Richalyn Miller, Campus Carrier Staff Reporter
The NBA regular season came to a close Wednesday night which saw various teams resting their starters before Saturday’s start of the playoffs.
Going into Wednesday, only three teams– The Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks–had secured their seed in the Eastern Conference. In the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Portland Trailblazers and the Golden State Warriors secured their seed in the conference.
All season long, the Eastern Conference received much criticism from people disappointed with the way the conference played out.
Among the changes being made around the league, pointguard Derrick Rose returned for the Chicago Bulls after tearing his ACL the previous season. Additionally, small forward Paul Pierce and power forward Kevin Garnett had been traded to the Brooklyn Nets from the Boston Celtics.
On Nov. 22, 2013, Rose was injured again, this time with a torn meniscus in his knee, and had to miss the rest of the season.
After All-Star Break, the Indiana Pacers added center Andrew Bynum to their roster, and many regarded them as the team to beat in the East. With Pierce and Garnett on the roster for the Nets, the team put together a 34-17 record in the second half of the season, and went 3-0 against the Miami Heat in that timespan.
In the Western Conference, Oklahoma City Thunder power forward Kevin Durant was having his best statistical season to date and is still projected for the Most Valuable Player Award.
The Spurs finished the season with the best overall record in the league at 62-19, taking the first spot in the Western Conference.
In the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and the Charlotte Bobcats have all earned a spot in the playoffs which many attribute to the conference’s statistical mediocrity.
The Heat are the defending NBA champions, and are looking for their third-straight title win.
“I just want the Heat to lose,” junior Blake Childers said. “They’re not going to win.”
Assistant professor of communication Jason Peterson said he likes the Hawks’ chance to hold their ground in the first round.
“Atlanta really has a chance to make it a series against the Pacers, but the Pacers will win that series,” Peterson said. “I think if Roy Hibbert on the Pacers plays like he’s supposed to, then they go to the Finals. The Heat won’t have an answer for him. Paul George is not LeBron by any means, but he’s getting there.”
His pick for the NBA Finals? The Pacers versus the Los Angeles Clippers.
“I take the Pacers in seven games,” said Peterson.
Senior Mike Voso said he thinks a rematch of the 2012 NBA Finals with Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder will occur.
“Pacers went from being the top contender for the Heat to having conflict, so I don’t think the [Eastern Conference] is much of a challenge for the Heat,” Voso said. “In the [Western Conference], I think the best match for the Heat would be the Spurs, but [the Thunder are] a little more dominant against the Spurs, but the Heat seem to be able to outplay the Thunder.”
The NBA Playoffs begin April 19.