NBA Playoffs 2011 First Round: Western Conference Matchups
The National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2010-11 regular season ended on 13th April, 2011. Thirty franchises were a part of the competition. However, only the top eight teams from the Eastern and Western Conferences qualified for the playoffs.
The teams that made it to the first round of the playoffs from the West include the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets.
The first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs starts from Saturday, 16th April.
Here is an overview of the first round matchups in the Western Conference:
San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies
The Western Conference Champions, San Antonio Spurs, will host the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, 17th April.
San Antonio finished the season with a 61-21 record, just one game short of clinching the league’s best record. However, they already had a comfortable grip on top spot in the Western Conference.
The Grizzlies, on the other hand, ended the season at 46-36. They are all set to make their first appearance in the playoffs since 2006. This would be a great chance for the Grizzlies to prove themselves, as they have never won a playoff game.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Hornets
The second-seeded Los Angeles Lakers will take on the New Orleans Hornets at Staples Centre on Sunday night. The Pacific Division Champions are in a strong position going into the game, given their 4-0 record against the Hornets. In addition to that, they
have won both of the previous NBA Championships.
Los Angeles finished the regular season with a 57-25 record to secure second spot in the West. The Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 116-108 at the Power Balance Pavilion in their last game of the season. The seventh-seeded New Orleans ended the season at
46-36. However, they go into the playoffs on a two-game losing streak.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers
The Dallas Mavericks will host the Portland Trail Blazers in the opening round of the post-season at home on Saturday night. The teams are tied in terms of their head-to-head record this season, with two victories each.
The 22-year-old Portland small forward, Nicolas Batum, was quite excited about the upcoming series against the Mavericks. He said, “I think it's a good matchup for us. We split the series this year at 2-2, and we lost two close games in their place."
Seeded third this time in the West, the Mavericks ended the season with a 57-25 record, winning their last five games in a row. The Blazers finished off their 2010-11 season at 48-34, clinching sixth spot in the conference.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets
The Northwest Division Champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are all set to begin the post-season at home on Sunday night against the fifth seeded Denver Nuggets.
Oklahoma City slipped to fourth spot in the West with a 110-106 defeat against the Milwaukee Bucks in their last game of the season. The defeat snapped their five-game winning streak.
The Thunder finished the current season at 55-27, leading Denver by 3-1 in head-to-head encounters. During the regular season, the Nuggets won 50 of their 82 games. Both teams last met in the playoffs in 1994 when Oklahoma took a 2-0 lead in the first round.
Tags: