East
Cavs in 4
If the Raptors play their best and get lucky, they could possibly steal a game back home in Toronto. Why is it that the conference finals reminds me of the Spurs-Grizzlies series? That shouldn't happen. The Raptors are going to be without Valenciunas at the beginning of the series, Lowry hasn't been right since he dinged his elbow, Derozan is playing hard but not shooting particularly well (feels like he's just killing time til he hits free agency), Caroll's offense should disappear as he focuses on marking Lebron, Ross has played well, should probably get more opportunity (he will next year when he's filling Derozan's lost minutes), Biyombo is playing with great spirit and energy but hard to imagine that he gets much done against Thompson, Joseph is a nice player off the bench but he isn't much more than that, Powell is nice (MVP of the Pacer series IMHO) but he's not gonna slow down Kyrie, Scola is...rested...can't remember the last time he played but he'll get some time in this series. The Raptors are a rambling wreck right now, dealing with injuries and struggling putting together a consistent game plan. I just don't see how the Raptors stop the Cavs attack and I don't see how they possibly score enough points to keep up. As long as nothing catastrophic happens, the Cavs are gonna fo-fo-fo through the East.
West
Thunder in 6
Keep an eye on the Thunder to sneak away with Game One. I thought the Thunder's performance against the Mavs was sloppy and ridiculous but against the Spurs they stuck to their guns, played hard and did it their way. They made the Spurs make decisions, they put it on the Spurs and they're gunning for the Warriors next. Westbrook-Roberson-Durant-Kanter-Adams is suddenly a serious lineup driven by anger and grit. I think they can win. No one has really touched the Warriors this year: are they truly unbeatable or have they luckily avoided any real challenges? The Warriors kinda remind me of last year's (almost) undefeated Kentucky squad: that team didn't run everyone out the gym, they were deep enough to wear down most everyone the played...until the end when the level of competition got serious. Hey, man, Cavs and Thunder are both playing really good right now, the idea that the Warriors are just gonna sneeze them aside because they won 73 games during the regular season, I ain't buying it. I just watched a supposedly unbeatable team get beat (and it hurt). The Warriors are good and they can win in a variety of ways but I don't think they're overwhelmingly better than the Thunder. The Warriors have had time off, they weren't tested by the Rockets, the Blazers had some nice moments but not enough to win (Warriors over Blazers was a classic Serena performance), and Curry is still playing his way back into shape. Meanwhile the Thunder just whooped the team everyone penciled in to the Conference Finals. The Warriors haven't been punched in the face this year and the Thunder are gonna come in swinging. I think OKC starts off on a roll, the Warriors start tentative and OKC takes Game One. After that I'll take the home teams, which means OKC in 6.
Showing posts with label playoffs predictions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label playoffs predictions. Show all posts
Monday, May 16, 2016
Saturday, April 25, 2015
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
