Advancing out of a Western Conference that includes the defending NBA Champions, perennial contenders like the Spurs and Mavericks, and a slew of talented teams that could be primed for an upset will be a marathon. Making it to the finals will take skill, focus and, sometimes, a little luck of the draw.
The Daily breaks down each team in the West's chances of advancing to the title game, as well as which team each contender would prefer to avoid this playoff season:
San Antonio Spurs:
Strengths: coaching and experience
The Spurs outlasted the competition and are poised to begin the 2011 playoffs perched atop the ultra-competitive Western Conference. San Antonio's core of coach Gregg Popovich, forward Tim Duncan and guards Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker has led them to postseason success for the better part of the past decade. As the role players throughout the years have changed, the team's formula for success has not — relying on their coaching and their Big 3 to manufacture efficient and winning basketball.
Weakness: size
While Tim Duncan remains one of the most hulking defensive presences in basketball at almost 7 feet tall, his fellow forwards and centers lack comparably imposing physicality. Starting center DeJuan Blair clocks in at a generous 6 feet 7 inches tall and rookie international back-up center Tiago Splitter is as soft as Play-Doh in the paint.
Unfavorable matchup: Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers' twin towers of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum down low would prove to be too much for San Antonio's forwards to handle throughout the course of a seven game series.
Los Angeles Lakers:
Strength: being the back-to-back champs
The Lakers are a perfect 8-0 in their last eight playoff series. The defending two-time NBA titleholders know how to win a seven-game series. With the game's fiercest competitor in Kobe Bryant and most imposing frontline of Lamar Odom, Gasol and Bynum, the Lakers are cocked and ready for another deep playoff run.
Weakness: lack of athletic point guards
Starting point guard Derek Fisher is a turnstile on the defensive end, as opposing lead guards blow by him. Teams with athletic, penetrating point guards will give the Lakers trouble as their defense must constantly collapse in the paint to help on Fisher's man.
Unfavorable matchup: Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets
Russell Westbrook of the Thunder is the most athletic point guard in the game. While his shooting is suspect, his ability to get to the paint is among the NBA's elite. Ty Lawson of the Nuggets may not have Westbrook's leaping and playmaking ability, but Lawson may be the game's shiftiest lead guard.
Dallas Mavericks:
Strength: Dirk Nowitzki
When the heart and soul of the Mavs is in the lineup, Dallas is 54-17. Without the big German dude, the Mavs are a paltry 2-8. With Dirk healthy and starting, the Mavericks are capable of going toe-to-toe with the West's best.
Weakness: one-dimensionality
While the Mavs are fortunate enough to have a player like Nowitzki on their squad, they rely on him too heavily. The Mavericks' roster is so riddled with mediocre and washed-up players that they utilize a 12-man rotation — unlike the NBA norm of nine or 10 — limiting many players' minutes.
Unfavorable matchup: Portland Trailblazers
Gerald Wallace, Lamarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum, three of the league's longest and most versatile defenders, all happen to excel in covering perimeter forwards a la Dirk Nowitzki. If the Mavs were to face the Blazers, the Portland trio would be able to shut down Dirk.
Oklahoma City Thunder:
Strength: well-rounded
After acquiring Kendrick Perkins from the Celtics, the Thunder have suddenly become the most well-rounded team in the league. They have two go-to scorers in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and an athletic, defensive-minded wing to throw at the Kobes and Lebrons in Thabo Sefolosha. Most importantly, they have an interior defense and toughness in Serge Ibaka and Perkins that can block shots and out-rebound anyone on a given night.
Weakness: youth?
The only knock against the Thunder was that they were too young to compete in the 2010 playoffs. Last postseason, OKC pushed the Lakers to the brink and proved they could hang with the best. This past summer, however, Westbrook and Durant were leaders of the gold-medal-winning USA Basketball Team, which gave the two young guns invaluable experience.
Unfavorable matchup: Lakers or Spurs
These are the only two teams that could conceivably out-coach and out-execute the Thunder in the half-court game, courtesy of Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich.
Denver Nuggets:
Strength: athleticism and versatility
With the departure of Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets do not have one go-to-scorer. For most teams, not having an elite superstar normally earns you a trip to the lottery — however, Denver has an arsenal of unique ways to score. They can shoot the 3, they can play small ball and turn the game into a track race, or they can go big and bang in the paint for a few minutes per quarter.
Weakness: the playoffs are different
History has shown that teams that rely on being faster and taking more shots struggle in the postseason. During the playoffs, the game slows down; every possession counts, and half-court execution and defense win championships. The Nuggets are suddenly the most exciting team in the league to watch, but their style of play can be exploited.
Unfavorable matchup: Thunder
Since the Anthony trade, the Nuggets have literally run through the entire Western Conference — except for the Thunder. Going 0-2 against the Thunder in the past week, Denver made it clear it has no answer for Kevin Durant. In a seven-game series, the combination of Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler will not be able to slow Durant down.
Portland Trail Blazers:
Strength: defense
With shutdown defenders at every position but point guard, the Blazers defense has carried them this entire season (sixth in the league at 94.6 points per game allowed).
Weakness: scoring
The Blazers lost their leader and crunch-time scorer when Brandon Roy's knees decided to disintegrate. Since then, LaMarcus Aldridge has elevated his game to an all-star level. However, Portland still struggles to score, averaging only a league best 23rd in points per game at 96.4.
Unfavorable matchup: Lakers
Kobe and the Lakers would be too much for a Blazers team still trying to mesh with the acquisition of Gerald Wallace and the transition to LaMarcus Aldridge as "the guy."
New Orleans Hornets:
Strength: Chris Paul
Say what you want about his gigantic knee brace, Paul brings it every single night. Since the loss of leading scorer David West, Paul has had to put the Hornets on his back even more just to keep them in the playoffs. They are likely a first-round exit, but New Orleans knows they can go to war behind their leader.
Weakness: depth
Jarrett Jack, Willie Green, Quincy Pondexter, Jason Smith, Aaron Gray: Those are the backups at each of the starting five positions for New Orleans. Having to move sixth-man extraordinaire Carl Landry into the starting lineup has depleted the Hornets' second unit.
Unfavorable matchup: Lakers
The Hornets are 0-4 against the Lakers this season. They have no answer defensively for Bryant and Gasol.
Memphis Grizzlies:
Strength: toughness
The Grizzlies are a motley crew. On the wing they have two of the game's best shutdown defenders in Tony Allen and Shane Battier, and on the blocks, they have two monsters in Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.
Weakness: outside scoring
Randolph is one of the best in the NBA at scoring in the post. However, the loss of star Rudy Gay for the season has left the Grizz thin at scoring on the perimeter. If a team can shut down Randolph, then Memphis will struggle to score.
Unfavorable matchup: anyone and no one
The one thing the Grizzlies have going for them is that they are crazy enough to believe they can beat any team in the league on any given night. With a combined 7-5 against the Spurs, Lakers and Mavs this season, Memphis has proven they can back up their swagger. The question is, can they maintain it for seven games?
