I think once the Lakers get everyone back and healthy, they will get back to the form they were playing in early in the year...if not the Lakers I think Sac-Town will make it, and from teh East, Indiana or NJ
I still think its to early to pick a championship series. Consider we have not seen how the Lakers full strenght match up with all the other West Power houses. How is Sacramento going to adjust with Chris Webber coming back, will Wally and Olowokandi fit into the Wolves skeem. I just believe there is to many questions to be asked to even have a good idea of who will take it out west. In the east however, Detroit and Indiana are really seperating themselves from the rest of the pack. I think Detroit will match up very well with Indiana considering they have a big man would can match up with Jermaine O'neal in Ben Wallace. I think the title comes down to the following teams. La Lakers San Antiono Spurs Sacramento Kings Minnesota Timberwolves Indiana Pacers Detroit Pistons Once players come back from injuries I will be able to narrow it down...
If the Lakers can get Malone back by March, and the team can return to it's real lineup, I feel the Lakers can return to the Finals. But just like my fellow fan said, it all determines on the seed the Lakers stand at. If they go in as a low seed, they'd be in trouble because the Lakers haven't been a consistent road team all season, but if Sacramento manages to struggle down the stretch, and the Lakers can somehow take the Pacific Division, they're in good shape for a serious playoff run. This could be their last opportunities for Payton and Malone to get a ring, so I look for them to finish strong. Now if the Lakers don't make it, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a decent shot. The way Minny is playing right now, they sure look like a team that will do big things in the playoffs. They have already beaten Sacramento and my Lakers twice this season. For the East, I'm going for Detroit. I feel the Pistons have the best advantage over any team, and that person lies in the center position. Ben Wallace.
In the finals : - T-Wolves vs. Indiana or - T-Wolves vs. Pistons or - Lakers vs. Indiana or - Lakers vs. Pistons <= wouldn't it be great to see Shaq and Wallace go at it?
East:Indiana/Detroit - Inidiana wins 4 - 3 West:Minnesota/Sacramento - Sacramento wins 4 - 3 NBA Finals:Sacramento/Indiana - Sacramento wins 4 - 2
No love for my Nets? hahahah I'd have to say Wolves vs Nets. You can call me biased but the Nets still has the championship that they had for the past two years except for some non-factors. As long as this season isn't over, they're still the beast of the east until proven wrong by some team.
NJ Nets vs. Sacramento In the East, Detroit and Indiana will find a way to choke and NJ shows up for the Conference Finals. When Sac gets Webber back, they will be very tough to beat.
I'll take one of two possibilities, here. Either the defending champs, San Antonio, against another defensive powerhouse in Indiana, or Sacramento against a more high powered New Orleans offense. For both Indiana and San Antonio to make the finals, they're not going to make it there with their massive offenses, because they really don't exist on the average night. They'll be relying upon their league leading defenses to make it there, and the Finals would also prove to be a defensive struggled, giving everyone a good matchup between Jermaine O'Neal and Tim Duncan, Reggie Miller and Manu Ginobili, and Jeff Foster facing up with Nesterovic. Each play similar roles in their teams, so we'd have to see how that'd turn out. And my other, Sacramento at full strength with New Orleans at full strength. I don't know what it is about these two teams, but they're rather injury prone, but still remain good teams in their respective conferences. Sacramento has arguable the best offense (possibility second to Dallas) in the league, and a healthy New Orleans could compete with that, if they're to have both Mashburn and Davis drilling shots and Magloire pounding in on the inside. Monster Mash against Peja, B. Diddy facing off with Bibby and Bobby, Wesley with Christie, and all star reserve Jamaal Magloire against all star reserve Brad Miller would just be an enjoyable meeting to watch. And with New Orleans moving into the Western Conference and joining the Midwest division, this is their only chance at that, since they chose to stay in the East this year.
San Antonio & New Jersey had to b the most boring finals ever last year. Didn't it get the lowest ratings ever for the finals. I liked San Antonio alot when Robinson was in his prime and Tim Duncan's rookie year. But since then, huh well. I like the Lakers & Pacers.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting VinnyMack:</div><div class="quote_post">NJ Nets vs. Sacramento In the East, Detroit and Indiana will find a way to choke and NJ shows up for the Conference Finals. When Sac gets Webber back, they will be very tough to beat.</div> New Jersey is barely over .500 before they fired Byron Scott, they're lucky that their interim coach won 4 straight, but I don't think they will make it to the playoffs.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ming637:</div><div class="quote_post">New Jersey is barely over .500 before they fired Byron Scott, they're lucky that their interim coach won 4 straight, but I don't think they will make it to the playoffs.</div> Really, wow, it's the East. U can be like 8 games below .500 and make it. It would be the biggest shock of alltime if they didn't make it in the East. I don't think they will do what the Bucks did in 2k2. Make it to the Eastern Conference finals and just miss the playoffs. It would be worst because the East got even weaker and they made the finals 2 years in a row. Matter as fact, embarassing.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ming637:</div><div class="quote_post">New Jersey is barely over .500 before they fired Byron Scott, they're lucky that their interim coach won 4 straight, but I don't think they will make it to the playoffs.</div> too bad you haven't seen them run over all the teams they played in the playoffs last season.
Lakers and Sacremento....if you want to watch the real battle for the NBA championship. If you want the one that doesn't really matter..... Lakers over Indiana in 5.....
I would have to say Mavericks vs. Pistons. No one can really say for sure now, you have to choose from minnesota, l.a., sacramento, dallas and san antonio in the west, i justb have a feeling about the mavs, and in the west theres indiana and detroit. I just have a feeling about those two teams, right now everyone is just prety much guessing and going by how the teams are doing right now, it is really hard to say.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 30 standing ver:</div><div class="quote_post">San Antonio & New Jersey had to b the most boring finals ever last year. Didn't it get the lowest ratings ever for the finals. I liked San Antonio alot when Robinson was in his prime and Tim Duncan's rookie year. But since then, huh well. I like the Lakers & Pacers.</div> Pfft to you. It was "boring" because everyone knew San Antonio would beat them. Except King James that is, lol.
