Eastern Conference Finals

Boston Celtics (4-3 over Cleveland) vs Detroit Pistons (4-1 over Orlando)

This is the Eastern conference final everyone expected at the beginning of the playoffs and although both teams had some bumps on the road (Boston more than Detroit) they both made it for what should be a showdown series. Boston has the Big 2 and Ray Allen's expiring contract and the Pistons still have one of the strongest starting 5's in the league.

The Pistons played around with the Sixers in the 1st round but once they became serious they rolled and won in six. The Pistons knew the Magic were a bigger threat and took them serious from the get-go and won the series in 5 even with Billups missing most of Game 3 and all of Games 4 and 5. The Pistons are rolling right now and they will thrive in their underdog role against the Celtics.

The Celtics faced a minor scare against the Hawks in round 1. Although they were dragged to 7 games they were never challenged at home and won Game 7 by 34. Against Cleveland they were really tested and could have easily lost Games 1, 5, and 7 at home. They survived LeBron in a classic Game 7 but now look very vulnerable. And they still haven't won a road game.

I believe there a few reasons why the Pistons will win this series.

- Ray Allen is simply terrible and with his decline the Pistons have clear advantages at PG and SG and a decent advantage at C (Maxiell over Perkins).

- Although KG and Paul Pierce are better overall players than Sheed and Tayshaun both of those players have the ability and experience to keep those matchups relatively even

- Boston hasn't shown they can win on the road in the postseason and they were very vulnerable at home against Cleveland

Those 3 points along with my overall disappointment with Boston's performance during these playoffs lead me to believe Pistons in 6

Tonight's Game 7 prediction - My heart says the Hornets (because I hate the Spurs and I think the Hornets are a better matchup for the LakeShow) but my head says the defending champs will find a way to prevail. The Hornets are the better overall team but the Spurs' Big 3 is great and stars win Game 7's. Tonight should be great though.

after the game 5's

Eastern Conference

Pistons beat Magic 4-1

The Pistons won another close game against the Magic. The Pistons made the plays down the stretch and the Magic simply didn't. The Magic put up good fights in Games 2-5 but they simply weren't good enough to take advantage of Billups missing most of Game 3 and all of Games 4 and 5. If the Magic make some tweaks to their roster they will be a force for years to come.

Celtics lead Cavs 3-2

Nothing too surprising happened in Game 5 if you consider the regular season but if you consider what happened in the 1st four games then a lot of crazy things happened - LeBron dropped 23 in the 1st half and 35 for the game, KG had a beast game with 26 and 16 and actually showed up in the 4th qtr, Doc pulled the plug on Sam I Am early and Rondo flourished (20 and 13 dimes). I was glad to see a relatively well played game. With their continued road struggles I don't think the Celtics will win in Cleveland but they will handle them at home in Game 7.

Western Conference

Lakers lead Jazz 3-2

This has been the most entertaining series of the 2nd round so far and that continued in Game 5. This game was highly entertaining with Utah continually tying the score but never being able to take the lead. They were within 1 point in the final minute but couldn't make enough plays to win. As Barkley said on Inside the NBA, the Lakers might have the real big 3 - Kobe (26, 6, and 7), Pauuuu (21, 6, and 8) and LO (22, 11, and 1). The Lakers will be hard pressed to win Game 6 in Utah but if the players around Kobe step up on the road like they do at home then they will have a very good chance to close the series out. Because Kobe's back is hurting I give Utah the edge at home and expect the Lakers to take the series in 7 like originally predicted.

Hornets lead Spurs 3-2

Nothing changed in Game 5. The home team is down at halftime but the home team dominates the 3rd quarter and ends up winning by double digits. David West had a career game (36 and 14) and if the Spurs want to avoid putting Duncan on him then he is going to keep beasting (at least in NO) and the Hornets will win this series. I'm very surprised that a veteran team like the Spurs repeatedly gives up leads but maybe NO is just slightly better. The Spurs will win Game 6 but I will be watching it closely to see HOW they win Game 6. I still think they can win in NO and if they dominate Game 6 from the start that will only increase that belief.

after all the game 4's

Western Conference

1. Los Angeles Lakers vs 4. Utah Jazz - tied 2-2

This series has gone pretty much to form so far. Many experts predicted a long series and this series is now guaranteed to go 6 games. The Lakers weren't really threatened in the 1st 2 games and the Jazz held off the Lakers in their 2 home games. The Lakers really should be up 3-1 but Kobe's injury and bad execution hurt them in Game 4. The Lakers may have some pressure on them to win Game 5 but the Jazz really haven't showed that they can win on the road in LA. Kobe says his back is fine and he has an extra day of rest before Game 5. I still see the Lakers winning this series.

2. New Orleans Hornets vs. 3. San Antonio Spurs - tied 2-2

This series has been filled with double digit victories. New Orleans looked unstoppable at home in Games 1 and 2 and then the Spurs looked unstoppable at home in Games 3 and 4. Duncan looked better Games 3 and 4 and maybe the fever was the primary cause of his struggles in the first two games. The Spurs have decided to let Chris Paul get his and try to stop the other Hornets. Bowen is now guarding Peja instead of CP3 and it is slowing Peja down. The Hornets were unable to run in San Antonio. I think the Hornets bounce back in Game 5 but the Spurs may win in 7.

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Celtics vs 4. Cleveland Cavaliers - tied 2-2

Man what an ugly series. Boston hasn't cracked 90 points in any game and Cleveland has only once. LeBron James is shooting 25% in the series but the Cavs are somehow tied with the Celtics...and that is because the Celtics apparently cannot win on the road (0-5 in the playoffs). If I was a Celtics fan I would be a little worried. The Cavs almost stole Game 1 in Boston and they've obviously showed they can win at home with ease. Boston's supposed Big 3 isn't playing that well and I would worry about KG (0 pts!) and Ray Ray disappearing in the fourth quarter in Game 4. I still give Boston the edge because of how they play at home but they need to stop messing around.

2. Detroit Pistons vs. 3. Orlando Magic - Pistons lead 3-1

The Magic have to really be kicking themselves. They didn't execute at the end of Game 2 and they were screwed at the end of the third quarter during that game. They blew a 15 pt lead and again didn't execute at the end of Game 4 even though the Pistons were missing Chauncey Billups. Now, Jameer Nelson is guaranteeing a Game 5 victory in Detroit which makes no sense since they just lost to them at home. Pistons win Game 5. This series is over.

Celtics-Cavs Prediction

1. Boston Celtics (4-3 vs Hawks) vs. 4. Cleveland Cavs (4-2 vs Wizards)

On paper this should be a mismatch. Boston was 66-16 with a +10.3 point differential while Cleveland was 45-37 with a -0.4 point differential. In reality, this series should be competitive. Boston was taken to a Game 7 by Atlanta which no one expected. Cleveland handled a injury-riddled Washington team in 6 games after playing mediocre to end the season.

Key points IMO

- Cleveland is not as nearly as athletic as Atlanta is. Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Al Horford, and Josh Childress are all good or great athletes and they caused problems for Boston. LeBron is probably the best athlete in the league but the Cavs don't have many other athletes.

- Boston plays great team defense and they are a much better defensive team than Washington. The '07 Cavs (who were a better team then this year) got swept by a great defensive team in the Spurs in the finals.

- Some people are doubting the Celtics because they didn't win a road game against a 37 win team and they had trouble closing games. Since they have home-court advantage they don't have to win a road game especially since they've been untouchable at home. I think Boston will be ready for close games now that they've been woken up by Atlanta.

I have a hard time believing Cleveland can win in Boston and I think Boston can and will win a road game in this series. They were great on the road during the season (31-10). I don't feel great going against LeBron but the Celtics are simply too dominant.Lebron will cause problems in close games but I don't think most of the games will be close. Boston in 6

Celtics-Hawks

In the spirit of potentially the greatest upset in NBA history and the only Game 7 of the 1st round and inspired by Bill Simmons I decided to do a running diary of Game 7 of the Celtics vs Hawks.

9:38 AM - I am watching the pre-game show and really hoping for a close game. It would be great if the Hawks win but I also want to see how the Celtics perform under ultimate pressure.

9:40 AM - They showed a quick highlight of Bird vs Dominique in '88. I'm not expecting anything of that nature today but it would be GREAT if anything close to that happened

9:43 AM - ABC brought out the big guns of Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mark Jackson for the game. I'm glad that I won't have to listen to some whack announcers.

9:48 AM - Experience and history are on the Celtics side but once the tip off happens none of that matters.

9:52 AM - None of the analysts want to go out on a limb and pick the Hawks. I wouldn't either because the Celtics are going to win. They are the better team and they are playing at home. I don't think the Hawks will be able to keep it close. They've been blown out in the 3 games up there.

9:56 AM - The intros to NBA games are terrible now. We don't want to hear rock music, we want to great theme songs like the NBA on NBC.

10:00 AM - Why are the Celtics coming out to the instrumental of Ayo Technology? That can't be a good sign

10:04 AM - Tip Off. Let's go Let's go! JJ bangs home a 3 for the first bucket. Good sign for the Hawks

10:06 AM - Mike Bibby is still getting booed for calling Celtics fans bandwagon fans

10:09 AM - 10-5 Boston. The Celtics have come out with a lot of energy and the crowd is hype. Timeout ATL. They need to get better shots (2-8)

10:10 AM - The new LeBron Vitamin Water commercial is stupid and def not as funny as some of the others

10:13 AM - Wild miss by Marvin Williams. I can't tell how injured he is. Josh Childress is going to have to be big off the bench.

10:16 AM - 16-8 Boston. The Celtics look like the hungry young team. They are dominating the boards and getting all the loose balls. Not looking good early for Hotlanta

10:19 AM - Bibby w/ a nice drive to the basket. The Hawks need the old Bibby who used to kill the Lakers to show up today.

10:20 AM - Zaza Pachulia might be the most hated person in Boston outside of Hank Steinbrenner

10:21 AM - 20-10 Boston. Kendrick Perkins is playing like he's Andrew Bynum. This game could be over early.

10:24 AM - Coors Light has so many different gimmicks to get people to drink their beer. Why don't they just make their beer taste good and stop trying to trick people into drinking it?

10:27 AM - JJ is on fire. He's going to have to drop at least 30 for them to have a chance

10:28 AM - End of 1st quarter. 27-16 Boston. Looks like Perkins is trying to be the X-factor. He's all over the place

10:31 AM - Game 7...those two words make me feel OK about drinking beer in the morning

10:32 AM - ABC needs to look into replacing Michelle Tafoya with Stephanie Ready from NBA-TV and TNT

10:35 AM - Atlanta looks bad right now. They need to get it going before this lead gets too big. 30-16 BOS

10:38 AM - Man that IHOP commercial made me hungry. I need a girl to make me some pancakes lol

10:39 AM - I wonder how much money that "Can you hear me now?" guy makes. He's everywhere

10:42 AM - PJ Brown is playing like it's 1999. Very surprising contribution off the bench. If the Hawks can get hot at all they could get back in this game. 34-20 BOS

10:44 AM - The new Adam Sandler movie looks absolutely ridiculous. People are really running out of ideas. Although the parody of the NBA's split screen ads with Sandler and Baron Davis is pretty funny

10:47 AM - JVG just called Mark Jackson laterally challenged. These dudes are hilarious

10:51 AM - This is starting to get ugly. The Hawks can't get anything going offensively while Boston is being very patient on the offensive end. Atlanta looks like a 37 win team. 40-23 BOS

10:54 AM - Josh Smith is playing terrible right now. Just airballed a jumper. The Hawks need Smith and JJ to play well to have any chance. The Celtics are doing a pretty good of trapping and doubling JJ to make him pass. The Hawks can't finish at the rim or make jumpers right now.

10:59 AM - The Hawks need to keep this manageable at halftime. If the lead gets to 20 or more they will be in a lot of trouble.

11:00 AM - As it looks pretty certain that the Celtics are going to win, I have started to think about how they match up with the Cavs. First thoughts are that if they struggle guarding JJ, LeBron is going to have a field day.

11:02 AM - JJ reminds me of Kobe last year against the Suns. No help and the team looks completely overwhelmed.

11:03 AM - Halftime. Boston 44 Atlanta 26. The Hawks are really struggling to score (shooting 26%). This game is just about over. Hopefully some entertaining things happen in the 2nd half

11:06 AM - I wanna go to Beer Heaven....as long as there are better beers there than Miller Lite

11:09 AM - Deep analysis from Jon Barry. "Why isn't Atlanta playing well?" "They're not in Atlanta!"

11:11 AM - These T-mobile commercials with Wade and Barkley have had surprising staying power. They are usually funny. On the topic of Wade, why is he hanging out with Star Jones? Seems very questionable since she is recently divorced. If you're going to kick it with a cougar make it a tight one like Stacy Dash or Vanessa Williams

11:14 AM - Mike Tirico is a midget. And Deron Williams doesn't sound scared of the Lakers but he doesn't sound supremely confident either. Fear the Pauuuuuu

11:18 AM - Insider access on LeBron. Nice interaction between him and Duncan after the '07 Finals. LeBron's girl looks better than what I remembered (not tight or anything but somewhat decent lol). It's good to see LeBron handling his responsibilities as a father unlike people like Shawn Kemp or Karl Malone.

11:22 AM - Regis Philbin is still alive?

11:23 AM - If the Hawks don't make a run early in this quarter I might have to end the diary early and go make some food.

11:24 AM - 3 pointer by Pierce to open up the half. 21 pt Boston lead

11:27 AM - Boston looks ready to step on Atlanta's throat. They've maintained the energy the had in the 1st half

11:29 AM - WOW! Marvin Williams just tried to decapitate Rondo. Just grabbed his head and neck and threw him to ground. Very dangerous play. He received a flagrant 2 and was ejected. Time for Josh to step it up forreal forreal.

11:32 AM - Ray Allen just hit a 3 to give Boston a 28 pt lead. They have now doubled up the Hawks. GAME OVERRE. I might return after I cook. I'm not getting paid for this so I can leave whenever I want haha

11:58 AM - Nothing like a breakfast bowl with a blowout. End of third quarter. Boston is up 36! 79-43. Countdown to Lakers-Jazz officially begins

12:02 PM - I don't understand why Pierce and Rondo are still in the game. Bust out the human victory cigar Brian Scalabrine

12:05 PM - It would be nice to see Atlanta compete in the 4th. They shocked the world just by getting to Game 7 and they need to build on this experience for next year

12:10 PM - Early thoughts on Celtics-Cavs: The Cavs do not have the overall athleticism of the Hawks but they do have LeBron. The Celtics are going to double LeBron a lot and I don't know if the other Cavs can step up enough. My early prediction is Celtics in 6 but I'll have to think about it

12:13 PM - Man Al Horford is struggling. Good learning experience for the rookie. The NBA playoffs ain't March Madness

12:15 PM - 89-54 Boston. 6 mins left. Can't wait for this game to end

12:18 PM - These new Yukon Denali commercials are bootleg. Get a real NBA player that you can actually show and not some mystery random person

12:19 PM - Everyone should go see Iron Man. Well-done and very entertaining

12:22 PM - The Celtics are clowning. Big Baby Davis is shooting 3's

12:30 PM - Michelle Tafoya is interviewing the Commish. I wish she would have grilled him about the debacle of the Sonics leaving Seattle for Oklahoma City

12:32 PM - Game is final. 99-65 Boston. What a blowout. At least this was a good practice for future Game 7 running diaries.

Onto the 2nd Round

It's funny that out all of the supposed competitive series the NBA had in the 1st round that the only one that is going 7 is the Celtics and Hawks. Can the Hawks pull off the biggest upset ever? I don't think so but hey I didn't think they would win a game. The last conference semifinal prediction will come Sunday or Monday after that Game 7.

I believe the 2nd round this year is due for some memorable moments like the one above (Fisher 0.4). Onto the predictions.

Eastern Semifinals

1st round performance in parenthesis
2. Detroit Pistons (4-2 over Sixers) vs 3. Orlando Magic (4-1 over Raptors)

This is a very interesting series. Detroit seemed to wake up during halftime of Game 4 and completely dominated the Sixers from that point on. The Magic handled the Raptors with ease even though they didn't shoot the three well besides the 1st quarter of Game 1. The Magic are clearly a lot better than Philly but Philly only caused problems when the Pistons were sleeping. I think the Pistons will be more mentally prepared this series. Dwight Howard is going to cause a lot of problems for the Pistons especially if they don't double him. But the only two Magic players really having a good series are Howard and whoever Prince doesn't guard between Turkoglu and Lewis. The Pistons don't like the double and they will prevent the Magic from getting a lot of open 3's. I believe the Pistons' offensive versatility will be the key. If Billups gets everyone involved and the team moves the ball I don't believe the Magic can stop them defensively. The Magic also don't have someone like LeBron who can completely dominate from the perimeter inward and expose the Pistons' unwillingness to double team. The Pistons' arrogance could cost them a game or two but not the series. Pistons in 6

Western Semifinals

1. Los Angeles Lakers (4-0 over Nuggets) vs 4. Utah Jazz (4-2 over Rockets)

This could possibly the best series of the entire playoffs. Both teams have a lot of offensive firepower with some questions on the defensive end. Both teams run their offenses very efficiently. Utah has clear advantages at PG and PF with Deron and Boozer. Los Angeles has clear advantages at SG and C with The MVP and Gasol. SF could go either way as Kirilenko is known for his defense and Vlad Rad is known for his shooting. I believe the benches could be very important. Both teams bring scorers and bangers off the bench.

I believe there are a few keys to this series. Can the Lakers contain Deron Williams? They can't allow him to score at will and get others involved. They must guard the pick n roll well. Can Utah slow Kobe down at all? Kobe has torched them during the regular season even though they have some good defenders like Brewer and AK-47. Kobe is going to get his regardless but if they let him do it very efficiently then they are in trouble. I'll believe the Lakers having the best player in the series and homecourt advantage will lead to victory. Lakers in 7

2. New Orleans Hornets (4-1 over Mavs) vs 3. San Antonio Spurs (4-1 over Suns)

Both teams easily handled their first round opponents who had made major trades during the season. The Hornets simply outclassed the Mavs while the Spurs simply outexecuted the Suns. The Hornets showed that talent can trump playoff experience while the Spurs showed that you have to TAKE out the champs instead of expecting them to go away quietly. Although the Spurs have not repeated following a championship they have lost to the Shaq-Kobe Lakers in '04 and the Mavericks (who should have won the title) in 7 games in '06. In '00 Duncan missed their 1st round loss with an injury. It's safe to say that they will not go away quietly. I do believe the Hornets have the talent to take it away from them. I do not believe they are mentally ready to do so. I believe teams must experience tough playoff games along with some heartbreak before they are ready to defeat a great veteran team.

There are some great matchups. Cp3 is the best point guard in the game while Tony Parker might be the quickest. Neither is a great on the ball defender so I can see them both having ridiculous numbers. Duncan might the best power forward of all time but I can see Chandler and West doing a decent job on him. They also will not allow the pick and roll with Parker and Duncan to work as well as it did against the Suns. If I'm a Hornets fan I worry a lot about Ginobili. Neither Peterson nor Peja can guard him and I think he will be the X-factor. The Hornets have impressed me a lot this season but the Spurs are most definitely not the Mavs. Spurs in 6

BOOM!

That's the sound of the Jason Kidd and Shaquille O'Neal trades blowing up in the faces of the Mavs and the Suns. Although both teams lost in the first round in 5 games, I see the situations quite differently. I'm going to use a blackjack analogy.

The Mavs before the Kidd trade were not contenders to win the West so in a desperation move to compete they traded for an big name player. I see this as having 16 when the dealer is showing a 10. If you stay you are very likely to lose and if you hit you are very likely to lose. But Dallas did neither, they doubled down (by losing key depth and messing up their salary cap) and busted and lost more money than they had to. Avery Johnson is very likely to be fired and that team needs a lot of changes.

The Suns before the Shaq trade were fringe contenders to the win the West so in a less-desperate move they traded for a big center to compete with the Spurs and the Pau Lakers. I see this as having a 12 while the dealer is showing an 7. You should hit (very unlikely to win if you stay but possible) but there's a good chance you can bust. Well the Suns swung for the fences and doubled down and busted. Shaq is old and is owed a lot of money and Grant Hill is back to his injury prone ways. Not looking good for them but Amare is very young and still has a lot of potential.

In the other two games.....

The Rockets did what they had to do at home and blasted the Jazz. This has been a very even series since Rafer Alston came back in Game 3. I hope the Rockets force a Game 7 because Game 7's are GREAT.

The Pistons finally played up to their potential and dominated the Sixers from the start. I have a strong feeling they will win Game 6. They're just a lot better than Philly.

In tomorrow's games, I see the Cavs closing out the Wizards and the Celtics taking a 3-2 lead over the Hawks.

My first thoughts on the 2nd round matchup of Hornets vs Spurs are that it should be a great series. One of the best pg's in the game vs one of the quickest. Quite possibly the best power forward of all-time vs an up and coming all star power forward. Full breakdown and prediction will come before the series starts Saturday.

Hell Yeah!

The Lakers ended their postseason drought with their 1st series victory since 2004. Denver fought hard in Game 4 but they still got swept aside. Even with Boston and Detroit playing supposed pushovers Atlanta and Philly, the Lakers will be the only team to sweep a team this 1st round. Very impressive performance from the Lakers this series and Kobe showed why he's a MVP candidate. He shrugged off missed FT's and some silly fouls to completely take over the end of Game 4.

In the other games....

The Celtics lost again to Atlanta. I assumed after what happened at the end of Game 3, that the Celtics would come out and handle Atlanta. Instead they let Joe Johnson torch them for 20 pts in the 4th quarter and now the series is 2-2. I am really surprised by these turn of events. I'm glad to see fans go crazy in Atlanta even if they might be bandwagoners. Boston seems bothered by the Hawks' athleticism.

The Magic ended the NBA-TV invitational (3 of the 5 games have been on that channel) in 5 games. Dwight Howard is a beast. Had his 3rd 20-20 game of the series which hasn't been done since 1971 by Wilt Chamberlain. I underestimated the Magic and they look to be a formidable foe for Detroit (they will beat Philly) in the 2nd round.

In non-playoff news...

Pat Riley stepped down as the Miami Heat coach and was replaced by assistant Erik Spolestra. He remains the team's President.

Larry Brown is back coaching as the coach of Charlotte Bobcats. He should be able to get that team to the playoffs in a weak Eastern conference.

The Celtics Lost?!

That phrase almost started a riot in the bathrooms at BeerFest. While waiting in line I checked my phone and was amazed. I started to taunt my friend who was a Celtics fan and somehow started pandemonium in the bathroom with almost everyone chanting and cheering that the Celtics lost.

Safe to say I was very surprised by the Hawks' victory. I am happy for them and I hope they can make it an interesting series. It would be hilarious if the Suns, who a lot of people saw as a title contender, got swept and the Hawks didn't.

In the other games -

the Jazz handled their business at home and took a 3-1 lead over the Rockets. T-Mac had another good game but another quiet 4th qtr. Hopefully they can stretch the series to 6 or 7 games because...

the LakeShow took a commanding a 3-0 lead over the Nuggets with another relatively easy victory. Kobe had a solid all around game and many of his Laker teammates played solidly as well. Melo and AI were terrible and Denver was undisciplined like usual. Hopefully the Lakers can close it out Monday and get some rest.

in the NBA-TV invitational, the Magic pulled away from the Raptors late and took a 3-1 lead and I suspect that they'll close it out on Monday (on NBA-TV of course). Chris Bosh played well but no one else really showed up for the Raptors. I'm starting to think Andrea Bargnani is Italian for Kwame Brown.

thoughts after all the game 2's

Although the playoffs have been exciting so far, only one of the 8 1st round series (Philly-Det) is tied 1-1. Detroit is going to handle Philly but I could see Philly winning one more game. Here are my thoughts on the other 7

Series I think are just about over

Celtics 2 Hawks 0

This series was over before it started and the Hawks only made it worse by talking.

Jazz 2 Rockets 0

The Rockets aren't going to come back from losing both games at home especially without Yao and Utah being so good at home

Cavs 2 Wizards 0

The Wizards looked horrible in Game 2. LeBron outscored the Big 3 by himself. They don't have a way to slow down LeBron and Arenas isn't healthy.

Series I think aren't over yet but not looking good for the teams down

Lakers 2 Nuggets 0
The Nuggets just can't guard anyone. Game 1 it's Gasol dropping 36, 16, and 8 and Game 2 it's Kobe dropping 49 and 10. Denver could stretch it to 5 or 6 but that's it.

Hornets 2 Mavs 0
The Mavs can't do anything to slow down CP3. He's running wild and completely dominating. They don't have the players on their roster anymore (Devin Harris) to even slow him down. They look swagless like they did last year against the W's.

Spurs 2 Suns 0

The Suns blew Game 1 and got dominated in the 2nd half of Game 2. Their late game execution is shaky and they are unable to keep Tony P or Manu out of the paint. I can't imagine them winning 4 in a row or winning 4 of 5 and Game 7 in San Antonio.

Magic 2 Raptors 0

Dwight Howard has been beasting and that will continue throughout the series. With that said, Toronto had a chance to steal one in Orlando and blew it by not running a better play at the end of the game. They've showed they can hang with Orlando (after the 1st qtr) but they haven't shown they can beat them yet.

I know it's early but...

Two of the 1st round series already look finished.

Houston just doesn't have enough firepower to compete with Utah and it would be foolish to think they can win 4 of 5 against the Jazz with 3 of the games being in Utah. This is really looking like a sweep now.

The Wizards can talk the talk but they obviously can't walk the walk. I understand why Arenas is struggling but not Jamison or Butler (Wally is guarding him!). I think they show some heart in Washington but I'll be surprised if the series lasts more than 5.

quick thoughts after the game 1's

Lakers 128 Nuggets 114

Lakers win easily even though Kobe doesn't play particularly well. Denver played zero defense and I don't see any indication that they'll start.

Celtics 104 Hawks 81

No surprises here. The Hawks are simply outmatched and outclassed.

Sixers 90 Pistons 86

The Pistons had control of the game but then they got complacent and arrogant and gave the Sixers' confidence. Could be a longer series than I thought

Magic 114 Raptors 100

The Raptors looked asleep in the 1st quarter but they eventually made it a game in the 4th. Dwight Howard looks ready to dominate and make me look like an idiot.

I didn't see the Saturday games (was in Napa, story not really appropriate for a family friendly blog) but I saw highlights and read recaps.

Spurs 117 Suns 115 2 OT

It doesn't really surprise me that the Spurs out-executed the Suns in the clutch. Shaq has to stay out of foul trouble so he can guard Duncan. Looks like the series might live up to the hype.

Cavs 93 Wizards 86

Close game and LeBron takes over at the end. Very similar to their series two years ago. Looks to be another series filled with very close games.

Jazz 93 Rockets 82

Not a good start for the Rockets. Without Yao, they can't expect to win with T-Mac going 7 for 21. This could be a shorter series than I thought.


Hornets 104 Mavs 92

Chris Paul just went crazy in the 2nd half and the Mavs are going to have do something to slow him down or they have no chance. Talent >>>>> experience

entire playoffs predictions

Who will be holding the trophy like the man above? Detailed analysis will come before these series start. I just want to get my predictions on record.

Conference Semis

EAST

1. Celtics vs 4. Cavs

I expect a highly entertaining series but the Celts are too dominant. Celtics in 6

2. Pistons vs 6. Raptors

The Raptors ain't ready for the big boys. Pistons win easily. Pistons in 5

WEST

1. Lakers vs 4. Jazz

Should be a high scoring well played series. The Lakers are better so they win lol. Lakers in 7

6. Suns vs 7. Mavs

Another great match-up. No way the Mavs can handle Shaq and STAT. Suns in 6

Conference Finals

1. Celtics vs 2. Pistons
The Eastern showdown everyone has been waiting for. This is a tough call for me but Celtics in 6

1. Lakers vs 6. Suns
Kobe vs Shaq! Kobe vs Shaq! Kobe vs Shaq! MOST HYPED CONFERENCE FINALS EVER! Kobe vs Shaq! lol Lakers in 7

Finals
1. Celtics vs 1. Lakers
The two most storied NBA franchises face off in the finals for the first time in over 20 years. Does KG finally win a ring? Does Kobe win a ring without Shaq? As much as it pains me to say Celtics in 6

The Playoffs are Here!

I'll save the best for last so I'll start with the East

1. Boston Celtics (66-16, +10.3) vs 8. Atlanta Hawks (37-45, -1.8)
season series: 3-0 Boston

I know the 1-8 upsets are possible (as evidenced by the Warriors last year) but the Hawks absolutely have no chance. The Celtics won the season series 3-0 with all victories coming by double digits. The Celtics play the best defense in the league and while the Hawks have been better offensively since the trade for Bibby, they are still not an elite offensive team. The Celtics have the two best players in the series in KG and Paul "The Truth" Pierce but there is an outside chance Joe Johnson, Bibby, Josh Smith and of course Josh Childress could steal a game but I don't think so. Celtics in 4


4. Cleveland Cavaliers (45-37, -0.4) vs 5. Washington Wizards (43-39, -0.3)
season series: tied 2-2

This is easily the most interesting Eastern Conference 1st round series. The Cavs have knocked out the Wizards in the first round the past two years. Two years ago in 6 games when the Wizards were healthy but couldn't guard LeBron and last year in 4 games when Arenas and Caron were hurt. The Wizards have been integrating Hibachi back into the lineup pretty well and the Cavs have been middling since the trade for Big Ben, Wally, and Delonte West. This is a very tough call. On paper the Wizards look better but I still don't trust their defense (19th in OPP FG%) and LeBron is simply a step (maybe even two) above Gilbert, Caron, or Jamison. I also don't think it was wise for Deshawn Stevenson to call LeBron overrated or for Gilbert to call out the entire Cavs team. Homecourt advantage is crucial and LeBron averages at least 30, 8, and 8 in this series. Cavs in 7.


2. Detroit Pistons (59-23, +7.4) vs 7. Philadelphia 76ers (40-42, +0.4)
season series: tied 2-2

This series is not interesting at all to me. Philly is a nice little story as most people expected them to be in the lottery this year but they're still not very good. If I can cross up Dalembert (true story) imagine what Billups and Co. are going to do hahaha. But seriously the Pistons are clearly the better team in every conceivable way. The Zoo Crew (their young players they bring off the bench) has been killin' recently so their starters are going to be rested too. Philly will be competitive in some of the games and I think they might be able to steal one. Pistons in 5

3. Orlando Magic (52-30, +5.5) vs 6. Toronto Raptors (41-41, +2.9)
season series: Orlando 2-1

This series has the potential to be very entertaining. Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh are some of the best big men the East has to offer. Both teams can score a lot of points by going inside to their big men and also outside to their shooters. Although Toronto hasn't played great down the stretch I believe momentum going into the playoffs is overrated. Toronto clearly has the better point guards - Ford and Calderon vs Nelson, Arroyo, and Dooling. That along with Howard's inability to create his own shot consistently will be the downfall of the Magic. The Magic are not a great home team so I expect Toronto have some success in Orlando. Raptors in 6

THE WEST

The Western teams are more evenly matched and will require some deeper analysis - brace yourself haha

1. Los Angeles Lakers (57-25, +7.3) vs 8. Denver Nuggets (50-32, +3.7)
season series: Los Angeles 3-0

Even if I wasn't a Laker fan this would be the easiest Western series to pick. The Lakers are clearly the better team. Although the Nuggets average more PPG, the Lakers are arguably the better offensive team because they have a higher FG%, higher 3FG%, and higher efficiency. The defense is not even up for discussion. Lakers are 20th in PPG allowed and Denver is 29th. Lakers are 6th in FG defense and Denver is 14th. Although Denver probably has the 2nd and 3rd best players in the series (AI and Melo after Kobe of course), the Lakers are more diverse offensively, better defensively, and have the best player on the planet. Denver doesn't seem disciplined or mature enough to overcome those things. Because Denver is great at home and AI has a lot of heart (even though he hates practice) - Lakers in 5

4. Utah Jazz (54-28, +6.9) vs 5. Houston Rockets (55-27, +4.7)
season series: Utah 2-1

This is a rematch of last year's 1st round series. Just like last year Utah is the 4 and Houston is the 5 but with homecourt advantage. But Houston is missing Yao even though they have had a record streak this year. Utah is better than what it was last year with the addition of Ashton Kutcher, uhh I mean Kyle Korver. Houston w/o Yao is better defensively (because Yao is slower than molasses on D) but significantly worse offensively. Players like Scola and Landry have been stepping up but Houston is still 21st in PPG and 20th in FG%. I don't think they have enough offense to match Utah (5th in PPG and 2nd in FG%). Utah has been terrible on the road this year (17-24) so that gives Houston a solid chance but I don't think they have enough weapons to keep up. Boozer, Deron, Okur, AK-47, etc. will be too much for T-mac to overcome without Yao. T-mac gets screwed once again. Jazz in 6

2. New Orleans Hornets (56-26, +5.3) vs 7. Dallas Mavericks (51-31, +4.5)
season series: tied 2-2

Usually the 2-7 matchup is a mismatch (see Detroit-Philly above). This however is a different story. The teams split their four meetings and are pretty similar in W-L record and point differential. Also they are similar in PPG and FG%. Dallas has the slightly better FG% defense and New Orleans shoots the three better. Because the teams are so evenly matched on paper a lot is going to be decided by matchups and intangibles. Kidd can't guard Chris Paul but in their game tonight, the Mavs found a way to get the ball out of his hands. The Hornets essentially have no playoff experience outside of Peja and they are a young team compared to the Mavs. The Mavs have seemed to regain their swagger with their trade for Jason Kidd. CP3 (legitimate MVP candidate) and David West (all-star) are sure to get theirs but I'm not sure who else is going to step up for the Hornets (Peja is not really known to be clutch). The Mavs' offensive versatility, veteran leadership, and regained "huevos grandes" lead them to victory. Mavs in 7

3. San Antonio Spurs (56-26, +4.8) vs 6. Phoenix Suns (55-27, +5.0)
season series: Suns 3-1

Saving the best for last. Talk about a ridiculous 3-6 matchup. The teams combined for 111 wins and although San Antonio has the better seed, Phoenix has the better differential. If Ali-Foreman was dubbed the Rumble in the Jungle I'm going to call this the Slugfest in the Southwest. Hopefully Horry doesn't go all Ronnie Lott again and ruin the integrity of the series. Thankfully, Tim Donaghy won't be on the sidelines for this one. I don't want to see players ejected and/or suspended but it would be cool for Steve Nash to be bloodied again. Ok enough with the side stories based off last year. There are two big changes. The Suns traded Marion and Banks for the Big Catcus aka The Real Superman aka Diesel aka the Big Aristotle aka Shaquille O'neal. Many people (including myself) ripped the trade when it happened but Shaq has seemed to find the Fountain of Youth (or Balco) in the desert. The Suns look a lot more prepared to do damage in the postseason than ever before. The other big change is that the Spurs simply haven't been as dominant as last year (highest pt differential in the league). Their veteran role players like Finley, Horry, and Barry have lost a step and are banged up. Duncan is still Duncan but he has fallen off some this year. Shaq has always bothered Duncan in the past and the Suns are 2-0 against the Spurs with Shaq. I do worry about how the Suns are going to matchup with both Parker and Manu w/o Marion but then again the Spurs can't match up with both Shaq and Amare. I can't see Phoenix winning game 7 in San Antonio so Suns in 6

If you don't agree with my predictions, remember I'm a doctor (at least a future one) so listen to what I say haha

Dr. Hoops

Quick Predictions for Tonight's Important Games

Dallas over New Orleans
Denver over Memphis
Utah over San Antonio
Houston over LA CLippers
Phoenix over Portland

LakeShow!

The Lakers already have clinched the Pacific Division and with tonight's victory over the Queens they have clinched #1 in the West and homecourt advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs with a 57-25 record. It's their first division title in the Post-Shaq era and their first #1 seed since the 1999-2000 season. Their 1st round opponent and possible second round opponents have yet to be determined. Needless to say things are looking good for the Lakers but the West is going to be very very tough.

Can't wait for the playoffs

With every NBA team only having 1 or 2 games left the playoff picture is starting to become clear (at least in the East).

All the matchups are set in the East

1) Boston vs 8) Atlanta
4) Cleveland vs 5)Washington
2) Detroit vs 7) Philadelphia
3) Orlando vs 6) Toronto

The West has cleared up some but figuring out all the potential playoff pairings will still give you headaches.

The Lakers have clinched a top two seed and will clinch the top seed with a victory against the Kings Tuesday or a loss by the Hornets in one of their final two games (Clippers, @ Mavs)

The Hornets are in 2nd but can drop to 3rd if they lose their final two games and the Spurs beat the Jazz at home on Wednesday.

After that stuff gets really messy. If the Jazz beat the Spurs in San Antonio on Wednesday (which they haven't done in about a million years) there is a possibility of a 4 team tie between the Jazz, Spurs, Rockets, and Suns all at 55-27. This would happen if the Rockets and Suns won on Wednesday. Based on complicated tiebreakers the Jazz would be 3rd, Suns 4th, Rockets 5th, and Spurs 6th.

Given the opponents of the Rockets (Clippers) and Suns (Blazers) and the recent struggles of the Spurs this crazy scenario doesn't seem too far fetched. I say it happens.

For the 7 and 8 spots it's simple. If Dallas wins against New Orleans or Denver loses against Memphis then Dallas is 7th. If Dallas loses and Denver wins then Denver is 7th.

My predicted matchups

1) Lakers vs 8) Mavericks
4) Suns vs 5) Rockets
2) Hornets vs 7) Nuggets
3) Jazz vs 6) Spurs

playoff predictions to come when the matchups are set in both conferences

Dr. Hoops

Quick Condolences...

for the Warriors who will end the season with 48 or 49 wins yet miss the playoffs. The highest win total in over 30 years not to make it. They can't blame anyone but themselves though. If they would have played some defense tonight or last Thursday against the Nuggets they might have made the playoffs. I'm upset I won't be able to go to a Laker playoff game up here in the bay. Oh well, bring on the Mavs or Nuggets.

Dr. Hoops