In Day 2 NBA Playoff action:

Charlotte Bobcats @ Miami Heat
Dallas Mavericks @ San Antonio Spurs
Washington Wizards @ Chicago Bulls
Portland Trailblazers @ Houston Rockets

Charlotte Bobcats @ Miami Heat

Final Score: Bobcats 88 lost Heat 99
Key Players – Bobcats: Kemba Walker (20pts, 6asts, 5rbds, 2stls), Al Jefferson (18pts, 10rbds, 1ast, 1stl, 2blks)
Key Players – Heat: LeBron James (27pts, 9rbds, 1ast), Dwyane Wade (23pts, 5asts, 1rbd, 1stl)

I think the Bobcats could give the Heat a few surprises and the two players that I thought would do that – Walker and Jefferson – showed real glimpses of that earlier today. The Heat, in my eyes, don't have a point guard who can matchup with Walker and they don't have a centre big enough to battle with Jefferson.

LBJ and Wade were their usual selves in a playoff game, both taking control and helping the Heat to two big runs. Chris Bosh was missing a bit in this game and I look forward to the rest of this series and seeing his matchup with Jefferson and/or Josh McRoberts. McRoberts could be a bit of a wildcard for the Bobcats, he is an all-round player and could provide some problems if he turns up to play.

While the Heat don't necessarily have a pure matchup for Kemba Walker, Norris Cole did a pretty good job and he ended up playing more minutes than starter Mario Chalmers.

Al Jefferson left the game early, after going 4/4 from the field, with a leg injury however after a couple of injections he returned to the court. He wasn't the same though and any chance the Bobcats have of winning a game hinge on how he pulls up.

Thoughts for Game 2:
While I don't think the Bobcats will beat the Heat in the series, it wouldn't surprise me if they took a game. It all hinges on how Jefferson pulls up between now and Game 2. James Jones was a surprise entrant in Game 1 and the Bobcats will no doubt be ready for him – Miami is 61-8 over the past three seasons when they hit 10+ three pointers. Kemba Walker will be hoping to look after the ball a bit better after committing more turnovers than assists.

Dallas Mavericks @ San Antonio Spurs

Final Score: Mavericks 85 lost Spurs 90
Key Players – Mavericks: Devin Harris (19pts, 3rbds, 5asts), Brandon Wright (11pts, 3rbds, 3asts, 2stls, 1blk)
Key Players – Spurs: Tim Duncan (27pts, 7rbds), Tony Parker (21pts, 6asts, 4rbds, 1stl, 1blk)

This game should serve to rev the Spurs up, it should not have been as close as the final score shows.

Dirk Nowitzki only scored 11pts, Monta Ellis only scored 11pts, Vince Carter only scored 10pts and somehow the Mavericks only lost by five. While if we look at the Spurs, the big three of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili all turned up to play.

In truth it was the surprising defensive play of the Mavericks that kept this game close, in fact during the fourth quarter the Mavericks still held a 10pt lead. The Spurs were kept to 3/17 from three point land and the bench only managed 23pts.
San Antonio then turned the tables on the Mavs though, keeping them to one field goal in the final seven minutes of the game.

Duncan had a bit of an injury scare, bumping knees with Monta Ellis but he came back and lead his team to the win.

Referee Joe Crawford once again endeared himself to the Spurs fans by going on a bit of a tirade at a couple of the scorers, he found himself getting booed….again.

Thoughts for Game 2:
There are a couple of things to look forward to in Game 2 – 1) The Spurs will not shoot that badly and their bench will not perform so poorly again and 2) Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis will not score 11pts only in a game again. Those things should provide for some entertaining basketball. With Tim Duncan suffering slightly, expect Boris Diaw to play closer to 30mins in Game 2.

Washington Wizards @ Chicago Bulls

Final Score: Wizards 102 d Bulls 93
Key Players – Wizards: Nene Hilario (24pts, 8rbds, 3asts, 2stls, 1blk), John Wall (16pts, 6rbds, 6asts, 2stls, 1blk), Marcin Gortat (15pts, 13rbds, 1blk)
Key Players – Bulls: Jimmy Butler (15pts, 7rbds, 2asts, 3stls), DJ Augustin (16pts, 3rbds, 3asts), Joakim Noah (10pts, 10rbds, 4asts)

To be honest the Wizards never looked like winning this game, until the fourth quarter came around. Whatever they threw at the Bulls up until then was responded to and the Bulls would pull away slightly.

The big man battle in this series was always going to be good to watch, both Nene and Noah are great passers of the ball – Noah, in fact, clearly the number one passing big man in the league.

The Wizards chipped away at a 13 point deficit throughout the third but like I said, the Bulls seemed to have the answers. During the fourth quarter though, the Wizards went on an 18-6 run that gave them the game.

DJ Augustin was only 3/15 from the field but he hit all 10 of his free throws, he can certainly dial it in from the floor and I expect him to bring it in Game 2. The Bulls lost their way on defense though, which is a strange thing to say about this Bulls team.

Trevor Ariza hit a couple of big three pointers in the third quarter, only to be matched by Mike Dunleavy of the Bulls but there wasn't enough of it from the Bulls.

Thoughts for Game 2:
I'm always amazed at how low the number of shots is for Joakim Noah, the guy is not only a good passer but he can shoot that weird looking chest shot pretty well. Look for him to be closer to double figures in shot attempts for Game 2. Dunleavy, Augustin, Hinrich and Butler were all pretty shocking from three point land today, at least two of them will be feeling it in Game 2. Thibodeau could even turn to Jimmer Fredette and space the floor more for Noah. Bradley Beal and John Wall were also pretty lame from the floor tonight, the Bulls have to try and keep that going for Game 2. Nene is the big worry for the Bulls though, he seemed to man handle Noah today and if he did it once, he can do it again.

Portland Trailblazers @ Houston Rockets

Final Score: Trailblazers 122 d Rockets 120
Key Players – Trailblazers: LaMarcus Aldridge (46pts, 18rbds, 2asts, 2blks), Damian Lillard (31pts, 9rbds, 5asts)
Key Players – Rockets: Dwight Howard (27pts, 15rbds, 1ast, 1stl, 4blks), James Harden (27pts, 6asts, 5rbds, 1stl)

The only game of the first two days to go to overtime and it was a good game to watch, until the Blazers started going to the Hack-a-Dwight strategy with 4:30 left in regular time. However that strategy ultimately ended up working for the Blazers.

LaMarcus Aldridge was huge for the Blazers in this game and he will be leant on heavily to get his team across the line in this series. The worrying thing for the Blazers is that their bench went 2/14 from the field and that the Rockets had a terrible shooting night from beyond the three point line.

The Rockets shot a terrible 8/35 from the three point line and have a tough decision to make in regards to keeping Dwight Howard and Omer Asik on the court at the end of close games – both of those players are shoddy free throw shooters.

There was a large amount of fouls in this game, not just from the Hack-a-Dwight strategy but in general play. Aldridge, Robin Lopez, Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley all fouled out of the game and Wesley Matthews and Omer Asik both had five fouls. A ridiculous 79 free throw attempts for the game, total.

Thoughts for Game 2:
The Rockets won't shoot that badly again, if the Blazers can defend the three point line and get Howard in foul trouble they have a chance of pulling off the win again. Chandler Parsons finishing with only one assist is also a surprise in Game 1, he is a great player for the Rockets to run the ball through and I look for that to happen more in Game 2. The Blazers are still heavily reliant on Aldridge and Lillard, they have excellent players in Matthews and Batum in supporting roles but when push comes to shove, the former two are the ones who are leant on. If the Rockets can somehow (and I don't know who can matchup with him) limit Aldridge then the Blazers scoring will be limited quite heavily.

Upcoming Day 3 Games:

Memphis Grizzlies @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Golden State Warriors @ LA Clippers

The time is finally here, the NBA Playoffs have begun!

In Day 1 action we've got four games:

Brooklyn Nets @ Toronto Raptors
Golden State Warriors @ LA Clippers
Atlanta Hawks @ Indiana Pacers
Memphis Grizzlies @ Oklahoma City Thunder

Brooklyn Nets @ Toronto Raptors


Final Score: Nets 94 d Raptors 87
Key Players – Nets: Joe Johnson (24pts, 8rbds, 4asts, 2stls), Deron Williams (24pts, 3asts, 1rbd, 1stl), Paul Pierce (15pts, 4rbds, 4asts, 1stl, 1blk)
Key Players – Raptors: Kyle Lowry (22pts, 8asts, 7rbds, 2stls), Jonas Valanciunas (17pts, 18rbds, 2asts, 2blks), Greivis Vasquez (18pts, 8asts, 4rbds)

An interesting game that had the shot clock stop working from about halfway through the game, what was the solution to that problem? Have the PA Announcer count down from 10secs and yell out "horn" when he reached zero….yep "horn"….

The Nets can thank Paul Pierce for this win, he was missing in action throughout the game until the fourth quarter arrived. Pierce hit 4-5 shots in the fourth for nine of his 15pts. Aside from Pierce, the Raptors had no answer for Joe Johnson throughout the game and Deron Williams came out hot to start the game with 18 first half points. On the opposite side of the coin, Kevin Garnett was scoreless in the first half for the first time in his playoff career.

For the Raptors, Kyle Lowry continued to show he is a star and a legitimate triple-double threat night in, night out. Jonas Valanciunas in his first career playoff game had a double-double with 17pts and 18rbds. He was simply too big and strong for Mason Plumlee, Andray Blatche and KG. DeMar DeRozan went missing in this game, the Raptors All-Star hitting only 3-13 from the field and simply couldn't get into any sort of rythym.

Thoughts for Game 2:
The Nets will still won this game while shooting 3-24 from the three point line, if they start connecting on those (which we know they can) look out! They also need to find a matchup for Valanciunas, KG doesn't have the legs to go with him for the duration of the game and Valanciunas could once again destroy them on the glass.
The Raptors really just need to hit their shots, shooting 39.4% in the playoffs isn't going to get it done. Amir Johnson went missing in this game and he isn't the man to be guarding Paul Pierce. The Raptors need to get him into the game early, let him sink his first few shots and then you have another offensive threat. Two shots for Johnson is nowhere near enough for a player that can hit the mid-range like he can.

Golden State Warriors @ LA Clippers

Final Score: Warriors 109 d Clippers 105
Key Players – Warriors: David Lee (20pts, 13rbds, 3asts, 1stl), Klay Thompson (22pts, 7rbds, 5asts, 4/7 3FG)
Key Players – Clippers: Chris Paul (28pts, 8asts, 7rbds, 4stls), JJ Redick (22pts, 2asts, 2rbds, 8/11FG), DeAndre Jordan (11pts, 14rbds, 5blks, 2stls)

This is going to be the best series to watch, I don't think either team will really settle into a traditional playoff, half court style of play. Both teams like to get out and run the ball and pressure the defense.It's also looking like it will be the team that can keep all their players out of foul trouble the best, will win – Blake Griffin (six fouls), Andre Iguodala (six fouls), Chris Paul (five fouls) and then a host of players with four fouls.

Steph Curry and Klay Thompson weren't all that efficient from the field, shooting 13 of 36 between them but 6 of 13 from deep. What impressed me most was Klay Thompson's play making ability in close, he set up Jermaine O'Neal constantly for a dunk or easy two.

The Warriors missed their first eight shots of the game and were down 11-0 in the early going. It was an exceptional third quarter, with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin on the bench that sparked the Warriors into action. The Clippers went back to Chris Paul very early in the fourth and he almost dragged his team over the line. Some late free throw makes to Draymond Green kept the Warriors just out of the Clippers reach though.

Thoughts for Game 2:
The Warriors need to stick with Klay Thompson guarding Chris Paul. CP3 missed his first eight shots against Thompson and three of his six turnovers came against Thompson. David Lee and Blake Griffin will continue to go at each other all series, the one that can keep his fouls in check will decide the games for his team. Jamal Crawford's shot was seriously missing in action in this game, shooting 2/11 from the field, the Warriors can't count on that happening again!

Atlanta Hawks @ Indiana Pacers

Final Score: Hawks 101 d Pacers 93
Key Players – Hawks: Jeff Teague (28pts, 5asts, 3rbds, 1stl), Paul Millsap (25pts, 8rbds, 1ast, 1stl, 1blk), DeMarre Carroll (12pts, 10rbds)
Key Players – Pacers: Paul George (24pts, 10rbds, 5asts, 4stls, 2blks), Lance Stephenson (19pts, 7rbds, 1ast, 1stl)

Well, well, well….what have we here? The Pacers were simply no match for the Hawks in this game and to be honest, this is a very good matchup for the Hawks. The Pacers don't really have the personnel to stick with the Hawks – Roy Hibbert, George Hill and David West were all ineffective playing against Pero Antic, Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap respectively.

Jeff Teague was amazing in this game, he simply did whatever he wanted and the Pacers had no answers. His combination of speed and shot selection left whoever was guarding him in his wake or on their heels and they simply had no idea what he was going to do next.

Paul George was essentially the only shining light for the Pacers but it wasn't an efficient nights shooting for him – going 6/18 from the field.
The main concern for the Pacers coming out of this game was the disappointing effort of Roy Hibbert (8pts, 8rbds). There is already talk that he will not be in the starting lineup come Game 2 and might see himself benched for a fair amount of this series.

One thing the Pacers did really well in this game was not give Kyle Korver an inch of room, the three point maestro was only 2/7 from deep in this game.

Thoughts for Game 2:
The Pacers have now lost the home court advantage and before this game the majority of people would be thinking that it wouldn't matter. However, having watched this game, the Hawks are a matchup nightmare. DeMarre Carroll will be the defensive stopper on Paul George for the duration of this series after doing a good job through this game. Teague will continue to do as he pleases, as long as his shot keeps falling he will be difficult to stop. The Pacers need to look at getting David West more involved in the offense, instead of Lance Stephenson bringing the ball down the court and trying to do it all.

Memphis Grizzlies @ OKC Thunder

Final Score: Grizzlies 86 lost Thunder 100
Key Players – Grizzlies: Mike Conley (16pts, 11asts, 5rbds, 3stls), Zach Randolph (21pts, 11rbds, 3asts, 1blk), Tony Allen (13pts, 6rbds, 1ast, 1stl)
Key Players – Thunder: Kevin Durant (33pts, 8rbds, 7asts, 1stl), Russell Westbrook (23pts, 10rbds, 5asts), Serge Ibaka (17pts, 9rbds, 1ast, 4blks)

We needed Memphis to win for all the road teams to win on Day 1 of the Playoffs, unfortunately that didn't happen.

The first half was a complete whitewash, with the Thunder being up by 25pts at one stage. The good news is that there shouldn't be anything like that in this series again! The Grizzlies missed their first 18 shots coming from outside the paint, their first make from outside the paint came very late in the second quarter.

The Grizzlies finally got going in the second half, getting the lead down to two early in the fourth and it was the efforts of Tony Allen and Zach Randolph that got them there. Mike Conley looked to be the only avenue for the Grizzlies to score early on and looked to be the only one who was actually active on the court.

However, some guy called Kevin Durant took over the game in the fourth and helped the Thunder to a 13-1 run and helped himself to 13 of his 33pts in the final quarter. Steven Adams and Serge Ibaka were also fantastic on the defensive end for the Thunder, combining for seven of the 10 Thunder blocks.

Thoughts for Game 2:
The Grizzlies aren't going to struggle as bad as they did in the first half again, Gasol and Randolph in close are going to prove too tough for Ibaka and Perkins to defend. Tony Allen, even though he gives up height, will continue to get the gig on Kevin Durant – while Allen was defending Durant, KD hit 13pts on 36% shooting and while he was defended by other Grizzlies he hit 20pts on 73% shooting. Caron Butler was great off the bench for the Thunder and he should continue to get his shots, along with Reggie Jackson, as the two of them lead the Thunder bench on the court. Butler was a great source of intensity for the Thunder crowd in Game 1.

Upcoming Playoff Day 2 Games:

Charlotte Bobcats @ Miami Heat
Dallas Mavericks @ San Antonio Spurs
Washington Wizards @ Chicago Bulls
Portland Trailblazers @ Houston Rockets

In these articles I'm going to be looking at a player from each playoff bound team that will be the difference maker for their team. These will be the players that don't necessarily get the credit and praise that they deserve, in fact more often than not these players are the second or third string "star" on their team.

Staying in the Eastern Conference, let's take a look at the Brooklyn Nets.

It was a mighty struggle for the Nets to make the Playoffs, after they stacked their roster with out-and-out superstars of the competition. Kevin Garnett has played minimal basketball (averaging only 20.7mpg and 6.7ppg in 52 appearances) and Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson and Deron Williams just haven't seemed to mesh together. That can all change come Playoff time though and the Nets are one of the teams that will be a mystery for opponents, wondering which Nets will turn up to play – the good, the bad or the ugly.

My Playoff Difference Maker is a player that provided plenty of spark while Deron Williams was sidelined and even played particularly well when starting alongside him – Shaun Livingston.

Livingston becomes a Free Agent this off-season and is currently earning the veteran minimum with the Nets – after having a fantastic season this season, I can't see him staying on that pay packet.

Livingston is a pretty good story in the NBA, he had a horrific injury early in his career and after being the #4 pick in the 2004 draft he has shown signs of that skill this season. A tall PG at 6'7", he is a matchup nightmare for opposing PG's and he has all the moves and is a very good passer.

For the season he is averaging 8.3pts, 3.2rbds, 3.2asts, 1.2stls and 0.4blks – the assists and steals are good for second on the team, both behind Deron Williams.

With Paul Pierce playing a fair amount at the PF spot, the Nets have been able to run with Williams, Livingston, Johnson and Pierce on the floor at the same time. This has meant that there are four skilled ball-handlers on the court, all of whom can create for themselves or others, at the same time. This also makes it easier for Livingston, as opposing defenses will gravitate towards the superstars of Pierce, Williams and Johnson, leaving more room for Livingston to get into the lane and finish or kick the ball out to the perimeter.

Look for Livingston to continue to get plenty of run with the starting players – he currently averages 26mpg, which is only behind Pierce, Johnson and Williams.

With two games left in the season and a Playoff spot secured, Livingston is nursing a bit of a bruised toe and the Nets might decide to keep him on ice until the Playoffs begin.

In these articles I'm going to be looking at a player from each playoff bound team that will be the difference maker for their team. These will be the players that don't necessarily get the credit and praise that they deserve, in fact more often than not these players are the second or third string "star" on their team.

Staying in the Eastern Conference, let's take a look at the Toronto Raptors.

Once again this is a team that I've had a few players going around in my head over the past few days – Amir Johnson, Terrence Ross, Jonas Valanciunas or even Kyle Lowry.

Lowry was discarded straight away, purely because we know what we'll get from him – he is the team's second option (behind DeMar DeRozan), is the team's facilitator and possibly the best defender on the team.

Valanciunas was also thrown out because he has really disappointed me this season – has reached the expectations placed on him before the season? I'm not sure.

So that leaves Amir Johnson or Terrence Ross – the former was to have a breakout season and the latter has really stepped up their game since Rudy Gay was traded.

Ross, regardless of his improved play, has still been inconsistent at times from my point of view – so that leaves Amir Johnson.

From where I sit Johnson is really underutilised by the Raptors on offense. He is shooting at 56.3% for the season, which leads the team and has expanded his range to just inside the three point line.

His rebounding numbers are down slightly on last year – 7.5 per game compared to 6.9 per game – but that can be attributed to Valanciunas playing.

He currently leads the team in blocks at 1.21 per game, Valanciunas is next best at 0.89.

For a guy that should be the third scoring option on this Raptors team, averaging 8.4 shots per game just isn't going to cut it. The Raptors need to run more of the offense through Johnson, so this could happen –

Amir Johnson, my Toronto Raptors Playoff Difference Maker.

In these articles I'm going to be looking at a player from each playoff bound team that will be the difference maker for their team. These will be the players that don't necessarily get the credit and praise that they deserve, in fact more often than not these players are the second or third string "star" on their team.

Let's move it on back to the Eastern Conference now and turn our attention to the Chicago Bulls.

It's pretty easy, with Derrick Rose injured and Luol Deng no longer with the team, to see that Joakim Noah is the team's star. He has been destroying the competition over the past couple of months and has almost single-handedly moved the Bulls up the standings. So far that reason, Joakim Noah does not make my list for Playoff Difference Maker.

Instead that honour will fall to DJ Augustin.

After coming to the Bulls, Augustin has shown the talent that had him selected with the 9th pick in the 2008 draft. The Bulls have given him the playing time due to injuries and he has taken a hold of that chance and run with it.

In fact he is leading the Bulls in scoring and equal first in assists. However, Kirk Hinrich is the starting point guard for the team but I'm not sure he should be, he isn't the same player he was the first time he was in Chicago. A look at Augustin and Hinrich's stats side-by-side –

So you look at those stats and it looks as though Hinrich is the better defensive player but you watch the Bulls games and you wouldn't know it. Augustin has greatly improved his sideways movement and remaining in front of his opponent without fouling, so while he may get slightly fewer steals than Hinrich they are both solid defensive options for the Bulls. Jimmy Butler is the clear defensive stopper on the Bulls team anyway.

Both Augustin and Hinrich can play off the ball, slotting over to the two-guard spot, which come Playoff time will be important to have multiple ball handlers on the court during pressure half court defence.

The problem the Bulls will face will be getting enough three point shooting on the court to create space for Boozer, Noah and Taj Gibson inside the paint. Fredette has seen minimal minutes since moving over from Sacramento and will need to be brought into the rotation more often to assist Mike Dunleavy, Kirk Hinrich and DJ Augustin in perimeter shooting. Of those three, Augustin is the only one shooting above 40% from three point range.

Augustin will be leant on heavily during the Playoffs, particularly for his scoring ability – that is why DJ Augustin is my Playoff Difference Maker for the Chicago Bulls.

The top two seeds in the Eastern conference have belonged to Indiana and Miami for the entire season. Both teams are well and truly a class above the rest of the conference and look set to meet each other in the conference finals once again.

Miami Heat: Current record 46-20, Final record 61-21

There isn’t too much that can be said about the Heat that hasn’t already. Miami are three games back from the Pacers at the moment, but a favourable schedule should see them leapfrog Indiana and clinch the top seed again.

Indiana Pacers: 50-18, 59-23

The Pacers currently sit on top of the conference, a position which is familiar for Frank Vogel’s team. However, the Pacers are not the same team we saw before All-Star break and have conceded over 100 points in six out of 16 games since the break, something which only happened nine times in their first 52.   

Toronto Raptors: 38-29, 49-33

Toronto have already exceeded last season’s win total and still have 15 games left on their schedule. All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan and point guard Kyle Lowry have had tremendous seasons to date and are vital to the team’s title aspirations.

Chicago Bulls: 38-30, 49-33

Joakim Noah and the Chicago Bulls are set for another playoff appearance minus Derrick Rose. Noah has been stuffing the stat sheet lately and is tenth among all players in assists per game this month and is the only non-point guard in the top-ten. The Bulls look set for a deep run and could cause problems for the Pacers and Heat if they can advance past the first round.

Brooklyn Nets: 35-31, 46-36

Brooklyn was a mess at the start of the season and sat towards the bottom of the conference for a number of weeks before the team started clicking. The Nets have a number of veterans on the roster with playoff experience and could surprise a few teams in the post season. Their only concern is the health of future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett.

Washington Wizards: 35-32, 43-39

Since being drafted to the Wizards in 2010, John Wall has had the expectation of leading the team to the playoffs. Wall and his teammates have gone about their business and we’ll see the Wizards in the playoffs for the first time since 2007-08.

Charlotte Bobcats: 33-36, 41- 41

Very rarely have the words ‘Charlotte’ and ‘playoffs’ gone in the same sentence since the team’s establishment in 2004. Veteran center Al Jefferson has been fantastic in his first season with the Bobcats and has teamed well with young star Kemba Walker. There’s only one problem though; they’ll face either the Heat or Pacers in the first round and could be bundled out without winning a game.

Atlanta Hawks: 31-35, 37-45

The Hawks have sat around the bottom end of the playoff bracket for much of the season. The loss of Al Horford has definitely hurt, though Jeff Teague and sharpshooter Kyle Korver have been bright spots in the big man’s absence. The Heat or Pacers will be waiting for a first-round matchup.  

Better luck next year:

New York Knicks: 28-40, 34-48

Can you believe that the Knicks won 54 games last season with almost identical roster to this year? They are currently on a seven game winning streak and sit four games back from Atlanta, but it may be too little too late. Phil Jackson will do whatever he can to keep Carmelo Anthony and prepare the Knicks for a title run next year.

In these articles I'm going to be looking at a player from each playoff bound team that will be the difference maker for their team. These will be the players that don't necessarily get the credit and praise that they deserve, in fact more often than not these players are the second or third string "star" on their team.

Still in the Western Conference we'll take a look at the current best team in the Staples Centre – the LA Clippers.

There is no doubt in my mind that Chris Paul is still the best player on this team, the way he leads the team is second to none. Blake Griffin is a very good player but he isn't the number one on this team.

Either way, neither of those two players are my Playoff Difference Maker. That honour falls to one of these two players – Jamal Crawford or JJ Redick and let's just say that it was an extremely tough choice. The player that I've gone with to be the Playoff Difference Maker is Jamal Crawford.

This man has un-BELIEVABLE handles and can score in bunches. I remember a game a few years ago when he (playing with Golden State at the time) and Dwyane Wade went at each other and both exploded for over 50pts each. That battle consisted of 4pt-plays, crossovers, broken ankles, deep DEEP 3pt shots and shots around the rim that should not have dropped into the basket. Absolute ripper of a game.

Crawfords stat line for this season looks like this – 18.7pts, 2.3rbds, 3.2asts, 0.85stls, 0.2blks – not bad for a player coming off the bench. The points are good enough for equal second on the team (Chris Paul also at 18.7). He can be erratic with his shooting and JJ Redick does have a better shooting percentage, both from the field and from behind the 3pt-line, however Crawford is better at creating his own shot than Redick and I also believe he is better at setting up teammates.

For comparisons sake, here are the offensive stats for both Redick and Crawford side by side –

So those stats are pretty similar, Redick leads with the shooting percentages but like I said, Crawford is the better offensive player in my eyes. A backcourt of Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford, both players that can break you down on the dribble and create space for their shot, has a deadlier ring to it than a backcourt of Chris Paul and JJ Redick, only one of whom can truly create their own shot. Redick is better coming off multiple off-ball screens so he has open looks than creating for himself.

Need more proof? Just check out these moves from Crawford –

Jamal Crawford, my Playoff Difference Maker for the LA Clippers!

Last week I briefly touched on the race to the playoffs. So, this week I thought I’d go into a little more detail and predict the final eight seeds for both conferences, starting with the West.

The number one seed in the West is still up for grabs with three teams (SA, OKC, LAC) hopeful of clinching the conference’s best record. The Spurs currently sit atop the West, a game and a half clear of Oklahoma, while Dallas, Memphis and Phoenix will jostle for the last two spots in the conference.

San Antonio Spurs: Current record 50-16, Final record 60-22

The Spurs continue to do what they do best, and that is win games. With good depth on the roster, expect aging stars Parker, Duncan and Ginobili to be managed by Coach Popovich for the rest of the season to ensure the team is poised for another deep playoff run which could dethrone the Heat as NBA champions.  

Oklahoma City Thunder: 49-18, 59-23

Thunder Coach Scott Brooks this week said star point guard Russell Westbrook will be rested on either side of some back to backs for the remainder of the season to ensure he is healthy for the playoffs. While this is a good move for the team’s title aspirations, the Thunder still have five back to back sets and could lose crucial games as a result to drop to third in the conference.

Los Angeles Clippers: 48-21, 58-24

The Clippers have won nine of their last ten games and face the lower ranked Bucks and Lakers in the run home, as well as winnable matchups against Detroit, Minnesota and Sacramento. An end of season matchup at Portland may be the difference between a series against Golden State or the Dallas Mavericks, either of which would be difficult.     

Houston Rockets: 45-22, 56-26

The Rockets look set to win about 11 out of their last 15 which would lock them into the fourth best record in the conference. The Rockets are destined for a first round series against the Trail Blazers which may be decided by the home court advantage Houston would hold.

Portland Trail Blazers: 44-24, 54-28

The health of All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge is crucial for the success Portland may or may not have for the rest of the season. Aldridge has missed their last three contests and may be out for a few more. Fellow All-Star Damian Lillard has had a tremendous sophomore campaign and will shoulder the load with Nicholas Batum if Aldridge misses more time.  

Golden State Warriors: 43-26, 53-29

Golden State has only thirteen games remaining for the regular season and more than half against teams with sub .500 records. The Warriors almost caused an upset last season against the Spurs in the first round and could cause trouble for one of the contenders. A healthy Andrew Bogut, and arguably the best shooting backcourt in the league of Curry and Thompson could propel the Warriors through the first round.

Dallas Mavericks: 41-27, 51-31

After a lacklustre 2012/13 season, the Dallas Mavericks have bounced back well and look set for 50-win season. The Mavericks play nine of their last 14 at the American Airlines Arena and will be a challenge for whoever they face in the first round.  

Memphis Grizzles: 39-27, 45-37

The Grizzles went 10-13 without Marc Gasol and it looked as though last year’s conference finalists would miss out this time around, but the big man has helped the team lift their defensive rating from 25^th at the start of 2014 to now sit ninth. Matchups against Phoenix and Dallas in the last week of the season could decide the Grizzles’ playoff hopes.  

Better luck next year:

Phoenix Suns: 38-29, 45-37

Who would’ve thought at the start of the season that the Suns would be pushing for a playoff berth in the hotly contested Western Conference? It wouldn’t be a big surprise if Phoenix made the playoffs, but if they do finish with the same record as the Grizzles they would miss out as Memphis lead the season series 3-0 with one game left against each other. The return of Eric Bledsoe certainly boosts their playoff chances, but it’s not the end of the world if they don’t make it to the post season. The Suns have four first round picks in next year’s draft and the future is definitely bright.