It has begun: the two incredible/agonizingly long months that is the NBA Playoffs. While most of you are still crying like little girls about the Warriors not making it, or that if Golden State were in the East they’d be the 5 seed, and blah, blah, blah, my beloved Los Angeles Lakers found themselves in the number 1 spot in the unbelievably deep and talented Western Conference, thus solidifying Kobe Bean Bryant as the front-runner in the MVP race. Everything is Great with me.

This isn’t to say that Chris Paul is in no way deserving of the honor; the kid played his ass off this year. He wasn’t passed the torch my Steve Nash, he snached that bitch and smacked him over the head with it. If the Hornets can keep that team together and get a little playoff experience this year (maybe go to the second round where they’ll lose to the Suns, which won’t happen because they’re getting bounced by Dallas), they’ll be really tough next year. Also, the fact that they finished behind the Lakers has more to do with Byron Scott than the excellent play of Paul. Byron Scott is Coach of the Year, ahead of Rick Adelman in Houston and Phil Jackson in L.A. Scott, as you’ll remember, took New Jersey to the Finals TWICE. That doesn’t happen to/with an average coach. It’ll never happen with Mike D’Antoni, a man who’s coaching involves yelling “Come on, come on, come on! Let’s go, let’s go,” and not much else.

That brings me to the Suns. They have found themselves in Sacramento Kings territory: almost there, a game 7 away from winning it all, and eventually failing… ironically to the Lakers, as will happen in the conference finals this year. This is probably where I should show you my bracket.

The West (Round 1):

Lakers

.Lakers in 4

Nuggets

Jazz

.Jazz in 6

Rockets

Spurs

.Suns in 6

Suns

Hornets

.Mavericks in 6

Mavericks

The East (Round 1)

Celtics

.Celtics in 4

Hawks

Cavs

.Cavs in 6

Wizards

Magic

.Magic in 6

Raptors

Pistons

.Pistons in 5

76ers

(note: I HAD the Pistons sweeping the Sixers because I failed to remember Iguodola is owning right now.)

West (Round 2)

Lakers

.Lakers in 6

Jazz

Suns

.Suns in 6

Mavericks

East (Round 2)

Celtics

.Celtics in 5

Cavs

Magic

.Pistons in 6

Pistons

Conference Finals

Lakers

.Lakers in 6

Suns

Celtics

.Celtics in 7

Pistons

Finals

Lakers

.Lakers in 6

Celtics

The East in my eyes will be a cake walk for both Boston and Detroit up until the Conference Finals. Those finals, however, are gonna be a drag-out fight for the East title, giving an upper hand to the Lakers, who are gonna have little difficulty with the exhausted, old, and possibly (probably?) injured Phoenix Suns (Shaq? Grant Hill? Nash? Anyone think all three of these guys are gonna be completely healthy after facing the Spurs and Mavs?) The only upset I can see happening is Orlando over the Pistons, but totally not likely. Boston over Detroit in seven.

Meanwhile, in the West, there isn’t a series that I would call an upset or easy win (other than the Lakers over Denver). Any team can beat anyone else. I don’t see McGrady getting out of the first round (again) without Yao, but Utah is SO BAD on the road, there could be a surprise in the making. Again, not likely. Phoenix, San Antonio, New Orleans, and Dallas in the bottom half of the West are gonna beat the living shit out of each other, so I don’t see any of them having enough in the tank to put up a solid fight against the Lakers in the Conference Finals. Lakers in six over the Suns is my guess.

These playoffs are David Sterns wet dream. Shaq/Kobe in the West Finals, Detroit and Boston going to seven with Garnett finally seeing the main stage, and, last but not least, the FUCKING LAKERS vs. CELTICS!! Are you kidding?!?! Kobe wins without Shaq and a new rivalry begins. I can’t wait.

-Tizzle

PS: I sincerely hope you Warriors had fun the last two years. I don’t see Nellie coming back and I think, with his movie career and all, Baron finds himself with the Clippers next season. Again, we shall see.

Posted by JT on Monday, April 21st, 2008 at 5:05 pm.