Adam Spence and Dalton Belcher are joined by Kyle Gullett, friend of the show and the obvious NBA expert of the three. The BSers had to step up their game for this special feature, not sure they made it quite to Kyle’s level, but they did try.
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Indiana Pacers (56-26) vs No. 8 Atlanta Hawks (38-44)
AS: I see The Pacers winning this with relative ease. The combination of talent they have is just too much for The Hawks to handle.
KG: Pacers in 5. Too much talent and too much athleticism for the Hawks to handle. The well balanced attack from the Pacers isn't going to be slowed down, and the Hawks offense will struggle a lot against a great defensive team.
DB: Pacers in 5. This will be the series that straightens Indiana out. Not to knock the Hawks but for the top seed in the terrible, terrible East to lose just doesn't seem possible. Stephenson will be the reason the Pacers win, the only problem is he could be a reason the team implodes later in the playoffs.
No. 4 Toronto Raptors (48-34) vs No. 5 Brooklyn Nets (44-38)
AS: I’m going with The Nets here. They have been playing well as of late and have playoff experience on their roster.
KG: Nets in 6. Very good matchup but the experience of the Nets will pull them through to the next round. The Raptors are a good team but they are inexperienced in the playoffs, while the Nets veteran led team will be ready. The ancient duo of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett will live to play another day.
DB: Nets in 7. I really like the Raptors. They have one of the deepest wing rotations in the NBA (Gay, Derozan, Ross) and Kyle Lowry playing some of the best basketball of his career, but the Nets have experience. This Raptors team is getting it's first taste of playoff basketball in a while, while Garnett, Terry, and Pierce have spent the latter half of their careers fighting in the Eastern conference playoffs. In the final year age and experience will benefit Pierce and Garnett, I see them upsetting the 3 seeded Raptors, who'll be back next year with much better playoff chances.
No. 2 Miami Heat (54-28) vs No. 7 Charlotte Bobcats (43-39)
AS: I see the Heat getting past The Bobcats very easily here (yawn).
KG: Heat with the sweep. The Heat usually don't play around in the early rounds of the playoffs and this won't be any different. They are clearly the better team and they'll show it wining in 4 straight. I do expect some good play from Al Jefferson though, as he will be the best post player on the floor by far.
DB: Heat in 6. Al Jefferson is going to eat the Heat's post alive. I've heard him called "The Blackhole" and if Charlotte has any chance of winning, he's gonna have to be. The Heat have the Bobcats beat perimeter wise, but if the Bobcats can slow it down and make it a "grind-it-out" type of series they can make things interesting.
No. 3 Chicago Bulls (48-34) vs No. 6 Washington Wizards (44-38)
AS: Imagine Derrick Rose vs John Wall, two of the most athletic point guards in the league goin head to head. Of course The Bulls will not have Derrick Rose in this game, I still have them winning. Joakim Noah wills the Bulls to at least 1 series win in the playoffs.
KG: Bulls in 6. They aren't gonna blow anybody out of the water, but slow and steady wins the race in this series. The slow and methodical play from the Bulls is too consistent for the Wizards and will take them out of rhythm. The Wizards young backcourt can carry them to a couple wins in the series but no more.
DB: Bulls in 6. Interestingly enough, John Wall is the best point guard in a series with the Bulls. Sure, he's an all-star talent, but the Bulls have former MVP Derrick Rose. It's just, he's indefinitely injured at this point. The Bulls traded Luol Deng midseason to save cap space and Coach Thibedaou has STILL turned the team into the most dangerous team in the East. Noah wants to win, at all costs, and I think he'll do so this round leading the ragtag Bulls squad over the Wizards.
Western Conference
No. 1 San Antonio Spurs (62-20) vs No. 8 Dallas Mavericks (49-33)
AS: I have to pick the Spurs here. The Mavericks are solid as always, and Dirk Nowitzki is still playing at a high level. The Spurs are the class of the West, however, and i see them winning in pretty impressive fashion.
KG: Spurs in 5. I want to say the Spurs will get the sweep but I don't think that Dirk will that happen to his team. The Spurs are a well-oiled machine and the Mavericks are just another bump in the road that they're gonna pass over with relative ease. This will be a great opportunity to see a Duncan/Nowitzki matchup. It's always fun when you get to see two legends match up.
DB: Spurs in 6. The Spurs don't seem to ever destroy teams in the playoffs, the instead just systematically win. I think Dirk and Monta are good for two wins vs the "Real Big 3" but I don't think they can pull off the upset.
No. 4 Houston Rockets (54-28) vs No. 5 Portland Trailblazers (54-28)
AS: I see the Rockets taking this one in an exciting series. The combination of James Harden and Dwight Howard will just be too much for the Blazers to handle.
KG: Blazers in 7. Every game in this series will be close and hard-fought, but I think the Blazers are too talented at every position for the Rockets to handle. James Harden and Dwight Howard have the ability to carry their team to wins but I don't think they can carry them to a series win against this well balanced and very talented Blazers team.
DB: Rockets in 6. I think the Blazers are just one year away from becoming a real threat in the West. While all the pieces are there for a win, I just don't think they can pull it off. Harden and Howard move on to the Spurs.
No. 2 Oklahoma City Thunder (59-23) vs No. 7 Memphis Grizzlies (50-32)
AS: The Grizzlies play some great defense, but I just can’t see them having an answer for the lean, mean scoring machine Kevin Durant. The Thunder win in a relatively easy series.
KG: Thunder in 5. Durant and Westbrook will simply be too much on the perimeter for the Grizzlies. Also the Grizzlies strong post will be matched by the defensive physicality of the Thunder post and won't be able to overcome the dynamic duo of Durant and Westbrook.
DB: Thunder in 7. Possibly the most non-talked about, but most intriguing 1st round matchup. The Grizzlies are a post oriented team with two bruisers in Gasol and Randolph. The Thunder have Serge Ibaka but he and Kendrick Perkins don't size up talent wise to the duo in Memphis. The X factor for the series though is whether Prince can stifle the best basketball player in the world (right now) Kevin Durant. I think it's gonna be a battle, one that proves the Thunder are the contenders we thought they'd be.
No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers (57-25) vs No. 6 Golden State Warriors (51-31)
AS: The combination of outside shooting from The Warriors will be too much for The Clippers. I have The Warriors winning in 7 games.
KG: Clippers in 7. Now this is gonna be fun. Splash City vs. Lob City. These two teams are gonna give us the most exciting matchup of the first round in my opinion. There's so much offensive talent in this series that I wouldn't be surprised to see a game get into the 140's. The reason I'm picking the Clippers is because of the Warriors injury riddled post. Blake Griffin should average above 30 this series. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Clippers win in 6, but the raw firepower of the Warriors offense should drag it out to 7. Also I just wanna see them play as many games as possible because I can't wait to watch this!
DB: Clips in 7. As much as I want to say this will be the upset of the 1st round, I can't. Andrew Bogut going down with a rib injury at the worst possible time will spell defeat for my Golden State Warriors. I think Curry and co. can at least make it interesting (they are bitter rivals after all), but I think losing a defensive anchor like Bogut this late in the year is disastrous. Now, prove me wrong Splash Bros.
Our second round, conference finals, and championship series predictions are being posted in a separate article simply because it would make for too long of one single article.
Thanks for reading!
-Adam Spence & Kyle Gullett & Dalton Belcher
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Indiana Pacers (56-26) vs No. 8 Atlanta Hawks (38-44)
AS: I see The Pacers winning this with relative ease. The combination of talent they have is just too much for The Hawks to handle.
KG: Pacers in 5. Too much talent and too much athleticism for the Hawks to handle. The well balanced attack from the Pacers isn't going to be slowed down, and the Hawks offense will struggle a lot against a great defensive team.
DB: Pacers in 5. This will be the series that straightens Indiana out. Not to knock the Hawks but for the top seed in the terrible, terrible East to lose just doesn't seem possible. Stephenson will be the reason the Pacers win, the only problem is he could be a reason the team implodes later in the playoffs.
No. 4 Toronto Raptors (48-34) vs No. 5 Brooklyn Nets (44-38)
AS: I’m going with The Nets here. They have been playing well as of late and have playoff experience on their roster.
KG: Nets in 6. Very good matchup but the experience of the Nets will pull them through to the next round. The Raptors are a good team but they are inexperienced in the playoffs, while the Nets veteran led team will be ready. The ancient duo of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett will live to play another day.
DB: Nets in 7. I really like the Raptors. They have one of the deepest wing rotations in the NBA (Gay, Derozan, Ross) and Kyle Lowry playing some of the best basketball of his career, but the Nets have experience. This Raptors team is getting it's first taste of playoff basketball in a while, while Garnett, Terry, and Pierce have spent the latter half of their careers fighting in the Eastern conference playoffs. In the final year age and experience will benefit Pierce and Garnett, I see them upsetting the 3 seeded Raptors, who'll be back next year with much better playoff chances.
No. 2 Miami Heat (54-28) vs No. 7 Charlotte Bobcats (43-39)
AS: I see the Heat getting past The Bobcats very easily here (yawn).
KG: Heat with the sweep. The Heat usually don't play around in the early rounds of the playoffs and this won't be any different. They are clearly the better team and they'll show it wining in 4 straight. I do expect some good play from Al Jefferson though, as he will be the best post player on the floor by far.
DB: Heat in 6. Al Jefferson is going to eat the Heat's post alive. I've heard him called "The Blackhole" and if Charlotte has any chance of winning, he's gonna have to be. The Heat have the Bobcats beat perimeter wise, but if the Bobcats can slow it down and make it a "grind-it-out" type of series they can make things interesting.
No. 3 Chicago Bulls (48-34) vs No. 6 Washington Wizards (44-38)
AS: Imagine Derrick Rose vs John Wall, two of the most athletic point guards in the league goin head to head. Of course The Bulls will not have Derrick Rose in this game, I still have them winning. Joakim Noah wills the Bulls to at least 1 series win in the playoffs.
KG: Bulls in 6. They aren't gonna blow anybody out of the water, but slow and steady wins the race in this series. The slow and methodical play from the Bulls is too consistent for the Wizards and will take them out of rhythm. The Wizards young backcourt can carry them to a couple wins in the series but no more.
DB: Bulls in 6. Interestingly enough, John Wall is the best point guard in a series with the Bulls. Sure, he's an all-star talent, but the Bulls have former MVP Derrick Rose. It's just, he's indefinitely injured at this point. The Bulls traded Luol Deng midseason to save cap space and Coach Thibedaou has STILL turned the team into the most dangerous team in the East. Noah wants to win, at all costs, and I think he'll do so this round leading the ragtag Bulls squad over the Wizards.
Western Conference
No. 1 San Antonio Spurs (62-20) vs No. 8 Dallas Mavericks (49-33)
AS: I have to pick the Spurs here. The Mavericks are solid as always, and Dirk Nowitzki is still playing at a high level. The Spurs are the class of the West, however, and i see them winning in pretty impressive fashion.
KG: Spurs in 5. I want to say the Spurs will get the sweep but I don't think that Dirk will that happen to his team. The Spurs are a well-oiled machine and the Mavericks are just another bump in the road that they're gonna pass over with relative ease. This will be a great opportunity to see a Duncan/Nowitzki matchup. It's always fun when you get to see two legends match up.
DB: Spurs in 6. The Spurs don't seem to ever destroy teams in the playoffs, the instead just systematically win. I think Dirk and Monta are good for two wins vs the "Real Big 3" but I don't think they can pull off the upset.
No. 4 Houston Rockets (54-28) vs No. 5 Portland Trailblazers (54-28)
AS: I see the Rockets taking this one in an exciting series. The combination of James Harden and Dwight Howard will just be too much for the Blazers to handle.
KG: Blazers in 7. Every game in this series will be close and hard-fought, but I think the Blazers are too talented at every position for the Rockets to handle. James Harden and Dwight Howard have the ability to carry their team to wins but I don't think they can carry them to a series win against this well balanced and very talented Blazers team.
DB: Rockets in 6. I think the Blazers are just one year away from becoming a real threat in the West. While all the pieces are there for a win, I just don't think they can pull it off. Harden and Howard move on to the Spurs.
No. 2 Oklahoma City Thunder (59-23) vs No. 7 Memphis Grizzlies (50-32)
AS: The Grizzlies play some great defense, but I just can’t see them having an answer for the lean, mean scoring machine Kevin Durant. The Thunder win in a relatively easy series.
KG: Thunder in 5. Durant and Westbrook will simply be too much on the perimeter for the Grizzlies. Also the Grizzlies strong post will be matched by the defensive physicality of the Thunder post and won't be able to overcome the dynamic duo of Durant and Westbrook.
DB: Thunder in 7. Possibly the most non-talked about, but most intriguing 1st round matchup. The Grizzlies are a post oriented team with two bruisers in Gasol and Randolph. The Thunder have Serge Ibaka but he and Kendrick Perkins don't size up talent wise to the duo in Memphis. The X factor for the series though is whether Prince can stifle the best basketball player in the world (right now) Kevin Durant. I think it's gonna be a battle, one that proves the Thunder are the contenders we thought they'd be.
No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers (57-25) vs No. 6 Golden State Warriors (51-31)
AS: The combination of outside shooting from The Warriors will be too much for The Clippers. I have The Warriors winning in 7 games.
KG: Clippers in 7. Now this is gonna be fun. Splash City vs. Lob City. These two teams are gonna give us the most exciting matchup of the first round in my opinion. There's so much offensive talent in this series that I wouldn't be surprised to see a game get into the 140's. The reason I'm picking the Clippers is because of the Warriors injury riddled post. Blake Griffin should average above 30 this series. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Clippers win in 6, but the raw firepower of the Warriors offense should drag it out to 7. Also I just wanna see them play as many games as possible because I can't wait to watch this!
DB: Clips in 7. As much as I want to say this will be the upset of the 1st round, I can't. Andrew Bogut going down with a rib injury at the worst possible time will spell defeat for my Golden State Warriors. I think Curry and co. can at least make it interesting (they are bitter rivals after all), but I think losing a defensive anchor like Bogut this late in the year is disastrous. Now, prove me wrong Splash Bros.
Our second round, conference finals, and championship series predictions are being posted in a separate article simply because it would make for too long of one single article.
Thanks for reading!
-Adam Spence & Kyle Gullett & Dalton Belcher