NBA Playoffs 2015

[irishfan]

I'm not the biggest NBA fan around, but the Playoffs are always pretty awesome. The field is set now that the regular season ended last night, and playoffs start Saturday:

Eastern Conference
-- (1) Hawks vs. (8) Nets
-- (2) Cavs vs. (7) Celtics
-- (3) Bulls vs. (6) Bucks
-- (4) Raptors vs. (5) Wizards

Western Conference
-- (1) Warriors vs. (8) Pelicans
-- (2) Rockets vs. (7) Mavs
-- (3) Clippers vs. (6) Spurs
-- (4) Blazers vs. (5) Grizzlies

I'm pretty pumped the Celtics are back in and aren't going full-tank mode like the Sixers. It's too bad they're playing the Cavs in Round 1, cause I really think they could beat anyone else right now or at least take them to 7 games (they're 24-12 the last 36 games--2nd best record in the East during that time).

Predicting it's Cavs/Spurs in the Finals, but I'd love to see some new blood in there. Who does everyone think will make it to the Finals?

 

[woolybug25]

I'm not the biggest NBA fan around, but the Playoffs are always pretty awesome. The field is set now that the regular season ended last night, and playoffs start Saturday:

Eastern Conference
-- (1) Hawks vs. (8) Nets
-- (2) Cavs vs. (7) Celtics
-- (3) Bulls vs. (6) Bucks
-- (4) Raptors vs. (5) Wizards

Western Conference
-- (1) Warriors vs. (8) Pelicans
-- (2) Rockets vs. (7) Mavs
-- (3) Clippers vs. (6) Spurs
-- (4) Blazers vs. (5) Grizzlies

I'm pretty pumped the Celtics are back in and aren't going full-tank mode like the Sixers. It's too bad they're playing the Cavs in Round 1, cause I really think they could beat anyone else right now or at least take them to 7 games (they're 24-12 the last 36 games--2nd best record in the East during that time).

Predicting it's Cavs/Spurs in the Finals, but I'd love to see some new blood in there. Who does everyone think will make it to the Finals?

They went 1-3 against the Bulls during the season. All without Derrick Rose. I'm guessing that there are more than a couple teams in the East that would beat the Celtics in less than 7. Just my opinion, though.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

I'm not the biggest NBA fan around, but the Playoffs are always pretty awesome. The field is set now that the regular season ended last night, and playoffs start Saturday:

Eastern Conference
-- (1) Hawks vs. (8) Nets
-- (2) Cavs vs. (7) Celtics
-- (3) Bulls vs. (6) Bucks
-- (4) Raptors vs. (5) Wizards

Western Conference
-- (1) Warriors vs. (8) Pelicans
-- (2) Rockets vs. (7) Mavs
-- (3) Clippers vs. (6) Spurs
-- (4) Blazers vs. (5) Grizzlies

I'm pretty pumped the Celtics are back in and aren't going full-tank mode like the Sixers. It's too bad they're playing the Cavs in Round 1, cause I really think they could beat anyone else right now or at least take them to 7 games (they're 24-12 the last 36 games--2nd best record in the East during that time).

Predicting it's Cavs/Spurs in the Finals, but I'd love to see some new blood in there. Who does everyone think will make it to the Finals?

I want to say Bulls. They haven't been together for enough games, but the playoffs allow enough time for practice and for people to get healthy. A healthy Rose and Butler along with Pau and the emergence of Mirotic...they'll be a tough out.

I'd also love to see the Warriors. Such a fun team and I like Curry and Kerr.

Heart:
Bulls vs. Warriors

Real prediction:
Bulls vs. Spurs

 

[irishfan]

They went 1-3 against the Bulls during the season. All without Derrick Rose. I'm guessing that there are more than a couple teams in the East that would beat the Celtics in less than 7. Just my opinion, though.

Bulls and Hawks right now are only teams who I think maybe could in less than 6 besides Cleveland. I'm fully drinking the Brad Stevens Kool-Aid so I may be over-selling them a bit, but they did just go 2-0 against Toronto these last couple weeks who is the #4 seed. 24-12 since February 1, and 9 of those wins came against playoff teams. All 4 of those Celts/Bulls games took place before the trade deadline (stupid scheduling) when Boston was able to turn things around.

 

[irishfan]

I want to say Bulls. They haven't been together for enough games, but the playoffs allow enough time for practice and for people to get healthy. A healthy Rose and Butler along with Pau and the emergence of Mirotic...they'll be a tough out.

I'd also love to see the Warriors. Such a fun team and I like Curry and Kerr.

Heart:
Bulls vs. Warriors

Real prediction:
Bulls vs. Spurs

I'm hoping for Bulls/Warriors as well. No offense to the Hawks, but the Bulls seem like the only team in the East who can maybe beat the Cavs.

 

[Irishbounty28]

It doesn't matter who wins the East, the West will dominate in the finals. I want my Bulls to pull it out though, and would be ecstatic if they did. I just think that the west is still by far the superior conference.

 

[Irish Insanity]

It doesn't matter who wins the East, the West will dominate in the finals. I want my Bulls to pull it out though, and would be ecstatic if they did. I just think that the west is still by far the superior conference.

Don't they say that every year........

 

[Irishbounty28]

Don't they say that every year........

They do and it has held fairly true since the Bulls dominance came to an end. The last 16 NBA Finals have seen 11 wins by the Western Conference, and 5 by the Eastern Conference.

The last three times the Eastern Conference has won the NBA Finals they all had a BIG 3. The Miami Heat with Lebron, Bosh and Wade, and the Celtics with Garnett, Pierce and Allen.

 

[Irish Insanity]

They do and it has held fairly true since the Bulls dominance came to an end. The last 16 NBA Finals have seen 11 wins by the Western Conference, and 5 by the Eastern Conference.

The last three times the Eastern Conference has won the NBA Finals they all had a BIG 3. The Miami Heat with Lebron, Bosh and Wade, and the Celtics with Garnett, Pierce and Allen.

It's a 6/4 split in the last 10. That's not dominated by anyone. And 2 of the last 3 to the east.

 

[woolybug25]

They do and it has held fairly true since the Bulls dominance came to an end. The last 16 NBA Finals have seen 11 wins by the Western Conference, and 5 by the Eastern Conference.

The last three times the Eastern Conference has won the NBA Finals they all had a BIG 3. The Miami Heat with Lebron, Bosh and Wade, and the Celtics with Garnett, Pierce and Allen.

That's pretty subjective way of looking at it. You could use a different amount of years and give a completely different outlook. For instance;

"The last 3 NBA Finals have seen 1 win by the Western Conference, and 2 by the Eastern Conference"

"The last 10 NBA Finals have seen 6 wins by the Western Conference, and 4 by the Eastern Conference"

"The last 25 NBA Finals have seen 12 wins by the Western Conference, and 13 by the Eastern Conference"

See what I did there?

 

[edgesofsanity]

The last three times the Eastern Conference has won the NBA Finals they all had a BIG 3. The Miami Heat with Lebron, Bosh and Wade, and the Celtics with Garnett, Pierce and Allen.

So then we have Cleveland: Lebron, Love, Irving

 

[Irishbounty28]

That's pretty subjective way of looking at it. You could use a different amount of years and give a completely different outlook. For instance;

"The last 3 NBA Finals have seen 1 win by the Western Conference, and 2 by the Eastern Conference"

"The last 10 NBA Finals have seen 6 wins by the Western Conference, and 4 by the Eastern Conference"

"The last 25 NBA Finals have seen 12 wins by the Western Conference, and 13 by the Eastern Conference"

See what I did there?

I do see what you did there. It was clever. I guess my point is that there has not been a dominance in the East over the period that I chose to use in my analogy. I clearly stated that this time period was after the Bulls reign ended.

I think that it would be safe to acknowledge the fact that during the Bulls era the Eastern conference dominated. This might also be called "The Jordan Era". I chose to include everything after THE GOAT left the Bulls, because it is what "I" would consider the "modern" basketball era.

 

[Irish Insanity]

So then we have Cleveland: Lebron, Love, Irving

I don't have a dog in the fight this year, OKC and the Pistons are both watching from home. But honestly I think a Bulls v Cavs match up would be a better series than possibly the finals. I think they're pretty evenly matched.

 

[edgesofsanity]

I don't have a dog in the fight this year, OKC and the Pistons are both watching from home. But honestly I think a Bulls v Cavs match up would be a better series than possibly the finals. I think they're pretty evenly matched.

Originally I also had the Bulls in there for a "Big 3" - Gasol, Noah, ...then struggled with the 3rd. Rose - credentials but not enough consistency yet; Butler? - career year, probable Comeback POY award but no history to back it up; Mirotic - possible ROY candidate (but will get 3rd), again no history to fall back on. I see the Bulls being a much more complete team then the Cavaliers, and think this (hopefully) will be the most compelling series.

 

[GATTACA!]

GO CAVS