Post by Detroit Pistons Sports Group on Mar 7, 2008 15:39:49 GMT -5
The Detroit Sports Press
By Ibrina DaNews
The Playoffs are here. Theres The Good, The Bad and The Ugly that all needs to be discussed. Today I will give a little outlook on each of the playoff teams and what I feel there shot of winning in each of the 1st two rounds.
First we discuss the Western Conference. They are legitimately the POWER CONFERENCE this yr and they have what we feel as 3 or 4 teams with GREAT odds on winning the whole thing vs the East having only two MAYBE 3 teams that have a SHOT but outside shot at that with the west being as good as it is.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
#1 Seed Seattle Sonics 64-18
There tied for the best record in the league. They have won 9 of there last 10 games and 18 of last 19 and 26 of last 28 games. What can you say they are playing GREAT GREAT basketball. They have all five starters averaging between 18.9 and 24.8 ppg.
Yao is probably there only MVP cantidate but thats ONLY because they all just feed off each other and they are all playing GOOD but NO STANDOUT 30 PPG type player. The one DOWNSIDE id say to this team is that there depth may be a BIT WEAK. Boetang is young walker is old and doesnt contribute much. Odom has experience but he just hasnt done anything special this yr and they have no GOOD back up SG/PG. If they were to have injury to a starter that MIGHT hurt them against the BETTER teams in the league.
VS
#8 Seed Utah Jazz 35-47
The jazz beat out 4 teams just 1 to 2 games behind them. There a youngish team that is coming into the playoffs winning ONLY 4 of last 10 games and they finished the year winning OLNY 8 of last 20 games.
This should be a good experience for the young team for the future but they will MOST LIKELY be Over Matched. Id say if they want any LEGITIMATE shot at winning there going to need some GREAT defense and BIG games out of maybe Jeff Green or something. Really there just to raw RIGHT now to beat a team Like Seattle.
Prediction for the series:
Seattle wins 4-1 with NONE of the 4 win having the Jazz be with-in 8 points. Seattle Averages 111 a game vs the Jazz pulling in ONLY 98. This may be a very ugly series.
#2 Seed Minnesota Timberwolves 42-40
They have the 6th best record in the West and it would be hard to bet them going that far at all in the playoffs but they will have some VERY NICE SEEDING. They have won 6 of last 10 and 11 of last 20 games. There not HOT by any means but playing against an EHHHH Dallas team it may not matter. there 3-1 against the Mavs this yr.
Lofton is playing like a true star this yr and Al Jefferson is also a great big man down low. This will get so Key experience for this relatively young team wheres IF THE DON'T GO FAR they will be better off in the future because of this.
VS
#7 Dallas Mavericks 36-46
They have won 9 of there last 20 but only 3 of last 10. Coming into the playoffs that cold will probably hurt them. There missing there Starting PG for the rest of the yr and there starting SF for the first 2 rounds. Thats going to be WAY too much to over come.
Prediction for the series:
Timberwolves Win series 4-1 based mainly on them being healthy and Dallas just not playing well.
#3 Portland Trail Blazers 64-18
The Blazers are tied for the best record in the league but still have ONLY 3rd seed cause there in the BEST DIVISION IN THE LEAGUE. They have experience and MVP Candidates as well as better Depth then Seattle. They are about as hot as they come to boot after winning 8 of last 10, and won 25 of last 27 games. There 2-2 against this warriors team and this could be an awefully good series cause the Golden State does like to play UP to there competition.
Some of Portland intangibles include there 3 probably top ten MVP type players. Seattle for example has 5 GOOD starters but Portland has 3 SUPERSTARS and MORE DEPTH.
VS
#6 Golden State Warriors 45-37
Golden State is coming in at a bit of a cold streak winning just 4 of 10 and 8 of last 20 but that being said they do Average almost 110 a game which is slightly more then the Blazers. They run and gun but they dont play defense.
Monta and AI will have to play GREAT for a real shot at winning but this team does have nice mix of both Youth and Experience so who knows.
Prediction for the series:
We dont see Portland losing in the first couple rounds there just too good and there too hot. We think AI will will his team two maybe two wins in the series but there giving up 108 ppg and that wont do against Portland who is one of the best Defensive teams. Portland Takes Series 4-2 and moves on to the second round.
#4 Los Angeles Lakers 53-29
The Lakers have home field and that might be the difference in the series. Having won 9 of last 10 is good but only 13 of last 20 is not great. There still one of the teams to beat in the West. Having two of the biggest Clutch guys in the league in Wade and Bryant will be the series. If they can put up 25 to 30 a game each and garnett gets 20 and ten they will be tough to beat.
On the flip side the lakers lost ALL 4 Matchups this season. That may sound shocking for a team as good as they are BUT 2 of the game the Lakers were pretty beat up and or didnt have Garnett yet.
VS
#5 Sacramento Kings 50-32
The Kings also coming in very hot over the last 10 games they have won 8 of there last 10 and 20 of last 26 games. They were experimenting a bit late in the yr and maybe it was paying off a bit. Over last third of the yr they were one of the hottest teams. They Will have to draw big games from there key Vets Carmelo, B Davis and Matrix. If the big three produce then this team has a shot.
Prediction for the series:
We at the paper are taking The Kings 4-3. Lakers Have home Field so its not IMPOSSIBLE for them too win but it appears to us the Kings just have there number THIS YR. This should be a great battle with two GOOD TEAMS that probably shouldnt be playing each other in the first round. If Playoffs were according to ONLY record they would be the 3rd and 4th seeded teams and would both win but there not and this should be the BEST 1st round Western Conference match up.
2nd Round Western Conference Playoffs
(i wont break it down as much cause i COULD be wrong on first matchups)
#1 Seattle Sonics Vs #5 Sacramento Kings (Season Series Kings 3-1)
Seattle's Starting Five are great There a HOT team and they got a bit of a rest after blowing out the Jazz. The Kings have confidence and are also RELATIVELY HOT. Home court advantage is with the Sonics and we feel they should hold it. Sonics win Series 4-2 but this will be a battle with many close games. Now IF AND SONICS STAR were to go down the Kings COULD POSSIBLY pull off an upset but you cant BET ON THAT.
#2 Minnesota Timberwolves Vs #3 Portland Trail Blazers (Season Series 2-2)
Minnesota SHOULD BE TOO OVER MATCHED. They have Home Court but we could easily see Portland taking the first two and then getting Home Court back. Portland Takes SERIES 4-1 and has some Free Time before they go down the road to visit Seattle setting up for what SHOULD be the true CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES. We give props to Sota on the Season but there just too over matched and this will get UGLY.
Eastern Conference Coming This EVENING or tomorrow........
We at the paper will ALSO update this after 1st and 2nd round are complete to finish off the Playoffs..... Hope you enjoy all the reading.
By Ibrina DaNews
The Playoffs are here. Theres The Good, The Bad and The Ugly that all needs to be discussed. Today I will give a little outlook on each of the playoff teams and what I feel there shot of winning in each of the 1st two rounds.
First we discuss the Western Conference. They are legitimately the POWER CONFERENCE this yr and they have what we feel as 3 or 4 teams with GREAT odds on winning the whole thing vs the East having only two MAYBE 3 teams that have a SHOT but outside shot at that with the west being as good as it is.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
#1 Seed Seattle Sonics 64-18
There tied for the best record in the league. They have won 9 of there last 10 games and 18 of last 19 and 26 of last 28 games. What can you say they are playing GREAT GREAT basketball. They have all five starters averaging between 18.9 and 24.8 ppg.
Yao is probably there only MVP cantidate but thats ONLY because they all just feed off each other and they are all playing GOOD but NO STANDOUT 30 PPG type player. The one DOWNSIDE id say to this team is that there depth may be a BIT WEAK. Boetang is young walker is old and doesnt contribute much. Odom has experience but he just hasnt done anything special this yr and they have no GOOD back up SG/PG. If they were to have injury to a starter that MIGHT hurt them against the BETTER teams in the league.
VS
#8 Seed Utah Jazz 35-47
The jazz beat out 4 teams just 1 to 2 games behind them. There a youngish team that is coming into the playoffs winning ONLY 4 of last 10 games and they finished the year winning OLNY 8 of last 20 games.
This should be a good experience for the young team for the future but they will MOST LIKELY be Over Matched. Id say if they want any LEGITIMATE shot at winning there going to need some GREAT defense and BIG games out of maybe Jeff Green or something. Really there just to raw RIGHT now to beat a team Like Seattle.
Prediction for the series:
Seattle wins 4-1 with NONE of the 4 win having the Jazz be with-in 8 points. Seattle Averages 111 a game vs the Jazz pulling in ONLY 98. This may be a very ugly series.
#2 Seed Minnesota Timberwolves 42-40
They have the 6th best record in the West and it would be hard to bet them going that far at all in the playoffs but they will have some VERY NICE SEEDING. They have won 6 of last 10 and 11 of last 20 games. There not HOT by any means but playing against an EHHHH Dallas team it may not matter. there 3-1 against the Mavs this yr.
Lofton is playing like a true star this yr and Al Jefferson is also a great big man down low. This will get so Key experience for this relatively young team wheres IF THE DON'T GO FAR they will be better off in the future because of this.
VS
#7 Dallas Mavericks 36-46
They have won 9 of there last 20 but only 3 of last 10. Coming into the playoffs that cold will probably hurt them. There missing there Starting PG for the rest of the yr and there starting SF for the first 2 rounds. Thats going to be WAY too much to over come.
Prediction for the series:
Timberwolves Win series 4-1 based mainly on them being healthy and Dallas just not playing well.
#3 Portland Trail Blazers 64-18
The Blazers are tied for the best record in the league but still have ONLY 3rd seed cause there in the BEST DIVISION IN THE LEAGUE. They have experience and MVP Candidates as well as better Depth then Seattle. They are about as hot as they come to boot after winning 8 of last 10, and won 25 of last 27 games. There 2-2 against this warriors team and this could be an awefully good series cause the Golden State does like to play UP to there competition.
Some of Portland intangibles include there 3 probably top ten MVP type players. Seattle for example has 5 GOOD starters but Portland has 3 SUPERSTARS and MORE DEPTH.
VS
#6 Golden State Warriors 45-37
Golden State is coming in at a bit of a cold streak winning just 4 of 10 and 8 of last 20 but that being said they do Average almost 110 a game which is slightly more then the Blazers. They run and gun but they dont play defense.
Monta and AI will have to play GREAT for a real shot at winning but this team does have nice mix of both Youth and Experience so who knows.
Prediction for the series:
We dont see Portland losing in the first couple rounds there just too good and there too hot. We think AI will will his team two maybe two wins in the series but there giving up 108 ppg and that wont do against Portland who is one of the best Defensive teams. Portland Takes Series 4-2 and moves on to the second round.
#4 Los Angeles Lakers 53-29
The Lakers have home field and that might be the difference in the series. Having won 9 of last 10 is good but only 13 of last 20 is not great. There still one of the teams to beat in the West. Having two of the biggest Clutch guys in the league in Wade and Bryant will be the series. If they can put up 25 to 30 a game each and garnett gets 20 and ten they will be tough to beat.
On the flip side the lakers lost ALL 4 Matchups this season. That may sound shocking for a team as good as they are BUT 2 of the game the Lakers were pretty beat up and or didnt have Garnett yet.
VS
#5 Sacramento Kings 50-32
The Kings also coming in very hot over the last 10 games they have won 8 of there last 10 and 20 of last 26 games. They were experimenting a bit late in the yr and maybe it was paying off a bit. Over last third of the yr they were one of the hottest teams. They Will have to draw big games from there key Vets Carmelo, B Davis and Matrix. If the big three produce then this team has a shot.
Prediction for the series:
We at the paper are taking The Kings 4-3. Lakers Have home Field so its not IMPOSSIBLE for them too win but it appears to us the Kings just have there number THIS YR. This should be a great battle with two GOOD TEAMS that probably shouldnt be playing each other in the first round. If Playoffs were according to ONLY record they would be the 3rd and 4th seeded teams and would both win but there not and this should be the BEST 1st round Western Conference match up.
2nd Round Western Conference Playoffs
(i wont break it down as much cause i COULD be wrong on first matchups)
#1 Seattle Sonics Vs #5 Sacramento Kings (Season Series Kings 3-1)
Seattle's Starting Five are great There a HOT team and they got a bit of a rest after blowing out the Jazz. The Kings have confidence and are also RELATIVELY HOT. Home court advantage is with the Sonics and we feel they should hold it. Sonics win Series 4-2 but this will be a battle with many close games. Now IF AND SONICS STAR were to go down the Kings COULD POSSIBLY pull off an upset but you cant BET ON THAT.
#2 Minnesota Timberwolves Vs #3 Portland Trail Blazers (Season Series 2-2)
Minnesota SHOULD BE TOO OVER MATCHED. They have Home Court but we could easily see Portland taking the first two and then getting Home Court back. Portland Takes SERIES 4-1 and has some Free Time before they go down the road to visit Seattle setting up for what SHOULD be the true CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES. We give props to Sota on the Season but there just too over matched and this will get UGLY.
Eastern Conference Coming This EVENING or tomorrow........
We at the paper will ALSO update this after 1st and 2nd round are complete to finish off the Playoffs..... Hope you enjoy all the reading.