[nowhereman]

Broader than just the 'first round' thread, with the Spurs in a tailspin with Duncan out and the Lakers closing in, how do you guys both want, and foresee, the top 3 shaking out? The Mavs have a real chance of getting the 2 spot in the West if they can win out/win 2 more games than the Lakers. But almost as likely, the Lakers, holding the tie breaker with the Spurs, may catch up to them down the stretch and force a Dallas/SA matchup in Round 2 if both teams get that far, and may also force LA into a tough Denver or OKC matchup in Round 2 (and I think Denver is just as scary right now as the Mavs or SA are).

So who are you rooting for between LA and San Antonio in their game? And how does the bottom of the bracket affect your view? I assume everyone's angling to play New Orleans. I'd really like to avoid Memphis if possible, moreso than Portland. Where do you guys stand on this? Where do you expect the Mavs to end up and what do you think the best realistic scenario is?