There are two teams whose biggest challenge might be Father Time. The Spurs will try to do what Dallas did last year, with a crafty , pass happy group that will be led by Tim Duncan who is playing with a sense of urgency. While the old bones in Beantown will try to make another run, given up for dead, Doc Rivers’ men in green have been impressive down the stretch. Look for their first round showdown with Atlanta to be the best opening round series of the playoffs. It will go seven games, just like 2008, but Atlanta is older and wiser, with a point guard in Jeff Teague who showed us the toughness of a veteran in the Chicago series last year.
The West is where the fun will be. Memphis, the Clippers, and OKC will have us keeping late hours for first two weeks of the playoffs. Young athletic teams who are ready to take the front page away from the league’s old guard. Look for Oklahoma City to bring the thunder and represent the west this time in the NBA finals. Miami looks like the choice in the east. Let’s see if Dwyane Wade and LeBron James can finally live up the expectations and turn up the heat on Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and company.
