The conference finals starts this afternoon. It couldn't come soon enough. I am glad it's starting after watching two lousy playoff rounds. It's good to see the four great teams in there. They definiely deserve to be there. I think the matchups is what most fans expected as the season progress. I hope the matchups live up to the hype. Spurs/Suns -- What a year the Suns had. Bryan Colangelo, the Suns GM, and his staff has done a great job rebuiding that team through smart draft choices, smart trades, and couple of great free agents in Quentin Richardson and Steve Nash. What a year Nash has had. I knew Nash would lead the Suns to the playoffs, but I never expected him to transform the Suns into a championshp contender. Mike D'Antoni, the Suns coach, has done a very good job in running a great offense. With that said, their magic ride is finished. I hope I am wrong, but Spurs has had no problem with the Suns this season. Spurs run their defense very methodically and they are going to force the Suns to play half-court offense. Suns need to win with outside shooting and that's where losing Joe Johnson for some games or this series is going to hurt. Here's hoping Quentin Richardson and Jimmy Jackson can give the outside shooting the Suns need. I just think the Spurs experience and the fact they have been there and done that gives them the edge. Spurs in 6 Pistons/Heat -- You did not have to be Nostradamous or Dr. James Naismith to know that this will be your Eastern Conference Final. Detroit had the same team from last year and Shaq's presence was going to be good enough to lead Miami to the Conference Finals. The question for Miami is Shaq. Can Shaq be at his very best with that calf injury? That will be interesting. I think Wade will have a good series, but he is going to have his hands full against Teyshaun Prince as Kobe can attest from his experience with Prince in the Finals. It will come down to the role players for Miami. Miami will win if Dooling, Eddie Jones, Damon "Alfred" Jones, Shandon Anderson, and Zo produces. If Zo can be a presence in the paint through scoring and getting the blocks, I think Miami gets the edge and I expect Zo to get it done. Miami in 7 I am hoping for a Phoenix/Miami Final. Two warm weather teams with great offense. The way basketball should be played.
Top 4 teams are playing. They all deserve to be there. First the east. Miami in 6 Miami: with shaq of course they were going to be here. any lower and it was a bad season. not using shaq for the last 2 games VS wizards is a huge factor. shows that miami can win without the big man and that the big man can rest up if miami get up by 2 games for da playoffs! Detroit: Playing well, but stuggled against indiana at times. May stuggle against the big man, and the little man FLASH! West: Spurs in a close 7 with an OT Suns: Steve to Amare. If nash doesnt get 15 assists a game, then suns will lose. cause someone other then nash has to step up and score! Spurs: Tim duncans ankle twinge may hurt, but the way he came back was superb. he has the heart to take it all the way again! Ginobilli can control this game, because i cant see inspector gadget (shawn marion) or Q richardson defending him. Jim jackson has to step up and take control! Ginobilli being free is like watching nothing ever seen before, u dont know wats gona happen next!
Spurs vs Suns This is going be one hell of a series. I thought the Suns would do great like they did this season but the way they played against Dallas, with all that energy and the way they just wouldn`t go away, changed alot of minds even mine. As for the Spurs, I thought they could of done a little better against Seattle. Unfortually for Phoenix, if SA gets the hot, the whole team can start clicking. The Spurs even have the suprise like X-Factor, Robert Horry. As it looks right now, I`ll say Suns win the series, 4-2. Pistons vs Heat In the past I`ve always seen people saying like "The Heat have Shaq, so they`re are going to win the championship." I don`t think so. I remember fans here in Philly wanted Detroit because they didn`t want Shaq dominating the Sixers in the first round. But I wanted Miami so bad. People forget about Detroit`s suffocating defense. Miami does a great supporting cast to Wade like Keyon Dooling, Damon Jones, Eddie Jones that can really emerge with their great shooting. I think the East Finals is going down to the wire, and I`ll say Pistons in 7.
