General Chat / Official NBA Playoff Predictions/Discussion Thread

Cork kiss my ass. The Rockets should be up 3-1 right now, God yall are lucky.

Sure, but what difference does kissing your ass make when the Lakers eliminate the Rockets on Wednesday?

AHHHHHHHH.

*Plots to murder Cork*

*no sells any potential murder*

Don't worry, the lucky Lakers will not make it past the second round, the Spurs are waiting.

Go Kings!!!

Just cuz you have the easy path.... Grrrr.... (Kings will beat the Wolves in Round 2)

no more Wild Wally! sucks for him.

AHHHHHHHH.

*Plots to murder Cork*

Don't murder him, murder Steve Francis.

Steve Francis has done a hell of a job in the playoffs so far. His team nearly beat the Lakers twice and did beat them once. A couple shots fall differently and it's 3-1 Rockets. Don't blame Steve Francis. I don't think Houston has anything to be ashamed of. If they could play more consistently during the regular season (which hasn't been easy for anybody except maybe the Pacers this year) than they won't be in te #7 seed next year, they'll be somewhere in the top 6.

Spurs have also been consistent.

Sweep a series? That's pretty consistent too!

Wow, I didn't expect the Kings to win so fast!

So much for longer series... basically only one series will go past five games (Heat/Hornet). The Wolves will wrap this up tomorrow, or whenever they play next.

My second round predictions (with the unfinished first round series' predicted)

Twolves beat Kings in 6.
Spurs beat Lakers in 5.
Pacers beat Heat in 5.
Pistons beat Nets in7.


Go Pistons!

what a comeback by the heat, i almost had a hart attack. they need to hit the fuckin free throws, i could have done better for crying out loud we got 2 shots to take this series now i think we will get it in game 6, 7 for sure.

btw after the thrid quater i removed my Heat sig..... i put it up after game 2, very odd, odd indeed

(1) MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES VS (4) SACRAMENTO KINGS
Winner: Kings in 6 Games
Analysis: This is definitely going to go against the grain. The Wolves have come off an emotional high, FINALLY getting past the first round after dispatching the Nuggets in five games. The Kings, however, are off a surprising five game series win over the Mavericks. They're definitely motivated to prove their worth, and they CAN play defense when they need to. Sure, they did lose to the Wolves three times this past season, but this is the playoffs, and the Kings have the experience to step it up. The wolves, though powerful, are now in foreign waters. They will probably have a few lapses that will allow Sacramento to pull off the upset.
X-Factor:Chris Webber. He's hurt still, but if he can put in 20 and 10, he can very well give Garnet some defensive pressure and open up the options for the Kings. When he is on and the team is clicking, there are few teams in the league that can beat the Kings, and the Wolves are not one of them.

(3) SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS (2) LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Winner: Lakers in 7 Games
Analysis: Gotta go with my home team here, though I admit this prediction is a bit swayed by my heart. Unlike in 2001, this matchup of the playoffs should actually live up to hits hype, even though the Spurs are looking scarily like the Lakers did in 2001, having come into the series on a huge winning streak. Both teams are motivated to play each other, though, and it should be a solid defensive series, though not as ugly as Houston's. San Antonio will not beat itself, but I have faith that the Lakers will step up their game. When they click, NO ONE can beat them. They showed that sort of power during their 11 game winning streak. It all starts with defense, though, and if the Lakers can match their defense with San Antonio's, their offense should be enough to overcome the Spurs' over seven games. Make no mistake about it, though, this will be a war.
X-Factor:The Laker Defense. It must be steady and unwavering for the team to stand a chance, and it's the defense that starts the offense for the Lakers. Los Angeles beat the Spurs three times this season, and in their one loss, they blew a fourth quarter lead. Defense wins championships, and the Lakers' D will have to continue that.


(1) INDIANA PACERS VS (4) MIAMI HEAT
Winner: Pacers in 5 Games
Analysis: Unfortunately, the Heat are the league's worst road team. Unfortunately, they have to play in Canseco. Indiana is too powerful for Miami this year, and they CAN win on the road. We'll see one road win, and that will enable Indiana to clinch the series back home in game five.
X-Factor:Miami's Youth. If they are to have any chance, Dwayne Wade, Rafer Allston, and Caron Butler need to step up and show maturity beyond their years and go ballistic. It will take a team effort to overcome the Pacer's smooth oiled machine.

(3) Detroit Pistons vs (2) New Jersey Nets
Winner: Pistons in 6 Games
Analysis: The Nets had a breeze dispatching the Knicks in a sweep, but they'll find Detroit to be very different. For one, they play defense, and very good defense. For another, they have the best inside presense in the east. Tayshaun Prince is also having a great year, Billups is off the charts during crunch time, and did I mention defense? The Nets have had a good amount of time to heal up, but it probably won't be enough, as the Piston's stifling defense will prevent the fast, open-court offense that makes New Jersey such a dangerous team.
X-Factor:Kidd and Martin. This banged up duo needs to contribute solidly to defense and offense to put pressure off the rest of the team. If they struggle, Detroit will be able to hone in on the others, essentially reducing the game to a handicap match. K-Mart and Kidd are gamers, though, and they should definitely come out firing.




And on a side note, I've been pretty darn good on my predictions. No wrong ones so far and correct on the number games in about half of them too!

Wolves V Kings: Kings in 6

Wolves beat Sac 3 out of 4 this year, baut hey, so did the Mavs. Experiance counts here, and the Kings have enough. Christie will lock down Cassel, and Peja (the new supreme defender) will slightly bother Spree. Webber and Garnett will duel as they always do, both will cancel each other out. X factor will be Brad Miller, if he returns to All-Star form Sac will be tough to beat.


Spurs V Lakers: Spurs in 5

This is easy! Don't forget Cork who ended the Lakers 11 game streak (in Staples, no less). The Spurs do this every year, start slow then kill everyone on thier way to the title. Right now, they are the team to beat and i don't see the Lakers haveing the bench or strength to battle the Spurs. X Factor will be Tony Parker, if he gets off then it's over.




In other news:

Pacers V Heat: Pacers in 4

Pistons V Nets: Pistons in 7

Heat getting their asses handed to them on a platter right now. There goes my games prediction, but at least they still have another game in Miami. My X-Factor for that series has been spot on, though. Baron has carried them through this series, though they're getting huge production from the others this game.

Woulda been a better game if the Lakers hadn't decided to just die in the fourth quarter--again. Despicable. You're not supposed to blow a lead in the fourth.

I knew the Hornets were the one team capable of a first round upset.

I think aero is right about the defensive assignments. Christie will keep Cassell from penetrating the lane on every possession and force him to take uncomfortable shots. Peja will stick to Spree and he can be effective as a defender for short periods of time. Webber is pretty much useless as a defender right now which is why Adelman has been keeping him on the bench for long stretches of time. He will not cancel out Garnett at all, but the Kings will double team him like they did to Kobe in the final Kings-Lakers game of the season and if they rotate fast enough, that should work for them. The key is to make people other than Garnett, Cassell, and Spree take the shots. They did this when they last played Minnesota and they were dominating for three quarters until their offense failed in the fourth andf they lost it. And remember 3 of those Kings-Minnesota games came before Webber's return and 2 of them ended in overtime. Without Webber, they're evenly matched. With Webber (when he plays well) the Kings have the edge. Webber is gonna be the X-Factor throughout the playoffs really.

Wishful thinking says Kings in 6.

As for Kings and Lakers, it's still tough to call. I think the Spurs will take the series because they are on their game consistently while the Lakers are all over the place. The Spurs usually beat the Lakers in the fourth quarter. Check out TDs 12 points in the fourth quarter. That's how they beat them last year and that's how they'll beat them this year. LA can't stop Duncan. Actually, nobody can stop Duncan. And Kobe's 31 points didn't matter. I wish the Kings and Lakers would both make it to the finals but I think it'll be Kings and Spurs.

The Kings can beat the Spurs if everything is clicking because it's very difficult for the Spurs to get 100 points out of their offense. Can they play at that level for four games? History seems to indicate no. The Spurs are the safe pick to make it to the finals but I still believe.

Ouch. Nets got SMACKED last night.