NBA Postseason Pics
Now, some of you will say I'm cheating, since the playoffs started this weekend. I promise not to cheat and use what happened this weekend (all of my picks will be the same picks I would have made last Thursday), except one, and I'll tell you when I do cheat.
ROUND ONE
Phoenix Suns v. Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies are the poor man's Suns. They do everything the Suns do, just not as well. There's not even anything to talk about here. Suns win in 5...maybe even 4.
Dallas Mavericks v. Houston Rockets: Here's where I cheat. I would have said Mavs in 6 here. However, after watching the Mavs lose game 1, I realized a coupla things: 1) All of the Mavs good players (Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Marquis Daniels, Erik Dampier, Devin Harris, their coach Avery Johnson) except Dirk and maybe Stackhouse are in the playoffs for the first or second time. 2) The Rockets revamped roster is full of saavy veterans like Little Bobby Sura, David Wesley, Dikembe Mutombo, and Jon Barry (I love that fricking guy...I mean, I love him when he's not playing the Mavericks). What scares me is I can honestly see the Mavs collapsing BIG TIME, like losing in 5 or 6. I'll still say Mavs in 7...but I'm really scared that's the homer in me talking.
Seattle Supersonics v. Sacramento Kings: The Kings are so banged up their doing good just to be walking at this point. Oh, and Seattle is a lot better than they are. Sonics in 6.
San Antonio Spurs v. Denver Nuggets: Nuggets in 6. Now, I know you all are thinking I'm cheating on this one, after the Nuggets won Game 1. I'm not. Here's what I've said since last year until this day about these two teams:
# The Nuggets will be the most feared team by the time the playoffs start.
# I have serious questions about how tough the Spurs are after rolling over to the Lakers last year.
# There might not be a team in the league that matches up to the Spurs better. Nene, Camby, and Ken will take turns beating the Hell out of Duncan, and are quick enough to stick with him, too; Andre Miller is better than Tony Parker--Hell, Earl Boykins might be better than Tony Parker; Carmelo better be able to beat Manu, after all the shit he talked this past summer about deserving to play more in the Olympics (can you tell I don't really like Melo?).
# I haven't believed for a second that Duncan's ankle is truly healthy. Carly (The World's Biggest Spurs Fan) can back me up that I've been saying this for two months now: since the All Star break, the Spurs have been saying, don't worry about Timmy's ankle, it's fine, he just needs a week off. And then he takes a week off, comes back, and hurts it two weeks later. He was on my fantasy team this year people; trust me, I KNOW how often he was injured this year. He's not even close to being 100%.
# Denver honestly believes that they are the best team in the league, and are truly motivated to go prove it.
In other words, watch out for the Nuggets. I feel this is the most overrated Spur's team in years.
Miami Heat v. New Jersey Nets: People...let's calm down here. Even if Richard Jefferson came back, was 100% ready to play, and somehow had flow with Vince Carter, this team would still not beat the Heat. And besides...remember what I said in my "How to Pick the NCAA Tournament" Post: A player coming back from injury at the end of the season is not always a good thing. Heat in 5.
Chicago Bulls v. Washington Wizards: So you're leading scorer (Curry) and a key rotation guy (Deng) are out on a team oriented squad. Don't get me wrong; I don't like Curry, I'm much more concerned about Deng being gone. But that's still two players missing off two evenly matched teams. Plus the Wizards are more fun to watch. Wizards in 7.
Boston Celtics v. Indiana Pacers: Here's another gem to be used from my NCAA post: "If everyone in the media/world is picking a surefire upset, it's almost always not going to happen." I like the Pacers. I really do. But Jermaine O'Neal is hurt, Reggie Miller has got to be getting tired by now, and I think the Pacers are looking past the Celtics. I think they've already got their eyes on Detroit in the next round, and how they're going to get them back, and how they're going to show them. And I think that's going to cost them against the Celtics, who are still quietly playing GREAT basketball. I think the Celtics all of the sudden go up 3-0, the Pacers go, "wait, what?" Play super inspired and win the next two, and then the Celts finish them off in a TIGHTLY contested Game 6.
Detroit Pistons v. Philadelphia 76ers: Yawn. Is anyone going to watch this series? Cause I'm not. Pistons in 4. Okay, Iverson is having a great season...Pistons in 5.
ROUND TWO
Suns v. Mavericks: Great series if this happens. I think the Mavs can beat the Suns...I just don't think they're ready to, yet. Too many first time players and coach in the playoffs. Cuban, please stop messing with this team. You can tinker with it, just don't do anything drastic. Suns in 7, but watch out for the Mavs next year.
If Houston wins, the Suns blow them out in 6, and the series isn't really even that close.
Sonics v. Nuggets: I almost feel sorry for either the Sonics or the Kings. Nuggets in 6...and again, I don't think it will even be that close of a series. Seattle is just too banged up to keep up with the Nuggets; Ray Allen will need to average 50pts a game on 50% shooting for it to be competitive.
Heat v. Wizards: Yeah...not even close. Heat in 6, as Brendon Haywood and Kwame Brown get manhandled by Shaq. And I'm loving Shaq, Zo, and Laetner on the same team, BTW. Makes me laugh every time I see it.
Detroit v. Boston: Great season Celts, and I think this series will be more competitive than the media will give it credit fro being. That being said, I think the Pistons have just a little too much firepower. It'll be closer than everyone thinks though. Pistons in 7.
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Suns v. Nuggets: This series is going to be incredible. I honestly can't decide who exactly is going to win; I could make the case for either team here. I'm going to go with the Suns though, because I feel that the Nuggets have a hole at 2 guard that they've never quite filled. And Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson, and Jim Jackson can fill that hole. Yeah...anyway, Suns take Nuggets in 7, in what is one of the greatest series in the history of the NBA. This is gonna be so much fun to watch, I can hardly wait.
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Heat v. Pistons: Man, I REALLY don't want the Pistons to go. I really want to see Dwayne Wade in the Finals. I really want to see Shaq in the Finals without Kobe. But I just can't see a team that's third best player is Damon Jones going to the Finals. I just can't see a team with Eddie Jones and the Artist Formerly Known As Zo in their regular rotation in the Finals. Especially not against the defending champs.
NBA FINALS
Suns v. Pistons: David Stern will decide this series. You think I'm kidding. This is the new versus the old; the new, young, exciting, offense oriented team verses the old, physical, smart, boring, defense oriented team. If David Stern (or the NBA Refs, I should say) let's the Pistons play super physical ball against the Suns, they will win. If Stern has them call a really tight game and not let the Pistons be the Pistons, then the Suns will win.
In an honest series, again, I really want to pick the Suns, but two things keep me from doing that. 1) As we've already discussed, if everyone is picking something to happen, go the other way. And everyone has the Suns winning it all. 2) Another rule for picking basketball games, which doesn't apply for the NCAA, is: No one wins it all the first time. Experience does matter. There is truth to the "Suffering Apprentice" theory. And none of the starters on the Suns has any significant playoff experience except Nash, and they are playing the DEFENDING CHAMPS.
So I'll say Pistons in 7...but dear God, please let me be wrong.
THOUGHTS AFTER THE FIRST WEEKEND OF THE PLAYOFFS
$ Did you see that Tony Parker showed up to the game with Eva Longorio (his girlfriend, the Desperate Wives chick) while wearing a Spurs championship from two fricking years ago? To quote Bob, "WHAT A QUEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR." First of all, you don't show up to the game with your girl. Never. Ever. Ever. Not even your wife. Second of all, you don't wear a championship shirt from TWO YEARS AGO. You don't have bragging rights. The Pistons can show up wearing championship T shirts. If I remember correctly, Tony, you curled up into the fetal position and let the Lakers waltz right over you after Derek Fisher hit that miracle shot last year.
Sorry Carly...but I'm rooting against the Spurs now.
$ Did anyone see Ben Gordon catch a pass at halfcourt off of a steal, have two teammates standing wide open underneath the basket, and instead of passing it up, he dribbled in and scored it himself. I'm sorry, I know he's played real well, and been an exciting rookie, but I don't like this guy. And plays/an attitude like that come back to bite you in the ASS in the playoffs.
$ I don't think the Celtics will go up 3-0 on the Pacers anymore. I think they'll still win in 6, but I think that the ASSWHOOPING they laid down in game one was enough to make the Pacers go, "Oh shit, we'd better wake up and remember we have to beat the Celtics if we want to get to round two to play the Pistons."
$ Is it just me, or are the Suns and Pistons just toying with the Grizzlies and 76ers, respectively? I feel sorry for the Grizzlies, but I'm LOVING it with the 76ers.
$ Why do the Nuggets always have some of the worst uniforms in sports? I hate their powdered blue, wanna-be Carolina uniforms.
$ I love Shawn Marion. He is so incredibly awesome to watch.
And remember kids...the NBA...it's FANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNTASTIC!!!!
ROUND ONE
Phoenix Suns v. Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies are the poor man's Suns. They do everything the Suns do, just not as well. There's not even anything to talk about here. Suns win in 5...maybe even 4.
Dallas Mavericks v. Houston Rockets: Here's where I cheat. I would have said Mavs in 6 here. However, after watching the Mavs lose game 1, I realized a coupla things: 1) All of the Mavs good players (Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Marquis Daniels, Erik Dampier, Devin Harris, their coach Avery Johnson) except Dirk and maybe Stackhouse are in the playoffs for the first or second time. 2) The Rockets revamped roster is full of saavy veterans like Little Bobby Sura, David Wesley, Dikembe Mutombo, and Jon Barry (I love that fricking guy...I mean, I love him when he's not playing the Mavericks). What scares me is I can honestly see the Mavs collapsing BIG TIME, like losing in 5 or 6. I'll still say Mavs in 7...but I'm really scared that's the homer in me talking.
Seattle Supersonics v. Sacramento Kings: The Kings are so banged up their doing good just to be walking at this point. Oh, and Seattle is a lot better than they are. Sonics in 6.
San Antonio Spurs v. Denver Nuggets: Nuggets in 6. Now, I know you all are thinking I'm cheating on this one, after the Nuggets won Game 1. I'm not. Here's what I've said since last year until this day about these two teams:
# The Nuggets will be the most feared team by the time the playoffs start.
# I have serious questions about how tough the Spurs are after rolling over to the Lakers last year.
# There might not be a team in the league that matches up to the Spurs better. Nene, Camby, and Ken will take turns beating the Hell out of Duncan, and are quick enough to stick with him, too; Andre Miller is better than Tony Parker--Hell, Earl Boykins might be better than Tony Parker; Carmelo better be able to beat Manu, after all the shit he talked this past summer about deserving to play more in the Olympics (can you tell I don't really like Melo?).
# I haven't believed for a second that Duncan's ankle is truly healthy. Carly (The World's Biggest Spurs Fan) can back me up that I've been saying this for two months now: since the All Star break, the Spurs have been saying, don't worry about Timmy's ankle, it's fine, he just needs a week off. And then he takes a week off, comes back, and hurts it two weeks later. He was on my fantasy team this year people; trust me, I KNOW how often he was injured this year. He's not even close to being 100%.
# Denver honestly believes that they are the best team in the league, and are truly motivated to go prove it.
In other words, watch out for the Nuggets. I feel this is the most overrated Spur's team in years.
Miami Heat v. New Jersey Nets: People...let's calm down here. Even if Richard Jefferson came back, was 100% ready to play, and somehow had flow with Vince Carter, this team would still not beat the Heat. And besides...remember what I said in my "How to Pick the NCAA Tournament" Post: A player coming back from injury at the end of the season is not always a good thing. Heat in 5.
Chicago Bulls v. Washington Wizards: So you're leading scorer (Curry) and a key rotation guy (Deng) are out on a team oriented squad. Don't get me wrong; I don't like Curry, I'm much more concerned about Deng being gone. But that's still two players missing off two evenly matched teams. Plus the Wizards are more fun to watch. Wizards in 7.
Boston Celtics v. Indiana Pacers: Here's another gem to be used from my NCAA post: "If everyone in the media/world is picking a surefire upset, it's almost always not going to happen." I like the Pacers. I really do. But Jermaine O'Neal is hurt, Reggie Miller has got to be getting tired by now, and I think the Pacers are looking past the Celtics. I think they've already got their eyes on Detroit in the next round, and how they're going to get them back, and how they're going to show them. And I think that's going to cost them against the Celtics, who are still quietly playing GREAT basketball. I think the Celtics all of the sudden go up 3-0, the Pacers go, "wait, what?" Play super inspired and win the next two, and then the Celts finish them off in a TIGHTLY contested Game 6.
Detroit Pistons v. Philadelphia 76ers: Yawn. Is anyone going to watch this series? Cause I'm not. Pistons in 4. Okay, Iverson is having a great season...Pistons in 5.
ROUND TWO
Suns v. Mavericks: Great series if this happens. I think the Mavs can beat the Suns...I just don't think they're ready to, yet. Too many first time players and coach in the playoffs. Cuban, please stop messing with this team. You can tinker with it, just don't do anything drastic. Suns in 7, but watch out for the Mavs next year.
If Houston wins, the Suns blow them out in 6, and the series isn't really even that close.
Sonics v. Nuggets: I almost feel sorry for either the Sonics or the Kings. Nuggets in 6...and again, I don't think it will even be that close of a series. Seattle is just too banged up to keep up with the Nuggets; Ray Allen will need to average 50pts a game on 50% shooting for it to be competitive.
Heat v. Wizards: Yeah...not even close. Heat in 6, as Brendon Haywood and Kwame Brown get manhandled by Shaq. And I'm loving Shaq, Zo, and Laetner on the same team, BTW. Makes me laugh every time I see it.
Detroit v. Boston: Great season Celts, and I think this series will be more competitive than the media will give it credit fro being. That being said, I think the Pistons have just a little too much firepower. It'll be closer than everyone thinks though. Pistons in 7.
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Suns v. Nuggets: This series is going to be incredible. I honestly can't decide who exactly is going to win; I could make the case for either team here. I'm going to go with the Suns though, because I feel that the Nuggets have a hole at 2 guard that they've never quite filled. And Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson, and Jim Jackson can fill that hole. Yeah...anyway, Suns take Nuggets in 7, in what is one of the greatest series in the history of the NBA. This is gonna be so much fun to watch, I can hardly wait.
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Heat v. Pistons: Man, I REALLY don't want the Pistons to go. I really want to see Dwayne Wade in the Finals. I really want to see Shaq in the Finals without Kobe. But I just can't see a team that's third best player is Damon Jones going to the Finals. I just can't see a team with Eddie Jones and the Artist Formerly Known As Zo in their regular rotation in the Finals. Especially not against the defending champs.
NBA FINALS
Suns v. Pistons: David Stern will decide this series. You think I'm kidding. This is the new versus the old; the new, young, exciting, offense oriented team verses the old, physical, smart, boring, defense oriented team. If David Stern (or the NBA Refs, I should say) let's the Pistons play super physical ball against the Suns, they will win. If Stern has them call a really tight game and not let the Pistons be the Pistons, then the Suns will win.
In an honest series, again, I really want to pick the Suns, but two things keep me from doing that. 1) As we've already discussed, if everyone is picking something to happen, go the other way. And everyone has the Suns winning it all. 2) Another rule for picking basketball games, which doesn't apply for the NCAA, is: No one wins it all the first time. Experience does matter. There is truth to the "Suffering Apprentice" theory. And none of the starters on the Suns has any significant playoff experience except Nash, and they are playing the DEFENDING CHAMPS.
So I'll say Pistons in 7...but dear God, please let me be wrong.
THOUGHTS AFTER THE FIRST WEEKEND OF THE PLAYOFFS
$ Did you see that Tony Parker showed up to the game with Eva Longorio (his girlfriend, the Desperate Wives chick) while wearing a Spurs championship from two fricking years ago? To quote Bob, "WHAT A QUEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR." First of all, you don't show up to the game with your girl. Never. Ever. Ever. Not even your wife. Second of all, you don't wear a championship shirt from TWO YEARS AGO. You don't have bragging rights. The Pistons can show up wearing championship T shirts. If I remember correctly, Tony, you curled up into the fetal position and let the Lakers waltz right over you after Derek Fisher hit that miracle shot last year.
Sorry Carly...but I'm rooting against the Spurs now.
$ Did anyone see Ben Gordon catch a pass at halfcourt off of a steal, have two teammates standing wide open underneath the basket, and instead of passing it up, he dribbled in and scored it himself. I'm sorry, I know he's played real well, and been an exciting rookie, but I don't like this guy. And plays/an attitude like that come back to bite you in the ASS in the playoffs.
$ I don't think the Celtics will go up 3-0 on the Pacers anymore. I think they'll still win in 6, but I think that the ASSWHOOPING they laid down in game one was enough to make the Pacers go, "Oh shit, we'd better wake up and remember we have to beat the Celtics if we want to get to round two to play the Pistons."
$ Is it just me, or are the Suns and Pistons just toying with the Grizzlies and 76ers, respectively? I feel sorry for the Grizzlies, but I'm LOVING it with the 76ers.
$ Why do the Nuggets always have some of the worst uniforms in sports? I hate their powdered blue, wanna-be Carolina uniforms.
$ I love Shawn Marion. He is so incredibly awesome to watch.
And remember kids...the NBA...it's FANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNTASTIC!!!!
Labels: NBA Postseason
posted by Michael Pondrom at 12:40 PM
6 Comments:
I want you to answer one "what if..." for me. If Nash goes down with an injury (not uncommon), how far can the Suns go?
Oh, and I got to watch the Kings the other night. Its sad. They look like they are already playing summer league ball.
To answer your question, Bo, they'll be lucky if they win one playoff game without Nash. And it doesn't matter who they're playing.
Thoughts after Mavs' loss in Game 2:
* If Michael Finley is on this team next year, I don't know if I can root for them. And it pains me to say that, because I used to love him. But if he takes one more shitty ass jumper, I might just have to kill him.
* Wow. For the first time in his career, I'm looking at Tracy McGrady and thinking, "He really wants to win. He'll do anything to win."
* 13 Free throws for the Rockets in the first half? Hi refs, I know all us Texans look alike to you, but we were playing IN FUCKING DALLAS.
* Dirk, please calm down.
* Avery, please calm down.
* Has anyone in the history of the NBA been dunked on more times than Shawn Bradley?
Let's just leave our playoff comments in here as the first round goes on, people. Your thoughts please!
Michael
After my last post, I went to espn.com, and found this, which I find very interesting:
"Mavs owner Mark Cuban posted on his blog Sunday the team's playoff record since 2002 based on who officiated each game. They came in 0-6 in games worked by Monday night's crew chief, Dan Crawford. They had at least one win for all other refs who worked at least three games. "
Like I said, 13 free throws for the away team in the first quarter? Something's not right there.
Michael
I suppose its nice to stay with the rockets when your superstars (dirk/fin) aren't putting up their usual numbers or are having off nights... but this is win or go home!
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