Re: Crystal Ball of Playoffs. Updated!

["Jon Michael Hamm" <jonmichael@honors.educ.ou.edu>]

>About the playoffs, what do y'all think?
>
>1st rd. 
>EAST
>Bulls bt. Bullets 3-1 (Not this yr for hot Bullets)

The battle of colgnes, Jordan vs Muresan. Mike's smells better. I predict a
Bulls sweep.

>Heat bt. Magic 3-2 (Close)

I think now that Riley has a full healthy roster, they are going to make
alotta more noise in the playoffs. Magic may win one, but I smell a sweep by
Miami here.

>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)

This sounds about right. I'm very much interested in the Playoff matchup of
LJ/Mason. Knicks in 5.

>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)

I pick the Hawks in 4.

(Gee, I'm making some bold decisions, ain't I?)

>WEST
>Utah bt. LAC 3-0 (Weak competition)

A sweep indeed.

>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) 

Here's where I pick the upset. Phoenix in 5 over a distracted Seattle team.

>Houston bt. Minnesota 3-1 (Experience over talent)

Goners this year, but watch out in the next couple of years.

>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)

Boy, $haq has looked tough since his return. Portland has one of the most
atlented teams in the NBA. They also have the most head cases as well. Tough
call indeed. I'm going to have to go with my mind and say Lakers in 5.

>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)

Agreed here.

>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)

If this becomes the 2nd round matchup, watch out! It will be an incredible 7
game series, and I agree, it will go the full 7 with the Knicks walking away
the winner.

>WEST
>Utah bt. Seattle 4-2 (Karl and Stockton's last charge)

I go with Utah over Phoenix in 5.

>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)

A great passer for his size, can also hit the 3 with good consistancy. I'll
take the Rockets in 5 here.

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

I think this series, if it comes to be, will go the full 7. They split the
season series 2-2, and the margin of victory was no larger than 4. Call me
crazy, call me nuts, but I think this year Patrick Ewing will become
Jean-Luc Picard and say "The line must be drawn HERE!". Knicks in 7!

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

I go with Utah here. Barkley finally has to shut his big mouth.

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

The Knicks, after a heckyl and jeckyl season, finally put it all together
and take the Jazz to 7 games. John Starks erases all memories of that 2-18
shooting in Game 7 of the 1994 Finals, and the Knicks walk away the champs.

>What do y'all think?

NBC will never allow that matchup to happen. Somehow, someway, the Bulls
will wind up playing the Lakers or Rockets in the Finals. Damn, I'm
contradicting myself already...

>Please comment! - Danny

I think you all should know, before the season I picked Charlotte to finish
last in the Central with a 31-51 record. I also picked Miami to finish
41-41, Indiana to finish 50-32, the Mavericks to finish 45-37, the Spurs to
finish 56-26, and the Celtics to finish 30-52. So, take these into
consideration while I strap on the asbestos suit... :)


|====================================================|
| Jon Michael Hamm 	   JonMichael@Honors.ou.edu  |
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