After what seemed like an eternity, the long wait is over and we have finally reached the pointy end of the NBA season.
While the Eastern Conference looked like a two horse race before the All-Star break, it has become anything but predictable in recent times.
The historically strong Western Conference is getting harder and harder to pick, with teams battling for the eighth playoff place looking just as dangerous as some of the top seeds.
Let’s take a look at some of the teams that aren’t predicted to progress to the Conference Finals, but still have the potential to surprise the established front-runners.
Eastern Conference
Brooklyn Nets
At the start of the season the Nets were in a horrible position. They had a poor record, Jason Kidd looked like the wrong choice as head coach and it was hard to see a solution for their woes.
Quietly, the Nets got their mess sorted out and key players returned from injury. Their post All-Star break record (20-9) is equal fourth-best, and a recent sweep of the Miami Heat has people wondering whether they can justify the large tax bill a certain wealthy Russian will be forking out.
The Nets have a talented roster, championship experience and depth at almost every position, so it is not inconceivable that they could upset the Pacers or the Heat.
Chicago Bulls
What a story the Bulls have been this season. Early on there was excitement about Derrick Rose returning, until he got injured and things looked bleak. Tom Thibodeau squeezed everything he could out of his team and the Bulls maintained a relatively healthy record, but then they traded Luol Deng away for luxury tax relief and everyone expected a free fall into the lottery.
Since the Deng trade the Bulls have been on a tear as Joakim Noah reminds everyone that Derrick Rose isn’t the heart of the Bulls and DJ Augustin found his niche in Chicago. Thibs continues to work miracles, and I don’t think either the Heat or the Pacers are looking forward to seeing the Bulls in a playoff series.
Western Conference
Memphis Grizzlies
As a Clippers fan I can say that one team you do not want to face in the opening round of the playoffs is the Memphis Grizzlies.
They are a physical, grind it out defensive team that makes you work hard on every possession. Their roster is full of guys you hate to see if you are an opposing team (Tony Allen, Gasol, Z-Bo, Conley); add in the explosive speed and energy of James Johnson off the bench and this team looks dangerous.
With a healthy roster, it is no coincidence that they have gone 20-9 since the All-Star break.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks are like the Bulls, but minus the injuries. They may not have the most talented roster, but they have a great coach who knows how to get the best from his players.
The prime example is Monta Ellis. Rick Carlisle has formed a game plan around the speedy guard’s strengths instead of expecting him to be a player he isn’t. Add in the unstoppable scoring of Dirk Nowitski, the efficiency of Jose Calderon and the defensive prowess of Shaun Marion, and the Mavericks could cause a big upset – remember their recent playoff battles with OKC?
Notable Mentions
Charlotte Bobcats
The Miami Heat may have some difficulty flicking that ‘let’s be awesome’ switch everyone thinks they can, so I can see the Bobcats stealing a game or two off the defending champs in the first round. Miami have trouble containing post-up bigs, so if Big Al gets on a roll then the Heat could be in some trouble.
Golden State Warriors
They looked so good for most of the season, but with Andrew Bogut potentially out of their first round match-up it could spell disaster for their defence. Steph Curry will have a couple of big games, but they still lack that consistent defensive effort that it takes to win a playoff series.
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