Not a Cake-Walk

Photo courtesy of nbcsports.msnbc.com

The NBA Western Conference is so deep that even the number one versus number eight seed game is not clear-cut.

The Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs split their regular season series against each other (2-2).  Both of the Grizzlies wins came in the second half of the season.

Player to Watch: If Memphis plans on giving the Spurs a run for their money, leading scorer (20.1 PPG) and rebounder (12.2RPG) Zach Randolph to have one hell of a series.

During mid-March, the time period Tim Duncan was sidelined with an injury, the Spurs lost the most consecutive games since he has been on the team (6).  If Duncan is not at 100% health level by the time this series starts, the Grizzlies may have an even better chance at getting the upset, than previously perceived.

Despite some of their recent struggles, the Spurs finished with over 60 wins for a reason.  They scored the 6^th most amount of points per night in the NBA (103.8), and allowed the 14^th fewest (97.8).

Bottom line: The Spurs were an eye-popping 36-5 at their AT&T Center.  Look for the Spurs to continue to defend their turf in San Antonio.

Prediction: the Spurs will not get by without some bumps and bruises, yet they are too good not to make it through the first round (Spurs over Grizzlies in 6).

(Statistics up-to date as of April 10, 2011)

"We're Not Done With This Thing"

Photo courtesy of nbcsport.msnbc.com

Last time the Bulls made it to the playoffs, Chicago was the number eight seed in the East.  LeBron James and the Cavilers destroyed the Bulls from start to finish by taking only five games to eliminate the Bulls from the playoffs.

Flash-forward to Friday, April 8, 2011: Derick Rose and the Bulls ironically defeat the LeBron-less Cavilers 93-82 in Cleveland to clinch the number one seed in the East.

However, despite the big accomplishment there was not much celebrating over receiving the best seed in the East.  “It’s a goal that we were chasing and we’re proud to have that goal,” said Carlos Boozer on April 8^th.  “But we have other goals, too.  We’re not done with this thing.”

If the Bulls are going to reach their “other goals” they will first need to go through the Indiana Pacers in the first round.

Chicago was 3-1 this season against Indiana, yet their 115-108 OT loss came in their most recent game. 

Derick Rose put up 42 points, including three free throws with 1.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the score, and send the game to overtime.  The scary thing: It still wasn’t enough to win!

Tyler Hansbrough and Danny Granger, the two Pacers that need to be shutdown if the Bulls plan on winning this series, put up a combined 48 points in Indiana’s overtime triumph.

Bottom Line: The Pacers finished the season as the only team in the NBA to make the playoffs with a sub .500 record.

While the Bulls are young and playoff inexperienced, soon to be NBA Coach of the Year, Tom Thibodeau will have this team ready to play.  There is a reason the Bulls turned around from a .500 team the year before and now a 60+ win team this season.  Thibodeau knows how to get the best out of his players night in and night out.

Prediction: The Bulls will win the series over the Pacers in the same amount of games it took to get them out of the playoffs last season (5 games).