NBA Playoffs 2014: Previewing Most Compelling 1st-Round Matchups

The 2014 NBA playoffs are finally here.

It was a long regular season, but now the Association's top teams are ready for the long road ahead in the playoffs. Postseason basketball is stressful for both the players and the fans. Close games are commonplace, as are heated exchanges between those on the court and those watching in their living rooms.

It's what makes basketball great.

Luckily for all parties involved, we won't have to wait long for some compelling playoff basketball. Three of the Round 1 matchups have the potential to go seven games. Seeds don't mean much in these series—they could go either way.

No. 6 Brooklyn Nets vs. No. 3 Toronto Raptors

Kathy Willens

The Toronto Raptors and the Brooklyn Nets finished first and second, respectively, in the Atlantic Division this season. The season series between the two teams was tied at two games apiece. Both teams are hot, but Ben Eagle of SI.com points out that the Raptors are scorching:

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Since trading Rudy Gay to the Kings in December, the Raptors are 41-22 -- the best record in the Eastern Conference over that span. The breakout backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan poses all sorts of problems for opponents.

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Trading Gay has really opened things up for Lowry and DeRozan to play with more confidence and take control of the tempo on offense. Combine those two with Jonas Valanciunas down low, and the Raptors can be tough to handle.

The Nets may have the advantage given how difficult they can be to match up with, however. Head coach Jason Kidd has implemented a small-ball lineup that sometimes sees Paul Pierce play the 4. Given that he is traditionally a small forward, Pierce has no problem getting by bigger power forwards with his quickness—even if he has lost a couple of steps the past few seasons.

Kidd will have to use this small-ball lineup to create matchup problems for this Raptors team. Shaun Livingston is perhaps the biggest matchup nightmare. He is considered a point guard, but his 6'7" frame allows him to guard multiple positions. His length is invaluable to this team.

Lowry and DeRozan will attempt to control the tempo, but the pressures of playing on a big stage may prove to be too much for them. The Nets are a veteran squad filled with guys who have been here before. Sometimes, that's all it takes to get an edge.

No. 6 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers

Danny Moloshok

Get ready for some high-scoring affairs.

Golden State's Splash Brothers—Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson—will do their best to fend off the high-powered Los Angeles Clippers offense led by Chris Paul. Despite Curry's exciting play and propensity to hit shot after shot, Paul is the best player in this series. Look for him to take over.

Chris Ballard of SI.com certainly expects him to:

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Just having Paul gives the Clippers a significant advantage in any playoff series. No point guard controls the game better, or plays with more fire. He creates matchup problems for the Warriors. Because Curry is below-average defensively, Golden State will have to either deploy Andre Iguodala or Klay Thompson for stretches against Paul or load the defense to stop him. This in turn creates more space for lobs to [Blake] Griffin and [DeAndre] Jordan. And Paul is the rare NBA player who can kill teams in the mid-range area once he gets through the first line of defense.

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While it won't be easy, the key for the Warriors will be slowing down both Jordan and Griffin. The two are beasts defensively and dynamic in the paint. Their athleticism is matched by few big men around the league. Warriors center Andrew Bogut is out indefinitely, and David Lee has been bothered in recent weeks by a hamstring issue, so it will come down to the efforts of Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, Jermaine O'Neal and Marreese Speights to try and contain Jordan and Griffen

That obviously isn't favorable for Golden State.

Given their injuries in the frontcourt, the Warriors won't win unless they shoot lights out from deep. Luckily, that's exactly what they excel in. With so many factors influencing this series, it's one you won't want to miss.

No. 5 Washington Wizards vs. No. 4 Chicago Bulls

Felipe Dana

If nothing else, this series is worth watching because it represents the playoff debut of one of the NBA's brightest young stars, Washington Wizards guard John Wall.

Wall was stellar this season, averaging 19.3 points and 8.8 assists per game. He also shot 43.3 percent from the field and a career-high 35.1 percent from deep. He was the primary reason why the Wizards were able to finish 44-38 this season.

Veteran Al Harrington has called Wall "the head of our snake," via Joseph White of the Arizona Daily Star, and such a title makes sense. As Wall goes, the Wizards go.

That said, Trevor Ariza and Andre Miller are X-factors who should make some noise against the Chicago Bulls. Ariza has done well in the playoffs before (see: the 2009 the Los Angeles Lakers), and Miller provides this young team with just enough veteran leadership to be successful. 

The Bulls are a team complete with veteran talent, however, and that's what makes this a tough matchup for the up-and-coming Wizards. Washington will likely win a game or two in the series, but the playoff jitters will also likely get to them at some point.

The next few years will be exciting for the Wizards. But right now, Chicago is the better overall team.