J-Speaks: 2017 NBA Playoff Preview

The 2016-17 National Basketball Association (NBA) Campaign was one of the very best regular seasons in a long time. An NBA record 13 players averaged 25 points or more. There 116 triple-doubles recorded, with a single-season record 42 of them coming from the lead guard of the Oklahoma City Thunder and another 22 coming from a former teammate of his, who is also a leading candidate for MVP. The No. 3 Seed in the West made a single-season record 1,181 three-pointers this season and the Top two teams in the West combined for 128 wins. Now with the regular season in the rearview mirror, the NBA’s second season, the 2017 Playoffs begin this weekend. Here is a preview and predictions of all eight Quarterfinal matchups.

Abbreviation Key: ppg: points per game; rpg: rebounds per game; spg: steals per game; bpg: blocks per game; FG%: field goal percentage; 3-Pt.%: three-point percentage; FT%: free throw percentage; T-tied.

Eastern Conference

(1)   Boston Celtics versus (8) Chicago Bulls

        (53-29)                          (41-41)

-Season series tied 2-2.  

Eight years ago, the then defending NBA champion Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls met in what became one of the most epic Quarterfinal series in NBA playoff history that featured four games went to overtime and a total of seven overtimes took place. The C’s won the series in seven games. The two teams in a familiar scenario meet again in the opening round for the fifth time.

While the Celtics, who have defeated the Bulls the prior four times they met in the playoffs are in a familiar territory as the No. 1 for the first time since they won their 17^th title in 2008, thanks to a 112-94 win in their final game of the season versus the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, the boys from “Beantown” are the young up and comers with a rising star, and the Bulls are the ones with three top players that have been playoff tested.

The Celtics reached the No. 1 Seed for the first time since their last title season in 2008, thanks to the continued emergence of their two-time All-Star lead guard Isaiah Thomas, whose 28.9 scoring average was not just No. 3 in the league this regular season, only Hall of Famer and three-time NBA champion with the C’s Larry Bird had a better average of 29.9 points in the 1987-88 campaign.

Thomas also had career-highs in field-goal percentage (46.3); free-throw percentage (90.9) three-point percentage at (37.9); averaged 5.9 assists and led the NBA in scoring average in the fourth quarter at 9.7.

To put an even better perspective on what the 60^th and final pick in the 2011 draft did in the regular season, he had 43 straight games of scoring 20 points or more, beating the record set by Hall of Famer John Havlicek at 42 and he had 73 games where he registered 20 points or more total.

Unlike the past two seasons, there is pressure on the Atlantic Division champion Celtics and Coach of the Year candidate in Brad Stevens to make some noise in the playoffs having clinched the top seed in the East, and doing so with the least number of total wins for a top seed in a Conference in a decade.

This time around though, he has center Al Horford (14.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 5.0 apg-career-high, 47.3 FG%, 35.5 3-Pt.%) to hopefully provide a consistent scoring presence in the paint and guard Avery Bradley (16.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 46.3 FG%, 39.0 3-Pt.%), who missed the playoffs a season ago because of injury and missed 27 games because of injury/illness this season, but to provide perimeter scoring and tough defense.

“I’ve never been a No. 1 Seed. So, it’s definitely something that I’m excited about, but once you get into the playoffs, the seeding kind goes out the window,” Thomas, who had 13 points and eight assists versus the Bucks said to reporters after the game. “You got to take care of business and be locked in from the jump.”

That task will be tough for Thomas as it was revealed that his 22-year-old sister Chyna Thomas was killed in a one car crash in his hometown of Washington State early Saturday morning.

According to a police report, Chyna passed away at the scene of the accident after her car slid off the highway and struck a pole at around 5 a.m. The report also said that she was not wearing a seat belt.

"We are terribly saddened by the tragic loss of Chyna Thomas. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Celtics organization are with Isaiah and his family."

All indications from the Celtics as it was reported by A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast SportsNet New England that Thomas will play in Game 1 of the series on Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. on TNT.

Their opponent the Chicago Bulls have dealt with a lot both on the court and in the locker, room this season.

The team of three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade (18.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.8 apg), a Chicago native, and fellow All-Stars Rajon Rondo (7.8 ppg, 6.7 apg-Led team, 5.1 rpg) and Jimmy Butler (23.9 ppg-Led team, 6.2 apg, 5.5 rpg, 1.9 spg-5^th NBA, 45.5 FG%, 36.7 3-Pt.%), the thought was that the Bulls could pose a threat to the Cavs in the East.

The Bulls instead were plagued by inconsistent play. The in ability of their young players to raise their level of play to match the three All-Stars and that the front office and head coach Fred Hoiberg were not on the same page for a lot of this season.

When the team traded veteran forward Taj Gibson and sharp shooter Doug McDermott at the trade deadline, it seemed like the Bulls were giving up on the season and an elbow injury to Wade in the Bulls 98-91 loss versus the Memphis Grizzlies on Mar. 15 seemed to end his season.

The Bulls managed to go 7-4 without Wade and put themselves I a positon to make the postseason. Wade did comeback and the Bulls managed to outlast the Miami Heat (41-41) by winning their final two games of the season by an average of 43 points to garner the No. 8 and final playoff spot.

What gives the Bulls confidence in this series is the fact that they won both their home tilts versus the Celtics this season (105-99 on Oct. 27, 2016; 104-103 on Feb. 16) and outside from a 100-80 setback to them on Mar. 12, the first three contest were decided by a total of 14 points.

The Bulls are good in one area where the C’s are not, rebounding. They are ranked No. 3 in the league in rebound differential at a +3.1 in the regular season. They were tied for first in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game at 12.2; averaged 15.0 offensive boards against the Celtics during the regular season, and they led the NBA in second chance points per contest at 15.

The Celtics ranked 27 in rebounds differential at -2.5, but in their two home wins this season versus the Bulls, the C’s kept up with the Bulls on the glass with both squads totaling 25 second chance points.

In their 100-80 victory in Boston, MA on Mar. 12, the Celtics were a plus-10 (56-46) on the boards and they were even on offensive boards at 12.

The trio of Wade, Rondo and Butler having played 166, 94 and 32 playoff games respectably and know what this time of the year means and the challenge that stands before them in the Celtics.

“That’s a very good team over there. There very well coached. They know how to play the game,” Wade, who was 102-64 in the postseason with the Heat said on Wednesday.

“The four games we played them, it was some good things that happened there. So, our guys are going to have confidence.”

“We’ve played very well in games versus the best teams this year and we have confidence and our young guys have confidence going into that. We look at it like it’s Boston versus Chicago and we got to go in there and try to win some games and try to come out of this series and move to the next one.”

This series comes down to can the Bulls contain Thomas, who last season’s opening round versus the Hawks totaled 75 points, on just 24 for 72 (33.3 percent) from the floor, including 6 for 28 from three-point range (21.4 percent)?

That task, will go to Rondo, who will be trying to stick it to his old team, Jerian Grant, and Michael Carter-Williams.  

Will the likes of Jae Crowder (13.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 46.3 FG%, 39.8 3-Pt.%), Marcus Smart (10.6 ppg, career-high, 3.9 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.6 spg-Led team), rookie Jaylen Brown (6.6 ppg), Kelly Olynyk (9.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 51.2 FG%, 35.4 3-Pt.%), Amir Johnson (6.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg), Gerald Green and Terry Rozier make plays and shots when called upon?

Can Grant, Carter-Williams (6.6 ppg), Bobby Portis (6.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg), Robin Lopez (10.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 49.3 FG%), Nikola Mirotic (10.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 34.2 3-Pt.%) do the same?  

NBA on TNT studio analyst and two-time champion with the Houston Rockets in the middle of the 1990s Kenny "The Jet" Smith has said that the regular season is where you make your name. The playoffs is where you make your fame. That is what the Celtics will try to do this postseason, especially Thomas and coach Stevens, who respects and accepts the challenge his team has of breaking through this postseason.

“There’s a great responsibility of the professional sports teams to play the right way and I’ve always looked at that as a huge positive,” Stevens, whose record in the postseason is 2-8 said. “I’ve never seen that as pressure because any team I’m associated with as a coach and I want think our players feel the same way. We want to be viewed as a group of people coming together for a common cause that plays hard.”

Prediction: Celtics win series in six games.

          (4) Washington Wizards versus (5) Atlanta Hawks

                              (49-33)                                 (43-39)

-Wizards won season series 3-1.

We have a rematch of the 2015 East Semifinals where it was it was the Hawks that were Southeast Division champions and the Wizards who were the up and coming bunch. TIn their sixth all-time postseason tilt, it’s the Wizards that enter as the Southeast Division champions, who are title contender and the Hawks trying to end those dreams.

The Wizards under new head coach Scott Brooks got off to a rough start this season at 2-8 and All-Star guard John Wall was trying to round into form after double-knee surgery in the off-season.

The boys from the nation’s capital hit their stride back in February when they won 17-consecutive games at Verizon Center and finished with a 30-11 record at home, tied with the Celtics for the second-best in the East as well as tied for the third best record overall in the league.

Behind Wall’s career-high averages of 23.1 points (Led team), 10.7 assists (2^nd NBA), 2.0 steals (2^nd NBA) and 45.1 percent from the field, and was third among guards with 50 double-doubles (7^th NBA), the Wizards won their first division title since 1978-79 and garnered their most regular season wins as well.

To put that into perspective, that season when the then defending NBA champion Bullets won 54 games and captured the Atlantic Division. They lost to the then Seattle Supersonics in the NBA Finals 4-1.

Wall’s sidekick Bradley Beal played a career-best 77 games this season and posted career-highs of 23.1 points, 3.5 assists per contest on 48.2 percent from the floor and shot 40.4 percent from three-point range.

The Wizards also got solid play from forwards Markieff Morris (14.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 45.7 FG%, 36.2 3-Pt.%) and Otto Porter, Jr. (13.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.5 spg, 51.6 FG%, 43.3 3-Pt.%-5^th NBA), who are a big reason the Wizards finished tied for eighth in three-point percentage in the regular season at 37.2.

The team has also got solid play in the middle from center Marcin Gortat (10.8 ppg, 10.4 rpg-Led team, 57.9 FG%-5^th NBA), who will be even more important as his backup Ian Mahinmi (5.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg), who played in just 31 games because of injury will be shelved to start this series because of a strained left calf. He will be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days.

The acquisition of Bojan Bogdanovic (13.7 ppg, 44.5 FG%, 36.7 3-Pt.%) from the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline, gave the Wizards the offensive sniper off the bench they were lacking and the pickup of guard Brandon Jennings off the waiver wire back in late March gave the Wizards the understudy to Wall that fits perfectly.

The also took the pressure off the likes of Kelly Oubre and Jr. Jason Smith to, who can contribute in small spirts, which is more of a fit for them.

The Hawks season can be described from the legend of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde.

They got off to a 9-2 start. Proceeded to go 28-34 up to Mar. 26, which included their second seven-game losing streak of this season. They did manage to win six of their final nine games, which included a victory over the No. 1 Seeded Celtics and two wins over the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. 

The Hawks lost seven in a row and nine of 11 games from Mar. 18 to Apr. 6 and during that time they were without their top scorer and second-leading rebounder in All-Star forward Paul Millsap (3.7 apg, 44.2 FG%) at 18.1 and 7.7 respectably was shelved because of a knee issue. They were also without two of their best perimeter players because of injury in Thabo Sefolosha (7.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 34.2 3-Pt.%) and Kent Bazemore (11.0 ppg, 34.6 3-Pt.%).

All three of those players came back near the close of the season and the Hawks managed to reach the postseason for a 10^th straight season, the longest active streak in East.

The main key to this series is can the Hawks contain Wall, who held him to 18.5 points, 8.8 assists on 32.9 percent shooting in the four games and forced him into an average of 3.8 turnovers per game.

“Their guard play is excellent,” Hawks’ center Dwight Howard said of Wall and Beal. “For us, we got to do a good job of trying to contain John Wall and Bradley Beal. Just make them take tough shots. We don’t want to get Bradley Beal going and then on the offensive end, we just got to do what we do best. Pound the ball inside. Hit our threes and move the ball well.”

That will be the job of the Hawks starting lead guard Dennis Schroder (17.9 ppg-career-high, 45.1 FG%, 6.3 apg), who in his first season as the full-time starter had some good moments, as well as Sefolosha.

They Hawks will also need Tim Hardaway, Jr. (14.5 ppg, 45.5 FG%, 35.7 3-Pt.%), who really came on at the end of the season with averages of 18.3 and 18.2 scoring averages in March, Bazemore to shoot the ball better from the field than the 40.9 percent he averaged. Not to mentioned strong play from Jose Calderon; rookies Taurean Prince, who averaged 10.4 points per game in April and Malcolm Delaney, Ersan Ilyasova (13.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 35.3 3-Pt.%) and Mike Muscala (6.2 ppg, 50.4 FG%, 41.8 3-Pt.%).

Center Dwight Howard (13.5 ppg, 12.7 rpg-5^th NBA, 63.3 FG%-5^th NBA), who finished sixth in the league with 53 double-doubles and Millsap must be a presence in the paint on both ends and get the Wizards’ Gortat and Morris in foul trouble.

Whoever dictates the tempo of each game will have the greatest chance of winning the series. For the Wizards, they want to keep the speed high, especially with Wall, who at times can be a one-man fast break.

The Hawks and head coach Mike Budenholzer wants to keep the pace slow and have his team rely on ball movement and man movement, especially in the half court.

During the regular season, the Hawks ranked a solid 10^th in assists per game at 23.6, but they were No. 2 last season at 25.6, and the year prior at 25.7. Unlike those two seasons though, the Hawks ranked high in committing miscues this season averaging 15.2 turnovers per game, which ranked 28^th in “The Association.”

If the Hawks are lazy with the ball, that will fuel the Wizards high octane offense and fast breaks will come in waves.

If they can keep the tempo down and pound the ball inside, they have a chance, especially if the game is close. The Hawks were 26-18 in games that were within five points in the final five minutes.

The Wizards though are no stranger to close games this season as they were 32-23 in games within five points in the final five minutes.

This series also represents a chance of redemption for the Wizards, who lost to the Hawks in the Semis two seasons back in six games and Wall broke his hand missing the middle four games of the series.

The team is confident and more mature now to take the challenge of being the favorite, especially hosting their first home playoff game since the previously mentioned 1978-79 team led by Hall of Famers Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld. They will look to beat the Hawks in the postseason for the fourth time in six opportunities.

Prediction: Wizards win series in six games.

(2)   Cleveland Cavaliers versus (7) Indiana Pacers

            (51-31)                                 (42-40)

-Cavaliers won season series 3-1.

This opening round matchup represents the defending NBA champions and their challengers who are both coming off underachieving seasons.

The defending champions have dealt with injuries to key players like All-Star Kevin Love (19.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 37.3 3-Pt.%), J.R. Smith (8.6 ppg, 35.1 3-Pt.%), integrating the like Deron Williams (11.0 ppg, 5.6 apg, 36.3 3-Pt.%), Derrick Williams, and Kyle Korver (10.1 ppg, 46.4 FG%, 45.1 3-Pt.%-2^nd NBA) into their program during the season and their play at the defensive end of the court has been awful.

They went from being 40-16 on Feb. 23, on the night of the trading deadline Feb. 23 to 11-15 after that and were overtaken by the Celtics for the No. 1 Seed in the East.

Most teams, that go from having home court at least until The Finals to having to start the Conference Finals on the road would have some doubt, but not the Cavs and for sure not the four-time MVP and three-time Finals MVP LeBron James., whose team will be the No. 2 for the sixth time in his career. Those team's have reached The Finals the previous five.  

“I’ve played in a lot of big games. I’m the last person to ask about a big game in the regular season. I’ve been to six straight Finals,” James said once after a Cavs loss late in the regular season.

The Cavs hope the additions of swingman Dahntay Jones, who was a part of last season’s title team and center Edy Tavares, who had six points, 10 boards and six block shots in the Cavs 98-83 loss versus the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night in the regular-season finale.

The Cavs did attempt to get a better rim protector when they signed center Andrew Bogut off waivers back in March, but he broke his left leg in his first game back on Mar. 6 in the Cavs’ 106-98 loss versus the Heat.

The Cavs defense of their title begins against the No. 7 Seeded Pacers, who needed to win their final five games of the regular season to snag a playoff berth.

Back on Feb. 6 after a win at the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Pacers were 29-22 thanks to a seven-game winning streak. A six-game losing streak followed and after a tough 135-130 double-overtime loss at the Cavs fell dropped the Pacers to 37-40 and were in serious free fall.

They managed to rebound from that and won their final five games of the regular season, led by All-Star swingman Paul George (23.7 ppg-Led team, 6.6 rpg, 1.6 spg, 46.1 FG%, 39.3 3-Pt.%), who himself has not played up to his potential in the regular season.

He managed to pull himself and his team together to close the season, and George went from a 21.7 points average on 37.8 percent from distance in March to 32.8 points on 42 percent from three-point range in April.

Second-year center Myles Turner (14.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.1 bpg-3^rd NBA, 51.1 FG%, 34.8 3-Pt.%) has been up and down on both ends of the court; injuries have slowed forward Thaddeus Young (11.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.5 spg, 52.7 FG%); Monta Ellis (8.5 ppg, 44.3 FG%); C.J. Miles (10.7 ppg, 41.3 3-Pt.%) one night can light it up from the perimeter like the fourth of July and another night can’t ignite a spark; starting lead guard and Indianapolis native Jeff Teague (15.3 ppg, 7.8 apg-career-high, 35.7 3-Pt.%) has had solid moments, but has been inconsistent in running the offense for new head coach Nate McMillan and it has not helped that the likes of Glenn Robinson III, Al Jefferson (8.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Rodney Stuckey have been injured and unavailable.

The return of Lance Stephenson was a major shot in the arm for the Pacers, but it might be a little too late for them, especially in this matchup with the defending champs.

To put into perspective the challenge that the Pacers are facing against the Cavs, in James’ playoff career, where he has averaged 28 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists, his team’s series record with the Cavs and Heat is 11-0 and the overall record is 44-7 in the quarterfinals, which includes six sweeps. Only Hall of Famer and four-time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s James Worthy has a higher winning percentage in the opening round of the postseason at .867 (26-4 record) in the current playoff format since 1984 than James' teams at .863. Hall of Famer Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who led the Lakers to five NBA crowns in the 1980s has the third highest at .862 (25-4). The last loss James has sustained in the Quarterfinals is in Game 4 of 2012 opening round 89-87 at the the New York Knicks on May, 6, 2012. Since then James has won 17 straight opening round games.

In James career versus George and the Pacers, he is 3-0 in playoffs series, which consists of a 4-2 victory in 2012 Semis with the Heat; a 4-3 win in the Eastern Conference Finals with the Heat and again one year later in the East Finals 4-2.

"I respect him. I respect what he has done to this game. What he has been for this game. I respect the work that he's done in his career," George, who has averaged 1.84 points, 7.2 boards and 3.8 assists in his postseason career said of James.

"But, it comes a point when you're tired of losing and this is an opportunity and another chance to go toe-to-toe with one of the best or the best in the league. Again tired of losing. Tired of losing to this guy. So, I'm going to challenge him, every possession. I'm going to try to get the best of him and ultimately upset him in this series."

It also does not help that the Pacers have lost three consecutive and six of their last seven road playoff contest.

In their last encounter back on Apr. 2, George had a game-high of 43 points on 16 for 33 shooting, including 6 for 16 from three-point range with nine boards and nine assists. That was offset by the triple-double of James with 41 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists on 16 for 29 from the field.

Only future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan (9,370) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have played more minutes than the 8,384 by James, who played 822 in last season’s playoffs.

Hall of Famer Michael Jordan (5,987), Abdul-Jabbar (5,762) and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant have scored more postseason points in NBA history than the 5,572 of James, who scored 522 points in the last season’s playoffs.

Hall of Famers and five-time champion Earvin “Magic” Johnson (2,346) and John Stockton (1,839) have more assists in the playoffs all-time than the 1,348 by James.

Of the players who made over seven consecutive trips to The Finals, they are all Celtics in Hall of Famers Bob Cousy (7), Frank Ramsey and K.C. Jones (8), Sam Jones and current Celtics color analyst for Comcast SportsNet New England Tom Heinsohn (9) and the 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell (10) and James will be looking to join this list.

Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue, who became the first rookie head coach to win a title since Heat president Pat Riley did it leading the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982 is very confident in his team’s ability to hit that preverbal switch and put themselves in position to get back to The Finals and repeat.  

“I’m going into the playoffs thinking we can win,” he said this week. “That’s my job to make sure everybody in that locker room understands that we’re going to win. That’s on me, but I’m pretty sure a lot of guys in that locker room feel the same way.”

Prediction: Cavaliers win series in five.

(3)   Toronto Raptors versus (6) Milwaukee Bucks

          (51-31)                                  (42-40)

-Raptors won season series 3-1.

A season ago, the Raptors made it all the way to the Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual champion Cavs in six. The Bucks on the other hand missed the postseason after making it the prior season. Both teams trying to make that next step in their maturation meet in the opening round for the first time.

The Raptors won 51 games, capturing the team’s first back-to-back 50-plus win seasons in franchise history, despite seeing their three-year run as Atlantic Division champions end as the Celtics won it.

A career-year turned in by All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan (27.3 ppg-5^th NBA, 5.2 rpg-career-high, 3.9 apg, 46.7 FG%-T-career-high), who finished just .3 behind current Memphis Grizzlies’ guard Vince Carter’s 27.6 scoring average in the 2000-01 season is a big reason for the Raptors winning 51 times. He was especially good in the absence of the team’s starting lead guard in All-Star Kyle Lowry (22.4 ppg-career-high, 7.0 apg-Led team, 4.8 rpg-career-high, 1.5 spg-Led team, 46.4 FG%, 41.2 3-Pt.%-career-high), who missed 21 games after the All-Star break because of surgery on his right wrist.

In the first 11 games without their floor general, the Raptors were just 6-5, averaging 99.9 points per game from Feb. 23^rd- Mar. 16^th. In the 10 games that followed, they were 8-2 and scored an average of 106 points per contest.

DeRozan during this 21-game stretch where the team was 14-7, he scored 30 points or more eight times.

With Lowry back in the fold, the Raptors feel they are primed for a major playoff run, but they know things will not be easy.

“For us, we have to go out there and continue to be us,” Lowry, who garnered two double-doubles out of his four games he played prior to the end of the regular season.

“We got to be defensive minded. Play hard and understand it’s not going to be any easy games. Every single game will be a tough game. Every single game will be a different game, but all we can do is prepare for Game 1 and that’s all we can prepare for.”

Raptors GM Masai Ujiri also made a couple key trades to bring more depth to the Raptors in bringing in acquiring forward Serge Ibaka (14.8 ppg 6.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 48.0 FG%, 39.1 3-Pt.%) from the Orlando Magic on Feb. 14 and then acquiring P.J. Tucker on Feb. 23 from the Phoenix Suns (6.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 35.7 3-Pt.%).

Those additions added not only more depth to the roster, but gave the Raptors interior and exterior defense as well as solid offensive threats from the perimeter.

Ibaka has been a solid compliment to starting center Jonas Valanciunas (12.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg-Led team, 55.7 FG%) and solidified the front court, which also consists of rookie Jakob Poeltl, shot blocking ace Lucas Nogueira (1.6 bpg-Led team), Pascal Siakam and sharp shooter Patrick Patterson (6.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 37.2 3-Pt.%).

Tucker addition provides another wing who can score when called upon, but more important be another deterrent to the opposing team’s best player on the perimeter, which is also the role of DeMarre Carroll (8.9 ppg, 34.1 3-Pt.%) and Norman Powell (8.4 ppg, 44.9 FG%)

Tucker, Powell, and Carroll will have a tough assignment against the Bucks’ long and athletic first-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had a breakout season leading the Bucks in points (22.9), rebounds (8.8), assists (5.4), steals (1.6) and blocks (1.9), while shooting a career-high of 52.1 percent from the floor.

The Bucks were dealt a major setback to their season on Feb. 8, when in their 106-88 loss versus the Heat also lost their second-leading scorer Jabari Parker (20.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 49.0 FG%, 36.5 3-Pt.%) to a torn ACL in his left knee. This happened just as they got back Khris Middleton (14.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 45.0 FG%, 43.3 3-Pt.%), who missed the first 50 games from a pulled hamstring he sustained before training camp.

Instead of completely falling apart the Bucks went 19-12 from that point on and finished with a winning record for the first time in a few years.

For them to have a chance to win this series, their first since 2001 when they made it to the Conference Finals, the Bucks need for Antetokounmpo to be at his best against the Raptors like he was during the regular season, when he averaged 24.8 points, 7.8 boards and seven assists on 58.8 percent from the field.

They need solid perimeter shooting from the likes of veteran Jason Terry, Mirza Teletovic (6.4 ppg, 34.1 3-Pt.%), Matthew Dellavedova (7.6 ppg, 4.7 apg, 36.6 3-Pt.%) and Tony Snell (8.5 ppg, 45.5 FG%, 40.6 3-Pt.%).

Front court player like Michael Beasley (9.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 53.2 FG%, 41.9 3-Pt.%), Greg Monroe (11.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 53.4 FG%) and John Henson (6.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 51.5 FG%), must bring a presence in the paint on both ends.  

Rookie of the Year candidate Malcolm Brogdon (10.2 ppg, 4.2 apg, 45.7 FG%, 40.4 3-Pt.%) must make Lowry expend some energy in trying to check him and Brogdon must do his best to stay out of foul trouble.

The fact that the Milwaukee Bucks got to the playoffs especially after a lot of ups and downs early in the season is an accomplishment in itself and it shows this young team under head coach Jason Kidd is heading in the right direction.

Even if they did have Parker in toe, winning this series was going to be a challenge still, especially the fact that the Bucks have lost to the Raptors 13 times in their last 15 chances, and they Warriors had a better record since Mar. 17 than the 12-2 mark of the guys whose mantra is "We the North." 

In three of their four wins against the Bucks this season, the Raptors have outscored the Bucks in the fourth quarter and have a +14.7 point-differential in the three wins against them in four tries.

The other thing the Raptors have in their favor is the fact that the last two seasons, they led the NBA in wins after trailing by 10 points or more. The have garnered 21 wins this season, which represents 41 percent of their 50 victories in the regular season, with a 21-25 record, which is on the heels of a 15-22 record a season ago.

Prediction: Raptors win series in six games.

Western Conference

(1)   Golden State Warriors versus (8) Portland Trail Blazers

                    (67-15)                                      (41-41)

-Warriors won season series 4-0.

Say hello to this year’s NBA First-Round tilt of David, the Portland Trail Blazers, versus Goliath, the Golden State Warriors.

After blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Cavs in last season Finals, the Warriors went out and got perennial All-Star Kevin Durant in free agency and he has done nothing but be a perfect fit for the defending Western Conference champions.

In the first 60 games with Durant (25.1 ppg-Led team 8.3 rpg-career-high, 4.8 apg, 53.7 FG%-career-high, 37.5 3-Pt.%) the Warriors averaged 118.1 points per game and allowed 105.5 and their record was 50-10.

Then the end of second month of 2017 came and they not only lost at the Wizards 112-108 on Feb. 8, but Durant injured his left knee just 1:33 seconds into the game and was shelved for the next 19 games.

Without their best player, and in the middle of their toughest part of the season, the defending Western Conference champions struggled losing two straight for the first time in the last two seasons and wound up losing four out six in that stretch.

Did the Warriors panic? No. They went back to basics that helped them become one of the best teams in the league. Ball movement. Playing for each other. Defending. Rebounding and getting back to having fun.

That resulted in the reemergence of reigning back-to-back MVP Stephen Curry (25.3 ppg, 6.6 apg, 4.5 rpg, 1.8 spg, 46.8 FG%, 41.1 3-Pt.%) and his fellow “Splash Brother” in All-Star Klay Thompson (22.3 ppg, 46.8 FG%, 41.4 3-Pt.%).

The ultimate swiss army knife Draymond Green (10.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 7.0 apg-Led team) put played even harder and did all the little things that don’t show up in the box score. Andre Iguodala (7.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.4 apg), chipped in the scoring column, where in March he averaged 12.0 points, 3.7 boards and 3.4 assists on 59.4 percent from the field and 41.0 from three-point range.

The rest of the supporting cast in Ian Clark (6.8 ppg, 48.7 FG%, 37.4 3-Pt.%), ZaZa Pachulia (6.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 53.4 FG%), Matt Barnes, Shaun Livingston and rookie Patrick McCaw stepped up and contributed as well.

Simply the Warriors just played harder and better and head coach Steve Kerr’s team won 13 straight games and went 15-4 without Durant and while the scoring output was at 109.9, the Warriors allowed just 100.9 to the opposition in that stretch.  

When Durant, whose 28.8 scoring average in his playoff career is the fourth highest all-time returned last Saturday night versus the New Orleans Pelicans (34-48), 16 points, 19 rebounds and six assists in the 123-101 win. Two nights later, same production of 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the Warriors 105-99 loss versus the Utah Jazz. In the regular-season finale versus the Los Angeles Lakers (26-56), Durant had 29 points, eight boards and five assists in the 109-94 win. After going a combined 12 for 27 (44.4 percent) from the floor the first two games, including 0 for 9 from three-point range, Durant was a solid 11 for 16, and 5 for 7 from distance showing he is slowly round back into form for the what hopefully is a run to a championship.

“We learned to win a lot of different ways and we got to do that in the playoffs,” Curry, who averaged 27.3 points, 4.7 boards, 4.7 assists on 49.1 percent from the field, including 48.4 from long range in three games against the Trail Blazers this season, said to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Ros Gold-Onwude after the win. “We had a good end to the season this year. Built a lot of momentum going into the playoffs.”

The first opponent for the back-to-back-to-back Pacific Division champions are last season’s opponent in the Semis, the Portland Trail Blazers, who had their own highs and lows this season.

With three losses in four games bridging the beginning and end of the All-Star break, the Trail Blazers were sitting at 24-35, giving up an average of 110.2 points to the opposition and had a point differential of -2.7. That is a recipe for a lottery bound team.

When the calendar changed to March, so did the play of the boys of "Rip City," as they won 13 of 16 and overtook the Denver Nuggets for the No. 8 and final playoff spot in the West. In that stretch where they won 17 of their last 23 games, the Trail Blazers gave up 6.1 points less and their point differential was +5.1.

While the dynamic guard duo of Damian Lillard (27.0 ppg-T-6^th NBA, 5.9 apg-Led team, 4.9 rpg, 37.0 from three-point range) and last season’s Most Improved Player C.J. McCollum (23.0 ppg, 48.0 FG%, 42.1 3-Pt.) played at a high level, it was the play of the newest sensation in “Rip City” Jusuf Nurkic (10.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 50.7 FG%), who averaged 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per contest in the 20 games he played for the Trail Blazers, who acquired him from the prior mentioned Nuggets and a First-Round pick for popular player  Mason Plumlee.

Nurkic has been on the shelf the past seven games after an MRI two weeks ago revealed a non-displaced fracture in his right leg. The status to play in the series is still uncertain.

If Nurkic cannot play or is limited in any fashion, picking up the slack falls in the hands of Allen Crabbe (10.7 ppg, 46.8 FG%, 44.4 3-Pt.%-3^rd NBA), Maurice Harkless (10.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 50.3 FG%, 35.1 3-Pt.%), Evan Turner (9.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg), Al-Farouq Aminu (8.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg), Meyers Leonard and Noah Vonleh, who produced back-to-back double-doubles of 12 points and 11 rebounds in the Trail Blazers’ 99-98 last second win versus the might Spurs on Monday and 12 points and 19 boards in the 103-100 loss versus the Pelicans on Wednesday.

There have been five No. 8 Seeds in NBA history to defeat a No. 1 Seed. If the Trail Blazers want to join the 1994 Denver Nuggets, who upset the then Seattle Supersonics 3-2; 1999 New York Knicks, who upset the Miami Heat 3-2; 2007 Warriors, who upset the Dallas Mavericks 4-2; 2011 Grizzlies, who upset the San Antonio Spurs 4-2 and the 2012 Philadelphia 76ers, who upset the Bulls 4-2, you first must believe they can do it. To a man, the Trail Blazers believe they can do it.

“It’s a matchup that we’re excited about. We respect them a lot and we know that they’re going to come for us and we’re going to come for them,” Lillard, a native of Oakland said of the team, which had the fourth best points per contest scoring margin in NBA history at +11.6.

“We know how hard it was to get to this point and between the way we started the season, our experience last year in the playoffs and what it took to get to this point, I think all those experiences are going to help us,” Trail Blazers’ head coach Terry Stotts, whose team lost to the Warriors 4-1 in the Semis last year said.

In reality though, the Trail Blazers were swept by the Warriors in the regular season, but all four games took place before the All-Star break.

In those four games, the Warriors were a plus 90 in the first and third quarters, outscoring the Trail Blazers 146-104 in the opening stanza and 140-92 coming out of intermission.

In the opening stanza, Durant and Curry combined for 26 of the Warriors’ 39 first quarter points in the 135-90 win versus the Trail Blazers in the Dec. 17, 2016 meeting at Oracle Arena. In their Nov. 1, 2016 meeting in Oakland, Curry scored 23 of his 28 points in the third quarter in the 127-104 win.

It is those small things that represent why the Warriors have won an NBA record 207 games in 246 opportunities over the past three seasons. They are primed to make up for the losing in The Finals to the Cavs after leading 3-1.

Prediction: Warriors win series in five games.

(4)   Los Angeles Clippers versus (5) Utah Jazz

            (51-31)                                (51-31)

-Clippers won season series 3-1.

In this Quarterfinal match-up we have the up and coming, young and talented immovable object in the Utah Jazz versus the hungry, eager to prove themselves irresistible force in the Los Angeles Clippers, who have dominated the Jazz in recent years.

The past six years have been the best stretch of Clippers’ basketball in their history in Southern California, which includes five straight 50-plus win seasons, including this year’s and six straight trips to the playoffs.

However, they have had one postseason disappointing finish after another. Their latest, last season when All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were injured in the opening round against the Trail Blazers and they lost the last three games of that series to fall 4-2.

The Clippers got off to a 14-2 start and looked like a team that was going to take a wrecking ball to their playoff failures. But after that great start, they were just 30-29 near the end of March.  

A 98-97 head scratching loss versus the Sacramento Kings (32-50) on Mar. 26^th put a major damper on a big win the Clippers had just one day before.

They finished the season strong with seven straight wins and earned home court advantage versus the Jazz thanks critical 108-95 victory in their fourth regular season matchup one day prior to their setback versus the Kings.

The Jazz meanwhile are trying to build their own legacy having gone the slow, but steady route of allowing their young cast led by first-time All-Star Gordon Hayward (21.9 ppg-Led team, 5.4 rpg-career-high, 47.1 FG%, 39.8 3-Pt.%) and his teammates like Rodney Hood (12.7 ppg, 37.1 3-Pt.%), Derrick Favors (9.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 48.7 FG%) and Rudy Gobert (14.0 ppg, 12.8 rpg-4^th NBA, 2.6 bpg-Led NBA, 66.1 FG%-2^nd NBA), who averaged 13.8 points and 11.8 boards against the Clippers this season., garnering double-doubles in three of those four games.

Their first appearance in the postseason since 2012 matches them against a confident Clippers bunch, who they have lost 18 of the last 21 meetings they have played against them.

To put their regular season series into clearer context, the Jazz only averaged 73.5 points in their first two encounters, shooting just 36 percent from the field in losing by 13 points (88-75) on Oct. 30, 2016 and by 16 points (88-72) on Feb. 13. The Jazz went just 11 for 42 from three-point range, registered just 16 assists on average and committed 14.5 turnovers per game.

The lone win the Jazz had versus the Clippers on Mar. 13 114-108, they outscored the Clippers 65-52 in the second half, including exploding for 40 points in the third quarter. They shot 52.6 percent from the field; went an incredible 14 for 21 from three-point range; out-rebounded L.A. 49-36; committed just nine turnovers and outscored the Clippers 36-30 in the paint.

The Clippers turn the tables as mentioned 13 days later winning by 13 points and clinched a playoff berth. They held Utah to just 43 percent shooting, including 8 for 26 from distance. The Clippers were 25 for 28 from the charity stripe, while the Jazz were just 13 for 18; forced them into 14 turnovers, turning them into 12 points and outscored them in the paint to the tune of 58-46.

Even winning three of the four meetings and having dominated the Jazz in recent years, the Clippers are not taking their first-round opponent lightly.

“There a great team. Well coached. They run their offense all the way through,” Clippers center DeAndre Jordan said about the Jazz.

“With us, we cannot let those guys connect the dots. We got to make it tough on them. Push their catches out. Be more physical… and dominate on both ends of the floor.”

As all series do, it comes down to which star or stars rise to the moment. Will it be the “Big Three” of the Clippers in Paul (18.1 ppg, 9.2 apg-4^th NBA, 2.0 spg-3^rd NBA, 5.0 rpg, 47.6 FG%, 41.1 3-Pt.%), Griffin (21.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 4.9 apg, 49.3 FG%) and Jordan (12.7 ppg, 13.8 rpg-3^rd, NBA, 1.7 bpg-T-7^th NBA, 71.4 FG%) or the up and coming first-time All-Star of the Jazz in Hayward.

Along with the stars, the so-called “others,” as NBATV/NBA on TNT analyst and four-time champion Shaquille O’Neal likes to call the role players will play a major factor in this series.

For the Clippers, that is the likes of starting shooting guard J.J. Redick (15.0 ppg, 44.5 FG%, 42.9 3-Pt.%-6^th NBA); the son of head coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers in Austin (12.0 ppg-career-high, 37.1 3-Pt.%), who is questionable at the start of this series because of a left hamstring strain; forward Marresse Speights (8.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 44.5 FG%, 37.2 3-Pt.%); Sixth man extraordinaire Jamal Crawford (12.3 ppg, 36.0 3-Pt.%), understudy guard Raymond Felton and Luc Mbah a Moute.

For the Jazz, it veterans George Hill (16.9 ppg-career-high, 47.4 FG%, 40.3 3-Pt.%), Boris Diaw and Joe Johnson (9.2 ppg, 41.1 3-Pt.%), who were brought in this year just for this moment. There will also be a microscope on Dante Exum, and Shelvin Mack (7.8 ppg, 44.6 FG%), Alec Burks (6.7 ppg) and Trey Lyles (6.2 ppg).

What will also be key is who can play the game at their tempo? The Clippers are a team that wants to get up and down the floor, ranking sixth in the NBA in scoring at 108.7 ppg; second in field goal percentage at 47.5 percent and tied for sixth in three-point percentage at 37.5 percent.

The Jazz on the other hand, their strong suit is playing defense, led by Gobert in the middle, ranking No. 1 in points allowed at 98.6; are tied for second in opponent’s field goal percentage at 44.3 and are second in fast break points allowed and in second chance points allowed at 10.5 and 10.6 respectably. They are tied for eighth in blocks per game at five and are fourth in rebound differential at plus three.

This series will also come down to a war of nutrition. Over the course of the season, the Clippers and Jazz dealt with injuries to key personnel.

Paul and Griffin missed 21 games each because of injury and the Jazz between Hayward, Hill, Hood, Favors, Mack, Gobert, Burks and Exum missed a total of 165 games. The projected starting quintet of Hayward, Favors, Gobert, Hood and Hill played a total of just 14 games together, but that unit for head coach Quin Snyder was 12-2.

The Clippers are the more experienced team and have a lot to lose if they have an early flame out this postseason.

Aside from making All-Star teams, playing for our country for Team USA and being in a lot of commercials, the core group of Paul, Griffin, Redick, Crawford, and Jordan have not done a lot in the postseason. Paul has played in 69 career postseason games entering these playoffs and has yet to appear in the Conference Finals. That is the second most in NBA postseason history.

Paul and Griffin can opt out of their contracts and become free agents this July, and Redick, whose understudies in Crawford and Austin Rivers make more money than him will be a free agent this off-season.

So, if there was a time for them that elusive playoff run, it must happen this year. If not now, when?

“We’ve been together a long time and it’s weird to say and it’s bad to say, but our goal isn’t to make it out the second round. It’s to win a championship, but we haven’t done that,” Jordan said.

“We obviously want to contend for a championship and win a championship, but in order to do that, we have to find a way to get over this hump. We’ve been trying to do that. We’re building on it every year. We just got to figure it out.”

Prediction: Clippers win series in seven games.

(2)   San Antonio Spurs versus (7) Memphis Grizzlies

              (61-21)                                 (43-39)

-Season series tied 2-2.

For the fifth time since the 2004 and the fourth time in the last seven seasons, the Southwest Division rivals the five-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, making their 20^th straight playoff appearance match up with the Memphis Grizzlies, making their seventh straight playoff appearance.

The Spurs have won three of the four postseason encounters, with all three ending in sweeps, including last season’s opening round tilt, where the Grizzlies were being held together with sticks and glue with several key players like starting center Marc Gasol and starting lead guard Mike Conley were shelved because of injuries.

Six seasons prior though, the Grizzlies as the No. 8 Seed upset the then No. 1 Seeded Spurs in six games.

Since then however, the Spurs have won eight consecutive postseason meetings against their division rivals, which is the third longest active streak in "The Association."

Despite the retirement of Tim Duncan, the continued emergence of MVP candidate and reigning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard (25.5 ppg-9^th NBA, 5.8 rpg, 1.8 spg-T-7^th NBA, 48.5 FG%, 38.0 3-Pt.%) is a big reason why the Spurs won 60-plus games for the seventh time in franchise history and did it in back-to-back seasons.

The Spurs also maintained the streak of consecutive 50-plus win seasons, extending the NBA record to 18 and have the longest active streak of consecutive postseason appearances in North American sports at 20 in a row.

For the Grizzlies in their first season under new head coach David Fizdale, a major change occurred in the starting unit as veteran power forward Zach Randolph (14.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg-Led team) came off the bench and JaMychal Green (8.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 50.1 FG%) started in his place.

While Randolph adjusted well to his new role, the Grizzlies as a team were inconsistent for much of this season and 13 losses in their last 20 games is why they dropped to No. 7 in the West.

This matchup features two teams that like to get down and dirty where games are in the high 80s and low 90s in terms of scoring.

In three of the four meetings between the division rivals this season, both teams scored under 100 points.

The Grizzlies won the Mar. 18 encounter 104-96 versus the Spurs at FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN, where the team used a 29-18 first quarter to charge their way to a victory. Starting lead guard Mike Conley led the way with 19 points, seven boards and six assists. Randolph had 18 points and seven boards off the bench. Gasol had 16 points, seven assists and five boards. Green chipped in with 13 points, while Troy Daniels had 11 points off the bench and Vince Carter had 10.

In their final match-up back on Apr. 4 at AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX, the Spurs beat the Grizzlies 95-89 in overtime, outscoring them 11-5 in the extra frame. They were able to force overtime thanks to inbound lob pass from Pau Gasol to LaMarcus Aldridge that he scored to nod the game at 84 after 48 minutes.

What gives the Spurs the advantage in this series is that they have proven guys that have seen everything and nothing will phase them at this time of the year.

Led by Leonard, the previously mentioned Pau Gasol (12.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg-Led team, 50.2 FG%, 53.8 3-Pt.%), who will be going against his young brother Marc for the first time in postseason; Patty Mills (9.5 ppg, 41.4 3-Pt.%), veterans Manu Ginobili (7.5 ppg, 39.2 3-Pt.%) and Tony Parker (10.1 ppg, 4.5 apg-Led team, 46.6 FG%), Danny Green (7.3 ppg, 37.9 3-Pt.%), David Lee (7.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 59.0 FG%), Jonathon Simmons, Dewayne Dedmon and rookie Davis Bertans and Kyle Anderson.

For the Grizzlies, to pull the upset again and end an eight-game postseason losing streak against the Southwest champions, the younger Gasol (19.5 ppg-career-high, 6.3 rpg, 4.6 apg-career-high, 45.9 FG%, 38.8 3-Pt.%), who made a career-high 104 triples this season and Randolph must dominate inside. Conley (20.5 ppg-career-high, 6.3 apg, 45.9 FG%, 40.7 3-Pt.%-career-high) must dominate Parker and the Grizzlies need strong performances from Daniels (8.2 ppg, 38.9 3-Pt.%), Carter (8.0 ppg, 37.8 3-Pt.%) and James Ennis III (6.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 45.5 FG%, 37.2 3-Pt.%).

That will be even more necessary as the father of the team’s mantra “Grit and Grind,” in swingman Tony Allen (9.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.6 spg-Led team) is down because of a strained right calf. That means they are going to have a devil of a time slowing down Leonard, who had 32 points, 12 rebounds and two steals on 10 for 24 shooting, including 5 for 8 from three-point range in the Apr. 4 loss.

After falling in the Semis to the Thunder a season ago after winning a franchise record 61 games, the Spurs want a crack at the Warriors and a chance for title No. 6. With Leonard playing at a high level, the Spurs have a chance, but they need Parker to play at a high level as well for that to happen.

Prediction: Spurs win series in five games.

(3)   Houston Rockets versus (6) Oklahoma City Thunder

           (55-27)                                        (47-35)

-Rockets won season series 3-1.

They have been the headliners of this remarkable NBA season. Putting up triple-doubles and double-doubles at the drop of a hat and leading their teams to improbable seasons. Now the former teammates and leading MVP candidates and their squads fittingly square off in the postseason for the second time, only this one, both are the headliners for their respective teams.

James Harden of the Houston Rockets and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder have engaged in a long distance statistical war from the jump of this season and they will get to do it head-to-head in what is anticipated to be the most entertaining of all the first-round battles.

With Kevin Durant leaving OKC to join the Warriors, the Thunder became Westbrook’s team and all he did was show the Thunder can move forward with him at the helm as he became the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season with 31.6 points (Led NBA), 10.7 rebounds (10^th NBA) and 10.4 assists (3^rd NBA), matching Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson’s.

Westbrook, who averaged the most points per game of any player against the Rockets in the regular season at 36.3, along with 9.3 assists and nine boards in their four matchups also broke the single-season NBA record for triple-doubles in a single-season with 42 passing the “Big O,” who had 41 back in the 1961-62 season.

If that was not enough, three of those triple-doubles authored while scored 50 points or more, a new NBA record.

The Thunder when Westbrook garnered a triple-double were 33-9 in the regular season and he moved up to fourth all-time on the triple-double list with 79 in his career passing the late Wilt Chamberlin and the Thunder in that span are 66-13.

After a disappointing 41-41 season a year ago and a five-game opening round exit at the hands of the Warriors, the Rockets hired Mike D’Antoni as their new head coach and his decision to make James Harden the point guard took his game and the Rockets offense to historic heights.

They matched half their win total from a season ago just from Dec. 1, 2016 to Jan. 10 alone with a 20-2 mark that essentially sealed them into the No. 3 spot in the West behind the Spurs and Warriors.

After not making any either the All-NBA First, Second or Third team’s a season ago, all Harden did was put up career-highs averages of 29.1 points (2^nd NBA), 11.2 assists (Led NBA), 8.1 boards and 1.5 steals.

He was second to Westbrook in triple-doubles this season with 22, which gave him 31 for his career and two of those were when he scored 50 points, which tied him all-time with Hall of Famers Robertson and the late Wilt Chamberlin, who had just two in their entire careers. Harden also led the league in double-doubles with 64, two more than Westbrook.

Harden outscored Westbrook 145-82 in their four regular season meetings.  

While Westbrook and Harden are the headliners of the series, there is more to this series than just them and that will determine who advances.

The Rockets this season shattered the NBA record for three-pointers made this season with 1,181 connections in 3,306 attempts. They led the NBA in triples made per game at 14.4; shattered their own record for attempts per contest at 40 per game, and 37.7 percent of their points on the season came from distance, which led the NBA.

Anderson (13.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 40.3 3-Pt.%), hit 204 three-pointers on the year, the second time in his career he made over 200 triples.

The Thunder rode Westbrook’s magical season to the playoffs, but for them to advance, they must get solid production from Victor Oladipo (15.9 ppg, 36.1 3-Pt.%) on both ends.

Steven Adams (11.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 57.1 FG%), Enes Kanter (14.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 54.5 FG%), Taj Gibson (10.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 51.5 FG%), rookie Domantas Sabonis (5.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Jerami Grant must be a factor especially in the paint on both ends for the Thunder, who ranked second in percentage of points scored in the paint at 46.8.

Rookie Alex Abrines (6.0 ppg, 38.1 3-Pt.%), Doug McDermott (9.0 ppg, 44.7 FG%, 37.0 3-Pt.%) and Oladipo need to make plays on the perimeter on both ends.

Perhaps the most important role player of the Thunder in this series will be starting shooting guard Andre Roberson (6.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg), who did as good a job at guarding Harden as anyone in the league this season.

While, Harden averaged 20.5 points, 12.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds against the Rockets in the regular season, Roberson held the MVP candidate to 34.3 percent shooting (10-33) from the field; to just 2 for 14 from three-point range and averaged 6.3 turnovers. Only the Warriors held Harden to a lower field goal percentage on the season at 32.1.

While the role players of the Thunder may not be able to match the offensive output of the Rockets, they need to as productive to the likes of the previously mentioned Anderson and Gordon, Clint Capela (12.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 64.3 FG%-3^rd NBA), Patrick Beverly (9.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.2 apg, 38.2 3-Pt.%), Trevor Ariza (11.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.8 spg-Led team, 34.4 3-Pt.%), fellow Sixth Man of the Year candidate Lou Williams17.5 ppg, 36.5 3-Pt.%), Nene (9.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 61.7 FG%) and Montrezl Harrell (9.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 65.2 FG%) and Sam Dekker (6.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg).

In the four regular season matchups with the Thunder, the “others” for the Rockets went 77 of 134 in the two wins at Toyota Center.

The other major key in determining which team wins this series is who can minimize their miscues?

The Rockets and Thunder average 14.5 and 14.6 turnovers per game, ranking 25^th and 26^th respectably in the NBA. Westbrook averages 5.4 turnovers himself and Harden coughs it up 5.7 times per game in the regular season.

If this Harden and Westbrook bring to the table what they have all season long, we are in for a treat in this series.

Prediction: Rockets win series in seven games.

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 4/16 17 6 a.m. edition of NBATV's "Gametime," presented by State Farm with Vince Cellini, Caron Butler and Sam Mitchell; 4/15/17 2:30 p.m. edition ESPN's "NBA Countdown," presented by Straight Talk Wireless on ABC with Michelle Beadle, Jalen Rose and Chauncey Billups; 3/25/17 3:30 p.m. contest Utah Jazz versus Los Angeles Clippers on FOX Sports Prime Ticket with Ralph Lawler, Mike Smith and Kristina Pink; 4/13/17 6 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime,” with Vince Cellini, Steve Smith, and Dennis Scott; 4/13/17 6 p.m. edition of “Time to Schein,” on CBS Sports Network, with Adam Schein; 4/13/17 7:30 p.m. edition of NBATV’s “The Starters: Playoff Preview,” presented by Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey with Tas Melas, J.E. Skeets, Leigh Ellis, and Trey Kerby; 4/13/17 8 p.m. NBATV’s “Eastern Conference Playoff Preview,” with Matt Winer, Steve Smith and Sam Mitchell; 4/13/17 9 p.m. NBATV’s “Western Conference Playoff Preview,” with Jared Greenberg, Steve Smith and Sam Mitchell;   www.nba.com; www.espn.com/nba/stats/teams/standings; www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2017; http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Toronto_Raptors_seasons; http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Los_Angeles_Clippers_seasons; http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Boston_Celtics_seasons; http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Washington_Wizards_seasons; http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_San_Antonio_Spurs_seasons;   http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Memphis_Grizzlies_seasons.