The Western Conference Finals are set. The Oklahoma City Thunder will play the San Antonio Spurs.
The Eastern Conference Finals are still up in the air. The Celtics and 76ers are tied going into Game Seven, while the Heat own a one game lead over the Pacers.
The Celtics -76ers series has reignited an old rivalry and has been closely contested. Meanwhile, a new rivalry has erupted between the Heat and Pacers. Miami and Indiana have played an extemely physical five games. The series has featured countless technical fouls and two suspensions.
Not matter how the two series' end, a tremendous Eastern Conference Finals should be in store.
The finals in the West feature a classic youth vs. experience mathcup between the explosive Thunder and the verteran Spurs. The Finals are fast approaching!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Into The Playoffs (Part One: The East)
It's the most wonderful time of the year! (Well, at least for NBA fans.) The postseason has just begun, and the fan bases of sixteen (well, more like seven or eight) teams realistically can hope their team will be the one holding up the trophy in June.
Yes, 16 teams are technically alive. Eight from the East, Eight from the West. But which teams really can contend?
The Bulls looked like serious contenders, perhaps even favorites, in the Eastern Conference, before Derrick Rose, last season's MVP, had his season ended by a disappointing ACL tear in the opening game of their series with the 76ers. The Bulls, who won the first game easily with Rose, got blown out without Rose in game two.
The Bulls Round One foes, the 76ers of Philly, have to like their chances of at least getting out of the first round, but their luck may end there. The 'Sixers lack of an elite scorer cost them down the stretch of the regular season, and could cost them in the second round of playoffs versus the Celtics or Hawks.
That's right, the Celtics and Hawks are playing against each other for the first time in the playoffs since (you guessed it!) 2008-The year the Celts last won the NBA Finals. Of the two teams, the Celtics are the favorite. Despite losing game one to Atlanta in game that they played almost entirely from behind, the Celtics stormed back with a road win in game two without suspended star point guard Rajon Rondo (who threw a hissy fit in game one after consecutive questionable-- read: wrong-- calls that went against the Celtics) thanks to their resolve, defensive intensity, and a classic performance from "The Truth"--Paul Pierce.
The Celtics have the weapons to make a run to the Finals even with Ray Allen sidelined by injuries. They step up their defense to suffocating levels in the playoffs and have one of the league's most capable offensive players in Pierce. Throw in an emerging Avery Bradley, a pure point at the top of his game, (Rondo) Kevin Garnett finding the fountain of youth in the Five position, and a hungry and defensively equipped bench, and you have one intimidating playoff team!
Of course, the Celtics still need to get by the Hawks-- at team that they do not match up well against-- before thinking about the Finals, but the Celtics are capable of a deep run.
As for the Hawks, they probably aren't. They still are the same dangerous, disorganized team that has not made a deep playoff run in years. Joe Johnson is featured on a Hawks offense that scores prolifically at times, and ineffectively at other. Josh Smith, Johnson's running mate, would need to turn into Lebron James for Hawks to make to the Finals.
The Orlando Magic aren't quite as hapless as some thought they would be with out Dwight Howard. The Magic actually look like an inspired team (huh?) and stole game one versus the Pacers.
The Pacers look uninspired on both ends, meanwhile, and don't look like the contender many thought they were at the beginning of the season. This can be attributed largely to their lack of an All-Star (Danny Granger can score, but fades under pressure).
Whether or not the Pacers can get by the Magic (probably) they (definitely) won't make it past Miami.
Speaking of the Heat, they are playing well. The Knicks have given them no trouble through two games. The Heat have to be the favorite in the East, especially with Lebron James at the top of his game. If Dwayne Wade can quickly round into form, the Heat could be (nearly!) unbeatable.
The Knicks on the other hand, well... things are not looking so good for the oft over-hyped Knickerbockers. Carmelo Anthony is scoring at will (that is the good news) but Amar'e Stoudemire recently hurt his hand punching the case of a fire extinguisher, (really!?!?!?) the Knicks can't score on Miami (REALLY scary... "bring back D'Antoni" anyone?) and the Knicks don't have a point guard (Jeremy Lin and Iman Shumpert--the Knicks quasi-NBA quality points are out) unless you count Baron Davis, a despicable fat guy (not really) who tends to look for his own shots (really). Don't bank on the Knicks moving beyond round one.
Well, that is the East for ya. Contenders: Celtics, Heat. Pretenders: Orlando, Atlanta, Philly, Chi-town, Indiana, and New York. Who knows? I may be wrong. But those are the two I consider to be the contenders from the East. (That means I can see five contenders from the West.)
As for who those five teams are, expect Into The Playoffs Part Two very soon...
Yes, 16 teams are technically alive. Eight from the East, Eight from the West. But which teams really can contend?
The Bulls looked like serious contenders, perhaps even favorites, in the Eastern Conference, before Derrick Rose, last season's MVP, had his season ended by a disappointing ACL tear in the opening game of their series with the 76ers. The Bulls, who won the first game easily with Rose, got blown out without Rose in game two.
The Bulls Round One foes, the 76ers of Philly, have to like their chances of at least getting out of the first round, but their luck may end there. The 'Sixers lack of an elite scorer cost them down the stretch of the regular season, and could cost them in the second round of playoffs versus the Celtics or Hawks.
That's right, the Celtics and Hawks are playing against each other for the first time in the playoffs since (you guessed it!) 2008-The year the Celts last won the NBA Finals. Of the two teams, the Celtics are the favorite. Despite losing game one to Atlanta in game that they played almost entirely from behind, the Celtics stormed back with a road win in game two without suspended star point guard Rajon Rondo (who threw a hissy fit in game one after consecutive questionable-- read: wrong-- calls that went against the Celtics) thanks to their resolve, defensive intensity, and a classic performance from "The Truth"--Paul Pierce.
The Celtics have the weapons to make a run to the Finals even with Ray Allen sidelined by injuries. They step up their defense to suffocating levels in the playoffs and have one of the league's most capable offensive players in Pierce. Throw in an emerging Avery Bradley, a pure point at the top of his game, (Rondo) Kevin Garnett finding the fountain of youth in the Five position, and a hungry and defensively equipped bench, and you have one intimidating playoff team!
Of course, the Celtics still need to get by the Hawks-- at team that they do not match up well against-- before thinking about the Finals, but the Celtics are capable of a deep run.
As for the Hawks, they probably aren't. They still are the same dangerous, disorganized team that has not made a deep playoff run in years. Joe Johnson is featured on a Hawks offense that scores prolifically at times, and ineffectively at other. Josh Smith, Johnson's running mate, would need to turn into Lebron James for Hawks to make to the Finals.
The Orlando Magic aren't quite as hapless as some thought they would be with out Dwight Howard. The Magic actually look like an inspired team (huh?) and stole game one versus the Pacers.
The Pacers look uninspired on both ends, meanwhile, and don't look like the contender many thought they were at the beginning of the season. This can be attributed largely to their lack of an All-Star (Danny Granger can score, but fades under pressure).
Whether or not the Pacers can get by the Magic (probably) they (definitely) won't make it past Miami.
Speaking of the Heat, they are playing well. The Knicks have given them no trouble through two games. The Heat have to be the favorite in the East, especially with Lebron James at the top of his game. If Dwayne Wade can quickly round into form, the Heat could be (nearly!) unbeatable.
The Knicks on the other hand, well... things are not looking so good for the oft over-hyped Knickerbockers. Carmelo Anthony is scoring at will (that is the good news) but Amar'e Stoudemire recently hurt his hand punching the case of a fire extinguisher, (really!?!?!?) the Knicks can't score on Miami (REALLY scary... "bring back D'Antoni" anyone?) and the Knicks don't have a point guard (Jeremy Lin and Iman Shumpert--the Knicks quasi-NBA quality points are out) unless you count Baron Davis, a despicable fat guy (not really) who tends to look for his own shots (really). Don't bank on the Knicks moving beyond round one.
Well, that is the East for ya. Contenders: Celtics, Heat. Pretenders: Orlando, Atlanta, Philly, Chi-town, Indiana, and New York. Who knows? I may be wrong. But those are the two I consider to be the contenders from the East. (That means I can see five contenders from the West.)
As for who those five teams are, expect Into The Playoffs Part Two very soon...
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