I know the 76ers suck, but man did they get beat bad. 124-74. That's gotta sting. Good thing they got rid of that Iverson guy. He was nothing but dead weight.
There are only 15 or so games left in the season. Right now Houston and Utah would play in the first round. But there's a good chance that SA and Houston will play in the first round if the Rockets can gain a game and a half on the Jazz.
Some other potential good first round matchups if the season ended right now:
Phoenix-Denver
SA-LA Lakers
Cleveland-NJ
Washington-Miami
P.S. - Is there any team in the East that can stop Detroit? Jake and I were discussing that Detroit might win it all just because the teams in the West will be tired from playing such tough series. Right now if Dallas wanted to return to the finals they would have to go through both SA and Phoenix.
2 comments:
Rockets are looking pretty good lately. They've scored 30 or more points in 5 of the last 6 quarters. Thats crazy.
Even if the Rockets get a better record than Utah, they would still play Utah and not SA. Utah would still be seeded 4th, but Houston would have home court advantage. Thus is the nonsense of NBA seeding.
Pfft, hater. People often spend the who year berating the weaker conference. But, really, you can never tell how things will be once the finals get here. Almost no one was saying Miami was going to win it all in March of last year. Or in 2004, many were saying the western conference finals were the real finals. And detroit basically trounced LA.
If detroit won it all, it wouldn't be just cause westcoast was too tired. It could very well be a factor; but give detroit some credit. Have you seen them play much this year? (No offense, i am jsut guessing you haven't.)
They've actually been really good. They are much better than their record, especially with the mid-season addition of Webber. Nazr Mohammed never really managed to fit into the detroit system while starting for them for 33 games. since they got webber they have bene looking to trade him.
When they haven't had Chaucney out with injury, or half the team out with a nasty flu, their record has been very good. Flip Murray has been the back up to the back up all season. Not even playing in many games cause they were close. Yet, he has started the last 14 games due to teamates being absent.
The TNT dudes (not that they know everything) said pistons have a better playoff team this year than last year.
There will be many factors that decide who wins; even if it is an Eastern team. For Detroit, that would probably include, the team getting healthier. And Chauncey getting his stoke back, which it looks like mihgt tbe finally happening.
(He has shot pretty bad ever since his injury. Some games, you can see him limping because of it. He's alright to play; but, he says he knows it's one of those injuries that will hurt throughout the season. Hopefully, he continues shooting like he did this friday. Though i could see this type of injury being more bothersome during the playoffs, given the frequency of games.)
I know i always ramble. Just a few more things in defense of Detroit. :)
Their numbers have been up in a lot of areas this season from last. Especially since Webber came back. Their worst areas the last 2 season were points in the paint (forcing them to struggle greatly whenever they weren't finding there jumpshot, ei. all of last years playoffs. /sigh) and bench contribution.
Since Webber has joined, their points in the paint has usually been quite good. I swear i used to often see it in the 20s last year. And, for the first time since they won it, they have deep bench. I would say it is deeper than when they won it.
And even though they lost Ben Wallace, there defense is almost as good as last year. They switched to a lot of zone D this year, and it has been very effective. There Offense is way better. See Chris Webber vs Ben Wallace. heh. (And see Ben wallace's shot off the top of backboard from thursdays game. --play-of-the-day on nba.com 3/29)
I am a big pistons fan, but, i think i am pretty realistic when judging them. Despite Pistons incredible regular season last year, i was pretty sure they could not beat miami. And while i think the west is favored to win it, (San Antonio then Dallas) i don't htink there chances are that much greater than a coin flip.
I don't think finals of any sport ever really are. Unless you got Jordan in his prime on your team.
Last world series, every commentator i heard picked Tigers to cakewalk through the WS once the got to it. They did horrible. Rdwings have best record almost every season. they tend to lose first round too.
I know dallas looks like a jauggernaut, but its jsut a regular season. Given the amount of variables that come into play in the playoffs dallas could be just like last season's Pistons when they get there. Like Dallas (this year), Detroit (last year) was on a 70 game pace for much of the season. Detroit had 2 more losses than dallas at this point, and they were coasting at this point--cause they clinched and the #2 seed was a mile away. Yet they were a disaster area in the playoffs. (i know they got to the c. finals. but trust me, i wathced every game and they were ugly.) DAllas could go that way this year. Or SA or pheonix.
I'm jsut saying i think when a team is favored, that it is probably closer to 60-40%. Not 95-5%. Especially in the finals. To call the finals the exhibition game is straight naive.
The End.
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