San Antonio to whitewash ageing LA in first round

 

The playoffs are finally here and Nick Shiambouros previews all the action from the opening round of the Western Conference...

 

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs No. 8 Houston Rockets

The Thunder secured the top seed in the west with a record of 60-22.  Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have had another outstanding season and will be tough to deny  in the play-offs.

 

Oklahoma City traded James Harden to the Rockets at the beginning of the season, and this young man has taken his game to a new level in Houston. Harden, along with  Jeremy Lin, has propelled Houston into the post-season, but the Rockets face an impossible task against the Thunder.

 

Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1

 

 

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers

The Spurs once again proved they are no back number by posting a record of 52-24. This veteran rotation has been managed superbly by head coach Gregg Popovich.

 

Tim Duncan and company are poised to make a deep play-off run, and the recent signing of Tracy McGrady will help their cause.

 

The Lakers scrambled into the play-offs after a bitterly disappointing season. This aging rotation is simply not good enough to contend for a title.

 

Superstar guard Kobe Bryant will miss the play-offs because of injury and could be out of action for up to nine months. His presence will be sorely missed in this  series, but even with him in the line-up, Los Angeles would have little chance against San Antonio.

 

Prediction: San Antonio Spurs 4-0

 

 

No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs No. 6 Golden State Warriors

The Nuggets have really made an impression this season. Their high-octane offensive launched them into the post-season with a record of 57-25.

 

The team has no big names, but the players do very well together and score plenty of points. They drive to the hoop like a college team and get the job done with  exceptional athleticism. Everyone on this team can score, including point-guard Ty Lawson, who had another stellar season.

 

The Warriors are in the play-offs for the first time since 2007 and are led by point-guard Stephen Curry, who made a record 272 three-pointers this season. This was an  incredible feat for the young man, who will surely add to this tally during the series.

 

This is a fascinating encounter between two high-scoring teams. I must favour Denver in this one because of their tremendous depth in every position.

 

Prediction: Denver Nuggets 4-2

 

 

No. 4 Memphis Grizzlies vs No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers

The Grizzlies are a defensive powerhouse. Their outstanding defence surrendered a league low of just 89.4 points per game during the regular season. This team is not  pretty to watch, but dismiss them at your peril.

 

The addition of small forward Tayshaun Prince to the team in January was a shrewd signing. He is a versatile player who can score heavily and has outstanding court  vision.

 

The Clippers made the post-season with 56 regular season wins. They are led by superstar point-guard Chris Paul, who is enjoying another great season.

 

This is a much-improved team that believes it can win an NBA championship. As much as I admire the Clippers, I do not feel they have the ability to win it all. Power  forward Blake Griffin will score his fair share of points in this series but may struggle against the Memphis defence.

 

I believe Memphis can cause the upset and take out the highly touted Clippers in six games.

 

Prediction: Memphis Grizzlies 4-2

 

 

Recommended Bets

Saturday Back 3 pts. Memphis Grizzlies to beat Los Angeles Clippers Series Winner @ 2.62

Sunday Back 2 pts. San Antonio Spurs to beat Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 Series Score @ 3.75

 

Bet HERE

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