NBA Playoffs 2011: 10 Story Lines To Look Forward to During the Postseason
The 2011 NBA playoffs are here!
Surely, there are many great moments that await us. A few teams are looking to make their first major runs towards the NBA Finals, some are looking to get back to the NBA Finals and others are looking to gain some playoff experience for the future. Regardless of the situation, every team believes that it has a chance to win it all.
There are story lines to look forward to every year when the playoffs roll around, and this year is no different.
Some of the most exciting moments in NBA history have occurred during the playoffs, and every fan is hoping that this year is no different. With that in mind, I have compiled a list of 10 story lines to look forward to during the 2011 NBA playoffs. These story lines should provide us with some great moments.
Enjoy the playoffs!
Do the Hornets, Grizzlies, Pacers or 76ers Even Stand a Chance?
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It's surprising to see all four of these teams in the playoffs, as none of them were expected to be contending for a championship at the start of the season. Although they all have had good seasons, their championship dreams will probably end in the first round of the playoffs.
The Pacers are set to play the Chicago Bulls in the first round. That series is basically over now, and it hasn't even started yet.
The Philadelphia 76ers are set to face the Miami Heat, and although they have had their struggles this season, don't expect Dwyane Wade or LeBron James to let Miami lose in the first round.
The New Orleans Hornets started off the season really hot, but have cooled off ever since. They have played .500 basketball since starting the season 11-1. The Los Angeles Lakers have been struggling as of late, and the Andrew Bynum injury doesn't help their cause, but don't expect any upsets in this matchup.
If any of these teams is going to pull off a first-round upset, it will be the Memphis Grizzlies. Even with the injury to Rudy Gay, they have still been winning basketball games consistently following a bad first half of the season. The San Antonio Spurs have had a great regular season, but injuries are always a concern, as is fatigue.
The key to an upset will be the play of Zach Randolph. If he is able to dominate the post, then the Grizzlies will stay competitive with the Spurs. If he is not able to do so, expect a short series.
Will This Finally Be the Year the Hawks or Blazers Make a Deep Run?
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In the last three seasons, the Atlanta Hawks and the Portland Trail Blazers both have been decent. The Hawks have made the playoffs in all three of those years while the Blazers have made the playoffs twice.
With that being said, neither team has had much success in the postseason recently.
The Hawks have had the reputation over the past three seasons as the best non-elite team in the Eastern Conference. They have advanced to the second round of the playoffs the last two years, but were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009 and by the Orlando Magic in 2010.
However, four of the team's starters have been together for four full seasons, and their sixth man, Jamal Crawford, has been with the team for two full seasons. The time is now for this team to make a deep playoff run and push itself to the elite level.
The Blazers have been eliminated from the first round of the playoffs the last two seasons. However, with the emergence of LaMarcus Aldridge and the addition of Gerald Wallace, the Blazers have stepped up tremendously since their 20-20 start, and are ready to emerge as an elite team in the Western Conference.
For this to occur, they will have to upset the Dallas Mavericks in the first round and put up a fight against their potential second-round opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers.
How Far Will Amar'e and Carmelo Take the Knicks?
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The New York Knicks have been an up-and-down team all year long. Before and after the Carmelo Anthony trade occurred, they put together many multi-game winning streaks, followed directly by multi-game losing streaks, or vice-versa. This trend is exemplified by the seven-game winning streak that just ended for them, which was preceded by a six-game losing streak.
With the playoffs beginning, it is time for them to put together a winning streak. If this does not occur, they will be watching the second round of the playoffs from home.
Anthony, Stoudemire and company are unfortunately facing the defending Eastern Conference champions, the Boston Celtics, in the first round of the playoffs.
Although the Celtics have had their struggles recently, they are still, in my opinion, the second-most dangerous team in the playoffs, due to the presence of the "Big Four" and the return of Shaquille O'Neal from injury.
With that being said, if the Celtics continue to struggle, the Knicks have a great chance of upsetting them. I expect Anthony and Stoudemire to play their absolute best basketball during the playoffs, and the presence of Chauncey Billups should help them tremendously.
If they are able to advance to the second round and draw the Miami Heat, they will again have a good chance at an upset, due to the fact that the Heat have had their struggles against the NBA's elite. Their bench is also just as thin as the Knicks' bench.
Don't expect the Knicks to do much against the Chicago Bulls if they play them in the Eastern Conference Finals.
We Are in Need of Some Magic!
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It's tough to assess how good this team really is.
On one hand, they have gone 36-20 since Gilbert Arenas, Hedo Turkoglu and Jason Richardson laced up their shoes and took the floor for the Orlando Magic.
On the other hand, they have gone just 4-7 against the top three teams in the Eastern Conference.
In the first round, the Magic should have little problem disposing of the Atlanta Hawks like they did last year, but the Chicago Bulls will pose a huge problem for this team in the second round should both teams advance.
The key to their success against the Bulls, should they face them, will be for Dwight Howard to continue scoring as much as he can on the offensive side of the ball, while keeping Derrick Rose from entering the paint on the defensive side of the ball.
That's easier said than done!
What Can Dirk Do for You?
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Can Dirk Nowitzki lead the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA championship?
This is a question that has been asked for the last 10 seasons, and it will be asked again this year. Let's face it—anything other than a championship would be a bust for the Mavericks. They haven't won less than 50 games in the regular season over the last 10 years, but they don't have one championship to show for it.
Nowitzki and the Mavericks have chocked on many occasions throughout these 10 seasons.
In 2007, after winning 67 games in the regular season, they were upset by the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors in the first round. And, after holding a commanding 2-0 lead over the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals, the Mavericks went on to lose the next four games and their chances for an NBA championship.
The Mavericks—and their fans—are tired of the choking. However, they are not getting any younger and their window of opportunity for a championship run is quickly closing.
This may just be their last chance to make a deep run in the postseason, and Nowitzki will be the key to that run.
How Will the Ageless Wonders Fair?
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The San Antonio Spurs just will not go away!
They have just completed their second-best regular season since Tim Duncan's arrival in town. During this span of 14 years, they have only won less than 50 games once (during the strike-shortened 1998-1999 season). They won 37 of their 50 games in that season.
They have won four championships during that span, but were seemingly on the verge of dropping away from the elite in the Western Conference entering this season. Their win total in the regular season had dropped every season over the last five years.
They were given little chance of winning a championship this season, but have reemerged as a top team in the Western Conference, mainly due to the play of Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. A deep playoff run awaits them if they can stay healthy and continue to play at the same level they have played at throughout most of the regular season.
Unfortunately, the injury suffered by Ginobili during the season finale might have a big effect on the team's outlook if it turns out that he has to miss some time.
The Memphis Grizzlies shouldn't pose too big of a problem for the Spurs in the first round. The second round might be more of a challenge for this team, should the Spurs make it there, as they will have to face the winner of the Denver Nuggets/Oklahoma City Thunder series. Both teams have been playing extremely well as of late, and are a lot younger than the Spurs.
Should they advance past the second round, they will probably play the Los Angeles Lakers, who will be a huge obstacle in the road to the finals for the Spurs.
The Denver Nuggets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Series
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I think everyone is looking forward to this first-round matchup. It features two very young, explosive and hot teams; not too much more can be asked of a first-round playoff series.
The Oklahoma City Thunder possess two superstars, one being the best scorer in the game today (Kevin Durant) and the other being one of the best point guards in the NBA (Russell Westbrook). James Harden helps them carry the scoring load.
On the defensive end, the Thunder feature a terrific perimeter defender in Thabo Sefolosha. Their interior defense, however, is probably the key to their success. If Serge Ibaka and the recently acquired Kendrick Perkins have solid postseason runs, then the Thunder will be a serious threat to advance to the NBA Finals.
The Denver Nuggets basically feature two starting lineups on their roster. Seriously—that is how deep this team is.
The Nuggets have been clicking on all cylinders since they acquired a slew of players in exchange for Carmelo Anthony. They have gone 18-7 since the trade, and if they continue to play the way they have been, the Thunder might be heading for another first-round exit from the playoffs.
Unfortunately for the Nuggets, they have had a lot of trouble staying healthy since the Anthony trade. None of the injuries have been serious, but one could only imagine how much trouble they could cause if everyone on their roster is healthy and ready to play for an extended period of time.
Regardless of the outcome, this is guaranteed to be a hard-fought series. Most of America will be watching to see how far whichever team wins this series can advance in the playoffs.
Can They Handle the Heat, or Will It Lead to More Tears?
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Just about the entire nation will have its eyes on the Miami Heat throughout the entire playoffs.
On one hand, the team possesses two of the five best basketball players on the planet, and another All-Star to go along with them. When a team features three superstars, it has the potential to make a very deep playoff run.
Both James and Wade have the ability to take over and dominate a basketball game, and if this does occur on a consistent basis, the Heat will be a force to be reckoned with.
On the other hand, the talent level drops off after Wade, James and Bosh, and that will probably pose a big problem for the Heat if they are able to get past the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics are both very deep teams, meaning their reserves will probably destroy the Heat bench if they match up against one another.
This will force the Heat to play their three superstars extensively, and although these three players are still young, they might be forced to play some possessions with 50-percent effort due to fatigue.
Any great playoff team will take advantage of those opportunities, potentially destroying any hopes the Heat have of winning a championship this season.
We might see more tears being shed on South Beach, and a majority of NBA fans would love nothing more than that!
The Possible Lakers-Celtics Rubber Match
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Until the Boston Celtics and L.A. Lakers are dethroned, they are still the two teams to beat in their respective conferences, in my opinion. Although both teams have had their share of struggles recently, I expect them to change that around once the playoffs start.
The Lakers lost five straight games before pulling out victories in the final two games of the regular season. When they are playing at their best, they are virtually unstoppable.
The front line this team possesses is one of the scariest in NBA history. If Ron Artest plays defense as he did last year during the playoffs, a lot of superstars will have a tough time scoring points.
The injury to Andrew Bynum could have an effect on the Lakers during the playoffs, but I don't believe it is serious enough for it to have a huge impact.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot—Kobe Bryant is still a part of this team.
I believe that the Lakers will bring their "A-game" into the playoffs, and although they will have to fight to get through the Western Conference, they will come out of the Western Conference Finals as the champions.
The Celtics have been struggling ever since they traded away Kendrick Perkins. The players added to the Celtics roster have had a tough time fitting in, leading to the team's 15-12 record since the trade.
At first glance, the record doesn't look so bad, but when you consider the fact that this is the Celtics, that record does not look that good anymore.
With that being said, the Celtics had their share of struggles last season, and somehow found a way to make it all the way to the NBA Finals.
With Shaquille O'Neal returning to the rotation, the Celtics frontcourt gains some depth, which is a good thing to have during the playoffs. As long as the "Big Four" plays well, I do see the Celtics defeating the Knicks, Heat and Bulls on the way to their third Eastern Conference title in four years.
The Running of the Bulls
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How on earth did the Chicago Bulls get so great so fast?
Oh wait, the emergence of Derrick Rose had a little bit to do with it.
The Bulls just clinched the best record in the NBA, and are looking forward to competing for an NBA championship. The Bulls have been insanely good over the last 32 games of the season, winning 28 of them. They are by far the hottest team entering the playoffs.
Their defense has been stellar and MVP candidate Derrick Rose has been nothing short of amazing!
The key to a title run for the Bulls will be the continued stellar play of Rose and the health of Joakim Noah. Rose's play is barely a concern, as he has been great all year, but Noah's sprained right ankle could cause some concern for this team.
I doubt it will have any influence on the outcome, however, against the Indiana Pacers or the Orlando Magic.
Unfortunately for the Bulls, I do believe that they will need one more year before they reach the NBA Finals. This will not be due to a lack of effort or talent, but it will be due to the Boston Celtics putting together one more run for the championship trophy.
Honorable Mention: "Beat L.A." Chant
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Surprised to see this slide on here?
You will probably be even more surprised to find out I'm a huge Los Angeles Lakers fan!
The "Beat L.A." chant is one of the biggest reasons why I look forward to the NBA playoffs. Nothing makes me happier than to know that my favorite basketball team actually has the whole NBA chasing it and trying to beat it.
It must be really flattering for the Lakers to know that they are hated this much because they are so great.
The reason why I believe this chant is important to the success off this team is because I can't see how it would not fire up the Lakers every time they hear it. I'm sure that every time Kobe Bryant hears this chant, it adds more fuel to the fire that he already has.
I can imagine how much harder and more physically Ron Artest wants to play whenever he hears this chant.
I can imagine how badly Lamar Odom wants to drive to the hoop whenever he hears the almost legendary "Beat L.A." chant.
I really hope that I'm able to hear this chant all the way into July!
