Hoopdarshan 104: 2021 NBA Playoffs Preview with Akshay Manwani

Eight First Round Series. Eight BIG Questions. In Episode 104 of Hoopdarshan, NBA expert Akshay Manwani joins Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok to discuss the end-of-season award winners and help preview the playoffs with the most pressing questions of the First Round: How many Wizards does it take to stop Embiid? What does Giannis do to jump up the next level? Who is the second-best Maverick? And lots, lots more. 

Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

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Hoopistani on... Basketball Babas!

I love the NBA Playoffs more than I love most things in my life.

Real life is filled with little daily challenges, like bargaining with the auto-wallah, or worrying about the elections, or making sure I don't crack my laptop's motherboard again. But the NBA world is the tonic for all the pains, and there is no better amrit for long life like the postseason.

And this time, thanks to the help of Nation of Sport, I was able to crank up my playoff-enthusiasm to the next level. Earlier this week, I joined the NoS YouTube programme 'Basketball Babas' - as the third 'Baba' alongside Jonathan Rego and Ashwin Gopinath - to sit down for nearly two hours and discuss the long road ahead for each team in both conferences. In this special two-part episode, we spoke about each of the eight first-round matchups, made our predictions for which teams will work their way to the Finals, and even imagined the best-case narratives for each of the 16 teams to possibly win the 2019 title.

So please watch, comment, shout, murmur, share... and enjoy the playoffs!

Part 1: Eastern Conference



Part 2: Western Conference

Playoff Mahabharat

A deeper look at the NBA armies competing for supremacy on the basketball battlefield.

This article was first published in my column for Ekalavyas.com on May 5, 2016. Click here to read the original feature.

Photo courtesy: Ekalavyas. Graphic art by Nitin Jerath

Sometime around three thousand years ago, the sage Ved Vyasa set out to right probably the longest poem ever written, an epic of mammoth proportions which eventually went out to become of the most important stories ever told: the Mahabharat. It was a tale of the Kurukshetra War between the Pandavs and the Kauravs, and of so much more. Since then, there have been numerous retellings of the story, including regional Tamil versions, an Indonesian version, a Kawi version, the memorable Amar Chitra Katha comic series, big screen adaptations like Kalyug and Rajneeti, and of course, the memorable TV series in the 80s’.

Allow me another modern take on one of India’s oldest stories, but with a slight remix. Allow to me replace the five Pandavs with five positions on the basketball court, the Kurukshetra battlefield with the hardwood court, Krishna’s sage advice with scholarly coaching from Popovich and Kerr, and Arjun’s blazing arrows with long-range three-point bombs.

Here is NBA Playoffs Mahabharat!

Vyasa may not have realized it when he wrote or narrated the Mahabharat (probably sometime around 400 BC) but in the heroic winning squad of the Pandav princes, he also created the perfect basketball starting five, adopted about 2300 years later by Dr James Naismith. Six years ago, Siddarth Sharma wrote an entertaining piece on SportsKeeda about his fantasy Mahabharat team. But here are how the five Pandavs would’ve lined up for me:

• Yudhistir, the eldest of the brothers, was the most mature and virtuous leader, the point guard of this powerful squad. Without Yudhistir at the helm, this team could potentially have turned out to be a bunch of “me-first” gunners. Like Jason Kidd in his prime, you could’ve counted on Yudhistir to be the pass-first leader and an extension of Coach Dronacharya on the court.
• Arjun, the most talented brother, perhaps the greatest archer of All Time, was obviously the unstoppable shooting guard on the team, capable of hitting the long threes but also talented with skill to beat his man off the dribble. He was ambidextrous too, a skill that can definitely help on the basketball court – just ask James Harden or Manu Ginobili.
• Twins Nakul and Sahadev were the youngest brothers and known to be great swordsmen. Their ability to play their role (not everyone can demand the ball on a court, right?) made them a great small forward-power forward punch who play defence and contribute offensively when required.
• The man in the middle, the team’s center, was obviously Bheem, the giant among the brothers, the mightiest and strongest of the brothers. From everything we know about him, it’s clear that he was the Shaq of this team: just throw the big man the ball inside and he would either slam it in or help create for his teammates. I cannot comment, however, if he would survive a Hack-A-Bheem and nail free-throws at a high-enough percentage.
• The former teammate: Karan. Oh, you didn’t think I was going to forget my namesake, did you? Karan’s story is perhaps the most fascinating in the Mahabharat, as he was the eldest Pandav who ended up being raised by the Kauravs and ultimately, fought for them. Karan was the Pandav who got traded to a rival squad; when the two teams met in the post-season, you could be sure that the five brothers brought their A-game against this complicated rival.

If the NBA season is entire war, the playoffs become the most intense, crucial part of the battle, sort of like the basketball answer to the Kauravs’ Chakravyuh that foiled Abhimanyu. Each level of the Chakruvyuh gets more intricate, deeper, more difficult, just like each round in the NBA playoffs. Only 16 teams survived the regular season to step into the Chakravyuh.

Now, just eight remain.

Golden State Warriors: The Warriors have played all season perfected to The Art of War, winning with both dominance and virtuosity, as if Lord Krishna himself was on their chariot reciting the Bhagwad Gita en route to the 73-9 record. In the Mahabharat, Krishna urges Arjun to strike down Karan when Karan’s chariot wheel gets stuck in the mud. But for the Warriors, the opposite seems to have happened in the First Round of the playoffs: after a season of dominance, their ‘Arjun’ – Stephen Curry – hurt his ankle and his knee, and it seemed that the wheels had been removed off of their title chase. But a meek First Round opponent (Houston) and injuries elsewhere (Clippers) have kept the Warriors optimistic. For now, the likes of Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and co. are good enough to carry Golden State to the Conference Finals. But they’ll need Curry and his expert marksmanship to return if they hope to survive the Chakravyuh again and repeat as champs.

San Antonio Spurs: If the NBA has a Dronacharya, a teacher-par-excellence, it’s the Spurs’ Gregg Popovich. Drona was teacher to both Kauravs and Pandavs and a master of advanced military arts. Popovich is an ex-army guy and his coaching tree extends all over the NBA. The famous test of Dronacharya challenged young warriors to maintain focus amidst distractions. Only the best of the best pass this test, and in San Antonio, Popovich fosters only the most disciplined, focused group of players. After Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili, Pop’s new favourite pupil is Kawhi Leonard, who probably only speaks in vedic chants. This team won 67 games this season and have a defence as impenetrable as the armour that Lord Indra gave Karan. But they face a mammoth task in trying to stop the double-headed monster thundering towards them from Oklahoma City in Round 2.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Imagine if Arjun and Karan, instead of being on different sides, actually joined forces (like Shah Rukh and Salman eventually did in Karan-Arjun). Now imagine the growth of a double-headed force so strong that nobody – including Krishna or the other Pandavs/Kauravs – could contain it. Then you have the Thunder. Like the barrage of magical arrows on the battle-field from the Mahabharat TV series, the Thunder have the ability to rain offense and destroy opponents with the unstoppable skills of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. They look like a team of destiny, but alas, like Yudhistir and his love for the game of dice, they too have some weaknesses: namely, defence and crunch-time offense. The Thunder have at times looked incapable of stopping opponents, and the Durant-Westbrook duo becomes uncreative with their offensive plays in close moments in the fourth quarter. The next round will test their intellect and patience: they have enough talent to win on the battlefield, but do they have the wits to defeat the Spurs’ intellect at shatranj?

Cleveland Cavaliers: After losing in a game of dice to the Kauravs, the Pandavs are sent on exile for 13 years. During this time, they experience many adventures, learn lessons, hone their craft, become better warriors physically and mentally, and finally, return to their kingdom. Cleveland’s King – LeBron James – also left his kingdom and took his talents in exile to South Beach. With a couple other ‘brothers’ in exile in Miami, he went to four consecutive Finals, won two championships, and returned a stronger warrior mentally than ever before. A year ago, the prodigal son of Cleveland returned to the Cavaliers and was ready for the inevitable war. With no other challengers ready to match their firepower of LeBron, Irving, and Love, Cleveland is set to be the likely Kurukshetra battle-ground for the NBA Finals again. But will LeBron finally bring glory to his kingdom?

Atlanta Hawks: If the talents of all five Pandavs were equal, with no superstars (Arjun, Bheem) and no role-players (Nakul, Sahadev), they would come close to achieving the selfless equality of the Hawks. Remember, this is the team that, a year ago, found all five of their starters be named Players of the Month in the East. This year, after a slow start, the Hawks revved up their defence to elite level and rose past Boston in the First Round. Will they be able to stop LeBron’s yearly march to the NBA Finals in the East?

Portland Trail Blazers: In the Mahabharat’s Sauptik Parv (Book of the Sleeping), there is a mass slaughter of the Pandav army, most of whom are killed in their sleep. The battle comes down to just seven warriors on the Pandav side and three for the Kauravs. The Trail Blazers know a thing or two about suddenly losing all of their army; this past offseason, they lost four of their five starters to free agency or trade, leaving behind just Damian Lillard. But they didn’t stop fighting: Lillard continued to develop into stardom and CJ McCollum became the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Now in the Second Round, it will be Portland’s chance to ensure that they can fight strength in their surviving members against Golden State.

Miami Heat: Who remembers the Lakshagrah chapter in the Mahabharat? Shakuni, Duryodhan and Dusasan plotted a sneak attack on the Pandvas. They built a palace out of like lac and ghee and then arranged for the Pandavs and the Queen Mother Kunti to stay there, with the intention of setting it alight. However, the Pandavs received a forewarning from Uncle Vidur, and with a miner’s help, were able to dig a tunnel and escape to safety. The Miami Heat have been set alight multiple times the last few years, too, with the departure of LeBron James, the illness of Chris Bosh, and the effort to incorporate a new set of players for a sudden restart. But they have a wise uncle too – Pat Riley – who was able to rebuild a strong squad around his strongest Pandav, Dwyane Wade. Despite the near destructions, this team is still alive and contending in the 2016 playoffs.

Toronto Raptors: When the war is over, the Pandavs travel up north to the Himalayas, aiming to club Mount Sumeru before their descent to heaven. Out of all the teams in the NBA, it seems like the Raptors – the team up North in Canada – have taken the longest time to take their first steps to ascent towards the NBA peaks. Toronto won their first playoff series in 15 years against the Pacers in Round 1. But can DeRozan and Lowry help them ascent even higher?

Eight Different Stories: Previewing the Second Round of the NBA Playoffs

After the regular season reduced the fray of 30 to 16, the last two and a half weeks of the First Round further cut the number of remaining contenders to eight. Now, the remaining contenders enter the fight to the championship carrying eight different stories, and the baggage of eight different histories. Who will be the last team standing? Here is a look into the past and my preview of the Second Round of the NBA Playoffs.

Check out the whole article on SportsKeeda.

2015 NBA Playoffs - Expert's Bracket Challenge - Round 2

How are you all feeling after that? Yes, seven other series happened in the First Round and 34 other games were played, but it all came down to the epic Spurs-Clippers series, to a classic Game 7, to amazing championship performances by both sides, and a memorable performance by Chris Paul. I was so pumped that all I could think about doing after the game was heading out to the basketball court and hoping to be a little more coordinated than Big Baby Davis. But first, we have to deal with the next best thing and channel this excitement into words.

Before the playoffs, I joined ranks with fellow fans and experts of the NBA in India - Akshay Manwani (@AkshayManwani) and Kaushik Lakshman (@_kaushik7) - to turn this season's playoffs into our own mini competition, and in the process, give the fans of the game some hoops food for thought. Let me introduce to you the 2015 NBA Playoffs Bracket Challenge, where Akshay, Kaushik, and I unleash our inner prophets to predict each series of each round in the playoffs.

Here are the rules again: Each of us will get +2 for getting the series result correct. Additionally, if we get the scoreline right, we get a bonus of +1. You can find our First Round predictions here. Below, we move on to the tally on the scorecard and then make our predictions for the Second Round. Keep yourselves updated and feel free to give us your own predictions in the comments section at the end of this post.

As for our First Round predictions, all of us were correct in picking the Hawks, Cavaliers, Bulls, Warriors, and Grizzlies. Akshay is the only one who went 8/8 with his predictions, picking the right winner each time! With half of his length predictions right as well, he currently holds the top spot and bragging rights. But hey - there are three more rounds to go!

Scorecard

• Akshay Manwani: 20
  
• Kaushik Lakshman: 14
  
• Karan Madhok: 11
  

Without further ado, here are our bold predictions for the Second Round.

Eastern Conference:

Atlanta (1) v Washington (4):

Akshay’s pick: The season series went 1-3 in favour of the Hawks. But that was then. This is now. The Wizards have raised quite a few heads with their sweep of the Toronto Raptors in the first round. Contrastingly, we saw how the Hawks didn’t exactly breeze through their first round matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, with the series squared 2-2, before Atlanta won Games 5 and 6. The Hawks are also likely to miss Thabo Sefolosha, who would have been made to match up against John Wall. The Hawks are a well-rounded team, but the Wizards have the veteran experience of Paul Pierce and the better individual talent to upset these Hawks. Wizards win 4-2.

Karan’s pick: I can’t say if the Wizards sweep of the Raptors was more of the Wizards being that good or the Raptors being that bad. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, but more importantly, The Truth – Paul Pierce – currently lies in Washington. The Wizards will strut into this series with new-found swag, and the talent in their arsenal isn’t that bad, either. However, I feel that the Hawks will still hold an advantage in this matchup. Although Atlanta stumbled a little against the Nets, they found their version of unstoppable team ball in their last two wins, and that momentum will continue against Washington. Expect a super-speedy matchup between Jeff Teague and John Wall, hot shooting between Bradley Beal and Kyle Korver, but the Atlanta bigs – Al Horford and Paul Millsap – will prove to be the difference-makers. Hawks win 4-2.

Kaushik’s pick: After a rather surprising first round from both these teams, prediction for the second round just got tougher. Atlanta don’t look as crisp as they did around January, and it was surprising how they lost 2 games to Brooklyn. Washington on the other hand ‘truth-ed’ their way through the Raptors in such a surprising way, absolutely nobody could have seen that coming. In my opinion it was more of Toronto’s flaws that led to this. Against Atlanta I think they will find it much tougher both in defence and offence and just aren’t deep enough to contend. The Hawks will learn from their slips in the first round and are favourites for this one. Hawks win 4-2.

Cleveland (2) v Chicago (3):

Akshay’s pick: Old playoff foes meet again. From the days of Michael Jordan hitting his buzzer-beating shots against the Cavaliers to the days of LeBron James and Derrick Rose. The Bulls have also had their run-ins with James when he was a part of the Miami Heat and so there is plenty of baggage between both teams. The Cavs are seriously hobbled by the absence of Kevin Love and the two-game suspension to J.R. Smith. But the Cavs also have the best player in the world in James. The Bulls have also not played defense like in previous years. It will be a tough, chippy series but I do expect Cleveland to put the Bulls away eventually. Cavaliers win 4-2.

Karan’s pick: The only matchup that has truly mattered in the Eastern Conference all season, and this is definitely the NBA’s most interesting Second Round series. Bulls-Cavs is a real rivalry with great talent on both sides. Even before Kevin Love hurt his shoulder, I had felt that Chicago’s depth and two-way potential would trouble Cleveland. The Cavs struggle defending in the post, and the Bulls’ big rotation could further exploit this weakness. Without Love, LeBron will have to focus more on defending bigs like Gasol, Noah, and Gibson inside, and this will hinder his offensive genius a little. Without Love, they will not be able to spread the floor with ease offensively. Ultimately, the edge will come to who wins the point-guard battle between Derrick Rose and Kyrie Irving – and my heart says Rose. Bulls win 4-2.

Kaushik’s pick: Arguably the series of the round, I cannot wait for this one. I was impressed with Cleveland’s way of closing Boston out. Chicago in typical Bulls fashion showed both their Jekyll and Hyde side in the series but eventually were too good for the young Bucks. The main talking point will be Kevin Love and his injury. It looked like the Cavs finally started to use him very effectively, so the injury is a big blow. But they still have the best two players in the series, and normally that is enough, but probably not against this Bulls team. Loaded from top to bottom, they only need 2-3 players to click and I think it can happen. Chicago is just the kind of team where Cleveland’s offence, or lack of it, can get found out. However, there’s still that LeBron guy. The heart says Bulls, and the head says Cavs, but I’m going with the heart on this one. Bulls win 4-3.

Western Conference:

Golden State (1) v Memphis (4):

Akshay’s pick: The fast paced Warriors match up against the grindhouse Grizzlies. Sizzle meets attrition. In three regular season meetings, the Warriors went 2-1 against the Grizzlies, but with the Warriors playing without Andrew Bogut and David Lee in the first matchup when they lost. Now, Golden State will also have Lee available, the Warriors’ forward unavailable for the first round against New Orleans due to a sore back. The Grizzlies had no answer for Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in their two defeats and it is unlikely that they will be able to stop the Warriors’ backcourt now. Golden State also has home-court. Warriors win 4-2.

Karan’s pick: The Warriors are making basketball magic over in the Bay Area, and Stephen Curry is the sorcerer leading this show from the point. Curry was ridiculously good against the Pelicans, averaging over 33 points and seven assists in the First Round. Meanwhile, the Grit-‘n-grind Grizzlies looked efficient and defensively sound in their beat-down of the Trail Blazers, but with Mike Conley’s status up in the air, Memphis’ immediate future is looking a whole lot more complicated. The Grizzlies are a great defensive team, the Warriors are a great defensive and offensive team. Memphis will aim to slow down the pace to hamper the Warriors from getting into their comfort zone. Unfortunately for them however, the Warriors are looking comfortable in all zones. Warriors win 4-1.

Kaushik’s pick: Oh man, what a series. The flair on one side, and the grit and grind on the other. If there was one thing I would ask the basketball gods for, it is that Mike Conley gets fit for this because he is such a game changer. With him, this series gets competitive, else it is a wash out, that’s how good the Warriors are and that’s how influential Conley is. If you haven’t guessed already, I have a pretty big mancrush on Conley. Both teams got through Round 1 rather easily and will be reasonably well rested for this series. To beat the Warriors, you have to be good defensively, which the Grizz are, and also have good enough shooting to hang with them, which the Grizz can be but are only sparingly. And that is why they need Conley so much, he knows how to dictate play, control the tempo etc, such a vital weapon against Golden State. It is hard to bet against Curry and friends right now, and I’ll make that safe pick, while actually rooting for the Grizzlies to come through. Warriors win 4-1.

Houston (2) v LA Clippers (6):

Akshay’s pick: Firstly, congratulations to the Clippers on their win against San Antonio in what was truly one of the all-time great seven-game series in the playoffs. The question now for the Clippers is whether they can recover fast enough for Game 1 against the Rockets, who are well rested. The Clippers will also be anxious by the state of Chris Paul’s hamstring, which seemed to have impeded his movement in Game 7 against the Spurs. However, the Rockets don’t offer the same bench strength that the Spurs did and their defense isn’t anywhere near San Antonio as well. Patrick Beverley may have helped the Rockets on that front, but he is out of this series. If the Clippers can guard the 3-point line against the Rockets, they will fancy their chances no matter what the odds. Clippers win 4-2.

Karan’s pick: After years of coming up short in the super-competitive West, the Clippers finally grew up and showed that they are a team to be truly respected by knocking out the defending champs in a classic seven-game series win. Now, they face a Rockets side that has surprised me all season and looked particularly comfortable in their 4-1 win over Dallas. In some ways, this may be the most annoying series to watch, with Chris Paul and James Harden taking part in a flop-fest / complaining-competition, while Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, and DeAndre Jordan collectively miss 1,350 free throws per game. With the pressure of facing early failure off their backs, I expect Clippers to be a lot more relaxed and confident in this series. If Paul’s hamstring issues are not serious, he should make the Conference Finals for the first time in his career. Clippers win 4-2.

Kaushik’s pick: After the epic first round series between the Spurs and the Clippers, almost nothing that can happen in this series will live up to it. Will the Clippers be spent after playing a near perfect series? Is Chris Paul’s hamstring injury bad? Can they deal with another fast paced shooting team that is themselves playing beyond potential? You’d have to think the answers don’t look good for the Clips. I don’t like either of the teams but I think Houston is quietly doing something special. Harden is going to be the key seperator in the series in my opinion. I should count out the Clips at my own risk after the series we’ve just witnessed but I feel Houston will take this in a close one. Rockets win 4-2.

And the 2015 NBA champ will be…

This article was first published in the 144th edition (2015 - No. 5) of SLAM China magazine. Here is my original English version.

*I wrote this article before the playoffs began!

We have seen this movie before. Over and over again, Popovich’s disciplined and dedicated troops have stretched their dominance, squeezing the last bit of talent out of the Duncan-Ginobili-Parker ‘Big Three’, up to a point where we have entered the Kawhi Leonard era and a new face of the franchise threatens to haunt NBA rivals for another decade.

But this isn’t about the past or the future, it’s about the present. And in the present, all signs point towards another title for the Spurs, their sixth in the Duncan-Popovich era, and their first successful title defence.

There will be strong contenders on both coasts, but you can expect the Spurs to have an upper hand against every postseason challenger. The Warriors have been historically good this season on both ends of the floor, but I fear that that their inexperience (they were ousted in the First Round last year) will be exposed and they will be outclassed by the Spurs in the West. The East may present the Bulls, Cavaliers, or Hawks as the sacrificial lamb in the Finals, none of whom have the two-way balance, experience, and tactical cunning that the Spurs will be riding on.

After a relatively slow start to the regular season, Leonard, Parker, Duncan, Popovich, and co. have finished in style to peak just in time for the playoffs. The NBA is a problem, and the Spurs are the solution. With their team-first approach, passing, three-point prowess, and defensive intensity, the San Antonio Spurs will finish this season just as they began it: as NBA champions.

Bold Playoff Predictions: 15 fool-proof guarantees for the 2015 NBA post-season

This article was first published in my column for Ekalavyas on April 16, 2015. Click here to read the original post.

During my school-years in Mussoorie, there was a man who had set up a little fortune-telling business near the hill-station’s Jhula Ghar. Every day, he would lay out a carpet on the side of the street and sit behind it, waiting for gullible and interested tourists. On the carpet in front of him were dozens of small green envelopes, each of which held a card, and each card carried on it hand-written messages that told you your fate.

But the man himself wasn’t a fortune-teller, he was just medium. The real prophet was a talkative old parrot that waited in a cage on the carpet next to the man. All the man needed was your name, your city, and your date of birth, which he would then communicate to the parrot and then release it from its cage. The parrot would trot out on the carpet, sift through the envelopes, and then pick out the appropriate one. For its Nostradamic services, the parrot would receive a little snack from the man.

And for a small fee, you would have a card with your fortune scribbled in Hindi. Sometimes it would be positive, sometimes it would negative, and every time, it would be interesting. The whole transaction was a complete scam, but the entertainment it provided was well worth its cost.

Consider me your Mussoorie parrot today, and consider the NBA playoffs to be our subject. Through some knowledge, experience, and gut instinct, I’m here to evoke my inner fortune teller and hand you 15 little envelopes, each with a fool-proof guarantee for the 2015 NBA post-season.

1. Kyrie Irving will have one game with 35 points and 0 assists.

Welcome to the playoffs Kyrie. The Cavaliers have mostly solved their early-season on-court chemistry issues between Irving, LeBron, and the rest of the crew. But the pressure of the playoffs is going to coerce Kyrie to some of his old, chuck-first, pass-later habits again. I expect there to be a game where Irving will become a victim of the moment, over-shoot, and stagnate the offense. The Cavaliers will lose that game. And LeBron will have to publically call him out to set things back in order again. 

2. Paul Pierce will talk trash (and then back it up).

This is what Paul Pierce does. He spits Truth. Before the Wizards start their playoff series against the Raptors, Pierce said that Toronto don’t fear him because they don’t have the ‘it’ factor. I expect more trash-talk from The Truth in the playoffs. Although I can’t say if the rest of his Washington teammates will rise to the moment, Pierce himself will back up his words and enjoy some big moments against the Raptors, just like he did last year. 

3. Pau Gasol will complain about being benched in the fourth quarter.

Coach Thibodeau likes the duo of Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson for their defensive ability in closing out games. Just like Carlos Boozer for several years prior, Pau Gasol is the new offensively talented starter in the Bulls’ lineup. Unfortunately for Gasol, he will be ignored in a close game – a loss for the Bulls – while he sits and pouts on the bench. He will complain about it publically to the media, and then bounce back by delivering Chicago a win in the very next game.

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo will dunk all over someone.

Goodbye to the nice-guy ‘Greek Freak’, welcome to the uber-talented young monster. Antetokounmpo, in his first trip to the playoffs, will announce his arrival to the rest of the world with an earth-shaking dunk that will serve as a warning to all present and future opponents, just like he did to the Knicks last week.

5. The Splash Brothers will have 20-25 point quarters.

You already know what Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are capable of. They are the finalists of this year’s Three-Point contest. One of them is an MVP candidate who recently hit 77 threes in a row at practice. The other has had quarters of 37 and 26 points in the season already. And they share the same backcourt. At more than one time in the offseason, expect Curry and Thompson to have separate moments where they will ease to 20-25 points in a single quarter. SPLASH!

6. Chris Paul will hit someone in the nether regions (and get away with it).

Chris Paul is the best pure point guard in the league and an All Time great competitor. He’s also one of the sneakiest players in the league, with the um, questionable ability to get away with minor infractions that many of his peers and opponents are punished for. I expect CP3 to get away with at least one hard shot at an opponent’s family jewels, but the moment will be so carefully orchestrated that Paul will survive any official backlash.

7. Damian Lillard will not repeat last year’s heroics.

Lillard enjoyed a major breakout in the First Round series against the Rockets last year, including hitting the biggest shot of the year that advanced Portland to the Second Round. Unfortunately, the same heroics aren’t going to be repeated against the Grizzlies – one of the league’s most tenacious defensive squads – this year. Memphis are going to target Lillard on the perimeter from the very first game and reduce him to an inefficient shell of himself.

8. Rajon Rondo will play his best basketball in years.

It’s been several years since we’ve seen the phenomenon called ‘Playoff Rondo’, but guess what, he’s making a comeback. The Rondo and Dallas marriage has been rocky to say the least, and many believe that the experiment has failed. But the past will not matter when the playoffs begin, and under the bright lights and pressure, I expect Rondo to shine again, piling up at least one triple-double and playing with new-found energy. With free agency looming, this will be the perfect opportunity for Rondo to prove his worth to future suitors.

9. Anthony Davis will flirt with a quadruple-double.

With sheer will, The Unibrow carried the underdog Pelicans into the Western Conference playoffs, only to be presented with a nightmare First Round matchup against the Warriors. But don’t expect him to back down anytime soon: Davis has enjoyed some monster scoring, rebounding, assists, and blocks games already this season, and in the playoffs, his performances will hit an even higher barometer. I’m predicting a game where he will single-handedly carry the Pelicans with about 35 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists, and 8 blocks. But the Pelicans will still lose that game.

10. Pop will annoy Doc.

Gregg ‘Pop’ Popovich, meet Glenn ‘Doc’ Rivers. The most exciting series of the First Round will pit the Clippers against the Spurs, and two of the league’s most popular head coaches against each other. The difference, of course, is that Popovich has a greater ability to be relaxed under pressure, while Rivers has a tendency to overreact and feel victimized from time to time. There will come a time when Pop will get under Doc’s skin – probably through the Hack-A-DeAndre tactic – and the psychological advantage will favour the Spurs.

11. Kyle Korver will make Twitter overuse the fire emoji.

Kyle Korver has just completed a memorable season, becoming and All Star and shooting around 49 percent from both the field and behind the three-point line. If you were a regular Twitterer in the NBA-spere, you will be aware of the online explosions and reactions Korver’s hot-shooting streaks for the Hawks. Now, as the playoffs bring more deserved attention to Atlanta, Korver’s shooting escapades will be cause bigger over-reactions on social media, and soon enough, his name will simply be replaced by the ‘fire’ emoji.

12. Every Cavaliers loss will be blamed on Kevin Love and David Blatt.      

  

Cleveland is now The Land of King LeBron James, and all are his subjects. No one dare question or disagree with His Highness, and all must remain on his corner. LeBron will choose which coach is allowed to speak to him (Tyrone Lue) and which players to be his loyal comrades (Kevin Love not invited). Despite some frictions, the Cavaliers have a great team and will go far in the playoffs. But they won’t be perfect, and every time they lose, the scapegoats will be the two men who aren’t in complete harmony with James: Blatt and Love. 

13. Kyle Lowry will learn the Canadian national anthem.

Kyle Lowry has been a legend for Raptors fans, and hence by extension, for many Canadian basketball fans this year. He signed a long-term contract extension to stay in Toronto, was voted in as a starter for the 2015 All Star Game, and helped lead the team to a franchise-best 49 wins. Recently, former Wizard Gilbert Arenas mocked on Instagram that Raptors players don’t know the Canadian national anthem. I expect Lowry to take this insult personally and dramatically bellow out ‘O Canada’ before the next home game.

14. Hack-A-Dwight will get Dwight benched.

Dwight Howard has barely played this season, and the Rockets are more comfortable without him, anyways. Of course, the big man’s talents – particularly on the defensive end – are going to be incredibly valuable for the Rockets’ post-season push. But at some point Coach Kevin McHale will decide that the rewards won’t be worth the punishment, and keep Howard bench for long stretches of close games when he starts missing too many free throws.

15. Spurs vs. Warriors will be the best series of the post-season.

We will have to wait till the Western Conference Finals for this, but when it happens, expect the basketball version of a supernova as the Spurs and the Warriors – two of the league’s most talented teams – finally face off. The Spurs are the defending champions who will be peaking at the perfect time to win a repeat title, playing beautiful basketball through ball-movement and featuring the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Danny Green, Manu Ginobili, Boris Diaw, and more in starring roles. The Warriors, meanwhile, have finished the season with 67 wins and have been one of the most successful regular season teams in NBA history. They have been one of the NBA’s top two teams in both offensive and defensive efficiency. And between Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Bogut, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, and David Lee, they feature one of the most exciting and deep rotations fans have seen in ages. Only one team will win this incredible series, but together, they will play captivating basketball. The eventual NBA Finals will seem like a let-down in comparison. 

2015 NBA Playoffs - Expert's Bracket Challenge - Round 1

Since my friends and I are sitting here and typing on our computers - instead of being at a pre-game shootaround at an NBA playoffs game - you can probably infer that none of our hoop dreams have (yet) come true. But hey, who said that only NBA players can have the fun of competition during the playoffs? For the next few months, as the NBA Playoffs progress to give us the 2015 champions, I have joined ranks with fellow fans and experts of the NBA in India - Akshay Manwani (@AkshayManwani) and Kaushik Lakshman (@_kaushik7) - to have a little competition of our own. Let me introduce to you the 2015 NBA Playoffs Bracket Challenge, where Akshay, Kaushik, and I unleash our inner prophets to predict each series of each round in the playoffs.

The rules, as suggested by Akshay: Each of us will get +2 for getting the series result correct. Additionally, if we get the scoreline right, we get a bonus of +1. I will publish the results of the first round predictions as a separate blog at the end of the first round. Then there will be a new blog post for our predictions for the Conference semi-finals and so on. So keep yourselves updated and feel free to give us your own predictions in the comments section at the end of this post.

(Akshay, Kaushik, and I recorded our thoughts on the NBA season and the growth and popularity of the league in India on Episode 2 of our Hoopdarshan podcast a few weeks ago. Check it out!).

So without further ado, here are our bold predictions for the first round:

Eastern Conference:

Atlanta (1) v Brooklyn (8):

Akshay’s pick: Brooklyn had a good run to end the season, going 17-13 since the All-Star break to make it into the playoffs. But the Hawks just have too much firepower even without Thabo Sefolosha. They blanked the Nets 4-0 during the reason and I expect things to be no different in the playoffs. Hawks win 4-0.

Karan’s pick: Atlanta finished the season 60-22 at the top of the Eastern Conference, while the Nets (38-44) only sneaked into the playoffs on the last day of the season. But Brooklyn can take heart in the fact that they have actually been in better form than the Hawks in the final stretch of the season. Ultimately, Atlanta’s system, team-play, and shooting should be good enough for a series win. Hawks win 4-2

Kaushik’s pick: This is probably the easiest pick to make. Brooklyn Nets apart from a late season run headed by Brook Lopez, have been a truly horrible team and are in the playoffs only because of the (L)eastern conference. Hawks have tailed off a bit compared to how they dominated January, but will still have too much to handle for the Nets. Hawks win 4-0.

Cleveland (2) v Boston (7):

Akshay’s pick: The season series scoreline, surprisingly, went 2-2 between these two teams, but don’t read too much into that as Kyrie Irving didn’t play in both the Cavs’ defeats while LeBron and Kevin Love also didn’t figure in the last loss. However, the Celtics may still infuriate the Cavs by playing small ball, but eventually Cleveland will come through. Cavaliers win 4-0.

Karan’s pick: I’ll give Boston and their exceptional coach Brad Stevens some credit here, but ultimately, the Cavs won’t have to sweat too much to win this series. Beyond LeBron, they are relatively playoff inexperienced (including Coach Blatt), so this series will be important for them to learn the pace of the game for tougher post-season battles ahead. Cavaliers win 4-1.

Kaushik’s pick: The Celtics have been a nice feel good story in the last month or so. They are a team so devoid of stars and are only here because of exceptional coaching and super effort from the players. Unfortunately NBA doesn’t have very many Cinderella stories. The Cavs are a freight train right now and will be too good for the young Celtics. Cavaliers win 4-0.

Chicago (3) v Milwaukee (6)

Akshay’s pick: Milwaukee have done well this season despite the season ending injury to rookie Jabari Parker in December 2014. They also are the second best defensive team in the league behind Golden State. But the Bulls are buoyed by the return of Derrick Rose and have too much firepower in their arsenal to lose this series. Bulls win 4-1.

Karan’s pick: The Bucks have shocked everyone in the league by finishing at .500 even without Jabari Parker. Unfortunately, their youth and inexperience will play against them against the deep Bulls. Chicago is loaded with multiple weapons from top to bottom of their roster and won’t even have to over-work Derrick Rose too much to win this series. Bulls win 4-1.

Kaushik’s pick: Great turnaround from Milwaukee from where they finished last season and Kidd has done a great job with this young team, but this team is still a couple of years away from peaking. Chicago on the other hand is a loaded monster. With Rose back, and their team deeper than ever, it feels like they’re built like a team meant for the playoffs. Bulls win 4-1.

Toronto (4) v Washington (5)

Akshay’s pick: Easily the best first-round matchup in the East as a top-5 offensive team (Toronto) takes on a top-5 defensive team (Washington). Both teams also have near identical records post All-star break, with Toronto going 13-16 and Washington going 13-15. The key for me is Paul Pierce. His experience and Washington’s big men – Nene and Gortat - give the Wizards the edge. Wizards win 4-3.

Karan’s pick: Both teams are the dictionary definition of mediocrity, of playing good but not great basketball and being too inconsistent to truly be contenders. I think that the series will go the full seven games, and will see some heroic individual performances by both the talented backcourts (Lowry and DeRozan, Wall and Beal). Ultimately, ‘The North’ should win their first playoffs series since 2000. (!!!!) Raptors win 4-3.

Kaushik’s pick: It doesn’t speak much about the conference that this is the best matchup of the first round. Both these teams, so similar in storylines, have dragged themselves to the end of the season and neither is really a force for later on in the post-season. However, I think Toronto still has a little more fire and experience from losing last post-season and will nick this one in a close series. Raptors win 4-3.

Western Conference:

Golden State (1) v New Orleans (8):

Akshay’s pick: Anthony Davis has been a star for the Pelicans all season long and the team will look to him to carry their fortunes. But in Golden State, they have an opponent, which is the best team in the league by some distance, with All-Star players and a deep bench. Warriors win 4-0.

Karan’s pick: The Warriors have been a historically good squad this season, and will continue to play at the highest level on both ends of the floor. All signs may point to a Warriors' whitewash, but the Pelicans will have the best player in the series - Anthony Davis - and I think he will be able to lead them to at least one win. Warriors win 4-1.

Kaushik’s pick: This is going to be such a fun series. I don’t think the Pelicans will actually win, but Anthony Davis. That’s all that needs to be said really. Davis is a beast, and has the perfect tools of a big man that can trouble Warriors’ small ball front court. There will be a couple of close matches, but Warriors ultimately are too good and too deep for the Pelicans. Warriors win 4-1.

Houston (2) v Dallas (7):

Akshay’s pick: This could be interesting if Rajon Rondo and Monta Ellis can make things work for Dallas in the backcourt. Also, Dallas coach Rick Carlisle is known to spring a surprise or two with his strategies in the playoffs. The Rockets are also missing the underrated Donatas Motiejunas and Patrick Beverley. But in the end, James Harden and Dwight Howard should do the job for the Rockets. Rockets win 4-2.

Karan’s pick: I have faith that the brilliant Coach Rick Carlisle will find a way to make Rondo, Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler, and former Rocket Chandler Parsons work out for a huge upset. Houston are struggling with various injuries and will be exposed for having no offensive direction beyond what James Harden. As the series progresses, I think Dallas will contain Harden, negate Houston’s other options, and score an upset. Mavericks win 4-2

Kaushik’s pick: Houston Rockets or Harden Rockets? My MVP pick for the season has single handedly carried the Rockets to the second seed! This team may not look deep but Harden is having a career season and the Mavericks don’t have enough in my opinion to stop him. Rondo isn’t a good fit, Dirk doesn’t seem like Dirk and they’re not as deep as they have been in prior runs. Rockets win 4-1.

LA Clippers (3) v San Antonio (6)

Akshay’s pick: The best matchup in the first round across conferences, vindicated by the 2-2 season series scoreline. The Clippers have players in their prime, but the Spurs have experience and a terrific young player in Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers are lacking in bench strength but have home-court to make up for it. My head says Spurs, but for once I will go with my heart. Clippers win 4-3.

Karan’s pick: I expect Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to play the series of their lives to finally win a playoff series; unfortunately, the Spurs have more than enough experience in thwarting star-driven teams that break down without multiple options and depth. The Spurs have been in scorching hot form primed for another deep post-season run. This will be a tough series for them, but ultimately, I think they will pull out an upset and advance. Spurs win 4-2

Kaushik’s pick: OMG! Why is this match up so early in the playoffs?! Both teams are ON FIRE at the moment and are meeting only because of another dumb NBA rule. Paul is balling right now and the Clippers starting unit is one of the best there is. Spurs too look great led by the monster that is Leonard. This will be a close series, but I pick Spurs because of their experience and depth. Spurs win 4-2.

Portland (4) v Memphis (5)

Akshay’s pick: This could have been a terrific series had Portland been completely healthy. Right now they are just too banged up, with the season ending injury to Wesley Matthews being the biggest handicap for the Trail Blazers. Memphis has also won all four regular season meetings. Grizzlies win 4-1.

Karan’s pick: Portland seems to be snake-bitten with all the injuries they have suffered in the lead up to the playoffs. Memphis have been out of form slightly in recent weeks too, but they are a team built to capitalize on slowing down in the post-season, and they should be able to get through to the second round. Grizzlies win 4-2

Kaushik’s pick: Portland were my dark horse pick for the title had they been fully fit but Mathews’ injury is just so tough that I can’t see them going too far. Memphis themselves haven’t been very impressive in the past couple of months but I think they’ll have too much grit and grind that will help overcome the beaten down and seemingly cursed Blazers. Grizzlies win 4-2.

Scorecard

• Akshay Manwani: 0
  
• Karan Madhok: 0
  
• Kaushik Lakshman: 0
  

Together we go farther: An NBA Conference Finals Preview

A long, grueling NBA playoff run can be sort of like a journey through an unforgiving desert sometimes. Those who dream of the desert oasis at the end of the horizon – the NBA championship – must battle through all kinds of trials and tribulations. They must suffer past injury, fatigue, hostile road environments, and the stacks raised against them. An exceptional individual could certainly help a team achieve great things, win a big game, or hit a big shot; but it is the effort of the team as a whole that carries the group through four best-of-seven-series, through long road journeys, through defensive adjustments, and with the effort of every member of the troop stepping up whenever their number is called.

So far in the playoffs, teams have succeeded over star individuals. My predictions for what is set to happen next.

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Survivor Series: NBA Playoffs 2nd Round Preview

With matchups getting closer and the repercussions for every decision bearing bigger fruits, the Second Round of the playoffs turns into a Survivor Series. Although nothing is guaranteed, we can assume that it will be LeBron James and the Heat waiting at the end. But who will advance all the way to challenge them?

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Playoffs... Round 2... FIGHT!

I don't know about you, but that was indeed a breathless and emotional first round, perhaps one of the more exciting ones in recent years (of course, barring that SUPER-EPIC Bulls-Celtics 1st Round series two years ago). This year was breathless because of some crucial big games and some crucial upsets, and emotional because my favourite team, the Knicks finally made the playoffs for the first time in seven years only to be shown the door in four depressing games.

Anyways, we are now in the second round, and in a few paragraphs, I will lay out my predictions for four more intriguing series. Before we get there though, let's take a quick recap of what's happened so far:

- His Hornets couldn't complete their incredible bid for an upset, but Chris Paul (22 ppg, 11.5 apg, 6.7 rpg, 1.8 spg) is my nominee for 1st Round MVP. Epic performances in Game 1 (33, 14, 7) and Game 4 (27, 15, 13) were especially impressive.
- Grizzlies created history by becoming just the fourth eighth seed ever to beat a top seed when they beat the Spurs. I'm still enjoying the afterglow of that victory. The West has indeed been pushed wide open.
- Goodbye to Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Chris Paul - great players gone fishing.
- My first round predictions were a semi-disaster. With Hawks, Mavericks, and Grizzlies winning, I only scored 5/8. Let's see how these ones go...

East

(1) Bulls vs. (5) Hawks: Chicago struggled more than they should have against the Pacers, but they still managed to pull off a neat-looking 4-1 victory. They showed two things: 1) They still needed consistent offense from someone else but Derrick Rose to beat the better teams in the playoffs and 2) They showed poise to win games where they didn't play well, a sign of a great team. I think this team will be a lot more confident now that they have survived a first round.
The Hawks will go as far as the Bulls allow them to go. Yes, I don't discount their surprising domination of the Magic in the first round, but Chicago will be a whole another animal to deal with. Hawks will have trouble scoring over an elite Bulls defense, and everyone in that team will have trouble stopping Derrick Rose, especially since news is now coming that Kirk Hinrich may be seriously injured.
Chicago Bulls win 4-2

(2) Heat vs. (3) Celtics: Adrian Wojnarowski, on his Yahoo! Sports article, predicted that this could possibly be the biggest second round series ever. I am inclined to agree. This is a match-up fit for the finals, with enough storylines to keep one's mind well and truly boggled. Here's a quick rundown of the drama that will surround this incredible series:
1) Miami showed great vulnerability against Boston all season, losing their first three match-ups, before getting their revenge in the last one.
2) Miami, with its Big 3 of Wade, LeBron, and Bosh, are the league's most hyped team this year. Celtics have done it all before with their own Big 3 of Garnett, Pierce, and Allen, who won the championship in 2008. The question now is, who wins? Players in their prime in Miami but lacking the experience that the Celtics three had/have? Or the veterans, with more experience now, and with a much deeper bench?
3) LeBron James: A year ago, LeBron played for the Cavs against the Celtics at this exact stage. We all know how that ended. Celtics helped kill the LeBron era in Cleveland, helped push the brand of LeBron as a big-game choker, and the NBA's villain. Believe this: there is NO team in the world that LeBron wants to beat more than Boston. Read Wojnarowski's article linked above to know more.
4) Dwyane Wade: Before they beat LeBron, the Celtics beat Wade and Miami in the first round last year, but Wade didn't lose without having some big individual games. He has struggled against Boston this season, but now its his chance to show that he can beat them with the right squad around him.
5) Shaquille O'Neal: Will Shaq even play? A former teammate to both LeBron and Wade, I will be looking to see if the Big EVERYTHING can be a factor to end the dreams of his former teammates.
6) Delonte West: He's a Celtic now. He was a Cav last year. Ask LeBron's mum about the rest of the story.
7) The Matchups: Kevin Garnett vs. Chris Bosh, Paul Pierce vs. LeBron James, Ray Allen vs. Dwyane Wade will all be intriguing to watch... But who's gonna stop Rondo? And will Miami have an answer for Boston's deep bench?
My answer to that last question is yes, they will. Boston are deeper and more experienced, but they are also old and past their primes. I believe that Miami have begun to peak at just the right time in this series. It will be a back-and-forth battle where the equation and the momentum could shift after each game - I know it's tough to call, but I am going to side with the home-court advantage. I expect big things from LeBron and Wade here, and I expect seven unforgettably close games.
Miami Heat win 4-3

West

(2) Lakers vs. (3) Mavericks: With the Spurs out of the equation, the Lakers have to be feeling a lot more confident about completing their three-peat now. I know they showed some hesitancy in the first round against New Orleans, but from experience, I can say that this is a team that just gets better as the playoffs progress - remember last year, when they showed hesitancy against the Thunder in the first round and then went on to win a championship? Kobe is in Warrior-Mode, Gasol showed signs of recovery, and Bynum will be the key once again. Lakers are deep enough beyond these three, as consistent play by Artest and Odom will only improve.
Mavs, on the other hand, are running out of legitimate believers. Yes, they beat Portland, but it is how they perform against LA that will define them. Kidd and Nowitzki have been searching for that championship for all their careers, and this season could be their last best chance - fitting then, that their job is to remove the reigning champs off their perch. I say that they come up short.
LA Lakers win 4-2

(4) Thunder vs. (8) Grizzlies: If you're the Thunder, you have to be happy, right? Not only did you just cross the first round for the first time, beating a tricky Denver team 4-1, but your second round just got a whole lot easier. No disrespect to Memphis, but I'm sure Thunder had the Spurs and their experience in mind all throughout. Tony Allen contained Manu Ginobili - could he contain Kevin Durant? This could be the year that Durant begins to build his playoff legacy, and a big series against the Grizzlies could go a long way in securing it.
But can the team that just beat the West's best be so easily discounted? It took some amazing basketball by the Grizzlies to defeat the consistently unstoppable Spurs. And Memphis power-forward Zach Randolph has especially impressed me with elite-level play against perhaps the greatest power forward ever in Tim Duncan. Will Grizzlies be able to keep up the momentum in the second round, especially against another youthful team? I doubt it, but I doubted them before, too, and look what they did.
OKC Thunder win 4-1

So there we go - I say that the Conference Finals will be Bulls vs. Heat and Lakers vs. Thunder - what are your predictions?

The Playoffs are here! My first round predictions

Aah... Mid-April. Springtime, mostly wherever I've spent my life. And NBA Playoffs are in the air. All year round, I watch NBA games with a certain astrix: Could Team X be as good as they are right now in the Playoffs? Is Player Y only waiting for the playoffs to start to show his true colours? As far as I'm concerned, the regular season is like the qualifying round of the F1 race - it helps to decide how each racer starts, but then the real work has to be done on Race Day itself.

So now, Race Day is finally here. The NBA playoffs are set to at 1 PM on Saturday, April 16 EST (equivalent to 10:30 PM Indian Standard Time), with the Pacers visiting the league-best Chicago Bulls. And then, the action begins.

This is also going to be an important year for me since, after seven years in the waiting, the Knicks are finally back in the post-season. I'm ready with my playoff beard to support them as long as possible - let's see how long before they go fishing and I go to the barber.

Here are my predictions for the first round:

East

(1) Bulls vs (8) Pacers: Fairytale, indeed. Chicago has gone from young pups, finishing 8th in the East last season to number one in the conference and the league. Derrick Rose is the legit MVP of the league, and with a brilliant coach Thibodeau, and a deep supporting cast featuring Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng, this team definitely has what it takes to go far. They focus on defense first, and as we all know, defense wins playoff series (and eventually, championships). Indiana, on the other hand, won only 37 games this season, and are walking into the fire. This series will be a feast. Chicago Bulls win 4-0.

(2) Heat vs (7) 76ers: 76ers have indeed done an amazing job under Coach Collins this season - going .500 even when none of their players averaged over 15 points a game. Unfortunately, their depth and team-play is going to face its toughest challenge in the first round against the LeBron and Wade show. Yes, Miami have had their question marks, mostly about their lack of depth and lack of tougher big players, but 76ers are just the kind of team that Miami needs to get their momentum back in a big way. I expect LeBron and Wade to dominate easily in this series, and Bosh to get a little done too, for good measure. In 1 game, I'm sure the Philly home crowd and their deeper bench will lead them to victory, something that will help Miami stay on their toes for Round 2. Miami Heat win 4-1

(3) Celtics vs (6) Knicks: In my view, the toughest first round series in the East. The Celtics have been going through a bad stretch of identity crisis since the Perkins trade, and haven't really been convincing. The Knicks started off terribly with Carmelo Anthony mid-season, but ended with a strong streak to get prepared for the post-season. Melo will have to have the biggest possible series to keep New York alive, and Amare will somehow (although unlikely) regain his early season form against the Celtics' talented frontline. The X-Factor for Knicks is Billups, the only player experienced with the toughness required for this matchup. There will be a couple of very close games, but in the end, I think Boston are way too experienced and sound defensively to lose this series. Plus, Knicks don't play defense. Refer to what I said earlier about that. Boston Celtics win 4-2

(4) Magic vs (5) Hawks: Will the real Atlanta Hawks please stand up? A perennial mid-tabler, it's hard to take Atlanta too seriously but its hard to ignore them either. I think Orlando have been saving energy for a big post-season run, and they will be too good for the Hawks in this series behind Dwight Howard. Expect Magic shooters to rain down threes like there's no tomorrow, and this will be a good time for Gilbert Arenas to remind us that he's alive. Orlando Magic win 4-1

West

(1) Spurs vs (8) Grizzlies: San Antonio were definitely a surprise this season; no one expected this older, fading team to redefine itself and come strong this year, but that's exactly what Coach Popovich has done. Memphis will throw athletes and they'll throw big men like Randolph and Marc Gasol in Spurs' way, but I don't think that it's going to hurt the old men much. Duncan's leadership and this team's great depth should be enough. Ginobili's injury is a question mark, but he should return in time to see his team win a relatively easy series. San Antonio Spurs win 4-1

(2) Lakers vs (7) Hornets: Oh, LA! A team that starts off as the best, loses to easy teams a lot, then goes on an unstoppable run, and then loses to easy teams a lot again. What's going on with the champions? Is Kobe going crazy? Is Artest too worried about his rap career? Is Gasol too soft? Will Bynum even play? So many questions. But luckily for them, they have received the perfect opponent to regain their groove in the post-season. Bynum is expected to return as Lakers play Hornets. New Orleans have had their own struggles this season with injury, as David West is done for the year. They have stayed afloat behind Emeka Okafor and Carl Landry in the post, but it will take a dominating Chris Paul performance from stopping this from becoming a sweep. It will still be one, though. LA Lakers win 4-0

(3) Mavericks vs (6) Blazers: These teams are a lot closely matched than their record may indicate. Mavs started the season well, but Portland finished it better, and for the playoffs, its the finish that matters. Both teams are deep: for Nowitzki there's Aldridge, for Marion there's Gerald Wallace, for Jason Kidd there's Andre Miller. And both have stacked benches. Tyson Chandler will be the X-factor for the Mavericks, but the Blazers have the 'X-est' factor of them all.. Brandon Roy of the bench! The intensity of Portland's combined effort and its home support may be too much for Mavs, who are of course, perennial chokers in my eyes. I predict an upset. Portland Trailblazers win 4-2

(4) Thunder vs (5) Nuggets: This is perhaps the easiest-on-the-eyes match-up there is: young teams, determined basketball, and unpredictability. Nuggets have been a force since trading away Carmelo Anthony, and without a face to their franchise, have been one of the few teams that no one has wanted to cross after the all star break. But OKC are on a different planet altogether. They have improved dramatically this season, and even more since getting their tough man in Kendrick Perkins. What works most is that OKC do have a face to their franchise, the NBA's leading scorer Kevin Durant, and I expect him to lead his team through this slightly difficult series. OKC Thunder win 4-2

So - those are my predictions above. There are about 31 and a hour hours left (and counting) before the playoffs begin. What do you think its gonna happen?

NBA Playoffs- The Best Absentees

The playoffs are now only days away and I'm sure that if you're like me, you're barely able to sit still with all the potential drama that's going to follow in the NBA's postseason. But like every postseason, there are always those who aren't good enough to make it. 14 of the NBA's 30 teams are going fishing early, and some of these 14 teams have serious talent, too.

In the playoffs, we will get a chance to watch the likes of Derrick Rose, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Amar'e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, and many, many more stars... But before we splurge into the future and see who amongst these will rule the roast, let's take a moment to celebrate those whose season has already ended.

Steve Nash - Suns: Steve Nash is once again going to be the league leader in assists, and its a shame that he will not be able to step into the postseason to battle once more. The 2-time MVP perhaps saw his finest moment last year when he took the Suns to only a few games away from the NBA Finals. Ever since, Amar'e Stoudemire left and the team has been subpar at best without him. Of course, the 37-year-old point guard's efforts are not to be blamed, as he continues to be one of the strongest players not making an appearance in the post-season.

Deron Williams - Nets: Oh, poor Deron... Remember him? Just last year he was considered to be perhaps the best point guard in the league. With a mid-season trade to New Jersey, went from a team contesting for a playoff spot to one just hoping to not be the league's worst. His departure saw Utah plummet away playoff contention too, but this perennial playoff superstar will be missed this post-season.

Kevin Love - Timberwolves: Yes, Love has never made the playoffs before, and no, there wasn't even a chance for the lowly T-Wolves to make it this year, but he is the league leader in rebounds - that has to count for something, right? Hopefully we'll see his hustle in the playoffs soon in the near future.

Blake Griffin - Clippers: Along with Deron Williams, Kevin Love, and Yao Ming, Griffin is the fourth all-star this season not in the playoffs. Too bad, because the electrifying rookie would've been the toast of the league for a couple of games. At least he'll be able to drown his sorrows with the Rookie of the Year trophy.

Monta Ellis - Warriors: Some believe Monta is only a few steps away from being one of the most talked-about players in the NBA. After all, he did spend the season averaging 24.1 ppg, which by the way, makes him the highest-scoring player not in the postseason.

Special Mention - Kevin Martin & Yao* (Rockets), Al Jefferson (Jazz), Stephen Curry & David Lee (Warriors), Brandon Jennings & Andrew Bogut (Bucks), John Wall (Wizards), Tyreke Evans (Kings).

*Yes, I had to mention Yao.

And then there are those who are missing due to injury; these guys have teams in playoff contention but we will probably not be seeing them in action this postseason - Caron Butler (Mavericks), David West (Hornets), Greg Oden (Trailblazers). Fans will be wishing to see the likes of Shaq (Celtics) and Udonis Haslem (Heat) return to their squads sometime in the course of the playoffs.

The NBA - where even the losers are pretty damn good!

Conference Finals: And then there were four...

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Wow... that was a wierd, wierd second round in the NBA Playoffs. Sweeping was back in vogue, apparently, as the Magic, Lakers, and the Suns all went 4-0 in their respective match-ups.

And then you had the Cavs and the Celtics, an amazing series which saw stories emerge left right and centre, including LeBron James, his elbow his future with the Cavs, Spike Lee supporting the Celtics, Rajon Rondo's complete and utter destruction of the Cleveland backcourt, KG spitting, sweating, and returning to form, Paul Pierce's struggles, and of course, Jesus Shuttlesworth.

Now there are only four left, as the playoffs move to the Conference Finals, or the overall semi-finals of the NBA. Before we discuss these matchups, let's do a short recap of the previous round.

Three of the four teams that I predicted made it through, with the Celtics six game win over the Cavs being the only surprise. I'd imagined that this would've been a long series, but I would have never thought that the Celts would've dominated LeBron so thoroughly over those six games. We could talk about how often Shaq was limited, or Mo Williams was inconsistent, or no one could defend Rondo, or Jamison's mismatch with Garnett, but the weight of the blame should deservedly be on LeBron's shoulders, since he revels in most of the successes, too. Two weeks after winning the MVP, we're wondering why we ever gave it to him. Or maybe we shouldn't wonder, since the MVP curse has been around before... The playoffs are NOT the regular season, and until wins a ring, LeBron shall never be the king.
Of course, let's not forget to celebrate the resurrection of Celtic Ubuntu. They defended brilliantly as a team and attacked as a team. Rondo was unplayable, especially that brilliant 29, 18, and 13 performance in Game 4, and Garnett was back to his old ways, something that makes this team a lot more dangerous.

The other series in the East was at the opposite end of the spectrum: the Magic not only swept the Hawks, but they did it in the most dominating way possible. On average, Orlando won each game by more than 25 points! Hawks looked outmatched in each department, and the Magic continue to stride confidently with great team effort after playing two of the easier teams in the playoffs this year. Jameer Nelson in particular has been on fire. The team will face their true test in the Conference Finals now.

Lakers had a surprisingly easy time against Jazz; I mean, I was envisioning a Laker victory, but I didn't think it would come in four games. Still, the Jazz did the best they could - Lakers, with Gasol, Bynum, and Odom, had just too much length in them. And Kobe showed up in all of the close encounters to safely steer his team through. The Thunder series has helped him resurrect the Black Mamba, who is continuing to look extremely dangerous this post-season.

Finally, who the hell thought this would happen? Suns 4, Spurs 0? WhatwhatWHAT???!!! Now, I thought I was being bold when I predicted a Suns victory in 7, but a sweep? Over the team that has basically owned them for years? Over the most dominant playoff team in the last decade? Wow... The Spurs NEVER get swept. Especially by the Suns... Well, for the first time the Steve Nash Suns have actually been underdogs this season, and the performance of Nash (despite the swollen right eye in Game 4) and Amar'''e, coupled with amazing contributions from Grant Hill, Channing Frye, Louis Amundson, and oh, that memorable fourth quarter by Goran Dragic, the Suns have finally buried their demons and moved past the Spurs... on to the next round...

So, here are my previews for the Conference Finals...

Celtics vs. Magic: Celtics in 7 - I believe in the 'Ubuntu' now. Watching the Celtics destroy the best team in the league with hardcore defence, great shooting, post-play, and most importantly, team chemistry, has brought back my faith in the team. Celtics are a team that are only getting better as the postseason progresses, and the Big 4 are going to be a tough match-up for the Magic. Only, the Magic themselves are an unstoppable bunch this year, winning games in every way unimaginable. There has not been a single chink their armour in the playoffs so far. Dwight Howard vs. Garnett is going to be an interesting match-up. So will Vince Carter vs. Paul Pierce. I think the key will again lie with Rajon Rondo, who will have to face up against Jameer Nelson in a classic point-guard battle. This series starts in three days, giving the Celtics very little time to recover from their emotional second round against the Cavs, but I feel that the team will continue to ride their momentum and persistence become Eastern Conference Champions by overcoming a very good Magic team in seven.

Lakers vs. Suns: Lakers in 6 - Ooh... Kobe and Lakers keep talking about revenge. Revenge from three/four years ago when the Suns twice beat the Gasol-less Lakers in the early rounds of the playoffs. Kobe will remember being 3-1 up, he'll remember Raja Bell, and he'll remember giving up in the 4th quarter to prove a point of Game 7 of the 2006 series.
But all that is history now. The Lakers are reigning champions, and the Suns are looking better (and more importantly, tougher) than they ever have before. This will be a great series because Nash and Kobe are two of the toughest competitors in the league. In the end, the Lakers length will have the advantage, and Gasol will once again be the turning point. Look for an intriguing battle between Pau and Amar'''e to define this series, which Lakers will eventually win in six games to become Western Conference Champions.
Speaking of Suns-Lakers, I saw this game live on TV four years ago. Still gives me the shivers: Kobe hits one of the clutchest shots I have EVER seen.



So, Hoopistani predicts that the Finals this year will be repeat of 2008 - Celtics and Lakers again. What are your thoughts?

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