Today is Record Store Day, so I don't have as much time as I would like to get this ready. That proves my theory that NBA seasons go by way too fast. The playoffs seem as long to me as the regular season. Luckily, we're in for a treat with the playoffs this year. Not so much in the first round, but in the next couple where we will see many of the matchups we have all been daydreaming about for quite some time. This will also see the first playoff runs of the new look Heat, Knicks, Bulls, and Nuggets. Although not many people expect the Nuggets to be around for very long. It is still great to see what that team has been able to do this season amidst all of the Melo controversy and roster overhauling. I am bummed that my Rockets did not make the playoffs for the second consecutive season. They gave me high hopes for a minute there. Oddly enough, those hopes started to fade around the time we went to Philly to see them blow it against the 76ers (see: MoleCunt). While i do consider myself a lover of basketball, I am by no means a pro expert. The following picks are just for fun and you should not go putting up your mortgage on them. 
First RoundEastern Conference
The Indiana Pacers stood up and made their way into the playoffs when most people thought they would just roll over under their new no-name coach. Vogel kept finding the fresh meat throughout the latter part of the season and the Pacers were able to continually set it off down the stretch. That won't be the case against these Chicago Bulls. The Pacers will probably win one game on their home court, otherwise the Bulls win this series in five games.
The Philadelphia 76ers are a fun, young athletic team to watch and they could be on the rise within the next couple seasons. Unfortunately, they won't have enough good players to shut down the Heat's big three of Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The Heat will win this series in six games.
Fans from this part of the country have been waiting for a decade now for the Knicks to be relevant in the NBA again. That time is finally here, as they are only one or two pieces away from a deep playoff run. That run won't come this year, although they will take the Celtics to the brink of elimination. I don't think the Knicks will have enough pieces though, and The Celtics will win this series in seven games.
The Hawks could provide the spoiler role against the Magic, but I fully expect them to fall apart in this series. In fact, I don't even think it will go the distance as the Magic will win this series in six games. I would be lying if I said I wasn't rooting for the Heat to win it all throughout the playoffs. I have been listening to all of the haters all season long and I would love nothing more than to see Lebron hoist up the trophy and his middle finger ad the end of all of this. However, I still think they are one piece away from making that happen. I am going to pick them over the Bulls in a hard fought Eastern Conference finals though.
Western Conference
The Grizzlies have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the last few months. I have also been saying all season long that I think something will happen to ruin the Spurs playoff run after a great season. I don't expect that to happen this soon though, as the Spurs will win this series in six games.
This is a bad time to be a Hornets fan. If David West were healthy, they still would have no chance. In what I expect to be the only sweep, The Lakers will win this series in four games.
Dallas Mavericks fans are no stranger to playoff failure. I am sure they all still have Golden State in the backs of their minds. They will have Portland on their minds after this series too, as The Trail Blazers will win this series in six games.
Oklahoma City has a real legitimate shot in my opinion at playing the spoiler this season for the Lakers or the Spurs, possibly both. George Karl's Nuggets have been pulling it together all season long, bringing this team much further than most thought possible. The bus stops here, as the Thunder will win this series in six games. 
I do think the Lakers will get it together and go to the finals for the fourth consecutive season. That is of course as long as Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and the Black Mamba hold up for the next two months. If everyone stays healthy on this team, this will mark an unprecedented fourth three-peat for Phil Jackson. That would be incredible.
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