NBA Playoffs: Conference Finals

Conference Finals Time!

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Jeff-  

Man this season has come and gone, we are already into the Conference Finals. The 2nd round was full of beat downs and buzzer beaters. I went 3-1 in my predictions while Clayton went 3-1 as well.

Clayton-

The NBA’s Final Four is here. The top 2 seeds in each conference reign supreme. Now is the time put up or shut up.

Will the Hawks prove they can win without a “Big Three?” Or will the Love-less (maybe even Love-less next year) Cavs be able to win on the shoulders of LeBron?

Can the Rockets analytics squad prove that they should not be constantly mocked? Or will the draft built, 3 point dominating Warriors continue their historic season?

Let’s see.

Honestly, since the beginning of the season I have been consumed by the Lakers tanking properly so we can secure the Top 5 pick. Tank to Win. I am fretting the Draft Lottery tomorrow night. So while the series starts tomorrow, I am more concerned with the Lottery  shortly before.

Eastern Conference FInals

Hawks (1) vs Cavaliers (2)

Will the Hawks Steal one at Quicken Loans Arena?

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Jeff -

If you read our 2nd round preview, you know that I did not expect the Hawks to be in the ECF. If it was not for the Wizards injury woes, I fully believe the Hawks would have gotten dismantled and exposed.

Meanwhile, the Cavs looked very good in round 2 without Kevin Love. Tristan Thompson averaged 9 and 11 in round 2 and lessened the blow of losing Kevin Love. Tristan Thompson was able to practice on Saturday and looks to be ready to go for the ECF.

The health of Kyrie Irving will really determine how long this series lasts. If Kyrie can be close to 100% the Hawks are in a world of trouble. However if he is not 100% the Hawks are still in a world of trouble.

Lebron is 4 wins away from his 5th straight NBA Finals appearance, and I truly believe nothing is going to stop him. I really don’t see anybody on Atlanta that can handle Lebron in a 7 game series. DeMarre Carroll is a decent player, but he is nowhere near Lebron’s level and Lebron should impose his will early in the series.

In my opinion this series is not even close.

Result: Cavaliers in 5

Clayton -

We already know Jeff thinks the Hawks are fool’s gold, but does that mean they can’t make it to the Finals? They still are playing well despite the injuries and inconsistencies, but their lack of a true offensive star may doom them.

Horford should clearly be their big star, but with his pinkie injury, the guy does not even like to shake hands. Teague is solid, but not a star. Their final guy for their trio, Millsap, is nursing a shoulder injury that is still forcing him to shoot differently.

Budenholzer is one of the best coaches around now, and is probably the second best left around in the playoffs, so this may all come to scheme and plans.

Without Love and Kyrie hurting, I was and still am worried about the Cavs. The flow of offense, and yes even the defense, change without those two.

LeBron, despite my dislike of him, is still a top 3 player in the league. No one on the Hawks can contain him. The only one that can stop LeBron in this series is LeBron. He did not have the best run last series, but that can happen with such a tough defensive team like the Bulls and primarily Jimmy Butler. Carroll is not in Butler’s league.

If Kyrie can play at even 90%, he is still probably the second best player on the court, giving the Cavs a huge boost. The role players and mid-season pickups will have to play well again this series if they want to end it early and give LeBron some rest before taking…. well, you’ll see.. in the Finals.

Something to watch for, according to @SynergySST, the Hawks rank last in defending ISOs in the playoffs, while the Cavs run ISOs at the highest frequency of any playoff team.

In other words, uh oh.

Result: Cavaliers in 6

Western Conference Finals

Warriors (1) vs Rockets (2)

The Roaracle Awaits... 
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Jeff -

The Warriors struggled early in their series, but poured it on late and looked dominant by the end. Curry and Klay each had a few lackluster games that had Warriors haters salivating at the thought of a GSW collapse. This team was just too strong to struggle for more than a few games, and still won in convincing fashion.

The Rockets on the other hand, were down 3-1 in their series and the Clippers looked like the better team for about 5 games and a quarter. Somehow, the Rockets managed to win this series and i’m still in shock to be honest.

If the Rockets can get similar (but unlikely) production from Prigioni, Ariza, Brewer, and Smith like they did in the last round, then the Warriors might have a challenge. However, it is highly unlikely that they get that type of help from those role players. I expect the Rockets to lean heavily on Harden and Howard in this series, and while both should have impressive performances, I’m not sure it will be enough.

Curry will absolutely torch the Rockets, and Klay should be able to lessen the blow of Harden, meanwhile the Warriors bigs will have their hands full with Dwight who has been an absolute monster this postseason (regardless of what his biggest hater, Clayton, says about him).

I see the Rockets maybe winning 2 games at home but probably not getting a single win in The Roaracle.

Result: Warriors in 6

Clayton -

I actually love how the Rockets have been built. Analytics based, two great stars (though both can be incredibly weak mentally), and valuable role players with length and athleticism.

Their brand of basketball is not always the most entertaining to watch, especially when BS fouls like Harden running into Chris Paul, who was running straight ahead trying to get out of the way, to create contact and go to the line. One of the most memorable moments in Game 6 for me, was this play.

Add Jon Barry trying to explain that it was a foul if it did not go in and it was not a foul if he made it, was a complete joke. Fouls should not be so freaking subjective. There was no foul, despite Barry’s asshatery.

I digress, Howard is going to be thrown out of at least one game, foul out of another, and at one point he will shoot 25 free throws in a game and make 6. Thankfully, he will provide phenomenal defense. He looks like almost Orlando Dwight. I have never been a fan as Jeff said (Yes, I hated the trade to the Lakers), but when Dwight is playing like this, he is a superstar.

I do have concerns about the Rockets and I waffle on them a lot. I had them being upset in the first, then beating the Clippers (what a choke job by the way).

The Mavericks were decimated by injuries (Parsons injury was/is especially bad) and a complete waste of space (looking at you Rondo). The Mavs may not even win 45 games next year if they do not win in free agency and kill it in the draft. I was not alone in my upset pick, but the Rockets would have had a ton of explaining to do if they actually did lose.

The Clippers not having Chris Paul for a couple games should have given the Rockets an easy couple games, but they fooled around on that one. Then they had to make a historic comeback in Game 6 after being down 19 heading into the 4th quarter, and being in a 3-1 hole to begin with. 

The Clippers lack of depth killed their stars, and is what really did it in, besides in my opinion, some poor coaching by Jeff’s favorite, Doc.

Honestly. the road for the Rockets could not have been easier. Yes the Clippers are good, but the Rockets were boneheaded and nearly lost because of it.

The Warriors are on a killing spree. They just have so many offensive weapons to use and their defense is unbelievable.

There really is not much to say about the Warriors. So much has already been said about them, but here it goes…

The Dubs did away the Pelicans, with some dramatics, but in an easy sweep. They were just too deep for the Brows to actually win more than a single game. Davis is the future (should have gotten a lot more attention for MVP in my opinion), but he may be a couple years ahead of the timeline.

The Grizzlies have their limitations, but they are a semi-title contender. They did not match up well with the Warriors, but they still took it to six games. If they add an offensive wing, that team could be scary next year, even though at some points early in the season, they looked like title favorites.

Bottom line, the Warriors were expected to be here after their season of having the No.1 offense and defense. Now just to move on to the Finals

The real question for this series will come down to defensive assignments for the Rockets. Who will guard who? Ariza will likely man up Curry, but who gets Klay? No way I would stick Harden on him, as Klay will tire him out by running him around into the ground. Maybe Harden on Barnes, but that may not be feasible either. Do you start Brewer over the Jet now and have Harden run the point, which he essentially does anyways? Terry can not defend any of the Warriors starters, and probably not even any of their bench guys. Do the Rockets start Jones or Smith against Draymond? Bogut vs. Howard is kind of null in my opinion. Two good defenders who could have a good scoring night in a few games.

Then factor in the Warriors deep bench? Yikes. This is not the Clippers and their 6 ½ NBA players. The Warriors go 9 or 10 deep. With rumors that Patrick Beverley could possibly be back at some point this series, that would be a tremendous boost, but likely not anything deciding.

Result: Warriors in 5

You can follow Jeff on Twitter at @Jeffkay1989

You can follow Clayton on Twitter at @19Yanks23

Atlanta Falcons Draft Review and Grades

Georgia National Guard leading the way.

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Jeff -

Atlanta Falcons

Round 1 - No. 8 - Vic Beasley - OLB - Clemson

There were 2 guys I really wanted in the first, either trade up for Fowler Jr. (bullet dodged) or pray that Beasley would fall to us. If you remember reading my article before the draft, I outlined all the scenarios that could land us Beasley or Fowler and shockingly one of those scenarios played out almost to the word and Beasley was sitting there at 8 for us.

What can I say about this pick? I think Beasley will be a great fit in Dan Quinn’s scheme. He is an instant impact guy and gives the Falcons the first premier pass rusher since the departure of John Abraham.

He may not be a 3 down guy right off the bat, but I think he puts in the work to round out his game and could be a very dominant every down guy in the near future. Until then, Quinn will ask him to pin his ears back and do what he does best, rush the damn passer.

With the way our pass rush was last year, that’s all any Falcon fan wants. We couldn’t care less if he can’t cover a tight end, if he is getting 8-12 sacks in years 1 and 2, then this is a homerun.

Grade -  A

Round 2 - No. 42 - Jalen Collins - CB - LSU

Jalen Collins was widely considered a first round talent with plenty of upside. So why was he there for the Falcons in the 2nd round? Well, he did have a few off the field issues which raised some concerns, top that with a clear lack of experience and it’s enough red flags to make you question using that first round pick.

With that being said, when you see him in the 2nd round you don’t think twice about taking him. The Falcons need some help in the secondary with the departure of Robert McClain. Desmond Trufant is the clear cut #1 guy in that secondary but he needs a guy on the other side of the field that can put in work of his own. Robert Alford has been very solid but there is room for improvement in his game.

In comes Collins who will most likely take of the right side of the field and push Alford inside. Collins has the ideal size that Quinn loves, give him a year or two and we could be looking at one of the best corner tandems in the league.

Grade - A-

Round 3 - No. 73 - Tevin Coleman - RB - Indiana

He’s no Todd Gurley, but the fact that Coleman was there at 73 was almost as good value as Beasley and Collins. This was the 3rd straight round the Falcons nailed their pick. Filling a need and also taking a great value pick.

Coleman finished 2nd behind Gordon for rushing yards last year and turned in a Jamaal Charles-esque 40 time in his pro day. If that isn't enough to get you excited, just check out his highlights on YouTube and you should be smiling from ear to ear.

Coming into the draft it seemed that Devonta Freeman had the lead back role locked up with Antone Smith being the nice change of pace speed back. The second the Falcons turned in that draft card, every back on the roster got pushed down 1 notch on the depth chart.

Coleman should be a day 1 starter, still splitting some carries with Freeman and Smith though. Many experts labeled this the best pick in the draft given where we got him. As a team with Julio Jones and Roddy White it’s obvious the run game takes a back seat, but Coleman finally gives the Falcons the guy that can take some of those pass plays and turn them into run plays instead.

The run game has been pretty sad since the 2nd to last year of Turner’s stint with the team. I’m not saying he will be a 1700 yard guy, but he will definitely add a legit threat in the backfield and make teams think twice about playing deep for the pass.

Grade - B+

Round 4 - No. 107 - Justin Hardy - WR - ECU

I have to be honest, I was not thrilled with this pick at first. With OT TJ Clemmings and OG Tre Jackson both available I would’ve liked to see the Falcons nab one of those two guys to fill out the line. Hardy is a slot guy that doesn’t have blazing speed, which puts him at a major disadvantage.

After having time to digest the pick, I am a little more comfortable with the decision to take Hardy. After cutting ties with Harry Douglas, the Falcons were in need of a slot guy because Hester just isn’t the #3 guy. Hardy should be able to give similar production to what Harry Douglas had over the past few years.

Hardy brings some toughness that Douglas just didn’t have, and should be a useful tool to compliment the Julio Jones onslaught.

Grade - C+

Round 5 - No. 137 - Grady Jarrett - DT - Clemson

I can’t say enough about this pick. Many experts have dubbed this the steal of the draft. Grady Jarrett was billed as a 2nd round talent, so getting him in the 5th was an absolute steal. Not to mention the fact that he is a hometown boy, and the sound of Falcons Ring of Honor member Jessie “The Hammer” Tuggle. Compile all that and you have a home run selection.

The Falcons used a 2nd round pick last year on DT Ra’shede Hageman, who showed some decent play last year. Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson have been put on notice with this selection.

Jarrett is a little undersized for the spot, which contributed to his slide, but some think it may benefit him at the point of contact in the trenches. The Falcons really are building something special on the defensive side of the ball and getting Jarrett, especially in the 5th round, was a major boost.

Grade - A-

Round 7 - No. 225 - Jake Rodgers - OT - Eastern Washington

Jake Rodgers is simply a depth selection here. They will have him come in and try and compete and see if he can push some of the veteran lineman to the best of their abilities. I doubt he actually makes the roster, but he will at least let Quinn see what the other guys on the roster have to offer.

Grade - C

Round 7 - No. 249 -  Akeem King - CB - San Jose State

Last year the Falcons used a late round selection on corner Ricardo Allen. He spent most of the season on the practice squad and got called up late. This year he should be on the active roster, which leaves that spot on the practice squad, in comes Akeem King. I think he will follow the same path as Ricardo Allen last year if he shows some fight during training camp.

Grade - C

Overall Grade - A

As expected, the Falcons went defense heavy in the draft, with 3 of the top 5 picks coming on the defensive side of the ball. Many needs were filled and I think the Falcons had 2 of the best value picks of the draft in Coleman and Jarrett.

There was only 1 questionable pick, Hardy, and even that was a pretty good pick. The Falcons boosted their roster in a major way in the draft, and I think you pair that with the new scheme being installed, and you have the recipe for a successful season in Atlanta.


Follow me on Twitter at: @Jeffkay1989
Follow Clayton on Twitter at: @19Yanks23

Kansas City Chiefs Draft Review and Grades

ARROWHEAD STADIUM

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Clayton -

Jeff, the NFL Draft was a couple weeks ago now, so we can all calm down and see how it all fell out. Well, except Jaguars fans who already lost the No. 3 overall pick, Dante Fowler Jr (Sorry Josh, hopefully a soon to be contributor to Tank To Win). I’ll start off the series with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jeff will follow in a few days with his Falcons grades.

Kansas City Chiefs

Round 1 - No.18 - Marcus Peters - CB - Washington

I was expecting to pick a guy like Jaelen Strong (crazy slide into the 3rd round), the minor sliding of Breshad Perriman, or a high risk/high reward pick of Dorial Beckham Green. The need for receiver is severe and it was presumed that with this pick, help would be on the way.

Not so fast though! Kansas City was just as worried as me when it came to the secondary, picking up the most talented corner in the draft in my opinion, but a big risk, Marcus Peters. A favorite of mine, I said to look out for him in our Draft Predictions post.

I was ecstatic to see the pick of Peters. The prototype of the modern day corner, Peters is big (6’0” and 198 pounds), has good speed for his size (4.53, 40 yards dash), and is quick based on his 60 yards shuttle, 11.26 seconds.

There is risk involved with Peters. He was kicked off of the Huskies by new head coach Chris Peterson, but after discussions with former Huskies coach, Steve Sarkisian, the Chiefs felt it was a risk worth taking. Peters is more talent than technique at the moment, but with Bob Sutton at the helm, and secondary coaches Emmitt Thomas and Al Harris, Peters should be placed in a position to succeed.

Sean Smith is a free agent after the season, so a possible replacement was needed if Kansas City is unable to re-sign Smith.

Grade - A-

Round 2 - No. 49 - Mitch Morse - OL - Missouri

This… this was an awful pick. Sure Andy Reid and Co. could develop him, but Mitch Morse could have been had in the next round, possibly picking OT Jake Fisher, NT Jordan Phillips, OG A.J. Cann or even WR Jaelen Strong. Those are all guys that were available, not to mention other guys who slid down the boards.

Morse is likely to find his home at center instead of tackle in the pros. Morse has a strong upper body, but short arms and needs to improve his lower body strength. Kind of sounds like Rodney Hudson, strong upper body, short arms, needed to improve his lower half.

Problem is, Hudson is a much better athlete and played on the interior in college. Morse has a stiff lower half and only played tackle at Mizzou. Hopefully there won't be much of a learning curve, as everyone says Morse is incredibly smart, but there were much better options for a number of needs here.

Kansas City had better hope Reid didn’t make another Danny Watkins pick here…

Grade - C-

Round 3 - No. 76 - Chris Conley - WR - Georgia

In our draft prediction piece, I had Conley on Kansas City’s radar. Apparently I am a psychic as the Chiefs traded up to acquire Conley.

Conley is an athletic freak who was overshadowed by Todd Gurley (rightfully so honestly), but he brings a lot to the table.

Guys who are 6’2” and 217 pounds and can run the 40 yard dash in 4.35 seconds do not grow on trees. Conley is very smart, has good sized hands, and knows how to keep his feet inbounds. Conley also is strong in terms of bench (18 reps of 225), and explosive, launching for a 139.0 inch broad jump and a 45” vertical leap. All of those numbers were in the tops of the receivers at the combine according to NFL.com.

There were reasons Conley could be had in the 3rd round though. He dropped a few too many passes, needs to get stronger so he isn’t so easily bumped off of his routes and needs to show the speed and quickness at all times now.

Conley was a great pick this late, despite having to trade up to acquire him. He will have Maclin there to help teach him, and develop along with the other younger guys.

Grade - A

Round 3 - No. 98 - Steven Nelson - CB - Oregon State

Nelson seems to be another reach by Reid. Nelson has already been dubbed as a mighty mouse. He lacks ideal size, speed, leaping ability, and quickness. He does have decent strength though, doing 19 reps on the bench press.

Again, Smith is a free agent after the year, but Nelson is not replacing him, as he is best fit as a nickel or dime back.

There will be a spot for Nelson as Marcus Cooper, Jameel Fleming and Sander Commings have not been able to show consistency, or the ability to stay healthy. Nelson’s main competition likely will be last year’s 3rd round pick Phillip Gaines. At minimum, Nelson provides energy and depth.

Nelson is a high effort guy and has good instincts, but the lack of size and speed are concerning, especially when most slot guys are now burners.

This pick was disappointing as DE Trey Flowers, S James Sample, OT T.J. Clemmings, NT Gabe Wright and CB Josh Shaw were all available.

Grade - C-

Round 4 - No. 118 - Ramik Wilson - ILB - Georgia

John Dorsey and Andy Reid were in a SEC Georgia Bulldog mood, as Wilson was the second Bulldog to go in their first five picks.

Wilson showed better Georgia Pro Day numbers than he did at the Combine, but Wilson seems like a bit of an odd fit. Wilson brings good size, and the improvements in speed at his Pro Day is good, but on tape he had a rough time while in coverage. He is more of a run stuffer at this point, but maybe if Derrick Johnson is healthy, he can bring him along. In that case, this pick will look better.

In Nickel and Dime packages, Wilson will likely come off the field, but you have to hope that he can improve his coverage skills, especially when covering a tight end.

Other options could have been CB Josh Shaw if Nelson wasn’t picked previously (picked two picks later), LB Jake Ryan or LB Kwon Alexander.

Grade - B

Round 5 - No. 172 - D.J. Alexander - LB - Oregon State

Another Oregon State pick, another reach, as Alexander did not even go to the combine. Obviously that does not mean anything, but the pick was a huge surprise, and Alexander could have been had later, like priority free agent later...

Alexander is a speedy guy,and will need time to come along behind Derrick Johnson.

The pick is just so bad and disappointing. Alexander missed time due to a multitude of injuries, including knee, neck injuries, and is undersized. Alexander also seems to be an OLB in a 43. He is not a pass rusher, and that limits him to an ILB in KC. Just awful, even though he will help on special teams

Players that were still available at this spot: DE/DT Michael Bennett, NT Letterious Watson, OLB/DE Anthony Chickillo and LB Deiontrez Mount.

Likely a special teams and practice squad player.

Grade - F+

Round 5 - No. 173 - James O’Shaugnessy - TE - Illinois State

O’Shaugnessy is a good depth pick for a tight end group that is lacking behind Travis Kelce, as Anthony Fasano was released.

He is not a crazy athlete, or have any crazy measurables, but could help if Demetrius Harris or Richard Gordon falter in camp.

He has good size at 6’4” and ran a decent 4.68 40 at his pro day, so he can develop behind Kelce and help stretch the field as a tight end that is in the slot, as he is not a blocker.

Grade - B-

Round 6 - No. 217 - Rakeem Nunez-Roches - DT - Southern Miss

Nunez-Roches was a good run stuffer in Conference USA, despite being known as a penetrating tackle. In KC he is likely to be a 34 DE, but could possibly spell Dontari Poe for a spell, especially in passing situations.

He is way down the depth chart at the moment, especially according to ourlads.com, so he may not even make the 53 man roster, possibly spending time on the practice squad next season.

It could have been incredibly interesting if Kansas City had tried to end Ifo Ekpre-Olomu’s slide, who was finally grabbed in the 7th round. Before his knee injury he was a likely top 2 round pick. Maybe his knee injury was much more complicated than lead to believe, but this late, he should have gotten a look at even as high in the 5th round.

Grade - C

Round 7 - No. 233 - Da’Ron Brown - WR - Northern Illinois

At this point in the draft, you are just taking guys with athleticism or intangibles. The same goes for Ifo Ekpre- Olomu at this spot, but Dorsey and Reid must have liked what they saw from Brown.

Brown is kind of athletic, but not a freak like Conley. At 6’0” and 205 pounds, Brown ran a 4.54 40, possesses great hands at 10 ¼”, and uses his catch radius to his advantage.

He lacks great quickness, the speed actually isn’t great, and he needs major work in his route running, so being an outside threat like he was at NIU is likely out of the question. He is a likely practice squad player, but could push guys like Junior Hemingway, Frankie Hammond, Albert Wilson, Armon Binns (all guys who are not impressive despite fans likely them too much), and the troubled but talented Da’Rick Rogers.

OVERALL GRADE - B

Some needs were met, but there were way too many reaches made, especially when superior talent was available. I mean come on, T.J. Clemmings was available in the 4th round, Michael Bennett was available in the 6th round and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu was there still in the 7th round. The draft likely hinges on Peters, Morse, Conley, Nelson and Wilson. As usual, you hope to nail a couple guys after the fourth and fifth rounds, but the chances are not great ones in my opinion, especially with the lack of value in several guys.

Peters has great potential, but has big bust potential as well if the coaching concerns carry over to the pros. He could either be a shutdown corner in three years or out of the league in the same amount of time. I love the pick, as he was my top corner and could have been picked before Trae Waynes if it weren’t for the team dismissal.

Morse was a huge reach and superior guys were just waiting to be plucked. He may be the guy with the most to prove in the class. He likely heads into camp as the starter about Eric Kush, but according to multiple analysts, Kansas City is very high on Kush, so Morse better prove that he was worth this high of a pick from Day 1.

Conley was a great pick in terms of need and potential. Instead of going with a safe guy, they went for the home run. Hopefully Alex Smith will be able to utilize Conley and Maclin’s speed, and show he has more arm than he showed last year, and it was more of the guys around him.

Steven Nelson was a reach as well, but if he can either push Gaines into playing better, or playing in dime packages as a rookie, this has a chance to be a solid pick despite being the big reach that it was.

Wilson should get some time to learn behind DJ and the other vets on the roster, but the hope is he will push to start next to DJ out of camp or start getting more time after the BYE (week 8). Here’s to hoping Gary Gibbs can get Wilson on the fast track to the starting lineup.

Rest of the picks are all lottery tickets, but Kansas City needs to nail one or two of them though. Time and time again, nailing the late picks is what gets you to the glory. Everyone knows the stories all too well, maybe one of the late guys can become a gem for KC.

Follow me on Twitter at: @19Yanks23
Follow Jeff on Twitter at: @Jeffkay1989

NBA Playoffs: Round 2

Jeff- Round 2 is finally here. The first round played out as expected for the most part. Other than the flop by the Raptor,s everything else wasn't too out of the ordinary. With that being said, let’s jump right into our 2nd round predictions.

Eastern Conference

Hawks (1) vs Wizards (5)

If you read our Round 1 prediction article you know that I am not sold on Atlanta at all. I claimed they were a fluke and the only reason I had them making it out of the first round was more about how bad Brooklyn is, and than how good Atlanta is.

They did nothing in round 1 to make me change my mind either. There was no reason THAT THE Brooklyn Nets team should’ve been able to push a #1 seed to 6 games. That series gave me even more of a reason to doubt the Hawks.

Meanwhile, the Wizards completely dismantled the Raptors. I predicted the Wiz to take the series but I definitely didn’t have them doing it in such impressive fashion. Paul Pierce had his typical “that's why they brought me here” moments and just about every key player on their team showed up at some point in the series.

The Hawks did win the season series 3-1, but I never denied the Hawks were a good regular season team. The playoffs are a different beast, and I think their lack of a “main guy” is what ultimately gets them eliminated.

I think this will be a physical series with the Wizards showing their muscle inside and out. Wall should be able to take advantage of Teague while Beal and Pierce should be able to pick and choose their spots.

In the end I think the Wizards shock the world (but not me).

Result: Wizards in 7

Cavaliers (2) vs Bulls (3)

The Cavs were my preseason pick to come out of the East and while the season has had it’s ups and downs they seemed poised to steamroll through the competition. They made quick work of the Celtics, sweeping them in 4 games. Unfortunately, game 4 saw Kevin Love suffer a shoulder injury that would late reveal that he would miss at least 4 months while possible retaliation by JR Smith to the side of Jae Crowder’s face cost him the first 2 games of this series.

On the other side, the Bulls let the Bucks win about 2 more games than they should have. The Bulls seemed to fall asleep at the wheel halfway through the series that had fans wondering if this team had gotten lazy. Well a dominating 54 point win in game 6 to close out the series has the Bulls fans back in championship mode.

The Cavs won the season series 3-1, but are shorthanded for this series. The question becomes, how much will they miss Kevin Love?

To me Kevin Love is a huge piece of the Cavs offense and is highly underrated similar to Chris Bosh’s role during the Heat’s 4 year stretch. The Cavs will definitely miss the presence of Love, but enough to cost them the series?

The battle between Kyrie and Rose is going to be must see TV. Lebron will be Lebron as always. The real difference makers in this series should be Jimmy Butler and Tristan Thompson. The way these two play could win or lose the series for their respective teams.

If Love and Smith were still available for the full series I would have the Cavs winning convincingly, however with Love out and Smith missing 2 games the series will be much tougher for them.

Result: Cavs in 6

Western Conference

Warriors (1) vs Grizzlies (5)

This will be a fun series to watch. You have the high scoring 3 point assassins in the Warriors vs the tough nosed defensive minded team who play in an arena known as “The Grindhouse”.

The Warriors will be getting David Lee back in this series which will be huge against the Memphis bigs. Meanwhile, Mike Conley is predicted to miss the first 2 games of the series. This is the biggest factor of the series to me, as the Warriors best player, Steph Curry, will absolutely destroy Nick Calathes with Conley out.

In round 1 the Warriors made quick work of the Pelicans as expected, while the Grizzlies took advantage of a shorthanded Blazers for a disappointingly quick series.

The Grizzlies bigs have a clear advantage in the series, while the Warriors guards take the edge. The battle up for grabs looks to be Jeff Green vs Barnes/Iguodala. If Jeff Green can be the determined scoring machine that he shows flashes of from time to time this series will be very interesting. If he is the laid back, passive guy that he frustratingly shows far too often, it could be over quick.

The Warriors won the season series 2-1 with the loss coming in December. Each win saw either Curry or Klay go absolutely nuts and I expect that to be the theme again in this series.

The Grizzlies definitely have a chance to win this series, but they would need to play the perfect series, which will be a tough task if Conley can’t contribute like normal.

Result: Warriors in 6

Rockets (2) vs Clippers (3)

In round 1 many people had the Mavericks as the popular upset pick over the Rockets *cough Clayton cough*. While I had the Rockets advancing, I definitely didn't think they would do it in such convincing fashion.

Dwight Howard was an absolute beast in the series, punishing Tyson Chandler on the boards en route to a series average of 18.3 points, 15.2 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game.  Meanwhile,James Harden put up 28.4 points and 7.8 assists per game.

The Rockets seem locked in at this point and look like a real threat to make it to the conference finals.

On the other side you have the Clippers, who just survived the toughest 1st round series since Celtics-Bulls in 2009. Not only did they play 2 more games than the Rockets, they also played much tougher games than the Rockets.

On top of that CP3 is badly hobbled with a left hamstring strain. Paul is the key to this series, and sadly we will not see the best of him. Given the fact that the Clippers really are only 6 deep, 7 if I am being generous, makes this injury that much more impactful.

At the start of the playoffs I had my “Most likely to win the West” in order as Warriors, Clippers, Rockets. Sadly, with this Paul injury it’s looking more and more like the Rockets may take this one.

This season series was an even 2-2, although Dwight Howard missed all 4 games of the series, while Blake Griffin missed 2 of them. So this really is a different series for more reasons than “it’s the playoffs”

I was talking with Clayton and the real question here is who will guard James Harden? If Paul was healthy I would have to believe he would get the task, but with him out and not healthy for the other games the work will have to be given to someone else… but who? It damn sure won’t be JJ Redick, I love JJ but he is not the guy you want guarding James Freaking Harden. It won’t be whoever starts for Paul, either Rivers or Crawford. The only true option I see is putting Matt Barnes on Harden and switching Redick over to Ariza.

If they do put Barnes on Harden I think the length of Barnes could slow Harden down slightly, not much but slightly.

The battle of DeAndre vs Dwight will be interesting to watch. Who will grab all those Matt Barnes missed 3 point shots? Eh, there will be plenty to go around.

I expect Blake to go absolutely nuts in this series, I really don’t see Terrence Jones being able to slow him down. So the question becomes who will be bigger Harden or Blake? It might sound stupid given Harden’s scoring prowess, but let’s not forget when Blake is locked in he can go for 35 and 15 and 10.

Result: If CP3 plays 6 games- Clippers in 7

           If CP3 plays 5 games or less- Rockets in 6

Clayton-  Did I mention I am not very good at predicting series? Jeff went 8-0 while I went 6-2. Not awful, but certainly not good.

Eastern Conference

Hawks (1) vs Wizards (5)

Atlanta is just a shell of itself at this point in the season. While most teams look to be getting healthy come time for the playoffs, the Hawks were hit by the injury bug, not to mention police issues up in New York.

The team ball worked amazing for the Hawks, up until they had three guys go down in injury. Al Horford’s pinkie is so screwed up that he hardly uses the hand. Paul Millsap’s shoulder looks so damaged that it appears he has changed his shooting stroke. Thabo Sefolosha was not really a factor until the Hawks got the chance to face the Cavs, were Thabo is a long enough defender to piss off LeBron, plus he can give up his 6 fouls to just agitate James. Health is a factor, and I just don’t think they have enough of that in order to advance.

The Wizards on the other hand have made Randy Wittman look like a damn genius. After playing roughly 120 minutes of a lineup of Wall, Beal, Porter, The Truth and either Nene or Gortat during the regular season, that was their bread and butter for the series. Of course Wittman acted like he had hide the lineup from everyone, though everyone was saying he should have been using it in the first place, but it sure worked.

A key to this series for Washington is Porter. After looking like a fringe rotation piece the past two years (not all his fault, injury and of course… Wittman. the lack of playing time hurt his development), Porter looks like the guy they were hoping for when they drafted him third overall pick in 2013. He was everywhere. Grabbing boards, making key shots and defending like he was supposed to since he was a rookie.

Oh yeah, and Paul Pierce will likely have a big game or two.

Result: Wizards in 7

Cavaliers (2) vs Bulls (3)

Oh boy Derrick Rose looks healthy! Oh wait, maybe he isn’t. The Golden boy has returned! Or not...

Game 1 - 9-16 FG, 3-7 3PT, 23 PTS, 7 ASS, 0 REB

Game 2 - 4-14 FG, 2-6 3PT, 16 PTS, 9 ASS, 7 REB

Game 3 - 12-23 FG, 5-9 3PT, 34 PTS, 8 ASS, 5 REB

Game 4 - 5-13 FG, 2-4 3PT, 14 PTS, 6 ASS, 5 REB

Game 5 - 5-20 FG, 0-7 3PT, 13 PTS, 2 ASS, 4 REB

Game 6 - 6-14 FG, 3-7 3PT, 15 PTS, 7 ASS, 5 REB

FG - 41%, 3PT - 37.5%

Can we just admit he is not longer the big dog on this team and to tell Tom Thibodeau that Jimmy Butler is your best guy and should be getting the last shot? I don’t care about the money, on the floor, Butler is the guy. Rose may have shot decently from deep, but his overall efficiency was atrocious, not to mention he sucks on defense, especially lapsing in focus and letting JERRYD BAYLESS make a shot at the rim to win the game.

Sure the Cavs are hurting due to the injury to Kevin Love and suspension to J.R, Smith, but Kyrie is going to torch Rose. Sure Rose’s numbers will go up a bit because Michael Carter-Williams length was giving him fits, but Kyrie has actually improved.

The key to shutting Chicago down is actually shutting Jimmy Butler down. They already have Joakim Noah hobbled and Mirotic nursing a leg injury. Plus Aaron Brooks has disappeared in the playoffs.

The Cavs I heard on a recent podcast should run a lineup of Kyrie, Shumpert, Smith when he returns from suspension, LeBron at the 4, and a rotation of Mozgov and Thompson. They would be slightly undersized, but Chicago has been running Mirotic at the 3, effective really only when he is knocking down threes and giving the Bulls the ability to play two other bigs. Rose, Butler, Mirotic, Gasol and Noah would not be able to keep up with the onslaught brought on by the Cavs.

I am likely being pessimistic of the Bulls, but Rose played poorly unless he got multiple days rest, and Thibodeau has run Jimmy Butler and Co. into the ground

Results: Cavs in 5

Western Conference

Warriors (1) vs Grizzlies (5)

If Mike Conley were ok I would have a little more optimism for the Grizzlies. Due to the facial fractures and the foot issues he was having before he got the elbow to the face, I think this series will be over by the time Conley is back and ready.

Jeff says Conley has been reported to be back in game 3, but by then the Warriors will already lead 2-0 in the series. Tony Allen may be able to slow down one of the splash brothers down, but not both.  Calathes is a really good back up guard, but not a starter, he will be crushed by the one Allen is not defending. Beno Udrih could be back, but that really does not matter,

The most closely matched up area is the front court in my opinion. Most people would give the edge to Memphis, but I will go with Golden State. Bogut and Gasol cancel each other out honestly, but Zach Randolph vs. Draymond Green will piss off Z-Bo. I don’t see him wanting to run around the court defending him, and Draymond is elite defensively, so Randolph will get some, but I doubt he has any really big games.

I expect Curry and/or Thompson to go off for one or two games of 40+ points.

Results: Warriors in 6

Rockets (2) vs Clippers (3)

I know, I know, picking Dallas over Houston was a risk, but I was counting on Parsons knee not being torn up, Rondo playing actually decent and not like utter garbage… I smell a Rondo rant coming in a moment.... and Dirk not looking 80. Apparently it was too much to ask, but I was not alone, as Jalen Rose picked the upset as well on Grantland TV.

Now to Rondo, my favorite punching bag. I do not know how anyone can possibly back this guy up now. His maturity level is so far down the toilet I think it is at the sewage treatment plant. His wanting to play his way actually hurt the team.

In Game 1 Rondo shot a respectable 7-16 for 15 points and had 5 assists, but had no steals, no rebounds and had a +/- rating of -21. That is not good.

In Game 2, he was 2-4 for 4 points (of course it was because he sucks at 3’s and can’t get to the line where he shot worse than freaking DeAndre Jordan.) with 4 fouls in 10 minutes with a +/- of -11. He was benched only a minute or two into the second half after 2 fouls and a tech.

After the game? Rondo suffered a “back injury” that ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and others reported he received no treatment, but went into the treatment room for 30 seconds in normal street clothes, to avoid reporters as they are not allowed in there and left without speaking to the media.

Some back injury huh? NBA players go in for treatment for quite a while and never in street clothes.

The following day it was announced he was done for the playoffs with coach Rick Carlisle saying that was his last time in a Mavs jersey. A few days followed and it was announced that Rondo and the Mavs had mutually parted ways and Rondo would not even receive his playoff share. Nothing like a team scorned. What a mess, and I wouldn’t sign him. Even the veterans minimum is too much for that outdated pariah at this point.

Sorry back to the playoffs, the Rockets didn't really seem to miss a beat, losing only once. Harden did his thing and Dwight Howard looked like a guy who is returning to good health. The role players were excellent and GM Daryl Morey is already looking for another superstar.

For the Clippers, it is extremely tricky. Glen Davis returned from an ankle injury suffered in game 6 to play sufficiently enough for his 11 minutes. He will be key to beating the Rockets

Ha! Got you didn’t I? Actually the real key here is the hamstring strain Chris Paul just suffered in the first half of Game 7 against the Spurs. That is generally not a quick recovering injury. If he looks like he is playing on one leg again like the second half of Game 7, this will be a quick series, no matter how much CP3 wants this. A point guard with no wheels is going to hurt, just ask the Nets and Deron Williams.

Another interesting factor is the massive amount of minutes Doc Rivers plays his starters. After a long season, and a crazy series against the Spurs, the minutes will catch up.

Results if CP3 is healthy : Rockets in 6

Results if CP3 is diminished : Rockets in 5