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Predicting The Entire Outcome Of The 2015 NBA Playoffs
Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsPredicting The Entire Outcome Of The 2015 NBA Playoffs
The NBA playoff field was finally set at the close of the United States' tax day. 16 teams enter and 15 will slowly get eliminated over the next two months. If long grinds and Western conference influence are your forte, then the NBA playoffs will be your spring sanctuary. Here’s how it will all go down — in much less than two months and in just one article.
1 Golden State Warriors vs. 8 New Orleans Pelicans
Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsAlthough every team from the NBA’s Southwest division made the playoffs, the New Orleans Pelicans will be the first team out. The Golden State Warriors spread the floor too beautifully, shoot too well and Steve Kerr will make it clear the Warriors are coasting no longer.
Warriors in four
1 Golden State Warriors vs. 8 New Orleans Pelicans
Although every team from the NBA’s Southwest division made the playoffs, the New Orleans Pelicans will be the first team out. The Golden State Warriors spread the floor too beautifully, shoot too well and Steve Kerr will make it clear the Warriors are coasting no longer.
Warriors in four
1 Atlanta Hawks vs. 8 Brooklyn Nets
Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY SportsLook for about four of five Atlanta Hawks to earn double-doubles during this series. The Brooklyn Nets are scrappy, but the Hawks have mastered spacing. Oh, and Kyle Korver could shoot lights-out even with the lights off.
Hawks in five
1 Atlanta Hawks vs. 8 Brooklyn Nets
Look for about four of five Atlanta Hawks to earn double-doubles during this series. The Brooklyn Nets are scrappy, but the Hawks have mastered spacing. Oh, and Kyle Korver could shoot lights-out even with the lights off.
Hawks in five
2 Houston Rockets vs. 7 Dallas Mavericks
Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY SportsThe Dallas Mavericks tried to build a contender but took too many scraps from the junkyard. James Harden is finally playing defense half the time and has put together a season evocative of LeBron James. What’s unlike LeBron? Harden will beat the Mavericks.
Rockets in six.
2 Houston Rockets vs. 7 Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks tried to build a contender but took too many scraps from the junkyard. James Harden is finally playing defense half the time and has put together a season evocative of LeBron James. What’s unlike LeBron? Harden will beat the Mavericks.
Rockets in six.
2 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 7 Boston Celtics
Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY SportsThe Boston Celtics may have shot a little too far in the seeding. An eighth seed would have been much more of a favorable matchup than having to deal with King James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs are obviously the better team at every position, but will still be squeezing by some growing pains and drop a game to the young, but well-coached Celtics.
Cavaliers in five
2 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 7 Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics may have shot a little too far in the seeding. An eighth seed would have been much more of a favorable matchup than having to deal with King James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs are obviously the better team at every position, but will still be squeezing by some growing pains and drop a game to the young, but well-coached Celtics.
Cavaliers in five
3 Los Angeles Clippers vs. 6 San Antonio Spurs
Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY SportsThe San Antonio Spurs are a veteran group of Hulks and you don’t want to see them when they’re angry. Bad news for the Los Angeles Clippers, because since dropping multiple seeds in a matter of hours during the regular season’s last day, the Spurs are very angry.
Spurs in five
3 Los Angeles Clippers vs. 6 San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are a veteran group of Hulks and you don’t want to see them when they’re angry. Bad news for the Los Angeles Clippers, because since dropping multiple seeds in a matter of hours during the regular season’s last day, the Spurs are very angry.
Spurs in five
3 Chicago Bulls vs. 6 Milwaukee Bucks
Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY SportsI would love to see Tom Thibodeau have a complete team from wire-to-wire. Remember the 2008 Celtics? Do you also remember that Thibodeau was an assistant on that staff? The poor guy gets little credit for the hand he’s had in some amazing circumstantial accomplishments. For the Milwaukee Bucks, Jason Kidd will be attending the Thibodeau five-game coaching clinic and the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo will rip down the roof while the Bucks fall short on the floor.
Bulls in five
3 Chicago Bulls vs. 6 Milwaukee Bucks
I would love to see Tom Thibodeau have a complete team from wire-to-wire. Remember the 2008 Celtics? Do you also remember that Thibodeau was an assistant on that staff? The poor guy gets little credit for the hand he’s had in some amazing circumstantial accomplishments. For the Milwaukee Bucks, Jason Kidd will be attending the Thibodeau five-game coaching clinic and the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo will rip down the roof while the Bucks fall short on the floor.
Bulls in five
4 Portland Trailblazers vs. 5 Memphis Grizzlies
Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY SportsThis is the most deceiving of the seeded matchups. Marc Gasol is playing well and Zach Randolph can’t be discounted. Yes, LaMarcus Aldridge averages a double-double, but the Grizzlies are just too tough, especially with opening round home court.
Grizzlies in six
4 Portland Trailblazers vs. 5 Memphis Grizzlies
This is the most deceiving of the seeded matchups. Marc Gasol is playing well and Zach Randolph can’t be discounted. Yes, LaMarcus Aldridge averages a double-double, but the Grizzlies are just too tough, especially with opening round home court.
Grizzlies in six
4 Toronto Raptors vs. 5 Washington Wizards
Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY SportsBoth of these teams hit terribly cold stretches during the season, but I feel the Toronto Raptors’ collapse is more irreparable.
Wizards in seven
4 Toronto Raptors vs. 5 Washington Wizards
Both of these teams hit terribly cold stretches during the season, but I feel the Toronto Raptors’ collapse is more irreparable.
Wizards in seven
1 Golden State Warriors vs. 5 Memphis Grizzlies
Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY SportsThis is the ultimate fire and ice matchup. I see the Grizzlies holding serve at home but I see the Warriors rocking the Oracle even harder.
Warriors in seven
1 Golden State Warriors vs. 5 Memphis Grizzlies
This is the ultimate fire and ice matchup. I see the Grizzlies holding serve at home but I see the Warriors rocking the Oracle even harder.
Warriors in seven
1 Atlanta Hawks vs. 5 Washington Wizards
Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY SportsIt’s really tough to gauge which Wizards’ team we’ll see. Back in December, Washington could beat anybody, but the months that followed were wholly different. However, I believe the two-guard play of John Wall and Bradley Beal can overcome even the premium analytics of Korver.
Wizards in seven
1 Atlanta Hawks vs. 5 Washington Wizards
It’s really tough to gauge which Wizards’ team we’ll see. Back in December, Washington could beat anybody, but the months that followed were wholly different. However, I believe the two-guard play of John Wall and Bradley Beal can overcome even the premium analytics of Korver.
Wizards in seven
2 Houston Rockets vs. 6 San Antonio Spurs
Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY SportsThis might hedge on whether Harden is awarded the MVP. If Harden wins the trophy, I see the Rockets playing soft, if Harden loses the trophy, then there’s a boulder on Harden’s shoulder ready to roll. I think Harden will get the MVP.
Spurs in six
2 Houston Rockets vs. 6 San Antonio Spurs
This might hedge on whether Harden is awarded the MVP. If Harden wins the trophy, I see the Rockets playing soft, if Harden loses the trophy, then there’s a boulder on Harden’s shoulder ready to roll. I think Harden will get the MVP.
Spurs in six
2 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 3 Chicago Bulls
Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY SportsLeBron has been saving it all up for the playoffs and we’re about to see one more round of performance from the King’s peak. The Bulls will likely be decimated as usual and just won’t have enough to overcome Cleveland, regardless of Thibodeau’s genius.
Cavaliers in five
2 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 3 Chicago Bulls
LeBron has been saving it all up for the playoffs and we’re about to see one more round of performance from the King’s peak. The Bulls will likely be decimated as usual and just won’t have enough to overcome Cleveland, regardless of Thibodeau’s genius.
Cavaliers in five
1 Golden State Warriors vs. 6 San Antonio Spurs
Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY SportsThe best way to connect the dots on this one would be with a “coming of age” analogy. The Warriors are like the young teenager who’s making huge strides in basketball and thinks he’s finally ready to beat his dad one-on-one. The only problem is that his dad has seen it all before. He stops his son from driving right, let’s him fire up ill-advised shots and beats him through acquired wisdom. The kid just isn’t ready yet and neither is Golden State.
Spurs in six
1 Golden State Warriors vs. 6 San Antonio Spurs
The best way to connect the dots on this one would be with a “coming of age” analogy. The Warriors are like the young teenager who’s making huge strides in basketball and thinks he’s finally ready to beat his dad one-on-one. The only problem is that his dad has seen it all before. He stops his son from driving right, let’s him fire up ill-advised shots and beats him through acquired wisdom. The kid just isn’t ready yet and neither is Golden State.
Spurs in six
1 Atlanta Hawks vs. 2 Cleveland Cavaliers
Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY SportsIt just feels that the Cavaliers have a ton of playoff experience, except that they don’t. It’s just LeBron, but luckily that will be enough to clip the Hawks, a team with even less playoff chops.
Cavaliers in six
1 Atlanta Hawks vs. 2 Cleveland Cavaliers
It just feels that the Cavaliers have a ton of playoff experience, except that they don’t. It’s just LeBron, but luckily that will be enough to clip the Hawks, a team with even less playoff chops.
Cavaliers in six
2 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 6 San Antonio Spurs
Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY SportsThe old-man routine won’t work on Cleveland like it did on Golden State. Although Gregg Popovich is 9000 to the 9000th power a better coach than David Blatt, LeBron sacrificed too much to come up short.
Cavaliers win it all in seven
2 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 6 San Antonio Spurs
The old-man routine won’t work on Cleveland like it did on Golden State. Although Gregg Popovich is 9000 to the 9000th power a better coach than David Blatt, LeBron sacrificed too much to come up short.
Cavaliers win it all in seven
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