NBA playoff schedule 2013, Nuggets vs. Warriors: Different types of speed

The NBA's two biggest upstarts and, arguably, its two most entertaining brands of basketball will test very different styles against one another in the first round of the 2013 playoffs. The third-seeded Denver Nuggets and sixth-seeded Golden State Warriors are tabbed to open the first round against one another. Game 1 will take place on Saturday, April 20 at 5:30 ET on ESPN.

George Karl not only has Ty Lawson, one of the fastest end-to-end players in the NBA, leading his break, he has a team that has the length up front to start the breaks by altering shots and then rebounding. He also has athletic wing players such as Andre Iguodala to finish on the break or make the right decisions during it. As a result, the Nuggets are the second-highest-paced team in the league.

The absence of Danilo Gallinari will be an immediate hole for the Nuggets, especially if the Warriors put up a solid fight. His torn ACL came after the four-game series against the Warriors in which the Italian scorer put in at least 20 points per game. There are, however, the bodies for the Nuggets to make up for Gallinari's absence; Corey Brewer and Wilson Chandler have come on strong following the injury.

Golden State is likewise in the top-five in tempo, but its scoring comes in a very different way. The best 3-point shooting team in the league connects on more than 40 percent of its 3-point field goal attempts. Stephen Curry has proven to be one of the NBA's best pure shooters at 46-percent 3-point shooting, and he averages 23 points per game. His backcourt mate, Klay Thompson likewise shoots nearly 40 percent, as does backup point guard Jarrett Jack.