2010 NBA Playoffs thread

[Sodboy13]

So, as a Bulls fan, which is worse: missing the playoffs in the laughable East, or barely scraping the 8 seed with a .500 record, with the knowledge that merely being competitive in the first round will ensure a continuance of the status quo?

[NEW.ERA]

The Bulls will give a better fight to the Cavs then the Raptors would. Even if they do manage to steal a game there is no way the Cavs lose.

The Raps went 9-19 since the All Star break and they had 29 wins at that point which tied the record for the most wins at the break by the Raps. Terrible, Terrible stretch and it doesn't help when Turkoglu doesn't earn his paycheck and CB4 goes down with a massive injury.

[TrueYankee26]

Eastern Conference

(1) CLEVELAND vs. (8) Chicago

(2) ORLANDO vs. (7) Charlotte

(3) ATLANTA vs. (6) Milwaukee

(4) BOSTON vs. (5) Miami

Western Conference

(1) LOS ANGELES vs. (8) Oklahoma City

(2) DALLAS vs. (7) San Antonio

(3) Phoenix vs. (6) Portland

(4) Denver vs. (5) Utah

[TrueYankee26]

Schedule

Saturday, April 17
MATCHUP	TIME (ET)	AWAY TV	HOME TV	NAT TV	RESOURCES
Chicago at Cleveland
Game 1	3:00 PM				
Milwaukee at Atlanta
Game 1	5:30 PM			
	Tickets | Travel 
Miami at Boston
Game 1	8:00 PM			
	Tickets | Travel 
Utah at Denver
Game 1	10:30 PM			
	Tickets | Travel 
Sunday, April 18
MATCHUP	TIME (ET)	AWAY TV	HOME TV	NAT TV	RESOURCES
Oklahoma City at LA Lakers
Game 1	3:00 PM				
Charlotte at Orlando
Game 1	5:30 PM			TNT	 
San Antonio at Dallas
Game 1	8:00 PM			TNT	
Portland at Phoenix
Game 1	10:30 PM			TNT	

[The_Admiral]

So, as a Bulls fan, which is worse: missing the playoffs in the laughable East, or barely scraping the 8 seed with a .500 record, with the knowledge that merely being competitive in the first round will ensure a continuance of the status quo?

Nothing matters. Now that it's all coming out about how dysfunctional the organization is, with the general manager assaulting the coach and having to communicate to each other through text messages with Lindsey Hunter, nobody's going to play here if they ever even were. Vinny is getting fired as soon as the series is mercifully over, at least. The only thing worse than Paxson leaving might be Paxson staying, considering the White Sox just hired you-know-who to be their Vice President of Eating or something.

[BaltimoreFan]

I'd like to see a Lakers-Cavaliers final. I think the whole Kobe vs. Lebron and Shaq, would make for an interesting series. It would at least get me, who doesn't really watch the NBA, to tune in.

[NEW.ERA]

My half assed predictions.

Eastern Conference

1 Cleveland over 8 Chicago in 4

5 Miami over 4 Boston in 7

3 Atlanta over 6 Milwaukee in 6

2 Orlando over 7 Charlotte in 5

Western Conference

1 LA Lakers over 8 Oklahoma City in 6

5 Utah over 4 Denver in 7

3 Phoenix over 6 Portland in 5

2 Dallas over 7 San Antonio in 7

Semi-Finals

1 Cleveland over 5 Miami in 5

3 Atlanta over 2 Orlando in 7

1 LA Lakers over 5 Utah in 6

2 Dallas over 3 Phoenix in 7

Conference Finals

1 Cleveland over 3 Atlanta in 6

2 Dallas over 1 LA Lakers in 7

NBA Finals

1 Cleveland over 2 Dallas in 7

Finals MVP: LeBron James who else?

[crashcarson15]

Cavs over Bulls in 4

Heat over Celtics in 5

Bucks over Hawks in 7

Magic over Bobcats in 5

Cavs over Heat in 5

Magic over Bucks in 4

Cavs over Magic in 6

Thunder over Lakers in 6

Nuggets over Jazz in 6

Suns over Blazers in 4

Mavericks over Spurs in 7

Thunder over Nuggets in 7

Mavericks over Suns in 6

Mavericks over Thunder in 5

Cavs over Mavericks in 5

MVP: LBJ

[Seadragon76]

Am I seeing that right?

Whatever you're smoking sizemorematters... SHARE! Don't hog the good stuff, man!

No way in hell does Oklahoma City beat the Lakers. Take out Durant and the Thunder are a shell of a team. You know damn well Phil is going to stick Ron Artest on Durant and he'll clamp down on him to make sure he doesn't get his 30 points a game. This would force the other players for OKC to step it up and I highly doubt that's going to happen.

[The_Admiral]

Cavs in 4

Magic in 5

Hawks in 6

Heat in 7

Lakers in 6

Jazz in 5

Suns in 6

Mavericks in 6

[PittsburghSucks]

Eastern Conference

1 Cleveland over 8 Chicago in 5

5 Miami over 4 Boston in 6

3 Atlanta over 6 Milwaukee in 6

2 Orlando over 7 Charlotte in 7

Western Conference

1 LA Lakers over 8 Oklahoma City in 7

4 Denver over 5 Utah in 7

3 Phoenix over 6 Portland in 5

2 Dallas over 7 San Antonio in 7

Semi-Finals

1 Cleveland over 5 Miami in 5

2 Orlando over 3 Atlanta in 7

1 LA Lakers over 4 Denver in 6

2 Dallas over 3 Phoenix in 6

Conference Finals

1 Cleveland over 2 Orlando in 6

2 Dallas over 1 LA Lakers in 6

NBA Finals

1 Cleveland over 2 Dallas in 5

Finals MVP: LeBron James, it's his league now!!!

[TFoA]

Am I seeing that right?

Whatever you're smoking sizemorematters... SHARE! Don't hog the good stuff, man!

No way in hell does Oklahoma City beat the Lakers. Take out Durant and the Thunder are a shell of a team. You know damn well Phil is going to stick Ron Artest on Durant and he'll clamp down on him to make sure he doesn't get his 30 points a game. This would force the other players for OKC to step it up and I highly doubt that's going to happen.

You're saying that like the Lakers are a juggernaut & the Thunder are garbage. I mean, it wasn't even that long ago when the Thunder basically beat the heck out of the Lakers. There's a reason why KD is the scoring champ, he can score against anybody, ANYBODY. I still think the Lakers are gonna win, but you're talking about the Thunder like they have NO chance. Every team in the West bracket won 50 games this year, anybody can beat anybody.

[MDC]

Cavs over Bulls in 5

Heat over Celtics in 6

Hawks over Bucks in 6

Magic over Bobcats in 4

Cavs over Heat in 5

Magic over Hawksin 5

Magic over Cavs in 7

Lakers over Thunder in 6

Jazz over Nuggets in 6

Suns over Blazers in 5

Mavericks over Spurs in 7

Lakers over Jazz in 7

Suns over Mavericks in 6

Lakers over Suns in 5

Magic over Lakers in 7

MVP: DH12

[DustDevil61]

Here's my predictions:

Eastern Conference, 1st Round

(1) Cleveland beats (8) Chicago 4-1

(2) Orlando beats (7) Charlotte 4-1

(3) Atlanta beats (6) Milwaukee 4-2

(5) Miami beats (4) Boston 4-3

Western Conference, 1st Round

(1) LA Lakers beat (8) Oklahoma City 4-3 (My Surprise Series pick for the first round)

(2) Dallas beats (7) San Antonio 4-3

(3) Phoenix beats (6) Portland 4-2

(5) Utah beats (4) Denver 4-3

Eastern Conference, 2nd Round

(1) Cleveland over (5) Miami, 4-2

(3) Atlanta over (2) Orlando, 4-3

Western Conference, 2nd Round

(5)Utah over (1) LA Lakers, 4-3 (SP of 2nd Round)

(2) Dallas over (3) Phoenix, 4-2

Eastern Conference Finals

(1) Cleveland beats (3) Atlanta, 4-1

Western Conference Finals

(5) Utah over Dallas, 4-2

NBA Finals

Utah beats Cleveland, 4-3 (OK, I'm bias but I'll admit it)

Sorry for the bias, but just about anyone can come out of the West, and that list does include OKC. There doesn't seem to be a First-round series outside of Cleveland/Chicago and Orlando/Charlotte that is winnable by either team.

[nyk]

1st Round Eastern Conf.

1) Cleveland def. 8) Chicago (in 5)

2) Orlando def. 7) Charlotte (in 6)

3) Atlanta def. 6) Milwaukee (in 6)

4) Boston def. 5) Miami (in 6)

1st Round Western Conf.

1) LA Lakers def. 8) Oklahoma City (in 6)

2) Dallas def. 7) San Antonia (in 7)

3) Phoenix def. 6) Portland (in 5)

5) Utah def. 4) Denver (in 7)

2nd Round Eastern Conf.

1) Cleveland def. 4) Boston (in 6)

2) Orlando def. 3) Atlanta (in 6)

2nd Round Western Conf.

1) LA Lakers def. 5) Utah (in 7)

2) Dallas def. 3) Pheonix (in 7)

Eastern Conference Finals

2) Orlando def. 1) Cleveland (in 7)

Western Conference Finals

2) Dallas def. 1) LA Lakers (in 6)

NBA Finals

2) Orlando Magic def. 2) Dallas Mavericks (in 6)

[Seadragon76]

Am I seeing that right?

Whatever you're smoking sizemorematters... SHARE! Don't hog the good stuff, man!

No way in hell does Oklahoma City beat the Lakers. Take out Durant and the Thunder are a shell of a team. You know damn well Phil is going to stick Ron Artest on Durant and he'll clamp down on him to make sure he doesn't get his 30 points a game. This would force the other players for OKC to step it up and I highly doubt that's going to happen.

You're saying that like the Lakers are a juggernaut & the Thunder are garbage. I mean, it wasn't even that long ago when the Thunder basically beat the heck out of the Lakers. There's a reason why KD is the scoring champ, he can score against anybody, ANYBODY. I still think the Lakers are gonna win, but you're talking about the Thunder like they have NO chance. Every team in the West bracket won 50 games this year, anybody can beat anybody.

It's either this or having to deal with me in 'RAWR RAWR The Thunder must be swept out and lose every game by 50 points because they screwed Seattle over RAWR RAWR' mode.

Now, yeah the Thunder did beat the Lakers eariler this season, but what happened then doesn't matter now. It's the postseason... Things are different.

[dfwabel]

I will pay more attention early to the West over the East for these reasons.

1. OKC vs. LAL: Just want to see how OKC can handle the second season and will all the minutes which Durant and Westbrook will catch up with them. Plus, what will Scott Brooks try to do outcoach Phil four times.

2. SAS vs. DAL: Battle of the Old. The Mavs were 3-1 against them this season, but they only faced them once after the trade for Caron Butler. That was last night when neither Duncan or Manu played. Carslile is a playoff underachiever, but they won five of their last six and Popovich limited the number of minutes for Duncan (31), Manu (29) and Parker (31) just for a playoff run. Plus, for a division winner, the home record of the Mavs is concerning at 28-13.

I really don't think that POR will have the heart to play and PHX will run them out of the building. They are a bad home team too as by the loss to GSW last night.

[Jigga]

I will pay more attention early to the West over the East for these reasons.

1. OKC vs. LAL: Just want to see how OKC can handle the second season and will all the minutes which Durant and Westbrook will catch up with them. Plus, what will Scott Brooks try to do outcoach Phil four times.

2. SAS vs. DAL: Battle of the Old. The Mavs were 3-1 against them this season, but they only faced them once after the trade for Caron Butler. That was last night when neither Duncan or Manu played. Carslile is a playoff underachiever, but they won five of their last six and Popovich limited the number of minutes for Duncan (31), Manu (29) and Parker (31) just for a playoff run. Plus, for a division winner, the home record of the Mavs is concerning at 28-13.

I really don't think that POR will have the heart to play and PHX will run them out of the building. They are a bad home team too as by the loss to GSW last night.

Especially since Brandon Roy will opt for knee surgery and miss the first round.

[The_Admiral]

Take out Durant and the Thunder are a shell of a team.

"Take out x, and y is a shell of a team" is a good NBA rule to live by when you're actually talking about removing the best player from the team itself, but if you mean expending all your energy into shutting him down, this just opens up opportunities for other players (in this case probably Russell Westbrook, who's no chopped liver). The Lakers are the better team and there's no perfect storm of mismatches, so it stands to reason that they'll win the series, but they won't roll through it.

[PurpleRush]

Cavs over Bulls in 5

Celtics over Heat in 6

Hawks over Bucks in 7

Magic over Bobcats in 4

Cavs over Celtics in 5

Magic over Hawks in 5

Magic over Cavs in 7

Lakers over Thunder in 5

Nuggets over Jazz in 5

Suns over Blazers in 5

Mavericks over Spurs in 6

Lakers over Nuggets in 6

Suns over Mavericks in 6

Lakers over Suns in 5

Magic over Lakers in 6