|
This is the last post of my 2008 NBA Conference Semifinals series. We have analyzed the Western Conference teams, and yesterday we talked about Boston and Cleveland. Are Orlando and Detroit just as exciting to watch?
Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons
They have 3 games played already. It seems to be a hard battle, where the Magic won’t just let Detroit crush them. During the first 2 games, the Pistons took a clear advantage and both victories. Orlando, on the other hand, had lost 9 straight playoff games to the Pistons.
During game 3, things changed. Orlando stood up and had a good game, taking an absolute lead during the last minutes. Now they are 2-1 and next game will say if the Magic are doing some real progress to turn the scores upside down or it was just a lucky play to make things more interesting.
Let’s just wait and see who goes home and who gets to stay.
Source: NBA.com
1 Comment
The games are on and all the NBA teams are doing their best to get to the 2008 NBA Finals. On these days we have talked about the Western Conference teams that are facing each other, and their possibilities to be the winners. Now’s the time to start with the Eastern Conference teams. What are the odds for these teams when it comes to picking the winner?
Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
These 2 are giving probably one of the most expected NBA Playoffs shows. The Celtics started the 2007-2008 NBA Season with the right foot, no doubt about that. Since the very beginning Boston has been one of the big favorites, and with outstanding performance they slipped right into this Postseason. They also have some big players to put all their weight on, starting for Kevin Garnett. The Defensive Player of the Year is definitely a key figure that can’t be left out when making your picks on the Basketball Money Lines.
 
Garnett is one of the few current NBA players that can actually handle a face-to-face with Cavs’ King James. On game 1, Kevin Garnett managed to score 28 points, besides blocking LeBron so hard that the King was able to score only 12 points, and had 10 turnovers. The game ended in Boston’s favor, 76-72. Not bad at all! Other players like Paul Pierce add some spice to the team, but he has dropped a little bit on quality of performance.
The Cavs have had a decent NBA Season, and of course LeBron James has been their biggest weapon. However, it seems they’re not so unstoppable when they’re facing the Celtics. The Washington Wizards probably were an easier contender, since it was the third time in a row that they get eliminated by Cleveland. Maybe that has given the Cavaliers a confidence that made it all look easier. But they have a real challenge ahead, and only one of them will be left for the Eastern Conference Finals. Will King James be able to crush Garnett?
Source: NBA.com
Comment
Still analyzing the Western Conference teams that are fighting to reach the Conference Finals, today is the turn for the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Hornets, teams that are currently about to play their 3rd game.
Are the defending champions just as strong as they were last year? Will the Hornets be this year’s surprise?
San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Hornets
The Spurs have brought their usual Playoffs winning streak that leads them to the major events all the time. Even though their regular NBA Season wasn’t so amazing, they have proved they can do wonders when their asses are at risk. With the great help of Tony Parker and Tim Duncan they move fast and score a lot.
However, these 2 first games against New Orleans must have them shocked because it’s not as easy as they thought. Surprisingly, the Hornets are taking the lead, crushing San Antonio on both games 101-82 and 102-84. In game 2, the Spurs were playing so well it seemed they were going to win that one. But on the second half, the Hornets turned everything upside down
Source: NBA.com
Comment
The NBA 2008 Playoffs are reaching the most interesting point: Just 8 teams are left to fight for the Championship. Even though there are some favorites, we can’t deny they’ve all done a supreme job and that’s why they are the best on this race to the NBA Finals. But what are the possibilities on each pair of contenders?
Today we’ll focus on one of the Western Conference pairs.
L.A. Lakers vs Utah Jazz
Some thought it would be harder for Utah to crush the Houston Rockets, who’d been having a great NBA Season. But just as it happened last year, the Jazz gave everyone an unexpected level of performance, getting their pass to Conference semifinals. They have solid (but not outstanding) players like Mehmet Okur adding some weight to the team (as we just saw during the first game against Los Angeles, where Okur scored 21 points).
The Lakers have the advantage of winning the first game (109-98), and now the second one will be at home. And whether we want to admit it or not, their arrogant Kobe Bryant is still one of the stars of the team. Just in game 1, he scored 38 points, 24 of them just on the first half. This potential ’08 MVP does a lot for the team and they definitely love him. Could the Jazz face Kobe Bryant’s experience, still being a great player? If they do, it will be really hard.
Right now L.A. has the upper hand. Let’s see how true that may be on the next game.
Source: NBA.com
Comment
Things start to heat up at 2007-2008 NBA Playoffs. You can feel the tension and teams want to take it to another level. An act? Could be, but will do just fine for rabid NBA betting fans.
The Washington Wizards thought they would be heading home after Wednesday’s game. Well, they are! But they won’t be sitting and watching the games on TV (at least not yet). In what is rumored to be a bad play almost made on purpose, the Cavaliers let the Wizards win this one to have at least one more game.
Sure, one missed layup doesn’t mean you fixed the game. But you start to feel that way when you read Caron Butler’s declarations to press. He says he’d been messing with LeBron James during the entire game and, just a few moments before the match ended, he told King James to miss the shot and make things “more interesting” with another game.
Could that be possible? Cavs fans would feel offended to know they could be celebrating already their pass to the next phase, when just 4 teams will fight to be in the Eastern Conference Finals. Instead of that, Caron Butler made the layup with almost 4 seconds left and his last basket gave the Wizards some hope with a victory 88-87. It is often said that some teams lose on purpose in many sports to play more games and make more money. Could they be so obvious?
My choice is that King James didn’t actually do it on purpose (Caron is just taking the credit of it with too much arrogance), but he definitely felt pressured and influenced in some way by Butler’s comments. Now the results are 3-2, and even though they will be playing at Washington, I really doubt LeBron will let another one slip like that. Will this extra game really be a surprise? We’ll know very soon.
Source: Chicago Tribune
1 Comment
Next Page »
|
