Post-Season (so far)

East

Hawks up 2-0 on Nets
Yeah, this one's pretty much where it ought to be.  I can see the Nets taking Game 3 at home, they've got talent, there's just no cohesion, no urgency, no one steps up on that team.  But they're competitive and at home they should get enough of a boost to take at least one game at home, maybe both.  The Hawks are clearly the better team, the more driven team, the squad in rhythm, but I think the Nets can make them work for it.

Cavs up 3-0 on Celtics
Yeah, this one's pretty much where it ought to be.  The Celtics are playing hard, competing but even the Cavs on cruise control are a better team.  Right now the Cavs seem to be consciously trying to get K Love to play some offense and pleased as punch as the fine play of Tristan Thompson; Lebron and Kyrie are saving up the real play for the next round.  I go back and forth btw two scenarios for Game 4: Celtics play gutty and tough, steal one from the Cavs (a la the Sixers stealing a game off the Heat in 2011), the Cavs say all the right things about winning back at home or Lebron recognizes that the Celtics are up and coming, refuses to throw even a bone to the Celtic crowd and the Cavs are up by 20 going into the 4th; one of those (think I'm leaning to the latter, Lebron wants to get some villain back).  

Bulls up 3-0 on Bucks
Yeah, this one's pretty much where it ought to be.  The Bucks made 'em sweat last night and may well pull out Game 4, but that's as good as they're going to get.  Good effort from the Bucks, they should be better next year.  The Bulls are playing well, though I'm not sure the Cavs are quaking.  (I predicted the Bulls would pull together, go for the next gear and get past the Cavs....we'll see)

Wizards up 3-0 Raptors
Hmmmm, definitely this one would be more competitive.  Here's what I think I've realized about Kyle Lowry: when things are optimistic, he's great; when things are pessimistic, he's awful on and off the court.  The Raptors have a lot of nice players, just no identity or toughness.  The Wizards are the bizarro-Raptors: ditto the comment about Lowry but the Wizards are pulling it out, they're optimistic, they're rolling. They won a playoff series last year, looks like they'll sweep the Raptors out this year. I thought the Wizards would be a better regular season team than they were, didn't think they'd be as good a post-season team...I guess they continue to confound me.  They're a moody team.  I think they win Game 4.


West
Warriors up 3-0 on Pelicans
I was skeptical of the Pelicans even getting into the playoffs (they already traded away their pick so I guess it was playoffs or nothing all along), thought the Warriors would beat them so bad that even the playoff experience had the possibility of being acidic.  I think Game 3 is precisely what I envisioned: like most Americans I had long since stop paying attention to the game...then look up and see the Warriors are down by 3 with a minute to go.  Wtf?  Look, man, the Warriors score in bunches, they're a streak team, a rhythm team.  The Pelicans just didn't have enough to finish it out.  Can the Pelicans win Game 4?  No.  Why would they bother anyway?  A beating is coming, do you want it at home or back in Oakland?

Rockets up 3-0 on Mavs
Thought the Mavs would be more competitive but Tyson Chandler is all alone trying to stop the Smiff-Howard combo and Terrence Jones is unusually frisky against the Dirk-Amare platoon.  Even with Parsons and Rondo I don't think the Mavs can score enough or play enough D to hang.  James Harden hasn't even really heated up and the Rockets are whooshing the Mavs away.  I'd like to say that veteran savvy and grit could win the Mavs Game 4 but I just don't see it unless Harden, Howard and Smiff all take the day off.

Spurs up 2-1 on Clippers
Man, the Spurs just devoured the Clippers in Game 3!  Game 1 looks like the Spurs were just experimenting; Game 2 was the counter-attack; Game 3 was the clampdown.  I reckon Game 4 is gonna look like Game 3.  The Clippers will be fighting for their lives back home in Game 5.  Spurs are well-positioned to win it in 6.  The Clippers just don't have the variety of offense and if the Spurs in a smothering mode, it could get ugly.  This one's not over though, Griffin is dominating at the rim and Jordan is playing well inside, if Paul and Crawford shoot at a good percentage, they can win games.  This one's not over.

Grizzlies up 2-0 on Blazers
While I think the Grizzlies are the better team and they're playing better right now, I don't think they're unbeatable.  The Blazers are weaker without Wesley Matthews but once they get back home I think they can win games.  I still think this one goes seven games.