THE BREAKDOWN

A.J. Hoffman: Previewing every NBA playoff series

A.J. Hoffman: Previewing every NBA playoff series
Lebron and the Cavs should advance. Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

The NBA finally matters. Sure, there are some fans who have been living and dying with every game since the fall, but not this guy. I watch the NBA in the regular season because it’s my job. Other than that, I find no real value in it. The playoffs, though, are a different beast. Now things get fun. Here is a quick preview of the first round matchups. 

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Houston Rockets vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves

The Rockets could have done better with their first round draw, but they definitely could have done worse. The Timberwolves are a below average team on the defensive end, and it isn’t a secret that the Rockets are a pretty good scoring team. Karl-Anthony Towns is a force, but Clint Capela is good enough to make him work on the defensive end. Jimmy Butler will likely see heavy doses of PJ Tucker on him, especially with Luc Richard M’Bah A Moute missing the series with a shoulder injury. The Wolves will obviously hope that Butler can lock down James Harden and force someone else to beat them. The problem is, there are too many guys on the Rockets who can do just that. 

Prediction: Rockets in 5

(2) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs

This isn’t the typical Warriors team going into the playoffs. They have struggled of late, and will likely be without Steph Curry for the first round of the playoffs. Fortunately for the Warriors, this Spurs team isn’t coming in as a typical Popovich monster. They are without Kawhi Leonard, their best 2-way player, which leaves them without someone they can feel confident in defending Kevin Durant. LaMarcus Aldridge wanted to be the man when he came to San Antonio, and this is his chance to step up and put on a great performance against a clearly better team. Of course that is always easier said than done with Draymond Green hanging all over you. 

Prediction: Warriors in 5

(3) Portland Trailblazers vs. (6) New Orleans Pelicans

This is an interesting matchup because while Portland is the better team, the matchup is absolutely winnable for the Pelicans. Anthony Davis is obviously the focal point for the Pelican offense (36 points and 14 rebounds in their last matchup), and Jusuf Nurkic will have to play well on the defensive end to at least try and limit the damage that he does. The Blazers are the smaller team, and will hope for strong showings from Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. The Pelicans won’t make it easy though, as they will throw defensive specialists Rajon Rondo and J’Rue Holiday at the Blazers dynamic duo. This should be a tight series. 

Prediction: Blazers in 7

(4) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (5) Utah Jazz

Russell Westbrook obviously has the capability of being a one-man wrecking crew, but the Thunder need to get solid performances from Paul George on the offensive end and Steven Adams on the defensive end. Donovan Mitchell will be the focal point of the offense for the Jazz, and it will be important for someone to step up and make an impact as a secondary scorer. Rudy Gobert is a force at the rim on both ends, and rebounding could potentially be a problem for the Thunder if Westbrook struggles to find success banging with the big boys. 

Prediction: Jazz in 6

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Toronto Raptors vs. (8) Washington Wizards

The Raptors have been the best team in the Eastern Conference all year, but they don’t have a great history of playoff performances. The Wizards, on the other hand, have finished the season in really poor fashion and would have to consider this season a disappointment so far. The talent is there, though, with John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter, Jr. all capable of having big games and big series. Toronto will need their backcourt, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to play as well as they have in the regular season. Something tells me this series will be more interesting than the Raptors want it to be. 

Prediction: Raptors in 7

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Milwaukee Bucks

Both these teams expected to be in better shape going into the playoffs than they actually are. The Bucks were looked at by many as a breakout candidate behind the play of Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the season didn’t go as planned. They fired Jason Kidd early in the season and no one stepped up to be a major secondary contributor. The Celtics expected to roll into the playoffs with their two big offseason pickups, Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Instead, both are lost for the season. Hayward went down in the first game and Irving fell right before the playoffs started. The Celtics need to make this a grinding series, as they are still a strong defensive team despite their glaring holes on offense. Jayson Tatum has a big opportunity here on both ends. He can be the offensive focal point for the Celtics, but will also be asked to check Giannis on the defensive end. His success could determine if the Celtics get to move on. 

Prediction: Celtics in 7

(3) Philadelphia 76’ers vs. (6) Miami Heat

“The Process” is finally paying off. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are one of the best high-low duos in the NBA today, and the Sixers are playing their best basketball of the season going into the playoffs. They will be without Embiid, at least to start the series, but they have looked strong in his time out with a broken orbital. The Heat want to keep possessions to a minimum and make the games as low-scoring as possible, but they will have to take advantage of every opportunity on the offensive end, as Philly boasts one of the best defenses in the league. The Heat are deep and versatile, but they will clearly be the less talented team on the court. Philly’s momentum should carry over nicely into the first round. 

Prediction: Sixers in 4

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Indiana Pacers

The Cavs and Pacers meeting in a rematch of last year’s playoffs isn’t a big surprise, but the fact that it is a 4-5 matchup is a bit of a shocker. The Cavs have clearly underperformed this season. They have been disastrous on defense all season long, and that is what makes the Pacers such a tough matchup for them. The Pacers are rolling on the offensive end, and they play like a team with nothing to lose. All the expectations sit on LeBron James and the Cavaliers. If they can’t play up to their potential, it could be an early and embarrassing exit to the playoffs. It is hard to imagine LeBron letting that happen though, and if I trust anyone to get it going come crunch time, he is the guy. 

Prediction: Cavaliers in 6

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The Texans are back in action next week against the Dolphins. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.

But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.

“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”

Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.

Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.

“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”

The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.

They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.

Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.

Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.

Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.

“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”

While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.

He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.

Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.

Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.

“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”

The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.

“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”

The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.

Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.

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