Now that I have the Eastern Conference of the NBA playoffs all set, it’s time to figure out who’s going to capture the West, the stronger of the two conferences.
Just about every matchup in the first round could go either way. The only series that will end in less than six games is the Los Angeles Lakers against your New Orleans Hornets (a first-round playoff matchup that I picked before the season started).
The terrible Hornets will be swept by the Lakers in four games.
With that out of the way, let’s move on to more important matchups.
The best series will be the No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder against the No. 5 Denver Nuggets.
This matchup is intriguing because these are the best two teams in the West in the past 10 games with each holding a 7-3 record down the stretch.
The only problem for the invigorated and Carmelo Anthony-less Nuggets is the Thunder matchup favorably against them. The teams met twice last week with the Thunder winning both games rather easily.
I’ll take the Thunder in six games.
Next, No. 3 Dallas Mavericks take on No. 6 Portland Trail Blazers.
These teams split their season series, 2-2, with Dallas winning the first two and Portland taking the latter two. I can easily see this series going seven games. I’ll take Portland because Dallas always seems to lose in the first round.
Finally, the San Antonio Spurs will face the pesky Memphis Grizzlies, who tanked against the Los Angeles Clippers in the final game of the season to ensure they didn’t face the Lakers.
This series may be a repeat of last year’s 1 vs. 8 matchup where the Thunder took the Lakers to six games. The Grizzlies have had the Spurs’ number the past two times they have met this season, winning both games after losing the first two.
I like the experience of the Spurs, who have gotten a little more healthy during the past few weeks. San Antonio will win in six. But keep an eye on those Grizzlies during the next few years.
CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
I didn’t have chalk this time. It’s No. 1 San Antonio versus No. 4 Oklahoma City and No. 2 Los Angeles versus No. 6 Portland.
The Spurs are getting old, and the Thunder are a young, fast team that should be able to handle anything Gregg Popovich’s Spurs throw at them. I like the Thunder in six games.
In the other series, I’m going to take Los Angeles in seven games. Portland is a team that tends to give the Lakers trouble, for whatever reason, and they could cause a little stir in Los Angeles. But the Lakers will be ready to take them down at home in the final game.
CONFERENCE FINALS
The conference finals put the Thunder versus the Lakers in a rematch from last year’s first round.
Los Angeles, defending its title, has the experience, but Oklahoma City has the momentum.
If Laker center Andrew Bynum can stay healthy — and that’s a big if — the Lakers should be able to take this series. But with that lingering knee injury, I don’t know how effective he can be.
I like the Thunder in seven games.
NBA FINALS
Oklahoma City — the team I picked at the beginning of the season — makes the run to the NBA Finals to face another young team, the Chicago Bulls.
It’s Kevin Durant against Derrick Rose. And Durant gets the win in six games.
The Thunder win the NBA Finals.
Andy Schwehm is a 21-year-old English and psychology senior from New Orleans. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_ASchwehm.
 
 
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Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]