|
 Under first-year coach Steve Kerr the high-octane Warriors compiled
a franchise-best 67 wins with an exhilarating brand of play that
stole the spotlight.
But Golden State's style leaves no guarantee that they will achieve
championship substance amidst a sea of contenders for the NBA's
Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.
LeBron James has restored the Cleveland Cavaliers to playoff
relevancy after his return home sparked a roster upgrade that has
turned the previously tough-luck franchise into Eastern Conference
favorites.
However, the Cavaliers must answer some questions of their own as
they make their first postseason appearance since James famously
left Cleveland for Miami in 2010.
Young standouts Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love will get their first
taste of the playoffs, as will first-year coach James Blatt, and
Cleveland is still building with a roster that was revamped at
mid-season.
The defending champion San Antonio Spurs enter the playoffs perhaps
under the radar, speaking to the depth of competition in the strong
Western Conference, but they are deadlier than ever.
After an uneven start to the campaign, the Spurs finished the
regular season winning 21 of their last 25 games yet still start the
post-season as the West's sixth seed on the road against the Los
Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
Kawhi Leonard, 23, has emerged as possibly the key cog for San
Antonio, relieving pressure from their tested trio of Tim Duncan,
Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
The Houston Rockets are now a legitimate force behind MVP candidate
James Harden. A late-season surge lifted Houston to the West's No. 2
seed and they will open the playoffs at home on Saturday against the
Dallas Mavericks.
Dwight Howard missed the majority of the regular season with
injuries, but is back in a Houston lineup looking to reach the
second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
The Clippers have yet to advance past the second round with their
All-Star core of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, and that task will
not get any easier by facing off with the Spurs.
The Warriors earned a first-round matchup with New Orleans who
reached their first post-season since 2011 behind up-and-coming star
Anthony Davis.
[to top of second column] |
Warriors guard Stephen Curry is the front-runner to win the MVP, and
his freewheeling and long-distance shooting epitomizes a Golden
State team that could also sweep Defensive Player of the Year and
Coach of the Year awards.
Golden State aside, the Atlanta Hawks were the NBA's feel-good story
as they won the Eastern Conference's top seed with a team-first
approach.
A 19-game win streak at mid-season helped propel the Hawks to their
first division, and regular season conference titles since 1994.
Atlanta did post four All-Stars but their lack of a true superstar
leaves their legitimacy somewhat in doubt. They will host the
Brooklyn Nets beginning on Sunday.
The hopes of the Chicago Bulls will once again rest on the wobbly
knees of oft-injured guard Derrick Rose.
Rose, who won the regular season MVP award in 2011 before a rash of
injuries derailed his progress, has been in and out of the lineup
this season but has returned to the court in time for the
post-season.
Behind key addition Pau Gasol and their typically scrappy play, the
third-seeded Bulls begin against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday and
face the uncertainty that looms over many of the NBA’s top
contenders.
The NBA playoffs will conclude in June.
(Reporting by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
