The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: The Conference Semifinals

Z-Bo and the surprising Grizzlies...Can they slay OKC next?

Quick recap. I totally whiffed on Orlando vs. Atlanta and San Antonio vs. Memphis. I refuse to say I whiffed on New York and Boston because Billups got hurt at the end of game 1. His presence could have been worth a victory or two, but definitely not 4 out of the next 6 games. Also, outside of game 2, the Nuggets gave arguably the best team in the league today, Oklahoma City, all they could handle. And if not for a missed offensive goaltending call, that series could still be going on. I was joking with one of my boys when we were out and told him I wish we could somehow eliminate both Orlando and Atlanta and let Chicago advance to the Eastern Conference finals. Gosh, I hate those two teams. I really hate when the media reverts to their "their too old" rants about teams. They used to do that to my Raiders when we were winning in the early 2000s. Who cares about age? I just care about production. Am I going to tell a ridiculously good-looking woman, "thanks, but no thanks, you're 42 and too old for me"? Damn right I wouldn't! If she can bring it at 42, so be it. However, the media was right about San An-tone. They had no answer for the alacrity of Memphis, even while Memphis was missing their, perhaps, best player in Rudy Gay. Though being off a game here and there, everything else was not much of a surprise to me.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Oklahoma City vs. Memphis


Wowzers. Who saw Memphis beating San Antonio 5 games to 2 (I give Memphis credit for that game 5 miracle put forth by the basketball gods in favor of San Antonio. The ball that bounced around a million times without being picked up by Memphis...the ridiculous Hail Mary by Ginobili...then Gary Neal...I repeat, Gary Neal with the clutch three)? This will be another fun series with an Oklahoma City team that is underrated. Please do not be fooled. Denver was a legitimate team and pest. They were absolutely capable of taking every team in the league to at least 6 games. However, Oklahoma City is that good (especially with help from the officials). So long as Russell Westbrook doesn't pull his Allen Iverson impersonation routine by jacking up 30 shots even while missing many of them and Durant being on fire, they will continue to be murderous. This should be yet another exciting, fast-paced series. Memphis will not be able to out-athlete and out-energize Oklahoma City, who also has better players, like they did to San Antonio. Zach Randolph, or Z-Bo, will not have as much fun this series, so long as Serge Ibaka is guarding him. If it's Nick Collison guarding him, then all bets are off. OKC will be challenged obviously, but they are too much for Memphis. Thunder in 5.

Los Angeles vs. Dallas

Really? This is the first Kobe vs. Dirk playoff match up in all these years? That is so bizarre. I like the way Dallas plays except when Dirk doesn't channel his inner Keyshawn Johnson and demand the damn ball. They were getting killed in game 6 against Portland, and rightfully so. Dirk did not touch the ball for the Blazers' entire first quarter blitz. They had freakin' Shawn Marion jacking up all the shots. Dirk needed to pop Marion upside the head and told him to "give me the damn ball!" As a Laker fan, I dread seeing Lamar Odom's defensive corpse on Dirk. That is on of those Dirk-gets-bumped-then-toss-up-one-of-those-one-foot-fallaway-and-one-jumpers waiting to happen. Other than Dirk, I don't see Dallas having enough. Haywood and Chandler have good defense and rebounding, but are not scoring threats that can get Gasol and Bynum into foul trouble. J.J. Barea will be a homeless man's Chris Paul by finding his way into the paint and going on one of those inexplicable 7 point runs all on his own. He's like freakin' 5-2 for crying out loud. Dallas is talking about bringing Caron Butler back. Yes! I want this (though I'm just reading/hearing that he's not coming back). This will definitely hurt their chemistry, such as Jameer Nelson coming back hurting the Magic when Rafer Alston was playing well two years ago. Where Dallas always gets hurt against LA is that they are weakest at shooting guard. And guess what position the Lakers' best player plays? Yep, shooting guard. Same as how Chris Paul is ultimate, and the Lakers are weakest at point guard. Paul was able to carry Nawlins to two victories in a series they really had no business even taking one game. Kobe kills Dallas all the time (a la his 62 points against them in just three quarters several years back). Carlisle will put Marion on him to help the cause, but too much LA. I might be crazy, but I see Lakers in 5.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Chicargo vs. Atlanta

Damocles (center, slightly to the right) represents the Bulls 

I meant to spell Chicago like that. My late grandmother could not say "Shi-ka-go" for the life of her. She always said "Sha-kar-go." Man, she was funny. Anyhow, the Bulls have the Sword of Damocles over them. They remind me of Cleveland last year, a team that is way too reliant on their one superstar. Granted, they beat Indiana in 5 games, but they could have easily lost three of those games to a team that finished 8 games under .500 during the regular season! Everybody knows Rose's a mutha******' monstuh. However, there is just way too much pressure on him to be everything. He won't complain and he will go all out until they are beaten, which is why I respect him so much. Atlanta sucks. I hate them. The Bulls are going to shut them down, which helps since they are not an offensive juggernaut themselves. The Bulls are ill-fated, but the Sword will still hang for this round. Bulls in 5 (I'm hoping for a sweep).

***Miami vs. Boston***

No matter what they say, losing to the C's is a failure...

If not for the stupid 958-game regular season, this would be the Eastern Conference Championship. Pisses me off. Instead, you have one of the most intriguing second round match ups ever. If the season were shorter, teams would have played hard all year long and the Bulls would have lost more. The Bulls got over like the Cavs last year, they pretty much played harder than everyone during most of the regular season. That alone wins teams lots of games during the regular season. However, the playoffs create more urgency for all teams and teams have, by and large, equal rest. Thus, the edge the Bulls had of out-playing everyone is diminished in the playoffs. If the regular season were shorter, Boston could go harder in more games and actually be a top seed. Instead, they have to rest and pace themselves for the playoffs and becoming a 3 seed in the process. Nonetheless, the must watch serious of the playoffs other than if Miami and LA somehow meet in the Finals (though OKC wouldn't get the ratings and hype LA would, I am personally just as intrigued with OKC vs. Miami as I would be for LA-Miami). I just have a feeling about the Heat. I think they will be fine. It won't be easy against the savvy Celtics, but if they can get the game going at a faster pace, they should win. Without Shaq and Perkins, I do worry about the C's interior defense. LeBron, outside of last year's disengaged game 5 against Boston, is a match up nightmare for Boston. He absolutely embarrasses Paul Pierce, and it's nothing against Pierce. 'Bron is just a beast. I do worry about Bosh against Garnett due to Garnett being so physical. If the refs let Garnett be physical, there will be an advantage for Boston at power forward. I really have no educated pick on this one, I have no idea how it is going to play out. The Heat have tried to diminish our expectations for them this year by saying they need years to gel even though the C's Big Three pulled off a title in their first year together..........Eff it...Miami in 7...why not (I actually first said Miami in 6, but remembered that Miami actually has the home-court advantage)?