Together, we will answer all the hard hitting questions in regards to the playoffs.
"Can anyone take out Golden State?"
"Which underdogs have the best chance of pulling off an upset?"
"Who's going to win it all?"
See what I mean? It's going to be glorious.....
NBA Playoffs Round Table
Before we get to the good stuff, let's meet the staff:
Steve Cook: Regular readers of THE Ultimate Sports Blog are well aware of who Steve Cook is. He's our resident "all-around" sports guru. If there's a sporting event on television....Cook is probably watching it. Don't argue sports with this guy. You're going to lose.
Jeremy Lambert: Jeremy Lambert is another guy that regular readers of the blog will know. Lambert is our resident NHL/NBA/NFL expert who dabbles in a little bit of curling coverage when allowed. Lambert is a hardcore Oklahoma City Thunder fan, but we won't hold that against him.
Samer Kadi: Samer Kadi is making his round table debut here at THE USB. Samer is a long-time friend of mine who's opinion I respect tremendously. Samer has been patiently waiting for a sequel to Red Dead Redemption for sometime now. If he feels a little angry in his replies, it's because that game is LOOOOOONG overdue. C'MON ROCKSTAR!!!!
Dustin James: I'm Dustin James. I run this here blog. I love the Portland Trail Blazers and elephant ears.
And that's that. Let's get this thing started folks......
1. Which underdogs (seeds 5-8) in the Eastern Conference stand the best chance of pulling off a first-round upset?
Steve Cook: Would Boston over Atlanta really be an upset? The Hawks are always a dumpster fire during the playoffs & the Celtics have been shockingly decent this season & have an illustrious playoff history. Sometimes that stuff matters. I don't see the Hornets or the Pacers doing much, but keep an eye on the Pistons. They might give Cleveland more of a fight than we think.
Jeremy Lambert: The Boston Celtics. The Hawks and Celtics are almost mirror images of each other. Well-rounded teams without a true superstar who can takeover the game. The only difference is that I do believe Isiah Thomas is capable of taking over a game, especially if Jef Teague struggles like he did for stretches during the season. I also wouldn't rule out Charlotte pulling the upset against a Miami team that will badly miss Chris Bosh.
Samer Kadi: The Boston Celtics. Despite the Atlanta Hawks' remarkable rise last season, most were not sold, and with good reason. This year, they seem to have noticeably regressed, albeit while managing to remain one of the East's better teams. Meanwhile, the Celtics under Brand Stevens have been one of NBA's most underrated stories for the past couple of years, as he's incredibly turned this team around, making them a tough outing for most. The Celtics' defense did suffer in recent times after Jay Crowder's injury, but he's been back for a few games and seems to have helped them re-find their groove. I am hereby officially picking the Boston Celtics to advance to the second round.
Dustin James: Boston Celtics. The Celtics have been a sneaky good team this season and I was kind of tempted to take them to beat the Hawks in the first-round when I was doing my initial predictions. It wouldn't shock me at all to see the Celtics beat Atlanta (who has been mildly disappointing this season after last year's success) and move on in the playoffs. Brad Stevens has made the transition into the NBA very smoothly and something tells me it won't be long before the Celtics are back amongst the Eastern Conference's elite teams.
2. Which underdogs (seeds 5-8) in the Western Conference stand the best chance of pulling off a first-round upset?
Steve Cook: Houston has no chance. How are the Grizzlies in the playoffs? Dallas might have a slight chance against OKC, but I have to go with the 4-5 matchup again. The Clippers are noted chokers and nobody expected a thing out of Portland this season, Dustin James included. He's lying if he tells you otherwise. A young team like that with nothing to lose is always dangerous in the opening rounds.
Jeremy Lambert: Only the Trail Blazers have a real shot. Seeds 6-8 will be lucky to win 2 games combined. Even though the Clippers are a better team than the Blazers, never rule out a team with a scorer that can get hot. The Blazers have that in Lillard. I don't think they'll do it, but they have a chance.
Samer Kadi: Unsurprisingly, the Portland Trail Blazers, although it remains unlikely. Yes, it is lame to give the fifth seed in both divisions the best chance at an upset, but perhaps they're the fifth seeds for a reason. However, unlike the East, where Indiana defeating Toronto or Charlotte eliminating Miami wouldn't be gigantic shockers, any of the West's top three seeds getting bounced out of the first round would be an upset of seismic proportions. You may have heard that the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs are really, really good. You may have also heard that the Houston Rockets are not, and that the Memphis Grizzlies are as depleted as any playoff team can be while somehow managing to make it.
The OKC Thunder may not be the juggernaut that the Warriors and Spurs are, but frustrating as they can be, they still are a really good team with two ridiculous talents running the show. The Dallas Mavericks match up poorly with OKC, as their lack of athleticism is an especially glaring issue to have against the nuclear powerhouses that are Durant and Westbrook. Chandler Parson's injury robs Dallas of some much needed fire power, putting additional pressure on the ageless Dirk Nowitzki to bail them out.
By process of elimination, this leaves us with the Portland Trail Blazers, who have done an admirable job to bounce back from losing LaMarcus Aldridge in the off season. Damian Lillard continues to grow and has caught fire at exactly the right time, while forming quite the backcourt partnership with CJ McColllum. Their series with the Clippers is bound to be competitive, in part due to Portland's talent, but also due to the Clippers never making things easy for themselves. Blake Griffin's return is an X-factor in the Clippers' playoff run, for better or worse.
Dustin James: Portland Trail Blazers. Much like the Celtics, the Blazers have also been a sneaky good team this year. Damian Lillard has had an MVP-caliber season and C.J. McCollum has blossomed into quite the good player as well. Together they form a formidable backcourt that is very capable of putting up some scary good offensive numbers on any given night. While Portland doesn't have the bodies to guard guys like DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin, if they get hot with their shooting, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see Damian Lillard and company advance to the second-round of the playoffs. Do I expect it? Not at all. But I would definitely love for it to happen.
3. What's the most exciting first-round match-up in the playoffs?
Steve Cook: The Warriors are the most exciting team by a pretty wide margin, so by default it's the series involving them going against the Rockets. I'm not saying it'll be close, but you know that James Harden will put up a couple of 40 point games & a couple of 10 point games. All in losing efforts.
Jeremy Lambert: Eh. Is it weird that I'm excited for the playoffs, but not exactly excited for the first round match-ups? I don't really care about the teams in the east (that's right, west coast bias on the USB) and the series in the west don't get interesting until the second round. I'll go with Blazers/Clippers
Samer Kadi: The Golden State Warriors vs. the Houston Rockets. Why would a match-up between the greatest regular season team in NBA history and a team that probably shouldn't have made the playoffs be exciting you ask? Well, because the Houston Rockets are a train-wreck, and the world seems to never tire of basking in Dwight Howard's misery. Likewise, James Harden's alleged role in the dubious firing of Kevin McHale resulted in some deserved backlash, which, coupled with his ceaseless expressions of bitterness at not winning MVP last season, will make it extra juicy to see him square off against Steph Curry, who responded to Harden's comments by A) not caring and B) showing that he's much, much better at basketball than James Harden.
That, and the Warriors are the most fun team in the NBA and after a full season of foregone conclusions, it will at least be exciting to what they'll bring to the playoffs (albeit in another foregone conclusion match-up).
Dustin James: Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics. Why? Because I have no idea who's going to win. This series feels like an ultra-competitive series that could honestly go either way. I fully expect it to go seven games with the winner of the series getting extremely exhausted and becoming easy pickings in the second-round. Shitty deal? Yes, but that's life.
4. What's the most exciting potential overall match-up in the playoffs?
Steve Cook: While I don't think the Thunder have the best chance of beating Golden State in a series, I do think that they can provide us with the most exciting games. No doubt that KD & Russ are two of the most exciting players in the league, and if any two men can provide almost as much entertainment as the Warriors, it's them. Plus, we had stuff like this happen during their regular season games:
Spurs/Warriors is getting all the hype, but the Spurs will try to play defense & slow things down. OKC ain't got no time for that.
Jeremy Lambert: Thunder vs. Warriors. I know we're all excited for San Antonio vs. Golden State because they were the two best teams in the league this year and Warriors vs. Cavs is a Finals rematch with the Cavs being healthy, but the Thunder are really the only team that can match the firepower of the Warriors. The Thunder played the Warriors close in all 3 games this season as well.
Samer Kadi: The San Antonio Spurs vs. The Oklahoma City Thunder. Doubtlessly, the Warriors and the Spurs are the best two teams in basketball and their projected western conference final match-up is mouth-watering for any basketball fan. However, after seeing them go head-to-head in a some pretty high profile regular season encounters, it has become obvious (at least in my mind) that the Spurs, savvy, well-coached, defensively solid, and flat out good as they are, don't have the offensive fire power to match the Warriors. Yes, playoff basketball is a different beast and that series will almost certainly be nip-and-tuck, but I feel the winner is not in doubt at this moment.
Meanwhile, it feels like we don't really have a grasp on the OKC/Spurs match-up. While they did play four times, one of them was in the very first game of the season when both teams were still trying to figure things out, and two of them saw one team resting its starters. For a while, OKC were thought to be the antidote to the Spurs as their athleticism coupled with the Spurs' inability to guard their dynamic duo meant San Antonio always struggled. And yet, Kawhi Leonard's rise over the past couple of years has tilted the scales, as he now presents the most challenging match-up for Kevin Durant on both sides of the floor out of anyone out west.
The Spurs will and should be favored, but it is the match-up to look out for
Dustin James: Thunder vs. Warriors. A lot of people think the Spurs/Warriors will be an amazing series, but the Spurs can be an awful product to watch sometimes and I just have no interest in watching San Antonio play basketball. A potential OKC vs. GSW series gets my sports pants all sorts of tight. I truly feel that an extremely motivated Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant can give Golden State some potential problems. Remember what LeBron James was able to do in last year's Finals against GSW? If we can see that kind of motivation from the Thunder's two top players....I don't see any reason as to why they couldn't give Golden State an exciting series that is competitive. Count me all-in for that one.
5. True or False? Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, LeBron James and Kevin Durant will both be back in the same uniforms next season.
Steve Cook: False. I just have a feeling that one of them is going to find their way to a new home this offseason. NBA wants to be a year-round thing like the NFL is, and the best way to do that is to have shocking offseason moves. If I had a gun to my head and was told to pick one that'll leave, I think I'd go LeBron because he seems more frustrated with his situation than Durant does.
Jeremy Lambert: True. I think Durant takes a one year deal and then cashes in even bigger next season and LeBron stays in Cleveland, but has a couple of guys shipped out.
Samer Kadi: True. Barring a disastrous playoff run (and with OKC, you just never know), I expect Kevin Durant to sign a one-year contract extension with the Thunder and return next season. It seems to be the choice that makes the most sense, ahead of Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka's impeding free agency next year, and the lack of better alternatives not named GSW.
Meanwhile, Lebron James is predictably unpredictable, and he's been quite the drama queen this season (even more so than usual), with cryptic passive-aggressive tweets and comments directed at his own team. However, unless his Dream Team of Lebron and friends (CP3, Melo, D-Wade...with 5 rings and zero likability between them) can somehow turn to reality, and it most likely can't, I expect him to stay put.
Dustin James: False. Someone's leaving. Why? Because that's what NBA players do, right LaMarcus Aldridge? I don't know why, and this may just be trolling my good buddy Jeremy Lambert....but I think Durant flies the coop. I can't see LeBron leaving Cleveland again because I'm pretty sure someone would kill him. Durant on the other hand? If he feels like Oklahoma City has maxed out as far as their potential as a team is concerned, he might be tempted to go somewhere else. There have been a lot of places linked to Durant in the last few months and everyone knows NBA players love being courted. One of these teams might be able to offer Durant something that Oklahoma City can't. Trust me. Us Blazers fans know the heart break when that happens.
6. Who has the best chance of knocking off the Golden State Warriors?
Steve Cook:
Never rule Pop out.
Jeremy Lambert: No one.
Samer Kadi: The Cleveland Cavaliers. At this point, nobody has a good chance at knocking off the Warriors, but I feel the Cavs are better equipped than others. Realistically, there are 3 teams worth mentioning. My thoughts on the Spurs match-up were detailed above and while I wouldn't be shocked to see Popovic formulate a scheme to stop Curry and co. I think it is unlikely. The OKC Thunder have the talent and offensive chops to compete with Golden State, but lack the Spurs' defensive discipline and overall execution. It's almost as though you need a combination of the two teams to beat Golden State.
The Cavaliers are not quite that combination, but they do have talent, and say what you will about him, but they do have Lebron James, and he can take over a series by himself, or at least try to (and have people clamor for him to be MVP even though he's on the losing end). Lebron James will almost certainly show up, but Kyrie Irving will be key if Cleveland is to have a chance. He hasn't been great since returning from injury last Christmas, but the Cavs will need his offensive ability. Plus, a final series is seldom straightforward, and there's always the chance that GSW run out of gas, albeit a very small one.
Dustin James: San Antonio Spurs. You should never doubt Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan.
7. The 2016 NBA Finals will be.....
Steve Cook: Warriors vs. Cavs. It's the easy pick, but there's a reason why it's easy.
Jeremy Lambert: Warriors vs. Cavaliers
Samer Kadi: The Golden State Warriors vs. The Cleveland Cavaliers.
Dustin James: Golden State vs. Cleveland. It's going to be a re-match of last year's finals, only this time...it MIGHT be a little better if Cleveland can remain healthy. I still don't think the Cavs have a chance, but they are the best the Eastern Conference has to offer. Sorry Toronto.
8. Your 2016 NBA Champions will be......
Steve Cook: Warriors. It's the easy pick, but there's a reason why it's easy.
Jeremy Lambert: Warriors
Samer Kadi: The Detroit Pistons, led by Reggie Jackson, the greatest of all-time. And if you want a serious answer that isn't an obnoxious inside joke...
The Golden State Warriors.
Dustin James: Golden State Warriors. C'mon now. Seriously. C'mon.
No comments:
Post a Comment