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Post by Joe Everyman on Apr 28, 2012 10:08:06 GMT -6
Ok, it's NBA Playoffs tonight again, and I'm going to do a quick predictions thing.
Western Conference Quarterfinals Spurs (1) vs. Jazz (8) - Spurs win in 5 Grizzles (4) vs. Clippers (5) - Grizzles win in 6 Lakers (3) vs. Nuggets (6) - Nuggets win in 6 (Oh yeah) Thunder (2) vs. Mavericks (7) - Thunder win in 6
Eastern Conference Quartfinals Bulls (1) vs. 76ers (8) Bulls win in 5 Celtics (4) vs. Hawks (5) Hawks win in 7 Pacers (3) vs. Magic (6) Pacers win in 4 Heat (2) vs. Knicks (7) Heat win in 7
WC Semifinals Spurs (1) vs. Grizzles (4) - Spurs win in 7 Nuggets (6) vs. Thunder (2) - Nuggets win in 7
EC Semifinals Bulls (1) vs. Hawks (5) - Bulls win in 6 Pacers (3) vs. Heat (2) - Heat win in 7
WC Finals Spurs (1) vs. Nuggets (6) - Nuggets win in 6
EC Finals Bulls (1) vs. Heat (2) - Bulls win in 6
NBA Finals Bulls (1) vs. Nuggets (6) - Nuggets win in 7
NBA Champions - Denver Nuggets. I said this was their year, and I'm sticking to it!
And please, no hate. You all knew I was going to pick the Nuggets to win it all.
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Brad Kane
Junior Member
...::What I Get::...
Posts: 332
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Post by Brad Kane on Apr 28, 2012 11:07:40 GMT -6
Western Conference Quarterfinals Spurs (1) vs. Jazz (8) - Spurs win in 6 Grizzles (4) vs. Clippers (5) - Clippers win in 7 Lakers (3) vs. Nuggets (6) - Lakers in 6 Thunder (2) vs. Mavericks (7) - Thunder win in 5
Eastern Conference Quartfinals Bulls (1) vs. 76ers (8) Bulls win in 6 Celtics (4) vs. Hawks (5) Celtics win in 5 Pacers (3) vs. Magic (6) Pacers win in 6 Heat (2) vs. Knicks (7) Knicks win in 6
Western Semis Spurs (1) vs. Clippers (5) - Spurs win in 5 Lakers (3) vs. Thunder (2) - Thunder is 7
Eastern Semis Bulls (1) vs. Celtics (4) - Bulls in 7 Pacers (3) vs. Knicks (7) - Pacers in 6
Western Finals Spurs vs. Thunder - Thunder in 6
Eastern Finals Bulls vs. Pacers - Pacers in 7
NBA Finals Thunder vs. Pacers - Thunder in 6
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Post by Mercedes Vargas on Apr 29, 2012 16:04:52 GMT -6
Before I begin, here's are some fun facts:
Other than the Jazz and Clippers, the playoffs will feature virtually the same cast of teams from last year's edition.
All eight teams in the East also had records of better than .500, the first that happened since 2005.
The Clippers return to the playoffs after a five-year absence, while the Jazz made the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six years, and the first without Jerry Sloan as head coach since 1988. (And they said Tyrone Corbin's club were rebuilding!)
Other than the Clippers-Grizzlies series, the Spurs-Jazz, Thunder-Mavericks, and Lakers-Grizzlies last playoff meetings were in the Western Conference Finals.
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Western Conference Quarterfinals
San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Utah Jazz (8) - Spurs win in 5 games
Time Travel: The last time these teams met was back in the 2007 Western Conference Finals, where the Spurs won in five games.
Thoughts: As much as I would like this series to go the distance, I clearly don't see that happening.
While Utah has a young team and their Big Four in Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter, not to mention the remarkable turnaround of Gordon Hayward and Devin Harris off the bench, San Antonio has Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Plus, after last year's shocking first-round exit to Memphis of all teams, San Antonio is as dangerous as they've ever been.
Some say San Antonio will sweep here, and maybe it's because they have tormented Utah in season's past, but I'm giving the Jazz at least one win on their home floor before bowing out.
Memphis Grizzles (4) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (5) - Grizzles win in 6 games
Time Travel: This is the first-ever playoff meeting between the teams.
Thoughts: Memphis has been touted as "the team no one wants to play," and with good reason. They are perhaps one of the most dangerous team heading into the postseason, and if the stars align, the Grizzlies could find themselves in the conference finals. With home-court advantage at least for Games 1 and 2 in this series, the team can build on their 11-game winning streak at FedEx Forum, where they finished 26-7 in the compressed season.
Yeah, yeah, we know. The arrival of Chris Paul has the Clippers as one of the surprise teams in the West, but the spotlight will be on Blake Griffin in the paint. He'll have to contend with Zach Rudolph in the paint, though. Whoever wins that battle, I think, will prevail in this series. Memphis will also have to watch out for LA's penchant for alley-oops, dubbed "Lob City".
Los Angeles Lakers (3) vs. Denver Nuggets (6) - Lakers win in 7 games
Time Travel: These teams last playoff meeting was in the 2009 Western Conference Finals, where the Lakers won in six games. This will be their third playoff meeting in the last five years overall.
Thoughts: When Phil Jackson left last season, questions were swirling as to how the Lakers would do this season after the legendary 11-time champion head coach called it a career. As it turns out, Los Angeles would be just fine with Mike Brown now at the helm.
Without the services of Metta World Peace, the player formerly known as Ron Artest, the Lakers will be missing his inspired play as they'll have to rely on oft-used Devin Ebanks and Matt Barnes, who will play despite a nagging ankle injury. I think they'll be just fine as long as Bryant, Gasol and Bynum get going early.
Don't sleep on Denver, though, as they can score - a lot. If the Nuggets keep up their transition game, they could cause LA trouble, and may even run them out of the building. Ty Lawson, their leading scorer, will make things interesting for Denver, and if they can take advantage of World Peace's absence and lockdown the Lakers Big Three, they may have a chance to win this series. A slight chance, but a chance just the same.
Oklahoma City Thunder (2) vs. Dallas Mavericks (7) - Thunder win in 6 games
Time Travel: Believe it or not, this is a rematch from last year's Western Conference Finals, where Dallas won in five games en route to the Finals and an eventual championship series victory over Miami.
Thoughts: What else can I say? The defending NBA Champions may have had a tough season, but they're back in the playoffs to defend their title. Here's the bad news - they drew OKC in the first round. While Dallas has an experience team, led by Jason Kidd and some guy named Dirk Nowitzki, the storyline here is how they deal with the Thunder's three-headed monster in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Sixth Man of the Year leader James Harden will determine if they get out of this first-round series alive.
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Chicago Bulls (1) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (8) Bulls win in 6 games
Time Travel: The last time these team met was back in the 1991 Eastern Conference Semifinals, won by Chi-town in five games. The Bulls beat them the previous year, also in five games, in their very first meeting in the playoffs.
Thoughts: Prior to this series, I had Chicago sweeping this series, but after watching Game 1 and how Derrick Rose had to leave the game, I'm starting to have second thoughts on whether Chicago will have their way with the Sixers for the remainder of this series. On the other side, this may be a blessing in disguise for Philly, but I don't think they'll be able to take advantage to beat the East's top seed.
Boston Celtics (4) vs. Atlanta Hawks (5) Celtics win in 7 games
Time Travel: The last playoff meeting between these teams was back in the 2008 Eastern Conference First Round, won by he Celts in seven. Boston has won the past four playoff series against Atlanta with their first meeting in 83', and then in 86' and 88'.
Thoughts: Other than Heat-Knicks, this series will be promising to watch. These teams also have their own statements to make. For Boston, this could be their last chance to win the Larry O"Brian Trophy with their aging Big Three - Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. For Atlanta, they need to make a deep run in the playoffs in order to keep their young team together in future, especially Josh Howard, who is in the final year of his contract.
Both teams also have injuries to contend with. Ray Allen has not played in two weeks because of a sore right ankle, and he's questionable for the series opener. Atlanta already played most of the season without center Al Horford, who had hoped to be recovered from pectoral surgery in time for the playoffs but has already been ruled out for the Celtics series. The guy who took his starting spot, rugged Zaza Pachulia, missed the last seven games of the regular season with a sprained left foot.
Looking at the intangibles, two key matchups that may decide this series is Atlanta finding a way to stop Kevin Garnett, which will likely fall on Smith, while Jeff Teague has to deal with stopping Rajon Rondo at the point guard position.
I think history will repeat itself yet again. Another marathon series which will go to Boston.
Indiana Pacers (3) vs. Orlando Magic (6) Pacers win in 5 games
Time Travel: This is the third meeting between these teams, with Indiana sweeping the first-ever playoff meeting 3-0 in the 1994 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Orlando would eliminate Indiana the following season in the Conference Finals in five games en route to their lone Finals loss to eventual champion Houston in a four-game sweep.
Thoughts: With Orlando winning Game 1 today behind Jamer Nelson and Jason Richardson combined 34 points (they had 17 pts each), and Richardson's five three-pointers, not to mention Glen Davis stepping in for Dwight Howard, I still think this will be the Magic's only win they'll get here. With no Dwight Howard, Indiana will take advantage and move on to the next round.
Miami Heat (2) vs. New York Knicks (7) Heat win in 7 games
Time Travel: The 2000 Eastern Conference Semifinals is the most recent playoff meeting between these fierce rivals, won by New York in seven games. Except for their first playoff meeting in the 1997 Eastern Conference Semifinals, which the Heat won in seven, the Knicks have bounced Miami from the first-round in 1998 and 1999, winning both contest in five games, respectively.
Thoughts: This is THE series to watch out for. After all, it's Heat-Knicks. Enough said. If this epic series from the late-90's doesn't get you excited, you don't have a pulse.
The names may have been different, the teams, the decade. The historic rivalry between these teams have stood the test of time.
Now in 2012: Anthony. Stoudemire. J.R. Smith. Novak. Bosh. Wade. James. Miami won the Southeast Division, and had the second best record in the East; New York barely made the playoffs, and finished 7th. Miami has won all three meetings with New York this year.
Snap judgement time: I have to go with Miami in this one, but it won't be easy. New York will fight until the bitter end. You couldn't write a better ending to one of the NBA's greatest rivalries.
Western Conference Semifinals
San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Memphis Grizzles (4) - Spurs win in 7 games
Time Travel: Most recent meeting was last year's first-round matchup, where Memphis pulled off the upset over the Spurs in six games. That year, the Grizzlies became just the second eighth seeded team to knock off a top seeded team since the NBA went to a best-of-seven series in the first round.
Thoughts: This may be one of the series best contest should these teams meet in the next round. Like I said earlier, I think San Antonio is on a revenge tour, so I think they'll win this series.
Los Angeles Lakers (3) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2) - Thunder win in 7 games
Time Travel: The 2010 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, where the Lakers won in six games; their first playoff meeting, Los Angles won in five over Seattle, the predecessor to OKC.
Thoughts: Should be an interesting matchup between these teams, and I expect there to be a lot of playoff drama. In the end, I think OKC will win their first playoff series against the Lakers.
Eastern Conference Semifinals
Chicago Bulls (1) vs. Boston Celtics (4) - Celtics win in 6 games
Time Travel: The last playoff meeting between these teams happened during the 2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, which Boston won in seven. Boston swept Chicago in their first-ever playoff meeting in the 1981 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Five years later in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Boston swept Chicago 3-0, and would do so again the following season.
Thoughts: I hate to say it, but I think Chicago's playoff run ends here to Boston, as Derrick Rose will be out for the remainder of the playoffs.
Indiana Pacers (3) vs. Miami Heat (2) - Heat win in 7 games.
Time Travel: The 2004 Conference Semifinals is the last playoff meeting between these teams, won by Indiana in 6 games in the first-ever playoff series.
Thoughts: I think Miami will have to work for this one, too. They may have taken three of four games from the Pacers during the regular season, but as they say, "in the playoffs, everything starts over."
Western Conference Finals San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (2) - Spurs win in 7 games
Time Travel: This will be the first-ever playoff meeting between these teams.
Thoughts: Anything less than a seven-game series between OKC and San Antonio will be disappointing. I think this series will get to seven games, and I see the Spurs barely winning this series, as OKC will fall yet again in the Conference Finals.
Eastern Conference Finals Miami Heat (2) vs. Boston Celtics (4) - Celtics win in 6 games
Time Travel: If this series happen, it would be the third time these teams will face each other in the past three seasons. In their first playoff meeting in 2010, Boston took their first-round series in five; The following season in the Conference Semifinals, Miami got retribution, eliminating the Celtics in five en route to their second NBA Finals appearance since 2006, though they would the re-match to the Dallas Mavericks in six games.
Thoughts: If there is one team that will be a road block for Miami to return to the finals, it's Boston. With everything on the line at this stage of the playoffs, a seven-game series would be fitting, considering this is one of the newest rivalries in the East. As much as my head says Miami, I'm picking Boston to win.
NBA Finals San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Boston Celtics (4) - Spurs win in 7 games
Time Travel: This would be the first-ever meeting in the NBA Finals
Thoughts: This is obviously a "dream match" in every sense of the word, but no doubt impossible. Boston's last shot to win it all will fall short as San Antonio win add a fifth NBA Championship to its collection.
2012 NBA Champions - San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs return to prominence is complete as they win their fifth NBA Championship.
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