<div class="quote_poster">Umair Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Exactly my point. Dallas is a much different team in the playoffs. They are much more of a playoff team than a regular season team. Yes, Golden State has beaten Dallas 3 times this year, but there is no way I see Dallas GS series go to 7 games. Dallas will be too determined to lose to an 8th seeded team like GS. He comes up small in these situation? Did you ever watch McGrady against Dallas 2 years ago when Houston was in the playoffs? McGrady single-handedly got Houston 3 games from Dallas. Tmac has much more passion and intensity this year to win. The guy is tired of getting knocked out of first round. There is no way Tmac is going to lose this year.</div> He's never got passed the first round of the playoffs, that's all there is to it. As a star player on your particular team, you take on the responsibility of getting your team to perform. He came up extremely small against the Pistons that one year when the Magic had them on their back. Lets not turn this into a debate over McGrady's playoffs performances, however, we should find out eventually who was right about the playoff predictions
<div class="quote_poster">C.K. Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Golden State matches up extremely well with the Mavs, and they already beat them three times in the regular season. It's rare that you saw anybody beat the Mavs last season, but the same team three times? They won't go down without a fight, especially with Don Nelson going back to coach his old team and whatnot. Talk about being determined for a ring, this is the first time that Golden State is even in the playoffs since Chris Webber was a rookie 13-years ago. Dallas might be looking ahead toward their match-up with either Utah or Houston. TMac has never been past the first-round, he comes up small in these types of situations. I'm a big fan of Deron Williams, he's quickly emerging as one of my favorite players to watch these days. They'll have no answer for Yao, which is why they'll lose a game, but that series is very debatable. A lot of people have Houston as a "sleeper pick" this year. I could've easily picked that series in 7.</div> There's no question that Golden State can match up with the Mavericks and give them a scare in the first round, but when you look back over those 3 wins over the Mavs, you gotta take consideration in this. The first win was early in the season when the Mavs went 0-4, at that time Dirk Nowitzki talked about how he tried to adjust to his teammates and build chemistry with the team early on, then in the 3rd win this past week, the Mavs only played their reserves, so the Warriors got an easy win there. I'll give you the second game where the Warriors ended their streak, but ultimately, I think the Mavs will come out of here in 6 games.
<u>East</u> 1. Pistons-Magic: 4-1 Pistons 2. Heat-Bulls- 4-3 Heat 3. Raptors-Nets- 4-1 Raptors 4. Cavaliers-Wizards- 4-0 Cavaliers <u>West</u> 1. Mavericks-Warriors- 4-3 Mavericks 2. Jazz-Rockets- 4-3 Rockets 3. Spurs-Nuggets- 4-1 Spurs 4. Suns-Lakers- 4-2 Suns
Detroit vs Orlando= Detroit in 6 Chicago vs NJ= Chicago in 7 Toronto vs Wash.=Toronto in 4 Miami vs Cleveland=Miami in 7 Dallas vs Golden State=Dallas in 5 Phoenix vs L.A.=Lakers in 6 S.A. vs Denver=S.A. in 6 Utah vs Houston= Houston in 7
<u>East</u> 1. Pistons-Magic: 4-1 Pistons 2. Heat-Bulls- 4-3 Bulls 3. Raptors-Nets- 4-2 Nets 4. Cavaliers-Wizards- 4-0 Cavaliers <u>West</u> 1. Mavericks-Warriors- 4-1 Mavericks 2. Jazz-Rockets- 4-2 Rockets 3. Spurs-Nuggets- 4-1 Spurs 4. Suns-Lakers- 4-3 Suns
[Hopefully] I'll have the time to add explanations later, but I at least wanted to get my basic predictions in before this thing got too far underway - <u>East</u> 1st Round: Detroit vs Orlando - Detroit in 5 Miami vs Chicago - Miami in 7 Cleveland vs Washington - Cleveland in 5 Toronto vs New Jersey - New Jersey in 4 2nd Round: Detroit vs Miami - Detroit in 6 Cleveland vs New Jersey - New Jersey in 6 Eastern Conference Finals: Detroit vs New Jersey - New Jersey in 7 <u>West</u> 1st Round: Dallas vs Golden State - Dallas in 6 Utah vs Houston - Houston in 6 Phoenix vs Los Angeles - Los Angeles in 7 San Antonio vs Denver - San Antonio in 4 2nd Round: Dallas vs Houston - Dallas in 5 Los Angeles vs San Antonio - San Antonio in 4 Western Conference Finals: Dallas vs San Antonio - San Antonio in 7 <u>Finals</u> New Jersey vs San Antonio - San Antonio in 5
<div class="quote_poster">Umair Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Exactly my point. Dallas is a much different team in the playoffs. They are much more of a playoff team than a regular season team. Yes, Golden State has beaten Dallas 3 times this year, but there is no way I see Dallas GS series go to 7 games. Dallas will be too determined to lose to an 8th seeded team like GS.</div> I see where you're coming from, but Golden State is probably better than its record indicates. Since March 5th (the first time after the trade where the team was at full strength with Baron and J-Rich playing after injuries) the Warriors have gone 16-5 and had the hardest schedule in the league by opponent win %. In that span they won games @ Detroit, vs Denver, vs LAC, vs Dallas twice, vs Phoenix, @ Houston, vs Utah and went 9-1 in April. If they had this team the whole season with a training camp and whatnot its not unreasonable to think they could have won 50 or more games. Add to that the fact that Nelson used to coach Dallas, taught Avery everything he knows, and have a lot of favorable matchups against Dallas and its not too unrealistic to believe GS can give them a run.
<div class="quote_poster">Bobcats Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">LOL @ New Jersey in the NBA finals.</div> Yeah, i laughed at that too. At least someone is going out on a limb though, so I have to give VC props for that....
<div class="quote_poster">Bobcats Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">LOL @ New Jersey in the NBA finals.</div> If New Jersey gets past the Raptors, which I'm predicting they will... I think they have a legit shot of beating Cavs and ending up in the Eastern conference playoffs. But I do agree, FINALS is a little too far .. but hey you never know.
<div class="quote_poster">Bobcats Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">LOL @ New Jersey in the NBA finals.</div> Laugh now, but after today, they'll be 11-3 in their last 14 games. They're a veteran team that's been plagued by injuries all season and is just now starting to get their starting unit back intact, with Jefferson having just come back in mid-March. If New Jersey had Jefferson all season, they'd probably be a #2-4 seed right now. Toronto and Cleveland are just as talented, but they're young, and they don't have the floor general the Nets have in Jason Kidd. Sure, the Nets are vulnerable against teams with strong post play, but Cleveland and Detroit don't exactly fit that bill.
VC may have a point. They do have the easiest road if they beat Toronto. However, if they face Miami in the ECF, the matchup problems down low with Shaq will kill them. Good pick though.
The thing is, their recent success has consisted of beating up on lottery teams. That last game against Chicago was really the only quality win they had in the month of April. I think they have a chance to beat Toronto, maybe even their 2nd round opponent, but I'm not so sure about going all the way to the Finals.
<div class="quote_poster">C.K. Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">He's never got passed the first round of the playoffs, that's all there is to it. As a star player on your particular team, you take on the responsibility of getting your team to perform.</div> All the years that he didn't get past first round, he didn't have homecourt advantage. This year, guess what, he has that. He has more passion, more determination, and a hunger to win it this year. The man is tired of losing. The more years he gets knocked out of first round, the more he wants to get past it. This year is the year, he will hopefully get past it. Homecourt will be a factor in this years playoffs. Last year, teams that had homecourt were 7-1. Hopefully, Rockets take the homecourt to their advantage and beat Utah.
<div class="quote_poster">C.K. Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">He's never got passed the first round of the playoffs, that's all there is to it. As a star player on your particular team, you take on the responsibility of getting your team to perform.</div> All the years that he didn't get past first round, he didn't have homecourt advantage. This year, guess what, he has that. He has more passion, more determination, and a hunger to win it this year. The man is tired of losing. The more years he gets knocked out of first round, the more he wants to get past it. This year is the year, he will hopefully get past it. Homecourt will be a factor in this years playoffs. Last year, teams that had homecourt were 7-1. Hopefully, Rockets take the homecourt to their advantage and beat Utah.
<div class="quote_poster">Run BJM Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I see where you're coming from, but Golden State is probably better than its record indicates. Since March 5th (the first time after the trade where the team was at full strength with Baron and J-Rich playing after injuries) the Warriors have gone 16-5 and had the hardest schedule in the league by opponent win %. In that span they won games @ Detroit, vs Denver, vs LAC, vs Dallas twice, vs Phoenix, @ Houston, vs Utah and went 9-1 in April. If they had this team the whole season with a training camp and whatnot its not unreasonable to think they could have won 50 or more games. Add to that the fact that Nelson used to coach Dallas, taught Avery everything he knows, and have a lot of favorable matchups against Dallas and its not too unrealistic to believe GS can give them a run.</div> Yes true, but, Dallas is too hungry for the shot at the title. Last year, they came up two games short, and do you believe they are going to all waist their new year at that shot to some 8th seeded team? Like I've said before, regular season and playoffs are two different things. It is a totally new ball game in playoffs. I'll give Golden State props for beating Dallas 3 times this year, but thats the regular season. This is the playoffs. Dallas will have a hard time against GS, but I just can't see GS winning this thing. Mark my words: Dallas will beat them in 5 games.
<div class="quote_poster">Detroit Madness Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I don't know if I should even bother responding to a topic created by somebody who thinks Golden State will beat Dallas.</div> Can you tell me who just won between the Mvas and Warriors?
I said Golden State had a chance... Golden state beats Dallas in Dallas.... Denver beats Spurs in San Antonio..... Gonzaga knocks out Crocop with a high kick..... whats next?
