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 A first-round frenzy Playoffs wide open this year -- but I pick 'em anyway
Posted: Friday May 07, 1999 08:18 PM
Alex English, an eight-time All-Star with the Denver Nuggets, looks at his favorite time of the year in the NBA -- the playoffs -- in this week's edition of the English Lesson: These could be the most exciting playoffs in the history of the NBA, because of the parity among the 16 teams. There are just so many possibilities. During a regular season, different teams go through spurts at different times, but it all evens out by the end of the season. This season, being only 50 games, it's tough to see who has really played their best already and who still has it coming. Portland has played really well for most of the season, but now the Trailblazers are on a little downtick. Same with Miami. Now, Sacramento, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, even the New York Knicks are spurting a little at the end of the season. It's all about timing, who's hot and who's not at this time of the year. One thing's clear to me about this first round of the playoffs: Utah did not want to see Sacramento in this first round, and Orlando really didn't want to see Philly. Let's look at the eight first-round series: Miami Heat vs. New York KnicksWhat to watch -- This will be, just as everyone expects, one tough series. It won't be pretty. For the top-seeded Heat, it could be especially ugly. I think they really fear playing the Knicks. The action will be in the paint, where Patrick Ewing of the Knicks and Alonzo Mourning of the Heat will try to do their damage. In a lot of ways, it's still a teacher-pupil thing with these two former Georgetown centers. This may be the year for Mourning to step up and start being the teacher. He'll have to if the Heat expect to win. He can't blow up like he has in the past. He can't let guys like Larry Johnson of the Knicks get to him. Pivotal player -- The Knicks' Marcus Camby can be instrumental in deciding this series. He has really matured as a player this year. He can run the floor, he's a shot blocker. He's been scoring well lately, so he's really gotten his confidence up. He's playing better now than any frontline player they have. My pick -- I'd say Miami in seven games, and if they played seven, it'd go the whole way. But since the first round is only a best-of-five, it'll be the Heat in five . Atlanta Hawks vs. Detroit PistonsWhat to watch -- When I played, I always realized the postseason was the time to step up. There's a national platform for every game. It's on national TV, so you know you have your old buddies, your old friends, your old girlfriends all watching. There are several players on each of these teams who should take this time to step it up. Nobody, though, will be watched more carefully than the Pistons' Grant Hill. He's close to superstardom now. A good playoff run could push him into that territory. Pivotal player -- Hill may be the guy to watch, but for me, Detroit forward Jerome Williams is a guy who can really make a difference. He's a tough kid, a hustling kid. Atlanta is playing good ball right now. To take the Hawks out of their game, Williams will have to play well. And, right now, he is. He's averaging 12 points and 10.6 rebounds a game over the past 10 games. My pick -- The knock against Atlanta is that the Hawks just aren't a playoff team. They washed out last year in the first round against Charlotte. It won't be easy, but they should shed that image against the Pistons. Atlanta in five games. Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ersWhat to watch -- Darrell Armstrong of the Magic vs. Allen Iverson of the 76ers. Armstrong has done a pretty good job against the league's scoring champion in the past. He's a tenacious defender. He'll have to be against Iverson. That first move of Iverson's is a sheer killer. That's the one that throws you off. You have to be able to counter that, and then get help. It's as simple as staying in front of him -- which, when you get right down to it, isn't simple at all. Pivotal player -- Orlando center Ike Austin has to do his job. He's had a mostly disappointing season, averaging just 9.7 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. He has to step up. My pick -- I think we're going to see an upset here. Iverson is just too hot to handle right now. Philadelphia in four games. Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee BucksWhat to watch -- How Indiana coach Larry Bird handles his rotation. At the end of the season, Bird made a pretty strong statement by putting in Mark Jackson in crunch time. That's probably what he'll do in the playoffs: Go with the veteran. Travis Best gives the Pacers a lot as a backup. But look for Jackson and Reggie Miller in the backcourt when it counts. Pivotal player -- I don't see anyone on Milwaukee being able to stop Indiana center Rik Smits. I don't see anyone in the league being able to stop Smits when he's on. And, of course, Miller is a playoff player, too. My pick -- George Karl has done a good job with the Bucks, but the Pacers have brought it back together heading into the playoffs. The Pacers are a veteran team that knows what it takes. Indiana in four . 
San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota TimberwolvesWhat to watch -- The two-guard spot, veteran Mario Elie of the Spurs against Anthony Peeler of the 'Wolves. This is a series that probably will be won on the front line with a pair of teams with big twin towers -- Kevin Garnett and Joe Smith with Minnesota and Tim Duncan and David Robinson of the Spurs. But the teams need some contribution from the backcourts, and that's where Elie and Peeler come in. Pivotal player -- Robinson. This is a chance for him to really step it up after a season in which he played second fiddle, willingly, to Duncan. The Spurs have been known as soft team in the past, and in the playoffs, that's no way to be. They've set a kind of new order this season. Look for Robinson to be as tough as they come. My pick -- San Antonio has played really well after a slow start, and the Spurs are playing better now than they ever have. The Spurs in four . Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston RocketsWhat to watch -- The big three for Houston -- Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon and Scottie Pippen, and whether they can pull it all together for the playoffs. If they do, this will be no contest. They've been inconsistent at times this season. But this is the playoffs, and all of them know what that's about. And, if I can point out one more thing: The Lakers have an inexperienced coach in Kurt Rambis. You know Rudy Tomjanovich is going to have his veteran team prepared. Can Rambis get his team ready? Pivotal player -- Olajuwon. Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal gives everyone problems with his strength. But Olajuwon can offset O'Neal's contributions by having a good offensive series of his own. And, with his moves, Hakeem can do that. He's still one of the most versatile big men out there. My pick -- We still don't know if the Lakers can put aside all those egos and play as a team. They don't have many players who are playoff-tested. So I see the Rockets in four in this one. Utah Jazz vs. Sacramento KingsWhat to watch -- This is the most interesting first-round series in the Western Conference, kind of like the Orlando-Philadelphia series in the East. To me, you have to watch Sacramento's Chris Webber, who is a future MVP in this league. If he's as healthy, he can dominate the Jazz. Karl Malone will have problems contending with this guy. Webber averaged 21 points, 13.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists against Utah this season. Pivotal player -- Look out for Corliss Williamson, Webber's rangy partner on the Kings' front line. The Kings have been playing really good ball lately. They're a high-scoring team, and with Webber, Vlade Divac and Williamson up front, I think they have an advantage over Utah. My pick -- But ... the Jazz are smart, they've been there and Malone will be heard from, one way or the other. I'm picking the Jazz in five games -- but it's a shaky five games. Portland Trailblazers vs. Phoenix SunsWhat to watch -- Gosh, how can you not watch Jason Kidd, the Suns' do-it-all point guard? He's kind of like a Magic Johnson in that he can take over a game with his rebounding, his shooting or his passing the ball. Pivotal player -- Pat Garrity, the Suns' rookie forward, can change around a game with his outside shooting. How Danny Ainge uses him will be key. The Blazers have an edge in the paint, but with Garrity in there, that might open up the middle some, which would be to the Suns' advantage. My pick -- The Blazers have stumbled some down the stretch, but they are a deep team, and I expect them to get it together against Phoenix, which just doesn't have all the pieces yet. I'll take Portland in three . Alex English is the NBA analyst for CNN/SI, the 24-hour sports news network from CNN and Sports Illustrated. Be sure to catch English on "This Week in the NBA" Sundays at 10:30 a.m., then replayed at 11:30 p.m. on CNN and CNN/SI. His column, the English Lesson, appears every week exclusively on CNNSI.com.
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