Stumptown's NBA Playoffs and Awards Predictions
| 7
|
by user Stumptown
Just so I can say I knew it all along, here are my predictions for the NBA playoffs. I first posted these at my own webpage at www.stumptownsportsblog.blogspot.com, but wanted to post something here on this site, so I'm reposting this. All that to say, I swear I posted this before the games begin. If you don't believe me, check out my Dallas v. GS prediction. Ugh.
WEST
Round 1
Dallas v. GS – Dallas in 5. GS will get hot and beat them in one game, but their D is so bad, that will be all.
Phoenix v. LA – Phoenix in 6. LA is a mess since they went back to relying on Kobe to score all the teams’ points and the rest of the team are just the only ones in the arena with a better view than Jack. Still Phoenix plays such bad D and plays at such a consistent fast pace that the Lakers will be able to hang around a few games and even take a couple. By the way, anyone arguing Kobe is the MVP is right out of their mind. The league MVP doesn’t allow his team to back into the playoffs with a sub-.500 record after the all-star break and with the team playing its worst when he plays his best. Enough already.
SA v. Denver – Spurs in 5 – Karl, AI and Melo against Pop, Parker, Manu and TD? Not even close. I don’t care how “hot” or “dangerous” the Nugs are. The only parts of the game they will dominate in is turnovers and technical fouls.
Houston v. Utah – Houston in 7 – This one is almost too tough to call. But Utah seems more capable of absolutely tanking and they have absolutely no answer at all for Yao or T-Mac. Also, here’s where that Battier trade starts looking like pure genius.
Round 2
Dallas v. Houston – Dallas in 6 – Tough series, but the breaks will favor the better team and by then T-Back will have some kind of health issue.
Phoenix v. SA – Phx in 7. I see this going down to the wire with the difference in the end being age and conditioning. It will take all 7 games, but Phoenix will outrun them. Either way, I think the Western and NBA champions will come out of this matchup no matter who wins.
Round 3
Phx v. Dallas – Phx in 7 – this has the makings of a classic. I know this isn’t real technical, but I just don’t trust Dallas. Phoenix has more weapons.
EAST
Round 1
Detroit v. Orlando – Detroit in 4. Detroit is a machine and doesn’t take games off in the playoffs. They just never look like they aren’t in complete control of the game.
Cleveland v. Wizards – Cleveland in 5. What a gift for the Cavs. I actually think Washington might win one in Cleveland. I fully expect the young cocky Cavs led by a young cocky LBJ to take Washington very very lightly. And that’s understandable with no Gilbert, but it will result in a home loss that freaks everyone out and gets everyone piling on Lebron only to have him come out like an caged animal for the rest of the series and take care of business.
Toronto v. NJ – NJ in 7 – NJ barely escapes on the experience of their big 3. Bosh will wake up the whole basketball world and remind them that the best young big in the game might very well reside in Canada, but in the end their defense and erratic play will give in to some clutch shots and NJ will win. That said, this may be the toughest matchup to call. I could see Toronto winning it too and will be rooting for them.
Chicago v. Miami – Chicago in 6. Chicago is not that good, but D Wade is playing on guts alone. His body will not hold up to the punishment and Miami is not even a playoff contender without Wade. If by some miracle, Wade is actually 90% healthy and stays that way, it will be Miami in 6 because Chicago can’t score enough.
Round 2
Detroit v. Chicago – Chicago in 7. This series could flirt with records for lowest points scored. Detroit is a machine as noted earlier, but I think Chicago has the better players and will have huge Mo after beating Miami.
Cleveland v. NJ – Cleveland in 7. Two flawed teams, but NJ has zero interior defense and Lebron will be able to absolutely dominate.
Round 3
Chicago v. Cleveland – Cleveland in 6. Cleveland gets rolling. Chicago stops scoring altogether. LBJ is getting overpraised just as much as he was overcriticized earlier in the year.
NBA Finals
Cleveland v. Phoenix – Phoenix in 5 – LBJ goes off one game and gets the W. And that’s it. The east without Miami at full strength is sooooo much worse than the west, the outcome won’t change here whether the West sends Dallas, SA or Phoenix. Cleveland’s only hope is that a more vulnerable team like Houston or Utah get hot and survive the West. The Eastern teams could (probably wouldn’t, but could) beat those teams.
Phoenix will win and people will be making fun of the people that voted Dirk MVP over Nash.
My Reg Season Award votes:
MIP – Lots of good candidates, but I’m going with Kevin Martin over Biedrins.
6th Man – Barbosa over Manu, even if Manu is eligible.
MVP – Nash – Listen, the point is to be good and make your team good. that’s the goal of every player. The player that does those two things the best in combination is the MVP. It doesn’t matter that he can’t play D. Neither can Dirk by the way. It only matters that he is a one of a kind player that improves his team’s ability to win more than any other player in the league. He may not be in the category as the others who have won 3 MVPs, but that’s not a reason not vote for the best candidate.
ROY – Hmmm…let’s see…that’s a tough one…Umm…guess I’ll have to go with Brandon “The Natural” Roy. One year in the league and they already named the award after him (obligatory name/award reference). By the way, his rookie numbers are nearly identical to Dwayne Wade’s. I’m just saying….
