Re: Crystal Ball of Playoffs. Updated!

[bis@world.std.com (Adi Inbar)]

Jon Michael Hamm <jonmichael@honors.educ.ou.edu> writes:
>Houston bt. Minnesota 3-1 (Experience over talent)

*Pardon*?!!  Gugs, Garnett, and Marbury more talented than Hakeem,
Barkley, and Drexler?  That's preposterous.

Experience is overplayed by the sports media.  As a rule, talent
wins - which is why I don't expect Minnesota to win a single game in
this matchup if the Rockets are healthy.

The only upsets I predict are Charlotte over New York (although I hope
not - the Knicks would wear the Bulls down a lot more) and Detroit over
Atlanta (the Hawks overachieved; the Pistons really are that good).
*Maybe* also Phoenix over Seattle (I hope so if this really is Kevin
Johnson's last season - I love watching that guy play).

The only teams that can beat the Bulls are the Heat and the Rockets.
But Barkley won't last past the second round, so basically it's the
Heat or nobody.  If Rodman can't play, throw in the Knicks and Lakers
as well.  (If it's not obvious already, I think a dominant center is a
sin qua non for beating Chicago.)