Getting ready for the "real deal"... official matchups to follow.

One of the interesting 1st round matchups is Dallas & G.S. Warriors... so far this year the Warriors have owned Dallas... it's not even close... they have dominated their series.

Post your comments on playoff contenders/pretenders.

Getting ready for the "real deal"... official matchups to follow.

One of the interesting 1st round matchups is Dallas & G.S. Warriors... so far this year the Warriors have owned Dallas... it's not even close... they have dominated their series.

Post your comments on playoff contenders/pretenders.

I really feel ya on that match-up prediction. The playoff series between these 2 teams will exactly the same as it was in the regular season except the Mavs will sweep. Fairly safe prediction, lmao.

My impression right now is that the team with the hardest road to the championship is probably the defending champs.

They will have to beat the Bulls,Pistons, Cavs, and the team from the West that makes it out in order to repeat.

Brings a smile to my face to think that we may be the rested ones when and if we play them in the second round.

It will be a good test for Wades shoulder to get slapped and grabbed by Nocioni for a seven game series.

What an upset it would be if GState could take out Dallas.

Can Utah beat Houston? I'm not so sure. The West is loaded with dangerous teams. No patsies like the East.

What an upset it would be if GState could take out Dallas.

Can Utah beat Houston? I'm not so sure. The West is loaded with dangerous teams. No patsies like the East.

No way GS beats Dallas. The regular season was a fluke. Matchups smatchups...it won't happen. GS maybe wins one game. Maybe. Just no way in Hades they take the series.

Utah and Houston...hmmm. Very interesting.

What an upset it would be if GState could take out Dallas.

Can Utah beat Houston? I'm not so sure. The West is loaded with dangerous teams. No patsies like the East.

I;m thinkin with the warriors healthy, they are one of the few teams that may have peaked at the right time to take out Dallas. Still on the fence though it they will accomplish it or not, but it will go seven, and if the warriors do win, they probably will still stumble before they reach the WCFinals anyway.

I see the Rockets taking out the Jazz who are in a slump. Got to sleep on the rest, no more predictions until tomorrow night.

Golden State should give Dallas run for their money. They have been pretty hot and in the playoffs mode for past month or so. They are fiishing year on 16-5 run that began with embarrassing of the Pistons at the Palace. They are not playing any D and that probably won't let them get far.

Yao could score 35 a game against Boozer and Okur. If Kirilenko can snap out of his season-long nap he could defend McGrady as well as anyone, but that's far from certain. I'd take Houston in 5 or 6.

Cavs in 4. Bulls in 6. Raptors in 5. Mavs in 5 (Ws in 6). Lakers in 6. Spurs in 5.

The Warriors have been playing really well since they finally got healthy, but I can't see them winning more than one game against Dallas, even though they had their number during the regular season.

I just noticed that the first round schedule is set up better than it was in some previous years (though maybe they already started addressing this in the last couple of seasons, I don't quite remember). There were recent seasons where some teams had to wait 4 or even 5 days in between games of their first round series, because the league didn't want any of the games overlapping on TV. This year, they have two overlapping games each weeknight in the first round, so everyone has either one or two days off in between games, which is reasonable.

Just finished my brackets, so pay attention folks. I did finish second to a fluke win by Motown Pride last year.

Anyway, I have a Houston/Piston Final with T-Mac and Yao bringing home the trophy! No real upsets in my brackets, however, I look for Miami to have an easy time with the Bulls to the surprise perhaps, to a few of you.

NJ/ Raptors might be the most entertaining series in the first round, I have it going 7 games with NJ winning that one.

Once again a Cav`s/Pistons mstchup, this time it will determine who goes to the Finals............sorry Lebron, go do some more commercials.

On the left side, the Spurs will play that hard nosed winning basketball and make it to the WC Finals.

Utah and Denver will not make it out of the first round, despite the late surge by the Nuggets and the much improved play of the Jazz this season. Phoenix will be eliminated in round by SA.

That leaves a "Don`t mess with Texas" WCF - Rockets/Spurs, with a surging Rocket team headed to win it all.........

The other Van Gundy`s legacy is made!!!!!!

Interesting stats from TrueHoop (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-23-85/Thursday-Bullets.html)

STATS!

Since 1983-84 #1 seeds are 44-2 vs #8 seeds, #2 seeds are 42-4 vs #7 seeds, #3 seeds are 33-13 vs #6 seeds, and #4 seeds are 22-24 vs #5 seeds. See tha? #4 seeds have a losing record! Also, the teams with the most playoff experience are Detroit, Miami , San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix, New Jersey, and Cleveland (Eric Snow is propping up those numbers.)

I am having a hell of a time deciding who is going to win the
Miami-Chicago series. :confused:

Is it really this bad????


FOX Sports - NBA Playoffs - Buzz missing as playoffs near (http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6702780?MSNHPHCP&GT1=9331)

I'm waiting to see if the Raptors make it to the ECFinals. They're my surprize pick to have a decent run. I'd love to see Dallas in the finals, just don't know if they're up to it. Everybody here seems to be pickin Cleveland over the Raptors................

King James has a red carpet path to the conference finals? Maybe New Jersey will have something to say about that in the second round.

Is it really this bad????


FOX Sports - NBA Playoffs - Buzz missing as playoffs near (http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6702780?MSNHPHCP&GT1=9331)

This guy is a real downer. If he wasn't so obsessed with Kobe and Lebron, maybe he would enjoy watching bball a little more.

This guy is a real downer. If he wasn't so obsessed with Kobe and Lebron, maybe he would enjoy watching bball a little more.

Tay you are probably right.

You would think the NBA is on the brink of disaster. there is certainly work that needs to be done with the league, but this guy paints a dim picture!

Dlev, that article was totally ignorant. Neither of my daily sports viewing/listening shows, Mike and Mike in the Morning and PTI, devote much coverage to the NBA throughout the regular season, but both of them have been talking playoffs big-time in the last few days. Where that article comes up with "there's no buzz, nobody cares, etc.", I don't know.

I was actually thinking about this the other day.

To me, this post season has more intrigue than any I can remember.

The reason is that we really don't have a clear cut favorite like we have in previous years. The teams that dominated the regular season have not won it before... Dallas/ Phoenix. Plus, they have a nice history between Dirk and Nash.

Then you have the wiley vet teams who are pacing themselves; Detroit and San Antonio.

You have the Dark horses; Houston, Chicago.

And you have the unstoppable force in Shaq that provides a lot of mystery.

I like the unpredictability of it. In the past, the NBA playoffs have had the least number of upsets of any major sport. That is what makes it boring.

I was actually thinking about this the other day.

To me, this post season has more intrigue than any I can remember.

The reason is that we really don't have a clear cut favorite like we have in previous years. The teams that dominated the regular season have not won it before... Dallas/ Phoenix. Plus, they have a nice history between Dirk and Nash.

Then you have the wiley vet teams who are pacing themselves; Detroit and San Antonio.

You have the Darko horses; Houston, Chicago.

And you have the unstoppable force in Shaq that provides a lot of mystery.

I like the unpredictability of it. In the past, the NBA playoffs have had the least number of upsets of any major sport. That is what makes it boring.

Great post Tay.

I agree 100%.........

Ira Winderman ranks the East teams by how much of a threat they could be to the Miami Heat.

Miami Heat | Sun-Sentinel Blogs: Mr. Half Empty? (http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_basketball_heat/2007/04/mr_half_empty.html)

1. Chicago. Thus the concern in this space a day ago. No team attacks the Heat defensively as mercilessly at the Bulls. Figure Dwyane Wade to take five or six solid hits as Chicago runs through its pick-and-rolls -- and that's just on the Bulls' first possession.

2. Detroit. In previous years, the Pistons would have topped this list. But the defense is not anywhere close to where it was during the Finals visits. And Flip Saunders, as a playoff coach, hardly invokes fear.

3. Toronto. Quick, penetrating point guard and a high-scoring power forward. It is a combination that has tormented the Heat over the years. T.J. Ford and Chris Bosh can't beat their Heat on their own, but if the Raptors are making shots, the ante is raised considerably.

4. Orlando. Somehow, Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard turn into Ford and Bosh against the Heat. And Hedo Turkoglu is an All-Star when it comes to playing the Heat. Go figure.

5. New Jersey. Perhaps not in a series. But for any single game, the combination of Vince Carter, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson can present a considerable scare (See Game 1, Series 2, for the Heat last season).

6. Cleveland. Because LeBron James is capable of a victory or two by himself. But the supporting cast? Come on.

7. Washington. This could have been the Heat's first-round fate, if not for those losses to the Bobcats… and 76ers… and Knicks… and Bucks… and Pacers … and Celtics... and Clippers.

I wonder what would his opinion be ond possible 2nd round matchup between Miami and Detroit. Miami figures to have a much tougher series than Pistons and their health is a much bigger question mark.

I think Chicago is a bigger threat to them because they are playing them first.

I think Chicago is a bigger threat to them because they are playing them first.

I agree, just wondering...

Whoa, the Jazz just blew a 3 on 0 fast break...Fisher missed the layup, Memo missed on the follow, and the Rockets got a dunk with Yao cherry-picking on the other end. And that gives Houston its first lead since back in the first half.

Yao runs with blocks on his feat.

that blown 3 on 1 was absolutely hilarious. Remember, this was the guy that tried dunking on Duncan a fewyears ago. (Fish)

It wasn't a 3 on 1...it was 3 on 0! One of the Rockets had gotten back, but he was blocked off from getting to the rim. There were three Jazz players going to the basket against zero Rockets.

Which makes it even more hilarious.

Yao was so gassed at that point that he didn't even bother to move. Turned out to be the right decision. :)

So T-Mac's wild-eyed insistence to Stephen A. Smith that "IT'S ON ME" wasn't looking too good in the first half, when he only had one point and the Rockets trailed by nine, but he dropped 16 on the Jazz in the third quarter as the Rockets blew past them 26-11 and held on for the win.

MacGrady really has some serious range on his shot. From > 2 feet outside the arc, it seems like the most reliable in the league.

I think they are the West's version of the Pistons. Very good on defense, and therefore not as fun for the average non-affiliated fan to watch. I respect them, but I can't say I was riveted while watching.

MacGrady really has some serious range on his shot. From > 2 feet outside the arc, it seems like the most reliable in the league.

I think they are the West's version of the Pistons. Very good on defense, and therefore not as fun for the average non-affiliated fan to watch. I respect them, but I can't say I was riveted while watching.

This post season will tell us if T-Mac really has it. By that I mean, will he realize he can`t and doesn`t have to do it all himself.

He and Yao make a great 1-2 punch. Battier, Howard, Mtumbo and Head are great role players.

Van Gundy has done a very good coaching job, winning over 50 games in the WC with Yao and Mcgrady out (at times) during the season.

If T-Mac loses that, "I must do it all" mentality, and the defense and role players continue to produce, we will see them in the Finals, IMO.

They are definitely the sleeper team in the West.

The Rockets are built for the playoffs, and the only other West team you can say that about is San Antonio.

I'm not sure the Rockets can get by the Spurs, but if someone else knocks them out, they have as good a chance as anyone.

I like Van Gundy a lot.

I think the Wizards are a better team without Arenas, but they're really missing Butler.

Eddie Jordan has them exploiting mismatches and pretending to play defense, which is a step in the right direction, but they're too depleted to win this series even if James is more seriously injured than it looks.

I think the Wizards are a better team without Arenas, but they're really missing Butler.



Have you been drinking this afternoon ahb??

Seriously though, I don`t think they are a better team without Arenas, they just play a totally different style of ball without him. Remember they are without Caron Butler also.

Now if they had Butler and no Arenas they would be a better team, however, Arenas kind of makes this team go, they feed off him.

they just play a totally different style of ball without him.
And I think that style is more conducive to winning, especially in the playoffs. Their fake Princeton offense with Arenas jacking up 10-15 bad shots a night is completely unreliable and makes their already-bad defense even worse. Using Antonio Daniels to do the playmaking instead of Arenas has a similar effect to Philadelphia replacing AI with Andre Miller.

Some observations from the PHX-LAL game:
It's amazing how much better the Lakers are with Kwame Brown in the lineup than they are with Bynum or Turiaf.
The refs are in Phoenix's back pocket.
Both teams are missing a lot of easy shots, but the Lakers' team defense is perfectly designed even when it's not well executed.
Marion is useless if you guard him. That LA has failed to is a concern.
Jon Barry makes Mike Breen sound like just a garden-variety jackass by comparison.

And I think that style is more conducive to winning, especially in the playoffs. Their fake Princeton offense with Arenas jacking up 10-15 bad shots a night is completely unreliable and makes their already-bad defense even worse. Using Antonio Daniels to do the playmaking instead of Arenas has a similar effect to Philadelphia replacing AI with Andre Miller.



Ok, Hopefully DT will not read this, with me actually defending the Wiz.

I disagree.

Daniels certainly is no slouch running the Wizards offense, however, Arenas is a PG in name only. He does average about 6 ass. per game though. He does jack up a lot of bad shots, some of them he actually makes.

I don`t like the Wiz or Arenas at all, I get to see them from time to time since I am local, and with the team they are putting on the court now, contrary to your opinion, without Arenas they wouldn`t be playing right now.

On the other hand with Arenas and Butler, they possibly could defeat the Cav`s. As far as their defense, the talent on this team is not assembled to stop anybody, consistently. BTW Arenas is always among the league leaders in steals.

Ok, Hopefully DT will not read this, with me actually defending the Wiz.



It's just not your lucky day, I guess. :smoke06:

It's just not your lucky day, I guess. :smoke06:

I figured you would read this, however, it means nothing, disregard!!!!:)

:cheerleader:

Ugly game in Dallas but a pretty result.

Between Cuban %%%%%ing and Harris flopping the Mavs are beginning to remind me quite a bit of Miami.

:cheerleader:

Ugly game in Dallas but a pretty result.

Between Cuban %%%%%ing and Harris flopping the Mavs are beginning to remind me quite a bit of Miami.

Gotta give it up for the home boys. Lets hope they can keep it up throughout the series. Their defense is what scares me. They'll put up points against any D most of the nights, but can they stop anyone is another question.

It appears that we will not have any walkovers here in these 2007 playoffs, especially in the round 1.

The west looks very competitive with the two favorites, Mavs and Spurs losing at home in game 1, and both the Rockets and Suns trail at the half at home before having huge 3rd quarters and overcoming the Jazz and Lakers.

In the east, the newbie Raptors took too long to overcome their jitters and were the only EC team to lose their HC advantage. I think they can win game two, but might find themselves down 3-1 by the time they comeback home to play game 5.

The Heat/Bulls series is still a tossup since the Heat had their big guns in foul trouble most of the game. Wade seems Ok to me. The Cavs took too long to dispose of the shorthanded Wiz and I see this one going at least 5.

The Pistons were the only opening game winner to lead from start to finish and score 100 points, but they appear to have taken Orlando to lightly and had to hold off the upset minded Magic down the stretch. Lets hope that 4th qtr was awake up call, especially with the 1 and 3 seeds in the west going down to defeat in their opening games.

I would say all-in-all failry entertaining 1st games. Lets hope the rest of the playoffs is as much fun and as unpredictable. As long as Pistons put their effort in they should not have many issues with Magic. But looks like West is indeed more competitive.

You know, they should probably just stop showing Cuban on TV. It makes him seem really unlikable and doesn't add to the enjoyment of the game.

I think more owners should take interest in the games as much as him, but watching it is off-putting. They don't pan to Bill Davidson every time there's a bad call against the Pistons.

You know, they should probably just stop showing Cuban on TV. It makes him seem really unlikable and doesn't add to the enjoyment of the game.

I think more owners should take interest in the games as much as him, but watching it is off-putting. They don't pan to Bill Davidson every time there's a bad call against the Pistons.

As if we're going to see any reaction from Davidson. Sometimes they show Joe D and his expression never changes.

Is Kirilenko now a malcontent (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2007/news/story?id=2846550)?

A lack of playing time in Game 1 of the NBA's Jazz-Rockets series left Utah's highest-paid player in tears.

"I want to play 48 minutes," Andrei Kirilenko (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3347) said Sunday after practice in Houston. "I want to play and I want to be on the court."

Kirilenko, who was paid $12.3 million this season, played 16 minutes and scored two points in Utah's 84-75 loss to Houston on Saturday. Game 2 is Monday night in Houston.

Coach Jerry Sloan yanked the Russian from the lineup after he missed a jump shot from nine feet.

"I know it's very uncomfortable for him. It's very uncomfortable for me," Sloan said. "I'm not happy with it, but I don't know how to handle it. I'm not equipped."

Sloan said Kirilenko was playing poorly and the team needed to keep backup forward Matt Harpring (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3258), who scored 14 points, in the game.

"I'm not trying to hurt anybody's feelings or anything," Sloan said. "My job is to win. The way you do that is to have everybody play hard and play well. We can't do it any other way. We need Andrei's play. We need him to come and play.That comment from Sloan is pretty weird. "I don't know how to handle it"?

Is Kirilenko now a malcontent (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2007/news/story?id=2846550)?

That comment from Sloan is pretty weird. "I don't know how to handle it"?

I think he meant yanking his player, that used to be an all-star, out of the game that early.

Reports are that AK47 had some sort of nervous breakdown in practice yesterday- and while Sloan is a great coach, his psychological approach to his players has always been very one-dimensional.

Reports are that AK47 had some sort of nervous breakdown in practice yesterday- and while Sloan is a great coach, his psychological approach to his players has always been very one-dimensional.

This actually reminds me of another star Russian player - Fedorov. He broke down before with Scotty Bowman being the coach and putting him on defense. Fedorov's father had to intervene to get his son head on straight (they had a meeting together with Fedorov's dad and Scotty). And Bowman has always been one-dimensional in handling the players and their issues, but he won, and in the end it is all that mattered. I think that we've heard a gazillion times that coach's approach doesn't matter as long as the team wins.

"Nervous breakdown" and "AK47" is usually a bad combination.

"Nervous breakdown" and "AK47" is usually a bad combination.

Too funny!!!

:outtahere: :gun1:

I'd have a nervous breakdown too if I had to play for Jerry.

I'm still dissapointed that Joe didn't draft Barbosa over Delfino... not that we could use a lightning quick PG/SG that plays solid "D" and shoots well...:makmiday:

merc, there is a great article from a while back on Truehoop I posted, about when Leandro was breaking into the league.

Gregory Dole: My Summer with William Wesley (http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-20-153/Gregory-Dole--My-Summer-with-William-Wesley.html)

Could have had Josh Howard, too. Shoots just as well, plays better D, and does it for a team that doesn't (didn't) use 3-point chucking smallball gimmicks.

I'd be interested in seeing if Barbosa could be productive as a role player in a real halfcourt offense.

Clutch City wins Game 2.

Will be interesting to see how they react to the black-and-white playoff atmosphere in Utah.

Oddly, both games last night ended with the same final score, 98-90. There were two games on Saturday that ended 96-91.