Round One Playoff Preview – Western Conference

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

Utah (4) vs. Houston (5)

Utah: The Jazz are back in the playoffs for the first time since Karl Malone and John Stockton departed after the 2002-03 season. However, the team stumbled down the stretch, going just 4-6 over the final 10 games. Utah also relies heavily on their homecourt advantage, something Houston possesses during this series. Deron Williams is already a top-3 point guard in the league, and Carlos Boozer is a force in the paint. There may not have been a more disappointing season than Andrei Kirilenko’s, however.

Houston: Tracy McGrady has still never won a playoff series. For a top-5 player in the league, that’s pretty hard to fathom. Coming off one of his best season’s in his career, in which he averaged a career-high 6.5 assists per game, he’s running out of excuses, especially since Houston has the homecourt edge this time around. Yao Ming is healthy, making this team a pretty dangerous one. Jeff Van Gundy is my runner-up for Coach of the Year honors.

Outcome: Utah is no pushover, but the Yao and T-Mac tandem should be enough to give Houston the slight edge. Rockets 4-3.

Los Angeles Lakers (7) vs. Phoenix (2)

Los Angeles: Although they have lost three straight to Phoenix, the Suns aren’t the worst matchup for the Lakers, as the run-and-gun up-tempo style fits Kobe Bryant’s game perfectly. Still, the Lakers almost didn’t even make the postseason, as their second half to the season failed to match their hot start. The 42-40 record is the worst-ever by a Phil Jackson coached team. It’s best not to count them out in a seven game series format with arguably the game’s top player on their side, but this battle is definitely an uphill one.

Phoenix: Unbelievably, Amare Stoudemire didn’t miss a single game this season. Steve Nash’s ability to incorporate him into the offense without anyone else suffering was quite a coup, and Nash very well may have had his best season yet. He probably won’t win a third straight MVP award, but handing out 11.6 assists per game while making 53.2 percent of his shots in unheard of in today’s game. He shot 45.5 percent from downtown and 89.9 percent from the line. Of all his seasons, this one was the most deserving of MVP honors.

Outcome: A rematch of one of the best playoff matches in recent memory last year, the Suns have too much firepower for the undermanned Lakers to handle. Suns 4-2.

Denver (6) vs. San Antonio (3)

Denver: The Nuggets enter the postseason winners of nine out of the last 10 games. It took more than a little while for Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony to gel, but this team is tough to beat when the chemistry is working. If not for health concerns, Marcus Camby would be a top-5 pick in fantasy leagues. The Nuggets have been bounced from the playoffs in five games in each of the last three seasons, by San Antonio, Minnesota and the Clippers. They haven’t won a playoff series since 1994.

San Antonio: While Dallas and Phoenix have largely been the talk of the league throughout the season, the Spurs might very well be the best team. The AP has been having some fun with this squad recently, first listing Robert Horry as “DNP – Old Age” a couple of weeks ago and then Brent Barry “DNP – Tummy Ache” last week. However, this team is certainly no joke and should have little trouble moving into round 2.

Outcome: Denver loses in five for the fourth straight year. Spurs 4-1.

Golden State (8) vs. Dallas (1)

Golden State: Surprisingly, there isn’t a hotter team in the NBA right now. The Warriors finished the season 16-4, including 9-1 over the final 10 games. They were the only team in the league to win the season series with Dallas, sweeping it 3-0. In fact, they have beaten Dallas six straight times. Admittedly, the last contest was little more than an exhibition, as the Mavs sat all of their starters, which shows just how unworried the team is with a first round matchup against Golden State. It is a little curious, however, because the Warriors do happen to match up well against Dallas, as the small ball effect seems to work. Don Nelson wants his revenge.

Dallas: The Mavs don’t have an easy first round opponent, but they were the best team in the NBA this regular season. Remember, they started off 0-4 and gave away that win to G. State, so this team easily could have won 70 games. A closer look at the roster reveals nothing too special, so that’s why I think Avery Johnson has done the best coaching job this season. This team is underrated defensively.

Outcome: Listening to the Bay Area media, almost everyone thinks the Warriors have a legitimate chance at an upset here. As much as I hope I’m wrong, I just can’t see it. Although winning games at the ruckus Oracle Arena is going to prove to be difficult, as Golden State finished 30-11 there this season. Mavs 4-1.