NBA Playoffs 2012 Bracket: High-Seeded Teams with Difficult First-Round Matchups

Unlike the NHL playoffs, where seemingly every team is beatable in the first round, the top seeds in the NBA playoffs generally hold serve and advance to the second round.

There are exceptions, like last year's top-seeded San Antonio Spurs falling to the Memphis Grizzlies, but in general there is a steep climb in talent between the haves and have-nots in the NBA.

But this year, both No. 2 seeds look to have difficult matchups in the first round, matchups they very well could lose.

Let's take a closer look at each series (and for the sake of the article, assume that the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks will remain seventh seeds).

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks

The Knicks have clearly responded positively to interim head coach Mike Woodson, and head into the postseason on a hot streak, having won 17 of the past 23 games.

Not having Jeremy Lin to add to the firepower could hurt the Heat, but the Knicks don't lack for talent with Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler on board, along with excellent role players in J.R. Smith, Landry Fields, Steve Novak and Iman Shumpert.

The Heat swept the Knicks in the season series, so they'll be confident they can do the same in the first round. But this is a Knicks team that is finally realizing its potential. They have key defensive stoppers in Chandler and Shumpert and a player who is generally money come crunch time in Anthony.

I think the Heat will survive this series, but it will be an all-out war, and I wouldn't be surprised in the least if it went the full seven.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks

48, 29, 18, 40, 26.

Those are the point totals compiled by Dirk Nowitzki in last year's Western Conference Finals from last season, when the Mavs knocked the Thunder out of the playoffs in five games.

The point is simple: If Dirk gets hot like he was in last year's postseason, the Mavs are going to be an incredibly tough out.

They aren't as dangerous a team as last year—losing Tyson Chandler's presence in the middle or JJ Barea's spark off the bench will hamper them—but as long as Dirk, Jason Terry and Shawn Marion are playing well, the Mavs are a team to be feared.

I truly believe this is the year the Thunder win the NBA championship and begin an OKC dynasty, so I think they survive this series. But Dirk's presence alone could push this one to a seventh game.

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