2006 NBA PLAYOFFS PREDICTIONS

We'll start with the East:

Pistons vs Bucks: I may not like Detroit basketball that much but this really looks to me like a no brainer. Despite the recent Bucks win I don't honestly see much hope for the underdog here. Pistons in 4.

Heat vs Bulls: Now I remember when both of these sides were Eastern heavyweights, MJs Bulls beating Tim Hardaway's Heat in the Eastern Conference finals of '97. Slight problem, while Shaq's Heat could probably beat their '97 counterparts, the veteren Jordan and Pippen would surely batter Deng, Gordon and crew. Like in '97, I say this'll go to five games, only the Heat winning this time.

Nets vs Pacers: Hmmmm things start getting tricky here. The Nets have Vince Carter, Jason Kidd and home court advantage. The Pacers have Jermaine O'Neal, Peja Stojakovic and a winning record over the Nets in the regular season. New Jersey has playoff history on their side after a first round win over the Pacers in '02(not that that counts for much given that both rosters have been overhauled since then. I'd give the Nets the edge in a playoff series but I can see them needing seven games.

Cavs vs Wizards: OK so the Wizards best the Cavs at home recently and the Cavs haven't made the playoffs since '98 but thanks to Le Bron James, they are definately capable of making up for lost time. Cavs in five.

Now the West:

Spurs vs Kings: The Kings have their uses but I'd expect the Spurs to win this one in five.

Suns vs Lakers: The tastiest tie in the first round by far! The Lakers will be hungry for playoff action after a year out and will put up one heck of a fight against Steve Nash's crew but the Suns have the regular season record over this oppisition and the evidence that the Lakers are too reliant on Kobe is in the fact that the Suns have the Pacific title and they don't. Phoenix in six.

Nuggets vs Clippers: OK...we have the NBA's two shock packages matching up in the playofs first round. It's the Clippers first playoff appearance since '97 and I remember them getting battered back then. They do have a better regular season record than their 3rd seeded opposition though. Way...too close to call but my hunch says the Nuggetts will pull it out though the stats say this is the prediction I'm most likely to get wrong.

Mavs vs Grizzlies: The Mavs in reality should be the number 2 seeds in the West. Can't see Memphis stopping them. Mavs in 4.

So, if that were to be how things would go down for the first round, what about the latter stages of the post season?

CONFERENCE SEMI FINALS:

Pistons vs Cavs: You'd have to go back to 1993 to find the Cavs at this stage in the playoffs and the Pistons are almost certainly going to be too good for them on this occassion. However, Le Bron James would allow his side to put up a decent fight. Pistons in 6.

Heat vs Nets: The Nets would give the Heat quite a match up here but I'd expect Shaq and crew with home advantage to see them off. Heat in 6.

Spurs vs Mavs: A virtual conference final in theory with the two Texas sides having slugged it out throughout the regular season. The Spurs have picked up the top seeds though which gives them home court advantage anywhere in the West which would be the biggest thing serparating the two sides. Spurs in seven.

Suns vs Nuggets: This wouldn't be a major issue for Phoenix. Suns in five.

CONFERENCE FINALS:

Pistons vs Heat: OK...a rematch of last year which the Pistons won and yeah, the Pistons have the best regular season record in the League this year. Which would give them homecourt advantage here. One thing to bear in mind though, the Heat had injuries last time out and the San Antonio Spurs sides of the mid-90s should tell you about how much regular season form counts in the playofs. Assuming no more injuries...I fancy the Heat to get payback. In seven.

Spurs vs Suns: As in the East, it would be a rematch of last year but in this case I can't see past the Spurs again. The defending champs in six.

NBA FINALS:

Spurs vs Heat: Hmmm...tricky. By rights I think this Heat side deserve an NBA title. Only problem is, their route to the finals would leave them knackered. Given the Spurs would have homecourt advantage I'm going with a straightforward prediction. San Antonio to repeat in seven.

Let's see if those predictions are any good.

Click here to visit the Basketball archive

Comments go here

Click here to return to sports homepage

Click here to return to Matt G's homepage