NBA Playoff Picks

Two quick hits:

1) 2 in a row for the Rockies, way to go, keep building on this.
2) Credit due to MLB and the Red Sox for their reactions to the faux-incident with Sheffield and the idiot fan last week.

On to the playoff picks:

Western Conference first:

1 Phoenix vs. 8 Memphis - This could be a good matchup, but Memphis didn't exactly sail in on a high note. Phoenix has been on cruise control for awhile, I expect them to turn it up a notch here. Suns in 5

4 Dallas vs. 5 Houston - Tracy McGrady has never won a playoff series, and that will not change this year. Look for the big baby to go down with a bad back after game 3. Mavericks in 5

2 San Antonio vs. 7 Denver - The poor, poor Nuggets. As hot as they were, when they had the chance to move up into the 6 or 5 seed and get a Seattle or Dallas team they would match up good with, they choked it off against Houston and Phoenix in the last week. The prize? The well-rested Spurs. Maybe next year. Spurs in 6

3 Seattle vs. 6 Sacremento - This is a situation ripe for an upset. Seattle has struggled, the Kings have a veteran team that has been there before. Kings in 7

Second Round
1 Phoenix vs. 4 Dallas - Steve Nash will soon regret his decision to snub Cubes and the Mavs. Mavericks in 7

2 San Antonio vs. 6 Sacramento - The Spurs are just too good. Spurs in 6

Conference Finals
2 San Antonio vs. 4 Dallas - This will be a fun contrast in styles. In the end, I think this is Dirk's year. He has willed the team to a great record, and Avery Johnson's first season at the helm will be a success.

Eastern Conference
1 Miami vs. 8 New Jersey - Miami is a 2-man team. One of those men is injured. One on five isn't going to be fun for Dwayne Wade. And now the Nets get back Jefferson? I smell upset. Nets in 7

4 Chicago vs. 5 Washington - Boy, is this gonna be a fun series or what? I'm looking forward to this series. Bulls in 7

2 Detroit vs. 7 Philadelphia - The Sixers didn't want this matchup. Boston or Miami would have been infinitely better. Pistons in 4

3 Boston vs. 6 Indiana - A lot will be made of the Pacers 2-1 season edge, as if 3 games is any kind of sample size. First, all 3 games were before the Antoine trade. Second, the first game was the second game of the season, when Indiana still had Ron Artest. And that's really the bottom line. Who do the Pacers have to stop Paul Pierce? Nobody. Earlier when I made my depth comparison, I said that if Artest is in the lineup then the Pacers are deeper. But Artest is not in the lineup, and that gives the edge to the C's. Celtics in 6

Second Round
4 Chicago vs. 8 New Jersey - There will be a lot of people picking New Jersey here, but the baby Bulls will outrun Jersey's old men. Bulls in 6

2 Detroit vs. 3 Boston - Can you wait for all the old '80's highlights of the Bad Boys vs. Larry's crew? Neither can I. This will be a great series. My gut tells me the Celtics can take them in 7. My head tells me the Pistons will prevail in 7, and I'll be bitching about it all summer. Pistons in 7, with game 7 going into 3 OT's

Conference Finals
2 Detroit vs. 4 Chicago - Rematch of the late '80's and early '90's Bad Boys vs. MJ series. That cycle will start anew, as the Pistons prevail in the East for a 2nd year in a row, but next year, the Baby Bulls could rise up and thwart their foes to the north. Pistons in 5

NBA Finals
Detroit vs. Dallas - Dallas won 58 games, Detroit 54, so Dallas gets home court. It won't matter. In the end, the Pistons will take advantage of the fact that Dallas has no point guard with any significant experience. But this should be a fun series, the kind that makes people remember why the NBA can be great. Lots of great passing, lots of scoring despite Detroit's killer D. Drum roll please......Pistons in 7, MVP Rip Hamilton, who will have to provide the scoring punch the Pistons need to win.