http://www.whatifsports.com/nba_playoffs_2010/bracket.asp You can read more here about how their simulation works.
I can see it. I've been praying for days for the side of the bracket with DAL, PHX, and SAS rather than any of UTH or DEN. Especially since we get HCA against the Spurs. I could totally see it playing out that we beat PHX in 6, beat the Spurs in 7 with HCA, beat the L*kers in 6, and get to the Finals. Where we'd probably get crushed, unless the Batum/Webster defense against LBJ is otherworldly and we make Mike Brown come up with something to beat us. (Yes, even I trust Nate's--and his assistants'--gameplanning over Mike Brown)
Weird. Imagine if it happens, and the Blazers make it to the finals....... No Brandon Roy. No Greg Oden. Supposedly their two cornerstone players - the Franchises. Dang if the team dynamics wouldn't do a pole flip. I can't imagine the internal and external pushing and shoving that would go on. Unless there was strong leadership from the top down, likely enough drama to badly damage a team....Oops. With all the crap that is currently piled up everywhere with the whole Allen fighting cancer, Tom Penn firing, KP in trouble, McMillian refusing to entertain an extension, the fights over the Roy and LaMarcus extensions, Vulcan manuvering, etc., etc., I don't see the stable leadership in place to navigate those stormy waters.
before anyone asks: "Whatifsports.com's computers are designed to predict NBA teams' playoff advancement based on the statistical make-up of that team. Injuries do play a factor in the simulations and when we ran the 2001 sims of the 2010 NBA Playoffs, Brandon Roy was pulled from the line-up and the Blazers still made that run to the Finals." http://www.whatifsports.com/beyondtheboxscore/default.asp?article=2010NBA_BlazersPlayoffs
reading their behind-the-scene (not sure if it was in your link, BC), their sim really likes low turnovers and rebounding margin. In other words, it was designed by Nate McMillan.
That's playoff basketball baby! Some of us can bitch about Nate in the regular season, and ocassionally I do, but in the end he's supposed to be getting the team ready for success in the playoffs.
We're 8-2 against our bracket and 2-1 against the team that we'd probably face in the WCF. Why aren't more people favoring us to reach the Finals?
