Post by Rommie on Aug 7, 2007 0:12:15 GMT -5
Here is the East. I hate doing this because I'm not in it but oh well. Hope you guys enjoy reading it.
Round 1
1. Bulls vs 8. Wizards
2. Knicks vs 7. Cavaliers
3. Pistons vs 6. Cetlics
4. Ratpors vs 5. Bucks
1. Bulls vs 8. Wizards
I hate to say this but this is going to be like what I said about a Warriors/Nuggets series I believe it was in the other article. The Wizards may be leading the series but I just don't see an upset. I think the Bulls will kick it into high gear soon.
The Bulls have Johnson, Manu, Dirk, Brand, Camby. Oh and Troy Murphy, Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton, and Mike Miller off the bench.
The Wizards have Antoine Walkers and not much else to help them in this series. Paul Pierce can still score the ball and I like T.J. Ford along with their solid bigs but they are just no match IMO. I know the Wiz are leading the series 2 games to 1 but to be honest if I had done this before the playoffs I would have predicted a sweep. I can't really do that now though.
Prediction: Bulls in 6
2. Knicks vs 7. Cavaliers
The Knicks have the tough task of replacing Tony Parker in the playoffs. They can't really do that. Jason Richardson has stepped in and done a nice job of playing point guard.
Yao Ming is a monster to handle down low. Sammuel Dalembert is very swift for a big man. That is a tough challenge for Cavs big men Reaf LaFrentz and Kenyon Martin to face.
David West and Ben Gordon have given the Knicks fits in this series but I think that the Knicks find a way to take care of business.
Prediction: Knicks in 7
3. Pistons vs 6. Cetlics
This is really weird. The Pistons trade their best player to the Celtics and still end up better.
The Celtics are capable of winning this series no doubt. In fact if it wasn't for the Pistons trade that got them Chris Paul I'd probably pick the Celtics here.
However Chris Paul, Taysan Prince, Ron Artest, and Theo Ratliff are going to give you production. Darko Millicic is a player who averaged a double double in the regular season and Gerlad Wallace is an athletic swing man can give the Celtics perminter players a tough time.
I like the Celtics, especially with Walter Herman. However all around I just like the Pistons in this series. I think it will be close though.
Prediction: Pistons in 7
4. Ratpors vs 5. Bucks
On the perminter the Raptors are small but quick. Dwyane Wade, Gilbert Arenas, and Kirk Hinrich are dynamic. Going up against Mike Bibby, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh is a tough task. I think that talent wise it's pretty equal however Melo and Bosh is a tough match up for little guys like Arenas in Wade.
The Bucks have some solid bigs. Ike Diogu is young but has shown in the past that he can score the ball down low on the blocks. Eddie Griffin is flat out crazy but he swats shot attempts like there is no tomorrow. Andris Biedrins isn't a lethal scorer by any means but he can score and he plays defense and rebounds.
The Raptors have a lot of defense and rebounding up front. Joel Przybilla and Robert Traylor are like Griffin, shot blocking machines. Then they have Adonal Foyle who is capable of a double double every game.
I like the Bucks a little more though. They have more balance. Another thing is Chris Bosh is a big guy playing small forward he can defiantly post up any defender at the 3 or the 4 and score.
Prediction: Bucks in 7
Round 2
1. Bulls vs 5. Bucks
2. Knicks vs 3. Pistons
1. Bulls vs 5. Bucks
The Bucks have a good team. I already mentioned above about Melo and Bosh. Mike Bibby is a nice point guard, giving them 20 points. They also get plenty of production from their bigs.
However I just can't go against the Bulls, even though they are down right now. They could be down 3-0 in a series and I would probably still pick them to win it.
Prediction: Bulls in 5
2. Knicks vs 3. Pistons
This would be a very interesting series with Tony Parker. Without him though not so much.
The Knicks have a drop off in talent after Yao, TP, Dally, and JRich. Those 4, along with their solid role players, is good enough for the Conference Finals, however without TP it's a huge blow.
I don't know if the Knicks keep JRich at the point. One thing for sure is Chris Paul is much tougher to go up against then T.J. Ford.
Prince and Artest are beasts. Both score the ball well and do a good job of defending. The Knicks do have some good defenders to guard them with Ruben Patterson and Shane Battier. The problem is they won't make Prince or Artest work to much on defense.
Yao Ming and Dally will be a hard test for the Pistons. Ratliff is one of the league's best defenders, and Darko isn't to bad himself. However I feel that the Knicks have one of, maybe the best, big man tandems in the BBS and the Pistons don't have any one to score a lot down low.
I like the Knicks, but without Tony Parker it is a killer. I just think that the Pistons are better then the Knicks if the Knicks don't have TP. However I think that Yao and Dally give the Pistons all they can handle and have the Knicks putting up a strong fight.
Prediction: Pistons in 6
Eastern Conference Finals
1. Bulls vs 3. Pistons
This could be a good series.
Manu Ginobli vs Chris Paul. Paul is going to give Ginobli fits. The question is how much does Ginobli's size bother Paul,
Then there is Joe Johnson vs Taysan Prince. Both are good players. I think both put up good numbers. I like JJ more but Prince won't hurt the Pistons any in this match up.
Now the small forward match up is awesome. Dirk Nowitzki vs Ron Artest. Complete opposites. Nowitzki is a 7 foot outside shooter playing small forward. He rebounds and defends well but he isn't the most physical player especially for a 7 footer. Ron Artest on the other hand is your average 6'7 small forward but weights over 250 lbs and is so strong, one of the strongest players in the league. He is one guy, IMO, capable of handling Dirk and giving him trouble on offense due to his strength.
The good news for the Pistons is that they only have one big man to deal with that can score the ball, Elton Brand. The bad news is that while Marcus Camby is no scorer is one heck of a rebounder and defender.
I think that the Bulls big advantage is their depth. Rip Hamilton, Troy Murphy, Rasheed Wallace, and Mike Miller coming off the bench gives the Bulls 4 good players off the bench who will give them plenty of production.
Prediction: Bulls in 6
With that said I guess I might as well do a prediction of the BBS Finals. Here it is.
BBS Finals
Bulls vs Warriors
I really like both squads. They have good players across the board.
Marcus Taylor has proven to be an excellent point guard. Manu Ginobli has been the same. Kobe Bryant is more than Joe Johnson can handle.
However Dirk is more than Vince Carter can handle. Vince should still get his points, but Dirk will get more.
I think the key to this series will be the big men. It looks like it would be Marcus Camby, a defender/rebounder, vs Tim Duncan, a superstar scorer. Then you have Scot Pollard, a defender/rebounder, vs Elton Brand, a superstar scorer. The Warriors lacked a big man that can score in the past but this is no more.
I really like the Warriors with Marcus Taylor at the point, however the Bulls are the pick but I do think the Warriors make this a great series.
Prediction: Bulls in 7
Well there you have it. Both these articles took a lot of time, hopefully it shows. As I said in the other article good luck to all the teams.
Round 1
1. Bulls vs 8. Wizards
2. Knicks vs 7. Cavaliers
3. Pistons vs 6. Cetlics
4. Ratpors vs 5. Bucks
1. Bulls vs 8. Wizards
I hate to say this but this is going to be like what I said about a Warriors/Nuggets series I believe it was in the other article. The Wizards may be leading the series but I just don't see an upset. I think the Bulls will kick it into high gear soon.
The Bulls have Johnson, Manu, Dirk, Brand, Camby. Oh and Troy Murphy, Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton, and Mike Miller off the bench.
The Wizards have Antoine Walkers and not much else to help them in this series. Paul Pierce can still score the ball and I like T.J. Ford along with their solid bigs but they are just no match IMO. I know the Wiz are leading the series 2 games to 1 but to be honest if I had done this before the playoffs I would have predicted a sweep. I can't really do that now though.
Prediction: Bulls in 6
2. Knicks vs 7. Cavaliers
The Knicks have the tough task of replacing Tony Parker in the playoffs. They can't really do that. Jason Richardson has stepped in and done a nice job of playing point guard.
Yao Ming is a monster to handle down low. Sammuel Dalembert is very swift for a big man. That is a tough challenge for Cavs big men Reaf LaFrentz and Kenyon Martin to face.
David West and Ben Gordon have given the Knicks fits in this series but I think that the Knicks find a way to take care of business.
Prediction: Knicks in 7
3. Pistons vs 6. Cetlics
This is really weird. The Pistons trade their best player to the Celtics and still end up better.
The Celtics are capable of winning this series no doubt. In fact if it wasn't for the Pistons trade that got them Chris Paul I'd probably pick the Celtics here.
However Chris Paul, Taysan Prince, Ron Artest, and Theo Ratliff are going to give you production. Darko Millicic is a player who averaged a double double in the regular season and Gerlad Wallace is an athletic swing man can give the Celtics perminter players a tough time.
I like the Celtics, especially with Walter Herman. However all around I just like the Pistons in this series. I think it will be close though.
Prediction: Pistons in 7
4. Ratpors vs 5. Bucks
On the perminter the Raptors are small but quick. Dwyane Wade, Gilbert Arenas, and Kirk Hinrich are dynamic. Going up against Mike Bibby, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh is a tough task. I think that talent wise it's pretty equal however Melo and Bosh is a tough match up for little guys like Arenas in Wade.
The Bucks have some solid bigs. Ike Diogu is young but has shown in the past that he can score the ball down low on the blocks. Eddie Griffin is flat out crazy but he swats shot attempts like there is no tomorrow. Andris Biedrins isn't a lethal scorer by any means but he can score and he plays defense and rebounds.
The Raptors have a lot of defense and rebounding up front. Joel Przybilla and Robert Traylor are like Griffin, shot blocking machines. Then they have Adonal Foyle who is capable of a double double every game.
I like the Bucks a little more though. They have more balance. Another thing is Chris Bosh is a big guy playing small forward he can defiantly post up any defender at the 3 or the 4 and score.
Prediction: Bucks in 7
Round 2
1. Bulls vs 5. Bucks
2. Knicks vs 3. Pistons
1. Bulls vs 5. Bucks
The Bucks have a good team. I already mentioned above about Melo and Bosh. Mike Bibby is a nice point guard, giving them 20 points. They also get plenty of production from their bigs.
However I just can't go against the Bulls, even though they are down right now. They could be down 3-0 in a series and I would probably still pick them to win it.
Prediction: Bulls in 5
2. Knicks vs 3. Pistons
This would be a very interesting series with Tony Parker. Without him though not so much.
The Knicks have a drop off in talent after Yao, TP, Dally, and JRich. Those 4, along with their solid role players, is good enough for the Conference Finals, however without TP it's a huge blow.
I don't know if the Knicks keep JRich at the point. One thing for sure is Chris Paul is much tougher to go up against then T.J. Ford.
Prince and Artest are beasts. Both score the ball well and do a good job of defending. The Knicks do have some good defenders to guard them with Ruben Patterson and Shane Battier. The problem is they won't make Prince or Artest work to much on defense.
Yao Ming and Dally will be a hard test for the Pistons. Ratliff is one of the league's best defenders, and Darko isn't to bad himself. However I feel that the Knicks have one of, maybe the best, big man tandems in the BBS and the Pistons don't have any one to score a lot down low.
I like the Knicks, but without Tony Parker it is a killer. I just think that the Pistons are better then the Knicks if the Knicks don't have TP. However I think that Yao and Dally give the Pistons all they can handle and have the Knicks putting up a strong fight.
Prediction: Pistons in 6
Eastern Conference Finals
1. Bulls vs 3. Pistons
This could be a good series.
Manu Ginobli vs Chris Paul. Paul is going to give Ginobli fits. The question is how much does Ginobli's size bother Paul,
Then there is Joe Johnson vs Taysan Prince. Both are good players. I think both put up good numbers. I like JJ more but Prince won't hurt the Pistons any in this match up.
Now the small forward match up is awesome. Dirk Nowitzki vs Ron Artest. Complete opposites. Nowitzki is a 7 foot outside shooter playing small forward. He rebounds and defends well but he isn't the most physical player especially for a 7 footer. Ron Artest on the other hand is your average 6'7 small forward but weights over 250 lbs and is so strong, one of the strongest players in the league. He is one guy, IMO, capable of handling Dirk and giving him trouble on offense due to his strength.
The good news for the Pistons is that they only have one big man to deal with that can score the ball, Elton Brand. The bad news is that while Marcus Camby is no scorer is one heck of a rebounder and defender.
I think that the Bulls big advantage is their depth. Rip Hamilton, Troy Murphy, Rasheed Wallace, and Mike Miller coming off the bench gives the Bulls 4 good players off the bench who will give them plenty of production.
Prediction: Bulls in 6
With that said I guess I might as well do a prediction of the BBS Finals. Here it is.
BBS Finals
Bulls vs Warriors
I really like both squads. They have good players across the board.
Marcus Taylor has proven to be an excellent point guard. Manu Ginobli has been the same. Kobe Bryant is more than Joe Johnson can handle.
However Dirk is more than Vince Carter can handle. Vince should still get his points, but Dirk will get more.
I think the key to this series will be the big men. It looks like it would be Marcus Camby, a defender/rebounder, vs Tim Duncan, a superstar scorer. Then you have Scot Pollard, a defender/rebounder, vs Elton Brand, a superstar scorer. The Warriors lacked a big man that can score in the past but this is no more.
I really like the Warriors with Marcus Taylor at the point, however the Bulls are the pick but I do think the Warriors make this a great series.
Prediction: Bulls in 7
Well there you have it. Both these articles took a lot of time, hopefully it shows. As I said in the other article good luck to all the teams.