Saturday, April 21, 2007
NBA Playoffs, the East, part II
As for the rest of the East, Cleveland’s first round opponent is wounded Washington. Le Bullet are seemingly cursed. They finally had a decent squad. Now, they are heading into the playoffs with no Gilbert Arenas. No Caron Butler. Can long time Clarion fave Antawn Jamison somehow carry them? Can they get contributions from DeShawn Stephenson, et al?? Lebron’s supporting cast is pretty atrocious. In Gooden and Gibson, he has two guys that would probably sound a lot better as starting pitching. Anderson Varejao and Sideshow Bob separated at birth? Even though LeBron reportedly coasted through the first two months of the season, he is going to be too much for the Bullets without their Hibachi.
Likewise the Pistons-Magic is also likely to be absent of much drama. The Pistons with the addition of former University of Michigan unindicted co-conspirator Chris Webber look likely to contend for the Eastern Conference championship. Replacing aging, Ben Wallace with the terrific passer Webber might be addition by subtraction. However, despite being surround by talent when he was a Wolverine and then later as an official paid employee for the Sacramento Kings, Webber has never won it all. Pistons Coach Flip Saunders is not a champion, yet, either. None of this will matter against Orlando. The Pistons won't lose more than a game or two, tops. It will be fun to watch Dwight Howard's first appearance in the playoffs. What's the limit on his upside? The Clarion hasn't seen enough to say. Bill Simmons keep saying that Al Jefferson of Boston has outplayed Howard in the second half of the year...from his MVP selection column.
• Jefferson: 19.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 56 percent shooting.
• Howard: 17.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 62 percent shooting.
Another story on the Orlando roster is Grant Hill. Hill is possibly the biggest woulda, coulda, shoulda, story in all of sport over the last twenty five years. Since he tore up his ankle he has never been the same, it is amazing he is still in the league. It won't be enough to slow Detroit.
Likewise the Pistons-Magic is also likely to be absent of much drama. The Pistons with the addition of former University of Michigan unindicted co-conspirator Chris Webber look likely to contend for the Eastern Conference championship. Replacing aging, Ben Wallace with the terrific passer Webber might be addition by subtraction. However, despite being surround by talent when he was a Wolverine and then later as an official paid employee for the Sacramento Kings, Webber has never won it all. Pistons Coach Flip Saunders is not a champion, yet, either. None of this will matter against Orlando. The Pistons won't lose more than a game or two, tops. It will be fun to watch Dwight Howard's first appearance in the playoffs. What's the limit on his upside? The Clarion hasn't seen enough to say. Bill Simmons keep saying that Al Jefferson of Boston has outplayed Howard in the second half of the year...from his MVP selection column.
• Jefferson: 19.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 56 percent shooting.
• Howard: 17.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 62 percent shooting.
Another story on the Orlando roster is Grant Hill. Hill is possibly the biggest woulda, coulda, shoulda, story in all of sport over the last twenty five years. Since he tore up his ankle he has never been the same, it is amazing he is still in the league. It won't be enough to slow Detroit.
Labels: NBA, Predictions, sports
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