West:
1 Los Angeles Lakers def. 8 Denver Nuggets (4-0): While the Lakers are a very good team, the Nuggets are not. A lot of people are blaming George Karl for the Nuggets' failures. How can a team with two superstars, a good defender/rebounder, and solid role players, not reach the second round? I'll tell you how. Iverson still dribbles too much, doesn't make his teammates better, and misses too many shots. Anthony is a one-dimensional player: a scorer (to his credit, he's an efficient one). He doesn't make his teammates better, which is why you can't build a championship-caliber team around him. Just because a player is popular doesn't mean he is effective at helping his team win games.
4 Utah Jazz def. 5 Houston Rockets (4-2): Did you know that McGrady hasn't won a playoff series in his career? What's that, you say? You've heard that every time his team is mentioned? Oh. Well, I'm just making sure you know.
3 San Antonio Spurs def. 6 Phoenix Suns(*) (4-1): Steve Kerr, February 6, speaking about the Shaq trade: "If it works, I'm a genius. If it doesn't, I'm a moron." With the little space I have here, I'll just call you a moron. Maybe if I'm motivated enough, I'll give you your own post. You certainly deserve it, moron. The Suns can't complain about this one. They stink. They're not good. They had six chances to win Game 1: Unsuccessful stops at the end of regulation, the first overtime and the second overtime; and three offensive possessions after each failed defensive possession.
2 New Orleans Hornets def. 7 Dallas Mavericks (4-1): My prediction for an upset was looking pretty good for the first half of game 1 when Dallas built a 52-40 lead, but then Chris Paul went berserk (24.6/5.6/12 on 50% shooting) and Dallas fell apart. This just in: Chris Paul is really good.
East:
1 Boston Celtics def. 8 Atlanta Hawks (4-3): Seven games? This is way different from last year's Warriors/Mavericks series. The 2007 Mavericks were a 60-win team that stayed healthy and win a disproportionate amount of close games, inflating their record. The 2007 Warriors had a midseason trade that turned them from a 35ish-win team to a 50-win team. So the series was really a 60-win team disguised as a 67-win team playing a 50-win team disguised as a 42-win team. It was still an upset, but in retrospect, it's easy to see why it happened. The 2008 Celtics and Hawks, however, are what their records say they are. Boston really is a 66-win team, and the Hawks really are a 37-win team. Boston better play better in the second round and afterwards.
4 Cleveland Cavaliers def. 5 Washington Wizards (4-2): The Wizards' douchebaggery and the trash talk from both teams overshadowed the fact that the Wizards played good basketball and put up a good fight before Lebron 27-13-13'ed them in Game 6. A lot of people foolishly picked Washington to win this series. I think they knew the top 3 seeds were going to advance, so they talked themselves into an upset. It's like if you're filling out your March Madness bracket, if you have the top 5 seeds in a region advancing, suddenly that 11 over 6 looks pretty appealing. Until 6 wins, because they're a six seed and the opponent is an 11 seed.
3 Orlando Magic def. 6 Toronto Raptors (4-1): Dwight Howard averaged 20.8/16.5/3.7 blocks on 62% shooting. If anything else noteworthy or interesting happened in this series, feel free to let me know.
2 Detroit Pistons def. Philadelphia 76ers (4-2): The Sixers won two of the first three and were up 10 at half time in Game 4, but then the Pistons awoke and outscored the Sixers 255-196 over the next two and a half games (102-78.4 per 48 minutes). There's been talk all year about how all the 2004 draft class who didn't sign extensions in the summer are going to regret it after sucking this year, except Andre Iguodala, who averaged 19.9/5.4/4.8/2.1 steals. Then he went and averaged 13.2/4.8/5 on 33% shooting. Oops.
My best picks: Cavs in six, Magic in five, Jazz in six, Lakers in four.
Worst picks: Spurs in seven (I underestimated Steve Kerr's moronicness), Hornets in six (I underestimated Chris Paul and I'm dumb (not Steve Kerr-dumb)), Celtics in four (I'm going to forgive myself for that one).
* I switched the San Antonio/Phoenix seeds in my preview.
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2 comments:
What's this about T-Mac has never won a playoff series? Really? In his whole career? But he's a good player, right? Never?
I'd like to see the post devoted to the lame Shaq decision in Phoenix, maybe along with some thoughts on who will coach PHX next year if D'Antoni goes to Chicago and if the Suns will just generally suck now.
I thought Chris Paul was way overrated at Wake, and wasn't overly impressed with his first couple years in the League, but that guy is REALLY good. Can you imagine if that dude could shoot the 3, too? When he's outside, whoever's guarding him gives him all the space and time in the world. Not that he has trouble getting around the court or thru defenses now, but if the D had to key in on him from deep, too, and he could start beating people from further out? Holy geez.
Is there going to be a prediction post for Round 2 like you did for Round 1? And if so, can you take about how great it is to see the Spurs get their asses handed to them? Maybe talk about that, anyway.
It's true about T-Mac. I double-, triple-, and quadruplechecked, and no, he's never won a first round series.
I'm going to wait for the offseason for a gigantic Suns post.
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