NBA Champions

[Shumakov]

your opinion gentlemen

[King_Bookie]

West: LA
East: Orlando

WIN: ORL

[HoulihansTX]

West: LA
East Cavs
No need to waste time with underdogs. You guys that want to advocate for the underdogs this year will lose much money in the playoffs.

[Pajda]

West: LA Lakers
East: Cleveland

[juuso]

West: Lakers
East: Magic

[actionaddict86]

Lakers and Celtics

sweep 4-0

[NBA Hero]

lakers

[pho3nix32]

boston...

all these injuries are just an act to rid of the attention...i say they repeat

[dennisback]

Boston

[The General]

King James gets his title

[Tsoprano]

Boston

.

[zentiense]

Orlando doesn't have a shot. They're not for-real at all.

[The_Kid]

Orlando doesn't have a shot. They're not for-real at all.

Teams will start putting Howard on the line and start forcing him to make foul shots too.

[zentiense]

Orlando goes cold shooting the treys in the halfcourt playoff setups and Howard is very unclutch. I voted Lakers, but could easily be Lakers, Celts, or Cavs. I would have voted Spurs easily if Manu wasn't done for the year.

[pavyracer]

Atlanta Hawks

[Tsoprano]

Orlando doesn't have a shot. They're not for-real at all.

spot on

[HoulihansTX]

Atlanta Hawks

Thanks for the comedic perspective, bro. Just dont put any money on them, seriously.

[Buckeye]

Cavs all the way. I saw the look the King had after losing to Boston last year. He will take care of business this year. Cleveland didn't work for home court for nothing. Boston isn't winning shit this year!!

[Tsoprano]

Thanks for the comedic perspective, bro. Just dont put any money on them, seriously.

solid post

[Mac4Lyfe]

Basketball is all about matchups... Orlando matches up very well with Cleveland. The Cav's can beat any team in the East but Orlando. Cleveland has to avoid them to move on. Detroit matches up well with Orlando. If Orlando meets the Piston's in the first round I expect the Magic to get bounced early. Orlando can't beat Detroit or Boston but can beat everyone else. Boston won't beat Cleveland and doesn't matchup well with Atlanta.

Look at the matchups first then you will see how it will play out.

The West is all Lakers. Denver will put up a fight but won't make it. Utah can't win on the road and the rest don't play defense.

Lakers versus Boston = Boston easily probably only 5 games
Lakers versus Cav's = 7 game series if Bynum can't gel with the rest of the team Lakers maybe in 6.
Laker's versus magic = Lakers in 5 possibly a sweep

So by my estimation it's either Boston, Lakers or Cav's. Boston and Cleveland dictated by who they have to play.

[seaborneq]

Lakers in a cakewalk or boatrace.

[onlooker]

Cavaliers.

[jjgold]

Lakers west
Cleve or Bos east

no one else is playoff test

[LT Profits]

Lakers win it all this year.

And contrary to most opinions here, I like Orlando in the East, and they certainly should have been a choice in the poll.

[Junkyard Dog]

cavs

[Mac4Lyfe]

Lakers win it all this year.

And contrary to most opinions here, I like Orlando in the East, and they certainly should have been a choice in the poll.

No they shouldn't... They are an "other" at best. They better hope they don't play the Piston's or they are 1 and done. Like was said before, Orlando is a jump shooting team and come playoff time they will fade. Also the point about Howard is true. His poor free throw shooting will take him out of games.

[LT Profits]

Oramdo has played the best defense in the NBA over the past month, and defense wins championships.

[Casi]

Funny to put in Portland, and forget about Orlando + other teams with better chances

[Wilforth]

West: Lakers by a mile.
East: Orlando

Lakers win in 6.

[Tsoprano]

Although I do NOT think Orlando will win it all (or even make it to the finals), i'm also surprised they aren't in the poll

[zentiense]

I know the stats say Orlando plays good defense -- watching games and knowing the players tells a totally other story.

Orlando has zero perimeter defense and despite Dwight Howard's league leading blocks, Howard isn't really a lock-down post defender -- not in the same way as a Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett or vintage Rasheed Wallace. Turky and Rashard are great scorers but are about as bad as they come in terms of defensive ability. Turky is a "natural" SF and so is Rashard -- that's part of the problem -- they don't have a PF. There's no way either can guard all-star caliber SFs or all-star caliber PFs. Furthermore, perimeter-scoring PF/C types like Bosh or Garnett absolutely annihilate Orlando defense. They have no answer. Pietrus is probably their best man-man defender, but his heart, health, and ability are often questionable. Orlando has no legs this year.

[shhhhh22]

Wishful thinking to be sure... but if the bulls stay in 7th spot, and potentially move up to 6th, with the 76ers melting down... I think they could make some waves in the east. They can match up with anyone in the east... except cleveland. Just my 2 cents... let the roast begin!!

[Shumakov]

Lakers

[Shortstop]

Los Angeles Lakers or Cleveland Cavaliers. Pick'em.