Sports!!

(Sorry for no updates in a long time, but expect more this summer…)

The NBA’s slogan this year is amazing and there sure has been nothing short of that in some of the series so far. I’m going to be reflecting on the first two rounds of the playoffs, give my conference finals picks and re-visit my Finals pick. Let’s just say that I’m wavering in my original pick of Lakers over Cavs in 7.

First round recap

In the first round we saw the Baby Bulls grow up, a battle of two aging teams, a surprising, feisty Rockets team, the Sixers and Hawks showing their future potential, Dwayne Wade showing why he’s in LeBron and Kobe’s league still, and the Cavs, Nuggets, and Lakers sleepwalking through their respective series. The Bulls stole game 1 and nearly game 2 against the Celtics. I was surprised how big of an impact losing KG was for the Celtics. I knew it would affect the second round, but did not expect the Bulls to do what they did either. The Bulls need a veteran post player to develop Tyrus Thomas and, I can’t believe I’m saying it, but, Jokim Noah too. They have a better presence down low and we’ll see them a little more often in the playoffs and deeper too.

I’m a big Spurs fan, but I knew going into the playoffs without Manu was going to be really tough. He brings so much to the table and the Spurs lose a lot without him. I hated to do it, but I went and picked against my team and I unfortunately was right. They played a great series and Tony Parker showed why he needs to be considered in the great-point-guards-of-the-West talk. The Mavs had too many weapons for the Spurs so they were able to take the battle of Texas. Dallas has started getting younger in ways so the Spurs need to act accordingly and soon. I don’t think they’ll be resting on their laurels and this was a good wakeup call for them. They have to reload quickly because the Trailblazers aren’t going away, the Thunder are starting to creep into playoff talk (if they get the post player they need in the draft), and the Suns are wanting back in too. One, if not both of these teams might not even be back in the playoffs next year.

Speaking of the Trailblazers, I guess I was wrong about them. Playoff experience DOES mean something. The Rockets showed how stingy of a defense they have and what they can do with Yao Ming. The Trailblazers will be back though, just watch.

The Hawks had a back and forth series with Wade and the Heat, but came out victorious in the end since they had more than one scorer. The thing that was odd about this series is that whoever won a game, they won by double digits. Wade showed he is back to his old self, but he needs a better supporting cast. Beasley and Chalmers should develop over the next couple years. If they can add a better force in the post, they’ll be back in the playoffs soon enough. They’ve just gotta make sure they can keep Wade.

The Sixers surprised me against the Magic, but were lucky they didn’t get swept due to two last-sec game winners. The Sixers added Elton Brand last offseason and if he comes back healthy, they’ll be a team to reckon with in the East.

Three of the four top seeds breezed thru their first round matchups. The Cavs swept the Pistons pretty handily. I figured they could win one game in that series, but the seemed lifeless for most of it. They need a major overhaul and soon. I wouldn’t be surprised to not see them in the playoffs next year. The Nuggets and Lakers had to go to 5 games to win their series. The Lakers are having trouble guarding point guards as Deron Williams could do whatever he pleased. This could prove to be difficult for them as they go into the playoffs…good thing they have home-court. The Nuggets’ defense was nice surprise too. The Birdman coming off the bench is a huge plus for them as they have Nene and Kenyon Martin already starting.

One thing I’ve noticed in the East this year is that the teams seem better. Yes, the records don’t indicate this, but there are a lot of competitive teams in the East and for the next few years, seeds 4-8 in the East will change a lot.

Second round recap

In the second round, we saw the Lakers surprisingly struggle, the Magic knock off the defending champs, the Cavs not-so-surprising win over the Hawks (lots of rest for Lebron [whom I refuse to call King James] is not a good thing if you ask me) and the Nuggets powered their way thru the old men of Dallas. I’m not sure what to think of the Lakers. Home-court advantage, a deep team, and, oh yeah, a guy named Kobe. They seem to be slacking off or not playing 100% all the time. Phil Jackson has to be getting annoyed with them, though you do have to give credit to the Rockets. They have a tenacious defense and once they were able to play as a smaller team without Yao, they gave the Lakers fits. The key for the Lakers is to get off to a hot start and for the role players to step up…they’ve got plenty. Kobe can close the game if necessary. If it’s a fight to the end, there’s almost no one better than Kobe. They team they’ll face in Denver used their strong defense to roll past the Mavs. Denver once again showed their defense is one to reckon with…but Dallas isn’t the youngest team around either. In the East, the Cavs lulled people to sleep as the swept up the Hawks, who had just come off of a tough series against the Heat. The Magic however faced the defending champs and fought hard the whole series to eventually dethrone the champs. I predicted the Magic moving on before the playoffs began, but after the Celtics clawed their way past the Bulls, I figured they could get past the Magic too. But missing KG was the biggest thing for the C’s. They couldn’t come up with a defensive stop at all. And in game 7, the C’s just fizzled. They couldn’t get much going at all except for a few sparks here and there. The Magic showed a lot of guts and heart at the same time, while starting to shed their moniker as a team with Howard down low surrounded by a lot of perimeter shooters. Of all four teams, all should be back in the playoffs next season. Its just expected. Now that we’re down to the last four, here’s my predictions…

Eastern Conference Prediction

Cavs over Magic in 6 – LeBron can’t be denied a trip to the Finals this year. He is playing so well right now….and has a great supporting cast that he has always needed. The Cavs have to actually play this series too, and they’ll be ready. I would like to say 5, but I think the Magic can somehow steal two games in this series. But, in the end, its just one more tuneup for Lebron and his boys.

Western Conference Prediction

Lakers over Nuggets in 7 – There’s a big part of me that wants to pick the Nuggets right here. Why? It’s because how they are playing defense in the playoffs. If the Lake crew struggled with the Rockets, why wouldn’t they struggle with the Nuggets whom actually have a bigger frontline and the athleticism to matchup with the Lakers. Advantages for the Lakers: just a guy named Kobe and game 7 in the Staples Center. Kobe and Carmelo will be an interesting matchup. Best guys on each team going at it. (After Game 1 Edit: What a battle between these two guys! 40 by Kobe and 39 by ‘Melo. And physical too. Can’t wait for the rest of the series!) The supporting casts will be key for each team. And defending Billups will be key for the Lakers. They had trouble with Deron Williams (kind of expected) and Aaron Brooks (not really expected). It will be interesting who Phil Jackson puts on Billups, likely a combo of two or three different games. This will be an epic series and it will be another reason why this year’s playoffs will just be simply amazing. This should set up a Kobe vs. Lebron final…on which I’ll predict winner after both series’ are over.

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Ok, so this is a hair late to put out since game 1 in the East Finals already took place, but I haven’t changed my mind on anything.

The stage is set. We’re down to the last four teams in the playoffs. And what a stage it is. In the East, it’s the Celtics and Pistons renewing their playoff rivalry of past years, back in the late 80s and early 90s. It’s the matchup everyone wanted. It’s the matchup everyone was hoping for. And what a mammoth of a matchup it will be.
And in the West, it’s the Lakers and Spurs. Everyone has been knocking on the Spurs because of their age. But you know what; the Spurs are one of the most consistent teams out there. 11 straight years of appearing in the playoffs. 4 rings in that span too. And just won a game 7 on the road! Only the second road win all of last round. You can’t count out the Spurs one bit. And then the Lakers! Kobe is MVP, and has stepped up his game to another level this year. He is sharing the ball. He is leaning on his teammates. He is making his teammates better. And the Lakers have probably the deepest bench in the NBA right now. Who am I picking? Well, first let’s go through each teams run to this point. I will then comment on the key matchups and give you my winners from there.\

Pistons: The Pistons may have had the easiest road to this point of all teams, but it wasn’t easy by any means. The up and coming Sixers played them tough, taking two games. The Sixers are a few good role players away from being the next big thing in the East. The Pistons next faced the Magic, whom I thought would be a tougher test. Dwight Howard is a beast and his best years are still ahead of him. But the Magic lacked some scoring beyond Howard. Yeah, Hedo Turkoglu can score, but he doesn’t always show up and there is not much after him. Rashard Lewis wasn’t the type of player they were expecting. Even with Billups being out, the Pistons moved on easily. The Pistons have some good scorers and excellent role players and are doing it without a true superstar on their team, a staple of Detroit basketball.

Celtics: Where O, where do I begin?! They were supposed to sweep through the Hawks and have a lot of rest for whomever was next (I said the Wizards, but it was the Cavs). Instead, they went to a game 7 with the Hawks (who I don’t think should have even been in the playoffs to begin with. But that’s a blog for a different day). And then they went on to face the LeBron Cavaliers whom also forced a game 7. Paul Peirce came up HUGE in game 7, nearly matching him point for point, but it was enough for the C’s. But in the past two series, they could not win a road game after having the best road record in the regular season. This could be really bad against the Pistons, but their tough D should be up to the task.

Spurs: Old. Bad end to the season. Slow. Too many youngs teams ready to replace them. Give any excuse on why the Spurs probably wouldn’t do well in the playoffs and I have probably heard it. But the Spurs have left their doubters in the dust. They ran through the Suns in 5 games. Fought valiantly for 7 games against the Spurs. And they did it behind more of Ginobli and Parker, rather than Duncan. If they can play the half court game, they are super tough to beat. They can run, but not all night. They can be explosive, but don’t always have to be. They are a very disciplined team and will fight tooth and nail for every point. They are sound and fundamental. Yes, that may be boring to some, but its how the Spurs win and have won their 4 championships.

Lakers: Its good to see them this far and its all about Kobe but its not all about Kobe at the same time. Deepest bench. Steal of the season in Gasol. There’s Kobe…and then there’s Kobe. This may be the most complete team in the playoffs. They are on a roll, though it has been a rough trip. They have a lot of quality role players. And they play excellent team defense. They gotta protect home court bc it will be super tough to win in San Antonio.

Lakers over Spurs in 7: I am a Spurs fan. I love Duncan, Parker and Ginobli. Popovich is a great coach. They have a lot of success in recent years. There is no love lost between these two teams. Each time they meet in the playoffs, there are great games, and some have been decided in literally the last second. The Lakers have the bench, the three point shooters and the slashers, and of course, Kobe. The Spurs have those type of people too, but they lack in a bench just because they are old. There is a lot of youth in LA and Kobe has brought them along nicely. I see Kobe being guarded by a mixture of Bowen, Ginobli, and Finley, depending on who is on the court for both teams. Parker and Fisher will face off, and a great matchup that will be. Duncan and Gasol will probably neutralize each other, though they should get their points. Odom could be the X-factor for this series. If he is on, the Lakers will be even tougher. Each team will win at home. The team that wins on the road will have it in the bag most likely. But I don’t think that either team will pull it off, leading to 7, and Kobe taking the last shot to put the Spurs away.

Celtics over Pistons in 7: Yep, ANOTHER seven games for the Boston Celtics. If they couldn’t win on the road against Atlanta and Cleveland, I do not expect them to against Detroit. Detroit is probably the epitome of team defense. That is their staple, their strength. Boston has a really good team defense too, so this might be a low scoring series. Garnett should get his points. Billups will be the key for the Pistons. Ray Allen desperately needs to find his game in this series. Pierce needs to continue his performance from game 7 of the Cavs series. Doesn’t have to be 40 points, but he has been here before, as well as Allen, so they will be key. Rondo will have his hands full with Billups, but it will be a great learning curve for the young point guard. If the current trend keeps going, the Celtics will win in 7. If Detroit does by chance win in Boston, I will declare the series over. Detroit wins. But I really don’t see that happening, so Celtics win and KG finally gets to the NBA Finals.

See ya when the Finals are here!

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Ok, so I posted some pre-playoff predictions and they didn’t quite come through. Oh well, things happen. Its a hard sport to predict, but thats what I like about it. Now that the playoffs are officially starting, I am rolling out predictions once again…all the way to the Finals. If the teams I predict don’t move on, I will make round by round predictions too.

Eastern Conference

First Round
Celtics over Hawks This will be the first and only sweep of the NBA playoffs this year. This is too easy for the C’s! They should just be given a by. I mean, how does a team like the Hawks makes the playoffs and then limp into playoffs by going 1-4 in their last 5 games. I mean, c’mon! And the last loss was to the Heat! How in the world does the coach let that happen. I would have given them a decent chance at taking a game from the C’s, but not with that finish. They have like a .5% chance at winning a game in this series. They may be competitive, but that will only be in the first 5 min of each game….if that. Honestly, its sad, but the C’s move on to the second round pretty easily.

Wizard over Cavs This is a tough pick for me. I love watching LeBron play…he is a beast, a human highlight reel. Third year in a row these teams have met in the playoffs and the third time will be the charm for the Wizards. With Arenas coming off the bench and the whole team being healthy, I think they got it this year. The Cavs don’t seem to have it all quite together and LeBron won’t be able to carry them this year as in years past. I would love to see LeBron do well, but I think the Wizards have the upper hand this year, winning in 7 games.

Magic over Raptors Intriguing matchup here. Bosh and Howard will be the focus of their respective teams, so the role players will be important factors. The Raptors are a tough team, but not quite all there to make a good postseason run. I think “Superman” and the Magic will win this one in 6.

Pistons over 76ers The 76ers could pose some problems for the Pistons, but not enough to win the series. The Pistons are THE QUIETEST story going into the playoffs this year. They have won like they always do, but have been overshadowed by the C’s, which I’m sure they don’t mind. They seem to play a lot better when they don’t have the spotlight on them all the time. And their bench…wow, they got a solid bench, deeper than its been for a few years. With already having the second seed locked up early, they were able to give their bench players a lot of playing time with the starters, getting them ready for the playoffs. That will be key as the playoffs go on. Pistons in 6.

Second Round
Celtics over Wizards Finally, somewhat of a challenge for the C’s. The Wizards gave the Boston 3 party troubles during the season, but won’t have quite enough to take the series after a grueling series against the Cavs. The fact that they are healthy gives them a chance, but it won’t be enough in the end as the C’s will take them in 6.

Pistons over Magic This will be another one of those intriguing matchups. The Magic are one or two more players for getting past the second round, but they’ll put up a decent fight. The Pistons will dispatch them in 6 games.

Conference Finals
Celtics over Pistons This is going to be a long series, all 7 for whoever does take the series. Its a matchup everyone has been waiting for…the Pistons have experience, but the Celtics have that impressive trio of KG, Pierce, and Allen. Its gonna be a dogfight, and only to face a Western team that has been battle-tested already. However it falls, its going to be great to watch. Celtics in 7.

Western Conference

First Round
Lakers over Nuggets The Nuggets are loaded with talent, but have a coach that doesn’t know how to use it to their full potential. Two of the top 5 scores one team? One of the best defensive players in the game? Yet only the 8th seed in the West? I mean, I know its tough, but they could have won a few more games in my opinion. They’ll take a couple from the Lakers, but the Lakers have one of the most complete teams in the playoffs and a bench that can play almost as well as most of the starters. Lakers in 6.

Jazz over Rockets This is a rematch of last year, and the Rockets have home court this year. That could possibly help as the Jazz are an excellent home team. The Rockets couldn’t win last year with Yao, and I don’t think they can do it without him either. The Jazz are pretty much the same, except with the addition of sharpshooter, Kyle Korver. He’ll make a big difference as the Jazz take the series in 6.

Suns over Spurs This will be one entertaining series, a rematch of last years’ series that many called the Finals. The Spurs are just a little older and hurting on the bench. Ginobli has carried the team a lot this year and he will be integral to a playoff run. The Suns added Shaq before the deadline and its starting to look like a really good move. The move has made Amare even more of a force this year then before. There is a small rivalry brewing here and both Shaq and Duncan are trying for their 5th ring. Its going to be so much fun to watch, I wish it wasn’t a first round matchup. Suns win a long, hard fought series in 7.

Hornets over Mavs Going against what most people are saying. The Mavs got in thanks to Dirk shaking off his injury playing some great ball. Kidd is finally getting used to the system I think. They are looking good, but Paul and the Hornets aren’t ready to bow out just yet. Hornets take the series in 7.

Second round
Lakers over Jazz One of the most balanced teams against one of the toughest teams. But the Lakers have this guy named Kobe. Jazz might get a couple games, but Lakers win this in 6

Suns over Hornets This will be one high-scoring, high-octane series. So much scoring, the scoreboards may catch fire. Steve Nash vs. Chris Paul will be so much fun to watch. Nash will go down as one of the best PGs ever…Paul is on his way to that staus two. But the Suns are hungry, they want it bad this year, taking the series in 7 games.

Championship Round
Lakers over Suns As hungry as the Suns are, they will be getting pretty tired by this point, the Lakers having a little more rest and possibly Bynum playing too. Its another one of those grueling series of the West, with the Lakers going all 7, but winning it.

NBA Finals
Celtics over Lakers A series for the ages. A series that will increase the popularity of the NBA once again. The best Finals since the Jordan era. A rivalry that will be renewed. Maybe we’ll even see some throwback jerseys. Its a great matchup all around. Two balanced teams…two deep teams. But in the end, the C’s end up adding to their banners and win it all in 7, bringing even more glory to the city of Boston.

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