The 2011 NBA playoffs have several teams in both conferences that feel like this is their year. The Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic are all confident of winning the Eastern Conference, while the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are set to make deep runs in the West.The playoffs have many intriguing story lines, more so than any year in a long time.
Oklahoma City Will Sweep Denver (4 games)
Oklahoma City has destroyed Denver this season, and the playoffs will be no different.
While the Nuggets have played well in the post-Carmelo Anthony era, they lack the offensive firepower or defensive abilities to hang with the explosive Thunder.Denver has no one to guard Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook, and the duo will carry the Thunder to the second round without breaking a sweat.
The Boston New York
The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks are about to play their first playoff series against each other since 1990, when Patrick Ewing and the Knicks defeated the Celtics in five games (in 1990, the first round was a best of five games, not seven).The Celtics have stumbled into the playoffs, while the Knicks have entered the postseason playing well.
However, the playoff-tested veterans of the Celtics will be able to turn up the heat on the Knicks, who have only one player with solid playoff experience, point guard Chauncey Billups.The Celtics are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA and will be able to score easily against the Knicks defense, which gives up points like it’s going out of style.
The Knicks are building a solid team but will be unable to halt another title run by the Celtics.
