The 2015-2016 NBA regular season ended with a bang.  The record-setting 73^rd victory of the season by the defending-champion Golden State who’s leader; defending MVP Steph Curry hit 402 three-pointers this season; the career-ending 60-point game by Kobe Bryant in a victory in L.A. against the Jazz and lost in the marquee matchups the blowing of a 26-point lead by the Miami Heat to the Boston Celtics only to have the Heat win the #3 seed in some weird tie-breaker in a four-team tie between the Heat, Celtics, Atlanta Hawks and the Charlotte Hornets.

I’ll get more in-depth as the series progress, but for now I have my predictions on the way all the series will unfold. The Eastern Conference is led by the Cavs and a bunch of evenly-matched teams that have all been looking for consistency most of the regular season.  The top three seeds in the West should have an easier time than the #4 seeded Clippers, as I see all but the Clippers/Blazers matchup ending relatively quickly.

Let’s take a quick look at each series starting with the champs.

Western Conference:

Golden State vs Houston Rockets – After setting the new record for victories in a season with their consistent play from the season opener to end, the defending champs get possibly the most inconsistent team in the Western playoffs. The Warriors will make short work of this series and barring a spectacular game from James Harden, it will be over in four.  My prediction:  Warriors win 4-0.

 

San Antonio Spurs vs Memphis Grizzlies – The Spurs have had a phenomenal season and had it not been for the video game numbers put up by the Warriors, they would be the talk of the West. But here they are under the radar again, just the way they like it.  The Grizzlies have dropped steadily since losing its best player, Marc Gasol for the season and without point guard Mike Conley, it’s going to be a wrap for them quickly.  The grindhouse mentality may get them one at home, but that’s it.  My prediction: Spurs win 4-1.

 

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks – Another team that gets lost in the Warrior euphoria, the Thunder had a renaissance year for Kevin Durant as he returned to All-Star form and triple-double machine Russell Westbrook dialed back the out-of-control moments to become a much better player.  His season was only eclipsed by Steph Curry’s and he’ll probably finish second in the MVP ballots.  The Mavericks have the ageless wonder Nowitzki still putting up spectacular numbers, but it won’t be enough to keep up with the young gunners of the OKC coral.  My prediction: Thunder win 4-1.

 

L.A. Clippers vs Portland Trailblazers – The Clippers get Blake Griffin back just in time for the playoffs, but how will they bring him back into the fold after Chris Paul led the team to a great regular season second half without him?  On the other side the Blazers are possibly the most surprising team in all of the NBA.  The predictions for a nearly last-place finish were trumped by not only Damion Lillard being himself, but also the improvement of CJ McCollum, who will be the league’s most-improved player after taking advantage of minutes and opportunity.  My prediction: Clippers win 4-2.

 

Eastern Conference

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons – The Cavaliers are again on another push for the Eastern Conference Finals as LeBron James looks to go to his sixth consecutive NBA Finals. As the best team of the East all year, anything less than a championship will be another disappointing end.  The Detroit Pistons, after a great season this year, will not cause many problems for the Cavs.  Their scrappiness will probably keep then in most of the games, but it won’t be enough to win any.  My prediction: Cavaliers win 4-0.

 

Toronto Raptors vs Indiana Pacers – The Raptors have been the second-best team in the East all year, but they come up against a Pacer team that will prove to be a huge challenge to their hope of reaching the second round. For the Pacers, Paul George returned to All-Star form and then some this season after his scary injury playing for Team USA two years ago.  Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan will have to take that next step to get the Raptors past PG13.  I’m not so sure that they can.  My prediction: Pacers win 4-3.

 

Miami Heat vs Charlotte Hornets – The Heat got the higher seed of four teams with matching records in the East, but they have what the other teams lack, post season success. After missing the playoffs a year ago due to the departure of LeBron James and the season-ending illness of Chris Bosh, the Heat were looking to bounce back this year only to have Bosh out again after the All-Star break.  The difference this season? New blood with rookies Justice Winslow and Josh Richardson, the addition of big-shot taker and maker Joe Johnson, the improvement of Hassan Whiteside and the steady play of veteran Dwyane Wade, who missed less than 10 games this season.  Charlotte will be a tough matchup with Kemba Walker leading a scrappy team, but it won’t be enough to stop the Heat from reaching the second round.  My prediction: Heat win 4-2.

 

Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics – The 4/5 matchup is supposed to be the closest-matched teams in the playoffs and guess what? That’s true in this case as well.  The Hawks are playing much better this year heading into the playoffs than last year when they couldn’t live up to being the top seed in the East.  The Celtics go as All-Star Isaiah Thomas goes and he will look to continue his most successful season.  I think this series goes the limit as each team can win on the other’s court.  This one really is a toss-up for me. My prediction:  Celtics win 4-3.

There you have it.  My predictions for the first round of the NBA Playoffs.  I’ll check in with updates to all of the series and drop my predictions for the Conference and NBA Finals soon.  It should be a fun run this postseason. Now in the words of Marvin Gaye, let’s get it on!