NBA Prediction Thread

[Tygerwoody]

Make your predictions now! Playoffs are just around the corner. Who is going to win what?


NBA MVP: Chris Paul
Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Camby
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant
6th Man Award: Manu Ginobli
Coach of the Year: Byron Scott

Biggest "upset" team of the playoffs(think GSW of last year): Denver Nuggets*
Eastern Conference Finals: Pistons vs. Celtics
Western Conference Finals: Lakers vs. Nuggets*
NBA Finals: Celtics vs. Lakers
NBA Champions: Celtics
NBA Finals MVP: Paul Pierce



Note: My choice for NBA Champion was really just random. I honestly have no idea.

*Assuming Nuggets actually make it to the playoffs. :D

[Zelda_fan]

Denver might win one or two lucky games, but they can't play on a sustained level required to beat a #1 or #2 western seed. They'll be out in the first round.

I'm going for Phoenix vs Celtics in the finals. Of course it's no big secret that I'm a phoenix fan...

[Tygerwoody]

Denver might win one or two lucky games, but they can't play on a sustained level required to beat a #1 or #2 western seed. They'll be out in the first round.

I'm going for Phoenix vs Celtics in the finals. Of course it's no big secret that I'm a phoenix fan...
fill out the entire list. Thats the point of the thread.

And for the record. I think Denver can take out the Hornets, which is who it looks like they will be playing. Also, I will be very surprised if Phoenix makes it past the second round. Just my .02 cents.

[Zelda_fan]

NBA MVP: Kobe Bryant
Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Camby
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant
6th Man Award: Manu Ginobli
Coach of the Year: Doc Rivers

Biggest "upset" team of the playoffs(think GSW of last year): Houston Rockets
Eastern Conference Finals: Pistons vs. Celtics
Western Conference Finals: Phoenix vs. Lakers*
NBA Finals: Celtics vs. Phoenix
NBA Champions: Phoenix
NBA Finals MVP: Steve Nash/Amare Stoudamire

[Sazar]

MVP: Kobe Bryant
Defensive MVP: Marcus Camby
Rookie: Kevin Durant
6th Man: MAAANOOOO GEEENOOOBLEEEEEE
Coach: Doc Rivers

Biggest Upset Team: Orlando Magic honestly. No one expects a team to beat Boston or Detroit, they may do it.
Easter Conference: Detroit/Celtics
Western Conference: Spurs/Lakers
Finals: Lakers/Celtics (how awesome would that be :D )
Champions: Lakers
MVP: Kobe

[nrdstrm]

MVP: Kobe Bryant
Defensive MVP: Marcus Camby
Rookie: Kevin Durant
6th Man: MAAANOOOO GEEENOOOBLEEEEEE
Coach: Doc Rivers

Biggest Upset Team: Orlando Magic honestly. No one expects a team to beat Boston or Detroit, they may do it.
Easter Conference: Detroit/Celtics
Western Conference: Spurs/Lakers
Finals: Lakers/Celtics (how awesome would that be :D )
Champions: Lakers
MVP: Kobe

OK...That's my list as well :P The only one I'm not sure about is the Magic, but I suppose it's possible...

[methimpikehoses]

MVP: Kobe Bryant with a tip of the hat to Paul
Defensive MVP: Marcus Camby (sure, why not)
Rookie: Kevin Durant (shoulda been Oden :p )
6th Man: Manu
Coach: Byron Scott in a landslide

Biggest Upset Team: Denver... but they can't beat LA... maybe Phoenix
Easter Conference: Pistons/Celtics
Western Conference: Suns/Lakers
Finals: Lakers vs. Celtics
Champions: Boston Celtics
MVP: Kevin Garnett

Should be the best playoffs in years... especially the west

[bob saget]

lakers/celtics final will be sweetness x 100.

[kingme02]

MVP: Kobe Bryant
Defensive MVP: Marcus Camby(goin with the flow)
Rookie:Kevin Durant(Again goin with the flow)
6th Man: Manu Ginobli
Coach: Byron Scott

Biggest Upset Team: Denver
East conf.: Pistons/Celtics
West Conf.: Spurs/Jazz
Finals: Spurs/Celtics
Champions: Celtics
Mvp: Kevin Garnett

[Imbroglio]

NBA MVP: Kevin Garnett
Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Camby
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant
6th Man Award: Manu Ginobli
Coach of the Year: Doc Rivers

Biggest "upset" team of the playoffs: Houston Rockets
Eastern Conference Finals: Magic vs. Celtics
Western Conference Finals: Spurs vs. Hornets
NBA Finals: Celtics vs. Spurs
NBA Champions: Celtics
NBA Finals MVP: Kevin Garnett

Yes I went out on a limb because nba playoffs never quite seem to pan out like the regular season.

[Sazar]

fill out the entire list. Thats the point of the thread.

And for the record. I think Denver can take out the Hornets, which is who it looks like they will be playing. Also, I will be very surprised if Phoenix makes it past the second round. Just my .02 cents.

Denver had a bad loss today, definitely a game they should have won :(

[Tygerwoody]

Denver had a bad loss today, definitely a game they should have won :(
Yea. I saw. If Kenyon Martin hadn't have been an absolute retard getting himself suspended they would have won that game. K-Mart is a huge part of their team's success.

[sytaylor]

I like your prediction list, although Im going with Channel 5's list, and my take.

MVP: Chris Paul (Will he keep this form for the playoffs? Who knows)
6TH MAN Manu
ROOKIE Kevin Durant
MOST IMPROVED: Dwight Howard
COACH OF THE YEAR Doc Rivers
DEFENSIVE PLAY OF THE YEAR Marcus Camby
BIGGEST SURPRISE-- THIS CAN BE A PLAYER, TEAM, OR ANYTHING YOU WANT! Shaq/Marion trade
BIGGEST DISAPPOINMENT- THIS CAN ALSO BE A PLAYER, TEAM OR ANYTHING YOU WANT! Miami

[Tygerwoody]

I can't believe I am one of the only ones who thinks Byron Scott will be coach of the year. Doc Rivers is doing great, sure. I'll agree with that. But I'll also agree that its damn hard to have a STACKED team like the Celtics and lose. Hell. The Celtics even without the "Big Three" are able to win games.

Bryon Scott took a team that really doesn't have great players at all. Hell, the leader is a 3 year point guard. For the most part the hornets are a bunch of average players who play really well together. Sure Chris Paul has alot to do with their success, but it took his coach to get him where he is. In my opinion, they should just give Chris Paul his MVP and Byron Scott his Coach of the Year Award now. Get it over with.

[Tygerwoody]

BIGGEST SURPRISE-- THIS CAN BE A PLAYER, TEAM, OR ANYTHING YOU WANT! Shaq/Marion trade
BIGGEST DISAPPOINMENT- THIS CAN ALSO BE A PLAYER, TEAM OR ANYTHING YOU WANT! Miami
Biggest Surprise: Gasol Laker's trade

Biggest Disappointment: The Cavalier's undying quest to make sure Lebron James is unhappy. Poor Trades. No Trades. Signing current pathetic players to rediculous contracts that sap up all the funds the Cavs have. The list goes on and on.

[Libertysyclone]

NBA MVP: Chris Paul
Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Camby
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant
6th Man Award: dont know
Coach of the Year: Jerry Sloan

Biggest "upset" team of the playoffs: ? the west is a mess and the celtics IMO have the east covered
Eastern Conference Finals: Magic vs. Celtics
Western Conference Finals: Jazz vs phoenix
NBA Finals: Celtics vs. Jazz
NBA Champions: Jazz
NBA Finals MVP: Daren Williams

The Jazz are on fire right now and I don think anyone here can say that Jerry Sloan is notone of the best coaches of all time. If they get home court its a no brainere they wll take the west if not they will struggle bt make it.

Go Jazz!

[sytaylor]

I can't believe I am one of the only ones who thinks Byron Scott will be coach of the year. Doc Rivers is doing great, sure. I'll agree with that. But I'll also agree that its damn hard to have a STACKED team like the Celtics and lose. Hell. The Celtics even without the "Big Three" are able to win games.

Bryon Scott took a team that really doesn't have great players at all. Hell, the leader is a 3 year point guard. For the most part the hornets are a bunch of average players who play really well together. Sure Chris Paul has alot to do with their success, but it took his coach to get him where he is. In my opinion, they should just give Chris Paul his MVP and Byron Scott his Coach of the Year Award now. Get it over with.

As Chelsea proved in the Premiership, often having the biggest players just means you have the biggest egos. Making a team of that, that works so so very well is difficult. On regular season performance Doc Rivers just edges it for me, especially considering how mediocre the Celtics were in the past. It was a close call for me though.

[Tygerwoody]

As Chelsea proved in the Premiership, often having the biggest players just means you have the biggest egos.
Not really. Big ego players are big ego players. Usually skill doesn't have much to do with ego. Garnett, Allen, and Pierce are all three very level headed players. While its amazing these guys work so well together, they are all some of the best in the business. I think just about any coach with that team would be in close to the same situation. I can't say that for the Hornets. I only believe a few coaches could pull off what Byron Scott has. Another thing I'll add is the Celtics are playing in the East, which is an absolute joke this year. The Hornets to pull off what they are in the West is incredibly impressive.

If the Celtics were in the West, I honestly believe they would only be around 4th seed or below. Just my opinion, but obviously could never be proven. I'm still of the opinion that the Celtics have a good chance to win it all, but I still don't believe they would handle the constant pressure West play like the Hornets have and still keep the same record.



Either way. You know what is the BEST part about all of this basketball talk? You ALL have good points for each team on who will win and why. When's the last time this has happened in any sport? There really are a good 6-7 teams that are fully capable of a Championship this year. While I believe the Celtics have the best chance, the teams are SO close that I would certainly never put money on them. Or ANY team for that matter. This is the most exciting NBA we have had in well over 10 years. Actually, I'll go as far as to say that its more exciting now than the Jordan years(yea I said it). This is the CLOSEST competition I've ever seen in history.

[sytaylor]

If the Celtics were in the West, I honestly believe they would only be around 4th seed or below. Just my opinion, but obviously could never be proven. I'm still of the opinion that the Celtics have a good chance to win it all, but I still don't believe they would handle the constant pressure West play like the Hornets have and still keep the same record.

The Celtics breezed through all the texas teams and won every game. I'm not so sure about that. Yes they have great players, but the tactics are spot on too.

But yes, this is the best season in a good while.

[methimpikehoses]

I can't believe I am one of the only ones who thinks Byron Scott will be coach of the year. Doc Rivers is doing great, sure. I'll agree with that. But I'll also agree that its damn hard to have a STACKED team like the Celtics and lose. Hell. The Celtics even without the "Big Three" are able to win games.

Bryon Scott took a team that really doesn't have great players at all. Hell, the leader is a 3 year point guard. For the most part the hornets are a bunch of average players who play really well together. Sure Chris Paul has alot to do with their success, but it took his coach to get him where he is. In my opinion, they should just give Chris Paul his MVP and Byron Scott his Coach of the Year Award now. Get it over with.

I would be shocked if Scott didn't get it... for all the reasons you mentioned.

[Zelda_fan]

But I'll also agree that its damn hard to have a STACKED team like the Celtics and lose. Hell.

ummm, denver anyone?

[Tygerwoody]

ummm, denver anyone?
You guys are completely misinterpreting what I am saying and are just being thickheaded. Its alot easier to start with a STACKED team(yes like Denver or Phoenix) and make them great than it is to take a mediocre team(like the hornets) and make them great. Its almost as if you guys are saying having a team with great players is a BAD thing. Thats just dumb. Its just unfortunate that certain teams(like Denver) can have such great players and still not be dominate. You are looking at great players as a disadvantage instead of advantage. That is a HUGE advantage. Every now and then your stacked teams of players that can't play well together come along. Thats just basketball. Why is this seen as anything other than strange?

The "Big Three" are all classy players that have always been able to "play well" with others. A player like Iverson, Kenyon Martin, or Carmelo Anthony do not play well with others. Thats just their personalities(which Iverson's is finally getting better) and team chemistry. Since when does "Good Player" = "Bad at TeamWork"? Again, thats just stupid. Being "good" has nothing to do with team chemistry. Some teams have it. Some don't. Celtics, they have it. The coach has an EXTREMELY easy job with their team. Hornets, they have chemistry too. Only they have half the talent of the Celtics, yet are still doing extremely well. Thats great coaching.

[sytaylor]

I've always been a subscriber to the idea that its a much better idea to have a balanced and solid TEAM, than it is to have a handful of exceptional players and everyone else left for dust. The thing with the Celtics is they dont have to play the big 3 to win, but they have the option to.

[Sazar]

I've always been a subscriber to the idea that its a much better idea to have a balanced and solid TEAM, than it is to have a handful of exceptional players and everyone else left for dust. The thing with the Celtics is they dont have to play the big 3 to win, but they have the option to.

Actually they kind of HAVE to play the big 3 to win because their record without the 3 on the court ain't so hot.

[Tygerwoody]

Kobe is back in the MVP rankings with last nights game. If the Lakers end up with the best record, Kobe will probably be MVP. It will be very close between him and Chris Paul.