NBA 2007 Playoffs Round 1

[edczxcvbnm]

Time to make your predictions for the first round. Here are the match ups.

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/weaslemggee/Finals.txt">

My predictions
East:
Detroit
Cleavland
Toronto
Bulls

West:
Dallas
Lakers
Spurs
Rockets

I have not quite decided if the Suns will crush the Lakers yet. Lakers have been streaky as of late but I don't really care for the Suns so I am a bit bias on this one.

I think the Rockets/Jazz serious is going to be real close and down to the wire. Both are good teams but the Rockets have been strong down the stretch while the Jazz are not as strong as they were earlier on. I think this will be an interesting match up.

EDIT: I picked the Rockets and Lakers to win their series. I am a Lakers fan and a Suns hater so I just gave into my extreme bias on that one.

EDITA: I added that picture instead of the text bracket. I will update it when I feel like it. It is just a screen shot from the NBA's website.

[bipper]

GOE TWOLVES!

[Del Murder]

I hope GS wins at leat one game. The Warriors are the only team Dallas didn't beat this year. 0-3. I'm sure KB will come in and show how the refs screwed them out of both of those games (the last one was obviously a freebie), but that's expected.

All the top seeds in the East should win. Man, how meaningless is that Toronto vs. NJ series? Does anyone even think either of those teams has a remote chance of going to the finals?

The first round should not take 2 weeks, yet it will. NBA playoff structure sucks.

[Kirobaito]

The first game between the Warriors and Mavs was game 3 of the Mavs 0-4 start to the season. The last one didn't mean anything. The middle one capped off a 17-game winning streak on the second night of a back-to-back. A letdown was due.

I imagine the Warriors will win game 3 at home.

Toronto is actually pretty good. They finished up 40-19, which is the 4th best finish, behind the Big 3 in the west. The only thing they lack is experience, but they could go to the East Finals. It sucks not having Bargnani or Garbajosa, but they're pretty good.

My picks:

Dallas over Golden State in 5 - GS will win game 3 at home on pure adrenaline. But lack of size will eventually hurt them.
Phoenix over LA in 7 - I wouldn't expect to see a series much different than last year. LA is finally healthy.
SA over Denver in 6 - As good as Denver is playing, SA is also playing well. And the Spurs always turn it up in the playoffs.
Houston over Utah in 6 - Utah has collapsed down the stretch. Houston is playing well.

Detroit over Orlando in 4 - A big mismatch. I love Dwight as much as anybody, but the Pistons will fry them.
Cleveland over Washington in 5 - I feel so sorry for Washington. Losing your two best players hurts.
Toronto over New Jersey in 6 - Big playoff series win for Chris Bosh and co.
Chicago and Miami in 6 - The Heat suck. Chicago is good.

[El Bandito]

Well, I'm cheering for Denver because they're my home team and I really want to see Melo match his peers from the '03 draft and get past the first round of the playoffs (ditto to Bosh). If I really had to bet however, I think I'd pick every single higher seed this round.

Man, how meaningless is that Toronto vs. NJ series? Does anyone even think either of those teams has a remote chance of going to the finals?

How Relevant? Perhaps you've heard of this basketball player named Vincent Carter? I believe he used to be the face of a certain franchise until he was finally traded in 2004 for a group of players and two future first round picks. Though they struggled the next year those picks eventually became Charlie Villanueva (which got TJ Ford by trade) and Andrea Bargnani. Not to mention a very talented young man from that '03 class I previously mentioned that is starting to become a new Kevin Garnett. Now they're on route to the playoffs with a very young, but very talented team.

Meanwhile, ol' Vinsanity hasn't been slacking off and although his team is definitely playing way under what their individual talents should produce, he's made the playoffs now with them for the third year in a row. How do you think Toronto fans felt watching him put up those numbers in a different uniform while their team struggled in mediocrity?

Can you imagine the crowds that will fill the Air Canada Center cheering on their young Raptors to beat the snot out of the Nets in playoffs? Sure I don't think either will hang with the Pistons, Heat, or even the Bulls, but they're so young and it's their first playoffs, you never know what could happen. They could turn a whole lot of heads this year. Them and Houston are my big choices of possible spoilers this playoffs.

[Del Murder]

GSW Hoops baby! The Mavs will probably still win this series, but the Warriors really have their number. I predicted (not in this thread) that the Warriors would win 2 games, Game 1 and one of their home games. It's coming true so far.

Even more exciting than the Warriors' first playoff win in 15 years will be KB's follow up post. There is nothing, <i>nothing</i>, more entertaining than Texas after a Mavs loss.

[edczxcvbnm]

If only the Lakers had won yesterday we could have had all the bottom seeds in the west winning game 1 which would have been bizzarly humorous XD

I am not too surprised that the nuggets beat the Spurs. I figured it would be a close series but I still think the Spurs will be able to pull away.

[Spawn of Sephiroth]

All I gots to say is go Lakers, kick ass!!!!!!!

[Strider]

So wait, if the Warriors win Game 2 as well, does KB start going into rabid convulsions? Stay tuned!

[Tempest]

East:

Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic - I don't know much about either of these teams except that the Pistons are a great team. Going with the Pistons on this one.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Washington Wizards - If the Wizards weren't missing two of their best players, I'd go with them. Since they are, I'm gonna have to go with the Cavs. It's a miracle the Wizards even managed to make it to the playoffs.

Toronto Raptors vs. New Jersey Nets - While the Raptors are a very good team, I don't think they'll win this series. They're still young so I don't think they'll be able to go through and win 4 games against the Nets.

Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls - Even though I'm disappointed the Bulls didn't get 50 wins this season, I'm glad they ended up with this match. The Bulls with CRUSH THE HEAT!!! Payback for last year, baby! The Bulls humiliated the Heat on ring night with a 42 point win I believe plus, they won the series 3 out of 4. So, no contest!


West:

Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors - If I didn't hear that the Warriors won the series 4-0 against the Mavs and if the Mavs won last night, I would say the Mavs would wins this series, no problem. They did not look good against the Warriors last night, so I'm going to have to say that GS will win this.

Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers - I would prefer the Lakers to win only because of Phil Jackson but, the Suns will most likely win this.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Denver Nuggets - Again, I don't know much about these two teams but, I'm going with the Nuggets since they're the underdogs in the series.

Utah Jazz vs. Houston Rockets - Houston Rockets! I don't like the Jazz.

[Kirobaito]

I am not happy with Avery right now. The Mavs won 67 games this season with a center. Gana Diop was outstanding during his time on the court, and Damp gets 3 rebounds in 2 minutes. Normally, the Mavs can adjust to how their opponent is playing because they do what their opponent does best at better than the opponent does. But not with Golden State. Play big, and massacre them.

The Mavs didn't do what they needed to do to win. I expect that they will, eventually, but damn, it's frustrating to watch them not do it against such a mediocre team.

[Tempest]

I am not happy with Avery right now. The Mavs won 67 games this season with a center. Gana Diop was outstanding during his time on the court, and Damp gets 3 rebounds in 2 minutes. Normally, the Mavs can adjust to how their opponent is playing because they do what their opponent does best at better than the opponent does. But not with Golden State. Play big, and massacre them.

The Mavs didn't do what they needed to do to win. I expect that they will, eventually, but damn, it's frustrating to watch them not do it against such a mediocre team.

I know the feeling. It's what I felt when the Bulls lost big against the Grizzlies. If they would of won the game they were supposed to, they'd have 50! I hope the Mavs do end up winning. If any team deserves it, they do. 67-15 is impressive!

[edczxcvbnm]

I know the feeling. It's what I felt when the Bulls lost big against the Grizzlies. If they would of won the game they were supposed to, they'd have 50! I hope the Mavs do end up winning. If any team deserves it, they do. 67-15 is impressive!

The Bulls should have won a lot of games they lost but the just shut down for about 4-6 minutes every game and blow a big lead. I think the Bulls are actually first in the league when it comes to blowing double digit leads.

The Bulls may lead the Heat 3-4 during the regular season but I don't think they ever played them at full strength. I know the first game in Chicago(I was at this one) Shaq was out on injury from the start and Wade was out on injury after about six minutes of play.

That is just one game but Shaq was slow to come back and then as soon as he is back Wade gets injured. Wade isn't 100% but he has always had problems against Chicago(great defense by players like Hinrich and Thabo).

[Del Murder]

So wait, if the Warriors win Game 2 as well, does KB start going into rabid convulsions? Stay tuned!

I sincerely hope Dallas wins Game 2 because I care more about that poor boy's health than I do some silly basketball game. I shudder to think what would happen.

[Bloodline666]

Even after the whole thing last season with San Antonio getting the top seed and Dallas getting the 4 seed, despite both teams finishing in the top two of the Western Conference, Denver barely even making the playoffs simply by winning a weak division, Clips getting homecourt over Denver by virtue of a better record despite the lower seed, and Dallas getting home court over Phoenix for that same reason, and the seeding format changes that followed, I think the current playoff format is STILL screwed up; apparently, it still failed to address the fact that lower seeds can still get home court over higher seeds, as seen with both instances of a 4 seed vs. 5 seed series. To me, that's just screwed up.

Anywho, here's my predictions:

Detroit/Orlando: Detroit. I don't see any way the Magic stand a chance against the Pistons...unless of course Rasheed gets a technical during crunch time.

Miami/Chicago: This one looks like it might go to at least game 6, but I'm gonna have to say Chicago, because in the post-season, Shaq has choked against Ben Wallace until last season. If Ben Wallace can guard Shaq without having to resort to "Hack-a-Shaq" (which is notorious for backfiring), Chicago should advance. And they've got a good young team that should take them far in the playoffs in the near future.

New Jersey/Toronto: I'm probably gonna have to say Toronto, based on Vince Carter's performance against the Raps in Game 1, but if VC's teammates can pick up the slack like they did in Game 1, Toronto has no chance.

Cleveland/Washington: Probably Cleveland; just a gut feeling, that's all. I have to admit, that shootout between LeBron and Arenas from last year's playoff series between the two teams was certainly a classic.

Dallas/Golden State: Definitely Dallas. There is a reason Dallas is better with the Little General than they were with Don Nelson, and that's because Don Nelson did not care about playing defense, and focused solely on offense. Nelson's now the opposing head coach of the Mavs. One would say that he knows the Mavs in and out, when the reality is, the Mavs are a totally different team now than they were when Nelson was coaching them. In fact, Nelson is so horrible at coaching defense that it was he who invented "Hack-a-Shaq", by first applying its use against Dennis Rodman.

Utah/Houston: Hmm...tough one to predict. I'll have to go with Houston.

San Antonio/Denver: Despite their Game 1 loss, I still have to pick San Antonio. If recent history is any indicator, any time the Spurs struggle in the opening round of the playoffs, they have the mental toughness to pull through in the end, and that's what won them their last two NBA titles in the last 4 years. But I think their future looks kinda blurry. I'm not sure if they're gonna bounce back from their elimination last year and win more Championships (which is what they did when the got eliminated by the Lakers 2 straight times, and what they did after Derek Fisher's 0.4 second shot), or if age is starting to take its toll on them.

Phoenix/Lakers: I have to say Phoenix on this one. The Suns simply have deadlier scoring weapons, and Steve Nash uses them with tremendous efficiency. The only way for the Lakers to beat the Suns is if they stop slacking off on offense (all they ever really do on that side is hand the ball to Kobe and watch him shoot), if Kobe starts making better shot selections, giving the ball to someone else if he can't, and if the Lakers' D shuts down Nash's teammates, thus forcing Nash to take a good chunk of the shots. That formula got the Lakers a 3-1 lead in the series last season, but they went away from that formula, and thus, we saw the typical Lakers against the typical Suns, with typical results.