Outscoring five quarters to eight. Klay Thompson career high. Stephen Curry 22 points in a third quarter. First win in San Antonio since Harrison Barnes was 4 years old. Who knew that all of these would happen in just the first two games between the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs? Maybe just a small percentage. Maybe some of the ESPN analysts who predicted the Spurs would win the series might be feeling a little skeptical. Well maybe just not the single guy who picked the Warriors in 7.

Like I said, those are just two games. I repeat, two games.

What does game three hold for us basketball junkies?

Besides the infamous loud atmosphere of Oracle, now known as “Roaracle” by the Bay Area faithful, expect a very fact paced game. Expect the Spurs to look tired like they did near the end of game two. However, the teams are getting that extra day of rest. While it will benefit the aging Spurs, we cannot forget about Stephen Curry who needs the rest maybe just as bad.

58 minutes is what the three point machine played in game one followed by a game where he played every minute but a measly five. Curry is gassed and needs this rest. Scoring 44 in a double overtime game one took a lot out of him. With the Oracle crowd beaming though, do not expect to see Steph looking nothing short of spectacular in game three.

Three things to look out for: 
1. Parker vs Thompson, how will Parker overcome the surprising tough defense Klay has shown in the first two games?
2. Which Warriors player will join the breakout party after Curry had a big game one and Thompson had a big game two?
3. How will Gregg Popovich defend the Warriors on the road? Will he continue the Hack-a-Bogut? Will he double Curry yet have someone run back to help on Thompson?

Danny Green who has made 8 three pointers himself in the first two games is streaky and dangerous. With Thompson locking down Parker and primarily focusing on the crafty point guard, that is going to leave Curry on Green for the most part. With a few inch size difference, Green can shoot over the top of Curry and with the help defense on Parker as well, he can dish it back out to Green for those open shots. It did happen in game one; do not be surprised to see it again in game three.

Tim Duncan was bothered by the flu in game one, missing most of the fun in the fourth quarter and both overtimes; this rest will benefit him greatly as well. Many see Duncan as the best power forward of all-time, and this game could be an example of why. So many playoff games under Duncan’s belt that a tough game on the road won’t phase him as much as it did to the Warriors previous opponents, the Denver Nuggets. With some tough play from playoff leading rebounder, Andrew Bogut, Duncan might have a little more trouble than he expects. Especially with the Oracle crowd loud behind the Australian center.

We might not have seen as much outside basketball drama in this series compared to the previous Warriors/Nuggets one, but the basketball being played is making this series the most interesting in the semi-finals.  The Spurs know exactly what it takes to advance, while the Warriors have been looking young in a couple of games this post-season. Nonetheless, I expect the Warriors to rally behind their home crowd and come out on top in game three. 114-103.

How things have changed!

The Western Conference seems to be wide open, just one round in, with new and significant injuries to Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, Clippers forward Blake Griffin, and Warriors forward David Lee. Two of those three teams did find a way to advance, despite the misfortunes, while Griffin and the Clippers lost four consecutive games to a Grizzlies squad that had no problems playing tough, physical defense and pounding the ball inside.

We may not have seen any Game 7s in the Western Conference, but we were spoiled with three of four match-ups going six games. The Grizzlies and Clippers series was, without a doubt, the most physically-demanding, while the Rockets had a lot of Thunder fans concerned about going to Houston for Game 6. Warriors coach Mark Jackson wasn’t too happy with the opposition’s treatment of guard Stephen Curry, and in four games, the Spurs didn’t seem to be playing with injured starters after all.

The 1st round of games were possibly more entertaining than you and I could have predicted. However, the NBA Playoffs are only getting started, and the 2nd round starts Sunday.

#1 Oklahoma City Thunder (60-22) vs. #5 Memphis Grizzlies (56-26)

Offense versus defense. Fast-paced, uptempo scoring with a superstar player will match up against a slower halfcourt team that likes to capitalize off of their defensive stops and their inside-out game.

Against the Rockets, the Thunder struggled to put points on the board when forward Kevin Durant went cold from the floor, or while he was being denied the ball multiple possessions. Westbrook’s absence put pressure on forward Serge Ibaka and guard Kevin Martin to carry larger scoring roles, and both had trouble delivering at that magnitude, especially Martin, for most of the series.

With Memphis on deck, Oklahoma City will need to excel in two key areas: defending the Grizzlies’ big men, and knocking down perimeter shots. Durant’s biggest challenge of his career may not have been in the 2012 NBA Finals, but in a series against a Memphis team that can throw two exceptional defensive players at him, one being arguably the best perimeter defender in the league (guard Tony Allen) and the other an experienced, longer defender that still has the ability to make life tough for perimeter scorers (forward Tayshaun Prince).

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies will look to wear down the Thunder on the offensive end, as stated above, while forcing them to become a more physical team back on defense. Only one other team locks up the three-point line better than the Grizzlies, and they are the top team in opponent rebounding. Feeding the post will create open shots and easier opportunities at the rim, and in the regular season, it was guard Jerryd Bayless who led the team in scoring against the Thunder, not among the players you would expect.

With a healthy Westbrook, the Thunder would win this series in seven games. Unfortunately for the Thunder, guards Derek Fisher and Reggie Jackson won’t be able to duplicate the all-star play they desperately need at the guard position, and the Grizzlies should be able to advance to the Western Conference Finals in no more than six games.

#2 San Antonio Spurs (58-24) vs. #6 Golden State Warriors (47-35)

Are the Warriors the most exciting team in the league right now? Even in Oklahoma City, you may not be able to find a louder, rowdier crowd than what you see in Oracle Arena during the playoffs. In addition, I can only assume it doesn’t help when a player, like guard Jarrett Jack, is playing like an all-star out of nowhere. How would that be significant to the Warriors in this upcoming series against the Spurs? Let’s take a look at Jack’s playoff numbers in the 1st round series against the Nuggets.

18.8 PPG on 52.6% FG, 5.2 RPG, 7.0 APG

What if Jack produces those all-star numbers in the 2nd round? All things come with an explanation, though, because Jack’s two “bad” games of the series were the first and last: the only two games he did not start.

Let’s not forget guard Stephen Curry, who is out to prove he’s a legitimate all-star that should have been voted as such back in February. His 24-point, nine-assist average is combined with nearly 47 percent shooting, 43 percent from downtown, and a perfect 100 from the foul line (21-21).

As much as we know about the Warriors, we know even more about the Spurs, simply based on their history. Forward Tim Duncan and guards Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker have been winning games for so long, it makes all non-Spurs fans want to roll their eyes. Coach Gregg Popovich is one of the greatest to stand the sidelines in NBA history. San Antonio can dump the ball inside and give opposing smaller teams headaches, or they can frustrate the bigger teams with Parker pick and roll, and when all else fails, they call on forward Matt Bonner and their three-point marksmen to go on scoring runs from 25-feet out.

San Antonio is super-efficient, 2nd in the league in shooting percentage, and they pass the ball better than the other 29 teams in the NBA. They are a top three defense, and 7th-ranked offense, and even though the Warriors can run up the score when controlling the tempo, the Spurs may hold the keys to the Corvette most of the series. Expect them to defeat Golden State in five games. There’s no reason not to hand at least one game over to the Warriors, as they did steal one in overtime against a healthy Spurs team back in February, but needed a combined 55 points from Jack and forward David Lee (who will be playing injured) to get the job done.

Quick question: what is the best playoff record for a team winning an NBA championship?

Is it too early to talk about the Miami Heat claiming that spot this season? If you have no idea, and you’re guessing a team went undefeated, then no, you’re incorrect. The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers barreled their way into a 15-1 record on their way to their second of three consecutive championships. You’re probably saying, “Come on! That was Kobe and Shaq!” You’re right, two top 10 players in NBA history did team up and dominate for quite some time, but now we’re talking a season where dream scenarios aren’t exactly working out for any team in this conference other than Miami, and that’s an understatement, given the injury bug’s willingness to feast on some of the most important players in the postseason.

Still, the conference does have two stellar defensive teams remaining, in the Pacers and Bulls, and a Knicks team that can always make a series interesting if they catch fire from beyond the arc. As a wise man once said: “Nothing is impossible.” Yes, that wise man was Tracy McGrady, and as of last week, he is no longer a 1st round virgin (thanks to Kobe Bryant’s Achilles tendon).

Without further ado, your Eastern Conference 2nd round.

#1 Miami Heat (66-16) vs. #5 Chicago Bulls (45-37)

Enduring a list of injuries to a handful of their best players, the Chicago Bulls closed out the Brooklyn Nets in Game 7 on Saturday night. Quite frankly, I’m not sure how they came out of Brooklyn with a victory. The dismantled Bulls team was on the road, seventh and final game of the series, missing both forward Luol Deng and guard Kirk Hinrich, led by an injured center Joakim Noah, and their only true superstar — former MVP guard Derrick Rose — has been almost as valuable as their cheerleaders. The interesting factor, though, is that Chicago now has to fly to Miami and play a dominant team that has not only been at rest for over a week, but is also walking into a series with a jaw-dropping 41-2 record in their last 43 games.

I’ll let that soak in for a moment.

Last season, Chicago strolled into the playoffs with the top seed, for the second year in a row, but Rose’s ACL tear in his left knee ended all hopes of a deep playoff run. Fast forward to one year later, to a Bulls team that ended Miami’s outstanding 27-game winning streak without Rose on the court, meeting that same team in a best-of-four series. Fully healthy, it’s still unlikely that Chicago makes it happen, but things get very interesting with Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau game-planning for Heat forward LeBron James.

Chicago is a tough defensive team that just cannot find easy ways to score, aside from guard Nate Robinson having his way off Noah’s screens. They are 23rd in the NBA in Offensive Rating, not a great team shooting the ball, and their indecisiveness slows the game down so much, they only average a hair over 93 points per night, nearly dead last in the NBA.

On the other hand, Miami is a get-up-and-go team that can give you a little bit of everything on the offensive end. The Heat can ignite the break and beat you in transition, they can slow the game down and get to the foul line, and they have the ability to cook your defense from three-point land. Whether you stop them or not doesn’t have much value to it, though, if you can’t score, because the Heat will be sure to make life extra difficult trying to put points on the board.

As it stands, nobody knows how effective Deng and Hinrich will be when both are inserted back into the lineup (well, Bulls fans are crossing their fingers for Hinrich to heal up as soon as possible). We have no idea if Rose plans on making an elaborate return or not. It’s safe to say the Heat will run through the Bulls in five games, and the Chicago victory will depend heavily on the health of the team for one of the games in the United Center, nothing more.

#2 New York Knicks (54-28) vs. #3 Indiana Pacers (49-32)

We’re in for a great match-up between forwards Carmelo Anthony and Paul George. There are only a few guys who have defended Anthony better than George throughout his career, and this season, Carmelo is shooting just 37.9 percent against this Pacers team.

Consequently, the workload on the defensive end limits the offensive energy output we see from George, who already struggles to score the ball as a primary scoring option for the Pacers, thanks to forward Danny Granger’s injury. Indiana’s top-ranked defense does quite a number on teams, but back down the court, the Pacers run on simple, basic basketball to, undesirably, lower their offense into the bottom 10 of the league.

New York doesn’t stand out on the defensive end, ranked 18th in Defensive Rating and similar numbers when it comes to defending the three and all shots inside of the arc, but nobody fires more three-balls than these Knicks, and surprisingly, no team takes care of the ball better (ranked 1st in turnovers). Will they continue to connect the dots against this Pacers team, the one they defeated by double-digits in April, behind an up-and-coming Chris Copeland’s 20 points?

So far, Anthony has not impressed. In six games against Boston, he averaged almost 27 shots per game, at 38.1 percent from the floor, 26.5 percent from downtown. There is a major difference between forwards Paul Pierce and Jeff Green checking you, and George doing his best impersonation of Scottie Pippen to keep this series tight, which the Pacers should be able to accomplish if both George and center Roy Hibbert can knock down more shots without sacrificing too much effort and intensity on the defensive end.

These Knicks cannot lose their identity. They are a three-point shooting team that plays off of Anthony’s ability to attract extra defensive attention, using specialty defenders to solidify them as a team that has the potential to slow down your offense. The Pacers will need to grind out victories at home, and try to find a way to beat the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, something they haven’t done since March 2011. Indiana didn’t look pretty on the road against the Hawks, up until the Game 6 choke-job by Atlanta, and with their best defenders having to play heavy roles as offensive players, the Pacers will fight to discover productive pieces that will score the ball on the road.

However, it’s an interesting situation to see Carmelo responsible for those two big losses to the old Boston Celtics team that should have been swept, and if he continues to shoot his team out of games (and he will likely play that way for years to come), with George on him, this could be one of Anthony’s worst nightmares. In conclusion, I simply do not trust Carmelo, and I’m taking the Pacers, 4-2.

It’s no secret that most of these will be easy to predict, so instead of sharing who I feel will win, I’ve decided to point out who should take home each award.

There’s no better individual trophy than the one that reads, “Most Valuable Player,” so it’s only fitting that I begin with it.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: LEBRON JAMES, MIAMI HEAT

I feel I need to take time to define this award. The way I view it, votes should go to the best player in the league that leads a team winning 50 or more games. Is that how the league feels? Absolutely not, because as we know, players like Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, and Derrick Rose were not the overall best in the league when their names were etched into history.

If it is handed to the most valuable player to his team, you have to consider Kobe Bryant. Add a restriction of just 50-win teams, and Carmelo Anthony is your top candidate. All of this can be compared to the “Kobe and Shaq” effect, who possess a combined two MVP awards because, simply put, their dominance as a duo eliminated their votes as individual MVP candidates.

However, the MVP trophy should, and will, go to LeBron James, for many reasons. The Miami Heat did come away with the best record in the NBA, by six games, and also won the East over the New York Knicks by 12 games. The 27-game win streak, the efficiency, and the overall game can’t be ignored here, and while players like Kevin Durant and Chris Paul made things interesting, most will claim it’s not even a race.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: PAUL GEORGE, INDIANA PACERS

Generally, big man defensive anchors will get the nod here, so if I’m asked who I expected to win, I would have said Roy Hibbert.

Let’s pretend we’re done picking from the list of big men, though. The league’s elite perimeter defenders include Tony Allen, Avery Bradley, Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala, and a standout named Paul George. The easiest way I can explain this pick is by stating that the current Indiana Pacers squad is ranked in the top 10, of all time (eliminating lockout teams, because offensive and defensive numbers were haywire), among all defensive teams according to opponent field goal percentage. Not only did they hold opponents to an average of just 42 percent shooting, but they also limited them to a league-best 32.7 percent from beyond the arc. Those statistics compare to the 2008 Boston Celtics, who ended up winning the NBA championship that season.

The combination of George’s elite defense on perimeter players, and Hibbert’s presence in the paint, has propelled Indiana from 9th on the defensive end (last season) to 1st in many major defensive categories. Hibbert protects the paint, but George takes the toughest assignments night in and night out, and finds success against most.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: DAMIAN LILLARD, PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

There are only three other rookies in NBA history that have averaged 19+ points per game, 6.5+ assists per game, and 3+ rebounds per game: Oscar Robertson, Allen Iverson and Damon Stoudamire. Of course, those three all had better numbers than Lillard, in regards to points, rebounds and/or assists, but without a doubt, that’s good company for the Trail Blazers point guard to be in.

Portland’s final regular season record didn’t help his case at all, but the truth is, no other rookie came close to matching Lillard’s production, and aside from Harrison Barnes, all of the impressive rookies were on non-playoff teams. Lillard may have had this in the bag since that big 37-point performance against the Warriors in January.

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: J.R. SMITH, NEW YORK KNICKS

Smith’s contributions off the bench kept the Knicks contending in the Eastern Conference, and while he does show signs of reverting to his old, selfish ways from his time in Denver, Smith has played smarter basketball this season. He has had seven 30-plus point games this year (compared to Jamal Crawford’s one), including a 36-point performance against the Thunder, and a 35-point outing against Tony Allen and the Grizzlies.

Some will argue for Crawford and his jumpshot, but Smith does more on the floor, and he provides the level of play that could significantly help carry the Knicks through a playoff series when Carmelo Anthony is struggling. He may not be an all-star just yet, but Smith still has room for improvement, and this season is the best of his career.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE YEAR: NIKOLA VUCEVIC, ORLANDO MAGIC

Officially, Paul George has claimed this award, but Nikola Vucevic may have improved far more than anyone else in the NBA this season. Sure, increased minutes and roles will show improved statistics, but this goes for every player, including George. However, Vucevic found his way into the starting five, permanently, with a seven percent increase in shooting percentage and nearly doubling all of his stats across the board.

The difference between their teams, the Pacers and the Magic, are night and day in the standings, but based strictly on player improvement, it’s quite the task to find another player in this league that has improved more than Vucevic, in raw statistics or using the eye test.

COACH OF THE YEAR: GEORGE KARL, DENVER NUGGETS

This award was as easy to hand out as the MVP and ROY. George Karl’s superstar-less Denver Nuggets ran off a 24-4 record after All-Star Weekend, and were 38-3 overall at home. The Nuggets won their season series against the Thunder, Clippers, Lakers, Grizzlies, Bulls, Warriors, Rockets, and Pacers, while tying 2-2 with the Spurs. They also played their way into a 15-game winning streak starting late February.

Denver ended the regular season as the 5th best offensive team and the 11th best defensive team, with 57 total wins. Can you name another great team who flew under the radar as much as Karl’s Nuggets? Of course, the media should shed light on the players as well, but Karl’s ability to define established roles for Andre Iguodala, JaVale McGee, and still use Andre Miller effectively cannot go unnoticed.

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR: DARYL MOREY, HOUSTON ROCKETS

There are many executives who should be considered here, but regarding this season’s transactions, Daryl Morey may have paved the clearer road for his franchise as they threaten to topple the top-seed Oklahoma City Thunder this week. Houston has five team options this offseason, one being a very cheap option for Chandler Parsons (which they will pick up, without a doubt), and both Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik (who were prizes for outbidding other teams) are going to make just a little more than $5 million each. Why is this significant? After ripping James Harden away from the Thunder, and locking him into a five-year deal, Morey has a $38 million payroll this summer to work with, which could result in the signing of, say, Dwight Howard or Chris Paul.

Mitch Kupchak would have been a great pick here, but only if the Lakers had won their division and were one of the top seeds in the conference. Injuries to the team were contributed to both old age and offensive systems that likely overworked players on the court, and the lack of depth and young, legitimate NBA players on the roster did not help Kupchak’s case.

If Houston upsets the Thunder, it changes everything for the franchise. Free agents will feel they are the missing piece for the Rockets to contend, and Morey comes out smelling like roses for turning what seemed to be an abysmal, rookie-driven season into a 2-3 year plan that, suddenly, makes perfect sense.

Since the great Michael Jordan’s retirement, the Western Conference has won 10 of the last 14 NBA championships. Funny enough, nine of those 10 rings were won by two teams that will be pitted against each other in the 1st round: the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs, two former dynasties. While the Spurs still covet their winning trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, the Lakers are looking far different than what you saw during the Kobe and Shaq days.

In fact, a lot of our West playoff teams have made at least one change that significantly alters their offensive or defensive strategies of the past. You can even look at that Spurs team and notice that the players around the trio call for a quicker, uptempo game that revolves around Parker’s ability to get to the rim, and not as much on Duncan’s post play.

With changes come excitement, and excitement can generate the element of surprise. There’s nothing better than upsets in the NBA Playoffs, and this conference may deliver just that. Below are your four 1st round match-ups.

#1 Oklahoma City Thunder (60-22) vs. #8 Houston Rockets (45-37)

Game 1 @Oklahoma City: Sunday, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 @Oklahoma City: Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Houston: April 27, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 @Houston: April 29
Game 5 @Oklahoma City: May 1
Game 6 @Houston: May 3
Game 7 @Oklahoma City: May 5

Truthfully, the Rockets may have wanted to avoid the Thunder. It took a massive 46-point game from James Harden to top them back in February, but in their other two meetings, Oklahoma City defeated the Rockets by 30 points (in Houston) and 22 points (in OKC) as if they were playing games of NBA 2K13 with default sliders.

Speaking of video games, does Russell Westbrook’s athleticism remind you of players in NBA Jam: Tournament Edition?

Over the last few months, I’ve been shrugging my shoulders at Westbrook, wondering why he’s attempting more shots than Kevin Durant, who is obviously the more effective, efficient scorer. This won’t be a devastating issue against a Rockets team that has nobody to stick on Russ, but down the line, things may change. Aside from the star power, these Thunder boast offensive and defensive ratings of 1st and 4th, respectively, and while they would probably love to reverse the James Harden trade they made before the start of the season, they know he’s not capable of beating Oklahoma City all by himself in a playoff series, and I can’t see Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin providing him with enough help to get the job done. The Thunder will hand out a sweep, 4-0, unless Harden dishes out another 45+ point game to steal a win.

#2 San Antonio Spurs (58-24) vs. #7 Los Angeles Lakers (45-37)

Game 1 @San Antonio: Sunday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2 @San Antonio: Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Los Angeles: April 26, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 @Los Angeles: April 28, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 @San Antonio: April 30,
Game 6 @Los Angeles: May 2
Game 7 @San Antonio: May 4

This will be an interesting series between two teams overcoming injuries throughout the season. The star-studded lineup of Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash and Ron Artest played a combined seven games together. For Laker fans, that’s a hard pill to swallow, but Spurs fans are seeing their team suffer at the wrong time. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are both nursing injuries that have clearly changed the way they play, and Boris Diaw just had back surgery. Stephen Jackson, who stretches the floor and defends well, was waived from the team days ago.

The big question is, can a Howard-led Lakers team defeat a Duncan-led Spurs team? While Parker will still be on the court, Bryant is done until at least October, so it will be up to the two big men to pound the ball inside and anchor their squad’s defense. In their last 10 games, the Spurs are just 3-7, including a loss to the Kobe-less, Nash-less Lakers on Sunday. Meanwhile, LA has won eight of their last 10 games, with a 17-2 home record since January 25th.

A fully-healthy Spurs team sweeps, especially without Bryant saving the day. The Parker and Ginobili injuries, and missing Diaw and Jackson, could be the combination of punches that end the Spurs’ season. The Lakers wanted this series, badly, and they’ll win it in a hard-fought six games, 4-2.

#3 Denver Nuggets (57-25) vs. #6 Golden State Warriors (47-35)

Game 1 @Denver: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 @Denver: Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Golden State: April 26, 10:30 p.m. ESPN2
Game 4 @Golden State: April 28, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 @Denver: April 30
Game 6 @Golden State: May 2
Game 7 @Denver: May 4

Could this be another upset? Nobody plays faster basketball than the Nuggets, but the Warriors won’t have any issues testing it. With a rejuvenated Stephen Curry, who has been on a tear in the month of April, Golden State has the firepower to stick around in a seven-game series, while Denver has lost a nice chunk of their offense in Danilo Gallinari, while crossing their fingers and hoping that injured Kenneth Faried and Timofey Mozgov will be able to give them productive minutes in the 1st round.

One thing to watch for will be how Denver defends the three-point line. All season long, the Nuggets have struggled closing out on perimeter shooters, giving up a 36.3 percent opponent shooting percentage from downtown. That’s music to Curry’s ears, who broke Ray Allen’s three-point record (most makes in a season), and the entire Warriors roster, the best three-point shooting team in the NBA (at a combined 40.3 percent). How will these Nuggets cool off the Warriors, once they start viewing the basket as a circle the size of a swimming pool?

Denver is a powerful home team, and arguably the best Western Conference team since the All-Star break, but losing Gallinari will sting, and a bad match-up doesn’t make things any easier. Curry, and a pair of sturdy ankles, will get the job done against the Nuggets up until a Game 7 in Denver, where George Karl’s men are a mind-blowing 38-3. The Nuggets will advance in seven games.

#4 Los Angeles Clippers (56-26) vs. #5 Memphis Grizzlies (56-26)

Game 1 @Los Angeles: Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 @Los Angeles: Monday, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Memphis: April 25, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4 @Memphis: April 27, 4:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 5 @Los Angeles: April 30
Game 6 @Memphis: May 3
Game 7 @Los Angeles: May 5

How many fans realize the Memphis Grizzlies are the second-best defensive team in the NBA? How many remember the Clippers beating them in the playoffs last season, 4-3? The Grizzlies have changed a bit after dealing Rudy Gay to Toronto, looking towards building a team based heavily on their defensive play. Marc Gasol, Tony Allen, Mike Conley, Tayshaun Prince and Ed Davis are outstanding on the court together, the big reason why offensively-injected teams feel intimidated when they have a date with Memphis on the NBA calendar.

The Clippers won’t slouch, though. A top-five offense, these birds operate in the air, running an uptempo offense that relies on pick-and-roll and getting out on the break. No point guard in the NBA does it better than Chris Paul, and support from Blake Griffin, Caron Butler, DeAndre Jordan and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jamal Crawford only adds to the fun he has bringing the ball up the court.

The game changer could be Memphis’ ability to crash the offensive glass. though, and like a lot of great defensive teams, they have the specialty defensive players who target superstar-caliber play. Without Gay playing selfishly and being a liability back on the defensive end, the Grizzlies will look to slow the game down drastically (30th in Pace), lock down the perimeter, and force the Clippers to beat them with Griffin shooting jumpers and Paul hurling contested shots at the rim off drives that, surprisingly, leave few players open, and Memphis will take the series, 4-3.

For years, the Eastern Conference has been tagged as the weaker of the two conferences in the NBA, and possibly for good reason. This season, the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks were the only two teams to win 50 or more games, with Miami winning the conference by a staggering 12 victories. Compare that to the West, who presented fans with five teams with 56-60 wins, the lowest seed (the Houston Rockets) with 45.

The 5th-seeded Chicago Bulls, with 45 wins, may have been a lottery team if they were out in the West.

Unfortunately, injuries started to pile up among some of the top East teams. Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, Danny Granger, and Amare Stoudemire are big names who will either miss the playoffs entirely (Rondo, Granger) or that could return to their team after possibly missing a few postseason games (Rose and Stoudemire).

Regardless, injuries are part of the game, and nothing will delay what could be an interesting first round of games, so let’s dip our hands into the match-ups.

#1 Miami Heat (66-16) vs. #8 Milwaukee Bucks (38-44)

Game 1 @Miami: Sunday, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 @Miami: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3 @Milwaukee: April 25, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 4 @Milwaukee: April 28, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5 @Miami: April 30
Game 6 @Milwaukee: May 2
Game 7 @Miami: May 4

Despite Bucks guard Brandon Jennings’ comments predicting a series win, there truly is no reason to think the Heat won’t sweep the Bucks. Here’s what we know: Milwaukee shoots more shots than any other team in the NBA, ranked 1st in field goal attempts. How can this be viewed as a negative? Their shooting percentage is only 43.5 percent, 28th in the league. This is fantastic news for the Heat, who are one of the better teams in the NBA in defensive field goal percentage.

Miami will push the tempo, and Milwaukee may not have a problem with that, as they are one of the fastest teams you can find, but when the smoke clears, the Heat will not fizzle out against a Bucks team that doesn’t necessarily have the superstar power to stop the “Big Three” at the other end of the court. Once Miami begins firing from the perimeter, with the likes of Ray Allen, Shane Battier, and Mario Chalmers, you could see a few blowouts in the making.

Miami should sweep the Bucks, in contender fashion, 4-0.

#2 New York Knicks (54-28) vs. #7 Boston Celtics (41-40)

Game 1 @New York: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2 @New York: Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Boston: April 26, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 @Boston: April 28, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5 @New York: May 1
Game 6 @Boston: May 3
Game 7 @New York: May 5

Two years ago, in 2011, the Knicks fell to the Celtics in the 1st round, 4-0. Both Anthony and Stoudemire shot 38 percent from the floor, Chauncey Billups missed three of the four games, and the Knicks didn’t stand a chance. Lucky for us, this series will be a bit more exciting.

Boston enters the playoffs without Rondo, as mentioned earlier, but when their star point guard was forced to wear a suit every game, Boston rallied to win seven consecutive. The 21-17 finish to the season had a lot to do with injuries to Kevin Garnett, Jeff Green and Paul Pierce, so in short, you’re looking at a series that contains quite a few hobbled players. With no Stoudemire and injuries to Tyson Chandler, Pablo Prigioni, Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin, the Knicks have their own issues to deal with.

The Celtics can still defend, but they are one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA. The high-powered Knicks offense, led by Anthony (who won this year’s scoring title), should walk out of this series with a 4-2 victory, although seven games won’t be a reach if the Celtics defend the perimeter well (4th in the league in opponent three-point percentage).

#3 Indiana Pacers (49-32) vs. #6 Atlanta Hawks (44-38)

Game 1 @Indiana: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 2 @Indiana: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 3 @Atlanta: April 27, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 4 @Atlanta: April 29
Game 5 @Indiana: May 1
Game 6 @Atlanta: May 3
Game 7 @Indiana: May 5

This needs to be said: historically, leaving out any lockout seasons, only nine other teams have had a better opponent field goal percentage than the Indiana Pacers, who are at 42 percent. Just nine. Ending the season as the best defensive team in 2013, and one of the best of all-time according to the statistic just mentioned, was overshadowed by their struggles to score the ball. However, if you’re getting that many stops on the defensive end, scoring 90-95 points will most likely be enough to win comfortably, and that’s what the Pacers bring to the table.

Atlanta doesn’t seem to be a dangerous squad this year, but the trio of Josh Smith, Al Horford, and Ivan Johnson do defend well enough to place their team in the top 10, defensively, and these particular Hawks have absolutely no problem hoisting threes to close gaps or increase leads, especially with Kyle Korver on the floor. Only one team in the NBA throws more assists per game than Atlanta, also.

Don’t be surprised to see the Pacers lock down the Hawks in this series, even though you could see a barrage of threes put up against Indiana. Roy Hibbert is a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, and Paul George has more than made up for what Granger would supply on that end of the floor. Indiana could wrap this up in six games, 4-2.

#4 Brooklyn Nets (49-33) vs. #5 Chicago Bulls (45-37)

Game 1 @Brooklyn: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2 @Brooklyn: Monday, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Game 3 @Chicago: April 25, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Game 4 @Chicago: April 27, 2 p.m., TNT
Game 5 @Brooklyn: April 29
Game 6 @Chicago: May 2
Game 7 @Brooklyn: May 4

Will Rose return to play the Nets in this 1st round series? There’s no doubt the Bulls could use the extra scoring and facilitating, but defensively, they will always be a nuisance, and that’s what these Nets are not looking forward to. It’s only convenient that Chicago has collected the defensive talent in Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich, to slow down the likes of Brook Lopez, Joe Johnson and Deron Williams.

Brooklyn does play a slow game, and you’ll find that they do get caught up in isolations quite often, which only puts a smile on Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau’s face. They also tend to foul a lot, most of the time to stop breaks or easy buckets at the rim, but that’s common for a team that doesn’t exactly play the defense they seem to be capable of.

With Noah gimpy, there’s a part of me that wants to call this a seven-game series—so I’ll do just that. Chicago has the means to “cut down” the Nets in seven, though, as long as their defensive anchor (Noah) is out on the floor and active. If Rose returns, it could be over in five.

Yahoo! Sports NBA columnist Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari may have a torn ACL after his injury against the Dallas Mavericks Thursday night.

Initial exam suggests likely torn ACL for Denver’s Danilo Gallinari, source tells Y! “Ligament was loose,” source says. MRI Friday.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) April 5, 2013

Typically, an ACL tear will result in approximately 8-12 months of downtime for that particular player, so it comes as no surprise that many Denver fans are already prepping for a playoff run without Gallinari’s services.

Denver is the fifth-best offensive team in the NBA, according to Offensive Rating (points per 100 possessions). Led by Gallinari and guard Ty Lawson, the Nuggets rely on an uptempo offense that pushes for unstoppable transition play, matched with adequate ball-movement (third in assists) and good shot selection (fourth in shooting percentage, bottom half of the league in three pointers attempted).

While Denver loses a player who gives them 16 points and five rebounds per game, he’s also a low-percentage shooter (under 42 percent) that attempts over five threes a night, and one that isn’t known for being a facilitator.

Currently, the Nuggets are 52-24, the third seed in the Western Conference, two wins in front of the Los Angeles Clippers and three wins from the second-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. Denver has won 18 of their last 20 games, arguably the best team in the West during the second half of the season.

As we approach the last two weeks of the NBA regular season, we are starting to see major storylines develop.  Over the years, no part of the regular season has been more exciting than the closing weeks, where over half of the league fights for a playoff spot, a higher seeding, and/or sometimes, strategically rests to avoid a particular bad match-up.

In the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat have locked in the top seed (seems like this was done months ago), and most fans are left wondering who will fall into the 8th and final seed heading into the playoffs.  The Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics aren’t necessarily safe from a first-round match-up with the defending champion Heat just yet, but one question does stir the pot a bit: are there a couple of teams who would rather play Miami right off the bat?  After all, it was Chicago who ended the Heat’s 27-game winning streak just nights ago, a Bulls squad that tackled the record-seeking Miami team without Derrick Rose (who has been out all season long), Joakim Noah, Marco Belinelli or Rip Hamilton.

Boston nearly tripped the Heat during the streak as well, and may have succeeded with Kevin Garnett in the lineup (who missed the game due to injury).  Jeff Green played like a man possessed that night, and LeBron James and Co. needed a 17-point comeback to eventually disarm the Celtics.

Sneaking back into contention are the New York Knicks, who are currently on a nine-game winning streak, finally regaining the second seed after overlapping the Indiana Pacers, who are also running a win streak of their own (five games).

The Western Conference may be the most exciting of the two, though.  While the East has nearly established their eight playoff teams, the West has an intriguing battle brewing between the Utah Jazz, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks.  Utah has pulled away with five consecutive wins to take the eighth spot, possibly temporarily, as they hold the tie-breaker against the Lakers, who are now 2.5 games up on the Mavericks after their win against them last night.

The Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Memphis Grizzlies have fallen into a particularly interesting situation.  Much like you’re seeing with the Heat, teams are wanting to avoid the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs, depending on the style of play and size of the team.  Memphis wouldn’t mind a rematch against the older, more experienced Spurs, and after proving they could run with the Thunder, the Nuggets may be in favor of that second round series.  Meanwhile, the Clippers lost all three games against the Thunder this season, and after cooling off in 2013, their best bet to land them a spot in the Western Conference Finals would be to run into the Spurs.

Are the Lakers the most dangerous lower-seeded team in the playoffs?  It’s debatable.  Teams with a returning star or superstar player (the Bulls with Rose, the Celtics with Garnett) can make things complicated for any top four seed, while a team like the Lakers, which contains two superstars and two capable star role players, can win a series based on talent and drive alone.

Are there any clear upsets in the first round?  It’s tough to say, but the Golden State Warriors didn’t have a lot of trouble with the Clippers this year, and there’s still a chance we see that series play out.  A series featuring the Celtics and Knicks could be one of the better match-ups of the round, as well as the Bulls and Pacers (both defensive monsters).

Two weeks, and the regular season is over.  Fortunately, the excitement doesn’t end there, and we could very well see a playoff run for the ages.  Win or go home.

Louisville’s Kevin Ware may be faced with a similar situation.

Against the Duke Blue Devils in the Midwest Regional Finals, Ware suffered a broken leg on a block attempt, as he closed out on the shooter a bit too late.

The video is below, but please keep in mind that the injury was bad enough to be exempt from the halftime show.

After the injury, an emotional Louisville team seemed to elevate their game, eventually defeating a stunned Duke team, 85-63.

Reports later in the night revealed that Ware had undergone a successful surgery, and may travel to Atlanta (his hometown) to watch his Cardinals play the surging Wichita State for one of two spots in the championship game next Monday.

When it comes to scoring buckets, there are only three players ahead of Kobe Bryant: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, and Michael Jordan.

On Saturday night, against the Sacramento Kings, Bryant slipped past Wilt Chamberlain’s 31,419-point mark, and currently sits fourth on that illustrious list of all-time dominant scorers.

The big question is, have we seen a better scorer than Kobe?

While all three above him proved to be more efficient scorers, it’s difficult to claim that those three legends could score as many ways as Bryant.  Jordan eventually added three-point range to his jumper, but over a course of a single season, MJ was reluctant to take defended threes, and no backcourt player in NBA history has been defended as heavily as Bryant has (and before you give me the “hand-checking” excuse, please understand that zone defenses are designed to stop the superstar, and any scorer with no bias will tell you they are far tougher to play against).  Malone had range for a power forward, and played pick and roll basketball with a top three point guard of all time (John Stockton) for the beef of his career.  Kareem fed off of Showtime the last decade of his career, and he was a giant among smaller, less athletic players back in the 70s.  You don’t believe that statement?  When was the last time you saw a big man average 20 rebounds per game?  How often did it occur before the 1980s?

The best part about a debate is speculation.  How would a prime Kareem fare against a 350-pound Shaquille O’Neal during the 2000-02 dynasty?  If Jordan had so much trouble against Gary Payton in the 1996 NBA Finals, despite being the MVP of the league and still putting up 30 points a night, what would his performances look like against a 2008 Boston Celtics team that featured Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen, James Posey, and Kendrick Perkins as defensive players?

Analysts love raw numbers.  Six is greater than five, 50% from the floor is greater than 45%, and…well, you get the picture.  How about defensive numbers?  Among the ten greatest defensive teams in the history of the game, according to opponent FG% (basically, how poorly opponents shoot the ball against a particular team), the top 12 are ALL post-Jordan, and that’s removing the teams from the 50-game 1998-99 season, because offensive numbers were reckless across the board that year.  The Spurs squads, the 2004 Rockets, 2004 Wolves, 2008 Celtics, and the 2004 Pistons were among those 12 teams, all seeing Kobe in the playoffs, all geared to stop him from scoring the ball with what you could consider the Jordan Rules (using multiple types of defenders throughout the game, different defensive strategies to throw him off).  Of course, you have to consider the zone defense.

Why not argue against Kobe as the greatest scorer of all time?  He’s still less efficient than Jordan, Wilt, and Kareem (the other three that should be included in the “Mount Rushmore” of scorers).  He is currently in his 17th NBA season (and is this actually a bad thing?), possibly reaching Kareem’s longevity before it’s all said and done.

What we do know, for certain, is that Bryant is clawing his way up the list, and he’s doing it at a rate unexpected by most, at an average of 27.2 PPG this season.  It doesn’t help him, at all, that he was apparently held back by Del Harris his first two seasons in the NBA, and suffered through two lockout seasons (his third season being just 50 games).  Championships matter most, but Bryant had to share the ball with another major ball hog in Shaquille O’Neal for the first eight seasons of his career (yes, Shaq was a ball hog, just like Kobe, Jordan, and Wilt).

Ultimately, a player’s career will be defined by how many championships he has on his fingers.  Bryant will always dig for another to add to his collection, but in the meantime, surpassing legends in major statistical categories will have to do, and next on the radar is none other than the greatest of all time, Michael Jordan.