Round 2 Riot: Denver (2) vs. Dallas (6)

FanHouse previews every round of the NBA Playoffs.

Every team of the West has looked invisible next to the Lakers. But Denver and Dallas -- both of which dominated first-round opponents who ranked far more highly in preseason polls -- believe they can beat the Lakers. First, they have to get through each other. The series begins Sunday.

Reason to Watch

Some would have you believe this Western semifinal is merely the coronation of the Lakers' final pre-Bron victim, but these teams definitely have some reason to swag going forward. Denver, you may remember, just destroyed the conference's de facto crown prince. Dallas, a former royal, crushed the aging king. Once these rebel forces fight it out, who's to say those emperors of L.A. can't be beaten? This is a battle for the West's final stand against Laker superiority. A fine cause, if I can say so.

How Denver Can Win

The Nuggets can punch another hole in their playoff ticket by doing the same thing they did against New Orleans: own the paint, own the perimeter. Chauncey Billups, Dahntay Jones and J.R. Smith worked a five-game masterpiece on Chris Paul, but not without help from the imposing frontline of Nene, Kenyon Martin and Chris Andersen. Any time Paul got loose from the incessant traps, the bigs rotated to cover holes and kept Paul from trying to get to the rim. The defense was almost orchestral. Dallas plays differently, but the idea should be the same: pressure the focal point (Dirk Nowitzki, in this case) enough make him press, be ready for the press, profit. On the other end, makes lot of threes. Score in transition.

How Dallas Can Win

The Mavericks require Jason Kidd to remain reborn. Kidd looked as good as ever against usually stifling San Antonio. Denver is not as stifling, even this year. But its defense is dynamic. I don't need to point out that Denver shut down Paul, and that Paul > Kidd. Everyone has made that connection. But Paul hobbled through the final few weeks of the season, while Kidd is up to a sprint now. (Not literally. He's 36!) Kidd's got to keep it up to keep Dallas on Denver's level.

Video Clip to Get You Pumped



Nothing fires me up quite like Mark Cuban barking at referees at midcourt! Cuban and J.R. Smith continued to tussle throughout the season. This particular play (Smith's alleged elbow toward the head of Maverick Antoine Wright) led to the first ever NBA Twitter fine.

Stud of the Series

Chauncey Billups, Part 2. Billups destroyed the Hornets in the first two and final two games of Denver's first-round series. He controlled the game and nailed threes. You can't ask for much more. In fact, curiously, Kidd's rebirth has caused Kidd (the first-ballot Hall of Fame playmaker) to play Billups' style. Jason Kidd has become the Trent Dilfer to Chauncey Billups' Tom Brady. (Slight exaggeration. On both counts.)

Biggest Liability

Carmelo Anthony, or Josh Howard. It's probably too much to ask for both explosive small forwards to have great series, yes? Howard's the better defender, 'Melo is the best weapon ... and both come off as incredibly streaky and dependent on the fortunes of their team. (By the way, it's amazing that 'Melo finally has slipped under the marquee in Denver. He can have a bad game without Denver [team or city] imploding. That's big progress. For everyone.)

Howard played well against the Spurs, but the task is taller (literally) this time. It should be a match-up well worth focusing on. Unfortunately, neither can live while the other survives.

FanHouse Prediction

Nuggets: Ziller, Jones, Brinson, Pollakoff, Watson, Bacon.

Mavericks: Moore.