NBA: If the Playoffs Started Today, Volume II
The great thing about the NBA is how teams ebb and flow through out the season, but on a more local basis: weekly.
That is why there is why I am here to write this column on a weekly basis for your scrutiny and your enjoyment. I like to write this more or less because to spawn discussion and we are at a point in the NBA where we can start to speculate and argue about who the best team in the league is.
We know who are the favorites are right now.
Boston, Orlando, Miami, San Antonio and Dallas. Each and everyone one of these teams have a huge argument to being the best in the league.
The Lakers seem to be a bit lost at the moment, dropping their last two games at home by losing margins that would make the Seattle Seahawks blush.
So without further discourse, let's get to the first round games.
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Western Conference First Round: (1) San Antonio Spurs Vs. (8) Portland Blazers
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The Blazers are a very injury plagued team and they continue to drop like flies. Wes Matthews and Rudy Fernandez have stepped up pretty big in the absence of Brandon Roy, but the Blazers keep losing games and are about to drop out of the eighth spot (only half game ahead of a surging/putting-it-together Rockets team).
In saying that, just like last week the Blazers will not be able to get to a fifth game with the Spurs. Spurs will absolutely crush the Blazers and the Blazers would be extremely and I do mean extremely lucky to lose a game by single digits.
You can look at the loss by the Spurs to Orlando as an anomaly. Wouldn't look a whole lot into that. Spurs are still arguably the best team in the NBA.
San Antonio wins series 4-0
Western Conference First Round: (2) Dallas Mavericks Vs. (7) Denver Nuggets
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The Nuggets are an extremely feisty team, but with no Carmelo Anthony they are showing that they really do need him in the worst way to be successful.
They held in a tough game in a less than hostile Oklahoma City environment.
The Mavericks on the other hand are just cruising and they beat a very good Miami Heat team last week and have just kept on cruising.
With no Carmelo this isn't even a series.
Dallas wins series 4-0
Western Conference First Round: (3) Utah Jazz Vs. (6) New Orleans Hornets
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Chris Paul vs. Derron Williams debate could finally be settled in a playoff match-up.
The Jazz and the Hornets are both putting together a little bit of a streak, a little bit of momentum heading into the new year and both teams could be a force down the stretch.
The last time these two teams met the Hornets destroyed the Jazz in the New Orleans.
The series would be a good one and it would be one that I think Chris Paul would put all his gimpy knee issues aside and take over games like he should. He and Williams would throw hay-makers at each other left and right.
Only one team would be left standing and the fans of the league would be forever grateful for this series.
Utah wins series 4-2
Western Conference First Round: (4) Los Angeles Lakers Vs. (5) OKC Thunder
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The Lakers have been pathetic. Absolutely pathetic these past two games. Losing to a very shorthanded Bucks team by 19 at home is one thing and then having zero urgency or need to beat the Heat on Christmas Day.
The Lakers have been pissed off about all the attention the Heat have been getting since LeBron signed there, just days after they won the championship and this was a big chance for them to make a statement and to show the world who the champs were.
They want a statement, they go into this series and just beat down the Thunder like the little kids that they are and they would too.
When the playoffs start the Lakers are a different team and they have the players that can get in the heads of the Thunder and dominate. Plus the Thunder can't defend any of the Laker bigs and that would just be a huge issue. Nene dropped 31 on them in Christmas Day.
The Thunder also have a big issue brewing with the selfishness of Russell Westbrook and taking shots away from a red hot Durant.
Actions like that will just play right into the Lakers hands.
Young never beats old in the NBA and you never want to play a pissed off Kobe Bryant.
Lakers win series 4-0
Eastern Conference First Round: (1) Boston Celtics Vs. (8) Milwuakee Bucks
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The Celtics blew one against the Magic on Christmas Day, but the Bucks are just so banged up.
Without Jennings or Magette this series wouldn't even be close. I mean there isn't a whole lot to write about this. Rondo or no Rondo...
Boston wins series 4-0
Eastern Conference First Round: (2) Miami Heat Vs. (7) Indiana Pacers
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It's so hard to write about the Heat and not be incredibly cliche or make a sentence that hasn't already been said.
In saying that though... the Heat are hot. They are red hot right now. Outside of a home loss to a very good Dallas team, they are tearing teams a part.
The Heat killed the Lakers on Christmas Day and did it with defense. It's hard to beat a good defense, especially when Indiana doesn't have a whole lot of offense outside of Danny Granger.
If people know me, they know I love me some Danny Granger.
Miami wins series 4-0
Eastern Conference First Round: (3) Chicago Bulls Vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks
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Joe Johnson should have been smart, taken less money and signed with the Chicago Bulls. A solid shooting guard is all that is missing from them and they need one in the worst way if they want to have a shot in the later rounds in the Easter Conference. A date with Miami looms after this.
Despite not having Noah, the Bulls should win this series fairly easily. Atlanta could steal one game in front of their die hard, I mean fans that don't care about them at all.
Chicago wins series 4-1
Eastern Conference First Round: (4) New York Knicks Vs. (5) Orlando Magic
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It's so good to have Hedo back and adding a Gilbert Arenas who cares and wants to win, plus being in a better situation and an offense that is more adept to his skills is big for the Magic.
They have a lot of good players and with this trade their bench is much, much deeper. They actually now might be the deepest team in the league now.
The Knicks are just a fun team to watch though and they could steal this series.
But there is so much more playoff experience on Orlando though, but it would be such a fun series and I think it does go longer than most people think. Knicks would make this a very interesting series.
Orlando wins series 4-3
Western Conference Second Round: (1)San Antonio Spurs Vs. (4)Los Angeles Lakers
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Last decade I always looked forward to this match-up and it always delivered. It was always a hell of a series. Both teams have aged together and both teams have gotten better together winning 9 out of the last 12 titles combined.
The Lakers and Spurs are always down to make history together and the title used to run through both towns and you get the feeling that this year it wouldn't be any different.
Both teams match-up so well together. Great starters one through five. Good benches and my boy, Stevie Blake.
If these teams played 1,000 times they would probably split the series 500-500, but in the first seven games?
San Antonio wins series 4-3
Western Conference Second Round: (2) Dallas Mavericks Vs. (3) Utah Jazz
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Another great match-up of point guards.
One that wants the torch to be handed over to him full time and another who has been close a few times to winning a championship but hasn't had the team around him that could help him out.
In Dallas Jason Kidd isn't the best player or the second best player or the third best player or the fourth best player, but he's still extremely important to his team.
Dirk Nowitzki on the other hand is pretty damn good and in 2010-2011 is better than Kevin Durant and knows how to win in the playoffs.
I think the Mavs are just playing way too well right now and could be a lot to handle, especially with their new defensive prowess. It's kind of weird to see Dallas getting late stops in games to preserve a victory.
Dallas wins series 4-2
Eastern Conference Second Round: (1) Boston Celtics Vs. (5) Orlando Magic
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I love Nate Robinson and I think he's doing a hell of a job running the offense in the absence of Rajon Rondo. Maybe it's because Nate is from the 206, I miss my Sonics and have been called incredibly biased by multiple people in multiple cities and countries.
Nate Robinson is a better PG than Jameer Nelson and it's only a matter of time before Nelson loses his spot to Arenas. But Nelson is a good backup PG. I wouldn't mind him coming off my bench and starting.
Two through four the Celtics are also better than the Magic, but Dwight Howard is 10 times the center than the corpses the Celtics toss out there.
This has been an annual series over the past few years and it's always been good.
Boston wins series 4-3
Eastern Conference Second Round (2) Miami Heat Vs. (3) Chicago Bulls
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You know things are clicking for your team when Eric Dampier is knocking down jumpers and kind of helping the team, then that's a pretty big chip to toss in the pot come playoff time.
There are quite a few weapons to deal with on Chicago's side of the ball and they also have a better bench, but without Noah to anchor the middle and cause a bit of defensive havoc that really hurts the Bulls.
Heat and the Bulls have been both playing extremely well lately and the Bulls are only 2.5 games out from the second seed and having the majority of the games being played in Chicago and that would be all the help in the world.
Though a couple years ago the Bulls did knock the Heat off in the playoffs right after the Heat won the championship.
I don't think that happens this time around though.
Miami wins series 4-3
Western Conference Finals: (1) San Antonio Spurs Vs. (2) Dallas Mavericks
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I love how Dallas is playing right now. They are probably the actual hottest team in the NBA and are beating teams they should beat and teams that are better than they are on paper.
Plus when you have a guy coming off the bench like Jason Terry who can score 19 points in the fourth quarter alone and take a game over.
Can Gary Neal do that?
Dallas actually has the size to match-up with San Antonio down low and they have more than Dirk to shoot from the outside and Tyson Chandler is going to clean up a lot of the mistakes on defense with his shot blocking and defensive rebounding.
Tim Duncan still quietly puts up numbers. The other night against Denver I had no idea he was out there for most of the game, then he went to the line and it showed that he had 28 and 12 and I was shocked. Totally shocked.
It'll be such a fun series, but I think the Mavs end this a bit prematurely.
Dallas wins series 4-2
Eastern Conference Finals: (1) Boston Celtics Vs. (2) Miami Heat
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The series that everyone is looking forward to in the Eastern Conference and with each passing game and each passing week it's going to seem more and more like a collision course.
This is going to be a brawl and we'll probably see one and we'll have some suspensions.
Paul Pierce has generally owned LeBron James in the playoffs, but I think this is the year that it all changes and I think LeBron is going to finally know what it's like to play in the Finals and win a game there.
Miami wins series 4-3
NBA Finals: Dallas Mavericks Vs. Miami Heat
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This is where benches, rotations and good coaching come in to play.
Sadly the coaching match-up is Eric Spoelstra vs. Rick Carlisle.
Outside of that we get the rematch that I have personally been dying for since the NBA hand gifted the Heat with their only title back in 2006.
The Dallas team is so much better than back in 2006. They are deeper, stronger defensively and Dirk isn't the only true scoring option and there other guys that can take the load off him now.
Miami has Bron and Wade and that is about it.
I did say LeBron was actually going to win a game in the Finals.
Dallas wins series 4-1
