2016 NBA Playoffs: Predictions From Basketball’s Talking Heads

The West

The West is the Warriors’ show and we’re all witnesses, as Nike would say. Winning 73 games isn’t nearly as sweet if the Warriors combust prior to win No. 16 in the postseason. However, it’s their Western Conference peers that are intriguing. The San Antonio Spurs had a historic year of their own, the Oklahoma City Thunder are healthy (knock on wood), and the Los Angeles Clippers are way overdue.

The Warriors are the team to beat, but every now and again we get a hungry team breaking through the wreckage (See: The 2011 Dallas Mavericks). If this Warriors team does go down it’d be an immortal victory. Unfortunately, slaying a titan is no easy task, and immortality doesn’t come easy.

1) Golden State Warriors vs. 8) Houston Rockets

Season series: Warriors 3-0.

First game: Saturday, Apr. 16 at 3:30 p.m. EST.

Warriors leader in WS: Stephen Curry (17.9).

Rockets leader in WS: James Harden (13.3).

Twitter has it:

The Experts have Golden State winning unanimously.

Lucky us, the lackluster Rockets rose to the occasion at literally the last possible moment. Now we have a rematch of last year’s conference finals, pitting the MVP vs. the Players MVP in a lopsided battle.

2) San Antonio Spurs vs. 7) Memphis Grizzlies

Season series: Spurs 4-0.

First game: Sunday, Apr. 17 at 8 p.m. EST.

Spurs leader in WS: Kawhi Leonard (13.7).

Grizzlies active* leader in WS: Zach Randolph (4.3).

Twitter has it:

The experts didn’t need much time on this one, again a unanimous selection, this time for San Antonio.

The Grizzlies are blessed to be where they are. They’ve battle hard, head coach Dave Joerger deserves credit, but even if the Grizzlies were healthy this would be a tilted series. The Spurs should take care of this one in four, and as Tony Jones says, “Wish it could be three.”

3) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 6) Dallas Mavericks

Season series: Thunder 4-0.

First game: Saturday, Apr. 16 at 9:30 p.m. EST.

Thunder leader in WS: Kevin Durant (14.5).

Mavericks leader in WS: Dirk Nowitzki (6.8).

Twitter has it:

 For an unbelievable fifth time, the experts have it unanimously in favor of Oklahoma City.

The Dallas Mavericks should be commended for their never give up, never surrender attitude. They dug their heels in and here they are once again in the playoff mix. Sadly for Rick Carlisle, Dirk Nowitzki and company, the track ends in OKC.

4) Los Angeles Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Season series: 3-1 Clippers.

First game: Sunday, Apr. 17 at 10:30 p.m. EST.

Clippers leader in WS: Chris Paul (12.7).

Trail Blazers leader in WS: Damian Lillard (9.2).

Twitter has it:

The experts were split here. 27 percent are truly inspired by Dame and have Portland, the remainder 73 percent are sticking with CP3 and Los Angeles. 

While the critics are temporarily at bay with the Clippers due to a still ailing Blake Griffin, sailing into a second round matchup with Golden State doesn’t bode well for Los Angeles or the Paul narrative. The Blazers fought hard and like the Mavericks, few had them here. Either way, their fight and climb into the West’s fifth seed has been met with high praise and head coach Terry Stotts and general manager Neil Olshey are both in the thick of the awards voting.

Next: The 2016 NBA Championship