2009 NBA PLAYOFFS TAKE 3

 

First there were sixteen, then there were eight. Now there are four. So here we go again, let's see if I can manage not to screw these up.

EAST

Cavs vs Magic: Well the last time the Cavs reached the Eastern Conference Finals was in '07 when they went up against the Pistons at their meanest and dullest. That year it was going to take a classier team to see off LeBron and crew though and even with the Pistons having homecourt advantage, the Cavs still won 4-2. The Magic haven't made it this far since '96 and even back then the Shaq and Penny Hardaway show got themselves swept 4-0 by MJs Bulls. That came off the back of an encounter with Reggie Miller's Pacers in the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals. Homecourt advantage was the crucial thing in that series, the Magic had it and won 4-3.

Well Dwight Howard is certainly not Shaq and this current Magic team would be my thinking still get edged by their predecessors from the 90s. The team they have to deal with though are the Cavs. Now I called this matchup all the way through but the way things have played out with the Cavs sweeping both series so far reminds me of the '05 Heat team...and they then ran into a brick wall in Detroit. One thing is for certain. The Cavs will not get swept here. However this generation of Magic players are still in unchartered territory. Yes they've got enough to give the Cavs a headache(for once) but I can't see them putting LeBron and crew out. Cavs in 6.

WEST

Lakers vs Nuggets: For the Lakers, this is their second appearance in the Western Conference Finals in a row. Last time round they faced the then reigning champions, the Spurs and had a relatively easy time, winning the series 4-1. As for the Nuggets, it's another story entirely. Lakers vs Nuggets is a rematch of the 1985 Western Conference Finals, the last time the Nuggets reached this stage. Magic Johnson's Lakers beat a Nuggets side led by a guy called Alex English 4-1. The Nuggets have never won an NBA Western Conference Finals series. However before the 1976-77 season they played in the ABA(now confined to the history books). In the ABA's last playoffs series in 1976 the Nuggets beat the Kentucky Colonels 4-2 in a "playoff semi finals" series. That's as good as it's been for them.

In the present day, well given their history, you can't blame me for not thinking that the Nuggets would still be standing at this point. And there is now a lot of hype about them. And you've got the fact that the Lakers have only just come out of a rough ride against the Rockets in the previous round. However for the first time in these playoffs the Nuggets don't have homecourt advantage. They also have to try and counter-act Kobe and I'm not sure how they're going to do that. I'll give the Nuggets some credit, I don't think they'll get swept. I'll give them some extra credit and say they might make it a bit more interesting. Chances are though, we're talking Lakers in 6.

And how would it go from there?

NBA FINALS

Cavs vs Lakers: For the Cavs this would be their first appearance in the Finals since '07. For the Lakers, this would be their second appearance in the Finals in a row. "The losers of '07 vs the losers of '08" doesn't sound so good, does it. However these are without question the best teams in the East and West respectively. The Cavs would have LeBron James and homecourt advantage. A tough challenge for the Lakers. However they would reply with Kobe Bryant and knowledge of what it takes to win in the NBA Finals. The Cavs haven't won an NBA Finals game in franchise history. They would break that duck at least. However chances are, we're talking Lakers in 6.

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