Saturday, April 21, 2007
NBA Playoffs; the West, Part I
Let's start with the
San Antonio Spurs vs. the Denver Nuggets
Coach Popovich of the Spurs made sure his starters played limited minutes per game for big stars. See Ginobilli 27.5 minutes per and Duncan averaging 20pts and 10rbs per game, but only playing low 30’s minutes, same for the venerable Bruce Bowen 82 games at age 35 but only 30 minutes per ...versus the Nuggets with huge minutes for the Nuggets stars A.I. 42 minutes plus and ‘Melo over 38 minutes per. Iverson is a freak. Won't be seen again, 165lbs or 74.8kg and over 41 minutes per game for his whole 747 game career. How many hard fouls has he taken? Hey, they are both true stars. Iverson is the toughest guy in the league. He and 'Melo, they both can get their own shots and score. Who can D them up? Bowen, the Spurs all defensive rock, is too short to D-up Anthony and too slow to D-up A.I. Who can Ginobilli cover? Will J.R. Smith or Marcus Camby show and up and make a big contribution for the Nuggets? It says here, if the Spurs are to win, they will have to out score the Nuggets. The Spurs led the league in point differential, plus over 8 points per contest, but they will not be able to shut down the Nuggets. The Clarion is picking the shocker here! The one team that made a deadline deal gets a payoff and upsets the Spurs. The Spurs have won theirs, for now, maybe forever, no more rings for Duncan and Parker this year. Unless Big Shot Bob wanting an 11th ring pulls it out single handledly.
Moving to series two...
Houston Rockets-Utah Jazz
Houston is led by their stars. McGrady had an MVP type year, though he won't get it. Yao had great year when he was healthy, a great scorer and rebounder, he shoots his free throw really well. The Rockets also have the gritty Shane Battier. The toughest intensity and most consistent focus in the league, he makes all kinds of helpful plays. People dog McGrady for not having gotten out of the first round of the playoffs. But this year, in addition to having home court, he has the best supporting group of his career. It should be noted, however, that there is not a lot of positive playoff history on the roster, example, key part Battier has never won a playoff game in his career.
Utah, what do we know about them? How did they win 51 games? What happened to Kirilenko? Aren’t they playing him out of position? So they can play Mehmet Okur? At the Clarion we can’t get it out of our heads that Boozer sucks. He's a stiff, nu? How can Boozer be good? We watched him his whole career at Duke. This is why he sucks. Deron Williams, Utah’s point guard, is the real deal. He has a huge match-up edge on his opposite number, Rafer Alston. Utah beat Houston at home this year by out executing them down the stretch, this according to Houston's own Coach Van Gundy. But McGrady is likely to be handling the ball down the stretch now, if the Jazz double him, can the Rockets score with Yao rolling to the basket? Or from spot up three point shooters? (Deron Williams former back court mate at Illinois, Luther Head, toils for the Rockets.)
The Clarion sees this series as a coin flip. Could go either way. Houston would do well to play with the series lead, opening at home, without a lot of players who have had success in the playoffs. If they advance, the Rockets could gain confidence and become a dangerous team. McGrady is a prodiguous talent and by all accounts a genuine team player, plus Battier’s unselfishness, plus an excellent coach in Van Gundy, plus a legit’ big guy, in Yao. If Utah wins this series, they will be gone from the second round in no more than five games. Thanks for coming, despite Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan. (Utah needs to trade one of their bigs for a two guard this off season.)
San Antonio Spurs vs. the Denver Nuggets
Coach Popovich of the Spurs made sure his starters played limited minutes per game for big stars. See Ginobilli 27.5 minutes per and Duncan averaging 20pts and 10rbs per game, but only playing low 30’s minutes, same for the venerable Bruce Bowen 82 games at age 35 but only 30 minutes per ...versus the Nuggets with huge minutes for the Nuggets stars A.I. 42 minutes plus and ‘Melo over 38 minutes per. Iverson is a freak. Won't be seen again, 165lbs or 74.8kg and over 41 minutes per game for his whole 747 game career. How many hard fouls has he taken? Hey, they are both true stars. Iverson is the toughest guy in the league. He and 'Melo, they both can get their own shots and score. Who can D them up? Bowen, the Spurs all defensive rock, is too short to D-up Anthony and too slow to D-up A.I. Who can Ginobilli cover? Will J.R. Smith or Marcus Camby show and up and make a big contribution for the Nuggets? It says here, if the Spurs are to win, they will have to out score the Nuggets. The Spurs led the league in point differential, plus over 8 points per contest, but they will not be able to shut down the Nuggets. The Clarion is picking the shocker here! The one team that made a deadline deal gets a payoff and upsets the Spurs. The Spurs have won theirs, for now, maybe forever, no more rings for Duncan and Parker this year. Unless Big Shot Bob wanting an 11th ring pulls it out single handledly.
Moving to series two...
Houston Rockets-Utah Jazz
Houston is led by their stars. McGrady had an MVP type year, though he won't get it. Yao had great year when he was healthy, a great scorer and rebounder, he shoots his free throw really well. The Rockets also have the gritty Shane Battier. The toughest intensity and most consistent focus in the league, he makes all kinds of helpful plays. People dog McGrady for not having gotten out of the first round of the playoffs. But this year, in addition to having home court, he has the best supporting group of his career. It should be noted, however, that there is not a lot of positive playoff history on the roster, example, key part Battier has never won a playoff game in his career.
Utah, what do we know about them? How did they win 51 games? What happened to Kirilenko? Aren’t they playing him out of position? So they can play Mehmet Okur? At the Clarion we can’t get it out of our heads that Boozer sucks. He's a stiff, nu? How can Boozer be good? We watched him his whole career at Duke. This is why he sucks. Deron Williams, Utah’s point guard, is the real deal. He has a huge match-up edge on his opposite number, Rafer Alston. Utah beat Houston at home this year by out executing them down the stretch, this according to Houston's own Coach Van Gundy. But McGrady is likely to be handling the ball down the stretch now, if the Jazz double him, can the Rockets score with Yao rolling to the basket? Or from spot up three point shooters? (Deron Williams former back court mate at Illinois, Luther Head, toils for the Rockets.)
The Clarion sees this series as a coin flip. Could go either way. Houston would do well to play with the series lead, opening at home, without a lot of players who have had success in the playoffs. If they advance, the Rockets could gain confidence and become a dangerous team. McGrady is a prodiguous talent and by all accounts a genuine team player, plus Battier’s unselfishness, plus an excellent coach in Van Gundy, plus a legit’ big guy, in Yao. If Utah wins this series, they will be gone from the second round in no more than five games. Thanks for coming, despite Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan. (Utah needs to trade one of their bigs for a two guard this off season.)
Labels: NBA, Predictions, sports
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