NBA Playoffs

[alfdogg 0]

May as well get an early start on this

 

West

 

-1- Phoenix vs -8- Memphis (PHX wins 4-0)

-4- Dallas vs -5- Houston (series tied 3-3)

-3- Seattle vs -6- Sacramento (SEA wins 4-1)

-2- San Antonio vs -7- Denver (SA wins 4-1)

 

East

 

-1- Miami vs -8- New Jersey (MIA wins 4-0)

-4- Chicago vs -5- Washington (WAS wins 4-2)

-3- Boston vs -6- Indiana (series tied 3-3)

-2- Detroit vs -7- Philadelphia (DET wins 4-1)

[alfdogg 0]

Also, I would laugh my ass right off if that missed tip-dunk by Steven Hunter against Houston winds up costing the Suns the 1-seed.

[Guest Vitamin X]

-1- Phoenix (61-19) vs -8- Memphis (44-36)

-4- Dallas (56-24) vs -5- Houston (49-31)

-3- Seattle [52-28] vs -6- Sacramento (49-31)

-2- San Antonio (59-21) vs -7- Denver (48-32)

 

I'd prefer that Seattle play Denver and San Antonio play Sacramento. The Sonics-Kings matchup looks like it could be rather dull. Memphis should happily and quietly job to the Suns, and I don't think the Mavs defense can hold up through the playoffs.

 

-1- Miami (57-23) vs -8- New Jersey [40-40]

-4- Chicago (46-34) vs -5- Washington (45-35)

-3- Boston (45-35) vs -6- Indiana (43-37)

-2- Detroit (53-27) vs -7- Philadelphia (41-39)

 

New Jersey totally has a chance to take the Heat, but Miami will probably pull it out. I haven't seen too much of the RED-HOT NETS~, so I'm not sure of it, but I could see any of the Eastern Conference teams pulling off the upset against the Heat, except for the Celts, Sixers, and Wizards. As for the other series, they look rather decisive: Bulls over Wizards (even with Deng and Curry out.. Wizards will take them to the limit as a result until a Ben Gorden 4th quarter rally in Game 7, probably), Indiana over Boston, and Detroit should wipe the floor with Philly.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Several points to make:

 

Sixers match up slightly better with Miami than Detroit. Either way, they don't stand a chance. With Shaq hurt...maybe. Sixers are a quicker team than Detroit, but don't have many other advantages, if any.

 

:::dances a jig:::

 

The Lakers aren't in the playoffs!!! Hey! The Lakers aren't in the playoffs!!! Oh! Rape doesn't equal winning percentage!!! Hey! Shaq carried your team, hey!

 

And congrats to teams like Washington and Chicago for taking advantage of a crummy conference and getting your fans enthused.

[Guest Vitamin X]

You are such a moron, no matter what sport.

[Guest webmasterofwrestlegame]

PHO remaining games: v Denver, @ Sacramento

SA remaining games: @ Memphis, @ Minnesota

 

I could definitely see SA winding up with the 1 seed.

 

I'm not so sure. Phoenix faced a hot Denver twice in March (both home and away) and handed out a loss to the Nuggets both times.

[Styles 0]

I'm not making any predictions. The Wiz are still fighting for the 4th seed and home court and are just one game behind the Bulls for it, and hold the tie breaker with them. If matched up with Chicago, Washington will handle them. Don't know beyond that though. It's just a thrill that the Wizards are a playoff team again and I won't put a cap on how far they can go, just enjoy the ride.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

"You are such a moron"

 

Tell Jerry "BUST" that instead of wasting it on fans of teams that will make the playoffs in the next 3 years.

 

My team's goin' down though, ah well. They've been the shits all year, though.

 

Wizards Fans: I think the Wiz beat Chicago in 6 regardless of who has homecourt.

[strummer 0]

The NBA playoffs are SO predictable, there are hardly any upsets at all. Only Detroit, San Antionio and Miami have a realistic shot at winning the title. They should have never moved the first round to 7 games, 5 games allows more for the chance of upsets. Unlike the others sports, if you don't have any GREAT players, you can't win a title in the NBA. It's all about personnel.

 

10 years ago I used to watch practically every NBA playoff game, now I will only catch a few here and there.

[A Happy Medium 0]

I may just be a Bulls fans, but I see the Wizards falling to them in the first round. Their defence is going to pay off against the Wiz. Ben Gordon will be able to deliver in the clutch, and I believe Tyson Chandler can neutralize Antawn Jamison.

[Ripper 0]

Memphis Phoenix is going to be more of a fight than people think. Q is coming into the playoffs on another shooting slump and thats going to hurt. The Grizz have played phoenix very well during the season because they are a very physial team. Plus they are back to full strength, something they haven't been all year.

 

This will not be a walk in the park.

 

Neither will the Nuggets Spurs, because I tell ya, I really do feel that the Nuggets can take them in a 7 game series.

 

I think that if Chicago had Deng and Curry, they would take the Wizards, but without them, I don't see it happening. Unless Gilber gets all excited and scores 40+ per game in the series thus shutting out the rest of his team. Then, the Bulls and their Defense would do something. BTW, has anyone seen what a MONSTER on the boards Chandler has become? He said his goals were to be NBA leading rebounder and defensive player of the year. He is getting pretty close to accomplishing one of those.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Does anyone think it could come down to coaching in Bulls-Wizards? Bulls were down by 19 to the Hawks in the 3rd, and apparently, Scott Skiles just fucking ripped into them, and suddenly, the Bulls were up by like 21. He said he only had so many bullets he could use like that, and he's been saving them. Hmm.

[Guest bigm350]

I think Detroit has a great shot at repeating; barring Rasheed Wallace not being injured. They turn it up a notch when it comes to the postseason, and I think they'll reach the Finals. It'll be grueling if they play the Heat, but the Pistons gut out tough wins; probably moreso than any team in the NBA.

[cabbageboy 0]

Oh God, I am dreading a possible Detroit/San Antonio finals. That would be unwatchable shit, total ratings death for ABC. If you like your games 79-77, that's the series for you.

 

I also noticed the Suns have struggled against the Grizzlies this year. That said it was insane that Scotty Pippen was on ESPN yesterday saying that Memphis is better and should WIN that series. Hell I think they'll get swept, maybe win 1.

[Ripper 0]

Oh God, I am dreading a possible Detroit/San Antonio finals. That would be unwatchable shit, total ratings death for ABC. If you like your games 79-77, that's the series for you.

 

I also noticed the Suns have struggled against the Grizzlies this year. That said it was insane that Scotty Pippen was on ESPN yesterday saying that Memphis is better and should WIN that series. Hell I think they'll get swept, maybe win 1.

Remember. I am a Suns fan. Been a suns fan since Eddie Johnson, Jeff Horney, Kevin Johnson, Tom Chambers days.

 

But I will say this. The Grizzlies are the better team. With Jason Williams, Bonzi Wells, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, Pau Gasol, Lorenzen Wright, Stromille Swift, Earl Watson hell, even Brian Cardinal, I think they are a better team than the suns.

 

The Suns can put Nash, Stoudemire, and Marion, and MAYBE Jim Jackson as their best players, but Joe Johnson is VERY good some nights and non existant others, and Q is a streak shooter that is in a cold streak right now. After that, the suns bench consist of Leabro Barbosa(can score, but turnover prone) Walter McCarty(...) and Steven Hunter(will get you a block). The Griz have more depth and have just as many proven contributors(Battier, Gasol, Miller, Williams, Wells) as the suns (Amare, Marion, Nash, Jackson).

 

The Griz in 8th is a product of a: a tough start and b: losing Gasol, Swift, Williams, Posey, and Wells for good chunks of the year....and they STILL took 8th place in the west.

[Guest Flyboy]

Also, I would laugh my ass right off if that missed tip-dunk by Steven Hunter against Houston winds up costing the Suns the 1-seed.

That was glorious.

[cabbageboy 0]

Let's see, the Suns have won 61 games this year...Memphis has won about 46 or so. I don't care who Memphis has or whatever, if they win more than 1 game in that series I'd be stunned.

 

Ripper, what no Majerle? You mentioned all those other guys, but not Thunder Dan. Majerle IS the Suns, yo.

[Brett Favre 0]

The best NBA Finals possible would be the Suns against the Pistons, just to see which style of basketball truly does win championships (high powered offense vs. tough physical defense).

[Guest Vitamin X]

^^

 

Strongly agree. I really want to see a Suns-Spurs series in the Western Conference Finals as well, and a Detroit-Indiana series in the East again would be gold, even if it would be a repeat of last year's.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Baksetball is a horrible product in 2004-2005 once again.

 

Thus, the finals will be Detroit Vs. San Antonio. Detroit winning.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Hey, the Bulls are back in the playoffs. Now I can actually be interested.

[Guest]

Baksetball is a horrible product in 2004-2005 once again.

Because the 76ers will never have a chance of winning the championship with Allen Iverson on their team?

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Unless the Suns blow an 18 point half time lead against Denver, the Western Conference matchups are set

 

1 Phoenix

8 Memphis

 

4 Dallas

5 Houston

 

3 Seattle

6 Sacramento

 

2 San Antonio

7 Denver

[bobobrazil1984 0]

i think the basketball product is pretty good. We've got a variety of types of games, we've got great defensive team games like SA and Detroit, we've got run and gun scoring teams, we've got star-driven teams like Miami, but of course we also have mediocre star-driven teams. overall, the actual gameplay of nba is pretty good.

 

As far as the playoffs go, I really hope we don't get deprived of Miami-Detroit and San Antonio-Phoenix. Personally I think any combination of those 4 teams in the Finals would make a great series.

[alfdogg 0]

Baksetball is a horrible product in 2004-2005 once again.

Because the 76ers will never have a chance of winning the championship with Allen Iverson on their team?

I could make so many jokes about this post and who it came from, but I like to think I'm above that.

[Guest]

Go ahead and say them, I can take it.

[Matt Young 0]

Unlike the others sports, if you don't have any GREAT players, you can't win a title in the NBA.

Um... What about Detroit last year?

 

I do, however, agree that the first round should still be 5 games.

 

The playoffs actually are exciting this year for me. I haven't been incredibly interested in the NBA these last few years (after being fanatical since my childhood) with the exception of Minnesota, so naturally I'm disappointed that they're out this year. What a travesty.

 

There are a ton of surprise teams that made it this eyar, though. The Bulls, the team of my youth, is on track for home court advantage. I don't know how far they'll make it without Curry and Deng, but they're a very balanced team so they have a shot. They've been faring well without those guys, and they've overcome an 0-9 start to make it this far. Unbelievable, and anyone who claims they don't deserve to be there should by slapped in the back of the head.

 

It's also cool to see Phoenix, a team I've followed since junior high but can't really say I support in the sense that I do Chicago and Minnesota, will possibly have the best record in the league a year after missing the playoffs. The Lakers are out and could finish behind the Clippers, and the people out here are not happy. I've seen a lot of LA games this year, and the Lakers just cannot do shit with the team they have now. The Clippers, on the other hand, will have a bright future if they can keep their team together for once.

 

It's still weird for me to see the Nuggets, Grizzlies, Wizards, Celtics, Mavericks, and possibly Nets and Cavaliers in the playoffs. I still havenm't gotten used to them being decent/good.

 

EDIT: Kotz, you like the Packers and the Bulls? You are the fucking man.

Edited April 19, 2005 by Matt Young

[Guest]

I think that the Lakers really need to improve through the draft. They took on Brian Grant's terrible contract in the Shaq trade and that hinders them from doing anything through free agency or through trades, as nobody will take on Grant's salary to match contracts in a trade. The Lakers are 2-3 years away from making the playoffs, and I really think people should take notice of that.

 

By the way, the Eastern Conference finals will be Detroit-New Jersey and the Western Conference finals will be the Mavericks-Spurs.

[alfdogg 0]

I edited the original post to reflect today's results. Denver is currently trailing Phoenix by 19 in the third quarter, so the results are posted under the assumption that Denver doesn't come back and win. If that's the case, all the matchups in the West are set.

 

And the Suns *have* clinched homecourt throughout the playoffs already, due to the Spurs' loss to Memphis earlier today.

[Just John 0]

My early predictions:

 

West

 

-1- Phoenix vs -8- Memphis (Suns in 5)

-4- Dallas vs -5- Houston (Rockets in 7)

-3- Seattle vs -6- Sacramento (Sonics in 5)

-2- San Antonio vs -7- Denver (Spurs in 6)

 

East

 

Current matchups:

-1- Miami vs -8- New Jersey (Heat in 5)

-4- Chicago vs -5- Washington (Wizards in 7)

-3- Boston vs -6- Indiana (Celtics in 6)

-2- Detroit vs -7- Philadelphia (Pistons in 4)