pacers team that is quietly one of the most balanced and talented teams in the entire league.
Enough said.
The Pacers are going to breeze past a bunch of second-rate players in Orlando.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs were embarrassed by the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzles last year, and you can bet that bitter taste has stuck with them this year.
The likely opponent is going to be the Utah Jazz, a team that has rebounded spectacularly after a few down years. Problem is, they are incredibly young, short on playoff experience and sport a playoff-worst 11-22 record on the road.
The Spurs were 3-1 against the Jazz this season with the one loss coming with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili resting.
This team feeds off their fans. They aren’t going to handle the pressure of playing in San Antonio.
Expect a rested and angry Spurs team to cruise in four. No other team understands the importance of rest quite like this one.
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