Hide yo kids, hide yo wife – It’s the Second Round.

How good was that first round? It was everything we could have hoped for and far more. 5 series that went to 7? Buzzer beating series winning 3s? Injuries, suspensions and strange cases of a 7’2 man disappearing? Check, check and check – about the only thing it was missing was a true upset. The NBA gods really did smile upon us for that first round, but that’s now in the past so it’s time to read up and chuck down a couple of cheeky fivers at the TAB before the second round starts. Even if you have no idea who half these teams are, once you’ve read this round-up you’ll be talking shit around the water cooler with the best of them.

(1) Indiana Pacers v Washington Wizards (5)

Season Series: 2-1 to the Pacers

Storyline: All eyes will be on the Pacers to see whether their return from the brink of elimination was a sign that they’ve rediscovered their early season form or if their trip to the second round was more a result of the Hawks living (and ultimately dying) from the 3-ball. The more traditional line-ups of the Wizards rather than the 5-out approach of Atlanta should suit the Pacers, but the demanding nature of the past 7 games could result in Indiana’s starters struggling when they start to log heavy minutes.

Key match-up: Paul George and Trevor Ariza. In the first round, PG was responsible for being the main provider of the Pacers scoring, defence, rebounding, ball movement... well, basically everything. In the other corner, Ariza is a total lockdown defender. If he manages to hold PG to anything less than spectacular then the Pacers will have a hell of a time trying to win, particularly if Nene goes off again.

X Factor: I’m not sure if X factor is the right term for it, but Roy Hibbert certainly could be the deciding factor in the series. If he continues his 0 point 0 rebound efforts then I could easily see the twin towers of Nene and Gortat running riot – Roy definitely can’t afford foul trouble.

Prediction: Pacers in 6. I think PG24/Hibbert will have a couple of shockers between them, enough to give the Wizards a sniff at it, but ultimately I think the favourable matchups and more talented overall roster gives it to the Pacers.

(2) Miami Heat v Brooklyn Nets (6)

Season Series: 4-0 to the Nets

Storyline: KG and Pierce take on King James yet again - they’ve previously faced off in 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2008, with both sides having won 2 series. Safe to say, there’s a bit of history and distain been built up over the years, and with this possibly being KGs last hurrah it could be the final time we get to experience this fantastic rivalry. The Nets seem to have the Heats number (hence the 4-0 season series) so can LeBron and the gang get up and over a team loaded with so much experience?

Match up to watch: Pierce v LeBron. This is definitely a classic case of athleticism vs experience; Pierce has to rely on a seemingly endless arsenal of old-man-at-the-YMCA moves whilst LeBron is a complete freak of nature. They’ve both had games against each other when they’ve exploded for monster games and it seems Pierce still has plenty in the tank, so it should be another classic series between these long-time rivals.

X Factor: I’m going to cheat slightly and say both KG and D-Wade. Both of these two seem to swing between decrepit wrecks and flashes of their former brilliance, so it could be a case of whose body decides to hold out and who’s simply can’t perform at a high level for long enough to provide what their team needs – especially if Bosh pulls another playoff disappearing act.

Prediction: The season series is not a good indication of how closely matched these two teams are – anyone who watched the games will remember how close they were – and I imagine this series will be the same. LeBron is, well, LeBron, but I think this is the series that will derail the Heats quest for a threepeat – Nets in 7.

(1) San Antonio Spurs v (5) Portland Trailblazers

Season Series: 2-2

Storyline: The youth and momentum of the Blazers vs. the experience and playoff pedigree of the Spurs - this is certainly a tale of two sides. On one side, the Spurs, who were expected to coast to another Finals series without incident and who are perennial powerhouses. On the other, a side that hadn’t won a playoff series since 2001 until the other day and who no-one expected to do much before the season started. How long can this fairytale run by the Blazers last?

Match up to watch: Two of the absolute top forwards in the league today – Tim Duncan vs Lamarcus Aldridge. These two are both representative of their teams as a whole; Duncan at his advanced age playing with crazy consistency and Aldridge playing beyond all expectations – remember, this guy was getting MVP murmurs early in the season. LA has the edge offensively and Duncan has the edge defensively, so this is definitely one to look out for.

X Factor: Robin Lopez. Robin Lopez? Really? Yes, really. If you watched game 6 between the Rockets and Blazers, you may have noticed that Lopez was a complete beast – shutting down attempts at the rim and even contributing a fair amount on offense when his number was called. He’s still somewhat under the radar, so if he can keep up that level of play then he could have more of an impact on the series than you may have thought possible.

Prediction: I previously asked how long this fairytale run could last. Well, I think it ends here. Duncan and the Spurs have incomparable experience and even though they took it to 7 against the Mavs, I think they have it in 5 against the Blazers.

(2) Oklahoma City Thunder v (3) Los Angeles Clippers

Season Series: 2-2

Storyline: For the past couple of weeks, you couldn’t mention the Clippers without Donald Stirling popping up in conversation – well, now he’s gone. This is a match-up of two of the ‘new money’ teams in the league, as it was only a few short years ago that the Clippers were still a laughing stock and the Thunder were the Sonics whereas now you can’t go 5 minutes in summer without seeing a KD or Griffin jersey. Whoever wins, a lot of bandwagon fans will be unhappy (until they decide that actually, they liked winner all along).

Match up to watch: The obvious answer here is CP3 v Westbrook, but I’m going with Ibaka v Griffin – unstoppable force meets an immoveable object. Griffin is one of the most athletic guys in the league, no one can deny that... but Ibaka’s combination of athleticism (unlike either Marc Gasol or Z-Bo in round 1) and defensive prowess could give him a few headaches. Admittedly it won’t be much fun to watch when the Thunder are on offense – Ibaka midrange jumpers aren’t exactly thrilling – but on the Clippers end it could be huge.

X Factor: Reggie Jackson. A total spark plug off the bench in a series that probably won’t feature much reserve action at all, he seems to have channelled the spirits of Ginobili and Jamal Crawford into a pint-sized package. Plus, he’s always good for a highlight dunk or two. Bonus homer pick is Steven Adams – if Perk struggles against DeAndre Jordan (he probably will, knowing Perkins) then he could be called in to try and draw a few techs and get a few suspensions handed out (which seems to be his speciality).

Prediction: Neither team looked very convincing in the first round. But, nearly for the sole reason that the Clippers struggled against a team that had David Lee as their rim protector (it hurts just typing that), I think the Thunder will take this one. I could see it just as easily being a 4-0 blowout as a 4-3 epic, so to be on the safe side I’ll say Thunder in 6.