Blazers television analyst Mike Rice looks at the coaching carousel and the NBA playoffs

If you’re a coach in the NBA, you have to wonder who has the greatest chance of getting fired after the season is over: the coach who makes the playoffs or the coach that was not one of the lucky 16 playoff teams.

Most of the teams that did not make the playoffs at the end of the year were picked at the start of the year to be at the bottom of the pack. So when they failed during the season it was no big deal. No expectations, no firing.

Now if you’re in the West and happen to be one of the eight playoff teams that won 50 games or more, the first time in history for that, your fans expectations are sky high. Every team feels if they get hot over a month it could be a championship, period. That kind of thinking can be murder for any coach that loses in the first round.

Take a look at the Warriors, Blazers, Kings, Sonics, Grizzlies, Clippers and the Timberwolves. None of them made the playoffs and all of those coaches had a reason or two for not making a playoff run: injuries, lack of talent, too much youth. Whatever the reason, the coaches of the aforementioned teams were good enough to save their jobs.

On the other hand, two of the four teams that lost in the first round (the Nuggets, Suns, Rockets and Mavericks) forced out or immediately fired their coaches despite having terrific winning seasons. Rick Adelman lost Yao Ming and George Karl also had numerous injuries. Both might have received the pink slip if they didn’t have the injury excuse.

Those Western Conference teams that made the playoffs were so good that teams that didn’t make it in the West were given at least a year’s reprieve. That was not the case in the East. The eight playoff teams in the East left a lot to be desired, especially when you get past Detroit, Boston and Orlando. That means teams that didn’t make the playoffs were horrible. So the Bulls, Knicks, Charlotte and Heat lost their coaches.

It might be easier to make the Eastern playoffs, but if you didn’t, you’re toast. At least in the West you have a build in reason for failure and you get to keep your job.

Now about those playoff games that are left. Finally the regular NBA season games mean something. It seems no on can win on the road in the West, so home court advantage probably will win each series.

The best series seventh game will be the New Orleans/San Antonio game seven. New Orleans will win and play the Lakers, who will beat the Jazz in game seven of their series.

On the East side of the playoffs, Boston might in for trouble. I believe their series with the Cavs will go seven games before they win it, whereas Detroit will get extra rest when they defeat the Magic. I still believe the Celtics will come out of the East, but the Pistons could prove me wrong.

In the West, the Lakers can beat the Hornets in the Western Conference finals, but if the Spurs defeat the Hornets in the semis, then they will beast the Lakers in six games in the West finals.

No matter what happens from here on, I believe all the coaches that made it this far are safe. Next year is another season and the poor NBA coaches will go through it all over again.