By D. Biderman (nickname: dmiles21ebrand42)

Battle of Baskets

If you have been a fan of the N.B.A. for more than just the past 5 years, than you must be quite bored with the new, recent, low scoring type of basketball being played, that usually results in games ending with both teams only racking up around 95 points. Well, if you are, for up to seven games in the next couple weeks you will be able to watch a match-up between two high-offense, lack luster defensive teams that are assured to score on average 115 to 125 points a game. A series between the Mavericks and Kings, however will be more like an all-star game, considering that together the two teams have players such as Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, Vlade Divac, Doug Christie, Michael Finely, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitski, Raef Lafrentz, and Nick Van Exel.

Neither one of these teams is favored to win the championship (although some fans think that either one of them may upset the defending championship Lakers), but that does not mean that the series won't be packed with fast-paced action, high-flying dunks, and lights-out three point shooting. Both teams have benches that contain players skilled enough to start for many teams in the league, and both teams have also got very little successful defense, which will result in an up-and-down pace of basketball in which both teams will have huge runs that will seem to give them the lead to win the game, but will most likely not.

The road to the second round of the playoffs for both of these teams has been quite different. While the Mavericks swept by the Timberwolves winning each game by an average of 10 points, the Kings slightly struggled against the veteran-led Utah Jazz. After sweeping the season series by 23 points a game, the Kings left Sacramento with a tied series, and then beat Utah twice at home. However, the margin of success for the Kings was only 4.5 points a game, including game 1 in which Scott Padgett attempted to slam dunk a 3-point shot by John Stockton in the closing seconds, that had a very good chance of going in.

The matchups in this series will be very fun to watch. The point guard duel between Steve Nash and Mike Bibby will be very interesting to watch because while both players have had break-out seasons, neither players have significant playoff experience. Vlade Divac against Raef Lafrentz will be very even. While Lafrentz has the youth that Divac only dreams of, Divac has been in many playoff games, and Lafrentz doesn't have that under his belt. The best match up (in my opinion) in this series however, will be between Chris Webber and Dirk Nowitski. Neither one of these players have a great amount of playoff experience, but both of these players have a ton of talent. Both players have the ability to step outside and shoot a jump shot, and both players can abuse their defenders and dunk it in their faces. It will be hard to take your eyes off of these two players because they will constantly be receiving the ball, and will be producing highlight plays all night long.

Who will win the series will be a very tough choice. The Kings were the team with the best home record in the league this season, but the Mavericks owned the best road record. Both Rick Adelman and Don Nelson have been successful in the playoffs, but neither have every won the title. They are both coming into the series with a ton of confidence, and because of the long, drawn-out first round format, neither team will be able to complain about lack of rest. The deciding factors in this series are very few, but will be enough to determine a winner. The Kings have the best fans in the league, one of the best sixth men in the league, and want to face the Lakers in the playoffs again that they can taste it. These few factors alone will be the reason that the Kings will be able to pullout this series.

Dallas will put up a very good fight, and might even draw this series out to seven games, however they will only be able to win one game, at the most in the Arco Arena. Although Mark Cuban has put together one of the most expensive teams in N.B.A. history, the simple lack of defense on this organization will be the contributing factor to yet another early exit of the postseason. In all, this will be a series that no one, basketball fan or not, is going to want to miss. There will be constant scoring, and don’t worry about your favorite team running out the shot clock, because the thing will probably never reach single digits. Score keepers get your rest, because you sure won’t be getting any during this series of playoff games!