Patrick Redford is a 3rd Year Geology/Geography Major. Check him out on twitter @patrickredford

More than any other sport, basketball emphasizes the individual. In football, soccer and others, all players are specialized and must rely on teammates to do anything. On an NBA court, there are no responsibilities to hide behind, no over-evolved niche players who have one skill. The game takes place in a 3D space where creativity and beautiful, innovative basketball is rewarded just as much as gutsy, powerful displays are. A balance is essential, thus creating a diverse and competitive ecosystem of multi-skilled and vastly different players. The playoffs are great theater of course, narratives will be built and advanced with frightening speed, but the physical show will be just as spectacular, and it lasts for a month and a half. This year, the defending champion, Miami Heat, took their scorched earth, no prisoners style of relentless, efficient ball to new heights and the team looks scarier than ever. The Western Conference this year had 5 teams over 55 wins, only the third time in NBA history this has happened. The other three Western playoff teams all have looked dangerous and more importantly, fun as hell. Which is the real key to the playoffs. They are arduous, difficult and physically taxing, but within the second season, there is real joy to be found.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Thunder – (8) Rockets

Why to watch: Before the season, many predicted the Rockets to be amongst the worst teams in the Association record-wise, but one of the most fun. They were set to be an appealing wreck, some sort of post-modern Daryl Morey piece about the role of the Small Forward in the journey of man. Then James Harden morphed into the superstar player that was always lurking during his years in Oklahoma and all of a sudden the Rockets are a playoff team on the upswing. The style of the team lends itself well to regular season success and league pass cult following, but probably not postseason series wins. Still, they are a seriously entertaining team to watch, and if the three-pointers are falling they could steal a game. However, this team shouldn’t be considered a serious threat to win four games out of seven and the ‘James Harden’s desire for revenge will motivate an upset’ is pure narrative fodder. Perhaps the key factor in the Thunder’s continued ascendance is the incremental improvement of all rotation players. Coupled with the addition of Kevin Martin, OKC is roughly back to where they were entering the playoffs last year. Except now the unhinged and brilliant Russell Westbrook has more freedom. Pundits and others will play up the Westbrook-Kevin Durant internal conflict angle mostly to pump up the drama and narrative, but Westbrook is an essential cog in this team and they can’t win without him. You should get your ass in front of a TV for any series with Westbrook, as he is liable to dunk with raw ferocity at any point, but this series will be especially fun since both teams involved are offensively oriented.

Relevant Statistic: Lost in the incredible MVP-worthy season Lebron James has crafted are the historic shooting numbers of the aforementioned Durant. Only six players in the history of the NBA shot their ways to at least 50% on field goals, 40% on three-pointers and 90% on free throws in one season. One of those six is Kevin Durant this year. Dude can shoot.

Predictions: Hasheem Thabeet and Omer Asik get so tangled up when going for a rebound they both must remove their jerseys to get back to normal, prompting giggles. Derek Fisher shaves his head too close before Game 1 and plays the game with an exposed skull in places. He finishes 0/5 with 3 turnovers. Handsome Chandler Parsons’ good looks cross over to the mainstream and he is endorsed in ‘13-’14 by Yves Saint Laurent. Wayne Coyne performs the national anthem nude. Thunder in 4.

(4) Clippers – (5) Grizzlies

Why To Watch: Rematch! The Grizzlies are Punk As Fuck. Zach Randolph exudes a Khal Drogo-esque menace on court, even if he is afraid of cats IRL. Tony Allen not only runs the world’s greatest athlete twitter account, but is a top 5 perimeter defender who gets real mean. The rest of the team falls right in step and even if you beat them, it’ll take a lot out of you (in the last two years, the team that has eliminated Memphis has gone 1-8 in the next round). Yet in the other corner is Point Deity Chris Paul. His ability to control a game at such an atomic level is admirable and frustrating in that it almost validates stupid narrative-based platitudes about “heart”, “desire” and “will to win” espoused by the sillier basketball analysts out there. Watching playoff Chris Paul when he is engaged and visibly gives a shit about the game from the tip (he has a habit of taking a few quarters to stretch his legs and chill) is a basketball experience every fan deserves to give themselves. Also, they make a lot of cool dunk shots. It will probably go to six or seven games again (at least if we’re lucky) and there is also the Hate factor here as well. Los Angeles has home court, but that home court is Staples Center and the Grizzlies play a particularly deflating style of ball that drains the energy and will to cheer from many crowds. Watch this series.

Relevant Statistic: The Grizzlies were last in the league in 3 point attempts (13.5 per game) and 24^th in percentage (34.5%). If the Clippers had a real coach, they would seek to exploit this, but Vinny Del Negro doesn’t really seem to coach often or effectively. Honestly this series isn’t really much about stats. The Grizzlies game plan, especially in the postseason, is basically ‘hit people’ and the Clippers offense is just Chris Paul doing his thing and also some dunks.

Prediction: Memphis brings out an actual Grizzly Bear on the floor for Game 1 introductions, which of course escapes and is eventually subdued after Tony Allen coos her to sleep. Eric Bledsoe, a huge Godard fan, makes a joke about the ending of Masculin Feminin during a post game press conference. It falls flat. Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins accidentally calls Ed Davis ‘Rudy’ as he is preparing to enter the game in the second quarter of Game 6, which brings up memories of his traded superstar. The TNT mics catch him sighing on the sideline for the rest of the game. Memphis in 7.

(2) Spurs – (7) Lakers

Why to Watch: For years and years the tone of prognosticators when discussing the Spurs has been “The King is Dead Long Live The King” with a subtext that it was a welcome decline since the Spurs are boring. This is both stupid and reductive, since there is nothing boring about steady efficiency and interchangeability in a chaotic sport and Greg Popovich has proved for years that the system works. In actuality, this may be the deepest and scariest roster of supporting players Popovich and G.M. R.C. Buford have assembled to complement their superstars. What’s scarier is how well Tony Parker (who is only two years older than Lebron James) and Tim Duncan have been playing. Duncan has writers shilling for him as a top-5 MVP candidate and Parker is shooting career highs at the rim (69.4%, spectacular for a point guard) and from 10-15 feet (46.7%). Their opponent seems like the true empire in decline. In a season where the basketball was dwarfed by the narrative and drama surrounding the team, the fact that this is a mediocre team and not a superb team playing poorly has emerged. Since Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon, Dwight Howard has been playing better (read: less scared of Kobe). In Wednesday’s pivotal victory over the Rockets he looked more like the old Dwight, grabbing 18 boards and blocking 4 shots. What’s perhaps more crucial is Pau Gasol’s triumphant return from injury. Gasol presents a matchup issue for any big man, and with Steve Nash having health issues, he is the best passer on the Lakers. Without Bryant’s spectacular shot-making/shot-creating ability, ball movement will be essential to scoring on the Spurs, a very organized team. Despite potential playoff resurgences from Lakers big men, the Spurs are too crafty an offensive team for L.A. to stop over a seven game series. Unlike their top-heavy counterparts, San Antonio contains multitudes. For all the noise surrounding the team, they could exit with a whimper.

Relevant Statistic(s): For how silly and melodramatic the Lakers and their spirit animal Howard have been, he still leads the league in rebounds per game at 12.4. This should serve as a reminder that despite their Mercury Thiocyanite-level chemistry and lost superstar, this team still has very good players and could win some games if things go right and their truly horrid bench doesn’t shit the bed.

Predictions: After hitting a big three late in Game 2, Matt Bonner starts his post-game press conference by loudly rapping ex-teammate Stephen ‘Stak5’ Jackson’s “Lonely At The Top” as a tribute to his brethren. Steve Nash will show up to Game 1 with a rat-tail. Danny Green forgets who recently added teammate Aron Baynes is while on a team flight and requests more peanuts from the tall Australian flight attendant. Spurs in 5.

(3) Nuggets – (6) Warriors

Why to Watch: Because this matchup is one of those special times when the situation will not dictate style. Typically, playoff basketball drapes a slowing down effect over the league, like a huge curtain that restricts fun. This is of course very practical; you want to maximize your possessions and cover your ass to prevent transition baskets. However, once in a while out West, two teams match up who will refuse to conform to that notion. The Nuggets are a whirlwind that slowed down, crystallized some basketball players and then picked back up again to deadly effects. They play at the second highest pace in the game, score the most points per game, grab the most offensive rebounds per 100 misses and shoot the fourth highest field goal percentage. At the head of the attack is jitterbug/electron Ty Lawson. Recently returning from a heel injury to hit a game-winner, Lawson is one of the flat out fastest players in the league. Unlike certain other speed mavens, he is also a fantastic basketball player. He can get to the rim simply by running really, really fast, but also can initiate the Nuggets deadly passing attack via drive and kick. The Nuggets lost Danilo Gallinari for the year a few weeks ago, which is soul-crushing blow for the team and basketball fans and Italians, but if anyone can sustain the loss of their second best player, it’s Denver. This team is incredibly deep, although nobody can replicate the crucial floor spacing Gallo brought. The Warriors on the other hand are a balanced and well-behaved club who has made the playoffs for only the second time in 20 years. They look like a first round out based on shaky defense and the uncertain health of franchise center Andrew Bogut, despite posting their best recent defensive rating by a mile this season. However, the mysticism of the playoffs shows that sometimes, somebody can go supernova at the right time and swing a series with a few three pointers. If this myth smacks of anyone in the league it is Stephen Curry. Curry broke the records for three-pointers made in a season at 272, and he shoots them at 45.3%. This season he has blossomed from three-point specialist to playmaking offensive superstar, averaging 6+ assists per contest. The Warriors may not be able to hang with the depth and altitude of the Nuggets, but Curry can do some special things. This is an eminently watchable series.

Relevant Statistic: The Nuggets have 12 players roughly at or above the league average PER (player efficiency rating) mark of 15. This is a nice stat that showcases their impressive depth. The altitude in Denver coupled with the waves of able reserves George Karl can bring off his bench has pushed the Nuggets to a 38-3 home record. Hard to see the Warriors stealing a game here.

Predictions: Anthony Randolph confesses to teammates that he is, as long theorized, a ghost. Kent Bazemore’s new bench celebration involves everyone on the bench seesawing back and forth and then falling over, which disrupts game play a lot, but everyone agrees is really cool. “I’m down for this celebration,” Official Joey Crawford said, “it’s really cool.” It turns out Timofey Mozgov is actually two short dudes (Timo and Fey) standing on each other’s shoulders in a trench coat. Steph Curry’s petition for actual flammable nets that catch on fire if you hit 5 shots in a row is unsurprisingly denied again. Nuggets in 6.

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