NBA playoff preview

Tomorrow starts the NBA playoffs with 1 game on ABC beginning at 3:00 Eastern, and 3 straight on ESPN starting at 5:30 Eastern, and continues on Sunday with games on TNT at 1 Eastern, 7 Eastern and 9:30 Eastern and an ABC game at 3:30.

Eastern Conference:

Milwaukee Bucks (8 seed) @ Miami Heat (1 seed).  Season series: 3-1 Heat.  My prediction: Heat 4-0.
The Heat come in with an NBA best 66-16 record and have only lost twice since February 1 while the Bucks are going the opposite direction 4-12 since March 20.  In their last meeting April 9, the Heat played without Dwayne Wade and still pulled off a double digit win.  I will be surprised if the Bucks win a game.
Boston Celtics (7 seed) @ New York Knicks (2 seed).  Season series: 3-1 Knicks.  My prediction: Celtics 4-2.
The Knicks have won one playoff game in the last 11 years while the Celtics are used to winning playoff series.  This is the Celtics 6th straight playoff appearance and have made the Eastern Conference semifinals in 5 straight.  The Knicks are 4th in the league in 3 point field goal percentage while the Celtics are 4th in the league at defending the 3 ball.  The Knicks are a live by the 3, die by the 3 team, if their not falling they are in trouble.
Atlanta Hawks (6 seed) @ Indiana Pacers (3 seed).  Season series: Tied at 2-2.  My prediction: Pacers 4-1.
If you want to watch this series, don't miss Sunday's game on TNT at 1 Eastern.  The rest of this series seems destined for NBA TV.  The Pacers have lost 11 straight games in Atlanta, but having the first 2 games at home I think they can split games 3 & 4 in Georgia and wrap it up on their home court in game 5.
Chicago Bulls (5 seed) @ Brooklyn Nets (4 seed).  Season series: 3-1 Bulls.  My prediction: Bulls 4-3.
The Bulls are already without Derrick Rose and maybe without Joakim Noah as well, but all 4 games in this series were close.  3 of the 4 were decided by 4 points or less, and 2 were decided by 2 points or less.  I'm more confident in the Bulls winning an important game on the road seeing as they won at the Barclay's center earlier in the month and know they won't be intimidated by a game 7 on the road.

Western Conference:

Houston Rockets (8 seed) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (1 seed).  Season series: 2-1 Thunder.  My prediction: Thunder 4-1.
An intriguing first round matchup as an integral part of the Thunder's recent run of success was 6th man James Harden who couldn't come to an agreement on a contract extension and was traded to Houston days before the start of the regular season.  The Thunder have 2 wins in the regular season series by an average of 26 points.  Harden may lead the Thunder to victory in one of the 2 games in Houston, but this definitely isn't going past game 5.
Los Angeles Lakers (7 seed) @ San Antonio Spurs (2 seed).  Season series: 2-1 Spurs. my prediction: Spurs 4-2.
The Lakers went 7-1 in the month of April to not only get into the playoffs after opening the month in 9th but to get all the way up to #7 and avoid the best team in the Western Conference in the first round.  Now I still don't like them against the Spurs, but its a better matchup for them then the Thunder and just beat them on Sunday, albeit a Spurs team that was resting key players.  They'll make the series competitive, but will come up a bit short.
Golden state Warriors (6 seed) @ Denver Nuggets (3 seed).  Season series: 3-1 Nuggets.  My prediction: Nuggets 4-1.
The Nuggets set a franchise record with 57 wins, but at a price.  Late in the regular season they lost Danilo Gallinari for the season to a torn ACL and Kenneth Faried to an ankle injury, but he should be ready to play at some point in this series.  The Warriors are a better team then when they last met up in mid January, and you can never count out a team with a player that set the single season 3 point record, but the Nuggets are 38-3 in Denver this year so this is going to come down to how many games can Steph Curry lead the Warriors to in Oakland?  My guess is only 1.
Memphis Grizzlies (5 seed) @ Los Angeles Clippers (4 seed).  Season series: 3-1 Clippers.  My prediction: Grizzlies 4-3.
A great series and probably the most exciting one to watch.  They matched up last year in a thrilling 7 game series as well won by the Clippers on the road which included Memphis blowing a 27 point lead in game 1 of the series.  The Clippers like to get up and down the court while the Grizzlies are one of the leagues better defensive teams.  Dating back to game 6 of last year's series 5 of the last 6 games in this series have been won by the road team.  That, defensive wins championship, and Memphis wanting to reverse the roles on the Clippers this season (Grizzlies were the home team that lost game 7 last year) I got the Grizzlies in another thrilling 7 game series.