The Great NBA Playoffs Breakdown: Western Conference (First Round)

This will by far be the most in depth thing I have ever written (aside, of course, from my research paper on the decision to drop the atomic bomb.) Let’s Party:

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#1 San Antonio Spurs vs. #8 Utah Jazz

Last year, the #1 seeded Spurs were upset in the first round by the #8 seeded Grizzlies.  I don’t think this year will be yielding similar results for San Antonio.  Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has to be the Coach of the Year.  Aside from the team’s three stars in Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobli, the Spurs don’t look like that much, on paper.  Yet, this team seems to be infinitely deep, with nearly every player making valuable contributions.  If you look at some of the other guys they put out there (a rookie, an overweight guy who couldn’t cut it on NBA history’s worst team, an NBA problem child, and some guy named Danny Green, for example,) it’s pretty unbelievable that this team is that damn good.  Popovich just seems to know how to make guys play for him, and turning any group he’s dealt into a winning basketball team.  It also doesn’t hurt that Tony Parker has been playing at an almost MVP-like level at point guard this year.  For a team many wrote off in the beginning of the year as old and falling off, they are certainly one of, if not the hottest team coming into the playoffs.

The Utah Jazz (now that I have more or less tipped my hand as to who will win this series) have had to endure a lot in the past year or so.  Their Hall of Fame coach (Jerry Sloane) resigned, AND they traded away their superstar player (Deron Williams.)  This would sink most teams into the lottery, yet the Jazz have managed to claw their way back into the playoffs.  Center Al Jefferson, and power forward Paul Milsap are borderline All-Stars at their position.  Both can score inside, and rebound with ease.  Gordon Hayward has proven to be a versatile player, and guys like Derrick Favors and Devin Harris (both acquired in the Deron Williams trade) have proven to be integral parts to the team.  It’s impressive that coach Tyrone Corbin has gotten this team, despite all of last year’s chaos, back into the playoffs.

The Verdict: The Jazz actually match up fairly well down low (Jefferson and Milsap being big dudes) with the relatively small Spurs.  The Spurs however, are just too good, and will find a way to work around this disadvantage, to make it smaller than it already is.  Utah’s home court is known as being a tough place to get a win on the road, so I can see the Jazz taking one game, but that is all they will be able to get.

Spurs in 5.