These need to be read.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) LOS ANGELES LAKERS
100.8/92.3
45.9
32.9
47
23.4/13.5
AVG POINTS SCORED/ALLOWED
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
REBOUNDS PER GAME
STEALS/TURNOVERS PER GAME
(8) SACRAMENTO KINGS
105/102
45
32.2
45
23.8/15.8
VS.
LOS ANGELES (67-15): They have been unstoppable since the beginning of February, winning 33 of 35 before ending the regular season with two meaningless losses. Shaquille O'Neal is playing the best basketball of his career, the players have bought into coach Phil Jackson's system and they've lost at home only five times all season.
SACRAMENTO (44-38): They are one of the few teams not intimidated by the Lakers, and it showed as they played them tough in every meeting. They will dictate the pace with their wide-open style, and their bench is the deeper of the two.
SEASON SERIES: Lakers won 3-1. The Kings played the Lakers tough in their three defeats, losing by 1, 7 and 3. The Kings had little success defending O'Neal, Kobe Bryant or Glen Rice.
LAKERS KINGS
(4) SAN ANTONIO SPURS
96.2/90.2
46.2
37.4
43.8
22.2/14.4
AVG POINTS SCORED/ALLOWED
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
REBOUNDS PER GAME
STEALS/TURNOVERS PER GAME
(5) PHOENIX SUNS
98.9/93.7
42.4
35.2
43.1
25.6/16.2
VS
SAN ANTONIO (53-29): Size, size and size, even with Duncan hampered by torn cartilage in his left knee. The Suns have no answer for either of San Antonio's big men, much less both of them. San Antonio also won't have to deal with Jason Kidd and Tom Gugliotta, perhaps the two best players on the Suns.
PHOENIX (53-29): Have had more success against the Spurs over the past few seasons than people would imagine, using their speed and athleticism to counter the Spurs' size advantage. Have more scorers on their bench, and own a big advantage at point guard with Penny Hardaway over Avery Johnson.
SEASON SERIES: 2-2, with all the games played back when Kidd and Gugliotta were healthy. The Suns won once without Tim Duncan, and the Spurs won once at home in OT.
SPURS SUNS
(3) PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
97.5/91.0
43.1
33.0
43.0
23.5/14.6
AVG POINTS SCORED/ALLOWED
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
REBOUNDS PER GAME
STEALS/TURNOVERS PER GAME
(6) MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
98.5/96.0
46.7
34.6
42.5
26.9/13.5
VS
PORTLAND (59-23): Deeper than Minnesota, the Blazers also have far more postseason experience with Scottie Pippen, Steve Smith and Detlef Schrempf added this season. Arvydas Sabonis should have his way offensively, while the Pippen-Wally Szczerbiak matchup favors Portland.
MINNESOTA (50-32): Terrell Brandon has dominated his matchups with Damon Stoudamire. The Wolves have more shooters.
SEASON SERIES: 2-2, with each team winning once on the road. The Blazers had beaten the Wolves 14 straight times in Portland until Minnesota snapped the streak in mid-March. The Blazers were 35-5 against Minnesota before the Wolves won the final two games between the teams.
BLAZERS WOLVES
(2) UTAH JAZZ
96.5/92.0
46.4
38.5
41.0
24.9/14.1
AVG POINTS SCORED/ALLOWED
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
REBOUNDS PER GAME
STEALS/TURNOVERS PER GAME
(7) SEATTLE SONICS
99.1/98.1
44.7
33.9
43.0
22.9/13.6
VS
UTAH (55-27): A much more mature team than Seattle, the Jazz have made it out of the first round for four straight seasons. Jeff Hornacek has always played well against Seattle, Karl Malone tends to dominate Vin Baker and Bryon Russell has a big matchup edge at small forward.
SEATTLE (45-37): Gary Payton, who has always thrived against the slower John Stockton, is having perhaps the best season of his career. Seattle is more athletic than Utah and may try to run the Jazz out of the series.
SEASON SERIES: 2-2, with each team winning once on the road. All the games but one were close in the fourth quarter, with the Jazz winning one on a late shot by Malone and the Sonics winning one on a late 3-pointer by Shammond Williams.
JAZZ SONICS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) INDIANA PACERS
101.3/96.7
45.9
39.2
42.1
22.6/13.6
AVG POINTS SCORED/ALLOWED
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
REBOUNDS PER GAME
STEALS/TURNOVERS PER GAME
(8) MILWAUKEE BUCKS
101.2/101
46.5
36.9
41.3
22.6/14.4
VS.
INDIANA (56-26): Indiana finished tied with the Lakers for the best home record in the league (36-5), and the Pacers have the added edge of knowing that they swept the Bucks from the playoffs last season. Reggie Miller and Mark Jackson have been telling everybody all season that the Pacers will miss the traded Antonio Davis in the playoffs.
MILWAUKEE (42-40): When their shooters are hot, Milwaukee can compete with anybody. The Bucks will have the edge in backcourt scoring, and Sam Cassell is healthy.
SEASON SERIES: 2-2, with each team winning once on the road. Indiana had won 10 straight against Milwaukee until the Bucks finally beat the Pacers in December. The Bucks' victories were by 21 and 14 points, while the Pacers won once by 22 and the other time on a late 3-pointer by Mark Jackson.
PACERS BUCKS
(4) CHARLOTTE HORNETS
98.4/95.8
44.9
33.9
42.9
24.7/14.1
AVG POINTS SCORED/ALLOWED
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
REBOUNDS PER GAME
STEALS/TURNOVERS PER GAME
(5) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
94.8/93.4
44.2
32.3
44.1
22.2/15.5
VS
CHARLOTTE (49-33): Nobody was playing as well at the end of the season. Charlotte won 14 of its final 16 games to move up in the seedings. With a front line of Eldon Campbell, Anthony Mason and Derrick Coleman, the Hornets have the most dominant big men in the East. Eddie Jones can hold his own offensively against Allen Iverson.
PHILADELPHIA (49-33): Led by Toni Kukoc, the Sixers' second unit is much stronger than the Hornets, and Theo Ratliff, Tyrone Hill and Matt Geiger should be able to defend Charlotte's big men adequately.
SEASON SERIES: Charlotte won 3-1, winning twice in Philadelphia. Two of the victories were by decisive margins; the third on a shot by Jones just before the final buzzer.
HORNETS SIXERS
(3) NEW YORK KNICKS
92.1/90.7
45.5
37.3
40.5
19.4/14.1
AVG POINTS SCORED/ALLOWED
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
REBOUNDS PER GAME
STEALS/TURNOVERS PER GAME
(6) TORONTO RAPTORS
97.2/97.3
43.3
36.3
43.3
23.7/13.2
VS
NEW YORK (50-32): New York has the capability to rev up its game when it matters most, and the Knicks won't enter this series with the same lackadaisical approach they had in the four regular-season meetings with the Raptors. Patrick Ewing is healthy and playing well, and the confident Knicks haven't lost in the first round since 1991.
TORONTO (45-37): Absolutely manhandled the Knicks in the season series as New York couldn't find anyone who could defend Vince Carter. The size of Toronto's backcourt of Tracy McGrady and Doug Christie will give the Knicks problems.
SEASON SERIES: Toronto won 3-1. The Raptors' three victories were all blowouts as they won by 11, 15 and 21. In the Knicks' only victory, they held on to win by one point after Toronto stormed back from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
KNICKS RAPTORS
(2) MIAMI HEAT
94.4/91.3
46.0
37.1
43.2
23.5/14.4
AVG POINTS SCORED/ALLOWED
FIELD GOAL Percentage
3-POINT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
REBOUNDS PER GAME
STEALS/TURNOVERS PER GAME
(7) DETROIT PISTONS
103.5/102
45.9
35.9
41.2
20.8/15.2
VS
MIAMI (52-30): Miami had the best home record in franchise history, going 33-8 at Miami Arena and AmericanAirlines Arena. No one on the Pistons can stop Alonzo Mourning, and Detroit's up-and-down style should lead to plenty of open 3-pointers for the Heat.
DETROIT (42-40): They won't have to contend with Tim Hardaway, who is expected to miss the first round with a foot injury. The combination of Grant Hill (if he's recovered from a bruised ankle) and Jerry Stackhouse presents a one-two offensive punch that will be hard for Miami to stop.
SEASON SERIES: 2-2, each team winning twice at home. Miami won the first two games, including one in double overtime, and Detroit won the final two by margins of 18 and 17.
HEAT PISTONS