Playoff Preview

As promised I'm back again to give you a full playoff preview. So let's get right to it shall we....

East:

1. Pacers vs. 8. Hawks: No matter how bad the Pacers have played over the second half of the season they just have too much to offer, especially against a Hawks team that in my opinion is below average. I think the match-ups on paper favor the Pacers they're better at nearly every position besides power forward, which will be a great match-up between David West and Paul Millsap but, I give the edge to Millsap ever so slightly. The Pacers will get past the Hawks but if they don't find their rhythm and play like they have the past few months their in big trouble.

Prediction:  Pacers in 5

4. Bulls vs. 5. Wizards: This could either go 7 games or the Bulls win in 4. You could not have two polar opposites play one another. The Wizards are up and a down, fast, and a good three-point shooting and attacking team, with nearly everyone their roster being a freak athlete (besides Andre Miller). The Bulls on the other hand would rather slow it down and play gritty, grind-it-out basketball with their stellar defensive prowess. It should be very interesting to see these two teams go at it, will the Wiz run the Bulls out of the gym or will the Bulls just beat the Wiz up on both ends of the floor?

Prediction: Bulls in 6

2. Heat vs. 7. Bobcats: Every fabric in my body wants the Bobcats to win, nothing would please me more than seeing Al "Tim Duncan Jr." Jefferson beat LeBron and Bosh. That being said I don't think they will. If the Bobcats somehow miraculously win this series I'll be angry I didn't go with my gut instinct but, the Heat just have too much firepower on both ends and I think that'll stifle a Bobcats team that relies heavily on their starting five for offensive production. Quick foreshadow for you the Bobcats will win one game in Charlotte and watch how big of deal ESPN makes of it. Calling the headline for you "Heat in Trouble?"

Prediction: Heat in 5

3. Raptors vs. 6. Nets: The Nets wanted the 6 seed simply because they did not want to face the Bulls. Instead they get an upstart Raptors team who had surprised me all year. This has seven games written all over it which won't help Brooklyn if they advance and play Miami in the second round. If the Nets old core players can handle the playoff grind they can beat any team in the league. I do want to see the Raptors win however, count how many times they show Drake during the broadcast....

Prediction: Nets in 7


Conference Semi- Finals:

Pacers vs. Bulls: This is the last team Indiana wants to see in the second round, this series goes seven games no doubt about it and Bulls have the best roster to combat the Pacers. That being said if the Pacers find their groove they can beat the Bulls in 5. One thing is for sure and that is that this series will be a war.

Prediction: Bulls in 7

Heat vs. Nets: Since the Nets beat the Heat in all four games they played this season any right-minded person in picking the Nets in 4 right? The regular season does not matter at all no matter how much ESPN makes it out to be it is not. I promise. This series will also be a war, the key is health for both teams Garnett for the Nets and Wade for the Heat. Ultimately I think the Heat turn their "on/off" switch "on" especially for this series considering these teams don't really like each other.

Prediction: Heat in 6


Conference Finals:

Heat vs. Bulls: The Heat always have to go through the Bulls at some point this year it's to go to the finals. There will be flagrant fouls, technical fouls, and ejections because I've personally never seen two teams hate one another more at least in my era. Joakim Noah will be the key factor here, the last few times they've played it seems Noah has been non-existent, I don't think that'll be the case here should be a good series.

Prediction: Heat in 6

West:

1. Spurs vs. 8. Mavericks: Every series in the West has the possibility to be an upset and as much as I love the Spurs this series is not different. The Mavericks will be close in every game and may win one or two but, the Spurs are just to good for this Mavs team to defeat.

Prediction: Spurs in 5

4. Rockets vs. 5. Blazers: It seems to be a popular pick to go with the Blazers in this series. I just don't see it, if it were to be the first-half of the season Blazers sure I might have them winning but, I would consider them much like the Pacers they just have faded in and out in the second half. It doesn't hurt that the Rockets are skilled at all 5 positions either.

Prediction: Rockets in 6

2. Thunder vs. 7. Grizzlies: Me being from Bismarck, ND, I have to root for Dave Joerger as he was the coach of the team formerly known as the Dakota Wizards (now the Santa Cruz Warriors) so it's hard to go against him but, the Thunder are too good with the MVP, Westbrook, and Ibaka the Grizz will give them a run but it won't be enough.

Prediction: Thunder in 5

3. Clippers vs. 6. Warriors: The key here is the injury to Andrew Bogut, now the dinosaur fossil that is Jermaine O' Neal has to play starters minutes, which he hasn't done since his cornrow days in Indiana. That will be the deciding factor is if he can play well and how Steph Curry plays. The rest of Warriors have been too inconsistent all year on offense to be a threat to a stacked Clippers team.

Prediction: Clippers in 5

Conference Semi-Finals:

1. Spurs vs. 4. Rockets: Both teams match up very well with each other and that will make for a 6 or 7 game series. I think the key is the Spurs' depth, their bench is capable of coming on and winning games for them, which will happen in a few games during this series.

Prediction: Spurs in 6

2. Thunder vs. 3. Clippers: Besides a possible Spurs/Thunder match-up in the Conference Finals, this will be the best series of the entire playoffs. These teams do not like one another and the Blake Griffin/Serge Ibaka match-up is one to watch. Ultimately the Thunder win based on the fact that they have Kevin Durant and I think the Clippers poor free-throw shooting ability will be their downfall here.

Prediction: Thunder in 6

Conference Finals:

Thunder vs. Spurs: This will be a great series, surprisingly I think the Thunder have the advantage match-up wise at least on paper. Another added factor I think is Kevin Durant's attitude, all year I've seen something in him that I've never seen in him the man just wants to win and I think the beat the mighty Spurs just because I think they'll want it more than the Spurs.

Prediction:  Thunder in 6

















NBA Finals:


Heat vs. Thunder: Look familiar? I think LeBron's reign atop the NBA ladder ends this year. The Heat to me have just been far to inconsistent all season to three-peat and Kevin Durant's pure will to win will take him to the top.

Prediction: Thunder in 5
Finals MVP: Kevin Durant

Will I be wrong? Doubt it......

-NS (@NolanPSchmidt)

NBA Awards

Been gone for a while now I'm back for the playoffs and awards. I'll start with the awards although some teams have a game to play I think season awards are not going to come down to the final night. Expect a playoff preview sometime before they begin on Saturday I'm just waiting on the seeds to be finalized after this evening. So here goes, sorry I may be a little rusty...

MVP:

We all know it's been between two men basically all season but I'll give you top 5 in my opinion then analyze...

 

1. Kevin Durant
2. LeBron James
3. Blake Griffin
4. Stephen Curry
5. Dirk Nowitzki

Now it's a two man race between Durant and LeBron, any right-minded NBA fan knows this. What I'm about to say is what I've said since the All-Star break and I will still hold true to it: LeBron James is the best player in the game however Kevin Durant has had a better season then LeBron James. Both of them have advantages over one another in areas of their game, Durant is a better scorer, LeBron is a better passer but let me say this: The MVP award is awarded to the player who is considered most valuable to their team, now both teams would be nothing without James and Durant and that is clear to see. The key for me in this race is Durant's ability to keep the Thunder in the top 1 or 2 spot in the West(the tougher conference) even though he spent almost the entire first half of the season without his running mate Russell Westbrook. LeBron fans will say But D-Wade only played 53 games this season indeed he did but throughout the season the player that has stepped up the most for the Heat was Chris Bosh and others as well so Lebron had help with Wade gone. What did Durant have besides Serge Ibaka? Very limited resources for the Thunder during Westbrook's absence which was longer than Wade's anyway (He's only played 45 games this season). Now stats time let's compare the two stats wise...
Durant: 31.9 ppg, 5.5 apg, 7.4 rpg with a 50% from the field.
James: 27.1 ppg, 6.4 apg, 6.9 rpg with a 56% from the field.
A clear example of what each player is better at Durant a better scorer, LeBron a better passer, and both are about equal rebounders although Durant does average more than James. The one thing that troubles me about LeBron and the whole Heat team is what I would refer to as an "on/off" switch. If LeBron wants to win MVP he will but it just seemed like he took games off here and there which could have contributed to him winning the award. On the other hand Durant always has his switch turned "on" no off games always comes ready to play which shows me he's ready to take the MVP from LeBron this season. Durant has just been a little better than LeBron throughout the season and I would consider it a travesty if Durant does not win MVP.

My other candidates get the wrong end of the stick on this because Blake Griffin has had easily the best season of his career and puts up MVP type number every night. Steph Curry has thrown his hat in the "elite PG" ring this season and although the rest of the Warriors have struggled throughout the season Curry has been consistent offensively all year. Also the resurgence of Dirk is beyond me, I thought after last season Dirk was on a down-ward turn but no, he has showed this season that the Mavericks would be nothing without him and they might be my sleeper pick come playoff preview time.

Defensive Player of the Year:

1. Joakim Noah
2. Roy Hibbert
3. Anthony Davis
4. DeAndre Jordan
5. Paul George

Again I think it's a two-man race here between Noah and Hibbert and I give the edge to Noah simply based on Hibbert and the Pacer's struggles over the second half of the season. He did however have a terrific defensive output during the first-half of the season. Noah has all the tools for a perfect defensive player: Great rebounder, good shot-blocker, gets in passing lanes even though he's a center, and he has Tom Thibodeau as a coach so I gotta give him the nod here. Davis and Jordan is next years defensive player of the year race mark my words their the future of defense in the league.

Sixth Man of the Year:

1. Manu Ginobili
2. Taj Gibson
3. Markieff Morris
4. Jamal Crawford
5. ???????

This is a tough one I say Ginobili but I think Gibson has an equal shot at winning. Ginobili is known as the Spurs sixth man but I think you could throw in any member of the Spurs bench as a possible candidate as well (Patty Mills or Marco Bellinelli). Gibson has been as reliable as anyone off the bench backing-up a fading Carlos Boozer and within the next year or so I see Boozer out and Gibson in as the starter. It's only a matter of time. I'm sure your surprised to see Markieff Morris in the three spot averages 13 and 6 for a Suns team that is very balanced offensively and surprised us all and it's a shame they will not be in the playoffs and the Hawks will be.

Rookie of the Year:

1. Victor Oladipo
2. Mason Plumlee
3. Michael Carter- Williams
4. Steven Adams
5. Tim Hardaway Jr.

I assumed a two man race at the All-Star break between Oladipo and Carter-Williams but, Plumlee seemed to come out of nowhere and is a crucial reason why the Nets are still a legitimate contender in the East. Just imagine if Kevin Garnett did not get hurt, would we be seeing Plumlee in this race? Absolutely not. For Plumlee it's almost a blessing in disguise because when KG went down he was forced to play in his spot which he has done beautifully. I put Carter-Williams at 3 because the Sixers...

Coach of the Year:

1. Gregg Popovich
2. Jeff Hornacek
3. Terry Stotts
4. Rick Carlisle
5. Tom Thibodeau

Tough one here to, Pop wins because of his ability to keep the Spurs relevant despite the age of the roster. I mean their the best team in the tougher conference and that's been the case for forever it seems like. I want Hornacek to win and I think he would have if the Suns would have made the playoffs. So Pop gets it hopefully he'll smile.....maybe....maybe not.

Most Improved Player:

1. Goran Dragic
2. Anthony Davis
3. Lance Stephenson
4. DeMarcus Cousins
5. DeAndre Jordan
6.Markieff Morris
7. Gerald Green
8. DeMar Derozen
9. Terrence Ross
10. Miles Plumlee
11. Shaun Livingston
12. Andre Drummond
13. D.J. Augustin
14. Kyle Lowry
15. Timofey Mozgov
16. Alec Burks
17. Jodie Meeks
18. Kendall Marshall
19. Isaiah Thomas
20. Draymond Green

This is by far the hardest award to choose, hence the reason why I have twenty names on this list. I think it comes down to Dragic he has the best chance of winning although I think all of these guys have case for it. Also I'll say this now Anthony Davis is the future of the NBA plain and simple.

Stay tuned for that playoffs preview coming tomorrow or Friday....

-NS (@NolanPSchmidt)