THE NBA PLAYOFFS: FOUR TEAMS LEFT!

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• 1 - HW Saxton Jr.

  May 20, 2004 at 11:55 pm

  Go T-Wolves!!!!!!!!!!
  

• 2 - RJ Elliott

  May 20, 2004 at 11:59 pm

  Are you from Minnesota, or do you just hate the Lakers? ;-]

• 3 - Bob A. Booey

  May 21, 2004 at 4:44 am

  This site is evidence that geeks shouldn't opine on sports.
  
  Your picks are off:
  Detroit-Indiana's going 7. Indiana's too good and too tough and the Pistons have shown they're not as dominant as we thought going into the playoffs. The Nets gave them all they wanted and more.
  
  The Lakers in 5? That's laughable. The Wolves took the Lakers to the maximum in the first round last year and every damn game was close. Every game this year will be a war and Minnesota's the NBA's last best chance to beat the Lakers. No one can match up with KG and Cassell will torch Payton. I pick Lakers in 7, with another controversial series and a memorable, close Game 7 where the Lakers prevail in Minnesota.
  
  Crushed? Hardly. The Spurs were in almost every game. If Parker doesn't implode and the outside shooters hit their shots, the Spurs have an argument that they'd be in Minnesota this week.
  
  That is all

• 4 - Shark

  May 21, 2004 at 5:11 am

  Fantasia in five!
  
  Whoops! Wrong thread.

• 5 - HW Saxton Jr.

  May 21, 2004 at 12:40 pm

  RE:Comment# 2--I just like the T-wolves.
  

• 6 - Smenkharon

  May 21, 2004 at 2:57 pm

  I think Bob is right here. Both series should be very close.

• 7 - st. lunachick

  May 23, 2004 at 4:14 pm

  if st. louis had a team we would dog walk all of them.

• 8 - RJ Elliott

  May 26, 2004 at 11:45 pm

  So far, my pics are looking pretty good...
  
  Detroit leads Indy 2-1 (I picked Detroit in 6). Detroit will win this series in six games just by winning their remaining games at home.
  
  Also, The Lakers lead Minnesota 2-1 (I picked LA in 5). The Lakers can go up 3-1 by winning the next game in LA, and a demoralized Minnesota might very well fold in game five, proving my prediction correct.

• 9 - Bob A. Booey

  May 27, 2004 at 1:13 am

  I dunno. I think the Pacers are too good and the series will go 7. I wager Indiana steals one of the games in Detroit and makes it a series. If Carlisle is smart and gives Artest his wish to guard Hamilton, that shuts down a large part of the Pistons offense and puts the onus on Tayshaun Prince and an injured Sheed to provide the O. If Detroit's smart, they'll give the ball to Billups and let him punish Tinsley's poor defense, but Billups is so streaky it's always a risk.
  
  You may be proven right by the Cassell injury. Sam's badly hurt and can't guard anyone (hence Gary Payton's brief comeback from retirement the other night) or penetrate. He's limited to outside shooting right now and Flip should seriously consider reducing his minutes and have Sczerbiak play the majority of guard minutes along with Hassell. Let KG or Spree bring the ball up -- Spree was basically the primary ball-handler for the Knicks finals team during their run. Darrick Martin had a nice Game 2, but can't be counted on for serious production and minutes. I still say Garnett has too much pride and talent and Minnesota wins another home game to make it a 6 game series. There's no question LA's winning, though, unless Cassell has a miracle recovery.

• 10 - RJ Elliott

  May 27, 2004 at 1:21 am

  "I think the Pacers are too good and the series will go 7. I wager Indiana steals one of the games in Detroit and makes it a series. If Carlisle is smart and gives Artest his wish to guard Hamilton, that shuts down a large part of the Pistons offense and puts the onus on Tayshaun Prince and an injured Sheed to provide the O. If Detroit's smart, they'll give the ball to Billups and let him punish Tinsley's poor defense, but Billups is so streaky it's always a risk."
  
  I must admit to being a bit biased in the Pistons-Pacers series. I am a die-hard Detroit fan. Have been since before the original Bad Boys...
  
  And this series has been tight. Either team could easily be up 3-0 right now.
  
  But still. Detroit has stolen Home Court, and they lead 2-1. The Pacers have been shooting horribly ever since the Miami series. If Detroit wins Game Four, and goes up 3-1, this thing is over in 5 or 6 games. And I expect the Pistons to win game four...
  
  (BTW, you're probably right about the Lakers-Timberwolves series. Lakers in six...)

• 11 - RJ Elliott

  May 27, 2004 at 1:26 am

  Also, you gotta remember that if Artest switches and guards Hamilton, then that opens up the front court for Detroit. Prince will be a bigger player w/o Artest all over him. Ben Wallace has been surprisingly efficient on offense in the playoffs. And Rasheed had a one hell of a game three, injury or not.
  
  Pistons are gonna win this series, no doubt. Might take six games, but they'll win.
  
  My worry is that they'll be destroyed by the Lakers in four... :-(

• 12 - Bob A. Booey

  Jun 02, 2004 at 4:35 am

  I was right about the Lakers-Wolves going 6, but you were right about the Pistons in 6. Carlisle got out-coached and was mistaken in putting Artest on Hamilton far too late and infrequently. Hamilton won the series for the Pistons.
  
  Lakers in 5, maybe 6 if Brown pulls some major coaching juju.

• 13 - RJ Elliott

  Jun 02, 2004 at 7:22 pm

  Bob:
  
  See my new post on the NBA FINALS...it will be up soon...