Warning: These writeups are really boring and simple. I don't know what my problem is today. But a deadline's a deadline.
EAST
First Round
#1 Cleveland over #8 Chicago (4-0) - The young Bulls were the story of last year's first-round, stretching the then-defending champion Celtics to seven highly-entertaining games. These Cavs are much better than those (KG-less) Celtics were, and it's hard to see the Bulls -- who nearly blew this spot with a late-season loss to New Jersey. Derrick Rose is capable of winning a playoff series by himself, but not for a couple of years, and not as an 8 seed.
#4 Boston over #5 Miami (4-3) - Like I said in my last post, any result wouldn't surprise me here. Boston should win easily, but nothing has come easy for them the last several months. I envision a number of wins by the road team in this series, but Boston wins a Game 7 at home for perhaps the final time in the Big Three era.
#2 Orlando over #7 Charlotte (4-1) - The overmatched Bobcats get one game from me because of their 31-10 home record -- fourth best in the east and eighth best in the L.
#3 Atlanta over #6 Milwaukee (4-1) - With Andrew Bogut, the Bucks are an intriguing group. Without him, it's hard to see them making too much of a splash. They get one game because the Hawks are just so damn flaky, but really, Atlanta should cruise.
Eastern Conference Semifinals
#1 Cleveland over #4 Boston (4-2) - Cleveland's too good for Boston, though the Celtics actually play the Cavs pretty well. A split of the first four games gives Boston fans hope, but the Cavs close it out at the Garden, where the Cs have been so inconsistent this year.
#2 Orlando over #3 Atlanta (4-3) - I want to take the Hawks this series because it just seems right to have them playing in the conference finals. But Atlanta routinely got its ass kicked against Orlando this season, getting blown out three times before narrowly winning the season's final matchup.
Eastern Conference Finals
#1 Cleveland over #2 Orlando (4-2) - Shaq isn't the difference in this series, but Cleveland is the one team that has the bodies to play Dwight Howard to something approaching a draw down low. The Magic stunned the Cavs in last year's conference finals, temporarily derailing the LeBron James Championship Express, shooting ridiculously well along the way. Vince Carter in theory diversifies them offensively a bit, but they're still basically a jump shooting team, and I doubt they catch lightning in a bottle again this year.
WEST
First Round
#1 Los Angeles over #8 Oklahoma City (4-1) - The Thunder are a great young team, fun to watch, but no real threat to the Lakers. You don't win your first playoff series against the top-seeded defending champs. Originally, I thought this series might go a bit like the 2001 Finals, with Kevin Durant playing the role of Allen Iverson in leading his team to a Game 1 victory before succumbing in the next four in a row. With all the chatter between Durant and Phil Jackson, and the fact that everyone is wondering what's going on with LA, I think the Lakers are sufficiently on notice. Give OKC a game because -- yes, Phil -- Durant gets superstar protection from the refs, but LA closes it out in five, though it wouldn't surprise me if several of their wins were quite close.
#5 Utah over #4 Denver (4-2) - Hard to say what's going on with Denver, but they clearly aren't the same team right now, and they're not the kind of squad that rights the ship well on its own. Utah, meanwhile, has been one of the league's hottest teams, and are really tough to beat at home.
#2 Dallas over #7 San Antonio (4-3) - The bench makes the difference here. You can't ever really count out Duncan/Ginobili/Parker in a playoff series, especially with Popovich at the helm. But Dallas' midseason acquisitions from Washington just makes them too deep.
#3 Phoenix over #6 Portland (4-1) - Poor Portland. The injury bug, having already feasted on Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla, took Brandon Roy at the worst possible time. He may only miss a week or two, but the red-hot Suns won't give him a chance to get back in time to save the Blazers season.
Western Conference Semifinals
#1 Los Angeles over #5 Utah (4-3) - A lot of people are picking the Jazz, but a lot of people are over-emphasizing the Lakers' late-season struggles. With that said, Utah is a very good team, strong where LA is weak, and they should give the Lakers all they want.
#2 Dallas over #3 Phoenix (4-2) - I seem to remember Amare' Stoudemire absolutely destroying the Mavs in a playoff series long ago. Expect a big series from him, but stopping people is still Phoenix's problem, and there are plenty of guys you gotta stop on Dallas.
Western Conference Finals
#1 Los Angeles over #2 Dallas (4-3) - Should be a great series. The final four this year should have some really fantastic basketball teams.
NBA Finals
Cleveland over Los Angeles (4-3) - Chalk? Sure. Boring? Perhaps. Pre-determined by the basketball gods? You bet. LeBron gets his revenge and his first ring.
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