2006 NBA Playoffs

[Azale]

It has been an exciting year, with the emergence of the true superstardom of LeBron James, the 81 point games and more from Kobe Bryant, and the incredible run the Pistons put on the Bulls early in the year.
Ron Artest was traded and has made Sacramento a factor again overnight, the FREAKING CLIPPERS made the playoffs, the Baby Bulls have made two straight playoff appearances and look like a team on the rise for the future, Arenas emerged as someone who can carry a team almost completely by himself, Steve Nash worked magic in Phoenix this year and should win MVP again, and I could go on.

I dont know about you, but I am ready for some playoff basketball!

Eastern Conference

(1) Detroit Pistons
vs.
(8) Milwaukee Bucks

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers
vs.
(5) Washington Wizards

(3) New Jersey Nets
vs.
(6) Indiana Pacers

(2) Miami Heat
vs.
(7) Chicago Bulls


Western Conference

(1) San Antonio Spurs
vs.
(8) Sacramento Kings

(4) Dallas Mavericks
vs.
(5) Memphis Grizzlies

(3) Denver Nuggets
vs.
(6) Los Angeles Clippers

(2) Phoenix Suns
vs.
(7) Los Angeles Lakers

 

[Red Door]

I hope the Wizards at least beat the Cavs...

 

[Darkness]

I hope the Wizards at least beat the Cavs...

So you just voted for the Wizards to win it all???

Spurs or Pistons. My vote goes to the Spurs. They still got the wests' No 1. seed, even when Ginobili and (most importantly) Tim Duncan have been less than healthy this season, and they still got a franchise best for the number of wins this season (63).
Now they're getting healthier (and there are no back-to-backs in the playoffs), so the rest of the league better watch out!

 

[Azale]

Round 1

Eastern Conference

(1) Detroit Pistons
vs.
(8) Milwaukee Bucks

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers
vs.
(5) Washington Wizards

(3) New Jersey Nets
vs.
(6) Indiana Pacers

(2) Miami Heat
vs.
(7) Chicago Bulls


Western Conference

(1) San Antonio Spurs
vs.
(8) Sacramento Kings

(4) Dallas Mavericks
vs.
(5) Memphis Grizzlies

(3) Denver Nuggets
vs.
(6) Los Angeles Clippers

(2) Phoenix Suns
vs.
(7) Los Angeles Lakers

Round 2

Eastern Conference

(1) Detroit Pistons
vs.
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers

(2) Miami Heat
vs.
(3) New Jersey Nets

Western Conference

(1) San Antonio Spurs
vs.
(4) Dallas Mavericks

(2) Phoenix Suns
vs.
(6) Los Angeles Clippers


Round 3

Eastern Conference

(1) Detroit Pistons
vs.
(2) Miami Heat

Western Conference

(4) Dallas Mavericks
vs.
(6) Los Angeles Clippers


NBA Finals

(1) Detroit Pistons
vs.
(4) Dallas Mavericks


Just my opinion of course....but without San Antonio in there, whom I think will be bounced by Dallas (I am a huge Spurs fan, but I dont like how the injuries are piling up. Dallas has beaten San Antonio several times this year already and could easily win a series, even if it is in San Antonio) then Detroit should walk through these playoffs.

I am crossing my fingers for a Spurs-Heat finals though, although the coolest would be the Clippers-Nets IMO.

 

[Red Door]

So you just voted for the Wizards to win it all???

Maybe.

My Actual Predictions:
Detroit Pistons-4 vs Milwaukee Bucks-1
Cleveland Cavaliers-3 vs Washington Wizards-4
New Jersey Nets-4 vs Indiana Pacers-2
Miami Heat-4 vs Chicago Bulls-1

San Antonio Spurs-4 vs Sacramento Kings-1
Dallas Mavericks-4 vs Memphis Grizzlies-0
Denver Nuggets-4 vs Los Angeles Clippers-3
Phoenix Suns-4 vs Los Angeles Lakers-1

Detroit Pistons-4 vs Washington Wizards-2
Miami Heat-4 vs New Jersey Nets-1

San Antonio Spurs-3 vs Dallas Mavericks-4
Phoenix Suns-4 vs Denver Nuggets-0

Detroit Pistons-4 vs Miami Heat-2

Phoenix Suns-4 vs Dallas Mavericks-3

Detroit Pistons-2 vs Phoenix Suns-4



Also, who voted for the Lakers? That's even worse than my Wizards pick.

 

[downtown]

pffft. Cleveland will wax the lizards, season series notwithstanding

 

[Godwynn]

I prefer anyone in the Eastern Conference since my beloved Celtics did not make it in.

 

[Azale]

Pacers upset the Nets in the first game...Nets trailed most of the game too, and Vince Carter even though he had 30+ points, had a horrible FG percentage.

 

[adog]

Detroit all the way baby!

 

[tombeef]

This is one of those years where it's tough to see any upsets, my best bet would be Indiana, or L.A. Clippers in the first round, and Dallas over the Spurs in the second round, as far as upsets go. I think it will be a rematch of last year's finals, but because Detroit has home court, they will win it.

I am going to try to watch every Pistons game from start to finish like I have the last two years in a row.

 

[The 777 Hoax]

I want Cleveland to win it, but probably won't happen.

 

[RedFusion]

Cleveland could use the championship, we haven't had one in quite some time!

 

[The 777 Hoax]

Yeah, Cleveland's Playoff history kind of sucks...

 

[downtown]

how longs it been, 1964??

 

[kingjoshi]

Arenas emerged as someone who can carry a team almost completely by himself,

Hate to nitpick, but do the names Butler and Jamison mean anything to you??? Arenas is a very good player on the verge of being great. But you discredit others on the team with that statement.

on to the playoff topic:
Indiana is my upset special team.

Round 1
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Milwaukee Bucks
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Washington Wizards
(3) New Jersey Nets vs. (6) Indiana Pacers
(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) Chicago Bulls

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Sacramento Kings
(4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Memphis Grizzlies
(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Los Angeles Clippers
(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers

Round 2
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers
(2) Miami Heat vs. (6) Indiana Pacers

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks
(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Los Angeles Clippers

Conference Finals
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (6) Indiana Pacers

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Los Angeles Clippers

NBA Finals
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (1) San Antonio Spurs

 

[jonatas]

Hate to nitpick, but do the names Butler and Jamison mean anything to you??? Arenas is a very good player on the verge of being great. But you discredit others on the team with that statement.

Oh c'mon. Butler is a nice little player. Jamison is alright, but has such a quirky game and I think he's on the downside of his career. Arenas on the other hand is an absolute stud. I know, I just won my 12 team fantasy league with him. Taking into account 8 statistical categories (fg%, ft%, boards, assists, 3s, blocks, steals, points) of the Player Rater, he's the 6th most productive player in the NBA this season. Now I know there are many ways to judge a player, but there is no question that Arenas is at the very top of the NBA in statistical production. Awesome player.

Obviously the heavy favourite right now is Detroit to win it all. San Antonio and Dallas are very good too. I'm a Raptors fan though. In the playoffs, I'll be cheering for Washington, Cleveland and the Clippers. I'm not going to go through the entire playoff matchups, let's just say I have Dallas vs the Clips in the West, and Detroit vs the Heat in the East. For the Championship, Detroit over Dallas.

 

[Masquerouge]

Watch as San Antonio wins AGAIN

 

[The 777 Hoax]

how longs it been, 1964??

Beats me.

 

[RedFusion]

1964 it was indeed.

 

[RedFusion]

Which of the following names doesn't fit:

Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan, Karl Malone, Bill Russell, Moses Malone, Steve Nash, Larry Bird, Bob Petit and Wilt Chamberlain.

Yeah, Steve Nash sticks out like an eye-sore. But it appears likely that he will soon be announced as the MVP this season, giving him his second award. Considering greats like Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, and Oscar Robinson have only achieved one and numerous other point guards of equal or superior quality have never even won one; this truly is a sad day.