The New SteveSilver.net

West Power!

A sentence I never thought I'd type: The Minnesota Timberwolves are NBA Midwest Division champions, and are the #1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs- both for the first time in franchise history. Not the Lakers, Spurs, Kings, or Mavericks- the Minnesota Timberwolves have home-court advantage in the West. They've sure come a long way since the days of Pooh Richardson, Thurl Bailey, Christian Laettner, Felton Spencer, and J.R. Rider.

The Wolves will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round, and it's looking like they'll finally get that elusive first playoff series win- and if not, I'm thinking they have to fire Saunders and/or McHale.

And in other interesting first-round stories...

-The Knicks and Nets will battle in the first round in a Hudson River Shootout, and I have two predictions: Knicks fans will outnumber Nets fans at every game in East Rutherford, and the Knicks will win the series, making Dikembe Mutombo a very happy man.

-The Pacers/Celtics tilt isn't a series, it's a mockery, though it'll be cool to see Larry Bird back in Boston for it. The inevitable drama involving Rick Carlisle and Isiah Thomas will also be dealt with, as various permutations of the Pacers, Pistons, and Knicks face each other later in the playoffs.

-Out West, after the last-second three by Kobe gave the Lakers the Pacific title, we get Shaq vs. Yao in round one, along with a rematch of last year's best series (Kings/Mavs). All that, and Spurs/Grizzlies- in which I wouldn't be surprised for a second to see Memphis steal a victory.

Official predictions over the weekend when the schedule is announced; it's going to be a hell of a run. 'Til next time, go Wolves!

Posted by Stephen Silver at April 15, 2004 01:18 AM