Loading ...2007 NBA Playoff Predictions
With Miami and Chicago set to tipoff in less than two hours, it’s time for me to make my first round playoff predictions known.
6 of the 8 first round playoff matchups have the potential to go 7 games. The only two whose outcome is all but settled are Detroit vs. Orlando and Cleveland vs. Washington.
Detroit’s championshp poise will prove to be too much for Dwight Howard and the Magic while the Washington Wizards will find out just how much Gilbert ”Hibachi” Arenas means to them as ‘King James’ inches ever so closer to the throne.
By now, many of the ‘experts’ at Foxsports have gone into great detail in substantiating their predictions. The storylines are well known.
Can Detroit regain their championship form? Will the veteran leadership of the game’s best point guard be enough to silence COY Sam Mitchell and his up and coming Raptors? Can Ben Wallace and the Bulls find a way to close the door on Shaquille’s days of dominance?
Will Don Nelson’s former experience coaching Dirk and Dallas come back to haunt Mark Cuban and the Mavericks? Can Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady take steps towards solidifying themselves as the league’s best one-two punch? Can Denver’s “two man offense” and “one man defense” defeat San Antonio? Will Kobe Bryant, the league’s best player, be able to silence his many critics and lead a mediocre Laker team out of the first round?
It’s playoff time!
Eastern Conference
Detroit vs. Orlando: Detroit
This series was over before it began. Detroit in four, possibly five.
New Jersey vs. Toronto: New Jersey
Vince Carter’s talent is unquestionable but his shot selection has always hindered his offensive repertoire. Vince must get to the basket and not settle for 3’s for New Jersey to win.
In the end, Jason Kidd will lead the Nets past the Raptors. His two NBA Final appearances have tought him the difference between the regular season and the playoffs. The Raptors would be smart to bring a pen and paper to the games and take notes.
Chicago vs. Miami: Chicago
It’s imperative that Chicago jump on Miami from the opening tip. They cannot allow Miami and Dwyane Wade to gain confidence in his injured shoulder. The Bulls guards (Heinrich, Gordon, Deng, and Duhon) must penetrate Miami’s porous defense and go right at Shaquille in an attempt to get him foul trouble.
Miami does not have an answer for Luol Deng and Ben Gordon. Deng has improved greatly from last season and could very well be the difference in this series.
If the series goes 7, the defending champs will prevail.
Cleveland vs. Washington: Cleveland
The shothanded Wizards have no chance versus King James. It will be over in 5.
Western Conference
Dallas vs. Golden State: Dallas
The Warriors will be a first round nightmare for the Mavericks. Dallas is routinely abused by opposing star guards (see Wade’s Finals MVP and Kobe’s 62 in 3 quarters last season) and Golden State has 3 of the most explosive guards in the game. Baron Davis, Jason Richardson and Monta Ellis will give Avery Johnson fits but the Mavericks will prevail.
Utah vs. Houston: Houston
This will be a matchup of the two of the league’s best big man. Boozer versus Yao. While they will rarely, if ever matchup the player who is the larger factor will propel his team to the series win. I’m expecting Yao to take another step in establishing himself as the league’s best center.
San Antonio vs. Denver: San Antonio
The Nuggets will score points. Unfortanately, they will have to stop San Antonio from scoring as well. Denver simply has no answer for the efficient offense of the Spurs. Bruce Bowen will make Carmelo work for everything while Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili will cut Marcus Camby and the Nuggets down to size.
Phoenix vs. LA: Phoenix
Obviously as a Laker fan I’m looking forward to this series more than any other. Los Angeles had Phoenix on the ropes last season 3-1 but the Suns, led by Tim Thomas, fought back to win the series.
There is no love lost between these two teams. Jack McCallum spent last season with the Suns and devoted nearly 100 pages of his book to last season’s playoff series.
Some of the more notable entries:
“As the Suns see it, the Lakers trek along the low road,” McCallum wrote. “Bryant is arrogant. [Kwame] Brown is just a big body with nothing behind it. Smush Parker was a Sun for a couple of weeks [in 2004-05] and no one rued his departure. Lamar Odom is just too damn big and long. Luke Walton seems like a nice guy … but he laid out [Tim] Thomas in Game 3 and triggered a miserable chain of events [for the Suns]. Sasha Vujacic is an all-universe whiner with an unpronounceable surname. Plus, Phil Jackson sits on a throne.”
The Suns, while watching video of their Game 1 victory, poked fun at the Lakers’ defense.
“This is when we’re at our best, when we’re changing ends on the fly,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “They have no answer for it. Kwame is awful. Odom’s a very average defender. Vujacic can’t guard anybody. And Bryant in the open floor takes chances that aren’t good.”
While Suns coaches watched video of Game 3, Jackson wandered into the frame with his painful side-to-side walk.
“Look!” one of the coaches blurted out. “It’s the Penguin!”
After the Lakers took a 3-1 series lead, D’Antoni wondered aloud why so many people were lauding Bryant’s share-the-ball approach.
“They’re talking about Kobe and how great it is that he’s playing with the team,” D’Antoni said. “Well, isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? Now he’s the savior because he’s playing that way? He’s no god. He does what he’s supposed to be doing, which is what we learned in kindergarten. Share the ball and play.”
The return of Stoudemire has made Phoenix even more offensively potent but has done little to solidify their frontcourt defense.
The Lakers can beat the Suns. Their strategy is obvious, get the ball inside. The series will depend upon Andrew Bynum’s offense and Kwame Brown’s defense. Jordan Farmar will be asked to assume the triangle point guard responsibilities and defend the reigning two time MVP Steve Nash. Farmar is inexperienced but he is a championship pedigree point guard.
Two very inconsistent post players and a rookie point guard will need to be consistently productive for the Lakers to have a chance. A tall order to be sure, but not insurmountabe when the greatest basketball coach the game has ever seen is sitting on the Laker sideline. Phil Jackson is a master at playoff adjustments. Hopefully, the Zen Master has a few tricks up his sleeve.
Amare was recently interviewed after their most recent regular season matchup and indicated that the Suns will “take care of (the Lakers) pretty quick.”
To that Bryant responded, “we’ll put his clairvoyancy to the test.”
The Lakers have been mind numbingly inconsistent this season. Especially on the defensive side of the ball but they’ve shown the potential to compete with anyone. It all depends upon which team shows up to play.
If the Laker team that began the season 26-13 shows up, the Suns will be defeated. If the team that finished the season in exactly the opposite fashion arrives to Phoenix for Game 1, the Lakers will be beaten in 5 games.
It’s time to put up, or shut up.
It’s playoff time.
