Clarion Content

Welcome to the Clarion's NBA East playoff preview. We will not be featuring the Knicks prominently, or mentioning them at all after this paragraph. They again missed the playoffs, for the fourth straight year, and tied the franchise record for losses in season. This record was also originally set in the Isiah Thomas era, (thankfully over) under Larry Brown, a whopping 59 Ls. So if you are keeping score at home, that is two 59 loss seasons in the Isiah era, the 3rd worst overall record in the NBA, zero playoff wins, and going forward a salary cap situation that is screwed for at least the next two seasons, plus the Knicks still have to give up another first round pick in 2010.

Fortunately, the Nets missed the playoffs, too, this year, the suckatacious Vince Carter leading them in forced early shot clock jumpers, and finishing a close second to the recently departed Jason Kidd in most self serving whining. Neither of them for all their talk and self promotion have ever won a championship, college or pro. The Clarion was also most gratified to see no less of a basketball maven than Bill Simmons declare a long held conviction of ours to be NBA wide, Antawn Jamison is better pro baller than Carter. The bottom line for the Nets, Brooklyn or no, their whole roster has to be reconstructed. But no more dallying on our New York-centric perspective, on to teams that qualified for the playoffs...

The Clarion firmly believes this is the best NBA season since Michael Jordan was finishing a three-peat (argue amongst yourselves about '92-93 vs. '97-98.) The Eastern Conference Playoffs hold less intrigue than the Western Conference. No doubt. Hey the West is faaaantastic, but give the East some love. There is the incomparable LeBron James, the Pistons, who have already won one with this core and added a bench, and the most intriguing story of all, Kevin Garnett, and the resurrection of Celtics basketball. Can KG, teamed with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, finally get over the mountain he never saw the other side of in Minnesota? Perhaps even by beating his old coach Flip Saunders? Is Saunders the Pistons' kryptonite? But these are all questions for later rounds, let us take you through our view of the first round series, one by one. If you remember our NBA picks from last year, and the Clarion's general philosophy on predictions, you will know better than to use these picks as the basis of wagering anything more valuable than matchsticks.

The #1 seed Boston Celtics vs. the #8 seed Atlanta Hawks

This is the Hawks first playoff appearance since the 1998-99 strike shortened season. Perhaps you might think the city of Atlanta is starved for playoff basketball, or if you have ever watched an Atlanta Braves playoff game, you'd know better. The Celtics seasoned crew will put the Hawks out of business quickly(read: sweep) and no one in Atlanta will be any the wiser. Garnett looks like a dominant force, but it is important to remember that Doc Rivers in awful game coach, and this team would have been battling for a 4-5 seeding if they played in the West. (Pounding the scrubs of the Eastern Conference was a huge schedule advantage.)

The #2 seed Detroit Pistons vs. the #7 seed Philadelphia 76ers

Philly hoops fans couldn't be any more opposite of Atlanta non-fans. Philly fans care deeply and passionately about their Sixers. They loved their old A.I. and they love their new A.I. The Clarion loves the steady eddie game of coach on the floor Andre Miller. A good point guard and a enthusiastic crowd will help the 76 get one, maybe even two games from a far deeper, far more playoff seasoned, Pistons squad.

The #3 Orlando Magic vs. #6 Toronto Raptors

Even this series holds intrigue, and not because of the reportedly rampant fervor of what Raptors fans there are. Dwight Howard is a beast on both ends, though he has tailed off as the season has worn on. Hedo Turkoglu is a baller. Stan Van Gundy is a excellent coach. This team might be able to win a series in the West. Here they will handle Toronto and the talented, but skinny Chris Bosh with relative ease. The Toronto supporting cast, especially the starting guards are suspect. The Clarion would be starting and playing Jose Calderon over T.J. Ford.

Yes, we have been saving the best for last...

#4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. # 5 Washington Bullets

(note: the Clarion does not recognize the p.c. mutilation of a once proud franchise's name.)

Washington has lost in the first round to the Cavs both of the last two years. This year Washington played most of the season without their uber-loquacious star, the Hibachi, Gilbert Arenas. Not totally surprisingly, since Gil is a little self-centered, it didn't hurt le Bullet. Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler played at an All-Star level. Brendon Haywood is a stiff, but can Cavs center Ben Wallace have anything left in the tank? He is who he is, but Arenas has got to be an upgrade over DeShawn Stevenson. If Arenas is healthy...well the bottom line is no matter what le Bullet do LeBron James is on the other side. Yes, his supporting cast looks like it be hard pressed to win the D-League title. Wallace on the downside. Ditto, but worse for Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Joe Smith. We like Delonte West and Daniel Gibson but do they scare you? Ditto Wally Szczerbiak (career under 30% from 3 pt. land in the playoffs.)We like Washington better in the half court. The Clarion can't believe we can really pick against LeBron. Can we? Says here le Bullet in six. They don't even let'em take it back to Cleveland.

Bizarrely this might hurt the Knicks chances of getting LeBron in 2010, because if he loses in the first round this year, he could be so motivated next year that D-League supporting cast or no, he wins a title. That'd make it real hard to ditch Cleveland for Madison Square Garden. Hmmmm...should Knicks fans root for the Cavs? At least in round one?

Labels: NBA, Predictions, sports, The Knicks