Playoff Predictions (West)

Grizzlies-Warriors
The Grizzlies laid a whooping on the Blazers but the Blazers were depleted and by the end the Grizzlies were too.  Look, I like the Grizzlies, love their fire, their devotion to each other, their dedication to the dirty work...but man if Conley doesn't play, I just don't see how they score enough to even come close to hanging with the Warriors.  Like, not even close, I don't see it at all.  And if Conley does play...I like Conley, underrated scorer and defender but...with a broken face?  Come on, man, Curry is gonna bury him deep.  (If the Grizzlies get swept, is Gasol suddenly available like Aldridge?  Do we whisper Gasol in every town in this league?)

The Warriors just rolled the Pelicans and they're about to roll the Grizzlies.  The Grizzlies have pride (Bogut better watch himself, maybe Barnes too) but they just don't have enough offense to hang with the Warriors.  The Warriors shouldn't really even have to try hard more than a few minutes at a time in this series, I can see Speights and Lee getting decent minutes in this series.  Warriors in 4.

Clippers-Rockets
The Clippers did it, they beat the Spurs.  (Unbelievable game 7, tied with ten seconds to go, you knew it was gonna be tight)  Watching that series I thought all along that the winner of that series would beat the Rockets (even on the road).  And I'll stick with that.  We all saw it: the Clipper 6-man rotation is awesome, nothing past 6 is awesome.  If that 6 can stay on the floor, they can beat the Rockets. That team took a game in San Antonio, they can take one in Houston.  I don't think Griffin will use and abuse Terrence Jones the way he dominated Splitter/Duncan but he'll be better than Jones, Deandre will be better than Dwight, CP3 will get one more win than Harden.

The Rockets are a team dominated by James Harden.  At his best he's unstoppable, at his worst he's still better than your best guy.  How deep can one scorer, dominant as Harden is, go in the playoffs? The Rocket supporting cast is missing Beverley, Motiejunas and McDaniels, three energy guys that can make plays on defense and keep the possession on offense; none of them are all-stars but this late in the season you'd rather that bench was fuller.  Corey Brewer might have a coupla good games in him but against the Mavs the Rockets got time out of Prigioni and Capela, can those guys see the floor against the Clippers?  In game 7, even in Houston, I'll take Paul over Harden.  Clippers in 7 (2,3,6,7).

Conference Finals: Clippers-Warriors
I say the Warriors roll into the Final on an 8-game (playoff) winning streak.  Meanwhile the 6 guys that call themselves the Clippers will have gone seven with the Spurs, then seven with the Rockets, and then roll into the Bay Area expecting to win.  After watching UK fall after a 38-game winning streak, I hesitate but I gotta take the Warriors to sweep again.  Warriors in (fo, fo) fo.

Finals: Hawks-Warriors
I don't think the Warriors would sweep the Hawks but I can't see the Hawks winning four games out of seven.  The Hawks will give the Warriors pause, the Warriors will have some struggles, but they'll prevail because they're the better squad.  Warriors in 7.

That's it for now.  Let's see how I long I agree with myself...