NBA Playoffs: First Round Series Predictions That Were Wrong

The 2013 NBA Playoffs are in full swing, and some teams are unexpectedly on the brink of elimination sooner than writers have predicted.

On the other hand, other teams are exceeding expectations, which is making the first round much more intense than previously advertised.

This slideshow will evaluate several first round matchups that have experienced a drastic turn of events and surprised even the most die-hard basketball fans.

Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets

If you told me that the Golden State Warriors had a chance to knock the Denver Nuggets out of the playoffs in the first round with a healthy roster, then I would've believed you.

But if you told me the Warriors lost David Lee in the first game of the playoffs and have taken a 3-1 series lead over the Nuggets with Andrew Bogut having a major impact in all three victories, I would've thought you were crazy.

That's just how it happened.

Stephen Curry has been shooting lights out in the past three games and Bogut has come alive and proved that he's still one of the best defensive centers in the NBA.

However, it's the Warriors' defense that has really carried them in this series. The Nuggets haven't been able to find any decent looks on offense so far. Apart from an occasional Ty Lawson layup after blowing by his defender, the Nuggets cannot get any efficient shots.

Of course, the Nuggets still have a chance to come back from a 3-1 deficit, but the odds are definitely not in their favor right now.

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks

This series between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks caught more attention due to a potential upset, considering the past history of these two squads.

You have the Celtics on one hand, who have been to the Finals twice in the past five years, and the Knicks who haven't been out of the first round since 2000.

However, it's the Knicks who seem to have every advantage over the Celtics in the 2013 playoff campaign.

The Celtics find themselves down 3-1 and barely mustered out a game 4 victory in overtime to prevent a sweep. In the first three games, they had difficulty scoring against New York's stingy defense and couldn't even eclipse the 80-point mark in each of the three contests.

No team has come back from a 3-0 deficit, but could the Celtics be the first team in history to accomplish that feat? Probably not.

Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets

There's something about the atmosphere and character of this Chicago Bulls team that makes people want to cheer for them to win.

Even though this series wouldn't technically be an upset, considering it's a matchup between the fourth and fifth seed, the Bulls were the clear underdogs heading into the playoffs.

The Brooklyn Nets possess more star-power and talent that the current Bulls' lineup doesn't even come close to matching. With Derrick Rose still watching from the sidelines and Joakim Noah playing through a nagging foot injury, the Nets should have everything going in their favor.

After game 1, it was certainly evident that this series could be one of the more lopsided first round matchups.

However, behind the grit and toughness of Joakim Noah and the intensity of Nate Robinson, the Bulls have won three games in a row and secure a 3-1 lead over the favored Nets.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs

I know that nobody expected the Los Angeles Lakers to win the series against the San Antonio Spurs, especially without Kobe Bryant in the lineup, but this series seemed like child's play for the Spurs.

Mathematically speaking, this series was the most lopsided thus far. The Spurs outscored the Lakers by a total of 75 points in four games, which was even more than the number of points that the Miami Heat outscored the Milwaukee Bucks by.

Obviously the Lakers have suffered their share of injuries, with Bryant, Steve Nash, Steve Blake and Jodie Meeks all sidelined with injuries in the deciding fourth game.

If the roster was healthy sans Bryant, I would still have given the Lakers maybe two games in this series.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way and 2012-13 will go down as one of the less memorable campaigns for the glorified Lakers.