Talkin' 'bout Playoffs

Thank the Lord I don't have to hear that mullet-toting freak, Barry Melrose, half as much as I have the past week. It's time for the NBA playoffs to take over and there are some great first round matchups. Great time to be a basketball fan and an even better time to make some playoff predictions.

Contenders:
Dallas
Phoenix
San Antonio
Detroit

All 4 teams should have little problem in their first round matchups, with the Suns being the only team that might find a little trouble because of Kobe. I really like the Mavs this year, Dirk had his MVP season and I believe will take that next step in the playoffs. You can never count San Antonio and Phoenix out because they play such great team basketball. Same with Detroit. However, while teams like the Spurs and Pistons are made for the playoffs, the Suns aren't. San Antonio and Detroit play very good to great team defense, that's the recipe for success in the playoffs. The Suns simply will try to outscore teams and with their offensive firepower, they very well could.

Sleeper:
Houston

I know, I know. McGrady has never advanced past the first round of a playoff series. Has McGrady ever put a team on his back like he did with Yao out? And does anyone disagree that McGrady and Yao are the best inside-outside tandem in the playoffs? I'm not saying it's gonna happen, but with those 2 and Van Gundy, I'll give them a fighting chance to surprise some people. I see them losing in 7 to the Mavs in round 2.

The Rest

I think a major problem with the NBA is a lack of depth in the top echelon of the league. I think Chicago is a good team, but they aren't going to beat any of those 3 teams from the West in the Finals. They'll knock off a worn down Heat in the first round, but I don't expect much else from them. Orlando has nowhere near the experience to beat Detroit in a series, and I do like the Nets trio of JKidd, Carter, and Jefferson but even if they get by Toronto, could they beat Detroit in a 7 game series? I don't think so. The Cavs are another talented team, and I expect LBJ to finally play hard for 48 minutes a night. It'll be Cavs vs. Pistons in the East, with the Pistons winning in 6 to face...

The West is a little more exciting. The Mavs-Warriors series will be fun because Don Nelson is the architect of this Dallas team. Lakers-Suns is the rematch that could be the best series of the first round if Kobe is up to his usual tricky tricky self. I'm interested to see how the Suns approach him on defense. The Suns need to make Nash guard, but the problem is they have no one to make him do it. That will be the problem, and why they lose. I mentioned why I love Houston and they'll make quick work of Utah. Spurs-Nuggets features 2 stars against the best "team" in the league. I've never liked the Iverson and Melo combo and never will. Spurs in a sweep. In the end I see Dallas and the Spurs in the West. Avery Johnson will beat his old team, and Dirk and crew will move on in 7. And then in one of the less exciting finals in recent memory, Avery Johnson will be the shortest coach to win an NBA championship.