I figured with the regular season entering it's final week, now would be a good time to get a playoff thread going for some discussion among the NBA fans we have on here.

 

The 2 "news-worthy" events of the weekend were the Bulls overtaking Toronto for the 8th and final seed in the East. With Bosh being out this was pretty much expected as Toronto has now lost 5 straight.

 

The other big happening was the Magic beating Cleveland coupled with the Lakers loss to Portland. With that loss, assuming the Magic win out, they'll now have home-court advantage over the Lakers if they meet in the NBA finals.

 

Anyways, let's get the playoff discussion going. I love this time of year! :ylsuper:

^Orlando's win yesterday was a joke. No LeBron, no Shaq, a limited Mo Williams in the 2nd half and the Magic barely won. Not to mention Sebass Telfair, Daniel Green, and Daniel Gibson played down the stretch of the 4th quarter. I think the Cavs will get some revenge this year.

 

I don't know what to make of the Western Conference. I think the Lakers are the best team in the West, but they seem so beat up I wonder how much they have left in the tank. Kobe missing those two free throws yesterday pretty much sums up how they have been lately. They need Bynum...badly.

 

The thing is that I don't know if anyone out West can beat them. Sure there are some nice records out there but which team could take them down? The Nuggets are a definite no way IMO, they have the talent but haven't been themselves since Karl got sick. I liked the Mavs for a while but they went back to their old ways. The Jazz will get abused on the wings and at the Center position IMO. The Spurs know how to beat the Lakers but they're too old. The Suns, Thunder, and Blazers would have no shot IMO.

The Lakers have kind of "given up" on the last few weeks here for some reason. They still had something to play for in home court VS the Magic but Kobe sat a number of games and they looked bad. I hate to say it but I don't think the Lakers will be taking the title this year. Its really hard to say. I feel like they will turn it on come playoff time and they were just giving Kobe some rest which he needed. It just worried me a little bit.

^I think they are also beat up, which is a nasty combo with just going through the motions. I just don't see why a team would think they could turn it on in the playoffs and win a championship with players like LeBron, Dwight Howard, and Carmelo all coming into their primes with extremely strong teams.

^Orlando's win yesterday was a joke. No LeBron, no Shaq, a limited Mo Williams in the 2nd half and the Magic barely won. Not to mention Sebass Telfair, Daniel Green, and Daniel Gibson played down the stretch of the 4th quarter. I think the Cavs will get some revenge this year.

 

I don't know what to make of the Western Conference. I think the Lakers are the best team in the West, but they seem so beat up I wonder how much they have left in the tank. Kobe missing those two free throws yesterday pretty much sums up how they have been lately. They need Bynum...badly.

 

The thing is that I don't know if anyone out West can beat them. Sure there are some nice records out there but which team could take them down? The Nuggets are a definite no way IMO, they have the talent but haven't been themselves since Karl got sick. I liked the Mavs for a while but they went back to their old ways. The Jazz will get abused on the wings and at the Center position IMO. The Spurs know how to beat the Lakers but they're too old. The Suns, Thunder, and Blazers would have no shot IMO.

 

Obviously it wasn't Cleveland at full-strength, but that wasn't my point. It was more the fact that the Lakers still had something to be playing for, like Orlando, and decided to mail it in, essentially giving them no shot at home-court advantage in the Finals IMO.

 

I think 3 teams out West can beat the Lakers. The Nuggets, Spurs, and Mavs.

 

At this point, I'm expecting a Magic vs. Lakers rematch though.

The potential LA vs. SA 1st round match-up could decide the west IMO. SA has been playing well. LA seems really beat up this season.

 

I hope LA turns it around. But I've been worried about Kobe all year. He is just so beat up. Bynum is injured and Artest really never has found his role. Hopefully they get it together in the playoffs.

Yeah the Lakers have just not looked right. Kobe looks old and can barely jump. They still won the west fairly easily so that has to count for something.

 

Any word on Shaq's return?

Obviously it wasn't Cleveland at full-strength, but that wasn't my point. It was more the fact that the Lakers still had something to be playing for, like Orlando, and decided to mail it in, essentially giving them no shot at home-court advantage in the Finals IMO.

 

I think 3 teams out West can beat the Lakers. The Nuggets, Spurs, and Mavs.

 

At this point, I'm expecting a Magic vs. Lakers rematch though.

 

I'm smelling an avatar bet coming in the ECF. I'm very confident in the Cavs this year being the Magic, I think they have solved their matchup problems with the Magic and Jamison gives them another scorer to go with LBJ and Mo.

 

Yeah the Lakers have just not looked right. Kobe looks old and can barely jump. They still won the west fairly easily so that has to count for something.

 

Any word on Shaq's return?

 

Possibly Wednesday but probably not until the 1st round of the playoffs.

It seems this could be the year that the Nuggets might be able to edge out the Lakers. Would love to see Durant be able to make a run past the first round.

 

Celtics seem too old to do any true damage but you never know.

 

Cavs and Magic are the top teams and the Cavs, especially if Shaq can return should make it to the finals and win LeBron's first championship. Which should make his contract situation even more interesting.

Not a chance the Nuggest beat the Lakers without Karl on the bench.

Not a chance the Nuggest beat the Lakers without Karl on the bench.

 

I agree 100%. I think there's a better chance of the Knicks using their Free Agent money on me, Bigspikes, PurplePride, UKMF, and yourself (HT) than the Nuggets have of beating the Lakers without GK on the sidelines.

Not a chance the Nuggest beat the Lakers without Karl on the bench.

 

Karl out for the entire playoffs?

Karl out for the entire playoffs?

 

I don't think so.

Karl out for the entire playoffs?

 

Hasn't been decided yet. I think he's probably out for the first round at least.

I'm smelling an avatar bet coming in the ECF. I'm very confident in the Cavs this year being the Magic, I think they have solved their matchup problems with the Magic and Jamison gives them another scorer to go with LBJ and Mo.

 

 

 

Possibly Wednesday but probably not until the 1st round of the playoffs.

 

Very well could happen, but I wouldn't count out those Celtics just yet if I were the Cavs. They know a thing or two about winning in the postseason.