NBA playoffs: 1 day away. No clear favorite

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• 1 - Mark Sahm

  Apr 22, 2005 at 3:54 pm

  I know the adage that defense wins championships, but let us hope that the Finals doesn't come down to Spurs/Pistons. Although I probably have just jinxed myself. A Heat/Suns final would be fantastic to watch. We'll see.

• 2 - Mark Sahm

  Apr 22, 2005 at 3:55 pm

  You have any predictions, Temple?

• 3 - Eric Olsen

  Apr 22, 2005 at 3:58 pm

  the Cavaliers will miss the playoffs on the very last day, fire their GM and coach, and render themselves a ridiculous fucking mess once again

• 4 - Temple Stark

  Apr 22, 2005 at 4:00 pm

  Well Suns / Miami was my first instinct. But as I said up there in the post, "Predictions later today." I wanted to think it over more. Denver seems pretty attractive too. But then George Karl is about my favorite coach.
  
  It's hard for me to separate who I want to win from who is likely to will.

• 5 - Temple Stark

  Apr 22, 2005 at 4:00 pm

  "likely to win" even.

• 6 - Bill Wallo

  Apr 22, 2005 at 4:14 pm

  Personally, I'm thinking Spurs/Heat in the finals; I just don't see the Suns beating the Spurs four times, and I think Shaq has a better team around him this year than in LA last year. But as the other old saying goes, "That's why they play the game(s)."

• 7 - Temple Stark

  Apr 22, 2005 at 4:14 pm

  Eric LOL.
  
  Great predictions. Foregone, of course.

• 8 - Eric Olsen

  Apr 22, 2005 at 4:16 pm

  the best kind

• 9 - Thad Anderson

  Apr 22, 2005 at 4:51 pm

  The Suns' playoff fortunes will probably be heralded as either confirming (if they lose early) or disproving (if they succeed) the old assumption that the run-and-gun style Don Nelson pioneered at Golden State can't win in the playoffs. But I would argue that with Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire, Pheonix has two of the kind of athletic big men Nelson always wanted to compliment the Hardaway-Richmond-Mullin "Run TMC" package. First GS drafted Billy Owens, and then Webber, to be that fourth piece, but they never really got the perfect combination.

• 10 - Thad Anderson

  Apr 22, 2005 at 4:57 pm

  Also (and this is definitely a Tar Heel partisan talking), so much for the whole "Vince Carter is overrated" thing ESPN couldn't stop repeating a couple of months ago. A big part of Carter's awesome recent performances has to do with that fact that he's playing with one of the best point guards ever, but I bet Kidd would rate Carter as pretty decent guy to be throwing assists to.
  

• 11 - jack

  Apr 22, 2005 at 5:04 pm

  what is this stupid website that knowone likes it shouldnt even be here

• 12 - Temple Stark

  Apr 22, 2005 at 5:23 pm

  Great Suns point Thad - It's really hard to believe the Marion-Nash-Stoudemire can keep it up. But they have.
  
  Their energy level won't be quite as different in the playoffs, and as I noted above they are only 2-2 against .... Memphis

• 13 - Mark Sahm

  Apr 22, 2005 at 6:45 pm

  I think the West is a little more open because you can never doubt that either Dallas or Denver could get hot. They are my dark horses right now. But of course, I wouldn't put money on that. If the Suns bring their A-game, they're in.
  
  Hey Eric, take solace that at least the Cavs will get a lottery pick to complement LeBron. Which really is what they need. You can't expect Gilbert is going to do well getting free agents on his first spin. Especially since they don't have a GM yet!

• 14 - Temple Stark

  Apr 22, 2005 at 6:49 pm

  The Cavs have to give LeBron a reason to stay in Ohio. That means they need to go deep into the playoffs next year. Next year is the last on his contract.
  
  Money won't matter - he can get that anywhere else.
  
  

• 15 - Eric Berlin

  Apr 22, 2005 at 8:31 pm

  Temple - I think you're wrong is saying that football doesn't provide very many dramatic moments. I think in many ways it's the most dramatic sport:
  
  - There are way fewer games than other sports, making each regular season game far more meaningful than any other sport
  - There's a level of physicality / violence above just about anything else out there (in the U.S. anyway)
  - Any play can produce an exciting moment... just as a homerun or big-time dunk can, I suppose, but all the same, there's not much better for my money than an incredible run, an explosive pass offense, or a tide-turning interception.
  
  I have others, but that's a good start.
  
  I like basketball a whole lot as well, by the way, but I still think that football is where it's at.

• 16 - Temple Stark

  Apr 22, 2005 at 8:50 pm

  Eric, Eric, Eric, Eric, Eric, Eric are you out of your ever-loving ........
  
  
  :-) I don't think of a dunk as dramatic. With "dramatic" I was thinking more suspense-filled than exciting moments.
  
  I guess football is dramatic but most of it isn't. They should play more football games - 20. With 16, one or two bad games and your season's over.
  
  Last season is when I started getting more into football. That is, when I would gladly wach other teams beside "my" teams.
  

• 17 - Eric Berlin

  Apr 22, 2005 at 9:43 pm

  I still say the most exciting / dramatic thing you can see in sports is football's two-minute drill... which beats the pants out of the foul-fest that ends most tight b-ball contests.
  
  And that being said... my interest in sports has dropped off a cliff over the last few years. Talking about this stuff feels like I'm accessing the memories of a different person.

• 18 - Shark

  Apr 23, 2005 at 3:22 am

  Temple, I don't know about the rest of yer list ('cause I don't give a shit about anybody but the Mavericks), but:
  
  DALLAS PLAYS SAT at 4:30 LOCAL TIME, ie. 5:30 EST.
  
  Might wanna double-check yer data, dude.
  
  xxoo
  S
  
  Official TV Schedule @ NBA.com
  
  

• 19 - Shark

  Apr 23, 2005 at 3:23 am

  Forgot to mention my prediction:
  
  Bo Bice in seven games.
  
  
  Whoops! wrong thread!
  
  

• 20 - Shark

  Apr 23, 2005 at 3:25 am

  Anyone notice Kobe "Room Service" Bryant is not in the playoffs?
  
  ahahahaha.
  
  Did I mention the Lakers are NOT in the playoffs?
  
  ahahahaha.
  
  ~There is a God.
  
  

• 21 - Shark

  Apr 23, 2005 at 3:28 am

  Sorry, Temple, I just notice yer "PST" caveat. Guess it now stands for "pissed"?
  
  My bad.
  
  ...and uh, nevermind...

• 22 - wallybangs

  Apr 23, 2005 at 10:02 am

  My hopes: Mavs versus Heat with Dallas winning it all.
  
  More likely: Spurs versus Pistons with Spurs winning another championship.
  
  Glad to see egomaniac Kobe sitting on the sidelines. He can get an early start chasing after women other than his wife.

• 23 - Temple Stark

  Apr 23, 2005 at 10:23 am

  Because I said I'd make them - predictions. and I'm going to be busy hopefully right up to 76ers tip off.
  
  Pistons 4-2 in series
  Today's game 76ers 87-79
  
  Rockets 4-3 in series
  Today's game Rockets 88-81
  
  Boston 4-1 in series
  Today's game Boston 99-79
  
  Seattle 4-2 in series
  Today's game Kings 103-99 (Sonics always start off slow and sometimes get back into it)
  
  Sunday
  Miami 4-1 in series
  Today's game Nets 100-91
  
  Bulls 4-2 in series
  Today's game Wizards 85-81
  
  Spurs 4-3 in series
  Today's game Spurs 87-86
  
  Suns 4-1 in series
  Today's game Suns 101-92
  
  
  Conference finals
  Western - Spurs / Seattle - Spurs, 4-2
  Eastern - Detroit / Miami Detroit, 4-2
  
  Final Spurs / Detroit - Spurs 4-3
  
  There. I'll add seeds now to the post.

• 24 - Temple Stark

  Apr 23, 2005 at 5:49 pm

  Badly wrong on the first prediction. Half way through being correct on the second game Houston ahead - Mavericks looking bad. Sorry Shark, it's only the truth.

• 25 - Temple Stark

  Apr 23, 2005 at 11:02 pm

  Pretty damn good on Boston - I predicted a 20 point win 99-79 and the final score was only three off 102-82.
  
  Better yet - Payton looked great. I want him to be remembered in other places than Seattle for his skills. 9-time all-defensive team. Great scorer when he needs to be. Slower now and he misses more shots though. With the Lakers there was just nothing for him to do really.
  
  Got Houston over Dallas.
  So I'm 2-1 so far.
  
  I won't at all mind being wrong on the Sonics - half time and they're looking good.

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