West
1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 8. Memphis Grizzlies --> Spurs in 5... KP to answer your ridiculous statement... let me take you back a few nights. to when LA starters went to OVERTIME with THE SPURS BENCH! NO DUNCAN, NO MANU, NO PARKER... yep. Spurs take this one easy
2. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 7. New Orleans Hornets --> LA in 6. Hornets have the best statistical offense in the league... Gonna make the lakers work but they're too small
3. Dallas Mavericks vs. 6. Portland Trailblazers --> Most intriguing matchup in the west. Dno what to call here so i'm gonna go with Dallas in 7
4. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 5. Denver Nuggets --> Love both these teams, but OKC is the best team in the west BAR NONE. OKC in 6 or 7.
East
1. Chicago Bulls vs. 8. Indiana Pacers --> Bulls Sweep or 5
2. Miami Heat vs. 7. Philadelphia 76ers --> Heat Sweep or 5
3. Boston Celtics vs. 6. New York Knicks --> Most intriguing matchup in the east. F both the teams, but as much as i'd like Miami to whoop the Knicks ass second round, you cannot discount the C's, especially against the WORST DEFENSIVE TEAM IN THE PLAYOFFS. The nugs have a better shot at getting to second round than the knicks.
4. Orlando Magic vs. 5. Atlanta Hawks --> Orlando in 6. Atlanta has just fizzled out in the last month or so. Perennial 1st round knock out till Al Horford becomes a full threat and they realize joe johnson isnt a solo, max-contract worthy star.
I'm gonna go ahead and call the rest of my rounds ahead of time and i'll adjust as i end up wrong ( I think either portland, or the knicks will be the potential surprises)
2nd Round West
1. Spurs Vs. 4. Thunder --> Thunder in 6. Best in the West.
2. Lakers Vs. 3. Dallas (or Portland) --> Lakers in 5... welcome back to the west conference finals fellas. only thing youre gonna 3 peat at...
2nd Round East
1. Bulls Vs. 4. Magic--> Bulls in 7. THIS WILL BE A NAIL BITER. 2 MVP's going at it, if anyones gonna keep d rose out of the inside its gonna be Dwight Howard. I just think the dead weight in orlando holds them back too much, and too much of their game relies on Jameer Nelson coming out guns blazing, which hes flaky at. But i WONT BE SURPRISED BY AN UPSET (and i do love derek rose, so its not hate lol)
2. Heat Vs. 3. Celtics (Or knicks) --> Heat in 6. We're too strong, too fast, too good. C's are too old, Knicks are too easy to beat to the basket.
West Conference Finals
2. Lakers vs. 4. OKC --> OKC in 7. You saw last year. Add kendrick perkins, plus Bynum with a knee that will feel the pain down the stretch. Kobe's going home early, and i personally dont see him coming back for a while, if ever.
East Conference Finals
1. Bulls vs. 2. Heat --> Heat in 6. Anyone who saw the last game against the bulls knows we should have won that game, Call the regular season "sweep" what you want. At this point, we match up well. Derek Rose WILL be RELATIVELY LIMITED by d-wades defense. Expect lebron to come up huge this series. Alot depends on how strong boozer shows up. I love the bulls, my second fav team in the east, but unlike the 90s, neither the knicks, nor the bulls will be standing in our way from winning it all. (i maintain that the heat would have won it all in the nineties if it werent for jordan and the bulls. but thats the fan in me talking.
Finals:
OKC Vs. Heat --> Heat in 7... but ill save my thoughts for when we get this far
