Basketball: Final Playoff Spots

In both the east and the west there are 4 teams battling for the final 8 spot in the playoffs in the west there is the suns and the rockets, in the east there is the wizards and the bucks.

I like the wizards making the playoffs behind mj. If the wizards make the playoffs they will be a team to reckon with.
I like the Rockets in the west for the 8th spot cause of Yao Ming and Steve. The Rockets should make it if they feed Yap the ball down low they dont do that enough. Should be an interseting last couple of games.

I like the Wiz in the east, the bucks seem a little shakey right now, Payton really hasn't gelled with the team yet.


In the west i like the Suns, just cause they currently hold the 8 spot

As for these teams advancing, dunno if the Suns can beat anyof the top 4 teams in the West in a 7 game series, therefore i see them packing there bags after the first round. Not sold on the Wizards just yet, there not to competative on the road.

Originally posted by Terp247:

In the west i like the Suns, just cause they currently hold the 8 spot

I think the Suns will take the 8th spot in the West. The Rockets have just collapsed, getting blown out by Utah and and Portland.

Phoenix will win the eighth spot and, speaking of Phoenix, Amare Stoudamire will win the rookie of the year over Yao Ming, because its because of him they will make the playoffs this year.

Well it�s all over now in the West

Phoenix just clinched the 8th spot by beating hot San Antonio tonight.

Originally posted by Frank
Phoenix just clinched the 8th spot by beating hot San Antonio tonight.

Looks like they'll be meeting in the first round as well.

I remember hearing a couple of weeks ago that all of the playoff series will be 7 games instead of the first round being just 5, does anyone know if this is true?

Originally posted by ProudAmerican:

I remember hearing a couple of weeks ago that all of the playoff series will be 7 games instead of the first round being just 5, does anyone know if this is true?

Yeah it's true. They made the decision at the All-Star Break.

I think its a good decision gives the first round teams a little more playing team, and could give the 8th seeds a chance to upset the 1st seeds. I personally like it, it also gives the team playing the lakers a better shot at beating them.

I like it too because more playoff basketball means more good basketball.

I'm glad they changed it too, I didnt like the 5 game series at all.

The playoff picture looks to be all set in place.
sports.espn.go.com...

Phenoix was able to pick up the last playoff spot in the West but they have to play the red hot spurs and i dont think pheonix will last.

One the east side the Bucks took the final spot and they will have to play the Pistons. Ben will be coming back for the playoffs but the Bucks have been playing very well and could upset.

Orlando will probably play the Nets in the first round, and i look for the Nets to win but in a close fashion, the Nets haven't been playing well, and look for T-Mac to carry this team as far as he can through the playoffs.

Boston will play Phili, and i look for Phili to take this one, Philiy is one of the hottest teams in the league and Walker and Pierce have been up and down all season. A-I will take the 76ers through the first round.

Indiana and New Orleans will play each other and i look for the Hornets to take this one, the Pacers have been the biggest dissapointment the second have of the season and i will look for them to make an early exits.

The Kings will play Utah and the Kings will swept pass the Jazz, as they look to play the lakers and look for some payback. The Kings will be very determined and hard to beat.

Dallas will play the lakers, Dallas might get one or two games but that is it, Lakers have own the Mavs the last couple of seasons and i dont expect that to change. As the lakers will look for a 4th championship.

The T-wolves will play the Blazers, and i look for the T-wolves to win this series and finally get passed the first round. K-G and Wally have been playing great as of late and i dont think that will stop and they will be a very hard team to beat, espically at home.

Great takes, Ben.

Originally posted by Ben:

Phenoix was able to pick up the last playoff spot in the West but they have to play the red hot spurs and i dont think pheonix will last.

Ah but Phoenix has beaten the Spurs 3 out of 4 times this season. This is something to watch for in the playoffs.

Indiana and New Orleans will play each other and i look for the Hornets to take this one, the Pacers have been the biggest dissapointment the second have of the season and i will look for them to make an early exits.

I think it�s all on Artest. If he stays out of trouble (like he�s been doing lately), the Pacers will go far.

Woah: I didnt think that Pheonix beat the Spurs this many times this season, now this should be a good one.

Yea your are right Frank it all depends on Artest and if he can stay out of trouble.

Originally posted by Ben:

The Kings will play Utah and the Kings will swept pass the Jazz,

I sure hope you�re right about that.

I thought the same thing last year before the Kings and the Jazz met in the first round but the Jazz gave us a big time fight.

The Jazz are a good team with Stockton and Malone. But i dont think that they will be able to keep up with the Kings. The kings are a very solid team, from their startes to the bench. I just dont think the Jazz will get a game, if they do they might get one or two, but that shouldn't be that much of a threat to the Kings.

Yeah I think this is where the Best-of-Seven format helps the Kings out a lot.

Because the longer series, helps the better team. The better team usually prevails because they have more chances to prove they are better and I (like some other people) think the Kings are better than Jazz.

There's A Change

Instead of the T-Wolves playing the Blazers in the first round they will have to play the Lakers. The Wolves are capable of beating the lakers, but they have to bring their best to the table. They might pull this series off because they have home-court advantage, and because KG and Wally have been playing well, but then again they are playing the Lakers.

With the T-Wolves playing the Lakers, that means that the Blazers will play the Mavs. The Mavs and Blazers plit the season series and this should be a good one. The Mavs pulled off a big win over the Spurs last night for a little confidence booster. Mavs should pull this one off.

Originally posted by Ben:

With the T-Wolves playing the Lakers, that means that the Blazers will play the Mavs. The Mavs and Blazers plit the season series and this should be a good one. The Mavs pulled off a big win over the Spurs last night for a little confidence booster. Mavs should pull this one off.

I think the Blazers win in 6.

I�ve seen the Blazers handle the Mavericks pretty good the past 2 years.

should be a very close match-up iam looking forward to watching all the games. Some of them are going to be blow-outs while others will be the buzzer beater kind. I think that the Mavs will win in 5, the blazer will give them a good challenge but not the kind to win the series.
I will be looking for some great games in the East, where the teams there are only separated by a couple of games.

So does Memphis hold on to the 8th spot out West? Or does Minnesota take their spot.

2 1/2 games up on Minnesota.

Memphis' schedule is brutal to end the regular season. Home to Miami. At Charlotte (the only sure win). At Dallas. At Houston. At Denver. At San Antonio. Home to San Antonio. Home to Dallas.