2006 NBA Playoffs

Here we are...the NBA's second season. The first round has already started but as typical each year the first game of each series is barely a surprise.

Eastern Conference
vs
#8 vs #1
The poor Bucks have to take solace in the fact that they made the playoffs. If they manage a win in this series that will be better than I expect from them. The Pistons are too strong of a team and the Bucks are too, well, not good.

Pistons in 4.

vs
#7 vs #2
Last year the Bulls were in the #4 vs #5 match up which gave them the chance to win a series BEFORE getting wiped up by the Heat. Last year the Bulls did not make it, but they had the chance to do so. This year they do not have the chance to make it out of the first round.

Heat in 5.

vs
#6 vs #3
The Pacers and the Nets...Probably going to be the closest series in the East, maybe in the whole first round. I like the Pacers anyway so I will pick them, but in all seriousness I think this is a toss up.

Pacers in 6.

vs
#5 vs #4
The Wizards again find themselves in the #4 vs #5 matchup. This time I do not think it will be that close. LeBron James is too talented for the Wizards to handle and will dominate this series. Even thought the Wizards won the season series I think that James can step it up enough for the Cavs benefit.

Cavaliers in 5.

Western Conference
vs
#8 vs #1
This is no contest. There is nothing to comment except to say that the Kings are lucky to be in the playoffs and the Spurs have a great chance at repeating the NBA Championship.

Spurs in 4.

vs
#7 vs #2
The Suns are a strong team again. The Lakers are not. The Lakers are too one-dimensional to compete with the elite of the leauge. I see no chance for the Lakers to move on from here, but I will give them an extra game in the series just because they are my team.

Suns in 5.

vs
#6 vs #3
The Clippers finished ahead of the Lakers for the first time in 500 years and have the benefit of playing the Northwest Division champions. The Division champs get an automatic top seed (in Denver's case they get the #3 seed) and otherwise the Nuggets were tied for the #8 seed with the Kings. Going by seeds alone the Clippers will upset the Nuggets. But I have a hunch that the betting lines all favor the Clippers anyway.

Clippers in 5.

vs
#5 vs #4
This should be the most lopsided #4 vs #5 series in NBA history. Dallas, the 2nd best team in the West get a #4 seed because two other weaker teams won their divisions and Dallas did not. If the teams were ranked according to the records the Grizzlies would be the #4 seed and play the Clippers. There they would have a fighting chance. But the insanity of rewarding division leaders instead of the better teams puts Memphis on the road against Dallas. No contest.

Worse than that, the premiere matchup in the West (Dallas vs San Antonio) will happen in the 2nd round instead of in the Conference Finals. Back to this 1st round matchup...

Mavericks in 4.

********** UPDATE **********
Don't know what I was smoking but I did these predictions as if the 1st round was still played with a best of five format. I amended the predictions (though many are already wrong) by adding a game to each prediction.