pharoh123's Blog
  • 01:39 PM ET  04.05
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This is my first blog and I would like to start by analizing all current NBA Playoff contenders in the East since the teams qualifing are pretty much set up.

Boston: Considered by many the favorites, as much as you may think I am saying this because I am a Piston's fan, I am not, I don't believe they are neither deep nor experinced enough as a core. Thry have a very vulnerable young point guard who's keen to make many mistakes on the big stage. Their bench has either young unproven players who spark every now and then and a pack of dinosaurs, led by Sam Cassel who I, honestly, don't see lasting more than 13 or so minutes in a 7-game series they are bound to face in either the East Semis of Finals. The problem is Boston's been good playing one game at a time in the Regular Season but when the Playoofs arrive, will the big three last? Will their unproven players, including starting center Kendrick Perkins and startinf point guard Rajon Rondo be able to compete at a stage so different and high than they've ever experinced?

Detroit: All year their main has been to get younger fresher players more minutes and to limit their vets' minutes as to keep them fresh for the playoffs. Their young players have really developped and grown and when given the opportunity (like the Minnesota-Pistons game) rookies Aarron Afflalo and Rodney Stuckey (27 pts) proved the Filp Saunders has done a good job. This year, their energy level is no longer a question as it was last year, but hopefully, the lack of determination won't get to them as it did last year nor will they get too ahead of themselves and lose to a lesser team like Cleveland, like last year. Look for them to make a deep playoff push, if not get to the finals and win it all in June, all they have to do is take it one game at a time and concentrate.

Orlando: Experince is the key. They have three incredible players who can all score 30+ points on any given night. Howard, Turkoglu (excuse the wrong spelling) and Lewis form another big three in the East. They can make a deep run, if they keep those three on fire. But  the lack of a consistent point guard could come to haunt them back, also they are very young but they got a bitter taste left in their moutths' since Detroit sweeped them in the first round las season, they won't get back to them but thry have a chance to prove to the league they've largely improved as they have.

Cleveland: Tough to pick them to go very far right now or take them seriously. THey've never really gotten back to the way they were playing last season. They've struggled all season and haven't been very consistent. But don't count them out yet. The trade brought them experience and depth that could possibly lead them back to the Eastern Confrence Finals. Then again, all they really need is the King, Mr. LeBron James and a unknown player like Gibson to wake up at the end and punish opposing temas for not paying closer attention to him.

Philadelphia: They won't challenge for the East crown, but they could make a name for themselves on the big stage and slow down a title contender. Again, they won't go that far since they are still very young and inexperienced but that doesn't mean they can't have some fun.

Washington: Vey dangerous team, with the return of Areans, they have now another of the East's big three. THey have enough experince, they have key players, three incredible players and Arenas is back. They won't be there at the end of May or June but they will play hard and possibly cause an upset.

Toronto: Good team but not a very serious team, fun to watch but they still aren't ready for a team like Boston or Detroit. They have disappointed me this season after last year, but they have had their share of injuries to their tar players.

Atlanta: They're a good story and this year should give them a glimpse of what are the playoffs, since they are most likely to play Boston, they can relax, have fun and mabye slow down Boston.

That''lldo it for the Eastern Confrence, I'll try to do the West when everything there is in place, in the mean time please give me some feedback.  

Sorry for the English mistakes guys, i wrote this really fast, hopefully next time, I'll do a better job.

April 5, 2008  02:06 PM ET

This is a three horse race, Boston's the favorite with their big 3, Detroit has the experience and 4 talented starters, and Cleveland is the defending conference champs and has the best player in the East

 
April 11, 2008  09:22 AM ET

go cels

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