2011 NBA Playoff Predictions: 1st-Round Easy Picks and Upsets
The NBA playoffs are prone to first-round easy picks and first-round upsets.
There are a couple teams that should be able to breeze through their first-round matchups, but others have more interesting story lines that could prove damaging to the higher seeds.
One thing that the playoffs shouldn't lack is star power, and the importance of how superstars will factor in their team's success.
The Heat Serve Up the 76ers
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At the beginning of the season, the Miami Heat were one of the favorites to make it all the way to the NBA Finals. The Big Three played a little shaky early on in the season, but in the past month the Heat look like the team everyone was expecting.
The Heat offense hasn't disappointed ranking eighth in the NBA in points per game with 102.1, while only allowing 94.6 points per game, which comes out to a difference of 7.5 points per game. The difference leads the NBA.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will all have to play well against the 76ers, but I see the Heat taking the first-round series in four games.
The Lakers Lay Down the Hornets
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The five-time NBA champ Kobe Bryant knows what it takes to win the NBA Finals. The Los Angeles Lakers finished out this season just like last year—on a rough streak. It didn't seem to bother the Lakers in the 2010 playoffs and I don't see it bothering them this year.
Bryant always shows off his best work in the playoffs and this season should be no different facing a struggling New Orleans Hornets team. The Lakers X-factor is how effective Andrew Bynum can be after hurting his knee.
I did have question marks about how far the Lakers would get if Bynum was hurt, but the news that it wasn't too serious puts them back into contention for another championship. This shouldn't be too tough for the Lakers as they win in four games.
The Bulls Bounce the Pacers
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Derrick Rose has picked apart many defenses this season helping Chicago grab that top spot in the Eastern Conference, finishing four games ahead of the Miami Heat. Rose should easily grab the regular-season MVP award this season, but that is the last thing on his mind.
The Bulls might ranked 20th in points per game (98.6), but they do ranked second in allowing points per game (91.3). This 7.3 points differential ranks second to the Miami Heat.
Chicago won three out of the four games against Indiana during the regular season. The only occasion that the Pacers beat the Bulls was in their latest meeting, taking a seven-point victory in overtime.
As the Bulls finished out the regular season on a nine-game winning streak, I see them winning four straight against the Pacers to advance past the first round.
Boston Beats Down the Knicks
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The Celtics haven't been the same team since they traded away Kendrick Perkins. The center might not be a stats leader, but he makes his presence known on the court. The Celtics have the revolving door at center with the O'Neals and Nenad Krstic.
Besides the center concern, I don't see the Celtics having much trouble defeating the Knicks. New York is a team that doesn't really play like a team. The one player that makes the biggest difference on the court with the Knicks is Chauncey Billups.
Rajon Rondo is going to have to shut down Billups for the Celtics to roll past the Knicks. The concerns surrounding the Celtics entering the playoffs are mild compared to New York's problems. The Celtics should be able to win in four games.
Portland Powers Past Dallas
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The one thing that helps Portland defeat Dallas is how poorly the Mavericks have played in the playoffs lately, making it out of the first round once in the last four years. Portland hasn't fared much better in the playoffs in the last four years, but the Mavericks definitely have more doubt on their side.
Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge is the top player to watch in this series against the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki. Once Aldridge gets on a roll, the rest of the floor starts to open up as six players on the Trail Blazers are scoring in double digits.
Dallas on the other hand has five players scoring in double digits. Portland wins the first game, loses the next and finishes off Dallas in five games to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
Magic Mingle with Second-Round Series
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Dwight Howard will be all smiles after the first-round win against Atlanta. The Magic are looking for a similar statement from last season trying to make it back to the conference finals.
Orlando might not be the best team in Florida, but the one thing the Magic do have going for them is that the Hawks are coming into the playoffs with six straight losses. Atlanta has looked very good at times throughout the season, but the Hawks won't have enough offense and defense to compete with the Magic.
This series should go six games, but when Orlando wins it will win big.
Grizzles Ground Spurs in Seven
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The Memphis Grizzles look like a full-functioning team that has dazzled at times, but still show the youth of growing pains. With Rudy Gay out of the lineup, the uphill battle continues for Memphis.
Despite not having one of their best players in the lineup, the Grizzles are relishing the chance to face San Antonio in the first round. Memphis has played some of its best basketball against the Spurs during the regular season and, with the added pressure of the playoffs, they should show up in the second-best series of the postseason.
The player to watch in the first round is O.J. Mayo, who started all of last season, but is now coming off the bench. Mayo has looked sharp at times and if he can get back to his freshman form in the playoffs things should go well for the Grizzles.
It isn't going to be a pretty series, but I see the Grizzles winning in seven games.
Nuggets Nudge Out the Thunder
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After trading away franchise player Carmelo Anthony, the Denver Nuggets look like a completely different team; a team that is willing to share the ball and not worry about who is going to lead them in points.
When Anthony and Chauncey Billups were traded away, the Nuggets got a whole new lineup, making Denver an unlikely candidate to pull off an upset against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Nuggets are going to have to limit the damage of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, but with five players on the floor for Denver who can knock down double-digits points, the Thunder will have their hands full as well. Denver did lose the final two meetings against the Thunder, but I don't see that hurting the Nuggets in the first round.
Denver is going to have its hands full with Oklahoma City, but I think it's a task the Nuggets can overcome winning the series in seven games. Whether the Nuggets win or lose the series, it should be the most entertaining matchup of the first round.
