The Warriors' regular season dominance of the Warriors aside, I don't see any upsets in the West in the first round. San Antonio will slow down Denver, Dallas should outlast Golden State, Phoenix will annihilate Los Angeles and Houston should handle Utah pretty easily. The East is a little more open at least, especially if New Jersey can grab the 6th seed and square off against Toronto.
The difference in my hopes/expectations for the Lakers in the first round from last year to this year is sickening.
FSN just had its "Best Damn Dunks ever", a top 50 countdown of them. I was pleased to see three Suns players featured (in order: Stoudemire, Kevin Johnson and Tom Chambers). I saw two of them as they happened (KJ's and Stoudemire's). Doctor J was, for my money, the most graceful player in NBA history. His dunk in the 1983 NBA Finals was truly spectacular, along with his unbelievable reverse layup in the 1980 Finals (a move that made Magic Johnson unsure if he should keep playing, or ask for a replay, as it was and remained the greatest move he had ever seen, in his words).
They didn't dress Dirk, Howard, Damp, or Stackhouse, and the bench players got limited minutes. It was basically 2nd stringers and rookies vs. Golden States starting lineup. Is there any wonder they got stomped? As far as integrity, I don't think that's fair in this case. The Mavs clenched the first seed weeks ago, and have only rested Dirk, and Stack one game other than this, and Howard was only out for a rest in this game. Dampier has had a nagging shoulder injury, so they're just being cautious with him. Plus, when would be a better time to give his rookies minutes, then when the first seed is already clenched? They have to get experience sometime, and they need to be as prepared as possible, should they have to sub for an injured starter. I believe that Johnson is having everyone dress tonight, and will be playing his starters, so I really don't see this as a red flag.
While I Believe that Dallas will handle Golden State the other games shall be contested pretty heavily. Phoenix will face a full Lakers Squad which hasn't been this way all season, and I see another seven game series. San Antonio will have its hands full against a hot Denver team which has won upwards of eight games in it's last nine or ten I think even with home court advantage it's going to be a good match up with Carmelo and Iverson coming in hot. The Utah vs. Houston series is the one I'm most anxious to see despite Utah's lack of real marquee names on their team they play the old school style of ball with which we all know Houston's offensive focal point Yao Ming isn't the most fluent in. Yes McGrady will score, but I think a match up with Andrei Kirelinko one of the NBA's most efficient defender's and shot blocker will be a good one to see. Homecourt Advantage here will play a factor as Utah is the higher seed, and Yao nor Mutumbo will be able to play in the key much cause Utah's Mehmet Okur will stretch the floor with his outside shooting leaving the paint open for Carlos Boozer and Devin Williams to run their two man game which looks somewhat like the old Stockton to Malone. It will come down to who's bench steps up, and who's style of basketball is played most. But I think Utah will take this one.
I would have agreed with Utah, the first half of the season, but Houston has been way hotter down the stretch. It'll be a good series, though.
I agree that it will be a good series as the four/five match up is always suppose to be the most interesting in the first round. In the East Miami vs Cleveland should be a good one as well, but I think Miami's experience and depth will be what prevails them over LeBron and whatever surronding cast he might have for the series.
Ain't no way the Lakers win more than two games, and even that is really pushing it. I say they win a game at most. This isn't like last year, when the Suns backed into the playoffs, and then compounded that by taking the Lakers lightly. They'll be going all out, and I expect a sweep or a 4-1 series.
Thank you, Nets. What an absolutely perfect night for the Cavs. Get to 50 wins, get the 2nd seed, get a much easier path to the Finals. Almost makes me believe it didn't happen. Call it Cleveland syndrome.
Lakers won, so that means it'll be Suns vs. Lakers again. The Suns manage to avoid both the Nuggets and the Warriors in the first round.
Yeah I know the odds are stacked heavily in the favor of the Suns, but the Lakers are a team that always manages to give the Suns fits. Yeah last year they might of taken the Lakers lightly, but who takes a team so lightly that they go down 3-1 before having to crawl their way out. This year they might be set, but it's been a long time since the league has seen a pure scorer like Kobe, and I look for him to dictate this series and possibly the outcome in the favor of the Lakers.
David Letterman's Top Ten from last night: Top Ten Signs Your NBA Referee Is Nuts 10. Keeps nude photos of NBA Commissioner David Stern in his wallet. 9. Refers to the ball as "Peggy" -- now that's nuts 8. Refuses to let substitutes come out of the game unless they give two weeks notice 7. Puts ball under his shirt; claims he's carrying LeBron's baby 6. Every time someone makes a basket, he screams "Goooaaaallll!" 5. Thinks the Knicks rebuilding plan is working 4. He has a 24-second clock over his bed -- that's worse than calling the ball "Peggy 3. Well, he's the only one out there on ice skates 2. Allows players extra free throw if they give him a cigarette 1. Asks Kobe for tips on maintaining a monogamous relationship
horrible, horrible night for the Bulls. 1. lose to the Nets, which mean we drop from #2 to #5 and now face the Heat in the first round. 2. Knicks win a nail biter, last second tip in by Curry of all people... drops our potential seeding. damnit. another re-match against the Heat, then. they're not the same team as last year, and we have Big Ben. could have been a lot better scenario, however.
instead of Wizards/Raptors/Pistons - Finals we have Heat/Pistons/Cavs - Finals all because of one game! at least now we can beat the best.
instead of Heat/Pistons/Bulls - Finals we have Wizards/Raptors or Nets/Pistons (or Heat or Bulls) - Finals All thanks to one game! (actually, thanks to 82 games ... it came down to a one-game difference)
my icon schedule: black icon until my joke thread in JCC dies out New Zealand Black Caps icon until Wednesday, or the following Saturday, depending on whether NZ lose or win Bulls icon until they win the NBA title
