Playoff Predictions (West, 1st round)

WEST
Warriors over Pelicans in 4.  Normally I think its good for scrambling young squads to make the playoffs but somehow I think the Pelicans would've been better off just missing out.  I think they're about to get so roasted by the Warriors that it probably isn't worth the effort.  And (reportedly) making the playoffs saved the jobs of the GM and coach, both of whom should probably be fired.  And the roster still sucks going forward.  They're built on Anthony Davis and they've mortgaged the future to try and build around him...and they haven't done that.  They're a mediocre team and I don't think they'll be much better next year...after that its all up to Davis.  (What if New Orleans loses Anthony Davis and Drew Brees in the same year?  Lawd have mercy)  The Warriors are in one of the best grooves I've ever seen in the NBA and the Pelicans have nothing to stop them.  For the Pelicans to take even a single game I think it would require Davis having the game of his life AND someone else having the game of his life too!  Nah, I don't think that happens, the Warriors will pummel these guys.  (I'll take the Warriors to win the West)

Rockets over Mavs in 7.  The Mavs season got derailed by the Rondo trade.  They might've ended up with Knight and Kanter instead of Rondo and Amare, Goran Dragic was in play, Isiah Thomas, Josh Smith, there were other options out there but they panic-traded and got stuck with the booby prize.  The offense is still potent enough and the defense crafty enough to give the Rockets a run.  The Rockets go as far as James Harden carries them.  So are the Rockets too one-dimensional to win or are they so singularly effective as to be unbeatable?  Not sure.  I think the Mavs can push on the Rockets but I think Harden pulls it out in game 7.

Spurs over Clippers in 7.  I think Pop wanted to play the Clippers.  I think Pop thinks, 'Those guys can beat us, might as well play them first'.  If the Spurs are gonna lose, if Duncan and Ginobli ride off into the sunset (I think they come back one more year), might as well get the vacation started early.  Or the Spurs respect the opponent, get in line, and let Pop guide them back to the Finals.  Best 1st round series ever?  Both teams are playing the best ball right now, both teams are ready for the playoffs, each team can beat the other.  This is all good.  Can't wait, gonna watch every game,  I like the Spurs to not go out in the 1st round.  Game 7 is gonna be an all-time classic.

Grizzlies over Blazers in 6.  The Grizzlies usually fight injuries in the early part of the year and then get it going right around playoff time; this year, they dominated the West early and befell injuries to Conley and Allen in the last coupla months.  They're not playing their best ball even though there were stretches when they were the best team.  The Blazers are a mystery to me, I just don't see how they win so much.  I like to watch them, I get the badassness of Aldridge, Batum (when healthy) is one of my favorite players, Lillard is as cold-blooded as anyone in the league right now.  But it looks to me like they play too many minutes, there's not enough bench, they rely too much on a handful of guys overachieving, I'm mystified by their success in recent years.  And without Wesley Matthews or even Afflalo for the next few games, I just don't see how they score more than the Grizzlies.  In my narrative, the Grizzlies need to get together, need to knock down some outside shots and win tough games on the road, but I think they do it.  The Grizz take game 6 at home.