Monday, May 16, 2011

NBA Playoffs Conference Finals Predictions

A .500 first round (4-4) was met by an equally meh performance in the second round (2-2).  With an overall record of 6-6 it shows I clearly need to brush up on my NBA, but once again I go on undaunted.  As with the NHL the East and West are combined into one post.  It's the Eastern and Western Conference Finals Predictions.  Based on recent history, count on one of the predictions to be right.




#1 Chicago Bulls












#2 Miami Heat













Season Series-  Bulls win 3-0

He was good, there was no doubt about that.  What Derrick Rose became this year was MVP.  His dominant play showed it's true self in these playoffs, included 44 points in Game 3 of the second round against the Hawks.  It's hard to pick against a deep team like the Bulls when they have a game changer like Rose on their side, along with the potential power of Carlos Boozer.

There was too much talent to not succeed in the long run but everyone figured it would take a while for the three stars of the Heat to go very far.  They figured the pieces weren't there yet to make a deep run, that it would take some building to get it done.  Instead a slow regular season start has turned into a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals for James, Wade, and Bosh.  How much farther can they go?

It's no mistake that the Bulls had the best record in the regular season.  Especially behind the MVP play of Derrick Rose.  His play as more than just a Point Guard is enough to change any series.  He'll give the Heat fits in the Conference Finals but the combined power of Wade and James will be what pushes the Heat to their first Finals as the new Big Three in the NBA.

Prediction: Heat 4-2




#3 Dallas Mavericks













#4 Oklahoma City Thunder












Regular Season Series- Mavericks win 2-1

They literally did what hadn't been done before: they swept a Phil Jackson team.  The Mavericks, who at times looked like the best team in the NBA through the regular season, looked like perhaps the best team in the playoffs when dispatching the LA Lakers in four straight games.  Now the team of stars who don't have a ring in Dirk and Kidd look to get one step closer to making the dream come true.

It's another big step for the new guard in the NBA.  Brian Westbrook and Kevin Durant have been heralded as the next big thing in the league, bringing life into the city of Oklahoma City as the only pro team in town.  They were pegged as a possible powerhouse coming out of the West and now they are four wins away, after a seven game battle with Memphis, away from their first of potentially many Finals trips.

In a series that should be played in Wichita Falls (look it up on Google Maps, it's right between Dallas and Oklahoma City) it's a match up of the NBA's past and future.  An aging Mavs core is getting one more shot to make it's title run while one of the elite young teams in the NBA is getting it's first shot of many at of a title.  Nerves will play a part, taking over the young and talented Thunder long enough for the seasoned Mavs to take control and close it out.


Prediction: Mavericks 4-3


_________________________________________________________
Follow Case and Point on Twitter, Foursquare and Facebook to be the first to learn about new articles, podcasts, and breaking sports news.  Get in touch with Case and Point at contact@caseandpointsports.com

1 comment:

  1. Wow ! Predicting Dirk will not choke until the NBA Final, eh ?

    ReplyDelete