In The Scope: Playoff Frenzy in the Western Conference
Some things to look for, as well as my predictions, regarding each NBA playoff series in the Western Conference.
The Playoff Frenzy has officially arrived to the NBA. A unique state of being, the Frenzy throws 16 teams in the mix for a championship in the wake of the ever-growing popular play-in tournament, which over the past couple years has acted as a perfect appetizer for the remaining seven-game series’ that will determine the 2022 NBA champion.
With hard fought wins in the final play-in games by Atlanta and New Orleans, the playoff matches across the league are set. Here are some things to look for, as well as my predictions, regarding each series in the Western Conference.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Phoenix Suns – We may not have LeBron James in the playoffs for the second time in four years, but this series still stands to be a showcase for one of the rising stars that he willingly gave up to bring Anthony Davis to Los Angeles — Brandon Ingram.
Ingram lived up to his potential in the play-in tournament, sealing the Pelicans fate as a playoff team for the first time since the 2017-2018 season. BI and CJ McCollum have done a heck of a job under rookie head coach Willie Green to bring the Pelican back to relevancy, even without their star player Zion Williamson in the fold.
But the Chris Paul-led Suns are hungrier than ever to redeem themselves in another NBA Finals run, and the Pelicans will not have enough firepower to stop the surge. MVP candidate Devin Booker lead command the offense, but I will be paying attention to the big man matchup with DeAndre Ayton and Jonas Valančiūnas. The winner of that post battle will likely power their team to win the series, and I expect Ayton to dominate, giving the Suns a chance to shoot the Pelicans out the sky with a gentleman’s sweep, 4-1.
Utah Jazz vs Dallas Mavericks – The Mavericks have had a heck of a season under the leadership of Jason Kidd and the continuing emergence of all-star and MVP candidate Luka Doncic. Unfortunately for the Mavs, Doncic is out for Game 1 and most likely out for Game 2 of the series, but Spencer Dinwiddie has proven to be the clutch go-to player for the team when needed since he was acquired at the trade deadline — he will be the player I will be watching throughout the series, as Dinwiddie now has a chance to step up and lead the Mavs down the stretch.
The Jazz have had some ups and downs this season, but they do have a dynamic duo with multi-time defensive player of the year in Rudy Gobert and a go-to scoring all-star in Donovan Mitchell, who has proven to show up on the game’s biggest stages. The Jazz have a chance to make this a competitive series, but they won’t have enough to handle the Mavs. No Doncic, no problem: Mavs win 4-2.
Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors – Last season’s MVP Nikola Jokic has built another tremendous, MVP-caliber season that includes averages of 27 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists a game as a center. These numbers have put head coach Mike Malone and the Nuggets in in a prime position to make some noise in this series without star players Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.
However, even with an unhealthy roster of their own, the Warriors are still the Warriors. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are getting back together like the Three Musketeers in a playoff series for the first time since Klay’s ACL injury in the 2019 NBA Finals. After not making the playoffs the past two years and Thompson being sidelined for the same amount of time, the team will be determined to get back to where they fell from as champions. Potential clashes between the Joker and Green will be something to look forward to, but Jokic won’t carry the Nuggets to the second round. Green wins the challenge, and the series, 4-2.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Memphis Grizzlies - This has the potential to be the most entertaining series in this round of the playoffs, if not the entire playoff season.
The Timberwolves are returning to the postseason for the first time since Tom Thibodeau brought half of his former Bulls team to drag Minnesota to a 2018 appearance. This go-around will be different as because second-year star Anthony Edwards has arrived.
Bringing in 21 points a game alongside Karl Anthony-Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Patrick Beverley, Edwards keys a dynamic starting lineup that has decent reinforcements from their bench as they head to Memphis. But Ja Morant will be waiting for them as will the rest of the Grizzlies behind the play of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. The Grizzlies will be prepared for what could be a physical cage-match of a series if you base things on how their prior games have taken place so far this season.
The Beverley/Morant match-up will get my eye mostly, it stands a chance to ignite some fireworks given how passionate both players are naturally on the court. From the trash talk and physical play to Ant-Man and Beverly’s press conferences, there will be lost of entertainment to go around, but I expect the Grizzlies to get the last laugh, taking home the series 4-3.
Joshua M. Hicks is a senior writer for WARR Media and host of the “In The Scope” Podcast