I changed the name of my blog from The Perfect Game to Worried Note. Get it? It's clever. Anyway here are my picks for the NBA Playoffs.
THE FIRST ROUND
WEST
SPURS (1) vs. Grizzlies (8)
Would not be surprised to see the Grizzlies pick up a few games against the Spurs (especially if Manu is not healthy, but even still Memphis shouldn't be a problem for the Spurs. Spurs in 5.
LAKERS (2) vs. Hornets (7)
Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Hornets will be a challenge in the same way that things that are not challenges are challenges. Lakers in 4.
Mavericks (3) vs TRAILBLAZERS (6)
Upset alert. I don't like the Mavs. I thought they could win the Finals when the crushed the Jazz during their best stretch of the season in the early part of the season. Then Caron Butler went down. While the Mavs have done nice job staying in the top half of the challenging West, I can't take any team that has a wing rotation of Peja, DeShawn Stevenson, Shawn Marion, ? , etc. very seriously. Meanwhile the Blazers pulled a nearly Pau Gasol level heist by swiping Gerald Wallace from the Bobcats and Michael Jordan. He is the perfect defender against Dirk. Think Stephen Jackson. The Mavs also don't have the personnel to expose LaMarcus Aldridge on defense. Blazers in 6.
THUNDER (4) vs Nuggets (5)
Best first round series by far. I was hoping that the Nuggets would get matched up against any other team than the Thunder. I though they would beat the Spurs or Mavericks, and definitely wear the Lakers out. Instead they got the Thunder, who I think is going to make some noise this year. Thunder in 7.
EAST
BULLS (1) vs. Pacers (8)
Nothing to see here. Bulls in 4.
HEAT (2) vs. Sixers (7)The Sixers are a fun team. I love Thadeus Young. I wish he played for the Jazz. Still, the Heat have LeBron and Dwayne Wade. Heat in 5.
CELTICS (3) vs. Knicks (6)
Second best 1st Round series. I found it very odd that the Celtics wanted to play the Knicks over the Sixers in the 1st Round. On paper it seems like the Knicks are the type of team that could get hot and beat anybody in the field in a given game or even series, but then I remembered that the Celtics like to play/defend teams that have a ball dominant player who shoots with high volume in isolation. Hellllloooo Carmelo Anthony. Celtics in 6.
MAGIC (4) vs. Hawks (5)
One of the worst series thus far. Two boring teams. The Magic have Dwight Howard. The End. Magic in 5.
THE SECOND ROUND
WEST
Spurs (1) vs. THUNDER (4)
The Spurs I think are the perfect matchup for the Thunder. They have a quick, good defender in Westbrook to shadow Parker. Lots of length to bother Duncan. Solid team defense. The only wild card is Ginobili who may or may not be healthy. Thunder in 6.
LAKERS (2) vs. Trailblazers (6)
On paper another good matchup for the Blazers. Still I think that the Gasol/Bynum/Odom front court bothers Aldridge. Artest is the perfect type of defender for both Gerald Wallace and Brandon Roy. Here is a dirty secret too, Kobe Bryant doesn't mind being defended by Wesley Matthews. Kobe lit the Jazz up last year. He seemed to take pleasure particularly against Matthews who has a good defensive reputation. Lakers in 6.
EAST
BULLS(1) vs. Magic (4)
This is a kind of interesting series. Dwight Howard causes problems for everybody, but it seems like the Bulls in particular. The Magic have no one to defend Derrick Rose on the perimeter, but he is going to be meeting Dwight Howard at the rim. Similarily, the Bulls only frontcourt scorer, Carlos Boozer, always always always struggles with length at the rim. Korver and the JJ/Arenas combo cancel each other out. I think the thing that tips the balance is Luol Deng. I think he has a big series against Hedo to lead the Bulls. Bulls in 7.
HEAT (2) vs. Celtics
Oh boy. Why do I have the feeling that this series is going to be a classic. I'm speechless. I can't wait. I think LeBron has a little unfinished business from last year. Wade always seems to step up against the Celtics. Home court helps tip the balance. Heat in 7.
THE CONFERENCE FINALS
Lakers (2) vs. THUNDER (4)
Another classic in the making. So good. This year's playoffs could only be better if the Jazz were there to get beat by the Lakers again. Kobe vs. Durant. Westbrook is going to cause a lot of problems for the Lakers. They have no answer. He is much better than he was last year. To me he is the MIP for this season. Thunder this year have enough length and toughness up front to battle Gasol and Bynum this year. Thunder will be more hungry I think. Thunder in 6.
Bulls (1) vs. HEAT(2)
Another good matchup. Kind of a weird series. The best players in the series don't matchup with each other except for Boozer and Bosh. Boozer has classically killed Bosh. I expect that to happen again. I think that the Wade/LeBron combo is too much for the Bulls though. Good series. Heat in 6.
THE FINALS
HEAT (2) vs. Thunder (4)
A series I would pay to see. The LeBron head to head matchup against Durant is going to be wild. The Heat will be more worried about Westbrook. OKC is going to be rocking. Again though I am having a really hard time seeing any team being able to contain Wade and LeBron for 7 games. Heat in 7.
There you have it. The Villains win ... like always.
No comments:
Post a Comment