NBA PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS PART 3

 

Well, I made one set of predictions at the start of the playoffs, which didn't go quite to plan. I then made another set of playoff predictions at the start of the conference semi finals which went completely wrong. Now it's Conference Finals time. What else can I get wrong?

EAST

Magic vs Celtics: Well for the Magic it's their second trip to the Conference Finals in a row and last time around they beat the Cavs 4-2 despite the fact that the Cavs had been the dominant team in the playoffs up to that point. For the Celtics, this is their first trip to the Conference Finals since '08 but on that occasion they did manage to make all fans of classy basketball happy by beating the zzz fest that are/were the Pistons to the tune of 4-2. In terms of history, well no one can argue with the Celtics history in the game overall. However this is still slightly more familiar territory for a Magic side who will be hungry for a trophy of their own.

Fast forward to the present day and it's pretty obvious who the form side is, the Magic having swept both their previous opponents. The Celtics in the meantime can claim to have made morons out of me and dare I say it a lot of other NBA fans by disposing of the Cavs in the previous round - clearly they cannot be taken for granted. The Celtics however are pretty much just the '08 title winning team two years older who just so happened to catch the number 1 seed on the hop. Surely the Magic will have learned from that. Yet they surely won't be able to claim a sweep this time around. With home court advantyage they have to be the safe bets to win the series though - Magic in 6.

WEST

Lakers vs Suns: For the Lakers this would be their third trip to the Conference Finals in a row. Last time around, they gave that season's surprise package the Nuggets a reality check by beating them to the tune of 4-2. For the Suns, well this is not such familiar territory for them. The last time they got this far in the post season was in '06 and even back then they found themselves falling 4-2 to the Mavs. The last time the won a Conference Finals series was back in the Charles Barkley early and the relatively early days of that era at that. The history books say that they beat the Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton Seattle Supersonics 4-3...the year was 1993.

Fast forward to the present day though and I'm glad to say that I called this matchup correctly, even though it was at the second time of asking. Both sides come into this series having swept their conference semi final opponents after having been given a relatively rough ride in the 1st round. Steve Nash's eye should hopefully have recovered so the Suns should be capable of giving Kobe and crew a headache. Still, it's the Lakers that not only have homecourt advantage for this series but they als have the experience in the latter stages of the playoffs. They are the reigning NBA champions after all. The Lakers are the sure bet to win this series - in 5.

If that's how it went down, where would things go from there?

NBA FINALS

Magic vs Lakers: Of course this would be a rematch of last year's Finals. On that occasion the Lakers took the trophy by winning the series 4-1. It would also be the Lakers third trip to the Finals in a row. It would be the Magic's 2nd trip to the Finals in a row yet they have still to win a title since the franchise was started in 1989. This time round though, well amazingly the Magic would have homecourt advantage but again it's the Lakers that know how to win a title. The Magic would certainly give them a rougher ride that last year though. However I never saw the Magic as serious title contenders before now and I don't think it's their turn to win this year. Lakers in 6.

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