The 2019 NBA Playoffs are here! For the sixth straight year, my favorite team for the past 19 years, the Los Angeles Lakers, is not a participant. That irks me so much, but I am a basketball junkie and there are still at least 16 more NBA games to be played until a champion is crowned. Hence, we shall continue talking about basketball.
As is the annual tradition of hoops fans, I share my playoff predictions — which teams advance, which teams go fishing. Please note that my predictions have biases in them (though I try to be as logical as possible), as I am but a fan and not an analyst.
I’ll be dissecting these predictions by conference and by round. This post is about the Western Conference’s First Round Matchup. Let’s go.
Golden State Warriors wins 4-1.
I’m sure people have the Warriors sweeping the Clippers in their predictions. I just think the Warriors are “bored” in the first round and won’t bring their A-game, hence the Clipper’s ability to steal a win. And hey, as much as I hate to admit it, the Clippers aren’t necessarily garbage. They made the playoffs after trading away their borderline All-star in an attempt to tank. They are well coached by Doc Rivers and have had solid victories against good teams. But the Warriors aren’t a good team, they’re the best. Next.
Houston Rockets win 4-2
I have severe negative feelings for the Houston Rockets. Their players annoy me, and their fans are the worst on Twitter (okay, Jazz fans are actually worse, but that’s another story). But James Harden is playing on an entirely different level, becoming the first player to average 36 points a game since Michael Jordan. The Jazz can’t stop Harden, but they’re solid enough to land a couple of wins, likely on their home court.
Oklahoma City Thunder win 4-3.
This series should be a fun one. Two teams with histories of chokes and early playoff eliminations, I’m not exactly sure who to root for. Portland lost center Jusuf Nurkic to a leg injury, and Oklahoma City ended the regular season on a mini-slump.
However, if last year’s playoffs taught me anything, it’s to never ever root (and bet actual money) for the Trailblazers in the postseason. They will only disappoint
San Antonio Spurs wins 4-2.
Let me get this out of the way. I have personal hatred for the Denver Nuggets. I just hate them so much. I hate Jamal Murray. I hate that they’re good this year. I hate everything about them (except maybe Nikola Jokic and coach Mike Malone). That said, they’ve been a pretty solid team all season long and shouldn’t be dismissed so easily.
But they’re facing the Spurs — the anti-Trailblazers in the playoffs. People have doubted the Spurs every year: this will finally be the year the Spurs fall from grace.
And every year the Spurs manage to retool and maintain the same level of excellence for the past 22 years. It is as foolish to root against the Spurs as is it is foolish to root for the Blazers in the playoffs.
Coach Greg Popovich will surely find a way to use his personnel effectively against the more talented Nuggets team.
Up next: Eastern Conference First Round
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