RE: 2013 NBA Playoffs
DarthFed said:
Billie said:
Have fun at the game today, Darth.
LAL without Kobe, no chance in hell.
Grizzlies vs Clippers is a very exciting series.
Grizzlies and Clippers are looking a lot like last year when it went 7. Grizzlies have the better all around team but the Clippers have Chris Paul and home court advantage. The pivotal game 5 should decide the series (though it didn't last year, Grizz won game 5 on the road and Clippers won 6 and 7).
The Lakers just had good momentum and I thought the Spurs were looking burned out at the end of the year. The Spurs had a lot to play for the last 2-3 weeks and they were losing left and right. I guess I read too much into that as the Spurs seem to have found themselves. I do think they will have a tough series against either the Nuggets or Warriors but you'd have to favor them. It's just shocking how well Duncan continues to play. Also, with Westbrook out until at least the NBA finals I think the Spurs would have a darn good chance of beating the Thunder in the WCF.
Golden State will easily take care of San Antonio, and OKC without Westbrook has ZERO chance of getting past the second round.
The WCF will be Golden State versus whoever comes out of the Memphis/LAC series. The Spurs simply don't have the talent or athleticism to defeat Golden State with how Curry is playing, and OKC is done now. They need Westbrook's playmaking to beat teams as athletic and big as the Clippers and Grizzlies.
DarthFed said:
I haven't bought much into the Knicks all year but they continue to do well.
Yes, because of JR Smith, the 6th Man of the Year. He was finally given star-like minutes throughout the year and he delivered.
DarthFed said:
I don't think they have much of a prayer vs. Miami but as I just mentioned I've been underestimating them this year.
With the terrific addition of Kenyon Martin, as well as Melo and JR playing to their potential and Jason Kidd making smart plays, they have an EXCELLENT chance of beating Miami. New York certainly has more inside and they can have just as much scoring pop. The big question is just how dominant LeBron will be, because he will have to be at the absolute top of his game to ensure a series win.
DarthFed said:
The recipe to beat Miami is either having an elite defense or 2-3 superstars all having a great series.
No, so-called "elite defense" is not the recipe. What is most important is having offensive firepower. With Melo, the great JR Smith, and NY's array of three-point shooters, they have the firepower to stack up with Miami.
The first key ingredient for playing with Miami is being able to score. The second is physicality, particularly inside. With Chandler and especially Kenyon Martin, the Knicks have more than enough of that.
DarthFed said:
I think Chicago and Indy would provide a tougher test due to having great defense.
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You have to be kidding me. Way to choose the two most boring teams possible as candidates to de-throne the Heat. Both teams are offensively inept, especially Chicago without Rose.
Chicago has already their chance at Miami when they were better than they are now. That was two years ago WITH Rose. But they were so offensively inept that they couldn't even get the series beyond 5 games.
DarthFed said:
New York vs. Miami is at best going to come down to Carmelo vs. Lebron and at worse it could get ugly if Bosh and Wade step up.
Exactly.
All that matters are officially designated star players. Never mind that Bosh will have very difficult match-ups in Chandler and especially Martin. Never mind that JR Smith is the most explosive scorer in the NBA.
DarthFed said:
Out West the Thunder with Durant and Westbrook is obviously a big threat to Miami but without Westbrook I wouldn't give them much hope and now they might not even make it to the finals.
You're right about that. The Thunder are now dead as a doornail having lost one-half of their two-man team.
