Official 2005 NBA Playoff Thread

[whitak24]

Since the other NBA thread has devolved into a Lakers debate between jel and bachviet, let's start a thread dedicated to the playoffs. Not to be a d*ck, but please no laker or clipper discussion here, as neither of them are part of the playoffs.

I put my overall predictions in some OT thread, but here goes:
I don't think anyone can stop Miami and Detroit from meeting in the ECF. as to who will win that....I'm biased so i tend to think Detroit will. Miami is hella solid, it's just that i think detroit's big men can contain (not stop....just contain) shaq and tayshaun prince and rip hamilton will harass Wade enough to slow him down.

In the west, it's a lot more wide open. Frankly, though, i think it comes down to the spurs and the suns, and i'm going to go on a limb and say the spurs will win it (if duncan is in fact healthy). over a seven-game series, i think greg popovich will find a way to slow the suns' fastbreak, and gut out the series.

dallas is the only other team i see playing a real factor in the west, and while their defense has improved under avery johnson, i don't think it will be enough for them to take out either the spurs or the suns. the nuggets are playing well, but i think their lack of experience will be exposed in the playoffs.

as for the finals, if it's detroit-san antonio, either team could win, and i have to be biased and say my boys would take it. seriously, i think that series would be a toss-up, because the teams match up well and play a very similar style. also, they both have a different player who can step up and lead the team any night.

if it's detroit-phoenix, i think it could get ugly in a hurry for PHX if larry brown devises a defensive strategy to shut down the suns' fastbreak. without that, PHX is toast. however, if the pistons can't do that, i think they will lose the series quickly. if they can't force phx into their game, they're not going to beat phx at its own game over a seven-game series.

[RoniMan]

but please no laker or clipper discussion here, as neither of them are part of the playoffs.

(keeping mouth shut)

I don't think anyone can stop Miami and Detroit from meeting in the ECF. as to who will win that....I'm biased so i tend to think Detroit will. Miami is hella solid, it's just that i think detroit's big men can contain (not stop....just contain) shaq and tayshaun prince and rip hamilton will harass Wade enough to slow him down.

i've never been big on teams in the east, but i still have some loyalty to shaq, so i wouldn't mind watching miami win. if anything it'll at least rub it in kobe's face. however, i won't count out eddie jones either, he's got the playoff experience, and i bet he's itching for that ring!

In the west, it's a lot more wide open. Frankly, though, i think it comes down to the spurs and the suns, and i'm going to go on a limb and say the spurs will win it (if duncan is in fact healthy). over a seven-game series, i think greg popovich will find a way to slow the suns' fastbreak, and gut out the series.

now in the west, it gets more interesting. i'm really excited about the dallas/houston games b/c i like both those teams. but i'm gonna agree again that it'll prob be down to phx and san. i'd like to see phx win b/c they've always been a fun team to watch ever since they became an expansion team. but i want to see a few games before i make any predictions.

[gear02]

Let's put our predictions here.

Miami over NJ 4-1
Washington over Chicago 4-3
Boston over Indiana 4-2
Detroit over Philadelphia 4-1

Phoenix over Memphis 4-0
Houston (WOO!!) over Dallas 4-2
Seattle over Sacramento 4-2
San Antonio over Denver 4-3

[bachviet]

Eastern Conference

1st round

Miami vs NJ: 4-0
Chicago vs. Washington: 3-4
Boston vs. Indiana: 3-4
Detroit vs. Philadelphia: 4-1

2nd round

Miami vs. Washington: 4-1
Detroit vs. Indiana: 4-2

3rd round

Miami vs. Detroit: 4-3

Western Conference

1st round

Phoenix vs. Memphis: 4-1
Dallas vs. Houston: 3-4
Seattle vs. Sacramento: 3-4
San Antonio vs. Denver: 4-2

2nd round

Phoenix vs. Houston: 4-2
San Antonio vs. Sacramento: 4-1

3rd round

Phoenix vs. San Antonio: 3-4

Final

San Antonio vs. Miami: 4-3

[gear02]

Originally Posted by bachviet

Snip

yeah...I didn't want to go out that far This isn't the NCAA tourney!

[DarkFury]

Originally Posted by whitak24

Since the other NBA thread has devolved into a Lakers debate between jel and bachviet, let's start a thread dedicated to the playoffs. Not to be a d*ck, but please no laker or clipper discussion here, as neither of them are part of the playoffs.

Walk(ing) softly


- DF

[Showtime]

2 cents. Finals: San Antonio in 5 against anyone.

-j

[whitak24]

Originally Posted by the jello is jigglin

2 cents. Finals: San Antonio in 5 against anyone.

-j

in five? wow. that's a bold prediction, my friend.

oh yeah...i guess i better get my first round predictions in before the games start tomorrow:

Miami over NJ 4-1
Chicago over Wash 4-3 - i'm giving the edge for homecourt here
Indiana over Boston 4-2 - i think the pacers are playing too well right now to count out
Detroit over Philadelphia 4-1 - iverson can always win at least one playoff game single-handedly

Phoenix over Memphis 4-0
Dallas over Houston 4-3
Sacramento over Seattle 4-2 - the Sonics limped into the playoffs. their breakout season ends here
San Antonio over Denver 4-2 - SA is just too good, regardless of how well Denver has been playing

[RoniMan]

well, i'll make them for round one

MIA - NJ 4-2
CHI - WAS 3-4
IND - BOS 4-3
DET - PHI 4-1

PHX - MEM 4-1
DAL - HOU 3-4
SAC - SEA 4-1
SAN - DEN 4-2

[molecularfire]

Here's my pics. for the first round.

MIA - NJ 4-1
CHI - WAS 4-3
IND - BOS 4-3
DET - PHI 4-1

PHX - MEM 4-1
DAL - HOU 4-3
SAC - SEA 4-3
SAN - DEN 4-1

[ialsohaveadream]

Beasts of the East
Miami over NJ 4-1
Chicago over Washington 4-2 (Ben Gordon's gonna break out like D Wade did in the playoffs)
Indiana over Boston 4-2 (Reggie's gonna leave it all on the floor)
Detroit over Philly 4-1

Breasts of the West
Phoenix over Memphis 4-3
Dallas over Houston 4-1
Sacto over Seattle 4-2 (this one could go either way, though)
San Antonio over Denver 4-2

[RoniMan]

Originally Posted by ialsohaveadream

Breasts of the West

??? freudian slip?

and i thought *I* was lonely....

[DarkFury]

Mmmmm.... b( . Y . )bies...

[Freelance Superhero]

i'm not gonna make predictions down the line because that takes too much thinking for me right now, but i will say i'm rooting for detroit and san antonio.

i'm fairly confident san antonio can take phoenix (the two i think will make it out of the west), and i'm just a teensy bit less confident that detroit can handle miami (the two i think will make it out of the east) as easily.

therefore, if the finals are san antonio-detroit, i'd be happy as a clam. if it turns out to be san antonio-miami, i think it'll be a good series, but i'll be rootin for SA all the way (love wade and eddie jones, but my dislike for shaq outweighs that). and if it turns out to be phoenix-detroit, i'd gleefully enjoy watching big ben and co. put phoenix in their place (i just like detroit that much). phoenix-miami would be fun to watch, i suppose, but i wouldn't really care either way who won.

[cheapchinese]

My First Round Pick
Miami over NJ 4-1
Washington over Chicago 4-2
Boston over Indiana 4-3
Detroit over Philadelphia 4-2

Phoenix over Memphis 4-1
Houston (WOO!!) over Dallas 4-3
Seattle over Sacramento 4-2
San Antonio over Denver 4-1

[RoniMan]

after 1st day

det CREAMED phi - not too big of a surprise
hou beat dal - a bit of surprise b/c it was @ dallas. but yay houston!
sea beat sac - don't really care
bos KILLED ind - poor reggie, may not make it pass 1st round.

[cheapchinese]

but seriously... BOS has a great team this year
Pierce, GP....I'm expecting them at least pass by IND

Houston and San Antonio Game was both a surprise for me, Never thought SA will be outscored the last 8 mins of the game. Don't tell me the result of the HEAT and PHOENIX game...I'm going to watch it now. I expect them both to win though.

[ialsohaveadream]

Originally Posted by RoniMan

??? freudian slip?

and i thought *I* was lonely....

Nah. Beast doesn't rhyme with west.

[RoniMan]

this is when i wish i had cable....

would have loved watching the games...

but now, i realized that i need to cheer for miami. why? b/c i saw Alonzo Mourning play. that guy is awesome! i grew up with him, and i would love to see him get the ring this year.

[M_A_C]

Go Nugs! I'm going to game 4 in Denver, maybe it will be the last game of the series! (wishful thinking never hurt anybody )

[gear02]

2-0!

YEAH ROCKETS!

[GraingerGuy]

WOOOOO!!!!!

GO ROCKETS!!!!

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE HEART OF A CHAMPION!

[cheapchinese]

amazing, 2-0
T- Mac is great at crunch

[gear02]

This Rockets team is like no other I've seen. With our two championships, we had 1 player (Olajuwon) surrounded by a supporting cast (Kenny Smith, Clyde Drexler, Robert Horry, Sam Cassell). We tried the backcourt domination with Francis and Mobley, but that wasn't good. Now with Tmac and Yao we actually have 2 stars, and this year there's an AMAZING supporting cast (Barry, Sura, James, Mutumbo, Wesley). It almost reminds me of the old Kings teams before they broke it up. We have so many ways of scoring and we play great defense.

By the way, Van Horn is still a stiff. He did score a bunch of points, but man, he choked coming down the stretch...

[cheapchinese]

really??
When I was watching the game today, I just can't stop thinking that this Playoff Rocket team seems so much like the Lakers.

It'll be funny if the championship would be Rockets Vs. Heat. Both teams are just so similiar

[GraingerGuy]

Originally Posted by cheapchinese

really??
When I was watching the game today, I just can't stop thinking that this Playoff Rocket team seems so much like the Lakers.

It'll be funny if the championship would be Rockets Vs. Heat. Both teams are just so similiar

Thou speaketh blasphamy!



I completely agree with you gear, except for one thing...Clyde really isn't that much of a supporting member! To be quite honest, it seems to me like this year's squad is a lot like the 94-95 squad.

T-Mac - Glide (two really athletic G/F)
Yao - Hakeem (dominating centers)
Sura - Elie (For the pure heart they give on the court)
Mike James - Cassell (A nice PG, who can score a bit)
Weatherspoon+Pag - Horry (Yes, it takes two of our current PFs to equal Horry and I still think Horry has more value than both. Though, Pag can shoot pretty well)
Bowen - Scotty Brooks (Again for the heart. Though...scotty was the better shot.) or Charles Jones (He being a defensive stopper)
David Westly or Jon Berry - Kenny Smith

So yeah....awesomeness.

[Showtime]

Nice dunk! It was very Kobe-esq.

-j

[ialsohaveadream]

Originally Posted by cheapchinese

amazing, 2-0
T- Mac is great at crunch

I'm shocked. The Rockets have played great and deserve a lot of credit, but I can't understand the lineup the Mavs are using to counter them. Brilliant move by JVG and T-Mac to not call a timeout before their last shot, though...definitely caught the Mavs off guard.

[cheapchinese]

and his dunk over S. Bradley was great

[whitak24]

my pick of dallas over the rockets is beginning to look pretty foolish. man.....t-mac is coming out to play. but these next couple games are the time for him to prove that he is a stud -- remember the playoffs 3 years ago vs. detroit, when his magic team built a 3-1 series lead and then blew it. if he and yao can help close out this playoff series (and when you build a 2-0 lead on your opponent's home floor, you better be able to close it out), it's going to help establish him as a real star in the nba.

the other reason i freaking love the rockets is that their roster is full of great ex-pistons, like jon barry, mike james, bobby sura, etc. all good guys who just ended up getting their paydays elsewhere, but i'm still rooting for them.

speaking of the pistons -- big game tonight vs. philly. last year in the first round, they blew out the bucks, then came back in game two with a horrible effort and got upset. hopefully, they don't repeat that mistake this year.