Team MVP:  Al Jefferson – 27-year old center Al Jefferson really played well for the Jazz in 2011-12.  He played in 61 games (all starts) for the Jazz last year and he averaged 34.0 minutes, 19.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.7 blocked shots per game.  He really stepped up in 2011-12 for the Jazz.

Biggest Surprise:  Derrick Favors – 20-year old power forward Derrick Favors backed up Paul Millsap most of this season and he was excellent.  Favors played in 65 games (9 starts) for the Jazz last year and he averaged 21.2 minutes, 8.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 1.0 blocked shot per game.  He is going to likely be a starter in the near future for the Jazz.

Biggest Disappointment:  C.J. Miles – 26-year old SG/SF C.J. Miles didn’t help out much in 2011-12 for the Jazz.  He played in 56 games (14 starts) for the Jazz last year and he averaged 20.4 minutes, 9.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.  Miles only shot 38.1% from the floor and 30.7% from three point range last year.

POINT GUARD:  29-year old Devin Harris has played really well late this season and the Jazz need that to carry over into the playoffs.  Harris played in 63 games (all starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 27.6 minutes, 11.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game.  He has played in 38 games in the playoffs so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 21.1 minutes, 8.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

29-year old Tony Parker had probably the best season of his career in 2011-12 for the Spurs.  He played in 60 games (all starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 32.1 minutes, 18.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.0 steal per game.  Parker has played in 138 games in the playoffs in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 36.3 minutes, 18.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

EDGE:  SPURS

SHOOTING GUARD:  22-year old Gordon Hayward took a big step forward in 2011-12 for the Jazz.  He played in 66 games (58 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 30.5 minutes, 11.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.  This will be Hayward’s first venture into the NBA Playoffs and the Jazz need him to be up for the challenge.

24-year old Daniel Green really played solid basketball for the Spurs this year.  He played in 66 games (38 starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 23.1 minutes, 9.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.  Green has played in 4 games in the playoffs so far in his career and he averaged 1.8 minutes, 1.3 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.

EDGE:  EVEN

SMALL FORWARD:  25-year old DeMarre Carroll will be the starting small forward for the Jazz in this series.  He played in 20 games (9 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 16.4 minutes, 4.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.  This will be his first playoff experience.

20-year old rookie Kawhi Leonard will likely be the Spurs’ starter at small forward in this series.  Leonard played in 64 games (39 starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 24.0 minutes, 7.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game.  I think Leonard will play pretty well in this series for the Spurs.

EDGE:  SPURS

POWER FORWARD:  27-year old Paul Millsap is one of the most underrated power forwards in the NBA.  He played in 64 games (62 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 32.8 minutes, 16.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game.  Millsap has played in 44 games in the playoffs in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 21.6 minutes, 9.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.0 blocked shot per game.

36-year old Tim Duncan knows all of the tricks as he is one of the best big men in NBA history.  Duncan played in 58 games (all starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 28.2 minutes, 15.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 blocked shots per game.  He played in 176 games in the playoffs in his NBA career and he is averaging 39.5 minutes, 22.7 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.6 blocked shots per game.

EDGE:  SPURS

CENTER:  27-year old Al Jefferson has turned into one of the better centers in the NBA.  Jefferson played in 61 games (all starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 34.0 minutes, 19.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.7 blocked shots per game.  Jefferson has played in 7 games in the playoffs so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 19.4 minutes, 6.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game.

23-year old DeJuan Blair is a hard working player on both ends of the court.  Blair played in 64 games (62 starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 21.3 minutes, 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.  Blair has played in 14 games in the playoffs in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 10.1 minutes, 3.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.

EDGE:  JAZZ

BENCH:  The Jazz have a pretty solid bench.  20-year old PF/C Derrick Favors will be the first big off the bench in this series.  He played in 65 games (9 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 21.2 minutes, 8.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 1.0 blocked shot per game.  This will be his first venture into the playoffs and the Jazz need him to play well in this series.  32-year old small forward Josh Howard will likely play more minutes than starter DeMarre Carroll.  Howard played in 43 games (18 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 23.0 minutes, 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.  He has played in 62 games in the playoffs so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 33.1 minutes, 15.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steal per game.  20-year old  rookie shooting guard Alec Burks is going to come off the bench shooting the ball.  Burks played in 59 games (0 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 15.9 minutes, 7.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  19-year old rookie center Enes Kanter will give Al Jefferson a breather in this series when he needs one.  Kanter played in 66 games (0 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 13.2 minutes, 4.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game.  34-year old Jamaal Tinsley will be backing up Devin Harris in this series.  Tinsley played in 37 games (1 start) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 13.7 minutes, 3.7 points, 1.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.  He has played in 37 games in the playoffs so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 25.6 minutes, 7.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

The Spurs’ bench is brimming with talent.  34-year old shooting guard Manu Ginobili is going to be a force in this series for the Spurs.  He played in 34 games (7 starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 23.3 minutes, 12.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per ame.  He has played in 122 games in the playoffs so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 31.4 minutes, 16.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.  27-year old small forward Stephen Jackson is also likely to get a lot of P.T. in this series.  Jackson played in 21 games (0 starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 23.8 minutes, 8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game.  Jackson has played in 58 games in the playoffs in his NBA career so far this year and he is averaging 36.6 minutes, 15.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game.  27-year old center Tiago Splitter will share time at center with DeJuan Blair in this series.  He played in 59 games (2 starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 19.0 minutes, 9.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.  Splitter has played in 3 games in the playoffs in his young NBA career and he is averaging 16.7 minutes, 6.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game.  32-year old forward Matt Bonner will give Tim Duncan a rest once in a while in this series.  Bonner played in 65 games (2 starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 20.4 minutes, 6.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  He is the best long range shooter on the Spurs.  23-year old point guard Patrick Mills will back up Tony Parker in this series.  Mills played in 16 games (3 starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 16.3 minutes, 10.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.  Mills has played in 5 games in the playoffs in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 3.4 minutes, 1.2 points, 0.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  27-year old guard Gary Neal will also get some P.T. in this series.  He played in 56 games (7 starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 21.5 minutes, 9.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.  Neal has played in 6 games in the playoffs in his career so far and he is averaging 18.5 minutes, 7.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.  30-year old Boris Diaw can played anywhere on the court.  He played in 20 games (7 starts) for the Spurs this year and he averaged 20.3 minutes, 4.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.  Diaw has played in 39 games in the playoffs in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 34.9 minutes, 13.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.

EDGE:  SPURS

COACHING:  Tyrone Corbin coached up the Jazz as they finished up the season with a 36-30 (54.5%) record.  This is his first venture into the playoffs as a head coach.

Gregg Popovich is one of the most successful head coaches in NBA history as he has already won 4 NBA Titles with the Spurs.  The Spurs had the best record in the Western Conference as they finished with a 50-16 (75.8%) record, while at the same time resting players for the playoffs!  Popovich is 108-73 (59.7%) in the playoffs as an NBA head coach.

EDGE: HUGE FOR THE SPURS

PREDICTION:  SPURS IN SIX GAMES