First Round.

EAST

(1) CAVS VS. (8) PISTONS
(2) CELTICS VS. (7) BULLS
(3) MAGIC VS. (6) SIXERS
(4) HAWKS VS. (5) HEAT

WEST

(1) LAKERS VS. (8) JAZZ
(2) NUGGETS VS. (7) HORNETS
(3) SPURS VS. (6) MAVS
(4) BLAZERS VS. (5) ROCKETS

I'm gonna go out on a silly limb and say the Pistons beat the Cavs in 6. Celtics demolish the Bulls in 5. Magic over Philly in 6. Lakers over Jazz in 7. Nuggets over Hornets in 6. Spurs over Mavs in 5. Rockets over blazers in 7.

Needing a win, the Sixers were forced to overtime to beat the Cavs without the Cavs starting 5 players playing.

Cavs over Pistons, most likely a sweep
Hawks over Heat in seven
Celtic over Bulls in five
Magic over Sixers in a sweep

Cavs over Heat in five
Magic over Celtics in seven

Cavs over Magic in six


Lakers over Jazz in five
Spurs over Mavs in five
Nuggets over Hornets in five
Blazers over Rockets in six

Lakers over Blazers in five
Spurs over Nuggets in six

Lakers over Spurs in five

Cavs over Lakers in seven

Edit: First round is no longer five games, so I had to make a change.

EAST

(1) CAVS VS. (8) PISTONS
(2) CELTICS VS. (7) BULLS
(3) MAGIC VS. (6) SIXERS
(4) HAWKS VS. (5) HEAT

WEST

(1) LAKERS VS. (8) JAZZ
(2) NUGGETS VS. (7) HORNETS
(3) SPURS VS. (6) MAVS
(4) BLAZERS VS. (5) ROCKETS

Actual Prediction:
Cavs over Pistons in 6, Celtics over Bulls in 5, Magic over Sixers in 6, Heat over Hawks in 7

Lakers over Jazz in 5, Nuggets over Hornets in 6, Spurs over Mavs in 7, Blazers over Rockets in 6

Cavs over Heat in 7, Celtics over Magic in 6
Lakers over Blazers in 6, Nuggets over Spurs in 6

Cavs over Celtics in 7
Lakers over Nuggets in 5

Lakers over Cavs in 7


Personal Desired Outcome:
Cavs over Pistons, Celtics over Bulls, Magic over Sixers, Heat over Hawks

Jazz over Lakers, Hornets over Nuggets, Mavs over Spurs, Blazers over Rockets

Heat over Cavs, Magic over Celtics
Blazers over Jazz, Hornets over Mavs

Magic over Heat
Hornets over Blazers

Magic over Hornets

As you can tell, I'm more of a Wade, Howard & Paul fan than a Kobe or LeBron fan.

Cavs over Lakers in Six

Lakers in 6 to win it all... I have a feeling the Cavs wont make it all the way. Dont know why.

I think Houston was just about the worst possible matchup for the Blazers. They have two guys to take Roy out of his game and Yao to clog up the middle, making portland a three point shooting team. If portland can figure out a way to get running and avoid Houston's half court defense, that would be great, but I think their first trip to the playoffs is going to be tough. I'd guess Rockets in 6 or 7.

with garnett out, the celts aren't making it past the second round.

I'd be shocked if it wasn't Cavs/Lakers. Maybe this year the refs will let LeBron win.



yeah, but in Cleveland! a hollow yet somehow satisfying victory after that shitty end-of-season.

let... right... so if the Lakers win it wont be because they can win on the road?

No, if the Lakers win it's because they win. I think it's theirs to lose, but that doesn't mean I won't be rooting against them as usual.

But I do think the playoff officiating has gotten progressively worse for the past 3-4 seasons.

I thought that the mavs/miami series was the lowpoint, but it looks like it was indicative of the way that things are going to be from now on. I think that Gasol is just too much for these Cavs to stop for 7 games, honestly, no matter how much help lebron has and gets from the line.

Hawks over the Lakers in 7.


[img][330:500]http://i28.tinypic.com/20rqzde.jpg[/img]

cmon derris

Ok ROGNEEB. You got me.

For the most part I find the NBA playoffs pretty boring. I mean, we probably all can pick the 4 or 5 teams that will be in the conference Championships already. But, it could also be that the Hawks have been shit for so long that without a team to root for the NBA doesn't hold much for me.

My real prediction is that Hawks win against the Heat and lose in the next round. Hawks have the 6th best home record in the league this year and won all 3 games against the Celts last year at home. The place is completely nuts in the playoffs. I don't care if D.Wade goes off for 60 in one game he won't do it for 2.

I think we're tougher mentally this year as well.

That's all I got. The only other thing I'm pulling for is the Lakers to lose.

yea seriously, the only 4 teams ill buy to win the title are Lakers, Cavs, Celtics or Magic. Anything else youre just being ridiculous, especially in the East.

Pau is going to be the finals MVP because Bynum will take the pressure off him having to play too aggressive in the paint. Gasol is a finesse player.

Even though my Pistons are first round fodder this year, I luuuuuvs me some NBA playoffs; the first 10 days or so especially since you've got three games pretty much every day with good-great teams sweating and fucking BALLIN'.

Throw in the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs and I'm beyond happy.

blazers are so big here that several thousand people are downtown today for a big playoffs rally

you know KG is done, right?

yea, but the East is so weak that even a Celtics team with no KG is better than the remaining 5. I also see the Cavs getting upset by a team. Im really looking at an Orlando v Lakers finals.

Cleveland with home court blows through the East playoffs. The Magic? Please.

In the West, its the Lakers to lose but any of those teams like Utah, Denver, Portland, NO or Houston could get hot for a series and just go nuts and beat them.

In the finals, Cleveland wins in 7, LeBron gets the Cavs the equivalent of Kareem getting the Bucks the '71 title before flying on to a bigger market. Selah.

I can't see Houston beating Portland at all. Regardless, Portland is easily one of the most exciting teams to watch at this point. But yeah, go Lakers.

it'd be nice to see portland or new orleans win it all.

it'd be nice, but it ain't gonna happen. Though Portland might be the only team with the edge on the Lakers through this season (without Bynum).

Still, it's gonna be interesting to see how the playoffs affect a team like Portland. Who's their biggest vet, Blake? Pryzbilla?

HOLY SHIT Raef LaFrentz is on that roster?