NBA Playoff Preview: West

Here we are...

#1 LA Lakers vs. #8 Utah

• Backcourt matchup: Fisher/Kobe vs. Williams/Brewer.... This is rather cut and dry...Williams is the #2 PG in this league behind Paul and clearly should overmatch Fisher (or Farmar) at any time...same goes for the Mamba who is the class of the league at the 2 (along with Wade) and, although Brewer is a very good defender, it really doesn't matter.... Advantage: Lakers (they have Kobe)


• Frontcourt matchup: Ariza/Gasol/Bynum vs. Miles/Boozer/Okur.... This is going on the assumption LA is starting Bynum (I wouldn't but they likely will).... Ariza and Miles are both the clear weak-links of their front lines and should basically cancel, but Ariza is a better player based upon what I've seen...good energy on defense, gets along with Kobe (a plus), and can knock down jumpers....Gasol and Boozer....a year ago? I would've loved Boozer...now? It's easily Gasol....Pau may be the most underrated guy in the league this year, he's been great (19 ppg, 10 rpg, 57% FG) and even better without Bynum in the lineup and emerging as Kobe's Pippen...Bynum looks at least 90% and should overpower Okur in the paint....an x-factor? If Okur shoots the ball well, the Jazz are hard to stop.... Advantage: Lakers


• Bench: Farmar/Vujacic/Walton/Odom/Powell vs. Knight/Korver/Kirilenko/Millsap.... Utah may be the only team that can match up with LA off the bench now that they've settled on Kirilenko as the 6th man.... Farmar is better than Knight and I personally like the Vujacic/Walton combo over Korver...but Utah dominates up front (even with Odom for LA since he isn't as good off the bench)....This is an x-factor for Utah simply b/c LA is used to dominating off the bench.... Advantage: Push


• Coaching: Phil Jackson vs. Jerry Sloan....what do you say? Probably 2 of the best 3 coaches in the league (along with Pop)...but I have to take Phil b/c of the titles... Advantage (very slight): Lakers


• The pick? Lakers in 5

#4 Portland vs. #5 Houston

• Backcourt Matchup: Blake/Roy vs. Brooks/Artest.... A weird set of matchups here...first, I'm a big, big, big supporter of what Steve Blake brings...but I'm also not convinced he can guard Brooks or Lowry if they are trying to be a scoring threat....Brandon Roy is this generation's Joe Dumars (but more talented)....a big-shot maker who can carry his team down the stretch... Artest is still an elite defender, but he's been playing out of position all year... Advantage: Portland
• Frontcourt Matchup: Batum/Aldridge/Przybilla vs. Battier/Scola/Yao... Man, I like all these guys.... Batum isn't really the primary 3 (Outlaw plays the significant minutes) but he's a defensive asset who is very raw offensively, Aldridge is exceedingly athletic and can be deadly offensively when he's focused on scoring... Przybilla has been called the most under-rated player in the league (by Charles Barkley), but in all seriousness, he blocks shots, he rebounds...he helps you.... On Houston's end...Shane Battier may be my favorite player in the league...he's without question the face of the new "smart" defender, he can make jumpers, and is the picture of a guy you'd want for chemistry...Scola does dirty work, and can throw up a 25 point game if you let him....and then there's Yao....the biggest star in the basketball world (notice I said world) outside of Kobe and Lebron... the 20 and 10 automatic that will be the scapegoat if they lose and the hero if they win.... at gunpoint? Advantage: Houston
• Bench: Rodriguez/Fernandez/Outlaw/Oden vs. Lowry/Wafer/Landry/Hayes.... This is the glaring edge for Portland...they are possibly the deepest team in the league and seemingly have unending assets (Channing Frye and Jerryd Bayless don't even make the cut)... I'm not fully sold on Sergio...but Fernandez and Outlaw are elite bench guys in the league and Oden won't kill you unless he fouls out.... Lowry is a favorite of mine and Landry does everything you'd ask...but Wafer doesn't do much if he isn't knocking down shots, and Hayes is a throw-in.... Advantage: Portland
• Coaching: Nate McMillan vs. Rick Adelman... You'll never, EVER convince me to back Rick Adelman in a playoff coaching matchup over a decent opponent....and Nate McMillan is that.... Advantage: Portland
• The pick? Portland in 7

#3 San Antonio vs. #6 Dallas

• Backcourt Matchup: Parker/Mason vs. Kidd/Barea... First of all, Tony Parker is either the worst or 2nd worst matchup for Kidd in the whole league (Paul being the other)...he's going to absolutely murder him in this series to the tune of 30 ppg....and I'm not making that up.... Mason is a better player than Barea too (who teamed with Kidd forms about the most odd combination for a playoff backcourt I can remember).... You see where I'm going with this... Advantage: San Antonio in a big way
• Frontcourt Matchup: Finley/Duncan/Bonner vs. Howard/Dirk/Dampier... Josh Howard is the key here...he's been injured/ineffective for much of the year...but has played well recently and gives them the 3rd scorer they need with Terry and Dirk.... Finley will make open shots and not much else...Duncan is Duncan BUT he's shown some signs of decline late and not everyone is convinced he's coming back (17 and 9 for the last month).... Bonner and Dampier? Both insignificant....both do one thing well (shooting and rebounding respectively).... Advantage: Dallas (slight)
• Bench: Hill/Udoka/Thomas/Gooden vs. Terry/Wright/Singleton/Bass/Hollins.... Jason Terry is the 6th man of the year....that alone may win this for Dallas...but every other matchup? I like the Spurs...Gooden has turned it up lately and garnered the majority of the late-game minutes at the 5... Thomas is rock-solid and playoff tested...Udoka defends and makes 3's...the x-factor? Will Pop go with Hill (the rookie) or playoff vet Jacque Vaughn? Vaughn is....average....maybe not even that good.... I like Singleton and Bass alot...energy guys who defend and bring garbage buckets...but that's about their ceiling... and they don't have too much playoff gumption.... Advantage: Push (b/c of Terry)
• Coaching: Gregg Popovich vs. Rick Carlisle...come on...Pop is the class of the league....there's no one I'd rather have...and that includes Phil Jackson.... Advantage: San Antonio...
• The pick? Spurs in 6

#2 Denver vs. #7 New Orleans

• Backcourt Matchup: Billups/Jones vs. Paul/Butler....Billups has been great this year....I never expected even a mini-resurgence from him...let's get that out of the way...b/c he'll get beat up mercilessly by Paul here....CP3 is the class of the position... 23 points, 11 dimes, 3 steals per....on 50% shooting.... Jones and Butler sort of cancel...Jones is a defense-first stopgap while Butler can make jumpers and not much else.... Advantage: New Orleans
• Frontcourt Matchup: Anthony/Martin/Nene vs. Peja/West/Chandler.... This is ALL about health/injuries to me.... Peja and Chandler haven't been 100% all year for New Orleans...if they were? I'd favor New Orleans by a good margin... Carmelo has been very good, but still lacks that killer "give me the ball" that I need....Nene? He's been one of the stories of the league... 15 and 8 and a leader for comeback player of the year and most improved.... West is a 20 and 9 borderline all-star that is consistent and played well in the playoffs last year...alot of question marks you say? You'd be right... Advantage: Denver (barely)
• Bench: Carter/Smith/Kleiza/Anderson vs. Daniels/Brown/Posey/Wright/Ely.... Interesting everywhere...JR Smith can (and often will) throw up 20 point explosions and is really the starting 2-guard on the Nuggets...Kleiza is a proven scorer...Anderson is a top-5 guy in blocks despite playing 20 minutes a night... Carter and Daniels are both veteran PGs who don't put anything on the table or take anything off...the key? James Posey...the proven winner with the ring from last year....he'll get the Smith assignment (and maybe Carmelo down the stretch?) and needs to come up big.... Advantage: Denver
• Coaching: Byron Scott vs. George Karl.... Refer to my post about Rick Adelman above and relate it to George Karl.... Advantage: New Orleans
• The pick? New Orleans in 6 ****UPSET SPECIAL****