NBA Playoffs Preview


The NBA Playoffs kick off today. I decided to make my predictions. Fair warning, these will probably be the worst NBA playoff predictions you read this year.

Eastern Conference:
1. Boston Celtics
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
3. Toronto Raptors
4. Washington Wizards
5. Atlanta Hawks
6. Milwaukee Bucks
7. Indiana Pacers
8. Chicago Bulls

Opening Round: Celtics over Bulls (closer than you'd think); Cavaliers over Pacers, Raptors over Bucks, Wizards over Hawks.

Second Round: Wizards over Celtics; Cavaliers over Raptors

Easter Conference Finals: Cavaliers over Wizards

About: Yes, the Celtics earned the one seed, but they are an inexperienced team. And it's not like they killed it all season. The Cavaliers stumbled to close the season, but they have plenty of talent and LeBron James has been in six straight NBA Finals. I have no doubt they can and will make it back. The door is open, but the Eastern Conference is weak.

Western Conference:
1. Golden State Warriors
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Houston Rockets
4. L.A. Clippers
5. Utah Jazz
6. Oklahoma City Thunder
7. Memphis Grizzlies
8. Portland Trailblazers

Opening Round: Warriors over Blazers; Spurs over Grizzlies; Thunder over Rockets; Jazz over Clippers

Second Round: Spurs over Thunder; Warriors over Jazz

Western Conference Finals: Warriors over Spurs

About: There are a couple of Western Conference Teams I don't believe in. The Clippers are one of them. The other is the Rockets. James Harden had a great season, but I think the playoffs are about individual players rising to the occasion. I think Russell Westbrook will make his presence felt in the opening round. The Thunder aren't a strong enough team to make it through the Western Conference, but they are strong enough to make it through round one! Still, I think it comes down to the Warriors and the Spurs. And I think the Warriors are too talented, especially with KD back in the fold, to get beaten.

NBA Finals: Warriors Over Cavaliers

About: It's fair to argue that the Cavs got a little lucky last year. But I think the Warriors have too good a roster, and the Cavs are too tired. At some point, LeBron needs a little break. He played too many minutes during the season, he's played in every finals for the past six seasons, and he'll probably have to play a ton of minutes to get to the finals again. In the rubber match, I think it's the Warriors who win, getting KD that elusive NBA title.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more