2008 Phoenix Suns v. San Antonio Spurs Playoff Predictions

The Phoenix Suns met the San Antonio Spurs in last year's Western Conference playoffs and played a hotly contested series which was the unofficial NBA Finals in my book. Now, two of the best in the West will face off in the first round? Find out if the Suns can get revenge against the defending NBA champs in Jimmy Boyd's Suns/Spurs round one NBA Playoff predictions.

The Argument:

How's this for a statistic? The NBA Finals has featured either Shaquille O'Neal or Tim Duncan in each of the past nine seasons. So it's safe to say that the winner of this series is likely punching their tickets to at least the Western Conference Finals.

The Suns just as easily could have beaten the Spurs last season and went on to win the Finals if Nash doesn't have to miss time with a gashed nose and Amare Stoudemire doesn't have to miss a game with a suspension. The Suns have added Shaquille O'Neal and Grant Hill to go along with Nash and company and will be ready for the rematch.

Home court advantage will most certainly help out a Spurs team which hasn't been healthy enough all season to really gel. The fact that San Antonio is also the third best defensive team in the NBA weighs in its favor also. But the troubling thing for the Spurs is that the Suns have beaten them in three of four meetings this season, winning both at San Antonio, including a 17-point statement victory on April 9th. Shaq caused big problems for the Spurs in that game. They refused to double team him and the big fella ate Tim Duncan alive in the post. The Spurs will be forced to pick their poison with Shaq and Stoudemire and neither scenario looks good.

The Spurs bench has been a big reason for its success in recent years, but this season its production hasn't been nearly as good or consistent. That's why Greg Popovich has fallen in love with bringing Ginobli off the bench. He brings him in against his opponent's bench guys or tired starters and lets him go to work. Phoenix's bench is very strong with Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa always providing a huge spark.

I expect this too be the best first round series, but when the smoke clears, I like the Phoenix Suns to move on. The addition of Shaq has enabled them to beat teams another way besides just outrunning them. It has also taken pressure off of Stoudemire and Nash. Stoudemire gets to slide over and play power forward against weaker defenders and Nash doesn't have to facilitate quite as much as throwing the ball to Shaq in the post is virtually the same thing as Nash penetrating. They both draw defenders and create openings.

Prediction:

Suns in 7

Make sure you check out all of Jimmy Boyd's 2008 NBA playoff predictions to help you break down each and every series through the NBA Finals. And Sign up for one of our low-cost NBA picks packages for the most winners this postseason.

Check out our Spurs Hornets series predictions and preview.

We now have all of the first round games broken down series by series:

• Mavs v. Hornets Predictions

• Jazz v. Rockets Predictions

• Nuggets v. Lakers Predictions

• Raptors v. Magic Predictions

• Wizards v. Cavs Predictions

• 76ers v. Pistons Predictions

• Hawks v. Celtics Predictions

Updated April 17th, 2008