The Heat can't count on shooting as well as they did in the first round, but their approach should be the same and I'm not in the business of doubting Jimmy Butler (or Erik Spoelstra, for that matter) right now. Expect the Lakers to take Game 1 and home-court advantage to prevail from there. The Warriors went 7-13 in games with a rest disadvantage this season, and the Lakers should be well rested after finishing the Grizzlies off on Friday. Game 1 provides just such an opportunity. The Lakers have been so dominant on their home floor this postseason that, if they can manage to steal a single road game, they'll be in good shape to take care of business against the Warriors, who had an 11-30 road record this season. In the end, this pick comes down to two things: not wanting to bet against Steph Curry when he's playing at this level and the Warriors having home-court advantage. Neither team was all that impressive in the regular season, but both seemed to have figured things out to an extent in recent weeks. Steph Curry narrative, but also a distinct style showdown featuring the Lakers' interior approach against the Warriors' 3-point attack. This has all the makings of a fascinating series. While Steph and LeBron are still playing elite-level basketball, Curry has a bit more help around him. While the Lakers were largely constructed at the trade deadline this season, the Warriors have been playing together for years, and that gives them an edge. While both teams have plenty of playoff experience, the Warriors have more collective postseason experience as a unit, and that could play a big factor. This series has the potential to be epic thanks to the presence of two all-time greats in LeBron James and Steph Curry competing against each other again. Sure, AD and LeBron will be a handful, but the Warriors are much more prepared to handle that kind of attack. The Kings offense had two players who are Golden State kryptonite - fast, penetrating guards - and the Lakers are limited in that area. Steve Kerr has figured out his reliable rotation pieces, and it will be much easier to lean into the Draymond-Looney frontcourt against a bigger team like the Lakers. The Warriors were tested in their first-round series against the Kings, and they've come out better for it. The Warriors are familiar with this kind of defense, though, and my prediction is a bet on them overcoming it (and a bet against Los Angeles' role players thriving the way they did against Memphis). The Lakers are going to *completely* ignore Golden State's non-shooters and try to keep Anthony Davis in the paint. But I'll take the defending champs to move on. ![]() ![]() Those are the Warriors' pros, but the Lakers have big wing defenders and, well, LeBron James, who can still be the best player in this series if his jumper is on. That limits his rim protection and could allow for Kevon Looney to continue gobbling up offensive boards. ![]() If Steve Kerr puts the ball in Stephen Curry's hands for enough pick and rolls, Anthony Davis is going to have to spend a good chunk of this series defending outside the paint. I think this is going to be an incredible series that comes down to home-court advantage, which the Warriors own.
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