[WiseGrumpy]

First of all so far I'm watching one of the best postseason I have sen as an NBA fan. Most games are close, most games are played well and the stars on most teams are stepping it up.
So far we had only one sweep by a team that I don't expect to get to the finals again. NY just said their first word heading to the future and with an healthy team they would have won at least two. Three games were super close and were a true battle.
In the east I had and still have the Heat. The only team that can knock them out are the celtics. In a physical and low scoring game the celtics can take the Heat to seven games, but if the Heat will dectate the style it will be easy.
The Bulls are great and their future is bright but their are not a title team. They are still young and they are not dominant enough to win it all. I also think they are the perfect team for the Heat to beat.
The west holds the big battles. The lakers are the team to beat and are just fine. They are a team that doesn't crush anyone it's not their style. When they make the game calm and they play smart they are the best. They struggled early last year and are again but it's all bright for the lake show that will reach the west finals.
The only team that can beat them are OKC. I have a bet on them at monster value. With the best home court in American sports and with the best scorer in the league they are true condtenders.
They hardly make mistakes, they have many clutch shooters and they play with energy no one has. They also have experience against the Lakers almost pulling the upset last year.

I'm not ready to name the champ, but it looks like Lakers vs Heat with the king banking his first ring.

Will have an updated thread if i think differently.

[demens]

I agree that the play-offs have been lots of fun so far. Very surprised by how well the lower seeds have done. The regular season demonstrated a very alarming trend that all these stars where swarming to each other and creating super teams while leaving the rest of the league behind. I think thats horrible for the league but the play-offs have shown that there might be more parity after all, despite the super teams.

Even the Knicks who got swept played 2 extremely close games that were decided on the last shot of the game. If they did not have the injury issues they would have made it even more competitive. Philly has had 3 close ones with the Heat winning just 1. Indy has been super impressive vs the Bulls having a chance in each of the games, very disappointed in the Bulls though. Same for Orlando with Atlanta looking like they did not even belong in the play-offs at the end of the year they have a commanding lead in the series now.

Same in the West, Lakers have been a disappointment, so have the Spurs. Credit to their opponents NO and Memph. CP3 is shinning like a true star he was 2 years ago in the play-offs and really carrying his team. Mavs/Blazers have been super competitive as well like was expected. Nuggets are a bit of a disappointment but i think they still have a win or 2 in them.

[chantrain]

why would the Heat beat the Bulls when the Bulls match up so favorably with them? Bulls have the advantage at the Pg position, at center, with the bench, with rebounding and they have better defense.

like, seriously...people see two names (Lebron and Wade) and their mind shuts out anything else. Oh, this team has Lebron and Wade? ohh they'll win the championship for sure. Basketball is about match ups...

[Whippit]

bulls playing like shit

don't deserve 2nd round action

[chantrain]

like Clint Eastwood said to Gene Hackman right before he blew his head off with a shotgun... "Deserve's got nothin' to do with it."

[Whippit]

I never understood that line, just figured Eastwood lost his mind & nobody on the set had the stones to argue

[chantrain]

well, Gene Hackman said "I don't deserve this. I was building a house." and Clint Eastwood said "Deserve's got nothing to do with it."

Gene Hackman was only trying to maintain order in the town of Big Whiskey, and by killing him, Clint Eastwood basically ushered in anarchy since nobody else could step up to maintain order after Clints massacre in the saloon. An argument could be made that Gene Hackmans character was the good guy and Clint Eastwoods character was the bad guy.

[Whippit]

I thought Clint was just avenging his homie's death, not going apeshit anarchist

[chantrain]

well, yeah, on the surface that was it. But the movie obviously had a deeper meaning

I love that movie, I know a lot about it.

Think about it, Clint and Morgan Freemen were vigilantes and mercenaries, they were out to mete out justice not knowing the fact that justice had ALREADY been meted out (exchange of horses). Their form of justice was severe and motivated by money, Gene Hackmans form of justice was actually more fair, and he was in a unique position to mete out justice being the legitimate sheriff of the town.

[Whippit]

I agree, the movie was about how to meting out justice

From the painted ladies to the sheriff to the outlaws.....and in the end they were all reduced to outlaws

movie wasn't bad for justice, but I prefer the Verdict with the "Prince of Effin Darkness"

[Whippit]

WG/Demens your thoughts are welcomed

[JBT]

[demens]

Its been a while since i've seen that movie. Not a big fan of the western genre anyway.

[NBA_Brosuf]

My thought about the playoff is that you play the same team over and over and over and over again. Even a chimp will learn through his own evolution oh how to play a team if they get to play with them like over and over and over again.

Perhaps this is why we see a good match up coming. Unlike them regular season, if you skunk 1 game, you can make it back by playing with a different team of a different caliber. There is nothing you can learn from playing a different team on a different day but playing with the same guys over and over again, you will eventually get used to your contenders.

[suicidekings]

So you're picking the Heat to beat the Bulls in the east and the Lakers to beat the Thunder in the west for a Lakers/Heat final and trying to pass that off as insightful commentary derived from watching the playoffs so far? You could have made that statement a month ago and no one would blink an eye...

The story of the year so far has been the performance of the lower seeds, ATS, and the likelihood of that trend continuing. Second to that, there are still several series going on that could result in major upsets and the second round will likely feature some really excellent matchups and huge value in both series prices and individual game spreads. All of that is far more interesting than the summary conclusion of Heat v. Lakers.

[Inkwell77]

the unders and the dogs are the story of these playoffs so far.

[suicidekings]

the unders and the dogs are the story of these playoffs so far.

Yes. Totally forgot about the Unders. Agreed.

[NBA_Brosuf]

the unders and the dogs are the story of these playoffs so far.

The important thing is to see it early, catch it early and ride such trend early.

No balls play will not make any man rich. He got to have balls first before he can climb that mountain.

Be up by a gang load before the trend breaks and even with a lost, it is like giving the bookie a tip as the gambler cash out.

[Whippit]

Same in the West, Lakers have been a disappointment, so have the Spurs. Credit to their opponents NO and Memph. CP3 is shinning like a true star he was 2 years ago in the play-offs and really carrying his team. Mavs/Blazers have been super competitive as well like was expected. Nuggets are a bit of a disappointment but i think they still have a win or 2 in them.

Not a big fan of the western genre anyway.

[jjax107]

Keep counting out the Celtics guys

[MrXYZ]

Celtics vs Thunder final series would be awesome, not sure it'll happen, just daydreaming... But if they knock off the Heat it's very possible.