NBA Eastern Conference Round 1 Preview

[sani]

This year’s playoffs, or atleast the first round could be the best we’ve seen in a long while. Out of eight playoff series in Rd 1, i expect only Detroit, and maybe Phoenix (because of Memphis’ poor form) to advance easily. Now, let’s check out the Eastern Conference matchups: (1) MIAMI HEAT (59-23) VS. (2) NEW JERSEY NETS (42-40) Regular season meetings (Heat-Nets 3-0) Nov. 3: Heat 100 at Nets 77 Mar. 3: Heat 106 at Nets 90 Mar. 12: at Heat 90, Nets 65 Three and ‘O’ for the Heat doesn’t have to mean a thing in this matchup. The first game was without Kidd and Carter, and the last two were without Jefferson, also in the middle of Heat’s unbelievable post All-Star winning streak. So all these games can give Miami is psychological advantage, but Lawrence Frank will know just how to get his players to forget about the past and look into the future (which is bright all of a sudden thanks to LeBron’s teammates). Miami’s advantages: Shaq’s strength of course. Do they need anything else? Even if they do, they’ve got Dwayne Wade’s slashing, and deep bombs by the Jones’ brothers. Miami also has a lot of experienced players coming off the bench as well (Zo, Smith, Doleac, Anderson, Laettner), so they are built like a playoff team. After all, it was Pat Riley who built them, so that’s not a surprise. If Miami can play like they did just after the All-Star break, we won’t see much of the playoffs, as they could simply roll over any opponent they get. New Jersey’s advantages: If there is another player that can run at Jason Kidd’s pace, he’s on the Phoenix Suns roster. That’s exactly what the Nets have to do against Miami. Run as much as they can and hope the ‘Big Fella’ won’t be able to catch up with them. Having Richard Jefferson back will definitely help them because a fast break featuring Kidd, Carter and Jefferson just can’t go wrong. When it comes to halfcourt offense, don’t underestimate the fact that Shaq is bad against centers who can make midrange jumpers. Remember what Doleac used to do to him while Shaq Daddy was with Lakers? Remember Primo and that shocking Bobcats win? Well, Nenad Krstic can make that jumpshot, and that fact alone can definitely help New Jersey steal a game or two. Prediction: Two different styles of basketball will clash in this series, who ever sets his own pace will advance. Normally, i’d give advantage to Miami, but with Shaq’s thigh injury, which might force him to miss Game 1, i think the Nets definitely have their chances. If they can steal the first game, they’ll have the homecourt advantage and all those fastbreaks Kidd will force can only do damage to Shaq’s thigh. NEW JERSEY IN SIX. (2) DETROIT PISTONS (54-28) VS. (7) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (43-39) Regular season meetings (Pistons-Sixers 3-1) Nov. 6: at Pistons 99, 76ers 91 Jan. 15: at Pistons 99, 76ers 95 Feb. 16: Pistons 93 at 76ers 75 Mar. 23: at 76ers 107, Pistons 84 This last game was just a bad day for the champs and they had to play it without Larry Brown. So just try to forget about it you’ll see how this series should go. Detroit’s advantages: There’s so many of them in this series, but their 11 game winning streak could be the biggest one. Larry Brain has shown us once again he can make his team play it’s best basketball exactly when he needs them to. Defense is also the key to any win Detroit will get. Individual defense, team defense, you name it, they can do it. Home crowd, hunger for another ring, the fact they know they can win it all, ‘DEEEETROOOOIT BASKEEETBAAAALL’, do you need anything else? One more fact, but a HUGE one, Larry Brain used to coach Iverson, he knows what the little guy can and can’t do. Philadelphia’s advantages: Allen Iverson’s heart. Allen Iverson’s energy. Allen Iverson’s will to eliminate his ex-coach. That’s about it. If the entire team plays their best basketball of the season they could steal a couple of games. But not even playing their asses off will guarantee that. Prediction: This could turn out to be a chance for the Pistons to warm up for possible Round 2 matchup against the Pacers. We might even see ‘Darko and the gang’ hit the floor in a game or two. DETROIT IN FIVE. (3) BOSTON (45-37) VS. (6) INDIANA (44-38) Regular season meetings (Pacers-Celtics 2-1) Nov. 5: Pacers 100 at Celtics 94 Nov. 23: at Pacers 106, Celtics 96 Jan. 26: at Celtics 100, Pacers 86 How the Pacers managed to qualify for the postseason is something i’ll never understand. How the Celtics managed to go on that 11-1 streak after getting Walker back beats me as well. The only thing i know for sure, this Round 1 matchup is going to be a real old-school Eastern Conference postseason battle. Boston’s advantages: They have shown us that if they play their best (or even better than that) they can win. I really don’t think they can get back to that 11-1 basketball, but they sure are a dangerous team. Their trio of Pierce, Walker and Ricky D definitely can score, Gary Payton still is a very dangerous player and his experience will help a lot. I don’t know how Boston’s young guns can handle the postseason pressure, but Jefferson, Perkins, West and Allen have shown us they can contribute in big games. Play their best is all Celtics have to do to win this series, we’ll see if they’re up to it. Indiana’s advantages: Experience. Tons of it. Having Reggie Miller. Getting JO back. This team just kept shocking us all year long. First Ron Artest asked for a break, then he, together with O’Neal and Jackson got that break, then O’Neal went down with the injury, then they pick up Double D and Reggie catches fire, and now they’re in the playoffs. This team is not done shocking us. Reggie won’t get his bling bling even in the final season, but he’ll make some noise in the playoffs. Again. Prediction: Like i said, Boston only needs to play it’s best to win this series. However that might be too much to ask of this up-and-down team. If O’Neal can get anywhere near 100%, we’ll have Detroit vs. Indiana in the second round. David Stern is praying for that not to happen. INDIANA IN SIX. (4) CHICAGO (47-35) VS. WASHINGTON (45-37) Regular season meetings (Wizards-Bulls 2-1) Dec. 4: at Wizards 95, Bulls 88 Feb. 25: at Bulls 97, Wizards 90 Apr. 13: at Wizards 93, Bulls 82 Those three games were pretty close, that’s what we can expect to see throughout this series. This will definitely be the most entertaining matchup in the East and homecourt advantage won’t necessarily mean that much, although it did in the regular season. Chicago’s advantages: Their form of course. Ater all, they do have the fourth best record in 2005. They can run, they can play halfcourt basketball, they can defend and they can win in close games, thanks to Ben Gordon. It seems like this team can do it all, but let’s just give them a year or two and then expect them to make some noise in the postseason like they did in the regular season this year. They have nothing to lose in this series and that could be their greatest advantage, but it could prove to be something other than that... Washington’s advantages: The highest scoring trio in the NBA (Jamison, Hughes, Arenas) is finally healthy and when those three play their best game, it’s not easy to beat the Wizards. Brandan Haywood is also back and he could be big against the Bulls who will be without Eddy Curry throughout the playoffs. If Washington can get anything out of the other nine guys (other than the big 3) on their playoff roster they are the favourites to advance to Round 2. Prediction: Washington is the better team here, but they seem to have too many ups and downs, and that might give Chicago a chance to win some games, perhaps even the series. However Baby Bulls already did more than anyone expected them to do this season, these young players might get carried away too early. Not having Luol Deng and Eddy Curry, two very good defensive players will hurt Chicago a lot. WASHINGTON IN SIX.

[brookes]

Re: NBA Eastern Conference Round 1 Preview Great write up :clap , even though I know very little about NBA until I saw my first life match two weeks ago , the Pacers v Heat , atmosphere for the final 10 minutes was electric. Many Pacers fans idolise Reggie and are convinced they were hard done by at the start of the season and they have the heart to do it in the East. Will be taking more interest now. Could anyone clear a point regarding betting on total point with bet365. I went with the unders , but the match went into overtime and I ended up not winning this part of the bet , I recouped the loss thanks to the Pacers having an handicap of +5.5. If it was correct in that overtime count , wouldn't an overs give an advatage [ i.e. a slight chance of overtime]