The Second Season's Second Round

The first round’s gone and along with it, the build-up of anticipation, the playoff jitters, the title pretenders, and of course Tracy McGrady. This year’s opening games brought the coronation of a new point God, one man’s emasculation of an entire franchise that dared defy his reign, the defense of a dynasty and the seemingly imminent doom of two squads that could never quite get there, a thrilling David vs. Goliath bout out East (of all places) and the public execution of the monkey on Kobe Bryant’s back. Considering none of the West series were as close as anyone thought, the first round wasn’t all that bad; at best it was more entertaining than most opening rounds, at worst it was a great excuse to lounge through a tripleheader on an almost nightly basis. The great news, aside from the Cavs moving on, is that we’re only getting started and there’s more action than a John Woo flick left to catch. Let’s dive into the second round:

Bestern Semis


Los Angeles Lakers (1) vs Utah Jazz (4)

AJ: Utah’s a fine squad that played passable ball in beating the Rockets. They’re reigning conference finalists with a diverse core of players who can hurt teams on either end of the court. Not to slight them, but their season’s about to come to an abrupt halt. The Lake Show stormed through the first round with the only sweep, both defeating and demoralizing the Nuggets. They played the kind fast-paced game that Dallas wished they could’ve in the 1/8 tilt last year; moving the ball efficiently, maintaining their cool amid erratic D and getting huge games from their go-to-guy. Utah just seems too slow for the Lakers, who are looking increasingly confident and capable of matching up with anyone. Mehmet isn’t enough of a force to stop Pau in the post, Kobe will feast on the Brewer/Korver combo, and if Jerry Sloan wants to go zone, LA’s got enough gunners to make him regret it. Utah’s going to be very hard-pressed to stop the Lakers from scoring, while themselves having broke the century mark just once against the Rockets. I’ll give the Jazz two games at home (maybe) but LA’s just been playing way too fluidly for me to really believe Utah’s fucking with them.

Lakers in 6

Christian: This a match-up of two great teams. The Utah Jazz have had good playoff success in the Deron/Boozer era, and the whole team package looks better than last year when they made it to the Conference Finals. Kyle has fit in well, and Mehmet is playing very stellar. That said, the Lakers are playing championship ball night in and night out – something that can’t be said so easily about the Jazz. Add an unguardable MVP who is making his team better than he ever has before, and a big, white acquisition who beasted Marcus Camby thoroughly last round, and you’re left with a sizeable obstacle for the Jazz. While Kobe and Pau terrorize defenses; Derek is a seasoned vet who can make shots, Lamar is looking as versataile as ever and the bench has been simply great. The Jazz have had trouble putting up big points recently, despite what we saw in their regular season averages, and the Lakers are a very good, disciplined defensive team. I’ll give the Jazz the benefit of a win at home because of an insane Boozer performance. I could cover my ass and go Lakers in 6, but I think this will be closer to a sweep than a highly competitive series.

Lakers in 5


New Orleans Hornets (2) vs San Antonio Spurs (3)

AJ: This one’ll be a doozy. If New Orleans is ever gonna fall off, this is their time; going headstrong into the reigning champs, themselves fresh off a convincing win over a tough opponent. I know I’m far from alone in that I’ll be rooting for them like I was one of these guys http://imdb.com/title/tt0115851. It’s going to be a tough draw both ways though; Pretty Tony and Mr. Paul are going to face much tougher defenders in each other than the Playstation Skills Challenge dummys they ran circles around in their first five games; they’ll wear each other out. David West’s jumper will keep Timmy D honest and off the block, but he’ll have to stay out of foul trouble when he gets posted up. Peja will get to relax on D against Bowen, but will be tested more than ever for his buckets. They’re both well-coached and have deep, playoff-tested benches. They even split the season series; it could go either way, like the Spurs’ Queens against the Hornets’ Ace-King…fuck it, I’m having such a serious time deciding this one that I’m going with the sentimental favourite. Flop brings an ace.

Hornets in 7

Christian: The most intriguing series of the 2nd round in my opinion. On one side, the “best team of the last decade”, whose winning percentage is as high as any team in professional sports and is full of (almost) entirely 30 something year olds preparing for another basic playoff run and subsequent chip’. On the other side, a team that has been surprising everyone all season, who is led by the best point guard in the NBA. The Hornets, run and operated by Chris Paul, have found a way to beat the league’s best on a fairly consistant basis, and were only a few botched plays away from being the #1 seed. I’d like to think the Hornets will be able to put up loads of points, but history would tell us otherwise when you’re rompin with the champs. Seeing how good Tony has been in the playoffs, coupled with the model big man who has been Icy (Timmy son) and a monsterous wildcard in Manu, I can’t bet against the Spurs. Their style bores me and I pray to God that Tyson and David West light them up, but San Antonio’s pedigree is forever etched in my mind. There will be an eventual changing of the guard in the West, but with the Spurs still on top of their game, 2000-7-08 isn’t the year.

‘Tony P calls a pick, watch Timmy switch and kick it to Bob Horry for a shot that’s sick
When there’s a coin ya gotta flip, the heads say Greg Popovich’ - Ghostface Streezah

San Antonio in 7


Leastern Semis


Detroit Pistons (2) vs Orlando Magic (3)

AJ: Neither of these teams did anything outstanding in the first round (Detroit did their usual act, mailing in a few against the Sixers while Orlando actually allowed the Raptors to keep a few games close and win one while playing basketball that no existing adjectives are vulgar enough to describe) so this series is up for grabs. Orlando has a talented young team, a guy nobody in East can really lock down and lofty expectations -http://slamonline.com/online/2008/05/expectations-are-high-in%20orlando while Detroit proved in last year’s East Finals that they can fall asleep long enough for a worse team to beat them in six. Neither team matches up terribly; though the Piston bigs will have their hands full with D12 on the block, their guards might win them the series. I like Jameer Nelson’s game but he’s outclassed by Billups at both ends and Keith Bogans is too slow to guard Rip and surely remembers from Wildcat practices that Tayshaun’s too long for him. Their athletic but none-too-intimidating benches may tilt the scales in this series, especially for the Magic. If they can steal one on the road and get their whole rotation playing energetic, cohesive ball, then they could win this series. Detroit’s more experienced, but I honestly feel like Orlando’s hungrier. That being said, the ever-complacent Pistons haven’t looked this shaky in the playoffs in awhile, and if they’re ever to play with a sense of urgency, now’s the time.

Pistons in 6

Christian: A very even matched series in my mind. Detroit has been that staple in the Eastern Conference Finals, rarely facing serious opposition until then (I’m soooo sorry 06-07 Bulls) and they have the playoff-ready nucleus that the Magic can only wait for. I really don’t think anyone can guard Dwight on the block, in the whole Eastern Conference, so I expect him to continue the slow waltz of >15 rebounds he commenced against Canada’s Euroleague squad. I’d think the Pistons will be able to lock down the supporting cast, but this series could come down to Rashard or Hedo just thoroughly outplaying Rip or Tayshaun and it could be a wrap. Looking at past years, it would be appropriate for Detroit to clean up here, but the Magic are surprisingly solid. The more I think about it, the more I feel like Orlando is gonna take this. I seem to remember the type of player that led them to the Finals in 95’…a huge, athletic, black center who dunks effortlessly. At this moment in time, would I rather have Sheed or Hedo…well, I won’t tell you for AJ’s sake. Detroit needs to get to the line, and both teams want to dictate the 3 point game within the game. If Phili can steal a few games, then I like Orlando. The fact that their coach looks like Super Mario doesn't hurt either.

Orlando in 7


Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs Boston Celtics (1) or Atlanta Hawks (8) *currently undecided

AJ: And while the Celtics suit up again on Sunday, instead of squaring off with the Cavs in a second-round marquee they’ll be trying to avoid becoming the second 65+ win team to be merked in the first round in as many years. As a Cavs fan I’m happy we might face a worse team and either way a more fatigued one. As a basketball fan I’m delirious that this might happen again, an upset of this magnitude only comes around twice every so often. As a Kevin Garnett fan…I’m slightly discouraged. This guy needs a crack at a title. In 2004, the only year KG’s ever survived the first round, as his T-Wolves were headed into Game 7 against Sac-Town in the West semis KG was…well, let him tell it: ''This is it…It's for all the marbles. I'm sitting in the house loading up the pump, I'm loading up the Uzis, I've got a couple of M-16's, couple of nines, couple of joints with some silencers on them, couple of grenades, got a missile launcher. I'm ready for war.'' Several hours later, he hung 32 and 21 with 4 steals and 5 blocks on the Kings in a W. Here’s hoping all those years in Minnesota didn’t totally snuff out that fire.

Christian: There will be a more thorough look at this series, once it is known who the Cavs will beat…err play. And by the way peep the remaining Western Conference point gods of note (sorry Dfish there wasn't one with the 4 of you)...old man Steve Nash is nowhere to be seen. These boys still got alot of all star calibre years left in them..Pretty Toney's the oldest...at 25. Who do you think is going to the promised land?