Here's your chance to discuss what you think of the current playoff matchups, including which is the most intriguing matchups, and who will give the Pistons the most problems.

Have at it!

I'm confused. Why not have the discussion in the post with the actual matchups?

We can do that if you'd like - I figured I'd keep it cleaner.

Up to you guys.

Well this way I have to switch back and forth to see the matchups, and I'm lazy. But either way works.

And so it shall be done.

I like having them separate so they don't get buried in this thread when they are updated each day, thanks MoTown!

That Heat/Cavs matchup would be great for the Pistons, let's get one of those teams (and their superstars) out right away. Hopefully they can beat each other up first.

I like that Suns/Lakers rematch from last year too.

One thing I did notice is that on the 17th and 18th, there are four games against projected opponents... including one tonight and one on Friday. That means that in 6 out of the 8 projected matchups they will play each other before the playoffs start. Talk about a week of playoff previews.


While I don't want the Pistons to play the Heat in the second round, I will love to see LeBron vs. Wade because Stern will want to keep that series going as long as possible.

No movement last night, but my money is on the Clippers making the playoffs over the Warriors.

well, Indi moved within a game of the Magic. Lets hope they can tie them up (Indi has the tiebreaker) so our pick improves 3 spots. Too bad Indi has a hard schedule and they are...well, Indi.

i'm kind of irritated Chicago gets to live down in the 2/3 side of the bracket, avoiding us, miami, and cle in the first two rounds. However it would be good to get one of the 'ref darlings' out first.

i'm just happy cleveland and Miami will play each other. who will the refs side with? Whoever plays Washington is basically in the 2nd round for free with Arenas and Butler out.

Clippers moved ahead of the Warriors for the last spot. Poor Warriors fans - will that team ever make the playoffs?

Cleveland and Chicago are both 47-32, with Chicago holding the tiebreaker, so they're the 2 seed right now. Their remaining schedules (with my projections) look like:

Chicago
CHA (W)
@WASH (W)
@NJ (W)

Cleveland
ATL (W)
@PHI (W)
MIL (W)

Both have very easy schedules to close the season, and Bulls control their own destiny. If they both win out, as they should, Bulls keep the 2 seed and Cleveland and Miami meet in the first round.

I would actually rather see Chicago play Miami in round 1. I think the Bulls can beat the Heat, whereas I don't see the Cavs even coming close to the Heat.

I would actually rather see Chicago play Miami in round 1. I think the Bulls can beat the Heat, whereas I don't see the Cavs even coming close to the Heat.

And if they don't at least hopefully they will pound on Wade and Shaq enough to soften them up.

Bulls own the tiebreaker and both play shitty teams the rest of the way.

Clippers moved ahead of the Warriors for the last spot. Poor Warriors fans - will that team ever make the playoffs?

I'm rooting for a Lakers meltdown so GSW and the Clippers both make it. One, because I don't like Kobe, and two because GSW and LAC could both use a PG and I want Law to fall to us (I think Sactown takes Conley). LAL could use a PG too, but they also need a PF to run the triangle with as well.

I'm rooting for a Lakers meltdown so GSW and the Clippers both make it. One, because I don't like Kobe, and two because GSW and LAC could both use a PG and I want Law to fall to us (I think Sactown takes Conley). LAL could use a PG too, but they also need a PF to run the triangle with as well.

i was thinking the exact same thing.

I think GSW should make it over the Clippers if anything.

Hope for the Lakers to choke

Hornets out of the playoffs.

knicks out as well.

Golden State has beaten Dallas twice this year? WTF???

And it could be 3 for 3 with Dallas resting it's starters and Golden State playing for its lives. The Clippers could be in some trouble.

GSW is a dangerous team when healthy.

I'll bet anything that Dallas would much rather see the Clippers, especially with the whole Nellie revenge angle.

Big final night for the Clippers and the Warriors.

Orlando can move to the 7th spot tonight with a win and a Wizards loss. Even though playing the Magic would likely be a 5 game series, the Wizards will probably be four games if we start our scrubs.

I wonder if Orlando would give Chicago or Cleveland any trouble (ie stretch it to 6-7 games). I'd like to see the Bulls and Heat and the Cavs and Magic. That leaves a wounded Wizards team for us.

So if I understand this correctly, the Bulls and Cavs will be the #2 and the #5 seeds in the EC. Who ends up where will be determined tonight, with #2 drawing either Washington or Orlando and the #5 drawing Miami.

I would say that one path is definitely easier than the other.

--If the Toronto/NJ series matchup holds, it will be fun to see how the Raps fans treat Vince.

--Very interesting that GSW won the season series against Dallas, 3-0 (although the last game shouldn't really count since the Mavs mailed it in).

--Utah is #4 in the WC and Houston is #5, but when they meet in round 1, Houston will have home court advantage because of the new seeding/HCA rules.

Maybe GSW will get some extra confidence from their season matchup with Dallas. At least they know they can hang with them.

I want to see the Bulls play the Magic just because Dwight always seems to fuck Ben up.

I want to see the Bulls play the Magic just because Dwight always seems to fuck Ben up.
And Shaq doesn't?

Right now, it looks like Bulls and Heat, which is great for us. And Orlando won, so if Washington loses (down 1 point right now), we get the depleted Wizards roster. This is really falling in the Pistons favor.

Fucking Pacers.

orlando it is. shucks. the cavs now get the wizards which, given their current situation, i imagine is a 4 game floor mopping.

we get the pesky magic. we SHOULD sweep them but knowing this team, we'll give up one game.

But Miami/Chicago will be good.

yeah i'm hoping the nets beat the raptors, which is a very real possibility. that would set up a 2nd round matchup with the nets instead of the bulls-heat winner.

the nets wouldn't be a COMPLETE pushover. but they'd be easier than the bulls or heat. that would move us to the conference finals, likely against the cavs versus bulls/heat series. we'd coast to the ECF and really only have one tough series...

well, i'd have rather played the wiz, but maybe that draft slot matters, so no biggy. im actually pumped about how the matchups turned out.

gs/dalls: gonna be fun
phx/la: last year i thought la would win, this year, im very doubtful. still, this series will be great.
san an/denver: very interesting. denver is the ultimate ? in the L. i cant see san an losing, but i think denver is the one lower seed thats capable.
houston/utah: not a bad matchup itself. probably will get lost in the shuffle until it gets to games 6 and 7.


so i think every wc series is going to be awesome.
the east isnt bad either:

tor/nj: experience vs youth. plus vince back in toronto. that alone should be fantastic.
chicago/miami: damn is this gonna be good. this might be the best series of the playoffs, outside dallas/phx. this should be the nba's marquee matchup. its got it all.
and of course, our own series will be good.

the only bland series is cleveland. i watched wash the other day, and they can still score without butler/gilbert, but man does their d suck. i'll go out on a limb and say they have virtually no chance of winning this series.

I kind of wanted to see a Nets vs Bulls.

the bulls lose the season series 3-1

the only bland series is cleveland. i watched wash the other day, and they can still score without butler/gilbert, but man does their d suck. i'll go out on a limb and say they have virtually no chance of winning this series.
Aww, c'mon... aren't you looking forward to the triumphant return of LeTravel?

I hate to say this because of karma, but LOL @ Bulls. All they had to do was beat NJ and they could have strolled into the conference finals, but they can't. Now they either lose first round or get beat to shit by the Heat. Way to go Skiles!

So who's got the game thread rights around here?

Chicago Bulls 5-1


Cleveland Cavaliers 3-1


Detroit Pistons 5-4


Miami Heat 14-5


New Jersey Nets 30-1


Orlando Magic 60-1


Toronto Raptors 8-1


Washington Wizards 60-1

So who's got the game thread rights around here?

Go ahead and do a Pistons/Magic game 1 OGT, Zeeb.

No "rights" to be found here, it's first come, first served.

More like, "someone come, please bring".

ESPN Predictions:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2007/news/story?page=PlayoffPredictions-07



Pistons over LeBron

Both games ended up 98-90 last night.

You couldn't have gotten through the day not knowing that, I'm sure.

ESPN Predictions:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2007/news/story?page=PlayoffPredictions-07

Hahaha, look at the predictions for the West and then look at the predictions for the Finals

I'd like to go ahead and bump this thread so that everyone can revisit that link to ESPN's playoff predictions. Be sure to point and laugh, children. ESPN has always sucked at playoff predictions.

I'm sure that it probably already occurred to most of you, but three teams from the Central swept three teams from the Southeast in round 1.

Det>Orl
Cle>Wash
Chi>Mia