Here are five things, in no particular order, to keep your eye on during what might be the most hyped, star-studded NBA playoff season ever.
1. Health
Championships are often decided by which team can stay healthy for the duration of the playoffs. Last year's NBA Finals is a perfect case, as many objective observers have argued that had the Celtics' Kendrick Perkins not torn his ACL in Game Six against the Lakers, the championship parade would have cruised through Copley Square and not down South Figueroa Street.
The Celtics and Lakers are both on the forefront of health concerns this year as well. Boston has battled injuries all season and is counting on the return of Shaquille O'Neal — who has played just five minutes since Feb. 1 — to bolster a much-beleaguered front line that has struggled mightily to rebound effectively on both ends of the court.
Los Angeles seemed poised to enter the postseason as healthy as any team until Tuesday night, when center Andrew Bynum, who has blossomed since the All-Star Break, hyper-extended his knee. Though Bynum believes the injury should not sideline him very long, it is still uncertain when he will be available to play again for the defending NBA champs.
But besides teams coming in with injuries, the ability to keep key cogs healthy during the two-month playoff grind is vital to lengthening any team's post-season stay. Even losing an important bench player can disrupt a team's rotation and throw any squad for a loop.
2. The Spurs trying to win a championship with offense
The Duncan-Popovich Spurs have won four championships since 1999 on a recipe of airtight defense, timely offense and slowing the game down to a pace that would bore a sloth. Yet this year, for somewhat unclear reasons (though some commentators truly believe Gregg Popovich was simply bored with his old formula and wanted something new), San Antonio has picked up the pace, and the change has resulted in one of the highest win totals in franchise history. Yet with the more up-tempo style, the Spurs have sacrificed some of their former defensive prowess.
How will the new style work in the playoffs? Will they be able to get key stops when they really need them, as they did time and time again throughout their previous championship runs? Can their defense still bail them out on a night when their shots aren't falling?
3. Return of playoff basketball to Madison Square Garden
For the first time since 2004, the Big East Tournament or Jingle Ball won't be the most exciting event at MSG this year, as New York has finally made it back to postseason play. The team is led by the duo of Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, and long-waiting, die-hard Knicks fans will be cramming into the world's Basketball Mecca again to create the type of basketball atmosphere only possible in New York. Throw in the fact that the first-round opponent just happens to be the hated Celtics, and the "World's Most Famous Arena" should be abuzz well before tip-off. Whether you despise Carmelo for forcing his way out of Denver or you've lost all respect for Mike D'Antoni's coaching (or lack thereof), there is no denying that the Knicks' return to the playoffs makes for a more exciting and passionate postseason.
4. Officiating
As exciting as playoff basketball can be, it would be naive to believe that the poor officiating that has plagued the NBA for years won't play a role again this year. Search YouTube and you will find compilations of some of the most egregious calls in recent memory (think the 2006 Finals or the 2002 Kings-Lakers series). But besides the conspiracy theories, NBA refs have consistently shown both an ineptness to make the correct calls in crucial situations and, in some instances (see: Crawford, Joey), an obvious desire to make themselves the stars of the show. Overall, expect at least one bad call to define a game, and maybe even a series, in this year's postseason.
5. Chasing history
Adding a first (or another) trophy to the résumé means a lot to most of the league's elite players. If the Lakers win, Kobe will notch his sixth championship, equaling Jordan, Pippen, Abdul-Jabbar and Cousy for ninth-most titles won, behind a number of Celtics from the '50s and '60s and, you guessed it, Robert Horry. Also, a Lakers victory would be the franchise's 17th title, tying LA with the Celtics for the league lead. A victory for either Boston or San Antonio would also give Shaq and Duncan, respectively, a fifth title, tying them with Bryant and Fisher for the active lead.
