There are three playoffs games happening the NBA tonight. I will take this opportunity to size up the match ups and make some fairly minor predictions.
New Jersey vs. Toronto: Toronto is actually the higher seed here and had a much better record than the Raptors but pretty much every NBA writer is picking the Nets in this series. The main reason? Experience. The Jason Kidd led Nets have been in the playoffs consistently for the last 6 or 7 years which included a couple of trips to the NBA Finals. I don't think anyone has the Nets pegged for the Finals this year, but I'm with everyone else in picking them to at least win this series. Not only have are the Nets playoff tested but the Raptors are not. They are a young team. The only guys in their rotation with big game experience are guys who came to the NBA from Europe and played the big games over there. Making the playoffs is a big deal in itself for the Raptors though, they will pick up experience and move on to next season with bigger expectations. I'm not saying the Raptors can't win this series but I'll go with the Nets in 6 games.
Miami vs. Chicago: Probably the premium series of the first round. You've got the defending champs taking on the young Bulls. However, even though the Bulls are young they've got some playoff experience having made it the past few seasons after some awful years without Michael Jordan. This should be a pretty even series and more than that, it should be really physical. There's a great piece on ESPN.com today about how Bulls coach Scott Skiles and Heat center Shaquille O'Neal were teammates a long time ago in Orlando. The story tells about a young Shaq taking a big swing at the cocky Skiles, I would have love to have seen that. Anyway, the Bulls are feisty just like Skiles was and the Bulls are the team I want the Pistons to play the least. The Bulls play great defense and score in bunches when their guys get going. With Miami you've got the experience factor and the fact the Dwayne Wade will probably take about 15 foul shots per game for the series. In a close, technical filled series I will take the Bulls in 7.
LA Lakers vs. Phoenix: This series was great last year, I loved it. It was one that just drew in the casual viewer because it featured a pass first Kobe Bryant that Phoenix could barely handle with the Suns winning that close series. This year is much different. While Phoenix looked bad in game one, they still won. Not a great sign for the Lakers. I figure Kobe and the LA crowd is good for one game in this series. I'll take the Suns in 5 games.
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Hey! Scott Skiles went to Michigan State! *giggle giggle*
I want to follow up this morning before I post my column thoughts after last nights games.
Mia/Chi: I, like Blake, thought this would be the best series of the first round because of the intensity, the experience, vs. the upstarts, etc. At this point, it looks like Shaq and D-Wade ("my 5 is hot!"...if you got that, you watch to much TV) are going to roll over and die. Shaq ALWAYS looks like he has about 150,000 miles on his odometer as he lumbers to and fro and expects EVERY call. Between those two gusy, the have a sense of entitlement for fouls that is unparalleled. The Bulls are two fun, fast, and full of Scott Skiles' energy to go down.
LA/PHX: Talk abotu rolling over, the Suns can't be stopped. Kobe should go back to trying to put 100 up every night because last night scoring was pretty spread out and the Suns beat them like a bad rug. This series bores me. I am done here.
NJ/Tor: TO me, this is the best series. What more could you want? Carter in a contract year, he is going to try to blow the celing off this thing, Toronto HATING Carter, Chris Bosh coming into his own having made major upgrades ni his game each yea, Sam Mitchell is caoch of the year and coaching like it, just a great series all around! All we need is a domestic dispute between Jason Kidd and his wife to ruin the entire thing and we'll have a full blown NBA soap opera. But really a great series. I look forward to the games.
Wow, yeah, the Heat looked finished. However, I thought the same thing last year and they pulled through, I just cannot imagine the wheels would fall off this fast, they'll bounce back at home.
I am with and I always thoght that the series doesn't really start until someone loses at home (at least I always say that when my teams are behind). Nevertheless, the Heat looked rough.
Miami is terrible. People talk and talk about how last year's playoffs were the best playoffs ever, but does anyone remember that the Heat won the finals? The Miami Heat. NBA Champions in 2006. They were bad last year, and they're worse this year. They're the worst champion of all time, despite last year's great playoffs. Everyone else beat each other up and somehow Miami won the whole thing. They're basically the NBA equivalent of the Cardinals winning the World Series last year. 2006 - the year of terrible champions.
Anyway, 2007 is the year that the Bulls will beat the Heat, as they should. They are the far superior team, and Wade will have to take 25 foul shots per game for Miami to win (not out of the question though).
The Bulls-Pistons series could be the rekindling of a rivalry. Chicago is good, and I am afraid of them and crazy Scott Skiles.
I'm with Andy, I really think that Scott Skiles is a great coach and is a terrific motivator. They scare the crap out of me and I could see them beating the Pistons.
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