Saturday marks the beginning of the 2003 NBA playoffs and here, as always, are our flawless predictions. So get out a pen and some paper, and get your bookie on the line!
The Eastern Conference has not gotten much respect for a couple of years now, and to be honest, it really doesn't deserve any. A team from the Western Conference has won the last four NBA championships, and that shouldn't change this year. Nevertheless, the East is still scheduled to play its games, so here's how we break down the \consolation conference"" match-ups.
Detroit's Big Ben Wallace is the NBA's ultimate gamer and if he were at his usual level, the Magic would have no chance. Unfortunately for Rick Carlisle's squad, Wallace sprained his left MCL April 6 and might not be fully recovered for the opening series. With Wallace unable to fully dominate the boards, Orlando will take the series to six games, but even T-Mac's 40 points per game won't be enough to get the Magic out of the first round.
Philly finished the year strong behind another brilliant season from Allen Iverson, but New Orleans could prove to be a tough match-up for Coach Larry Brown's dysfunctional group. Look for the series to go the length, only to be won by Philly's playoff-tested backcourt of Iverson and the vastly underrated Eric Snow.
The Pacers recovered from their surprising late-season swoon in enough time to gain home-court advantage in the first round, but they must now face a Celtics team with loads of talent. Despite a big series from Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker, the Celts lack of depth (and Indiana's ridiculous wealth in that area) points to a Boston first-round exit.
This one figures to be the most exciting first rounder in the East. Both teams like to run and not play defense, so this one should be decided by who executes his offense better, Jason Kidd or Gary Payton/Sam Cassell. The Kidd-Payton battle (shades of the Pac-10) alone is worth the price of admission. The Bucks, who finished the season as the hottest team in the league besides the Spurs, will continue their run and surprise the Nets in six.
The varsity conference features a series of beautiful match-ups from top to bottom (well, almost). Here they are in a very particular order.
To the average J565 TA, this one might seem like a no-brainer, but that, Heather Ward, is where you are wrong! The Suns beat the Spurs thrice this year, with their only loss to Tim Duncan and Co. coming in overtime. In addition, Phoenix is undoubtedly the most athletic team in the NBA, featuring all-stars Sean Marion, Stephon Marbury and the should-have-been rookie of the year Amare Stoudemire, and will give the methodical (and boring) Spurs fits. After seven games, Duncan will swim back to the Virgin Islands in shame, seeking comfort from his undeserved regular season Most Valuable Player trophy.
The defending, defending, defending champions managed to temporarily motivate themselves enough to land in the fifth spot, and for their ""efforts"" they won a first round date with Mr. Kevin Garnett and his luckless T-Wolves. The Lakers will win this series, but they will be taken to the absolute brink by the best player on the planet, KG. Garnett will put the Wolves in position for their first playoff series win ever, but his inconsistent supporting cast won't be able to match his effort, as Minnesota falls in OT in game seven.
The Mavericks have the smartest player in the league in Steve Nash, and the hardest to guard in Dirk Nowitzki. That and Head Coach Don Nelson's huge experience edge over Portland's Maurice Cheeks paves the way for a relatively easy first round win for Dallas, especially if the Blazers' Scottie Pippen is not at full strength.
Karl Malone and John Stockton are really old. Sacramento is younger and a lot better. Peja Stojakovic will bury the ""Geriatric Greats"" under a mountain of three-pointers.
After emerging from hell [i.e. the West], the Kings will waste no time in dispatching the plucky 76ers. Philly has no one that can match up with C-Webb, Vlade Divac or Keon Clark inside, while the Kings can send waves of effective defenders at Philly's best weapon, Iverson. Philadelphia might pull out a game or two at home, but in the end, the Sacramento Kings will claim the prize that should have been theirs last year: an NBA title.
