NBA Playoffs 2011: 5 Self-Evident Truths That Will Be Proved in the Postseason
The 2011 NBA Playoffs begin this weekend and there are several things that should be extremely obvious before the first game even tips off.
For example, few people are giving the Indiana Pacers a chance against the Bulls and to be honest, they shouldn't because the Pacers are not really a postseason team.
Because of the top-heavy nature of the Eastern Conference, there is always at least one or two teams that sneak into the postseason slightly above or below .500 simply because there are extra slots left to fill.
This season, the Pacers fit that bill.
There are a few other things that will happen this postseason that you don't need a crystal ball to see.
The New York Knicks will ignore the defensive end of the floor, the San Antonio Spurs will suffer because of injuries and the Atlanta Hawks will flame out again against the Orlando Magic.
However, there are other deeper, more hidden self-evident truths concerning the postseason that most observers are aware of, but will wait to voice their opinion until they are proved by a burden of evidence.
I have made a list of five of the more obvious truths about the NBA postseason but many of them are hidden under a mountain of faulty analysis and propaganda, and all will be proved once the games begin.
I welcome any friendly debate, and please feel free to submit your own versions of NBA truths that I may have overlooked. Please enjoy.
5. Derrick Rose Will Validate His MVP Award
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I have always felt that the NBA's MVP award should be given to the best player from the league's best team, and under that criteria, Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose would be the definite winner.
Unfortunately, there is no clear set of criteria to declare a winner and for that reason, Rose's eventual MVP award will be the subject of much scrutiny.
And if you just look at Rose's individual stats, there is an argument to be made for other players like LeBron James and Dwight Howard, because their numbers are much more impressive than Rose's.
But many Bulls fans say that Rose's merits for the award go beyond the numbers, and the point guard will get a chance to prove it in the playoffs.
Chicago will likely demolish Indiana in the opening round, but a potential matchup with the Orlando Magic in the second round will provide Rose the perfect stage to prove that he really is worthy of the award.
Orlando is the one team who could hurt the Bulls' vaunted defense if they can connect on their outside shots, and Howard is sure to present plenty of problems in the paint.
But if Rose can dictate the tempo of the series and get to the rim at will, he will make life miserable for the Magic.
Many observers feel the Bulls are a one-Rose show, and will likely suffer the same fate as the last winner of the NBA's MVP award when faced with pressure in the postseason.
If Rose can perform the same way he has for most of the regular season, he and his team will go a long way towards silencing their critics.
4. The New York Knicks Will Prove They Are Not Ready for the Postseason
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The Big Apple is thrilled to be back in the NBA postseason, and the atmosphere surrounding Amar'e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks is electric. Too bad it won't last that long.
The Knicks will make their playoff debut against the Boston Celtics this weekend, and their postseason experience will probably last for about five games.
New York will have little trouble finding points from their high-octane offense, but the problem is their defense will likely provide little to no resistance to the Celtics.
The Knicks will provide the Madison Square Garden crowd with a few memorable moments but by then the series will probably be over, because it's a stretch to think they will steal one of the first two games in Boston.
If Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni had the slightest idea about defensive concepts, his team could put enough offensive pressure on Boston to at least cause a scare, but instead, the Celtics will probably draw confidence from New York after a rough end to the regular season.
The Knicks will eventually give fans a reason to believe again and they might even grow into contenders, but it will not happen this year.
3. The Oklahoma City Thunder Will Prove They Are Not Ready for Title Contention
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There are some observers who consider the Oklahoma City Thunder to be serious contenders not only for the Western Conference throne, but for the NBA championship as well. But are they really?
Most opinions were based on the talent and leadership abilities of forward Kevin Durant, and his performance in the FIBA World Championships is often pointed to as evidence of the progression of his game.
And it's not like the Thunder made some magnificent leap this season up the West standings since they only improved four playoff positions, and some of that can be attributed to roster movement and injuries to teams like Utah, Phoenix and Portland
Until Durant actually leads the Thunder to a playoff series win, those leadership qualities are still up for debate, and his team's first-round matchup with the Denver Nuggets may not be the cakewalk that many assume.
The Nuggets' 18-6 record since the All-Star break is tied for the NBA's best and the fact that the series features the No. 4 and No. 5 seed in the West suggests that it may be a little more competitive than people think.
The Thunder did add bulk in the middle by acquiring Kendrick Perkins, but without a reliable scoring threat in the paint, they are still basically a jump-shooting team.
And jump-shooting teams rarely win in the postseason.
Some people say Durant has all the intangibles needed to be the next great NBA star, and his team has all the tools to be successful in the postseason. But until the Thunder actually win a postseason series, it's all just wishful thinking.
2. The Miami Heat Will Prove They Are Legitimate Title Contenders
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I have heard numerous reasons as to why the Miami Heat will not win the NBA championship this season, but I can think of three good reasons that they can—LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
No other team in the NBA can boast of having two of the top five players in the game on their roster, and another one of the top players at their position.
James, Wade and Bosh have the ability to dominate their individual matchups on the offensive end, and they can also play shutdown defense as well.
The biggest issue for the Heat may be believing in themselves, because it's one thing to pay lip service towards a particular goal, and it's something entirely different to play every game like that goal was your single focus.
The Heat have done a nice job of playing above the media circus and constant scrutiny that follows them, and a big win over the Boston Celtics near the end of the regular season could give the Heat confidence if they meet in the second round.
1. The Los Angeles Lakers Will Prove They Are Still Favorites to Three-Peat
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During the past week, the Los Angeles Lakers have dealt with ending a five-game losing streak, an injury to Andrew Bynum and $175,000 worth of fines for Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson and the team.
Those are not the types of issues that a team contending for their third-straight NBA championship need to be worrying about on the eve of the playoffs, but for the Lakers, it could be just what the doctor ordered.
The Lakers are looking for something to escape all the recent distractions and what better way to regain focus and find motivation than a first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Hornets?
The Lakers will likely use the Hornets to gather their playoff legs and get Bynum ready for the next round. Whoever wins the Portland-Dallas series should expect to see a very scary Lakers team in West semifinals.
Los Angeles is the biggest, most talented and most experienced team in the West, and once the second round concludes, everyone else will understand why Las Vegas considers them to be the favorites to win it all.
