The first round of the NBA Playoffs has been and gone, and man was it compelling viewing.
A record number of Game 7s, four-point plays and overtime games contributed to some classic match-ups.
Some players ensured we would never forget their names, including Messrs DeAndre Jordan and Damian Lillard.
Now, the second round is here, and NBA fans are hoping for more of the same.
So let’s break down five key questions for each series.
Indiana (1) versus Washington (5)
1. Can the Wiz carry on their form from their mildly shocking first round upset? Home court advantage isn’t a big deal for the young Wiz, and they won’t be daunted by having to come and win at least once in the Conseco Fieldhouse.
2. Will we see the Roy Hibbert from Game 7 against Atlanta, or the one that stunk up the court for the three months prior? Hibbert must be on his game against Nene, who dominated the Chicago front court in the first round.
3. Will Paul George have the energy to dominate offensively after chasing John Wall around all night? George was able to take over and become the series’ best player, despite having to stop Jeff Teague, but Wall is on another level.
4. Can Indiana dictate the tempo and grind the Wiz down? When Indiana stopped Atlanta from running and hitting from the perimetre, they took control of the series and ultimately got the better of the Hawks. They won’t want to wait five games to do that in this series.
5. Can Washington pull off the upset? Washington will be rested, confident and road-read after taking all three games in the United Centre in the first round. If Nene and Marcin Gortat can put up double-doubles on a nightly basis and stay out of foul trouble, the Wizards can win this series. George and Lance Stephenson might end up being a little too much to handle.
Series prediction – Indiana win in seven games
Miami (2) versus Brooklyn (6)
1. Can Brooklyn repeat their regular season dominance? OK, it wasn’t really dominance with the 4-0 sweep, including three one-point wins. But the Nets will take a significant amount of confidence from those four wins and the veteran cast will like their chances of pulling off the second round upset.
2. Will LeBron James get out of second gear? One semi-popular train of thought is that James gets bored too often during the regular season, cruising through quarters and games. You get the sense that he won’t allow that to happen against old foes Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
3. Can Deron Williams impact a playoff series? Regarded as one of the league’s better point guards, Williams should target Mario Chalmers early and often and look to set the scene offensively. For all Brooklyn’s strengths, Williams must be the one who looks to take control of this series in the early part.
4. Can Kevin Garnett get under Chris Bosh’s skin? Some say Garnett revolutionised the power forward position, and is a first-choice Hall-of-Famer. These days he is a bit player, but one who will be asked to play Bosh tough on the defensive end. Look for Garnett to push the issue with Bosh and play right to the limit of the laws, and maybe beyond. If he can get Bosh’s mind off the game, Brooklyn’s chance of an upset increases significantly.
5. Will Miami be pushed? Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov made no secret of the fact that money was not an issue when putting together the veteran, star-studded roster. He didn’t do it to make the second round; he did it to unseat the Heat. While Pierce, Joe Johnson and co. will push Miami hard and maybe steal an early game, James and Dwayne Wade will provide the one-two punch needed to win this series relatively comfortably.
Series prediction – Miami win in five games
San Antonio (1) v Portland (5)
1. Can Boris Diaw and Tiago Splitter shut down LaMarcus Aldridge? The Spurs big man duo did an outstanding job defending Dirk Nowitzki straight-up in the first round, forcing other Dallas players to beat them. While the series went the distance, Nowitzki couldn’t have the breakout game needed to pull off an upset. Aldridge is a superstar in a rich vein of form, so Diaw and Splitter will have their work cut out again.
2. Can the Spurs continue to defy Father Time? Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili refuse to concede that age will weary them, playing the same high level of basketball that has defined their careers. They should, realistically, be slowing down, losing a step or becoming less effective, but they produce time and time again. Portland can be sure of one thing; these two future Hall-of-Famers will be tough to stop.
3. Can Damian Lillard do any more than he already has done? Lillard’s Game 6 series clinching jumper had an air of certainty around it, and when it went swish through the net was anyone really surprised? Everyone in Providence Park knew Lillard was shooting that ball, and he took advantage of a terrible defensive setup by Houston to drain the 25-foot game winner. Logic says the Blazers should feel pressure going into the AT&T Centre on Tuesday, but it is a safe bet that Lillard will attack the Spurs head on.
4. Will Nicolas Batum be able to keep up with Tony Parker? Batum had mixed results guarding James Harden in the first round, but would have taken the points overall as he forced Harden into poor shots in the fourth quarters across the series. Parker is a proven big game performer, and like many more hyped guards he delivers in the playoffs. If Batum can negate his effectiveness the Blazers have more than a fighter’s chance at a stunning upset.
5. Were the Spurs shocked into action by Dallas? No one thought Dallas had a chance to win more than a game against the Spurs. Perhaps San Antonio took the Mavericks lightly, or maybe that is taking credit away from Rick, Dirk, Monta Ellis and crew. You can be sure of one thing, Gregg Popovich will have the Spurs ready from the opening tip of Game 1, and that in itself should see San Antonio return to the Western Conference Finals.
Series prediction – San Antonio in six games
Oklahoma City (2) v LA Clippers (3)
1. Is Kevin Durant the MVP? Durant was the best player in the regular season, but mega stars earn their reputation in the playoffs. In Games 6 and 7 of the first round series against Memphis, Durant remembered that no-one alive can stop him and he proceeded to dominate as the Thunder came from behind to clinch the series. The Clippers don’t have any individual defenders in the same league as Tony Allen, meaning Durant could well take control of this series early on.
2. Can DeAndre Jordan continue to be a difference-maker? If he could shoot free-throws, Jordan would arguably be the best big man in the NBA. He plays within his limitations offensively, blocks shots for fun and rebounds at an incredibly consistent high-level. Some might say he should have dominated a decimated Golden State front-line but he still had to do it, and would look to be in a good spot to repeat that performance against Kendrick Perkins and Steven Adams.
3. Is Chris Paul capable of matching Russell Westbrook? No, not in how he runs a team, because Paul is probably the best pure point guard of his generation. But the word is that Paul is hurting, and while Westbrook plays basketball at warp speed and often makes you cringe – his ceiling is as high as any player in the league. The Clippers do not have anyone else remotely capable of stopping Westbrook, so need Paul at the top of his game.
4. Can Blake Griffin be “The Man”? Griffin has evolved from highlight-reel dunk machine to one of the best power forwards in the league. There is no doubting he now has a well-rounded game, and must use this to get Serge Ibaka into foul trouble. If Ibaka can’t stop Griffin, or can’t stay on the floor, the Clippers can win this series because Nick Collison and any other big that Scott Brooks throws at Griffin will be over-matched.
5. Which supporting cast provides more to their team? The Clippers rely on loose cannon Matt Barnes, sharp-shooters J.J.Redick and Jamal Crawford and Darren Collison to back up their stars. The Thunder don’t have that level of depth and along with Ibaka, Reggie Jackson and Thabo Sefolosha they persist with playing Perkins and Derek Fisher, despite their ageing bodies and ineffective games.
While the Clippers have a deeper roster the star power of Durant and Westbrook should do enough to win this series for OKC, but the margin for error is very slim and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Doc Rivers’ team make the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history
Series prediction – Oklahoma City win in seven games
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