NBA – A quick look at the NBA Playoffs (Part 2)

Let’s keep on going with our attempt to answer some question about the NBA Playoffs. Let’s talk a bit about the Miami Heat, before we get on to take a look at the team that holds the best record in the league: the Chicago Bulls. Let’s look at the facts. Miami has had a season filled with ups and downs. The 9-9 start, followed by a strong comeback in December, was then filled in with a series of downfalls that culminated with head coach Erik Spoelstra saying that there were guys in the locker room crying after the Heat lost at home against the Chicago Bulls 87-86.

Yes, after a 3-0 whopping series against Boston, the squad finally man-up to defeat the defending champions earlier this week. Still, Boston managed to finished with the third best record in the league, but to be quite honest, the Heat regular season was not as brilliant as the Big Three of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chrish Bosh might make it sound like. The Miami starting trio said that the season had been a success. Well, it will only be a success if they can turn that record into something spectacular once the season kicks in.

Sure, the Heat could have it fairly easy on the first round, playing against the Philadelphia 76ers. No one I really expecting the 76ers to stay alive further then a 6th or maybe a 7 game series. But things will not be that easy once they have to match up to either the Celtics or the New York Knicks.

The Bulls have something of an easier road down the stretch. The Bulls will have to start the season against the Indiana Pacers and should (and let’s face it, they probably will) make it pass the first round, they would probably find either Orlando Magic or the Atlanta Hawks on the second round. If we had to make our picks we would say Orlando. And the thing is that Derrick Rose might be too much of a matchup against Dwight Howard and the Magic.

There is something of a motivational component to this whole performance by the Chicago Bulls. They haven’t played like this in a long-long while. As a matter of fact, the last time we saw them played like this, they won 6 national championships. So yes, like we’ve said before, Derrick Rose is not Michael Jordan, but the people in Chicago might start believing that he is, and given the home-team advantage they have throughout the Playoffs, they are going to be a tough team to beat at home.

NBA – A quick look at the NBA Playoffs (Part 1)

This is it! In two months from now, the NBA will have its National Champion. Would the LA Lakers repeat their title and confirm themselves as the dominant force? Are the aging Boston Celtics still capable of holding off much younger (and certainly less experienced) squads? Is the Miami Heat really as good as LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh make it look like? The Chicago Bulls finished with the best record of the league and the best season since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, but can Derrick Rose and Co. live up to the high expectations?

The NBA Playoffs are finally here. As these teams have proved on previous years, it really doesn’t matter much what a team can (or specific players) can do on the regular season, because it is really the Playoffs where it all comes down to win or go home. The Lakers and the Celtics are really good at this. Both teams can turn on the switch at anytime, and then they are gone. They have what it takes to change the game. Kobe Bryant is there, Pau Gasol is there, and the squad is guided by no other then Phil Jackson, a coach that doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone no more. But can they survive the playoffs on the weakling right knee of Andrew Bynum. Last time Bynum was out, the Celtics defeated them for the 2008 championship. It’ isn’t a good omen.

The Celtics skidded plenty late in the regular season and lost the No.1 and No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Yes, at the end, Doc Rivers decided to rest his starters, so at least giving up the No.2 seed was part of a bigger plan. But can they really get back to top shape by this weekend? Let’s face it: Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are not getting any younger, and they tend to suffer a bit down the stretch. But guided by the multitalented point guard Rajon Rondo, they could once again, upset younger teams in the east. Yes, they’ll miss Kendrick Perkins, especially if you consider they might have to overcome the Knicks, the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls to arrive into the finals.