ALEX FRANCO
STAFF WRITER

The NBA playoffs are set and are in full effect. After a long, tumultuous labor disagreement to begin the season, the playoffs are finally here with 16 teams taking aim at the grandest prize in the league.

In the western conference, the number one seeded San Antonio Spurs began their run to the finals with a 106-91 victory over number eight seed, Utah Jazz. The number two seed in the western conference belongs to scoring champion Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they take on the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder narrowly escaped the Mavs on Saturday as Kevin Durant’s last second heroics propelled them to victory.

The Los Angeles Lakers are the number three seed and defeated the sixth seeded Nuggets behind Andrew Bynum’s record 10 blocks to take a 1-0 series lead. Another Los Angeles team made history this weekend when the fifth seed Clippers erased a 27 point deficit in a comeback for the ages to defeat the fourth seeded Memphis Grizzlies.

The Eastern Conference side of the playoffs saw just as much excitement and controversy as the West did. It began with the number one seeded Chicago Bulls beating the eight seeded 76ers but ultimately losing something more valuable than the game, when reigning MVP Derrick Rose tore his ACL late in game one ending the postseason for him. Fourth seeded Boston Celtics were never able to catch the fifth seed Atlanta Hawks as they were defeated 74-83.

The sixth seeded Orlando Magic upset the three seeded Indiana Pacers, surprisingly defeated them 81-77 without star player Dwight Howard on the court as he is still out with injury. Finally, LeBron James and the Miami Heat look to return to the finals like they did in 2011 with hopes of a different result than what they were given that year. They defeated the New York Knicks, handedly in a 100-67 rout with LeBron powering them with 32 points.

The playoffs continue today with the Hawks vs. Celtics, 76ers vs. Bulls, and Lakers vs. Nuggets all on the schedule tonight.