Finally something to talk about! Eastern Conference First Round Detroit Pistons (1) vs Milwaukee Bucks (8) Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs Washington Wizards (5) Miami Heat (2) vs Chicago Bulls (7) New Jersey Nets (3) vs Indiana Pacers (6) Western Conference First Round San Antonio Spurs (1) vs Sacramento Kings (8) Dallas Mavericks (4) vs Memphis Grizlies (5) Phoenix Suns (2) vs Los Angeles Lakers (7) Denver Nuggets (3) vs Los Angeles Clippers (8) Detroit over Bucks in 4 or 5 - Not much you can say here, maybe the Pistons let one slip, but Flip Saunders gets passed the First Round for the first time in his career, they just need to stay healthy. Cleveland over Washington in 6 or 7 - There is a possibility that Lebron James chokes away his first playoff series, but I don't think it's that likely with the talent around him. The Cavs have a big advantage on the interior with Big Z, Gooden and Varejao coming on really strong lately, not to mention Donyell Marshall. On the other side it's going to be an interesting battle between Gilbert Arenas and former teammate Larry Hughes, but Arenas takes it, he is the reason this thing will be competitive. Miami over Chicago in 6 - Chicago is coming into this series HOT, in their last 14 they're 12-2, Kirk Hinrich has been able to contain Wade better than most, and the Heat coasted through the final games of the regular season, that's why they'll steal a couple of games. Sadly, the combination of really nice players in Hinrich, Nocioni, Deng, Gordon, and Chandler won't be enought to beat a deep Heat squad 4 games out of 7. They just don't have anyone that can hold Shaq, and Wade will find a way to make his mark on this series even though I expect his numbers to fall a little bit. Will Zo play? That will be important. New Jersey over Indiana in 7 - Indiana is another team that is finding it's way at the right time, it shouldn't surprise anyone if they win this series, but Jason Kidd and Vince Carter will dominate late in games, they'll get through these guys. That's what it's going to come down, the games will be close but do you trust Jermaine O'Neal and Peja over Kidd and Vince? I don't. San Antonio over Sacramento in 4 or 5 - Ron Artest is going to do something really stupid in this series, a couple of flagrant fouls on Manu or just a bunch of ball hogging, he misses a guy like Reggie Miller to calm him down. There's not much else interesting in this series, I guess we'll see if Bibby bounces back from a terrible playoffs last season, and we'll see if Duncan was holding anything back during the regular season. Dallas over Memphis in 5 or 6 - The Mavs got lucky, had they drawn the Clippers they could have lost this series, as it stands Memphis shouldn't be that big of a challenge for them. Anyway, I'll take this opportunity to applaud the season Pau Gasol had, he led his team in points, rebounds, blocks, and FG% which is normal for a big man, but he also led the Grizzlies in assists! Also, Dirk for MVP! Phoenix over Lakers in 4 or 7 - If you want to see two pretty offenses you watch this series, there will be at least 220 points scored and 65 assists handed out each game. The play of Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown will dictate whether this series goes 4 or 7, both have finished the season strong and if they continue their play into this post season the Lakers can upset the Suns. Kobe Bryant will have a memorable series no matter what, maybe 45 points a game, a couple of 50 point games, something spectacular will happen. It won't matter though, the Suns have Steve Nash and he'll average a double double of around 24 and 14, same with Marion, Raja Bell will make Kobe work for his points which will leave him drained in the 4th quarter, Diaw will continue his all around brilliance. Again, this is the series to watch and record if you want to see two of the smartest offenses in the league, one half court the other full court. Nuggets over Clippers in 6 or 7 - Can you imagine an all LA playoff series? That's what we might get if both the Lakers and Clippers advance. This will be a very competitive series as long as the Nuggets don't implode, I don't expect them to, but a lot of people do so it must be a possibility. They have a good chance of being upset, but I think Carmelo will be the star of this series and the Nuggets as a team will run the Clippers out of the building. I'm rooting for the Clippers though, as everyone here should be doing, Sam and Elton could carry these guys past the Nuggets, but I think they had a better chance of upsetting the Mavericks because the Mavericks don't run as much as these guys do.
Detroit over Bucks in 6 - Detroit too cocky will drop a couple games. Washington over Cleveland in 7 - Arenas will be on fire. Miami over Chicago in 4 - Bulls may be hot, but not good enough to win in playoffs. Indiana over New Jersey in 6 - Nets have no inside game. San Antonio over Sacramento in 5 - Spurs team too deep. Dallas over Memphis in 4 - Nowitzki will walk all over Memphis. Phoenix over Lakers in 7 - Kobe will have a crazy series, but the rest of his team is too crappy. Clippers over Nuggets 6 - The Nuggets are over-rated.
As a Rockets fan it's really hard for me to care. Maybe I'll watch a couple games if the series is just unbelievably good but otherwise I'll just get mad thinking how much better our team would be with healthy everybody.
I guess you missed the playoffs in 2004. It turns out that the Timberpups made it all the way to the WCF with the help of former Rocket Sam "Roswell" Cassell. That would be the first time Flip got past the first round.
Finally something to talk about! Eastern Conference First Round Detroit 4-1 this one is hard Cavs 4-3 Miami 4-2 Nets 4-3 Western Conference First Round Spurs 4-0 Mavs 4-2 Suns 4-3 Clippers 4-2
Detroit 4-0 - Bucks don't have what it takes to even take one game off the Pistons. They (Pistons) will want to send an early message and a sweep of the Bucks is a good start. Cavs 4-3 - Lebron will be pumped about this, his first playoff appearance and his adrenaline and emotion will carry the Cavs over the line in a deciding game 7. Miami 4-1 - Chicago is smoking hot right now, but they don't have the tools to contain Wade and Shaq. Plus if anyone of Walker, Posey, Williams or Payton get hot, it could end up in a sweep. Nets 4-2 - As has been mentioned the Pacers are playing alot better recently, but the Nets have been playing much better. Apart from resting their stars for the last few games the Nets were virtually untouchable, Pacers shouldn't be too much of a problem. Spurs 4-0 - Easy first up matchup for the defending champs. Mavs 4-1 - Grizzlies don't have the key matchups to beat Dallas and the Mavs have way too much experience in big time games for the Grizzlies. Suns 4-2 - IMHO Lakers will be lucky to get 2 games off the Suns, but I'll give them, and mainly Kobe, their due. They'll do enough to win 1 or 2, but won't seriously trouble Phoenix Clippers 4-2 - Brand, Cassell, Mobley and co. will be too much for Carmelo, Camby and Martin to handle. Miller will get soundly outplayed by Cassell and Brand will win his matchup with Martin (assuming they go head to head). Those two matchups are probably the key to this series and the Clippers should win both.
Someone had just finished telling me that Flip's teams always choke in the playoffs, I managed to think "yeah, he never did get out of the first round with the Wolves", completely forgot about those playoffs.
Detroit 4-0 Cavs 4-2 Miami 4-1 Nets 4-3 Western Conference First Round Spurs 4-3 <--- Gonna be tight Mavs 4-1 Lakers 4-3 <--- 7 Games, Lakers Win!!! Clippers 4-2
Eastern Conference First Round Pistons over Bucks in 4 Cavs over Wizards in 6 Heat over Bulls in 5 Pacers over Nets in 7 Western Conference First Round Spurs over Kings in 6 Mavs over Grizzlies in 6 Suns over Lakers in 5 Clippers over Nuggets in 6
Man the eastern conference bracket looks horrible. Hopefully NBATV takes all those east games. I don't wanna watch the east till the conference finals. The west looks loaded though, intriguing matchups all around.
Pistons vs Bucks is the only bad matchup in the East. Indiana and Chicago finished the season winning while New Jersey and Miami are coming off losses that weren't taken seriously, those series will be close. Miami really should have played all their guys regardless on the situation as far as the standings go, they have been way too inconsistent to believe that they will just flip the switch in the playoffs and beat down a good team like the Bulls. New Jersey on the other hand reached their peak and I imagine they'll hit that peak again versus Indiana, but the Pacers are a strong team so they'll give them hell either way. Then you the best series in Washington v Cleveland, Washington has the experience, while Cleveland has the talent, both teams have two great great players. I'll watch every game that I can...
I don't know, I think there's 1 good team and 2 ok teams in the east. Let's play a game, take the 8th seed in the West, the Kings, how many of the Easts teams would they beat down going head to head? I think Detroit would win comfortably, Miami and NJ would have a hard time but would prevail in the end, and they would destroy every other team from the east.
Eastern Conference -First Round- Detroit Pistons 4-0 over Milwaukee Bucks Miami Heat 4-1 over Chicago Bulls New Jersey Nets 4-2 over Indiana Pacers Cleveland Cavaliers 4-3 over Washington Wizards -Second Round- Pistons 4-0 over Cavs Nets lose 4-1 to Heat -ECF- Pistons 4-2 over Heat Western Conference -First Round- San Antonio Spurs 4-2 over Sacramento Kings Phoenix Suns 4-1 over Los Angeles Lakers Denver Nuggets lose 4-3 to Los Angeles Clippers Dallas Mavericks 4-2 over Memphis Grizlies -Second Round- Spurs 4-2 over Mavs Suns lose 4-3 to Clips -WCF- Spurs 4-3 over Clips -Finals- Pistons 4-2 over Spurs Notes: I don't believe in donught running teams come Spring. Spurs don't seem to be even 80% healthy this year The Clips could scare the living daylights out of the West, so could the Kings Detroit is the only elite team that looks like they have everything in place, including intangibles. Evan
Eastern Conference First Round Pistons over Bucks in 4 Cavs over Wizards in 6 Heat over Bulls in 5 Nets over Pacers in 7 Western Conference First Round Spurs over Kings in 5 Mavs over Grizzlies in 5 Suns over Lakers in 5 Clippers over Nuggets in 6
Dallas, Suns, Nuggets AND Spurs out in First Round - no division winners, or the top 3 seeds advancing??? So you REALLY believe the regular season means nothing.
Eastern Conference First Round Detroit Pistons (1) vs Milwaukee Bucks (8): Pistons Sweep 4-0 Best team all year, knows how to take care of business and will walk all over this young inexperienced Bucks team. Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs Washington Wizards (5): Cavs win 4-3 This will be an interesting series b/c both are fairly young teams and have exposive scorers in Lebron and Arenas. Should be a high scoring, fun series to watch Miami Heat (2) vs Chicago Bulls (7): Heat win 4-1 I can't believe people actually think that b/c Wade struggled against Chi in the regular season that this will repeat itself in the playoffs. Wade will turn it on and Shaq will wake up from his regular season slumber (he's not the shaq of old but he's more than anything Chi has. I hope my boy ZO can be back b/c he is the key for them to go to the finals, his defense and intensity inspires the entire team New Jersey Nets (3) vs Indiana Pacers (6): Nets win 4-2 Nets should beat the Pacers. Pacers are just too inconsistent and JO has not been healthy Western Conference First Round San Antonio Spurs (1) vs Sacramento Kings (8): Spurs win 4-2 Defending champs will turn it on but Duncan's ankle and Artest's presence will give the Kings 2 games. Dallas Mavericks (4) vs Memphis Grizlies (5): Mavs win 4-1 Dallas is just too talented for Menphis. I really hope somehow Memphis can pull it out but it's a lonnnnnng shot. Phoenix Suns (2) vs Los Angeles Lakers (7): Suns win 4-2 Kobe will try too hard, even harder than the regular season to carry the Fakers and that may lead to their downfall b/c no one else will be involved. Suns have the real MVP in Nash and are a better overall "team" Denver Nuggets (3) vs Los Angeles Clippers (6): Clippers win 4-2 Clippers beat the Nugs. The Nugs are the most overrated 3 seed in the west in a long time. Clips have too much in Cassell, Mobley and Brand
i don't wanna start a new thread, but since it's about the playoffs i'll put it here. is anyone watching espn classic showing the warriors and suns game 3 from 1994? this first quarter is the most insane offensive explosion i have ever seen. i can't even remember the last shot that i saw someone miss. barkley hit his first 6 shots to get to 14 points, then hit a 3, then had a putback dunk, then hit a turnaround, then hit a 3 right in someone's face, then hit a step back 3 right on someone. 11 for 11 with 27 points with 55 seconds left in the first quarter and the score is 40 to 40.
