NBA Playoffs Discussion/Pick'em Thread

[W]

Hey, only 2 games left before the end of the NBA season. All the teams are set, though the placing isn't completely determined. What do you think is going to happen here? I think it'll be the Cavs v. Lakers, but I can't pick between the two just yet.

I'll put up the brackets when they are finalized. Go ahead and place your selection here and we'll see who gets the most right. If you don't want to do that, we can still discuss what's going on here.

[geezer9687]

I think the Cavs have it this year. I can't see anyone knocking them off, especially if they have home court throughout. It will be the Cavs and Lakers. The playoffs will be boring. I will be rooting for the Celtics, but not expecting anything. They sold everything for one title, and I understand, accept and believe it was the right move, but now their age is catching up to them.

[W]

Like I told Buscemi, Dwight Howard is a BEAST and I think the Magic have a good shot at beating your Celts. Howard has a pretty good supporting cast with Rashard, Skip-to-My-Lou (now that he's staing out of trouble), and even Hedo reserrected his career the past couple of years. They won't get past the Cavs, of course, but I think they can beat the Celts.

[geezer9687]

It wouldn't surprise me if they did. It will depend on the health of Garnett. But it really won't matter. It is Lebron's year. I wish I put money on them at the beginning of the season.

[transformers2]

im going with the Lakers. The Cavs will come close but they will falter in the finals. I think The Lakers depth is too much of a force and i think they can take out Cleveland

[Buscemi]

I see it being Celtics and Lakers again. The Cavs and Magic had better regular seasons but they aren't proven playoff teams. The Celtics are the defending champs and they should get back to their A game.

[JackO]

eh, Cavs are strong and have best home record. As much as I hate their guts, I think they may go the finals. Lakers are an easy pick out West but the Nuggets and Mr. Big Shot are my sleeper favorites.

[BanksIsDaFuture]

As long as my Lakers are in the Finals again, I'm happy. And I believe they will, I don't think there is a team in the West that can beat the Lakers in a 7-game series, or even take them to seven games.

And I got the Cavs and Magic in the ECF, they're both great teams and I truly don't know who would take it in 7. Celtics will probably be upset in the first round, last year the Hawks almost did it and the Celtics are not as good as they were now.

Cavs and Lakers would be a great Finals match-up, Kobe vs. LeBron will spike the ratings (even though they don't guard each other). It's more like Kobe vs. Mo Williams and LeBron vs. Lamar Odom.

[Buscemi]

I still don't think that LeBron will win a title until he leaves Cleveland.

[geezer9687]

He will. This year. Watch. He is going to start to border on ultimate greatness come the end of this season.

[W]

The Lakers and Cavs will both breeze to the finals. The Lakers will only lose if the Jazz, Nuggets, or Hornets play at the very top of their game for seven straight games while missing the top of the Lakers' game. Seeing as that is unlikely to happen, Cavs beat Lakers in seven.

[brockman81]

Buscemi wrote:

The Cavs and Magic had better regular seasons but they aren't proven playoff teams.

You must be forgetting the Cavs run to the finals two years ago? They were in the playoffs last year. And they've been in the playoffs the couple years before their finals run...I think that qualifies them as a proven playoff team...certainly more than the Celtics of late.

[BanksIsDaFuture]

Does anyone truly believe the Cavs can beat the Lakers in a series? Kobe is thirsty for a title without Shaq, it would cement his legendary status. LeBron will probably get MVP this year, he doesn't want it as bad. He knows he has time on his side, Kobe isn't getting any better or younger - he needs his own title now.

[brockman81]

I think the Cavs have a chance...it will be great series if they both end up in the Finals...the Lakers have Bynum back, which certainly helps their chances. I'll be rooting for my Pistons to take the Cavs down in the first round, although I know that will never happen...picking up AI was a horrible move by Dumars...can we get Chauncey back please?

**side note...I think the move actually freed up a lot of cap room for them to get a big star next year, but I still like to complain about it now

[W]

Sorry, but Detroit is going to have to get lucky one way or another before they become relevent again. They're either going to have to draft a player that becomes a real stud or trade for an unheralded player that turns out to be great (like what Ben Wallace and Gilbert Arenas did).

If they leave, Detroit is losing Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess this year and Richard Hamilton next year leaving the only really good player as Tayshawn. When the LeBron sweepstakes comes up, not even the second place prizes will want to go to Detroit (second place ain't too bad when it includes Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, Nash, Shaq, and Manu--though some of those won't leave).

Maybe if Detroit gets a decent free agent or two this year (Ben Gordon would be nice... maybe Gerald Green, Damon Jones, Chris Wilcox, Grant Hill?, Andre Miller, Shelden Williams, Ariza, or Ron Artest--er... maybe not that last one...) I know that Marion and Odom are free agents, but A) both need good players around them and B) if you sign them, you won't have cap space the next year.

Anyways, that's what I think about the Pistons right now.

[W]

Alright, the playoffs are here. Here are my picks:
ROUND 1
EAST
1 Cavs
8 Pistons
Cavs win in 5

4 Hawks
5 Heat
Atlanta in 6

3 Magic
6 76ers
Orlando in 5

2 Celtics
7 Bulls
Boston in 6 w/o KG

WEST
1 Lakers
8 Jazz
Los Angeles in 5

4 Trailblazers
5 Rockets
Portland in 7

3 Spurs
6 Mavericks
Dallas in 7

2 Nuggets
7 Hornets
Nuggets in 6

Round 2
EAST
1 Cavs
4 Hawks
Cleveland in 5

2 Celtics
3 Magic
Orlando in 6

WEST
1 Lakers
4 Trailblazers
Lakers in 5

2 Nuggets
6 Mavericks
Denver in 6

Conference Finals
EAST
1 Cavs
3 Magic
Cleveland in 5

WEST
1 Lakers
2 Nuggets
Los Angeles in 4

FINALS
1 Cavs
1 Lakers
Los Angeles in 7

The only upsets seeding-wise that I see are the Mavericks over the ailing and Ginobili-less Spurs and the Magic over the KG-less Celtics. Everything else is chalk. I thought about it and decided that the Lakers have way too much firepower for the Cavs, though it should be a great series.

[Buscemi]

ROUND 1
EAST
1 Cavs (wins in 4)
8 Pistons

4 Hawks (wins in 5)
5 Heat

3 Magic (wins in 5)
6 76ers

2 Celtics (wins in 6)
7 Bulls

WEST
1 Lakers (wins in 5)
8 Jazz

4 Trailblazers (wins in 7)
5 Rockets

3 Spurs (wins in 6)
6 Mavericks

2 Nuggets (wins in 4)
7 Hornets


Round 2
EAST
1 Cavs (wins in 4)
4 Hawks

2 Celtics (wins in 6)
3 Magic

WEST
1 Lakers (wins in 4)
4 Trailblazers

2 Nuggets (wins in 5)
3 Spurs

Conference Finals
EAST
1 Cavs
2 Celtics (wins in 5)

WEST
1 Lakers (wins in 5)
2 Nuggets

FINALS
2 Celtics (wins in 6)
1 Lakers

[W]

You do know that KG is NOT playing in this year's playoffs, right????

[Buscemi]

They still got the other guys (Allen, Pierce and the bench).

Also, LeBron can't win a title all by himself.

[W]

and you think they have more firepower than the Lakers?

[Buscemi]

They did last year.

[W]

They did last year.

With Garnett and a team that seemed 5 years younger.

[geezer9687]

Does anyone truly believe the Cavs can beat the Lakers in a series? Kobe is thirsty for a title without Shaq, it would cement his legendary status. LeBron will probably get MVP this year, he doesn't want it as bad. He knows he has time on his side, Kobe isn't getting any better or younger - he needs his own title now.

Not only do I think the Cavs have a chance to beat the Lakers, the Cavs WILL beat the lakers. Lebron is the best player on the planet and I think he wants it a lot more than Kobe. He wants to cement his legacy with Cleveland and give them something before he bolts in 2010. He is constantly playing for the biggest contract the NBA will ever see. And the team is very complete, they have home court advantage and they are 39-1 (the last game didn't count) at home this season. They will be the NBA champs.

[W]

I don't think that you can say anyone "wants it" more than Kobe. I can't stand the guy, but he's got that determination, fire, and drive that Jordan had. If he won 6 championships, he wouldn't be satisfied until he won a seventh. Though I don't question LeBron's competitiveness, its not that of Kobe's.

Also, can you tell me (besides Philadelphia) who was the only team this year to beat the Cavs at home? I'll give you three guesses, though you'll only need one...

[geezer9687]

The atmosphere will be even crazier in the playoffs than it was in the regular season, but we'll see in a couple months.

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