Post by cop5414 on Jun 25, 2024 15:37:41 GMT
2027 NBN Western Conference Playoff Round 2:
#1 Memphis Grizzlies (65-22) vs #4 Phoenix Suns (48-38)
As a surprise to no one the Memphis Grizzlies handled their Round 1 matchup against the Golden State Warriors with relative ease. Only surrendering a Game 4 loss on the road, in which the Warriors put in a 125-point effort in a 7-point win to avoid elimination. The biggest key for the Grizzlies in this series is that they avoided a dreaded injury to any key player in their lineup. As long as they don’t get the Ja Morant treatment the Lakers got, they should handle the Suns who are now on a 5-game win streak after the sweeping of the Trailblazers. In the previous round prediction, I did not give enough credit to the difference the Suns’ frontcourt should make. While the series did end in a sweep, it was a bit closer than the end result indicates as each win came at only 8-points or less. While the Ayton-Nurkic combo probably made all the difference in Round 1, I don’t see them conquering the Grizzly combo of Williamson-Allen. This should be another easy round for Memphis, shouldn’t go longer than 5.
Grizzlies in 5
#3 Sacramento Kings (57-30) vs #7 Los Angeles Clippers (43-46)
At least dash isn’t alone in first round disappointments, well sort of anyways. Ja going down was of course huge, but they also managed to blow a 3-1 lead to a sub-500 team. However, I wouldn’t declare this to be a surprising result. Going back to mid-season before the Kings found themselves back into the mix, I assumed the West only belonged to the Grizzlies or Lakers. I couldn’t really decide who I liked in a Western Conference Finals matchup so decided it’d come down to health. Now here we are, and now the Clippers young squad gets to extend their moment in the spotlight. For whatever reason I don’t have the right box scores for this post season, but I’d really like to see Alexander Sarr and Ron Holland get up to in this series. Well anyhow, the post-season trip should end here as the Kings have seemingly found themselves an easier series than the last. I was really excited to write for a Kings/Lakers matchup this round as I was figuring it’d be the first interesting series in the West this postseason. But I guess I’ll need to settle for the Conference Finals. There is not really a logical reason for the Kings not to dominate the Clippers, but looking at their roster, let’s just say if De’Aaron Fox were to go down yet again, they might find themselves in a similar predicament as the Lakers. With all that said…
Kings in 5
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