1st Round NBA Playoff Predictions: (Lakers vs. Nuggets ) (Grizzlies vs. Clippers)

Nuggets vs. Lakers

Mike Brown and the Los Angeles Lakers got off to a rough start but the Lakers got back on tract thanks to Kobe Bryant. Bryant averaged 27.9 points per game this season while averaging 38.5 minutes per game. If the game is on the line there is nobody else I would taking the last shot than Bryant. The loss of World Peace will be a big blow for the Lakers for the 1st round but the Lakers will have a huge advantage inside with Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Bynum had his best season as a pro and there is no reason he shouldn’t dominate this series. Another reason the Lakers turned this season around is point guard play. After the Lakers got rid of Derek Fisher Ramon Sessions has come in and done the job. The Lakers beat the Nuggets 3 out of 4 times this season. The Nuggets got off to a hot start then struggled but finished strong by winning 10 out of their last 14 games. The Nuggets are the highest scoring team in the league and they don’t have that one star. Denver features 7 players that average double figures. Watch out for Ty Lawson he is a star in the making. I think the Lakers will slow it down at play at their pace. In all 4 meetings in the regular season the Lakers held the Nuggets under 100 points. The Nuggets will have no answer for Gasol and Bynum. Lakers in 6

Grizzlies vs. Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers are back in the playoffs. The main reason they are in the playoffs is because of star point guard Chris Paul, who they got in a trade before the season started. The Memphis Grizzlies are becoming the team that you don’t want to play in the playoffs. They knocked off the number 1 Spurs last season. The Grizzlies are also hot winning six straight and 11 out of their last 13 games. One of those wins was a win over the Clippers. The Clippers did win the first two games. The best player in this series will be Paul. He just knows how to control the game. Don’t under estimate Memphis’ point guard Mike Conley. He is very underrated for the numbers he produces. The Leader of the Grizzlies is Small forward Rudy Gay. Gay was hurt last postseason. Gay should have a big match up advantage over Caron Butler. The other story with the Grizzlies is the return of Zach Randolph from injury. If he is healthy he can really give Clippers star Blake Griffin problems on both ends of the floor. Memphis has an advantage at the center position with Marc Gasol’s ability to score something Clippers DeAndre Jordan cannot do. I like the Grizzlies to win mainly because of their depth and recent playoff history. Grizzlies in 7

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