Second Round Playoff Surprises!

Just when it appeared that all four of the favorites would cruise past their lesser-talented opponents in the second round, three of them are deadlocked in their series after four games, tied 2-2. The Miami Heat are the only favorite that took care of business in the semifinals of the playoffs after sweeping the Washington Wizards, even without Shaquille O'Neal for the final two games of the series. With Shaq on the bench, Dwayne Wade has enjoyed his coming out party. The 23 year-old point guard averaged 31 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds in the series against the Wizards. Even though the Heat looked great in the second round, they appear to be the biggest question mark going into the conference finals due to Shaq's reoccuring injury.

Dwayne Wade

In the Pistons-Pacers series, Detroit stumbled in games 2 and 3 of their series and lost those, and game 3 was surrounded by controversy regarding the referee's call in the remaining minute that essentially ended the Pistons chances. The Pistons won game four 89-76 after Rasheed Wallace gauranteed victory. The Pistons defense proved to be the difference in the last game. I now think that this series will go 7 games, with Reggie Miller stealing game 5 or 6 with one of his famous clutch shooting performances. But in the end, I still think the Pistons will advance to the Eastern Conference finals to play the Miami Heat- who could be in trouble if Shaq does not return to health, although they have played great without him, behind the performance of rising star Dwayne Wade.

The Suns-Mavs series is on a seasaw, as each team has traded wins in the first four games of the series. But the Suns could be in trouble after it appeared that the Mavs have found out how to stop one of the Suns' key contributors, Amare Stoudemire, in game 4. The Mavericks won game 4 119-109 and held Stoudemire to 15 points on just 3 of 8 shooting, after being slowed down by double teams all game. The Suns still managed to lose despite Steve Nash scoring 48 points on a miraculous 20 for 28 shooting performance, however, Nash only had 5 assists and committed 9 turnovers. I think the tide has turned in this series even though most analysts believe that its still the Suns series. I believe the Mavs will win the series in game 7.

Another huge surprise has been in the Spurs-Sonics series. After the Spurs cruised past the Sonics on their home floor in games 1 and 2, outscoring the Sonics by a combined 29 points, the Sonics have come back to win two in a row in Seattle. Led by Ray Allen, the Sonics just squeeked by the Spurs by one point in game 3 (92-91) and dominated the Spurs in game 4, winning by a score of 101-89. Seattle took the game over in the third quarter, behind Luke Ridnour, who scored 15 of his 20 points in the quarter. Ray Allen finished with a team high 32 points.

More Blogging on the 2005 Playoffs

It's business as usual for the favorites in the remaining four series of the second round of the NBA playoffs. After one game has been played in each of the four series, it looks as if the top four teams in the NBA this season will cruise to their respective conference's finals.

In the Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns crushed the Dallas Mavericks by a score of 127-102. These two teams are known for their offenses more than their defenses, and Dallas proved that the Suns are just too much for them to handle. I expect the Suns to win this series in five games and advance to the Western Conference Finals. As for the other matchup in the West, the San Antonio Spurs beat up the Seattle Sonics and finished the game with a 22 point victory, 103-81. To add insult to injury, Seattle lost their star Ray Allen in the game with an ankle injury and also lost forward Vladimir Radmanovic, who looks to be out for the entire series. The Spurs backcourt of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili is too much to handle when combined with one of the best big men in the league, Tim Duncan. I think the Spurs will meet the Suns in the Conference Finals after a sweep of the Sonics.

Tim Duncan

Moving to the Eastern Conference, it looks to be the same story. The Detroit Pistons overpowered the Indiana Pacers in the first game of the series, winning the game 96-81. The Pistons are rested and have the depth to soar past the Pacers in this series. The Pacers are no match for the Piston's Ben and Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, and Chauncey Billups. The Pistons will move onto the Eastern Conference Finals to play the Miami Heat, who, behind Shaquille O'Neal and Dwayne Wade, scorched the Washington Wizards in game one, by a score of 105-86. I expect the Heat to sweep the Wizards easily, as the Wiz have nobody to guard Shaq.

Three First Round Series Still Undecided

With first round sweeps by the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns, and 4 to 1 series victoris by the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, and Seattle Sonics, there are only three first round matchups that are still undecided.

The Boston Celtics face elimination by the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, with the Pacers leading the series 3 to 2. This matchup has been very tough to call, as Boston opened the series with a victory, then followed with two losses, another victory, and another loss. I think the Pacers will prove to be just too big for the Celtics and they will come out victorious in Game 6 to win the series at home and advance to the second round.

The other undecided series in the Eastern Conference is between the Washington Wizards and the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls won the first two games of the series, then the Wizards took the last three. I think that the Wizards will make it four straight wins against the Bulls in Washington on Friday night to close out the series after six games. The Bulls are probably the more talented team, but they have shown their youth and inexperience in the last three games by starting the game off slowly, playing poor defense, and forcing themselves to come back from very tough deficits.

The last series is the Dallas Mavericks versus the Houston Rockets, the Mavs lead this extremely hard fought series 3 to 2. Just like the Wizards, the Mavs lost the first two games of the series, only to come back and win the last three matchups. Although I think the Rockets will win game 6 on Thursday night, I believe the Mavs' offense will be too strong for the inexperienced Rockets to defend for two straight games. The Mavs will win this series in Dallas on Saturday night, after game 7. What does everyone else think about these last 3 first round series?

No Clear Favorite in the Western Conference

The Western Conference playoffs will be far more competitive than the Eastern Conference because there is no team or teams that are unbeatable. The only series that I believe has an obvious winner is the Phoenix Suns beating the Memphis Grizzlies. I believe Phoenix will win that series easily to move onto round two of the playoffs. The most intriguing matchup is the San Antonio Spurs versus the Denver Nuggets. Normally, I would pick the Spurs to win, but their best player, Tim Duncan, is playing at only about 75% with a bum ankle. Considering Duncan's status as well as Denver's recent play, I believe the Nuggets will take this series home in seven games. If Duncan's health improves, look for the Spurs to take this series and they will be the frontrunner to make it out of the West. Another hard-to-pick series is between the Seattle Sonics and the Sacramento Kings. Seattle has played great all season, up until the very end when they were held back by injuries. They limped into the playoffs, finishing the season 2-8. Because of Seattle's recent poor play and the Kings experience, I am picking the Kings to win this series in seven games. The last first round matchup in the West is the Dallas Mavericks versus the Houston Rockets. Even though the Rockets won their last 7 games of the regular season, I am picking the Mavericks to win, as they are the hottest team in the NBA.

Nash & Stoudemire

For the second round, I predict that the Suns will beat the Nuggets in six games, as the Suns have owned Denver all season long. The next matchup that I have picked is between the Kings and the Mavericks, and I believe the Dallas Mavericks will move on to the Western Conference Finals. In the Conference Finals, I believe the Suns will advance to the NBA Finals after a hard-fought, seven game series. I think the Suns, with Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Quentin Richardson, and Joe Johnson, have too much fire power for the Mavericks, who play poor defense, although it has improved under new coach Avery Johnson. Check out ESPN's NBA playoff coverage and check to see who you think will make it out of the West.

My Predictions For The Eastern Conference

My opinion of the playoff games in the East is that nothing matters until the Conference Championship, where I believe the Pistons and Heat will battle it out, as those two teams are head and shoulders above the rest in the East. Needless to say, I think the Miami Heat will cruise past the New Jersey Nets in the first round, as will the Detroit Pistons past the Philadelphia 76ers. I think the Indiana Pacers will beat the Boston Celtics in a first round matchup that I predict will not be decided until Game 7 in Boston. The last first round matchup in the East is the Chicago Bulls versus the Washington Wizards. This series is a battle of two young, up-and-coming teams. I believe the Bulls will pull out the series victory over the Wizards in six games. The Bulls will continue their hot play from the past few months through the first round and they will prove to simply be too talented for the Wizards.

In the second round, I think the Heat will beat the Pacers in six games. Awaiting the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals will be the Detroit Pistons, after they beat the Bulls four out of five games to win the series. Neither of these two series will be difficult for the Pistons and Heat, as they are the East's only powerhouses that could compete for the title.

As for the Conference Finals, I will take the defending champs to beat Shaq's Heat in seven games. Pistons Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace will be able to contain Shaq and they will also clog up the middle, making it difficult for Miami's Dwayne Wade to penetrate the lane like he usually does. The difference maker in this series will be the Pistons depth and team experience.

Detroit Pistons

No matter which of these two teams makes it to the NBA Finals, I believe that the Eastern Conference representative (either Detroit or Miami) will take home the title and beat whoever opposes them from the West. For more coverage of the NBA playoffs, visit the NBA playoffs homepage.

Shaq For MVP?

When I consider Shaquille O'Neal for the NBA's MVP, I look at several factors, including: offensive production, defensive production, and team's performance. After comparing Shaq's stats to the stats of the frontrunner for the award, Steve Nash, I have concluded that Shaq should win the MVP. Shaq has averaged 22.9 points (12th in the league), 10.4 rebounds (6th), 2.34 blocks (6th), and shot an amazing 60.1% from the field, which is first in the league. Shaq also brought a strong defensive presence and consistently handled opposing centers. He led the Miami Heat to a 59-23 record, as the team cruised to the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. His team improved 19 games from last season, when the team had Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, and Brian Grant, who were all sent to the Lakers in the trade to acquire Shaq.

Shaquille O'Neal

Then there is Steve Nash, who averaged 15.5 points, 11.5 assists (1st), and 3.3 rebounds per game. Steve Nash is also a defensive liability, but he makes up for that with his fast paced style of play. The argument for Nash is based on the Suns improvement after acquiring the point guard this past offseason. The Suns finished with a league best 62 wins, after losing 50 games last season, by far the biggest improvement in the league. I argue that the Suns acquisition of Quentin Richardson and the growth and experience of Amare Stoudamire and Shawn Marion have also had a huge contribution to the team's improvement. Plus, I believe that Nash's supporting cast is far superior to Shaq's. Both players are great candidates for MVP, but only one can win the award, what do you think...

The Coach of the Year Is...

The race for the Coach of the Year award is usually a contest between two or three coaches. This year, I could make a case for 5 different coaches, each of which had great seasons. Personally, I would have to give the award to Denver's George Karl, who came in to coach the Nuggets 42 games into the season. Due to the fact that he did not coach for even half of the season, it is unlikely that he will actually win the award. George Karl inherited a Nuggets team that had high expectations before the season started, but were the NBA's biggest disappointment by the middle of the year. Enter George Karl. Coach Karl coached the young Denver team to a 32-8 record after the team started 17-25 without him. He got the team to buy into his system and urged his players to believe in themselves. He resurrected Carmelo Anthony's season after he had a tumultuous first half; Anthony improved in all relevant statistical categories under Karl. Entering the playoffs, Denver is viewed as one of the hottest teams in the entire league and they are looking to contend in the playoffs.

George Karl

The other 4 coaches that will be heavily considered for the award are Seattle's Nate McMillan, Phoenix's Mike D'Antoni, Indiana's Rick Carlisle, and Chicago's Scott Skiles. McMillan led the Sonics to a 52-30 season in 2004-2005, a huge 15 game improvement over last year, despite not adding any new key contributors. D'Antoni led the Suns to the best record in the entire league, winning 62 games this season, after the team lost 50 games last season. His coaching job was aided by the addition of point guard Steve Nash. Rick Carlisle has turned an injury- and suspension- bitten team into a playoff team. Carlisle has led the Pacers to a 44 win season despite losing most of their starters for significant portions of the season. Lastly, there is Scott Skiles, who has led the "baby Bulls" into the playoffs despite the team's youth and inexperience. The Bulls started the season with 9 straight losses, but Skiles turned the season around and now the Bulls have one of the league's top five records since January. It is a very tight race for the Coach of the Year award, who does everybody think should win?