NBA West/East Playoff Races

Who do you think will make it out of the West and the East?

I hope the Clippers make it, but they are plagued with injuries. Why else? They play at Staples. They still can, they have Memphis tonight, and the Lakers tomorrow. So who?

My predictions:
West:
1. Spurs
2. Suns
3. Sonics
4. Kings
5. Mavs
6. Grizzlies
7. Denver
8. Houston

Just missing: Lakers

I put Denver in because with their new coach, they're doing very well.

EAST:
1. Heat
2. Pistons
3. Celtics
4. Cavs
5. Bulls
6. Wizards
7. Magic
8. Pacers

My predictions:
West:
1. Spurs
2. Suns
3. Sonics
4. Kings
5. Mavs
6. Grizzlies
7. Denver
8. Houston

You do realize that right now, the Mavs have a 4 game lead over the Kings for the #4 spot, and have yet to be healthy all season? My top 8:

1. Spurs
2. Suns
3. Sonics
4. Mavs
5. Houston
6. Kings
7. Grizzlies
8. Minnesota

You do realize that right now, the Mavs have a 4 game lead over the Kings for the #4 spot, and have yet to be healthy all season? My top 8:

1. Spurs
2. Suns
3. Sonics
4. Mavs
5. Houston
6. Kings
7. Grizzlies
8. Minnesota

Well, they better start winning again(playing Toronto might help), because those three straight losses don't look so good....

Well, they better start winning again(playing Toronto might help), because those three straight losses don't look so good....

Every team goes through tough stretches. Doesnt help that they haven't been 100% healthy all season long, and are playing with 70 points out of the game tonight(Dirk, Finley, Stackhouse, and Dampier).

West:
1. Spurs
2. Suns
3. Sonics
4. Mavs
5. Kings
6. Rockets
7. Nuggets
8. Grizzlies

EAST:
1. Heat
2. Pistons
3. 76ers
4. Cavs
5. Bulls
6. Wizards
7. Magic
8. Celtics

.. West..

1) Phoenix
2) San Antonio
3) Seattle
4) Dallas
5) Sacramento
6) Houston
7) Memphis
8) Denver

.. East ..

1) Miami
2) Detroit
3) Boston
4) Washington
5) Cleveland
6) Philadelphia
7) Orlando
8) Chicago

This is how Miami's Eastern Conference Championship run will break down:

round 1: Miami over Blind Babies With No Arms 4-0

round 2: Miami over Bowl of Melted Snow 4-0

East finals: Miami over Half Empty Box of Straws 4-1

This is how Miami's Eastern Conference Championship run will break down:

round 1: Miami over Blind Babies With No Arms 4-0

round 2: Miami over Bowl of Melted Snow 4-0

East finals: Miami over Half Empty Box of Straws 4-1


Who are those teams?

West
1.Spurs
2.Suns
3.Sonics
4.Mavericks
5.Kings
6.Rockets
7.Nuggets
8.Grizzlies
______________

9.Lakers
10.Timberwolves
11.Clippers
12.Trail Blazers
13.Jazz
14.Warriors
15.Hornets


Round One
Spurs over Grizzlies 4-1.....Spurs just too dominate for Grizz
Nuggets over Suns 4-3.....Worn down Nash and weak bench not a good match for hot Nuggets
Rockets over Sonics 4-3.....Another hot team in Houston toppling a worn-out Sonics club
Mavericks over Kings 4-2.....Dirk and Damp healthy spells trouble for the Kings

Round Two
Spurs over Nuggets 4-2.....The Nuggets are hot, but the Spurs cool them down
Mavericks over Rockets 4-2.....Same as above

Round Three
Mavericks over Spurs 4-3.....A bit of a homer pick, but deep Mavs wear down Spurs


East
1.Heat
2.Pistons
3.Celtics
4.Cavaliers
5.Magic
6.Wizards
7.Bulls
8.Pacers
____________

9.76ers
10.Nets
11.Raptors
12.Knicks
13.Bucks
14.Bobcats
15.Hawks


Round One
Pacers over Heat 4-3.....I'll take some heat for this, no pun intended, but Heat aren't very deep with question marks around Shaq, Artest could also be back
Pistons over Bulls 4-1.....World Champs just too much for Baby Bulls
Celtics over Wizards.....Adding 'Toine for almost nothing pushes them over the Wizards
Magic over Cavaliers.....LeBron just isn't good enough to topple deep Magic team

Round Two
Pistons over Pacers 4-3.....Pacers keep it close, but deep World Champs still win
Celtics over Magic 4-3.....Two very well-rounded teams have good battle, with the Celtics coming on top

Round Three
Celtics over Pistons 4-3.....Gary Payton does all he can to insure that he gets another shot at the NBA title, this time by dethroning the champs

NBA Finals
Mavericks over Celtic 4-2....Maybe another homer pick, but deep Dallas team again crushes The Glove's chances of winning the title.



Obviously, this looks like a homer pick, and it mostly is, but I could see it happening. The Mavs have one of the better benches, arguably the best, in the league, and Dirk is playing amazing ball. If he goes down, a la 2003, they also got Van Horn to keep it close. My head says the Spurs win it all, but my heart says the Mavs do, and I'll go with my heart this time around.

BTW, the Pacers over Heat pick was no joke. I truly believe that if that was the match-up, the Pacers could pull it out, especially if Artest is back. I also think the 76ers miss the playoffs mainly because the C-Webb acquisition isn't looking that good with his recent play.