First of all, it was an incredible regular season in the NBA. One that has left us with more than a handful of legitimate title contenders. To wrap up the regular season I'll knock out the awards first.
MVP: Derrick Rose (followed by Kobe, LeBron, Dwight and Dirk in that order)
ROY: Blake Griffin
6th Man: Lamar Odom
Defensive: Dwight Howard
Coach of the Year: Tom Thibodeau
Most Improved: LaMarcus Aldridge
All NBA Teams:
1st: Rose, Kobe, LeBron, Durant, Dwight
2nd: CP3, Wade, Dirk, Amare, Pau
3rd: Westbrook, Manu, Pierce, KG, Aldridge
Defensive:
1st: Rondo, CP3, Igoudala, KG, Dwight
2nd: T.Allen, Kobe, Artest, Ibaka, Bogut
Now on to the NBA's Sweet 16:
Happy to Be Here:
16. Indiana Pacers. This team came together at the end of the year, but probably doesn't belong. Any of the West's first 3 out would beat the Pacers in a 7 game series.
15. Philadelphia 76ers. A GREAT story and a team that has the potential to keep getting better, but they don't have a chance against Miami.
14. New Orleans Hornets. The David West injury sealed their fate. They got the one team that they match up terribly with. Tough draw.
Chance to Make it a Series:
13. New York Knicks. They aren't getting by Boston. That is, unless you ask a punch-drunk Knicks fan. If they push it to 6 games, which they ARE capable of, it would end a successful season.
12. Atlanta Hawks. They can never beat the Magic, but they are a deep team. They probably take it to 6 before bowing out.
11. Memphis Grizzlies. They tanked to get the Spurs, whether or not that was a good choice leads to be seen, but I see this as a close mirror of last year's Thunder team that put a scare into the Lakers. With Rudy Gay they'd have a real shot, but as it stands, the Spurs advance.
Good Chance of Pulling the Upset
10. Denver Nuggets. They're SO DEEP! They're the only team who's 11th and 12th men would be legitimate rotational guys for just about every other team. The Thunder-Nuggets series is gonna be a war. Don't miss it.
9. Portland Trail Blazers. Don't be shocked if the Blazers knock off the Mavs. If any lower seed is poised to do it, it's Portland. How much can B.Roy give them? If he plays at 80% of his talent, they can take the Lakers to 7 in round 2.
The Slept On:
8. Orlando Magic. This is very close to the team that made an impromptu run to the Finals 2 years ago. Their problem is they don't play ANY defense, but they play Chicago tough and might be one of the forgotten teams.
7. Dallas Mavericks. Such a puzzling team. On one side, if they get hot, they can beat anyone. On the other, they're a jump-shooting team that relies almost solely on Dirk. I don't know if they get by Portland, but they could get hot and make the Finals. Hit or miss squad, I'm picking a miss.
The Contenders:
6. Chicago Bulls. This is the one I'm gonna catch a LOT of flak for. Yes, this team did finish with the league's best record, but they played 4 games a piece with Milwaukee, Indiana, Detroit and Cleveland. Rose is the league's MVP and Thibs is a fantastic defensive coach, but these things take time. They don't happen overnight. Next year, I can see them winning a title. THIS year, they'll have a long playoff run and take some bumps along the way. I could be wrong, but they have to prove that they can play in the second season.
5. San Antonio Spurs. This is NOT a knock on the West's best, it's just that they (as the #1 seed) have arguably the league's toughest path to a title short of Dallas. If chalk holds, they'll have to beat a good Memphis team, a GREAT OkC team and the Lakers just to MAKE the Finals. I don't know that they stay healthy that long, but realistically, the top 6 can all win a title and it wouldn't surprise me.
4. Boston Celtics. People are sleeping on them again. I won't. I think they have a real shot at a title even without Perk. These guys just know how to play together and Doc will have them ready for the playoffs. The Boston-Miami series has ESPN Classic attached to it already. It's gonna be a bloodbath.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder. They tanked to avoid the Lakers in round 2, but before that were absolutely on fire. Their starting 5 is what championships are made of. Durant and Westbrook are coming together faster than anything I've ever seen. Perk is the perfect center to take them to the next level, and they have athletes everywhere. They terrify me.
The Finalists:
2. Miami Heat. They signed the most hard to stop player in the world over the summer. They had a couple bad runs, but anyone sleeping on them is crazy. They'll slice right through Philly, but Boston and Chicago will give them wars. In the end though, it's the NBA. Always bet on the superstars. This team has 2 of the league's top 5. They're gonna be tough, even if they end up playing 3 on 5.
1. LA Lakers. If Bynum was hurt, they might drop down to #3. They're a scary team when they're right. The 17-1 stretch was no fluke, unfortunately, that 1 loss came at the hands of Miami. This is the NBA dream Finals. Stern's wanted it for years, but I think this year it happens. Prepare for a 7 game heart attack Salvatore.
Picks
Chicago over Indiana in 4.
Orlando over Atlanta in 6.
Miami over Philly in 5.
Boston over New York in 5.
San Antonio over Memphis in 6.
Oklahoma City over Denver in 7.
LA over New Orleans in 5.
Dallas over Portland in 7.
Chicago over Orlando in 7.
Miami over Boston in 7.
Oklahoma City over San Antonio in 7.
LA over Dallas in 6.
Miami over Chicago in 6.
LA over Oklahoma City in 6.
LA over Miami in 7.
I think that this Miami team is incredibly tough, but I think Kobe has the Game 7 he should have had last year. A heart-ripping performance to beat the villains and tie MJ. Talk about perfection. I said it before the playoffs last season... It's foolish to doubt the heart of a champion. Here's to an incredible post-season
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