Northwest Sports Analysis from Tyler Demers and Stephen Hefflin
Friday, April 17, 2009
2009 Western Conference Playoff Preview
Here are my 2009 NBA Western Conference postseason predictions.As the playoffs progress I will analyze each math up more thoroughly.
First Round
1) Los Angeles vs. 8) Utah – Talk about a rough draw for the number one seeded Lakers. Just look at the eastern side of the bracket and see the cakewalk (aka Detroit) the Cavs have in the first round.I expect Bynum, Gasol, and Odon to present numerous match up problems for the Jazz throughout this series.Prediction: Lakers in 6
4) Portland vs. 5) Houston – As a fan of the NBA, this series intrigues me most out of all the first round series. Houston beat the Blazers 2-1 in their regular season match ups, but Portland is playing its best basketball of the season right now. While Artest and Battier should do a formidable job on BRoy, I expect LA and the ever improving second unit to send Houston home early (T-Mac wont be there to take the fall this season).Prediction:Blazers in 7
2) Denver vs. 7) New Orleans – Like most NBA fans I expected New Orleans to contend for the title this year.I also expected Denver to be on the outside looking in once postseason play started…shows you what I know.However with Denver landing Mr. Big Shot in the early season Allen Iverson, the Nuggets have become legitimate contenders.Prediction: Denver in 6
3) San Antonio vs. 6) Dallas – While most experts eagerly dismissed the Spurs after losing Manu, I expect Timmy and Tony have different ideas.With these two future Hall of Famers knowing what it takes to win in the playoffs, I expect the fragile Mavs to get bounced early.Prediction: Spurs in 5
Western Conference Semifinals
1) Los Angeles vs. 4) Portland – At the beginning of the season, Blazer fans were content with their team just making the playoffs.However the previous two meetings with the LakeShow (both wins in the garden) have given these young Blazers reason to be optimistic about their chances.Portland will certainly protect their home court, but winning a game seven is Los Angeles is an entirely different story. Prediction Lakers in 7
2) Denver vs. 3) San Antonio – Billups home coming will be enough to get the Nuggets into the conference semifinals.Running into a written off Spurs club is extremely dangerous, and honestly I just don’t trust Melo in the crunch.Fair or not, I often compare Melo with his 2003 draft class mates, LeBron and D-Wade.Those two have won big time games before, as has Timmy and co.Prediction: Spurs in 6
Western Conference Finals
1) Los Angeles vs. 3) San Antonio – If the Lakers can get past their most formidable opponent, the Blazers, they should stroll through this series (see last years match up, Lakers in 5).The Spurs have the brains to beat a club like the Nuggets, but the Lakers bring both brains and athleticism to the party.With Manu out, the Spurs have nobody to check Kobe… unless you are a PortlandState homer and like Ime Udoka’s chances. The Lakers want this series to be a speedy one, because the Cavs will be game planning (or at least rehearsing their latest on court celebration routine for introductions in game one of the NBA finals). Prediction: Lakers in 5
Like you, I think the jazz series will be a good physical test for the lakers. In the end though, I feel its almost impossible for them to beat the lake-show. 4-2
The Denver/New Orleans series could have been the best, except Billups won't let it happen. He was underated with the pistons, and is still underated. He may not score alot every game, but he will slow down CP, and his leadership will lead the nuggets in a much easier series than expected. 4-1
The Texas showdown is the hardest pick for me. Its hard to dought the spurs, when it seems they always pull through, but their aging, injured, and they have to go down eventually. Right? Dallas 4-3
Ok P-town you convinced me. You are really good! I've put a previous posting on match-ups, and this is your problem in this series. Yao has kicked your butts and will continue too. If the blazers continue to hit shots, run up and down, slash, and do all the athletic things that made them the best finishing team of the season they will win. P-town 4-3
Ok so that gives us.
Lakers-blazers. This is where your dream ends p-town. I know the stats, the home winning streaks, the match-up problems, but the simple fact that the lakers are a better team still persists. I really think this could be the best series, but LA is too complete of a TEAM to let the youngsters take them down THIS YEAR. LA 4-3
Ok Denver and Dallas no competition. Denver runs away with this one. Look at the man by man mathups, denver wins every one. Easy breezy Denver 4-1
Finally
Denver-LA This would be a better series if denver was a little deeper. They don't have the athletisism of p-town, and even though they play great d-fense, and now have Billups, the lakers in the end are too much. LA 4-2
Kevin, Thanks for the comments. I wasn't able to watch any of the games this weekend, but have been reading about them this morning. It seems like you may be right on with the Dallas Spurs match up. I really felt like Timmy and Parker would be to much for the Mavs to handle... I also didn't take into consideration that Dallas has about 5 guys they can throw at you any given night.
What happened to the Blazers? Were they complacent, with the big prep rally held last week? From what I gather that game was over from the tip. As for the Lake Show, they looked great in the first half. Maybe Kobe, and co. are trying to keep up with the red hot Cavs.
Thanks again for your comments and predictions, they may prove to be very accurate.
I know the first games have already been played but I had these posted to some other website. I know I need to get a life.
First Round Lakers in 5 Denver in 7 Dallas in 6 Houston in 6
Hawks in 7 Celtics in 5 Cavs sweep Magic in 5
2nd Round Lakers over Houston in 5 Denver over Dallas in 7
Cavs over Hawks in 5 Celts over Magic in 7
Conference Finals Lakers over Denver in 5 Cavs over Celts in 5
Finals Big tossup. I like the Lakers as a team a little bit better but I like Cleveland's HC advantage. The HC advantage is a little weaker in the finals however with the 2-3-2 format. At gunpoint I would probably pick Lakers in 6. If it gets to 7 I have a hard time seeing anyone get in the way of Lebron in Cleveland, so the Lakers better steal a game in Cleveland before that happens. A pretty mediocre playoffs should at least culminate in a great finals match-up.
DJKMA!
ReplyDeleteOk I like what you said.
Like you, I think the jazz series will be a good physical test for the lakers. In the end though, I feel its almost impossible for them to beat the lake-show. 4-2
The Denver/New Orleans series could have been the best, except Billups won't let it happen. He was underated with the pistons, and is still underated. He may not score alot every game, but he will slow down CP, and his leadership will lead the nuggets in a much easier series than expected. 4-1
The Texas showdown is the hardest pick for me. Its hard to dought the spurs, when it seems they always pull through, but their aging, injured, and they have to go down eventually. Right? Dallas 4-3
Ok P-town you convinced me. You are really good! I've put a previous posting on match-ups, and this is your problem in this series. Yao has kicked your butts and will continue too. If the blazers continue to hit shots, run up and down, slash, and do all the athletic things that made them the best finishing team of the season they will win. P-town 4-3
Ok so that gives us.
Lakers-blazers. This is where your dream ends p-town. I know the stats, the home winning streaks, the match-up problems, but the simple fact that the lakers are a better team still persists. I really think this could be the best series, but LA is too complete of a TEAM to let the youngsters take them down THIS YEAR. LA 4-3
Ok Denver and Dallas no competition. Denver runs away with this one. Look at the man by man mathups, denver wins every one. Easy breezy Denver 4-1
Finally
Denver-LA This would be a better series if denver was a little deeper. They don't have the athletisism of p-town, and even though they play great d-fense, and now have Billups, the lakers in the end are too much. LA 4-2
Kevin, Thanks for the comments. I wasn't able to watch any of the games this weekend, but have been reading about them this morning. It seems like you may be right on with the Dallas Spurs match up. I really felt like Timmy and Parker would be to much for the Mavs to handle... I also didn't take into consideration that Dallas has about 5 guys they can throw at you any given night.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to the Blazers? Were they complacent, with the big prep rally held last week? From what I gather that game was over from the tip. As for the Lake Show, they looked great in the first half. Maybe Kobe, and co. are trying to keep up with the red hot Cavs.
Thanks again for your comments and predictions, they may prove to be very accurate.
I know the first games have already been played but I had these posted to some other website. I know I need to get a life.
ReplyDeleteFirst Round
Lakers in 5
Denver in 7
Dallas in 6
Houston in 6
Hawks in 7
Celtics in 5
Cavs sweep
Magic in 5
2nd Round
Lakers over Houston in 5
Denver over Dallas in 7
Cavs over Hawks in 5
Celts over Magic in 7
Conference Finals
Lakers over Denver in 5
Cavs over Celts in 5
Finals
Big tossup. I like the Lakers as a team a little bit better but I like Cleveland's HC advantage. The HC advantage is a little weaker in the finals however with the 2-3-2 format. At gunpoint I would probably pick Lakers in 6. If it gets to 7 I have a hard time seeing anyone get in the way of Lebron in Cleveland, so the Lakers better steal a game in Cleveland before that happens. A pretty mediocre playoffs should at least culminate in a great finals match-up.