Western Conf. Semi Finals Analysis/Predictions by Lauren Beasley
The Western Conference is probably the most talked about as far as the playoffs because there are so many different teams to choose from. Most people have the Oklahoma City Thunder winning it all, but then there a few who believe the Spurs or the Lakers could also take it as well.
The first round of the western conference playoffs had its boring moments and its intense moments. The boring moments started with both the Thunder and Spurs sweeping their opponents. Then the intense moments started with two Los Angeles teams, Lakers and Clippers both had to go through a seven game series just to advance to the next round.
Nonetheless they still made it to the next round and that’s what really matters. Now we all have some more intense basketball to look forward too.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
I expect this series to be very interesting. Some people believe this series will be a sweep, however I think differently. This series has the potential to go six or seven games and I will tell you why.
I will start with the Lakers, yes they played horrible in the first series against the Nuggets, and the only consistent player was Kobe Bryant. Both Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum played horrible and finally were motivated to play well in game seven.
However, if Gasol and Bynum play great and consistent in this series, along with Kobe Bryant, the Lakers have the potential to really challenge the Thunder. Due to the main reason that Lakers have a great size, that I don’t believe the Thunder can match.
Obviously no one can stop Kobe Bryant, the Thunder will do their best to slow him down but they won’t stop him. I do look for Kobe Bryant to have a bigger role on the defensive though either checking Russell Westbrook or James Harden. Kobe will be asked to perform and produce on both sides of the ball, which I believe he is capable of doing.
Lakers will also need Metta World Peace to play the way he did against Denver in game seven, they will need him to slow down Kevin Durant and to also produce offensively.
Ramon Session will have to play better especially defensively, he was horrible against Ty Lawson to the point where the only time Lawson struggled was when Kobe Bryant checked him. Sessions will need to step up; he lacks experience in the playoffs, so we will see if he will step up.
Lastly the Lakers bench will need to play well, meaning Matt Barnes, Jordan Hill, Steve Blake, etc. The bench has been one of the achilles heel for the Lakers this season. Barnes is another person who needs to step mainly defensively. Jordan Hill needs to step up period; he needs to be a consistent rebounder and decent scorer for them. Lastly Blake needs to play the way he did against Denver in game 7, he is potential to be the shooter for them.
Now let’s talk Thunder, obviously Thunder are very young but they are also very hungry and well rested after sweeping the Mavericks.
I look for Russell Westbrook to step up in this game on both sides of the court; he may not be able to attack the rim like he is used to due to the Lakers great size, so he has to make sure that his shot is going. Westbrook will also have to be a better facilitator and make sure his teammates get involved.
Obviously just like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant cannot truly be stopped but he can be slowed down, I look for him to struggle somewhat against Metta World Peace because of his great strength and defensive IQ. However as most great players do, I look for Durant to make adjustment s and score.
One of the key X-Factors will be Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka; I look for them to step up huge defensively because if they allow Bynum and Gasol to get loose, the Thunder will have a huge problem.
The other X-Factor the most obvious will be James Harden, first off I think the Thunder are at their best sometimes when Harden runs the point and Westbrook and Durant are on the wings. Harden will need to play both offensively and defensively well. He will also be a key to the momentum due to his intense attitude.
The last of the X-factors will be the Thunder bench just like the Thunder bench it has its up and down moments but when they are at their best, the Thunder is dangerous. I look for Daequan Cook to step up and be the key shooter for the Thunder.
I have a feeling that old time Laker Derek Fisher is going to make his old team pay in some way. He is known for being a clutch performer at the tough times; I look for him to have a big moment in this series.
Overall this is will be a good series; both teams are the opposite of each other. Lakers do their best work in a half court scenario as where the Thunder struggle in the half court and do better in transition. Overall I think this series will come down to six or seven games and the Oklahoma Thunder will come out victorious.
Los Angeles Clippers versus San Antonio Spurs
This series has the making to be quite entertaining as well but at the end of the day I expect it to be a short series.
I will start with the Clippers, they are lucky to be in the next round, they are here for two main reasons. First reason because they have Chris Paul to lead them and carry them. Second reason because Memphis Grizzlies did not capitalize on the opportunities given. Nevertheless the point is that the Clippers are here.
For the Clippers it all starts with Chris Paul, as I said earlier he is the reason they have gone this far. He has been a great leader for the Clippers and he will need to be again for the Clippers to have a chance. He was decently defended in the series against Memphis but there is no doubt that the Spurs will challenge him and make him work for everything he gets.
Next factor would be the play of Blake Griffin, who still wows everybody with his great athleticism but makes everyone shake their head at his lack of offensive skill. I expect that Tim Duncan will make his life irritating but nonetheless Griffin will still have a upper hand and a chance to help his team out.
I am looking for Nick Young, DeAndre Jordan to step up as well. They both played inconsistent Memphis but they have potential to make this series difficult for the Spurs if they play well.
Lastly the biggest x factor will be the play of the bench, one of the other main reasons that the Clippers won game seven against Memphis was due to the play of their bench. So I look to Randy Foye, Mo Williams, Reggie Evans and Eric Bledsoe to step up and do some great things, especially if they hope to really challenge the Spurs.
Now let’s talk Spurs, the main thing that Spurs have is first the best head coach in the NBA right now in Gregg Popovich and secondly they have great defensive schemes and depth.
The Spurs have some of the best underrated players in Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginoibli. I expect them all to play well and to make the key players on the Clippers struggle both offensively and defensively. Ginobli will be looked at to stop Chris Paul at times. Tim Duncan will be looked at to slow down Blake Griffin.
One of the key x-factors will be the play of Stephen Jackson, who is a deadly scorer when he gets going. With Caron Butler out, I’m not sure the Clippers have anyone who really matchups with him defensively.
I also look for the role players and bench players to be the final x-factors for the Spurs in this game. I expect Gary Neal, DeJuan Blair, Kahwi Leonard, Boris Diaw and Matt Borner to all step up. This lineup brings some speed to the lineup but it also brings some versatile bigs to the court which allows the Spurs to spread the floor and open up the lane.
Overall I think the Clippers will try hard but eventually be beaten by the experienced Spurs. The Clippers need more pieces and the Spurs have all their pieces along with great coaching, experience and great players. I see the well-rested Spurs defeating the Clippers in a five game series.
The first round of the western conference playoffs had its boring moments and its intense moments. The boring moments started with both the Thunder and Spurs sweeping their opponents. Then the intense moments started with two Los Angeles teams, Lakers and Clippers both had to go through a seven game series just to advance to the next round.
Nonetheless they still made it to the next round and that’s what really matters. Now we all have some more intense basketball to look forward too.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
I expect this series to be very interesting. Some people believe this series will be a sweep, however I think differently. This series has the potential to go six or seven games and I will tell you why.
I will start with the Lakers, yes they played horrible in the first series against the Nuggets, and the only consistent player was Kobe Bryant. Both Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum played horrible and finally were motivated to play well in game seven.
However, if Gasol and Bynum play great and consistent in this series, along with Kobe Bryant, the Lakers have the potential to really challenge the Thunder. Due to the main reason that Lakers have a great size, that I don’t believe the Thunder can match.
Obviously no one can stop Kobe Bryant, the Thunder will do their best to slow him down but they won’t stop him. I do look for Kobe Bryant to have a bigger role on the defensive though either checking Russell Westbrook or James Harden. Kobe will be asked to perform and produce on both sides of the ball, which I believe he is capable of doing.
Lakers will also need Metta World Peace to play the way he did against Denver in game seven, they will need him to slow down Kevin Durant and to also produce offensively.
Ramon Session will have to play better especially defensively, he was horrible against Ty Lawson to the point where the only time Lawson struggled was when Kobe Bryant checked him. Sessions will need to step up; he lacks experience in the playoffs, so we will see if he will step up.
Lastly the Lakers bench will need to play well, meaning Matt Barnes, Jordan Hill, Steve Blake, etc. The bench has been one of the achilles heel for the Lakers this season. Barnes is another person who needs to step mainly defensively. Jordan Hill needs to step up period; he needs to be a consistent rebounder and decent scorer for them. Lastly Blake needs to play the way he did against Denver in game 7, he is potential to be the shooter for them.
Now let’s talk Thunder, obviously Thunder are very young but they are also very hungry and well rested after sweeping the Mavericks.
I look for Russell Westbrook to step up in this game on both sides of the court; he may not be able to attack the rim like he is used to due to the Lakers great size, so he has to make sure that his shot is going. Westbrook will also have to be a better facilitator and make sure his teammates get involved.
Obviously just like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant cannot truly be stopped but he can be slowed down, I look for him to struggle somewhat against Metta World Peace because of his great strength and defensive IQ. However as most great players do, I look for Durant to make adjustment s and score.
One of the key X-Factors will be Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka; I look for them to step up huge defensively because if they allow Bynum and Gasol to get loose, the Thunder will have a huge problem.
The other X-Factor the most obvious will be James Harden, first off I think the Thunder are at their best sometimes when Harden runs the point and Westbrook and Durant are on the wings. Harden will need to play both offensively and defensively well. He will also be a key to the momentum due to his intense attitude.
The last of the X-factors will be the Thunder bench just like the Thunder bench it has its up and down moments but when they are at their best, the Thunder is dangerous. I look for Daequan Cook to step up and be the key shooter for the Thunder.
I have a feeling that old time Laker Derek Fisher is going to make his old team pay in some way. He is known for being a clutch performer at the tough times; I look for him to have a big moment in this series.
Overall this is will be a good series; both teams are the opposite of each other. Lakers do their best work in a half court scenario as where the Thunder struggle in the half court and do better in transition. Overall I think this series will come down to six or seven games and the Oklahoma Thunder will come out victorious.
Los Angeles Clippers versus San Antonio Spurs
This series has the making to be quite entertaining as well but at the end of the day I expect it to be a short series.
I will start with the Clippers, they are lucky to be in the next round, they are here for two main reasons. First reason because they have Chris Paul to lead them and carry them. Second reason because Memphis Grizzlies did not capitalize on the opportunities given. Nevertheless the point is that the Clippers are here.
For the Clippers it all starts with Chris Paul, as I said earlier he is the reason they have gone this far. He has been a great leader for the Clippers and he will need to be again for the Clippers to have a chance. He was decently defended in the series against Memphis but there is no doubt that the Spurs will challenge him and make him work for everything he gets.
Next factor would be the play of Blake Griffin, who still wows everybody with his great athleticism but makes everyone shake their head at his lack of offensive skill. I expect that Tim Duncan will make his life irritating but nonetheless Griffin will still have a upper hand and a chance to help his team out.
I am looking for Nick Young, DeAndre Jordan to step up as well. They both played inconsistent Memphis but they have potential to make this series difficult for the Spurs if they play well.
Lastly the biggest x factor will be the play of the bench, one of the other main reasons that the Clippers won game seven against Memphis was due to the play of their bench. So I look to Randy Foye, Mo Williams, Reggie Evans and Eric Bledsoe to step up and do some great things, especially if they hope to really challenge the Spurs.
Now let’s talk Spurs, the main thing that Spurs have is first the best head coach in the NBA right now in Gregg Popovich and secondly they have great defensive schemes and depth.
The Spurs have some of the best underrated players in Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginoibli. I expect them all to play well and to make the key players on the Clippers struggle both offensively and defensively. Ginobli will be looked at to stop Chris Paul at times. Tim Duncan will be looked at to slow down Blake Griffin.
One of the key x-factors will be the play of Stephen Jackson, who is a deadly scorer when he gets going. With Caron Butler out, I’m not sure the Clippers have anyone who really matchups with him defensively.
I also look for the role players and bench players to be the final x-factors for the Spurs in this game. I expect Gary Neal, DeJuan Blair, Kahwi Leonard, Boris Diaw and Matt Borner to all step up. This lineup brings some speed to the lineup but it also brings some versatile bigs to the court which allows the Spurs to spread the floor and open up the lane.
Overall I think the Clippers will try hard but eventually be beaten by the experienced Spurs. The Clippers need more pieces and the Spurs have all their pieces along with great coaching, experience and great players. I see the well-rested Spurs defeating the Clippers in a five game series.