That time that players and fans alike salivate for all year is finally here. After 80-plus games, and plenty of high jinks and untold drama, the league is gearing up for the 2013 NBA Playoffs. Given the stakes and intensity involved, it often feels like a whole different season rears up its head come playoff time. A season 2.0, if you will.
To help you navigate through the first-round scenarios, Sports Jerks will be breaking down all of the 2013 NBA Playoffs matchups for you―offering lineups, schedules, and predictions.
Western Conference:
Golden State Warriors (6) vs. Denver Nuggets (3)
Schedule:
Game 1 – Sat April 20, Golden State at Denver, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 2 – Tue April 23, Golden State at Denver, 10:30 p.m., TNT
Game 3 – Fri April 26, Denver at Golden State, 10:30 p.m., ESPN2
Game 4 – Sun April 28, Denver at Golden State, 9:30 p.m., TNT
Game 5 – Tue April 30, Golden State at Denver, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 6 – Thu May 2, Denver at Golden State, TBD, TBD (if necessary)
Game 7 – Sat May 4, Golden State at Denver, TBD, TNT (if necessary)
This series will be about pace, but perhaps more importantly, will prove to be a battle of the boards. Denver and Golden State are the number 2 and 3 rebounding teams in the league, with Denver leading in offensive rebounding and Golden State in defensive. Golden State must do a better job of outrebounding the Nuggets, especially on the offensive end, in order to keep Denver from attacking on the fastbreak. Considering that Denver leads the league in fastbreak points and points in the paint, controlling the board game will be the only way the Warriors win this series.
Kenneth Faried’s absence might help tilt things in Golden State’s favor. As Denver’s leading rebounder (9.2 RPG), Faried will be a deciding factor in this series (and really any series down the stretch). But having sprained his left ankle, the spring-legged forward won’t be suiting up tonight, and is still day-to-day. That doesn’t spell good things for the Nuggets, who have kept the Warriors to 94.9 points per 100 possessions with Faried playing on the floor. Without him, the Warriors have poured in 111.9 points. Not a good sign for the Nuggets, as the Warriors only averaged 101.2 points during the season.
Still, Denver has a multi-faceted team that secured home-court advantage. At their stomping ground they are 38-3, which is the league’s best home record. They also outscore opponents at home by 11.7 points per 100 possessions. In the regular season series, where Denver won three out of the four against GS, the Nuggets scored a whopping 30 more points than the Warriors. Curry will get his but will struggle anytime Andre Iguodala or Corey Brewer are called on to lock him down.
The lack of size will also do Golden State in as no one exists to protect the rim against the high-running Denver offense. With a speedy Ty Lawson and the MacGyver-like craftiness of Andre Miller running the offense, plenty of defensive holes will be exploited.
And as much as we love Mark Jackson, he’ll be playing against one of the best coaches the sport has ever seen.
Outcome:
Denver Nuggets 4-2 Golden State Warriors
