Talk about a quick turnaround: the first round was just completed less than an hour ago but we now have less than 36 hours until the start of round 2. The Grizzlies just defeated the Spurs to end the first round and now have the reward of opening up the second round Sunday afternoon in Oklahoma City.
But enough about them! What about us fans?? The Grizzlies only had to endure 6 games! NBA fans experienced 43 mostly thrilling games over the last 2 weeks.
The level of talent and competition in the NBA right now is at an all-time high and it resulted in one of the better overall first rounds that I can remember. Fortunately for the fans it is much easier for us to recover than the teams that actually played and the first round should only leave us hungry and excited for more action! The first round set the bar high and the second round has the potential of three epic series to keep that momentum going.
Without further ado here are my rambling, late night thoughts on the Western Conference:
- Gotta start things off with a tip of the cap to the San Antonio Spurs. Last night’s defeat officially marks the end of their dynasty period. Most people thought last season’s sweep at the hands of Phoenix would end their run, but to San Antonio’s credit they re-invented themselves and pulled off a 61 win season and the top seed in the Western Conference. They weren’t always fun to watch (an understatement) but we got to watch one of the greatest power forwards of all time for the last 13 years as well as fun rivalries with both Phoenix and Dallas. They are definitely worth a full entry after the season.
- The Dallas Mavericks terrify me. They seem to have the most versatile rotation of any of the remaining playoff teams. Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, and Jason Kidd have all proven to be assassins down the stretch late in games. Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler, and Brendan Haywood provide them with size to match up with the Lakers front court of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom. They have at least 4 legitimate three point threats in their rotation (Dirk, Kidd, Terry, and Peja Stojakovic). Shawn Marion and DeShawn Stevenson are solid defenders that can make Kobe work for his points. Caron Butler could also be added into this mix after missing the Portland series.
- Dirk remains one of the most unique players in the league with his size and ability to shoot from distance. He should give the Lakers fits this round because he can beat Gasol and Bynum off of the dribble and can shoot over Artest. Odom is probably their best option but the Lakers have typically avoided playing Odom with both Gasol and Bynum which would further neutralize their size advantage.
- Despite the last 2 paragraphs and my gut feeling I still think the Lakers get by Dallas in 7. I want to pick the Mavs badly but they always seem to disappoint and the Lakers have been their kryptonite over the years. This could be Dirk’s last best chance to win a title, as this is the best surrounding cast he has ever had, but I still see the defending champs moving on.
- It may seem obvious, but Kevin Durant is a BEAST and a scoring machine. Watching him take over down the stretch against Denver in Game 5 made it all the more laughable that there has been any alpha dog struggle between him and Russell Westbrook. Everyone seems to recognize that Durant needs to be leading that team in FGA every night except for Westbrook. Amazingly this could continue to be an underlying issue with the Thunder. Westbrook took 30 shots in their Game 4 loss and heard a lot of criticism from both the media and his own coach, Scotty Brooks. He seemed to be sulking a bit in Game 5, shooting 3-15 and only producing 4 assists. It’s a problem that needs to be dealt with quickly because…
- The Memphis Grizzlies have turned into a legitimate playoff contender. After a slow start they played at a very high level over their final 51 games (32-19 record). They have a front court that is playing at a near-elite level right now with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. They can roll out two of the premier swing defenders in the game in Shane Battier and Tony Allen. They have an above average point guard who can score in Mike Conley. They have scoring off the bench in O.J. Mayo, Darrell Arthur, and Greivis Vasquez. They are riding high with confidence right now having disposed of the number one team in the conference. Their ability to pressure the ball and make San Antonio uncomfortable offensively was the biggest factor in them winning that series.
- Randolph is no longer an under the radar star. He just burst onto the scene with a remarkable series against the Spurs. He has proven himself to be a versatile scorer with an ability to post up, offensive rebound, and take slower defenders off the dribble. He is an excellent rebounder along with Gasol and they gave the Spurs front court fits. Randolph versus Serge Ibaka could be the most entertaining one-on-one battle of this round.
- The OKC-Memphis series is intriguing because it’s a matchup of two teams in uncharted territory. The Thunder should win the series, but I see it going 7 games as well. Ultimately the combination of home court advantage, longer rest, and having the best player on the court should win out, but I see Memphis as being one piece short. If Rudy Gay was healthy and able to play he could have possibly tipped the scales in the Grizzlies’ favor, but regardless Memphis will be a very tough out.
Later today I will post my thoughts on the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
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