Chard Ford, ESPN Insider
The West is set
The last day of the season is usually filled with suspense as teams jockey for the final playoff seed and playoff position.
But Wednesday night will be irrelevant in the West this year.
The Western Conference playoff seedings were locked into place Monday night. No matter what happens in the next two days, the playoffs matchups are set.
Here are my initial impressions:
(1) Suns vs. (8) Grizzlies This could be the only 4-0 series in the first round – but it will still be entertaining. The Grizzlies have played the Suns well this season and split the series with them 2-2. The Grizzlies are the deepest team the league. The Suns have the best starting five. Fratello likes his team to dig in on defense. D'Antoni has been unleashing offensive all season. It will be a contrast in styles, but given the Grizzlies' woes of late, I just don't see them hanging with Phoenix. Insider prediction: Suns in 5
(2) Spurs vs. (7) Nuggets This could be the best series in the playoffs this year. Based on what they've done since the All-Star break, this could be the equivalent of a Western Conference finals preview. Since George Karl took over in Denver, the Nuggets easily have bested the the Spurs both at home and in San Antonio. I still feel that the Spurs are the best team in the league and will find a way to get past the Nuggets. They have more experience, the best player on the floor and home-court advantage. But this one will go down to the wire. Insider prediction: Spurs in 7
(3) Sonics vs. (6) Kings The Sonics get the best possible matchup -- Sacramento. Against the Nuggets or Rockets, it was very likely that the Sonics were going home. The Kings, on the other hand, are more banged up than Seattle is at the moment. Peja Stojakovic, Brad Miller and Bobby Jackson are all hurt. The Kings are hoping all three are ready for the playoffs, but there are no guarantees right now. The Sonics miss Vladimir Radmanovic desperately, but at least the rest of their team is intact. The Kings can never seem to get a break in the playoffs and I don't expect them to get one this year, either. Insider prediction: Sonics in 7
(4) Mavericks vs. (5) Rockets This might be the second-best matchup in the first round, after Spurs-Nuggets. But I think that the Mavericks' depth should carry the day. The truth is that the Rockets, despite all their additions, are really still a two-man team. Jerry Stackhouse, the Mavs' sixth man, would be the third-best player on the Rockets. As long as Erick Dampier can stay healthy enough to muscle around Yao, I think the Mavs will roll. Insider prediction: Mavs in 6
Uhh...yeah moron, nevermind that the Spurs were (1)without Duncan, and (2)without Duncan and Manu in those two losses. Oh, and let's not even consider that the Nugs just had important late season showdowns against Houston and Phoenix and got totally HAMMERED in both! Granted without Camby, but you shouldn't get totally waxed without your best guy...lose perhaps, but not wasted. Not if you're as good as Chad would have you believe the Nugs are.
Spurs over Nuggets in 7 games? Please let us win quicker than that...
Rockets vs Mavs will be a closer series than this, I believe.
Spurs in 5, at most 6
This dude is high. The most compe ive series by far will be Dallas v. Houston.
Spurs in 5.
Winning in seven is fine with me. So long as they win and have some time to get into a groove. They can get to the WCF if they aren't playing their best, but I doubt they can get further than that. They aren't going to be worn out by a long series, especially since the NBA has like 2 weeks between games now. Let's hope that they can stay in the groove once they find it in spite of that.
On 2nd thought, maybe he's not high. Maybe he's trying to pump up the early series to increase interest and ratings.
Is this the smallest market NBA playoffs in history with no New York and No L.A.?
"Winning in seven is fine with me"
7? going 3-3 with the Nuggets is absolutely too dangerous.
do it in 5 max, get everybody some rest, esp the walking wounded, get some more practice for Glenn and Nazr on team defense, and offenisve plays.
If the Spurs are afraid of a game 7 at home against the Nuggets they're doomed anyway. Playing well and healthy is more important, and if it takes six games to do it, so be it.
I say play furiously and beat the living out of them in four games, then suffer a massive letdown in round two before rebounding to take that series in seven. Just for fun.
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