They have just begun and already they are full of excitement. From a team with a losing record pulling off an upset to shocking finishes night-by-night, the pool of teams is so even that it’s possible that most of the bottom teams could advance past the first round. The possibility of an upset makes the games that much more exciting, and that is why this year’s NBA Playoffs is shaping up to be the best in years.

Eastern Conference

The Indiana Pacers won the top spot in the East, and rightly so. They allowed the second fewest points to be scored on their stout defense. They also held their opponents to a league-low .420 percent shooting. They’re playing the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. The Hawks are the only team in the playoffs with a losing regular season record, but they’re hanging tough with the Pacers. This is a series to watch if you’re in the market for a huge first round upset.

Another intriguing match up in the East is the series pitting the Brooklyn Nets against the Toronto Raptors. The series began with a statement win for the Nets, 94-87. The Raptors wouldn’t be denied twice at home though, as they won Game 2 100-95. Game 3 is tonight, and it is sure to be a great atmosphere as the Nets look to advance past the first round for the first time since 2006.

When it gets down to the nitty-gritty, though, no one can best the Indiana Pacers. The Miami Heat will give it their best shot, but they’ll lose in the Conference Championship in seven games. The Heat, as well as the rest of the East, just can’t match the Pacers’ defensive intensity in crunch time. The Pacers were the best defensive team in the league this past season, and they will not be stopped on their way to the NBA Finals.

Western Conference

As far as the Western Conference is concerned, the San Antonio Spurs are top dog. They are matched up with their instate rivals, the Dallas Mavericks, in the first round. The series is tied at one game apiece, and it could take all seven games to decide a winner. The Spurs were second in the league in field goal percentage with a .486 percent mark, while the Mavericks were tied for third with .474 percent. Needless to say, this will be a very good shooting series.

A big matchup in the first round in the West is the Memphis Grizzlies taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder. This series is held with 2-1 lead by the Grizzlies, but it will definitely not be easily won for either team. The Thunder achieved the second spot in the West with their killer offense that averaged 106.2 points per game. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, pounded their way into the playoffs with their defense that was the Best in the West; only allowing allowing their opponents to score 94.6 points per game. Both teams have their strengths, and the winner will be the team that can execute their strategy the best.

The West is chock full of talent, both on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. There are teams like the Los Angeles Clippers who win games with their high scoring, shoot-them-out-of-the-building offenses, and there are teams like Memphis who win games by unleashing their ravenous defense on the opponents and watching them squirm. The victorious team in the West will be the team that can win on both levels, and that team is the Grizzlies. They will have a tough road ahead of them, but I believe that the Grizzlies are made of the kind of stuff that wins championships.

This year’s NBA Championship is going to be a slugfest. Both teams have great defenses and neither will give up an easy bucket. It will be a very low scoring series between the 24 and 27 placed offenses in the league, with Indiana at 24 and Memphis at 27. On the other hand, Memphis and Indiana are ranked second and third on defense, respectively. The winning team will be that which can score more points than their opponent. That means that they will have to focus on the offensive end of the floor. Both teams have great defenses, and that will not change.

The key to this series will be scoring against the other team’s size. The Pacers have a great middle man in Roy Hibbert, while the Grizzlies have arguably the best defensive front court in the league in Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. The Grizzlies definitely have the advantage on offense with Z-Bo leading the charge down low, and that is why the Grizzlies will beat the Pacers. They will be led by their ferocious front court and their crafty point guard in Mike Conley. The Pacers, while they are a relatively big team, cannot contain the Grizzlies’ size. That is why, and you heard it here first, the Memphis Grizzlies will win the NBA Championship.

Do you agree with my opinion? Tell us about it in the comments below.