The Informer’s 2014 NBA Playoff Preview Part III: Breaking Down The Western Conference First Round

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Part I Part II

Welcome back to The Informer’s 2014 NBA Playoff Preview. Today on our journey to 10,000 words we are going to break down the Western Conference First Round.

So with that in mind and without any further “Bob McAdoo”; here we go.

(8) Dallas Mavericks vs. (1) San Antonio Spurs

The Informer is going to call this series “Da Big German vs. The Big Fundamental”.

Seriously though, how awesome is this matchup?

We are getting two of the best big men ever squaring off in one last playoff battle. This Tim Duncan–Dirk Nowitzki showdown is the equivalent of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne making a “two aging cowboys have one last shoot-out to decide who the best cowboy ever was” movie.

Needless to say, The Informer is absolutely giddy over the thought of Dirk and Duncan trading shots (get it, like gunmen?) for seven straight games.

Now normally, The Informer would be pointing out that the San Antonio Spurs are the top seed and therefore will walk all over the last place Dallas Mavericks. Luckily this year The Informer doesn’t have to do that because the West was so strong that a 49 win team (Good enough for 3rd place in the East) like Dallas actually ended up being the last place team in the playoffs.



So since the Mavericks are not your typical eight seed, that means we have to throw all logic for a one vs. eight seed out the window. Basically, what The Informer is trying to say is that this is not going to be your typical “Spurs walk all over the scrub” type of series.

With that said, San Antonio is to good to lose in the first round. The Informer is betting Dirk will give at least two “Vintage Dirk Performances”, but in the end Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli and Greg Popovich will make all the right adjustments and pull out the victory.

Just keep in mind; Dirk is not going to go down without a fight.

Pick: Spurs 4-2

(7) Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2)

For those that don’t remember, last year the Memphis Grizzlies defeated a wounded Oklahoma City Thunder team in the second round of the playoffs. The loss kept the Thunder from reaching their third straight Western Conference Finals and it also exposed just how much OKC needed Russell Westbrook.

The good news for OKC is Russ is back, fully healthy, and the team learned how to play when he was gone. The bad news is this year they are drawing the same 50-win Grizzlies team that exposed them in the second round last year.

For all the people like me, who are expecting a deep run from OKC this season, this opening series just adds more cards to an already stacked deck against the Thunder. Like The Informer said in Part I, in order for the Thunder to win the NBA Championship they will have to become just the second team in the history of the NBA to win four series against teams with at least 50 wins.

Then again, this has been the year of Kevin Durant beating implausible streaks, and with a fully healthy Westbrook the Thunder are going to be up for any and all challenges.

First up?

Getting revenge for last year’s defeat.



Pick: Thunder 4-1

(6) Golden State Warriors vs. (3) Los Angeles Clippers

The Informer is going to go ahead and state the obvious: This is going to be the best series of the first round.

We are going to have Blake Griffin doing Blake Griffin things #MakingPosters, we are going to have Chris Paul being a floor general, Stephen Curry scoring points with three pointers, floaters, step-backs, set shots, blindfolds and rumor has it he may even try to score with two hands tied behind his back.

We also have Doc Rivers coaching in the playoffs for the seventh straight season, albeit the first time in LA, and the very strong possibility of Mark Jackson firing an assistant coach at halftime of Game 1.

On top of that these two teams do not like each other. Just check out this quote from Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson about Griffin:

“He flairs his arm around so you know you might catch a random elbow or something that doesn’t you know rub off too well on guys. He’s kind of like a bull in a china shop, kind of out of control sometimes. And then you do just see him flop sometimes like how can a guy that big and strong flop that much. I can see how that gets under people’s skin and can be frustrating to play against.”

If this were junior high The Informer would be yelling OH SNAP!!!

But seriously, how great is that quote? The games haven’t even started yet and these two teams are already talking trash in the media. There is no doubt in my mind this series is going to be epic.

Now getting down to brass tax; there are a few questions lingering about these Warriors.



Can they bring back the magic they found in last year’s playoffs? Will Harrison Barnes turn back into Robert Horry 2.0? Is David Lee going to be healthy and actually provide quality minutes? Will the second member of the “Splash Brothers” (Klay Thompson) be the sniper that he was against the Denver Nuggets last season, or just a great quote for the papers?

If the answers to all of these questions is yes, then this series will turn from a Los Angeles Clippers win into another magical Warriors fairly tale.

Pick: Warriors 4-2

(5) Portland Trailblazers vs. (4) Houston Rockets

The bearded man James Harden and Dwight Howard making their playoff debut as the new “Big 2”. In the words of Kobe Bryant fans everywhere, “BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”



If you couldn’t tell from the above booing, The Informer is rooting against the Houston Rockets. Honestly, if the Rockets fall flat on their bearded faces and get swept out of the playoffs The Informer is going to react like that dude from the Maury Show who just found out he is not the father.

Seriously though, other than Andrew “Bum” Bynum; James Harden and Dwight Howard are my two least favorite players in the NBA. It is nothing personal, The Informer just doesn’t like the fact that Harden is a flopper and that Howard makes Glen “Big Baby” Davis look like a teenager.



And then on top of Harden and Howard, you have Patrick “who am I going to injure next” Beverley’s thug-like actions. The Informer is sorry he is not sorry, but he has absolutely no love for the Rockets.

(The Informer note – I checked Vegas and right now the odds are 2-1 that Beverley “Goldbergs” Damian Lillard during the opening tip of Game 1. If you don’t like those odds, you can actually get on one of the illegal Caribbean internet sites and get 8-1 odds that Beverley waits until the second quarter before sweeping Lillard’s leg while the Portland Trailblazers are trying to call a time out. Personally, The Informer is putting a hundo down on the leg sweep.)

“Really Informer? You’re going to sit here and talk bad about the Rockets because Beverly injured your precious Russell Westbrook last year? That is so petty. Now I am rooting for Beverly to come leg sweep you so that you can’t finish this ridiculous NBA preview. You are the real bum. Why don’t you do your job and give us some statistical insight on these two teams?”

Okay fine. You want stats? How about this?

Since the 2011 NBA Playoffs, Dwight Howard is 2-8 in playoff games. It should also be mentioned that this stretch does include Howard’s great effort against the Spurs last season. Oh wait, that is right, the guy gave no effort at all. In fact, didn’t he quit on his teammate?

As for the “Bearded One”: Did you know that since coming to the Rockets, Harden has not made it out of the first round (The Informer knows it has only been one year, but you wanted stats so you can’t be picky)?



Also, did you know James Harden set the NBA record for most flops ever with 8,873.



Okay so The Informer made that one up, but you get the idea; The Informer does not like the Rockets.



All jokes aside, The Informer has to admit that there is no way on “Tebow’s” green Earth the Rockets are going to lose to Portland. No matter how much The Informer thinks Dwight Howard is overrated, the facts remain that he and Harden are the best one-two punch since Batman met Robin.

Honestly, the figment of my imagination is right; the Rockets are not going to lose this series. In fact, they will probably win every game by at least 40 points.



Pick: Rockets 4-0

P.S. – If “The Informer Reverse Jinx” does its job properly then The Informer will have a new video to show his emotions . . .

