Why did the NBA change the first-round to seven games? Did anyone outside of Seattle think it was a bad thing that the eighth seed Denver beat the top seed Sonics in the 1994 playoffs? I immediately began rooting for the Nuggets, if for no other reason than the underdog factor. I think I'd be okay with the going back to the five game format, for no other reason than brevity. As excited as I am about the playoffs starting this weekend, the finals won't start almost TWO MONTHS from now. Just add that to the list of things the NBA has done wrong. Predictions:
Detroit v Orlando-
The Pistons are dominant. This year is the sixth straight year they've won 50 games. They've been to the conference finals four straight years and, of course, won it all in 2003-04. Orlando's best player is 21 years old. Detroit wins in a sweep.
Cleveland v Washington-
So wait, the Wizards are going into this without Agent Zero and, at least for the first round, Caron Butler? This should be wildly entertaining – for people in Cleveland. The Wizards will win one game because the LeBrons have the worst supporting cast in the league. LeBrons in five.
Toronto v New Jersey-
John Hollinger predicted the Nets season dead-on. Check this out if you have an ESPN Insider subscription. I really like Jason Kidd, but this team isn't very good. Raptors will win in six games.
Miami v Chicago-
This will be interesting only because the games will be close, not because exciting basketball is being played. After losing in Charlotte on February 14, the Bulls were 29-25. Over their next 27 games, they went 20-7 and jumped from the fifth seed to the second seed. Then they lost to the Nets on the final day of the season and dropped back to five. That can't feel good. Also, an injured Dwyane Wade is better than no Dwyane Wade. Heat in seven.
Dallas v Golden State-
You know, the Warriors won all three of their games against Dallas this year. Warriors head coach Don Nelson coached the Mavs from 1997 through 2005, so he knows Dallas pretty well. I think I'm buying into this, I'm picking the Warriors – to win one game. Mavs in five.
Phoenix v Los Angeles-
I feel like we've done this before. But this year, the Suns are better and the Kobes are worse. I'm also starting to think that Lamar Odom is not going to be the next Pippen. Kobe
is going to win two games in this series by himself, but that's it. Suns in six.
San Antonio v Denver-
I understand why Greg Popovich decided to bring Manu Ginobli off the bench for the last half of the season. I also think it's dumb. He's the Spurs second best player and he almost never plays 30 minutes a game. That's about the only thing Popovich has done wrong since becoming Spurs coach in 1996. Carmelo and Iverson is interesting, but the Spurs ALWAYS control the pace. Spurs in six.
Houston v Utah-
I'm giddy about this series. The Rockets look like a great team, as long as they are healthy. Two years ago the Jazz won 26 games, while this year they won 51 and they are loaded with good-but-not-great players. It's a toss-up, but Masha Lopatova decides this one for me. Jazz in seven.
Detroit will take Miami in round two 4-2, and the announcers will say "this is playoff basketball!" at least 100 times. LeBrons over Toronto in six games only because James is the best healthy player in the Eastern Conference this year. The Jazz's lack of star power will show and Dallas will beat them in five. The Suns are the most entertaining thing in sports today, but the Spurs will beat them in seven.
Detroit will contain James and beat the LeBrons in six, while the Spurs are going to avenge last year's loss and defeat Dallas in seven. I promise that the Western Conference finals are going seven games, no matter who the teams are. I've never been so confident of something in my life.
Tim Duncan will complain about the officials at least three times during the finals, but the Spurs will win in six. That'll be three championships in five years and four championships in nine years. Say hello to the most boring dynasty ever.
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4 comments:
I hear that the Miami Heat weren't too pleased about going down to the Allan Houston and Latrell Spreewell SEC combination Knicks.
If a team has made it to the playoffs they deserve the opportunity to battle it out over 7 games like the following rounds.
As for having to wait two months before the world championship, just imagine having to sit through 162 games before even getting a chance to see competitive games?
As for the predictions, it looks more like this.
Detroit vs. Orlando:
The Pistons have proven that they can beat the less impressive teams, and although Orlando has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the year, Grant Hill doesn't wear a Pistons jersey anymore, nor the game that accompanied it. Detroit smashes Orlando in four straight! 4 - 0 [Detroit]
Cleveland vs. Washington:
The basketball Gods have never punished any single team as horrendously as Eddie Jordan's club. Perhaps it's the payback for the team firing the real Jordan (Michael) after he resurrected any interest in the team. Lebron has a relatively decent supporting cast, and because of the combination of the two components the Cavaliers run through the Bullets, I'm sorry Wizards in four straight games. 4 - 0 [Cleveland]
Toronto vs. New Jersey:
Jay-Z wants to take the lowly Nets to Brooklyn. He's proposing that the switch will be an entirely new image for the team. That works out well because the Raptors already have an image, and it's rooted in young talent as opposed to the inverse which is the aging Nets. Chris Bosh is yet another representative from the second deepest draft ever and because of that he leads his team to a four games to two playoff victory. 4 - 2
[Toronto]
Miami vs. Chicago:
This is perhaps the quintessential example of why the horrendous seeding format of the conference playoffs should be scrapped. Potentially what could have been the Eastern conference finals is now a first round showdown between Chicago and Chicago's finest in D-Wade. Maybe Poppa Stern will realize that there has to be a better way after the Baby Bulls push the heat to six games and inevitable loss to the reigning champs. 4 - 2 [Miami]
They call it the WILD WEST for a reason, and if it were up to me there wouldn't be an Eastern playoff, simply a swapping of Detroit with the eighth seed of the West, and an all out Battle Royal.
Dallas vs. Golden State:
Golden State has owned Dallas over the last two seasons. The Warriors have won five out of the last six in this series, but unfortunately that means absolutely nothing. Golden State has a winning formula, but Dallas has the MVP of the league. Mark Cuban receives a scare from ex-coach Nelly but his Mavs advance in six. 4 - 2 [Dallas]
Phoenix vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe Bryant for President. Kobe Bryant for King of the World. Kobe Bryant for Supreme Being. Despite my affinity for the greatest player in the game, and potentially of all time, his supporting cast ensures he goes home after game six with yet another reason to train in the offseason. Phoenix wins in six. 4 - 2 [Phoenix]
San Antonio vs. Denver:
Yet another example of why the format has to go. San Antonio is poised to win it all every year, and Denver overlooked Iverson's playoff inexperience within the last ummmm five years. San Antonio toys with Denver for six games but wins the series 4 - 2 [San Antonio]
Houston vs. Utah:
Jerry Sloan will never win a coach of the year award. Another thing that he won't win is a playoff series this season. Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and the Rockets could potentially beat every team in the West in a seven game series, however they're only guaranteed to beat the Jazz, and they'll do so in five games. 4 - 1
[Houston]
Second Round Action goes like this
DETROIT reminds LeBron of how they're NOT believers and how he's only five people in his Lebron's commercial campaign. Detroit knocks out LeBron in five games. 4 - 1 [Detroit]
TORONTO upsets Miami in the most stunning of showdowns that goes seven games and hinges upon Shaq missing free throws when it matters most. He changes his name to the Big Choke-insky as Toronto moves on. 4 - 3 [Toronto]
DALLAS steamrolls Houston in a Texas showdown, and sends a message to that other team from Texas to forget about the thoughts of dynasty status. 4 - 1 [Dallas]
SAN ANTONIO remembers how Amare almost beat them by his lonesome two years ago, but forgets that they won in five games. It doesn't matter though because they repeat the feat again this season and advance to the Western conference finals once again. 4 - 1 [San Antonio]
Western and Eastern Conference Finals are always great theater but in this case, the WEST is worthy of an Oscar while the East is deserving of The Grouch!
Dallas absolutely pounds San Antonio by running when they want and defending by committee against Tim Duncan. Dick Bavetta asks Tim Duncan if he wants to fight, and Duncan responds "We can do this if you want, but let it be known that I get into some old GANGSTA $#!t!" Duncan bricks free throws when it counts and because the series ends in six it never really counts. 4 - 2 [Dallas]
Detroit versus Toronto. Detroit versus Toronto. Detroit versus Toronto? What is going on? Well the Pistons are, after welcoming Chris Bosh into the upper echelon of the Eastern conference (that seems to be an oxymoron of sorts) with a four game sweep. 4 - 0 [Detroit]
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, JUNE BASKETBALL, THE GREATEST TIME OF THE YEAR THAT DOESN'T HAVE A SUPER IN IT!
Dallas versus Detroit. Mark Cuban versus well I don't think anyone quite knows who the real owner of Detroit is, but Joe Dumars is all over that franchise. This year's best record versus last year's best record. Two of the deepest teams in the NBA battling for the opportunity to kiss the golden trophy. After Dallas wins the first two, Detroit snatches two at their place of residence only to stumble in the ridiculous third home game of the series in as many tries and finally travel to Dallas to see the confetti fall as Cuban finally gets the thing he's been waiting and shelling out millions of dollars to attain. Dirk sings David Hasselhoff tunes at the parade while Steve Nash says to himself "Man I should have stuck around a few more years!" and Avery Johnson retires to go preach in Picayune Mississippi. 4 - 2 [DALLAS]
And will the church say AVERY!
I'm going to tell everyone right now how the NBA playoff format should work.
The first round SHOULD be a 7-game series,the second round a 5-game series, the third round a 3-game series, and the NBA Finals should be ONE game.
Crazy, you call me. I call it giving the fans what they want. Everyone loves a game 7 right? So why bother with the whole other boring six games.
Also, with one game to determine a champion it gives the underdog (whoever comes out of the Eastern conference) a VCU chance.
Imagine, had this been the Format several years ago. We would we talking about that 76ers come back when Allen Iverson stood over Tyronn Lue as he hit the game winning basket to defeat the Kobe and Shaq Lakers. Instead, we remember watching the Lakers domination for the next four games in lopsided 4-1 series.
Very interesting, Sal. But what are your predictions? Tell me you have the Bulls winning it all.
Okay, not to keep everyone waiting any longer here are my NBA Finals predictions:
The Bulls defeat the Rockets in 7 games, just like they would have had Michael Jordan not been a moron and tried baseball.
Don't ask me how, or whether i might be intoxicated right? But i will be accepting compliments throughout the entire playoffs.
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