1.    Philly-Detroit:    When Philly took game one, I considered this a complete aberration.  Imagine my surprise to see the Sixers beat up the Pistons in game 3 to put the Pistons in a seriously defensive posture.  Yes, Philly matches up well at the point against Chauncey Billups because Andre Miller was playing well and couldn't be overpowered by Billups' size.  But the Sixers' front court really can't match up the depth the Pistons offer.  The Pistons also have a demonstrated history of … [Read more...] about Playoff Thoughts

1.    Recurring Matchups:    While watching the Cavs eviscerate the Wizards last night, I found myself a little bored.  Not just because the game had little competition but also because we've seen a bit more Wiz-Cavs than I need to see.  The two teams had a pretty entertaining playoff series in 2005-06 (that the Cavs won 4-2).  Last year, the Wiz were hurt and got shlumped by the Cavs 4-0 in the first round. Now, we are seeing a not too exciting series for the third straight year.  The first … [Read more...] about Playoff Thoughts

Usually when we look at the playoffs, it's pretty easy to discern the front runners and the also-rans.  Each year the question was whether the Spurs would win it all or whether their one nemesis (usually Dallas or Phoenix) could knock them off.  This year, however, it's clear that the West is wide open.  The Spurs look like they are on pretty much equal footing with every other Western Conference team.   This creates fun and uncertainty.  Making predictions, however, is not such a reliable … [Read more...] about Playoff Predictions with Kyle Wright