(1) San Antonio vs. (8) Sacramento
I’d like to go into some long diatribe about how the rejuvenated Kings with the defensive minded Ron Artest are going to surprise everyone and give the Spurs a run for their money but let’s be realistic. Since 1999, only the Spurs, Lakers and Pistons have won the championship. While not the flashiest team in the world to watch the defending champion Spurs are easily the toughest team to beat in a 7-game series. They only lost 10 games to conference foes all season. The Kings will get a win or two but the consistency of Tim Duncan and company will prevail.
Prediction - Spurs in six.
(4) Dallas vs. (5) Memphis
Mark Cuban is pissed and rightfully so. Thanks to the new divisions and rules giving division winners’ top seeds, Cuban's Mavs bring their 2nd place conference finish straight to the 4th seed. The first round here isn’t the problem. If Dallas gets past Memphis, which I expect they will, they’ll run straight into the Spurs in the semis. While Cuban thinks this is a bad idea for me it means that we’ll have at least two rounds of great basketball. Now the Spurs have to go thru Dallas and the Suns (most likely) to get to the Finals rather than the other way around. Not a huge difference for the viewer but I can see where Cuban would rather his team face the Spurs later rather than sooner.
Drama aside, Memphis should put up a little bit of a show but don’t expect Pau Gasol and friends to continue this much improved season past the first round.
Prediction- Dallas in five.
(3) Denver vs. (6) LA Clippers
Proof that the new seeding system is flawed. The Nuggets (44-38) have a better seeding than the Clippers (47-35). Luckily the court is the great equalizer. With Corey Maggette back in the line up the Clips have a chance to do something no LA Clipper team has ever done... win a playoff series. Elton Brand has matured into a leader that the Clippers needed and the solid base of Sam Cassell only helps. This team could go places in a few years. From laughing stock to Cinderella team.
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...