Episode 36: NBA Playoff Preview: The Wild, Wild West

I give my predictions in this series-by-series breakdown of the matchups in the West. Tomorrow's episode will focus on the East. Although the East has more NBA title contenders, the West will have more competitive first-round matchups. I've had my eye on the series between the Thunder and Nuggets for a long, long time. It features the highest scoring offense in the NBA, Denver, which has eight (yes, eight) players that average in double figures. It also has the fifth highest scoring team in the league in Oklahoma City, which is led by the league's individual scoring leader, Kevin Durant. This series will be filled with energy, not only from the players but from their rabid fan bases as well. Many people believe the Blazers will upset the Mavericks...and so do I. This Portland team is very similar to the fast, long and athletic Golden State team that took down top-seeded Dallas in the 2007 playoffs. Both teams were filled with great swingmen, which will pose a problem for the Mavericks. I also believe many of the questions we always ask about Dallas this time of year have never gone away. The Lakers' win over the Kings last night didn't just earn the two-time defending champs a potential first round sweep against the Hornets, who will be without All Star David West. More importantly, it will give Andrew Bynum all the time he needs to get back to 100% and be ready for a tough second-round series against the winner of the Mavericks-Blazers. And I'm sure it helped Kobe's confidence to put one more dagger in the hearts of Sacramento fans, who witnessed their team rally from 20 points down in the 4th quarter only to be done in by the Black Mamba one more time before they relocate to Anaheim (most likely) by April 18. The Grizzlies may be the No. 8 seed, but they'll give the Spurs a tougher time than the Hornets will give the Lakers. San Antonio is banged up and looks nothing like the dominant team it was in the first half of the season. Meanwhile, Memphis, which lost its best player Rudy Gay after a season-ending injury in February, has still managed to play good basketball and keep its spot in the postseason. That resiliency will pay off for a young team with great potential, even if they're only able to show us that in spurts against the Spurs. Photo from nbcsports.com