Ok my NBA Heads...playoffs start this sunday. How do you think the playoffs will turn out. I know we are in for surprises, but there are some things that are just obvious will happen.
My predictions for round 1:
THE EAST:
Miami vs. New Jersey: Miami was on a roll this year...they did have the best record in the NBA for a while, but they lost it after a few losses and Phoneix making a good run. I'm so disappointed in New Jersey..went from #2 last year to #8. I don't expect much from them. Jason Kidd and Vince Carter cannot do it by themselves...maybe next year when Jefferson comes back. Miami has too much fire power. Wade and Shaq makes a good combo and will be hard to beat. Miami also has some good defense, so it will be hard for the Nets to do anything good. I see this series as 4-1.
Detriot vs. Philly: Detriot right now is on a 10 game winning streak. They are going to hand Inverson and his teams their behinds. AI is still one of the best players in the game today, but to be honest, when he isn't on the court, the team is horrible. Detriot big men (the Wallaces) will give it to them. Hamilton, Prince, Billups....this will be a quick series..a sweep.
Boston vs. Indiana: This one is kinda hard for me. I think that Indiana can come out with the win for the series just because they have good young players who have a lot of heart (and hot heads). Boston is a good team...they haven't been this good since 2001-2002. I think this will be an entertaining series. I don't think that Reggie Miller will let his team go out in the first round on his final year.
Washington vs. Chicago: This is going to be the best series of this round. I think that Chicago has come up from a long drought (since 98 ). The wizards have been doing the dam thing but so has chicago. Their defense is one of the best in the east. I think this is going to be a series that will go up to game 7.
MY WEST PREDICTIONS:
Phoenix vs. Memphis: This is going to be a sweep. The Suns have a fast paced game and I don't think that Memphis can handle it. This will be one of the most boring series because it will be a blow out. The only way this will be something to watch is if Nash gets hurts (God forbid). He is the reason why the team has done so well this season anyways.
San Antonio vs. Denver: Denver is a good team. They won't be able to beat the Spurs because they have players that are stepping up even when Duncan isn't around. Ginobili, Parker, Horry...this won't be a sweep, but the Spurs will win.
Sacramento vs. Seattle: Sacramento is my team, BUT I don't see them beating Seattle. Sacramento doesn't have Peja, but Bibby will be holding them down and so will Mobley, but I just don't see them going away with the win.
Dallas vs. Houston: I see this as being one of the best series in the first round. Houston has pick themselves up and have won the last 7 games. T-Mac (my favorite player) brings out the best in his entire team. He has players around that is willing to help out as best they can. I think that Dirk and Finley will work hard to try and spoil Houston's run. I think that T-Mac and Ming will find a way to finally win a first round series.
Dallas vs. Houston: I see this as being one of the best series in the first round. Houston has pick themselves up and have won the last 7 games. T-Mac (my favorite player) brings out the best in his entire team. He has players around that is willing to help out as best they can. I think that Dirk and Finley will work hard to try and spoil Houston's run. I think that T-Mac and Ming will find a way to finally win a first round series.
Dallas vs. Houston: I see this as being one of the best series in the first round. Houston has pick themselves up and have won the last 7 games. T-Mac (my favorite player) brings out the best in his entire team. He has players around that is willing to help out as best they can. I think that Dirk and Finley will work hard to try and spoil Houston's run. I think that T-Mac and Ming will find a way to finally win a first round series.
What about Dallas' 8 game run?
Now don't get me wrong...I'm not knocking Dallas. They are a good team, but at this time I think that Houston has a bit more drive. For Dallas its really on the shoulders of Dirk, when Houston has plenty of people who step up even when T-Mac or Ming isn't having good games.
^Oh no no. Dallas' isn't a team that just depends on one player. They've had good bench production for years. Dirk is just the icing on the cake but they do just as well without him. Every team has their star player that's gonna shine more than the others but the Mavs got a lot of elements. Mark Cuban won't even go for that "one man team" philosphy.
Dirk's average leading score is about 26 and Tracy McGrady is 25. I don't see much of a difference.
Dallas vs. Houston: I see this as being one of the best series in the first round. Houston has pick themselves up and have won the last 7 games. T-Mac (my favorite player) brings out the best in his entire team. He has players around that is willing to help out as best they can. I think that Dirk and Finley will work hard to try and spoil Houston's run. I think that T-Mac and Ming will find a way to finally win a first round series.
What about Dallas' 8 game run?
Now don't get me wrong...I'm not knocking Dallas. They are a good team, but at this time I think that Houston has a bit more drive. For Dallas its really on the shoulders of Dirk, when Houston has plenty of people who step up even when T-Mac or Ming isn't having good games.
Well since we're on this T-Mac issue I wanna bring up another point...
I'm glad everyone has gotten to realize that T-Mac is not at all better than Kobe because now T-Mac has had to do what Kobe had to do his whole career... defer to his big man (and he doesn't even have to do it as much as Kobe does because Yao only does half of what Shaq does). It's easy to shine when you're the star player on your team like T-Mac used to do. Now T-Mac's hardly even mentioned in the NBA world :-)
This is the first round so its gonne be pretty simple in a few series
Miami vs. New Jersey- Get the broom.....
Detroit vs. Philly- The sixers fought hard but this is the playoffs man. Get the broom.
Boston vs. Indiana- Indiana has the experience but has some key injuries. J-O ain't 100% plus tinsely out. Boston been doing good. I remember when pierce along w/ toine used to do it in the east. This gone be a good series, but I think Indiana is just too hungry. Indy in 6.
Washington vs. Chicago- Ha yall should already know what I think. Bulls in 5. Possibly 6.
Phoenix vs. Memphis- Yea yea yea. The suns run the floor and score on cats crazily but 1). this is the playoffs. The same rules applies to the NBA as to the NFL----Defense wins games. Memphis is one of the best defensive teams in the league and extremely underrated. This is their second consecutive year in the playoffs. And their in the west so they had to do somethin good to get here. Their not going to win but they are going to give the suns some trouble. I say phoenix in 6.
San Antonio vs. Denver- I'm liking this matchup. As much as I don't want to the spurs to win I know they just can't lose this early. San antonio in 5.
Sacramento vs. Seattle- Nice teams. To be real whoever wins isn't goin to make it past the second round. I'll say seattle just because sacramento is in way worst shape than them.
Dallas vs. Houston- I think this is going to be the best matchup of the first round. Houston's hopes depends on the play of Yao and the role players. We know T-mac will get it done. Dallas' will depend all on their role players and how good they can play defense. Don't be suprised if the rockets go home early.
my pick- Houston...only because they start out w/ that homecourt.
i dont know who were playin...jerseys losin right now so i dont know....we could play NJ,indy or cleveland right now....well know in aobut an hour and a half....
OK, here’s the breakdown of this year’s NBA playoffs…at least the first round.
The Western Conference:#1 Phoenix Suns vs. #8 Memphis Grizzlies – The NBA’s best-record team opens up at home. Phoenix comes in the playoffs tying their franchise-best 62 wins in the regular season, set back in 1993. Led by MVP candidate Steve Nash, and former Rookie of the Year, Amare Stoudamaire, Phoenix comes in clinching home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, so in essence, the road to the title will go through the Valley of the Sun. Memphis, however limps into the playoffs, taking four games to wrap up the 8th seed. If that’s a sign of what to expect, Phoenix may – and probably, will – sweep them in four straight blowouts.
#2 San Antonio Spurs vs. #7 Denver Nuggets – The Spurs will have Tim Duncan back in their line-up, and hope that he can once again take the team back to the NBA title. Denver comes in under new coach George Karl who has taken a team once #13 in the Western conference to the playoffs. The big story will obviously be Duncan and his performance, but can the surging Nuggets – the NBA’s best team since the All-Star Break (24-5) – make even more strides against the heavily favored Spurs?
#3 Seattle SuperSonics vs. #6 Sacramento Kings – Seattle comes into the playoffs having won the league’s first Northwest Division title. Led by sharp **** guard Ray Allen, they are looking to be taken seriously, for a change. The Kings, on the other hand, are suffering from the same curse every year around this time – injuries. Last year, it was Bobby Jackson; the year before, C-Webb went down. Now, The Kings will be without their leading scorer, Peja Stojakovic, who pulled a groin muscle in the Kings last game vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. He has placed on the disabled list, and guard Bobby Jackson, who hasn’t played since mid-December, has been activated. The curse of the Kings….what can you do?
#4 Dallas Mavericks vs. #5 Houston Rockets – Dallas walks into the playoff this year with a bit of a swagger. Currently on a nine-game winning streak and apparently firing on all cylinders, they will certainly be a hard team to contend with in a seven game series. But Houston is no slouch to the playoffs, and the duo of Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming could be deadly come this weekend. Look for this match-up to be one of the more exciting ones in the first round that could possibly go the distance.
The Eastern Conference:#1 Miami Heat vs. #8 New Jersey Nets – You gotta give New Jersey credit. About two months ago they were some 7 or 8 games under .500, and very rapidly looking forward to the lottery. Then, Jason Kidd and Vince Carter starting BALLING, and the next thing you know, they finish the season (23-9) and outdo the slumping Cleveland Cavaliers to claim the 8th spot on the last game of the regular season. Personally, I wanted to see LeBron in the playoffs, but oh well. Even so, they still have to deal with the East’s best team – and some say, the favorites to win it all – in Miami. Led by MVP front-runner Shaquille O’Neal, with All-Star guard Dwayne Wade, and Alonzo Mourning. This would’ve been a no-brainer even if Cleveland would’ve made it, but now it’s just the Nets might actually win a game. I doubt it, though.
#2 Detroit Pistons vs. #7 Philadelphia 76ers - Fitting that the defending champs should come into the playoffs as the NBA’s hottest team. They have won their last 11 games, and shows no signs of slowing down. This team seems to be even more hungry then last year’s title-squad, and they are out to prove that last was NOT a fluke – that they are the real deal. Here come the Sixers, who make the playoffs for the six time in seven years. Led by 3-time – which includes this season - scoring champ Allen Iverson, they’ll be looking to try to shut Detroit down. Will it happen? Highly unlikely.
#3 Boston Celtics vs. #6 Indiana Pacers - Boston rolls into the postseason winning the Atlantic Division for the first time since the 1991-1992 season, when they were led by an aging Larry Bird. However, Boston is still the fans’ choice to be the first high-seeded team to be upset in a series. After surging with the trade of Antione Walker and Gary Payton, Boston seemed to fall off a bit. Still with Paul Pierce leading them, and possible 6th Man of the year in Ricky Davis, look for Beantown to not go out without a fight. However, neither will Reggie Miller, who is playing is final NBA season after 18 years in the league, and we all know what “Miller Time” is capable of when the money’s on the line. If Pacers star center Jermaine O’Neal plays up to his caliber, and Steven Jackson with Anthony Johsnon contributes well, we may very well see that upset.
#4 Chicago Bulls vs. #5 Washington Wizards – WOW! Neither one of these two teams will even in the playoff races a year ago. The question of this series is: Can the Baby Bulls outlast the Wizards without their starting center, Eddie Curry, who is out for the playoffs with a heart infection? Still, led by possible Rookie Of the Year, Ben Gordon, Chicago is playing phonemonal ball. The Wizards come in with a great balanced attack, led by Larry Hughes and Antione Jamison. Though the Wizards have been slumping a bit, losing 6 out of their last 10 games, in the playoff, none of that matters. This one could come down to the wire.
