| Show Playoffs Who Will Wi Bring Home the Title By Nate Nelson Sports Editor k IF Intriguing is the name of the game for true aficionados of the playoffs so the following is a breakdown of the likely meetings for forthe forthe forthe the run nun to the World title San Antonio Spurs 1 vs Denver Denver Denver Den Den- ver Nuggets 8 A few season late-season meetings between these two teams have provided some sparks for national national national na na- na- na viewers and with star forward Ellis back the Nuggets are a formidable opponent However However However How How- ever the Spurs have candidate David Robinson and his entourage who have earned the best record in inthe inthe inthe the league this year In the end there will be too much San Antonio Spurs in ill 4 games Seattle Supersonics 4 vs Los Angeles Lakers 5 The Lakers have come on lately behind the re return return return re- re turn of Cedric Ceballos LA has beat Seattle twice this season but they are a team with very little playoff experience The however have one of the deepest benches in inthe inthe inthe the league and too much talent for forthe forthe forthe the Lakers to contend with in ill inS 5 S games Phoenix Suns 2 vs Portland Trailblazers 7 Of all the first round match ups in the talent-laden talent Western Conference the Phoenix Suns probably have the easiest draw Portland has a few good players but lack of team unity has hurt the Blazers Blazers Blazers Blaz Blaz- ers this year Charles Barkley and Co should have no problem ing Suns in ill 3 games Utah Jazz 3 vs Houston Rockets 6 The Utah Jazz have a ashot ashot ashot shot at winning 60 games this year and that equates to a third seed and a first round against the defending World Champions Houston still has the always formidable Hakeem but trading Otis Thorpe for Clyde Drexler hurt them inside Now with Carl Hererra injured the Rockets have to throw Pete Chilcutt and the entire Rockets bench at Karl Kail Malone The Jazz are are too deep for Houston Jazz in 4 games gauzes Orlando Magic 1 vs Boston Celtics 8 The Celtics have surprised surprised surprised sur sur- Orlando twice this year both times in Boston They may have the tenacity to surprise the slumping Magic in the first round but stealing three wins would be too much for the rebuilding Celts Orlando has way too much talent Magic in 4 games Charlotte Hornets 4 vs Chicago Chicago Chicago Chi Chi- cago Bulls 5 Some fans wanted to see a New Chicago-New York first round but it wasn't meant to be Charlotte has the higher seeding and andis andis andis is the favorite to win the series but Michael Jordan gives the Bulls instant instant instant in in- stant credibility Jordan is overrated in the league right now but his teams team's considerable playoff experience ence Bulls in 5 games Indiana Pacers 2 vs Atlanta Hawks 7 Indiana is in a great position position position po po- po- po to win the Eastern Conference Their first round pick the Hawks should provide little problem particularly particularly since Stacey Augmon has been hobbled Rik the Pacers' Pacers lanky center has come on as of late Pacers in 3 games New York 3 vs Cleveland Cleveland Cleveland Cleve Cleve- land Cavaliers 6 Cleveland is one of the lowest scoring team in the league mostly because they have no real offensive threat with Mark Price on the bench Fortunately for the they manage to hold the other team to low scores as well But stopping stopping stopping stop stop- ping Patrick Ewing for three games is too daunting a task for the lackluster ter in ill 4 games Semifinals San Antonio vs Seattle Supersonics Supersonics Supersonics Super Super- Could Seattle find the tion to stopping David Robinson In Inthe Inthe Inthe the powered high-powered West anything can happen but the favored San Antonio would probably be too much for the So Spurs in 6 games Phoenix Suns vs Utah Jazz Even though Phoenix has a higher seeding the Jazz's better record would give them the home court ad ad- vantage Combine that with Utah's success matching up against the Suns' Suns big guns and it would almost be an easier second round than the first was Jazz in 6 games Orlando Magic vs Chicago Bulls Chicago is a scary team for any Magic fans and a semi semifinal final match would certainly be no picnic But Orlandos Orlando's determination should carry them through to the Conference Confer Confer- ence finals In a nail-biter nail Magic in 7 games Indiana Pacers vs New York The rematch from last years year's East finals would be no poor series New Yorks York's home court advantage is nothing to overlook either But re revenge revenge revenge re- re would be too sweet for Indiana Pacers in ill 7 games Conference San Antonio vs Utah Jazz The only team in the Utah wouldn't have home cows court advantage against is the Spurs but they've won at the before This could go either way but the difference difference difference differ differ- ence might be Karl Malones Malone's usually tough defense on Robinson It looks like Utah's year Jazz in 7 games Orlando Magic vs Indiana Pacers Orlando is the scourge of the East but Indiana would have a areal areal areal real shot of sneaking up on them Where the edge would lie in this series series series se se- ries is playoff experience not necessarily necessarily necessarily home-court home advantage Indiana Indiana Indiana Indi Indi- ana has been there already Orlando is still new at this Pacers in ill 7 games Championship Utah Jazz vs Indiana Pacers This looks like it would be an easier match up for Utah but Indiana would have already surprised two other teams Playoff intensity does a lot for any team In the end however the superior talent of the Western Conference and the Utah Jazz would be the edge they need In the Delta Center Jazz in 6 games Thanks to Josh Nelson and Rich Olsen for their contributions to this column I I |
