Heard in the Cheap Seats

We’re down to the Final Four in the NBA Playoffs.  As far as my picks, I have so far done well in the Eastern Conference, and not too well in the Western Conference (some of that due to my desire to see the Lakers go down).  Although I did say a couple weeks ago that I felt the Spurs would replace the Suns and go to the Finals.  I think we have two great match-ups here, so let’s break it all down.

Pistons vs Celtics

This is the match-up that has been expected pretty much since the beginning of the season.  You can throw the regular season games out the window.  The playoffs are here.  This should be an awesome series to watch.  It won’t always be pretty, but it will be physical, intense, and most likely come down to execution in the fourth quarter.  These are probably the two best defensive teams in the NBA.  What I love about this series is that these two teams do not like each other and it is filled with some great individual match-ups.  The Pistons are seasoned and rested.  They have been here before.  Many of the Celtics have not.  The Celtics have gone through two grueling seven game series, but have not faced the type of test they will get from the Pistons.  How will they respond?  Let’s look at the match-ups:

1)       Point Guard- If Chauncey Billups’ hamstring is healthy, then this is one sided.  Rajon Rondo has made strides in these playoffs and he hit some big shots against the Cavs, but he has not proven that he can do it consistently.  Chauncey?  Been there, done that.  With his size and strength advantage over Rondo, I look for the Pistons to use Billups in the post more often.  I am curious to see how Rondo reacts under the pressure of getting the Celtics back to the Finals.  I have a feeling he might look like a deer in headlights.

2)       Shooting Guard- I’ve always loved Rip.  Although the whole mask thing has dropped him a couple notches for me.  I remember seeing his Coatesville team go up against Kobe Bryant’s Lower Merion team back in high school.  Ray Allen has looked like he aged 40 years since the end of the regular season.  The Celtics need Allen to step up and they should make a conscious effort to run him off screens and get him in a rhythm early.  I think both these guys will have a good series.  With the great team defense played by both teams, no one will blow you away with their high field goal percentage.  I still give a slight advantage to the Pistons in this match-up.

3)       Small Forward- This is a great match-up.  For most of the Cavs series, I though Paul Pierce did a great job defending LeBron James.  His offense suffered because of it.  Until, of course, Game 7.  Pierce impressed the hell out of me, and it’s a good thing, too.  The player previously known as Ray Allen was not helping much, and KG certainly wasn’t going to carry the Celtics in a tight Game 7.  I look for Tayshaun Prince to play the role of Paul Pierce here.  Prince probably will not contribute much offensively, save a few threes, but his main focus will be on stopping Pierce.  We all know that Prince can defend anybody.  He has about a 94 foot wingspan.  Prince should do a great job on Pierce, putting more pressure on Garnett and Allen.  I still think Pierce will have a few games where he is just on.  So offensively, Pierce will certainly contribute more, but this is still a close one.  Slight edge to the Celtics.

4)       Power Forward- You are not going to find too many match-ups better than this one.  I could go on and on about it, but I wouldn’t do that to you.  Both are great defenders, and both are important offensively as well.  They probably will not spend the entire time guarding each other, but when they do it will be physical and fun.  Wallace has way more big game experience, but Garnett is hungry.  Maybe he will finally shake the reputation of not taking over big games when his team needs it.  I doubt it, but maybe.  Wallace will mix in his three point shooting, post moves, and great defense.  Same for Garnett, except his outside shooting will be a little closer to the basket.  Both guys are great competitors and I think both will play well.  I am sure I will get some crap for this but I see this one as a draw.  Garnett is great, but Wallace will be great at the exact moments his team needs him to be.  Will Garnett?

5)       Center- Both Kendrick Perkins and Antonio McDyess are responsible for doing the little things.  Defend, rebound, get easy put-backs, keeping plays alive.  McDyess does possess the ability to hit the open 14-18 footer.  I don’t see any clear edge in this match-up.  I’ll call this a draw.

6)       Bench- Detroit and Boston have excellent benches.  Typically, teams do not get this far in the playoffs with weak benches.  Bench play usually just comes down to who is going to step up from game to game and make an imprint.  There are plenty of guys capable on both sides.  Even Sam “The Alien” Cassell.  Guys like Posey, Powe, and House for the Celtics, and Hunter, Maxiell, and Stuckey, will go far in determining who comes out on top in this grudge match. If fouls become an issue, the benches will have an even greater impact.  It’s hard to really call a favorite here.  We’ll see how they react once the pressure is on.I have already written that I think the Pistons win in seven.  I actually think it could be six, but I will stick with seven.  Yes, seven.  The Pistons can win on the road.  There’s a novel idea!  I think it is important for the Pistons to win game 1 and put the pressure on Boston.  Either way, this is going to be closely contested, physical, and fun to watch.

Spurs vs Lakers

Everybody at this point knows what I want to see happen.  Especially so that I do not have to pay out some bets that I made with friends of mine who are Lakers fans.  I previously picked the Suns to be here, and then, using a mulligan, said that the Spurs would be here.  I was hoping the Jazz would take the Lakers out, but that turned out to be wishful thinking.  Now, I worry that with Kobe Bryant able to smell the Finals, it’s too late to stop the Lakers.  Ahhh… But of course, they are playing the defending world champions.  A team that already has 4 rings to boast about.  Will the Spurs end my misery of watching the Lakers cruise to the NBA Finals?  Man, I hope so.  This promises to be another hard fought, tightly contested series.

1)       Point Guard- The more I watch Derek Fisher, the more respect I gain for him.  He plays hard and physical defense.  He almost never misses an open jumper.  He hits clutch shots in almost every game.  His counterpart, Tony Parker, is one of the fastest and quickest players in the NBA.  Not an easy match-up for Fisher.  Parker will try to get in the lane and set up easy baskets for teammates as well as run the break when it is open.  I will give a slight edge to Parker in this battle.

2)       Shooting Guard- The interesting thing in this series is the defensive match-ups.  Ginobili will not be guarding Kobe.  Bruce Bowen and Kobe Bryant will renew their long lasting love fest.  I don’t think I even need to go into either Manu or Kobe’s credentials at this point.  They are both great. Kobe, of course, is all time great.  What is great about this series is that it is filled with players that will step up in the clutch.  I am not enough of a hater to give the edge to the Spurs here.  Edge to the Lakers.

3)       Small Forward- Bruce Bowen’s main job will be to try and slow down, frustrate, elbow, scratch, kick and do whatever else is necessary to Kobe Bryant.  He will find himself open for the corner three from time to time, and he needs to knock those down.  Lamar Odom almost always poses match-up problems with his ability to handle and shoot.  Again, I reiterate that match-ups will be key in this series.  Both team will be moving different defenders around, so it’s hard to talk about head to head, but I give the edge to Odom and the Lakers here.

4)       Power Forward- The Lakers have absolutely no one that can guard Tim Duncan, so I look for a huge series from him.  I’m sure Phil Jackson will throw double teams and different bodies at Duncan, but Gasol, or Turiaf, and whoever else do not stand a chance.  Radmanovic is mainly just an outside shooter and to be effective and even have an impact he must hit shots.  Huge edge to the Spurs.

5)       Center- Oberto is another dirty work guy.  Gasol is another case of a guy who will create match-up problems for the Spurs.  He can inside and out with great efficiency.  What bothers me about Gasol is that he’s so soft.  That being said he and the Lakers have a huge advantage here.

6)       Bench- Both teams have great benches, but I do think that the Lakers have a younger and fresher bench.  It seems that everyone that comes off the bench of both team has the ability to play well and hit shots.  The Spurs bench is experienced, and it remains to be seen how the Lakers bench will perform as the series rolls on.  I call this one even. There are so many great match-ups and players in this series that you just know its going to be great.  Two great coaches involved in a chess match.  The Spurs have the experience, but they might have tired legs.  The Lakers have Kobe Bryant.  This is a tough one to call, and it will come down to defense and execution.  I just feel that at the end of the day, the Spurs have enough in them to take down the Lakers in seven.  Again, the Spurs need to steal one of the first two, or else Kobe will smell blood and drop 50 in San Antonio to put the Spurs against the wall.

I don’t care what anybody says about the Spurs being boring and all that crap.  Both these series are going to be entertaining and great for the NBA.  These are the four teams that should be here.  It will be a great couple weeks in the NBA, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out.  Let’s all kick back and enjoy the games.