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Thread: NBA Playoffs

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Washington DC

    NBA Playoffs

    Playoffs! The REAL NBA season begins this weekend. Lots of subplots: an aging defending champ, a gravitas-shifting trade, a young upstart team led by the league MVP, the torch possibly being snatched from Kobe by LeBron. I'm excited!

    Who do you guys think wins the first round series? Here's the matchups:

    East -
    1. Bulls vs 8. Pacers
    2. Heat vs 7. 76ers
    3. Celtics vs 6. Knickerbockers
    4. Magic vs. 5. Hawks

    West -
    1. Spurs vs 8. Grizzlies
    2. Lakers vs 7. Hornets
    3. Mavericks vs 6. TrailBlazers
    4. Thunder vs 5. Nuggets

    I am going with all the favorites in the East and West in the first round. I have considered the top 4 seeds in both conferences to be the top 8 teams in the league all year, and that almost always means they advance in the NBA playoffs.

    The Knicks have the best chance of upsetting their opponent, but the Celtics have too much pride and experience to carry them through (as long as the old men on the C's front line dont come up lame). I could also see the Blazers giving the Mavs a run for their money, since the Mavs have only won a single playoff series since their Finals appearance in 2006. But Dirk has played well this season and may be the most clutch shooter in the league (sorry Kobe, you miss too often). Also Tyson Chandler is a great defensive addition.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
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    brooklyn
    Don't sleep on Denver: they are mega dangerous. Also, if my knix can keep it close against Boston, melo and stat can take them down, possession by possession. At least that's what I'm telling myself.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by NovaScotian View Post
    Don't sleep on Denver: they are mega dangerous. Also, if my knix can keep it close against Boston, melo and stat can take them down, possession by possession. At least that's what I'm telling myself.
    Everyone is high on Denver right now because they gelled so quickly post-trade. But OKC is a baaaad matchup for them. They cant guard KD at the 3 and now OKC has the bulk at the 4-5 positions to be physical. Also, Denver's guards are pretty small.

    Denver is also 1-3 vs. OKC this year including two recent losses.

    I thought about this one before posting, but I really think Denver drew a bad card.

  4. #4
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    Feb 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by superdave View Post
    Everyone is high on Denver right now because they gelled so quickly post-trade. But OKC is a baaaad matchup for them. They cant guard KD at the 3 and now OKC has the bulk at the 4-5 positions to be physical. Also, Denver's guards are pretty small.

    Denver is also 1-3 vs. OKC this year including two recent losses.

    I thought about this one before posting, but I really think Denver drew a bad card.
    The way both teams have been playing, that first round series should be the most entertaining of the 8. Could see a lot of high scores, a lot of close contests, etc. But I agree with you that OKC has what it takes to get through Denver. I also think they can beat the Spurs in round 2 - sort of a changing of the guard series between the team that's been the most consistent in the West for the past decade+ against the newcomer that has been built on the Spurs model and hopes to take their place.

    Of course, all of the above should be happening in Seattle. Grrrrrrrrr....
    Just be you. You is enough. - K, 4/5/10, 0:13.8 to play, 60-59 Duke.

    You're all jealous hypocrites. - Titus on Laettner

    You see those guys? Animals. They're animals. - SIU Coach Chris Lowery, on Duke

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    San Francisco
    Quote Originally Posted by superdave View Post
    Playoffs! The REAL NBA season begins this weekend. Lots of subplots: an aging defending champ, a gravitas-shifting trade, a young upstart team led by the league MVP, the torch possibly being snatched from Kobe by LeBron. I'm excited!

    Who do you guys think wins the first round series? Here's the matchups:

    East -
    1. Bulls vs 8. Pacers
    2. Heat vs 7. 76ers
    3. Celtics vs 6. Knickerbockers
    4. Magic vs. 5. Hawks

    West -
    1. Spurs vs 8. Grizzlies
    2. Lakers vs 7. Hornets
    3. Mavericks vs 6. TrailBlazers
    4. Thunder vs 5. Nuggets

    I am going with all the favorites in the East and West in the first round. I have considered the top 4 seeds in both conferences to be the top 8 teams in the league all year, and that almost always means they advance in the NBA playoffs.

    The Knicks have the best chance of upsetting their opponent, but the Celtics have too much pride and experience to carry them through (as long as the old men on the C's front line dont come up lame). I could also see the Blazers giving the Mavs a run for their money, since the Mavs have only won a single playoff series since their Finals appearance in 2006. But Dirk has played well this season and may be the most clutch shooter in the league (sorry Kobe, you miss too often). Also Tyson Chandler is a great defensive addition.
    This isn't just because I'm a Hawks homer, but I really do think the Magic are vulnerable. I'm a realistic enough Hawks fan to recognize that the team is far from elite. Last year's embarrassing showing against the Magic is also fresh in my mind. That being said, the Magic are a totally different team than they were last year and have played inconsistently. Howard is a transcendent talent, but beyond that, the Hawks match up well. The Hawks have also had the Magic's number this season, which doesn't necessarily mean anything, but is another piece of the equation that favors the Hawks . . . at least on paper. I've been a fan of the Hawks far too long to expect anything particularly good to happen, but I think getting the Magic was the best possible draw. I'm guessing that this series is the most competitive of the East's first round.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by superdave View Post
    East -
    1. Bulls vs 8. Pacers
    2. Heat vs 7. 76ers
    3. Celtics vs 6. Knickerbockers
    4. Magic vs. 5. Hawks

    West -
    1. Spurs vs 8. Grizzlies
    2. Lakers vs 7. Hornets
    3. Mavericks vs 6. TrailBlazers
    4. Thunder vs 5. Nuggets

    The Knicks have the best chance of upsetting their opponent, but the Celtics have too much pride and experience to carry them through (as long as the old men on the C's front line dont come up lame).
    I agree with your analysis here. I feel the Knicks will create major problems for the Celtics, but also agree that Boston will hold up over a 6 or 7 game series. However, this does not bold well for them coming across the Heat in the 2nd rnd. What does work in the Knicks favor is having a Duke player on their roster (Shelden of course)! Ha, ha.

    The Trailblazers are also dangerous and somebody said that they actually wanted Dallas as they feel they match up well with them? Should be an interesting series and if Brandon Roy can be 65-70% of his old self then maybe they can.

    Denver might be able to play with Oklahoma for a few games, but by the end of the series (5 to 6 games in my opinion) KD will be way too much for any of the Nuggets to handle.

    All other first rnd series should be easy. I just hope the Orl v Atl is at least watchable this year. Hope JJ is healthy and a factor also. Which reminds me, the Bulls v Pacers series is basically a Duke A v Duke B intrasquad match with all the ex Dukies they have. Have to love the way Deng bounced back this year, very wise of Bulls management to choose him over Ben Gordon a few years back.

  7. #7
    I agree the Knicks and Blazers both have good chances of pulling upsets. The Celtics have not been the same since the Perkins trade, and the Mavs look to me like they've run out of gas.

    I'm guessing a Heat-Lakers final. The Lakers look vulnerable right now but they're the champs until someone proves they're not.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by superdave View Post
    ... Denver is also 1-3 vs. OKC this year including two recent losses. ...
    If you have them at hand, post the other head-to-head series results. Would be interesting to see.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    East -
    1. Bulls vs 8. Pacers
    2. Heat vs 7. 76ers
    3. Celtics vs 6. Knickerbockers
    4. Magic vs. 5. Hawks

    West -
    1. Spurs vs 8. Grizzlies
    2. Lakers vs 7. Hornets
    3. Mavericks vs 6. TrailBlazers
    4. Thunder vs 5. Nuggets
    But most importantly, what will ex-Duke players do? Plenty of 'em here.

    J.J., Duhon (Magic) Boozer. Deng (Bulls), Shelden (Knicks), McBobs, Dahntay and Dunleavy (Pacers), Elton (sixers), Battier (Grizzlies). Plenty to watch here.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by hq2 View Post
    But most importantly, what will ex-Duke players do? Plenty of 'em here.

    J.J., Duhon (Magic) Boozer. Deng (Bulls), Shelden (Knicks), McBobs, Dahntay and Dunleavy (Pacers), Elton (sixers), Battier (Grizzlies). Plenty to watch here.
    Don't forget Quin coaching w/ the 76ers, Collins's dad w/ them as well (honorary Duke), Ferry as assistant GM of Spurs ... is Tony Barone still with Memphis in some capacity? ... Pagliuca owning Celtics ... isn't OKCity part-owned by a Duke guy as well ... Bob Bender with the Hawks ... Chip Engelland with Spurs ... any other assistants or front office Duke folks out there?

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Seattle, WA
    Quote Originally Posted by superdave View Post
    East -
    1. Bulls vs 8. Pacers (Bulls 3-1)
    2. Heat vs 7. 76ers (Heat 3-0)
    3. Celtics vs 6. Knickerbockers (Celtics 4-0)
    4. Magic vs. 5. Hawks (Hawks 3-1)

    West -
    1. Spurs vs 8. Grizzlies (Tied 2-2)
    2. Lakers vs 7. Hornets (Lakers 4-0)
    3. Mavericks vs 6. TrailBlazers (Tied 2-2)
    4. Thunder vs 5. Nuggets (Thunder 3-1)
    Quote Originally Posted by Reilly View Post
    If you have them at hand, post the other head-to-head series results. Would be interesting to see.
    See above.
    Just be you. You is enough. - K, 4/5/10, 0:13.8 to play, 60-59 Duke.

    You're all jealous hypocrites. - Titus on Laettner

    You see those guys? Animals. They're animals. - SIU Coach Chris Lowery, on Duke

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Mount Kisco, NY
    I have been digesting tons of pre-playoffs media and EVERYONE is picking the Blazers to beat Dallas. What's funny is that Dallas is a Vegas favorite, yet most folks are talking about the series as if Dallas has no shot. The conventional wisdom seems to be that while Dirk is the best player in the series, Kidd's play has plummeted and they aren't nearly the same team since Caron Butler got hurt. On the flip side, the Gerald Wallace trade has jump started the Blazers, and Lamarcus Aldridge has emerged as an All Star level performer. Both of those factors have offset the dramatic post-injury regression of Brandon Roy. I give Portland a lot of credit, how many franchises would lose their two young saviors (Roy and Oden) yet keep on rolling. I credit their toughness. Last night, Kobe hit a huge 3 to keep the Lakers from having to face the Blazers in the first round, which everyone seems to think would be a nightmare match-up. It could happen in round 2.

    I think everyone is giving the Knicks a better chance than the Knicks fans (like me) themselves. We have a very poor recent record against Boston. The post Perkins-trade Celtics are a mystery, but that team has such heart than I can't imagine they aren't going to pull it together for a final deep run.

    If things go the way they are expected to go, it could be an epic second round with:
    Bulls v Magic
    Heat v Celtics
    Spurs v OKC
    Lakers v Blazers

    Lots of great overall storylines:
    -Can the Celtics pull it together to get to the Finals? Can the Lakers do the same? A final blood match series between these two would be great. Or, have they suddenly become old overnight...the Celtics with no inside game...Kobe unable to be KOBE whenever he wants. In addition, are the wily Spurs and their championship pedigree ready to make one last run, or was their guady regular season their final act?
    -Is it time for a new generation to make their mark? Can the untested Bulls, holders of the best 2010/11 regular season record, go from nothing to World Champs behind their brilliant young PG, and beloved small forward by way of Durham by way of NJ by way of England by way of Sudan? Can OKC make the jump to title quality?
    -Finally, can the Heat, the modern Frankenstein monster of a contender, grab the brass ring despite the country's scorn and years of thinking that it is impossible to build a champion overnight (despite the fact that the Celtics basically did the same thing in 08 when they added KG and Allen to Pierce and then signed PJ Brown and James Posey)?

    I can't wait.

  13. #13
    Keep an eye on Memphis.

    They actually got better when Rudy Gay went down to injury...and got even better when they dumped Thabeet and picked up Shane.

    From what is being tossed around by NBA front office folks in the Western Conf, Memphis is one of he most feared lower seeds in a long, long while.

  14. #14
    My quick prediction for the finals is Bulls vs Lakers. Go Bulls!!!

  15. #15
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    Portland, OR
    Quote Originally Posted by hedevil View Post
    My quick prediction for the finals is Bulls vs Lakers. Go Bulls!!!
    Bulls vs. Lakers. Good memories.


  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by juise View Post
    Bulls vs. Lakers. Good memories.

    Believe I played this on my Sega Megadrive back in the day!

  17. #17
    Boozer has had an absolutely terrible game so far, just letting Hansbrough abuse him. He's not contesting Psycho T's jumpers, let PT steal the ball at mid-court and dunk on him + the foul. That was a pathetic sequence.

  18. #18
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    Mar 2007
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    wilmington, nc
    Derrick Rose took that game over in the last 3 minutes. He is just unstoppable. Liked seeing Loul getting the crowd pumped like he was still in Cameron Indoor.

  19. #19
    Danny Ainge has made some good moves, but trading away Perkins was not a good move, at least in the short term. I can see the Knicks winning this even though I am a huge Celts fan.

  20. #20
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    I wonder how long until Dwight Howard gets sick of carrying that team around. The Orlando role players didn't wake up until it was way too late. At least this year it will be a series.

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