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A week and a half ago or so, I posted a blog dealing with my predictions for the '08 playoffs.  But I think it would be interesting to think about what if the playoffs started tomorrow, with the teams where they're at right now?  I figured I'd set it up and put in my predictions on the outcomes.  Let me know what you think.

WEST Round 1

1) New Orleans Hornets vs. 8) Golden State Warriors

Sorry, Golden State.  The miraculous 8 beating 1 was last year.  New Orleans in 5.

2) Phoenix Suns vs. 7) Houston Rockets

Tough call.  Pheonix has been a little iffy lately, while Houston's been dominating, winning 8 straight.  In the end, Phoenix does what Phoenix does, rallies from being down 3-2 to win it in 7.

3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. 6) Utah Jazz

Is LA healthy in this scenario?  Then LA in 6.  Utah's extremely impressive, but the Lakers are starting to remind their fans of a certain 80s era.

4) San Antonio Spurs vs. 5) Dallas Mavericks

Okay.  Again, everyone's healthy in this make-believe.  And Devean George sticks to his guns and there's no Jason Kidd trade.  It'll be a 6 or 7 game series.  But this one is hard to say who'd come out on top.  I'll say Dallas, narrowly, in 7, although it is hard to say that San Antonio goes out in the first round.  But again, this is a made up scenario.

EAST Round 1

1) Boston Celtics vs. 8) New Jersey Nets

New Jersey barely squeaked into the playoffs in this scenario.  Boston kicked the door barring their way in down.  Boston in 4.

2) Detroit Pistons vs. 7) Philadelphia 76ers

Wow.  76ers back in the playoffs already?  That's impressive, but if they started tomorrow, Philly would come in as a seventh seed.  Amazing?  I thought so too.  But the amazement won't be long-lived.  Detroit in 5.

3) Orlando Magic vs. 6) Washington Wizards

Hmmm.  Tough call.  If both Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler are healthy, then the Wizards have a better shot.  I'm going to have to go with, let's see here, Wizards in 6.

 4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 5) Toronto Raptors

In my other blog, I had the Atlanta Hawks making it in and upsetting Cleveland.  But since then Cleveland keeps rolling along during times I think they should be slowing down.  So I'm not going to underestimate them here.  Cleveland in 6.

WEST Round 2

1) New Orleans Hornets vs. 5) Dallas Mavericks

Mavs are still P.O.'d about last year.  Hornets'll put up a good fight, but once playoff season starts, Dirk's coming in stronger than he's been all year.  Mavs in 7.

2) Phoenix Suns vs. 3) Los Angeles Lakers

A rivalry of the playoffs that's becoming an every-year occurrence.  The only difference is, this time it would take place in the second round rather than the first.  And this time, LA's stronger.  Without Marion, it will be tougher to guard Bryant, Fisher, Ariza, and Farmar.  Bynum's proving to be one of the best centers in the league.  The Suns won't just bow out, and they'll put up a fight to the end, but... LA in 6.

EAST Round 2

1) Boston Celtics vs. 4) Cleveland Cavaliers

This is where Boston struts its stuff.  LeBron does some amazing solo performances, but Cleveland can't depend on just one player when Boston has so many to choose from.  Boston in 5.

2) Detroit Pistons vs. 6) Washington Wizards

I had to think about these matchups for a second.  I wanted to have the lower-seeded Wizards playing the Celtics for a minute.  I actually had to go and structure the bracket myself to remind myself that the winner of a 2-7 matchup plays the winner of a 3-6 matchup.  I'm just not used to thinking of the lowest seed not facing the top one.  But anyway, the Wizards have come a long way, but can't match up quite yet with such a machine as the Pistons.  Detroit in 5.

WEST Conference Finals

3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. 5) Dallas Mavericks

Hmmm.  Again, tough to call.  In my 2008 Playoff Picture blog, I had this matchup too, although I didn't intend to end up with the same final product both times.  Then, I chose the Mavs.  Now, I'm not too sure.  LA's been looking more solid than the Mavericks all season.  I know come playoff time they will step up their intensity, no doubt fueled by last year's embarrasing departure.  But can they beat a team that is truly better than them off of this?  In the end, I narrowly allowed myself to say Lakers in 6.

EAST Conference Finals

1) Boston Celtics vs. 2) Detroit Pistons

7 games.  Regardless of how the playoffs actually go, I'm calling this as the East finals, and saying it'll go to 7 games.  Detroit's experience propels them in this make-believe structure.  Detroit in 7.

2008 NBA Finals

2) Detroit Pistons vs. 3) Los Angeles Lakers

Pistons = Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Antonio McDyess, Rasheed Wallace.  Lakers = Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom,  Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum.  Is this a revisit of the '04 Finals?  Seems similar in the sense that it's the same franchises, both full of All-Star capability talent.  Again, 7 games.  Each game goes to the home team, or so I would think.  In that case it would have to be:  Pistons in 7.

 

2008 NBA Champions

Detroit Pistons 

Now, again, I could be wrong with all that.  But that's how I'd see the playoffs if they started tomorrow.  Obviously, it won't work out that way because the seeding orders will be different, as well as some teams would step it up in the playoffs, and/or pull off an unforeseen miracle, much like the Warriors did last year.  Who knows?  I'll tell you one thing though.  I, for one, can't wait for playoff season to get underway.