It’s time for the dance. The real season starts now. This is where legends are born (random sport cliché #25). Yup, it’s the favorite time for women everywhere, it's playoff time. Personally I refuse to pay attention to the NHL playoffs since no one should be playing hockey in May let alone June. Therefore it’s a roundball recap. The regular season was interesting if predictable for the most part. Kobe’s 81 and the Clips not being a pushover stand out as highlights. But this article is forward looking so on with the playoff preview.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Somehow over the past 5-7 years the eastern conference has gone from powerhouse to the NBA equivalent of a JV squad. I know it sounds harsh but Indiana (.500), Chicago (.500), and Washington (.512) all needed to end the season on winning streaks to get to .500 ball. Milwaukee is in at the 8 spot with a losing record. I trace it back to the demise of true big man center in the east but that’s a different story for a different time.
(1) Detroit vs. (8) Milwaukee
With best record in the NBA there’s no reason to expect that the Pistons will be anything but dominate over the Bucks. Winning the season series 3-1, it should be noted that the loss came with Detroit sitting 2 of their top 3 scorers. Milwaukee is also the only team that made the playoffs with a losing record. The only real danger here is Detroit looking ahead to the conference finals where they’ll meet their first real challenge (no offense to LBJ and the Cavs).
Prediction - Pistons in four without breaking a sweat.
(4) Cleveland vs. (5) Washington
There’s been talk of an MVP trophy for LeBron James this season and with numbers of 31.5 ppg, 6.6 apg, and an even 7 RPG I’m not going to argue. In fact I’m a little scared at the thought that he’s only going to get better. The Wizards have had the Cavs number taking the season series 3-1, but I wouldn’t count of the desire of King James to pull his team into the 2nd round. This match up is basically a battle to see who will be the next sacrifice to the Piston war machine. It’ll be an interesting match-up complete with the drama (?) of Larry Hughes going against his former team but I wouldn’t put money on either of these teams getting past Detroit.
Article comments
1 - RJ Elliott
Pistons in 4 or 5
Cavs in 7
Heat in 6
Nets in 5 or 6
Spurs in 5 or 6
Mavs in 5
Clippers in 6
Suns in 5 or 6
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
Wow, the Bulls. Hey, can't argue with how they finished.
3 - djfreq
I just don't think that the Heat are as good as they should be.
4 - RJ Elliott
Heat up 2-0, without Udonis Haslem...
Indy up 1-0 on the Nets...
Pistons up 1-0 on the Bucks...
Cavs up 1-0 on the Wiz...
Mavs, Spurs, Clippers, and Suns all up 1-0...
5 - Dj freq
Ok ok so the Bulls are getting spanked.. I still think the Nets are going to pull it out. Kidd had a shity day (2-11) and Carter wasn't doing so well either (12-31)
I've only gotten to watch the Lakers/Suns game and I think it's going to be a good series.. Look for Kobe to try to do it all by himself in the next game.
6 - RJ Elliott
Nets 1, Indy 1...
Spurs up 2-0, in OT...
7 - RJ Elliott
Indy up 2-1, Bulls win one, but still down 2-1...
8 - RJ Elliott
Oh, and the Lakers now tied with the Suns, 1-1...
9 - RJ Elliott
Pistons up 2-1 over the Bucks...
Nets and Indy tied 2-2...
Miami up 2-1 over the Bulls...
Cavs up 2-1 over the Wiz...
Spurs up 2-1 over Sacramento...
Lakers and Clippers both up 2-1...
Dallas is the only team up 3-0...
10 - dj freq
i'm surprised that the Kings are doing as well as they are those games have been close.. I can't help but wonder what the Lakers would have been like had Kobe learned to pass earlier in the season.
11 - RJ Elliott
Pistons up 2-1...
Heat tied with the Bulls 2-2...
Cavs up 2-1...
Nets and Indy tied 2-2...
Spurs up 2-1 over the Kings...
LAKERS UP 3-1 OVER THE SUNS!!!
Clippers up 3-1 over Denver...
Dallas up 3-0...
12 - Jimmy
Dude....Lakers man. and how is kobe destroying the team? Yes, the loss of shaq was a great one and those shoes are hard to fill. but look at him now, hes not playin as well as he used to and he cant turn on his game whenever he wants to anymore and the end result? heat and bulls are tied up at 2 apiece. Kobe has just had to step up his points. Look at how the other players have stepped up in them as well. Smush Parker? Lamar Odom? even Luke Walton? Luke Walton's and Lamar Odom's hustle and quick feet and hands have allowed the Lakers to get a 3-1 lead over the Suns and I truly believe they have what it takes todo well in these playoffs. As for Kobe's 81 point game, that was truly beautiful. Yes many poeple talk about how he got like 2 assists, but why not shoot when you have the hot hand? As post conference interview junk videos show, his teammates realized that this was a special night for Kobe so they tried to feed him the ball as much as possible, and why not? 81 pts? and Kobe is only averaging now about 25 pts in these playoffs because these other players stepped up in their points. Kobe steps up when he needs to. As much as people will argue it, hes really not that much of a ballhog.
and now that i read it over, this makes no sense at all haha i was typing whatever came to mind
13 - RJ Elliott
Pistons advance, Clippers advance, Dallas advances...
14 - RJ Elliott
2nd round -
Pistons-Cavs
Heat-Nets
Dallas-?
Clippers-?
15 - RJ Elliott
Dallas-Spurs - THE BATTLE FOR TEXAS!
16 - djfreq
wow the suns beat the lakers like a red headed stepchild. too bad we won't have the battle for los angles. i could already hear the RAGE AGAINT THE MACHINE playing in thebackground
17 - RJ Elliott
Pistons up 2-0...
Dallas and the Spurs tied 1-1...
The Nets whipped the Heat in Game One...
Suns up 1-0...