NBA Playoffs - Conference Finals Preview

EASTERN CONFERENCE


(2) Orlando Magic  vs.  (4) Boston Celtics
Prediction – Celtics in 7


**Rd 2 Predictions**
Cavs in 5 (you all know how that went)
Magic in 7 (didnt know the hawks were dead)


-I thought the 2010 Celtics were too old. I thought they weren't good enough anymore. I thought they wouldn't have enough left in the tank to get past D-Wade in the first round. I thought Lebron would mop the floor with them in the second round. Frankly, I thought wrong. This team of cagey vets hit their stride at the exact right time and now look just good enough to give Laker fans something to worry about. KG is back to his usual dominating defense, Pierce and Allen are capable of scoring 25 any night, and Rajon Rondo has taken over as the best all around player on the team. The way they dismantled the Cavs 3 straight games was probably the most shocking thing I've seen in the playoffs since the Golden State Warriors knocked off the top seeded Dallas Mavs a few years back. Extremely impressive to see a team that looked like it's run had come to an end gather itself and elevate it's game to a level that no one thought they had left in 'em. Not even Bill Simmons, the biggest Celtic fan of em all, thought they had any chance in hell of knocking off The King and his mighty Cavs. Look, I know that Orlando has dominated 8 straight playoff games and hasn't lost a basketball game since April 2nd. I also know that Rashard Lewis is gonna be a matchup nightmare for Boston. But, I just think the Celtics have something special. There's something about this team that makes me think as good as Orlando has been all year, they can't beat the Celtics 4 times in 7 games. And really, besides everyone in the Disney World area, who the fuck wants to see Orlando in the finals again? Exactly. If Orlando does go on to take this series it'll be because Rashard Lewis shoots the lights out and draws KG out of the paint. KG isn't young anymore. He won't be able to hang with Rashard on the perimeter. If Lewis isn't shooting the rock well it'll play right into Garnett's hands and the Celtics should be able to dominate. I think we're in for a 7 game war, but when it's all said and done, Boston will march on to play in the Finals for the second time in three years. 


WESTERN CONFERENCE


(1) Los Angeles Lakers  vs.  (3) Phoenix Suns
Prediction – Lakers in 6

**Rd 2 Predictions**
Lakers in 6 (swept a tough jazz team)
Spurs in 7 (im still shocked by this one)

-Forget the Lakergirls, who the hell is this Asian chick with the huge boobs? Anyway, the Lakers have been the best, most talented, most unstoppable team in the league for the past 2 years. Kobe is an assassin. Pau is the most offensively gifted post player in the world. Artest can lock down any scoring forward he plays against. Bynum is too big and too strong down low. And Odom too. Just too much to deal with. Personally, I think they should let Bynum sit out this series, and possibly even have surgery if the Doc says he can make it back in 2 weeks. He's a big time player to lose, but they won't need Bynum for this series. Next series, they're gonna need him. Big time. The Suns are a tremendous story. Steve Nash is the one of the most impressive athletes alive. A 5' 11" 36 year old Canadian should not be able to do what Steve Nash does. He makes passes that no man should be able to make. His shooting percentages are matched only by those of Larry Bird. He just put a B-level talented team on his tiny Canadian back and absolutely murdered one of the two great dynasties of our generation. I still can't believe the Suns swept the Spurs. This Phoenix team really has something, let's just hope no one asks to see Nash's green card. I would soooo badly love to see him knock off the Lakers and go on to win his first NBA crown. He deserves it. He's earned it. He probably should've won one already. But even he, very possibly the best point guard alive, is not going to be able to dethrone The Black Mamba. I think this will be a fantastically exciting series. Very high scoring, lots of "Wow" plays, and obviously an injury to Nash. If the Suns stand any chance of winning this series, Jason Richardson is gonna have to blow up. When he scores 20+ the Suns can't be beat. If he's playing well and forces Kobe or Artest to cover him, that opens up Dudley, Frye, and Hill to shoot open threes all day. And believe it or not, Robin Lopez is probably the 3rd most important player for the Suns in this series (after Nash and Jrich). Lopez is the only guy who's got a shot to stop Pau down low. Not a great shot, but a shot nonetheless. I hope and pray that the Lakers lose. I really do. But they won't. Kobe isn't Lebron. He won't let it happen. 

The 2010 NBA Finals 

Unless we're talking about who you'd rather bang. Then there can be 2.