how far do you think they will get?

I'm from Ohio.
I would love to see the cavs go far.

No way.
They cant beat Detroit or Miami in a 7 game series.

I guess if it ended today they'd play the Cavs. I think they're a much deeper team than the Cavs and could beat them easily. I'm not sure who they'd play after that but if they play like they did against the Bulls last week they're not going anywhere.

Detroit's overrated so badly. Probably the same people that underrated them last year.

Same here, hopefully Lebron will get some support.

probably, but when they string off those 4 win in a row from time to time and you see how they won last year, it's hard to pick them to lose to a team like boston that i still feel like will play themselves out of a win at any opportunity.

The way I see it, it's Miami, Detroit, SA, and Phoenix in the conference finals (if Duncan's ankle heals). If Duncan remains injured, scratch my Spurs and add Seattle or Houston (remember that Dallas and Sacto will end up playing Phoenix in Round 2).

Beyond that, I can't predict the finals at this point at all.

what are the odds on duncan returning? i've been hearing that he's done for the year.

Latest word is he should be back for the last game or two of the regular season. If true, the Spurs win it all. If not, they're out in the first round.

Duncan should be back around April 10th according to the SA papers. He's already walking on a treadmill. That 'Duncan's out for the year' rumor was started by some Memphis hack writer, who was then quoted by several other people without fact-checking. No coincidence that Memphis likely plays SA in the first round.

I actually think SA could take out Memphis or Houston even without Duncan, but there's no way they'd get past the 2nd round.

Houston against a Duncan-less Spurs side?

I have one thing to say:



will own.

go team!

Larry Brown out for the year with a fucked up something or other.

Uh, you mean like Sunday, when Houston lost by 13 points to a Duncanless Spurs team? Yao's a great shooter, but dude needs to get to the treadmill more and start playing more than 30 minutes a game.

Chinese National Team needs to have the starting five stop playing every match, be it Olympic qualifying, friendly, or scrimmage. Yao plays about three seasons in a calendar year, while Duncan plays one-and-one-half, tops (depends on how far S.A. drives in playoffs), and you wonder why he tires.

Dios mio.

....but. since toine's return, they are 1-1 against Detroit and both games were hard-fought, playoff-like games. that's the best measure i can think of and it hardly supports the idea that Detroit will just easily walk away with in a best of 7 against the Celts.

it doesn't support the idea that it will be Celts-Heat in the conference finals either, of course.

if the Celts can get a consistent game plan together, actually play some defense, and function as a team - not a collection of individuals with ego problems - they will be a tough team to face in the playoffs and could very well go to the finals.

i love the NBA playoffs this year - it's the first time in several seasons that there isn't a clear favorite, whether that's the result of injury, unproven playoff teams, etc. they should be a lot of fun to watch - even in the early rounds, what with the Cavs and Bulls pulling it together.

with Duncan healthy, i pick the Spurs to win it all, of course. :)

KPH

oh i agree, i don't think that it owuld be easy or that boston would necessarially lose, just that i get this ominous feeling that something will go wrong for them if it gets to be crunch time, be it paul pierce's incredible shrinking violet act or something else. they seem good but i just don't get a championship feeling about them.

yeah, pretty much. it's a tad frustrating to consider, as i think they really could pull it together for a strong playoffs run, despite being a bit weak at center. alas, there is something about the team right now that seems to keep them at "3rd best" in the east...

KPH

All I know is I'm never again picking Carlos Boozer in a fantasy league again. Fuckin suckbag.

I think he just got injured and out for the season.

yeah i saw that. i'm glad i traded him in one of my fantasy leagues even though it did me no good b/c my team blew. he should give the jazz back all the money he made this year.