NBA Playoffs: Storylines, predictions for each West first-round series
By Alex Saenz
![NBA Kawhi Leonard (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) NBA Kawhi Leonard (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/4c692557af6c37dc26aa613a0d51b7d078f8676b61c9f733a0812a79c0cbaf07.jpg)
Breaking down each of the NBA’s first-round Western Conference series
The NBA playoffs are officially upon us, so let’s take a look at the first-round series’ in the Western Conference going in-depth on three of them. Mostly because, well, let’s just start with the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers.
(1) Los Angeles vs. (8) Portland
Sorry to be a buzzkill, but this series won’t be close at all. The Blazers are broken, run-down, and frankly a little souped-up after squeaking by a bunch of lousy teams. As incredible as Damian Lillard is, he isn’t a miracle worker (his playoff record shows that).
The Lakers have major concerns of their own, but those certainly won’t come to light in this match-up – more on them as we approach their potential second-round matchup with the winner of Houston vs. Oklahoma City.
Pick: Lakers in 4