Denver Takes on Golden State, Oklahoma City Faces Houston in First Round of Playoffs
The Northwest Division in the Western Conference was home to some of the most entertaining basketball in the entire league this season as both the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets took the league by storm with their combinations of speed and athleticism. It’s only fitting, then, that the two teams’ first round playoff series will be by far the most entertaining in the opening tilt of playoff action. The Nuggets drew the Golden State Warriors, another high-flying offensive squad that lives and dies by the three-pointer, while the Thunder drew the Rockets, a team that similarly relies on the long shooting game. Let’s take a look at both series’ and make some predictions.
No. 3 Denver Nuggets (57-25) vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors (47-35)
- Game 1 in Denver: Saturday, April 21, 5:30, ESPN
- Game 2 in Denver: Tuesday, April 23, 10:30, TNT
- Game 3 in Oakland: Friday, April 26, 10:30, ESPN2
- Game 4 in Oakland: Sunday, April 28, 9:30, TNT
- Game 5 in Denver: Tuesday, April 30
- Game 6 in Oakland: Thursday, May 2
- Game 7 in Denver: Saturday, May 4
This game is going to be an interesting clash in styles. The Warriors lead the league in three-point percentage while the Nuggets lead the league in points in the paint. The Nuggets have lost Danilo Galinari for the season to a torn ACL, and he was one of the most vital pieces for spacing the floor and creating room inside for Denver’s slashing, athletic guards and rugged interior presence of Kenneth Faried. However, the Nuggets were sneakily terrible at defending the three point line this season, coming in 29th in the league at defending the stripe. If they let Stephen Curry get going, he could absolutely swing this series in favor of Golden State. Still, Denver has been virtually unstoppable at home this season, and they will have four games in their building during this seven-game series. There’s no reason to think they won’t win all of them and claim this series, but it’s going to be very, very close. If Denver wins, they’re going to win in seven. However, for savvy gamblers out there, bet on prop bets for Steph Curry to be the leading point scorer in every tilt during this series. He could easily score 40 a game.
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder (60-22) vs. No. 8 Houston Rockets (45-37)
- Game 1 in Oklahoma City: Sunday, April 21, 9:30, TNT
- Game 2 in Oklahoma City: Wednesday, April 24, 7, TNT
- Game 3 in Houston: Saturday, April 27, 9:30, ESPN (regional)
- Game 4 in Houston: Monday, April 29
- Game 5 in Oklahoma City: Wednesday, May 1
- Game 6 in Houston: Friday, May 3
- Game 7 in Oklahoma City: Sunday, May 5
This series will be far more interesting for the soap opera-like subplot of James Harden returning to OKC to face his former team in a playoff series than the actual gameplay will be. The Rockets are fantastic on offense, and can score with anyone, but their defense is downright atrocious. The Thunder might find themselves in a few wild shootouts with the Rockets, but their offensive firepower should be far too much for Houston’s sieve-like D to handle. Take OKC in five games.
