The Sixers at best will be a .500 team at season's end, have little to no playoff experience on their roster, and are finishing the year winning only 4 of their last 10, which were must win games for them.

Detroit has the 2nd best record in the league, a 33-7 record at home, playoff experience up the wazoo (5 ECF in a row, 2 finals appearances, and 1 championship), and have a far superior team on paper.

I don't see how you can make a reasonable case for Philly going 7 games, let alone winning the thing. That sounds much more like wishfull thinking, than sound reasonable logic!

About Philly... I agree with Tony, they've cooled off now, on a base level they're just not that great. And really it's more about Detroit than anything, the last 4 years they've won 4-0, 4-1, 4-1, 4-1 in the first round. If Philly was playing them in the ECF, you might have a point, but I see 5 nevertheless competitive games.

As for Toronto, we're not a total trainwreck going into the playoffs, we've won 3 of the last 4 by 15+ (the loss being on the road in Detroit), and we've historically matched up very well with Orlando, so we'll see. Jameer Nelson can't begin to guard our PGs and Bosh's quickness when healthy is always a problem for Howard. I think we'll lose it in the coaching matchup though, Stan Van Gundy vs Sam Mitchell is like Lebron vs Daequon Cook. We got badly outcoached by Laurence Frank last year... yeah, I'm not too optimistic about Stan Van Gundy.

Oh come on... one of Toronto's 3 wins was against the NBD-League Miami Heat, another was at home against the 15 games under .500 Nets (who beat them at their place a few nights prior), and the third was at home against the lowly Bucks.

When was the last time they beat a team over .500? They beat a Detroit team who was resting its starters 11 games ago.... the last team they beat over .500 with anything left to play for was their next win against an over .500 team - they beat Orlando on Feb 20th... about 29 games ago. In the entire year of 2008, they only won 4 games against a team over .500.

They really are a mess right now. I'll enjoy watching the series against Orlando... they are one of those 4 teams they beat, but man... I don't see them winning a 7 game series right now.

They weren't resting their starters http://www.nba.com/games/20080326/DETTOR/boxscore.html

Hey, I'm predicting a Magic win in 6, don't get me wrong. But it's not like they're a chemistry disaster or a team that has quit on each other or anything... They were like that during the 11 of 14 losing streak from Ford's antics, but lately it's been pretty good, they're happy. The losses to Charlotte and NJ were more a lack of urgency than that, it just seemed like they didn't care as much once they were surely in the playoffs, but then Bosh getting pissed (Which was blown out of proportion) kind of urged them on to not blow the 6th seed

I'd also like to point out that Calderon went through a pretty hard slump when he went back to the bench and that was one of the reasons we fell apart (especially with Bosh injured), but he's been back to putting up 10 assist games and ridiculously low turnovers again (still can't find his shooting again though), so if he's on, it'll help in the series.

Against the Bucks, Nets and Heat.

But yeah, my prediction of a sweep might be a little harsh, but I just think the Magic right now are flying in under the radar and will be looking to make a point. I just can't see it getting to six games. I hope it does because I don't want to see the Magic advance, but I just don't see it happening.

Celtics vs. Hawks - Boston in 5
Pistons vs. 76ers - Pistons in 4
Magic vs. Raptors - Magic in 6
Cavaliers vs. Wizards - Wizards in 6

How awesome would it be if the Mavs fell to 8 then upset the Lakers in the first round.

I hope all the top seeds lose... because then the Suns can FINALLY win a championship.

Doubt Mavs will lose tomorrow given they're at home and Hornets already clinched the No. 2 seed. The only incentive Hornets really have is to knock Mavs down to No. 8 so they could play Nuggets instead.

If all relevant home teams win tomorrow (likely scenario since Jazz never wins in San Antonio and Rockets and Suns are playing sub-50% teams), it will Spurs at 3, Jazz at 4, Rockets at 5 (but have home court), and Suns at 6 (tied head-to-head with Rockets but worse conference record).

If Utah wins however, all four will finish with 55-27 record, and it will be Jazz at 3, Suns at 4, Rockets at 5, and Spurs at 6, so no real incentive for Jazz to win.

Well, a few of the starters played more minutes than I thought, but Rip Hamilton, Detroit's leading scorer, didn't play at all that game, and they used an 11 man rotation. Clearly, they were not full strength or playing how they would if the game truly meant something. But, it doesn't matter... the main point is even with that win, they've only got 4 wins against teams over .500 since Jan 1st (around 40 games)!

Toronto has potential, and as a team I like them - I have always liked Carlos Delfino, and Bosh seems like a decent guy. But, I have not been impressed with them for some time.

I'll be rooting for them, though... I would much rather the Pistons face them than the Magic, but I think they can handle either. Heck, I was hoping for Toronto in the 1st round over the 76ers!

Besides home court advantage? They've only lost 4 games at home all year!

True, but which one would you choose? Playing defending champion with the home court or playing the team you already beat last year without home court while they were in full strength. I mean it's debatable, and if they're No. 3, they could avoid Lakers at round 2 (and a better shot at having the home court again since Dallas has a better chance of upsetting than Denver), so there are pros and cons either way.

haven't watched alot of BB but I didn't think the Lakers were suppose to be this good - and they won the division.

Maybe Kobe and also the trade that they made were too good.....

Just wanted to post the Bill Simmons 450-48 MVP ranking... it's gold

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ons/080415

My favorite



what a year for that guy

Ha! That was a good read, Shack.

And holy hell... he linked to a Stephon Marbury interview. That dude is more whacked out than I thought, and I thought he was pretty whack beforehand.

Part 2: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ons/080416

KG got #1, what a shocker.

Chris Paul should rightfully get the MVP for this season.
Assist leader and led his team to winning the hardest divison in the league.
NOBODY IN THE WORLD SAW IT COMING!

cept him of course.

Jeez I think we were trying to lose this game... Graham Hump Brezec for the entire 4th. I think that's the worst NBA frontcourt I've ever seen. It would've been nice to be 42-40 instead of 41-41, but whatever.

Took till the last day to confirm anything, but the West is set now

1 LA Lakers vs 8 Denver Nuggets
2 New Orleans Hornets vs 7 Dallas Mavericks
3 San Antonio Spurs vs 6 Phoenix Suns (hooooooly shit)
4 Utah vs 5 Houston

The middle two match-ups should be awesome. Utah and Houston could probably be close but for some reason I'm not *that* pumped as much as I would be about say Utah vs New Orleans, but anyways. That probably means it'll be the best series. LA should take care of Denver, I think.

playoff predictions:

West

1st round!
LA in 6
Dallas in 6
Phoenix in 7
Utah in 6 (poor poor T-Mac)

2nd round!
LA in 5
Phoenix in 7

WCF! AKA Kobe vs Shaq Armageddon
Phoenix in 7

lEast

1st round
Boston in 4
Detroit in 4
Orlando in 6
Cleveland in 7 (pleeeassseeee)

2nd round
Boston in 4 ( )
Orlando in 6

ECF
Boston in 4 (lol)

Finals
Phoenix in 5

BOSTON CHOKES HAHA

Here's the bracket

The Suns have, by far, the hardest road to the Finals.

They have to beat San Antonio, and then New Orleans/Dallas, and then probably the Lakers.

Ugh.

Also, I can't stand how Suns fans WANT to play the Spurs...

COME ON!!!

WHY!!!

WEST
Lakers over Nuggets in 5
MAVS over Hornets in 6
Suns over Spurs in 5
Rockets over Jazz in 7

EAST
Celtics over Hawks in 5
Pistons over 76ers in 4
Magic over Raptors in 6
Wizards over Cavaliers in 6

I'll go with

Lakers in 5
Mavs in 7 (this one is really hard to call though)
Suns in 7
Utah in 6 (This series is "who can win on the road first?")

Boston in 4
Detroit in 5
Magic in 6
Washington in 7
(unintentional, I swear!)

WEST
Lakers over Nuggets in 6
Mavericks over Hornets in 6
Suns over Spurs in 6
Jazz over Rockets in 6

EAST
Celtics over Hawks in 4
Pistons over 76ers in 4
Magic over Raptors in 5
Wizards over Cavaliers in 7