Crystal Ball of Playoffs. Updated!

[Fung Yee Danny Lim <dlim@utkux.utcc.utk.edu>]

Oh, Bill, thanks for the great game summaries!

About the playoffs, what do y'all think?

EAST                      WEST
1.Chicago                 1.Utah
2.Miami                   2.Seattle
3.NY                      3.Houston
4.Atlanta                 4.LAL
5.Detroit                 5.Portland
6.Charlotte               6.Minnesota
7.Orlando                 7.Phoenix
8.Washington              8.LAC

1st rd. 
EAST
Bulls bt. Bullets 3-1 (Not this yr for hot Bullets)
Heat bt. Magic 3-2 (Close)
NY bt Charlotte 3-2 (Here's a tough call, Charlotte's devastating when
they have it in gear but they haven't seemed that strong in recent game
which might be correctly attributed to their already having made the
playoffs. I like NY by a nose though)
Hawks bt. Pistons 3-2 (Hill's a heck of a player, but the Pistons have
been slumping of late and Atlanta does have the home court)

WEST
Utah bt. LAC 3-0 (Weak competition)
Seattle bt. Phoenix 3-1 (Phoenix fast breaking style shouldn't have much
problem with Seattle's press, but they don't have much of an inside game
to speak of. And with Seattle's stifling half court D, the interior
passes that have served the Suns so well in the regular season might not
be there) 
Houston bt. Minnesota 3-1 (Experience over talent)
Portland bt. LAL 3-2 (Wishful thinking? Well, it's going to be close. I
couldn't help but be surprised at how well Arvydas guarded Shaq. If this
continues, I think this could be the upset of the first round)

2nd rd. 
EAST
Bulls bt. Hawks 4-1 (With DR and Kukoc back, I don't think Atlanta has
the talent to stay with the Bulls. It's a mismatch everywhere)
NY bt. Heat 4-3 (It'd be a fun series, but I like Ewing's experience.
Besides, of late NY seems to have stepped up in the big ones)

WEST
Utah bt. Seattle 4-2 (Karl and Stockton's last charge)
Houston bt. Portland 4-2 (Experience prevails. But again, Sabonis is the
key. If y'all haven't seen this guy play, pay attention during the
playoffs, I think he's for real)

Semis
EAST
Bulls bt. NY 4-1 (Exhausted NY can't find fight left)

WEST
Houston bt. Utah 4-3 (Dogfight goes the distance)

Final 
Bulls bt. Houston 4-3 (Tremendous Rockets resistance to flawless Chicago
chemistry eventually fails)

What do y'all think?
Please comment! - Danny