Right-o
- EC-1 Cleveland Cavaliers beat EC-8 Chicago Bulls in 5 - This was actually a lot closer than I think anybody expected. I think we all expected a sweep.
- EC-2 Orlando Magic beat EC-7 Charlotte Bobcats in 4 - This was actually a lot less close than I think we all expected. The Magic pulled out the only sweep in the First Round.
- WC-7 San Antonio Spurs beat WC-2 Dallas Mavericks in 6 - This was one "upset" I think about 2/3 of people predicted. Good games with good results.
- WC-5 Utah Jazz beat WC-4 Denver Nuggets in 6 - Hate to say I told you sooooooo---aight.
Wrong-o
- WC-1 Floss Angeles Lakers beat WC-8 Oklahoma City Thunder in 6 - Who can stop the purple machine??
- EC-3 Atlanta Hawks beat EC-6 Milwaukee Bucks in 7 - Just add another log to the fire of Milwaukee's hatred of Atlanta. This series was a lot closer than I expected.
- WC-3 Phoenix Suns beat WC-6 Portland Trail Blazers in 6 - I love watching the Suns lose. This was a disappointing series for me.
- EC-4 Boston Celtics beat EC-5 Miami Heat in 5 - Who saw this coming? Not me. I'm not saying the Celtics are back; I'm saying the Heat never showed up (except in Game 4).
So by my count, I am sitting even at 4-4. Biggest surprises: Celtics beating the Heat and Bucks taking Atlanta to Game 7.
Modified Predictions
- WC-1 Haymakers v. WC-5 Jazz - Rematch from last year's First Round. I like how the Jazz have been paying, and I hate the Rakers, so you know my vote. Jazz in 6.
- EC-1 Cavs v. EC-4 Celtics - These Celtics are old. Both teams won their first round in 5 games, but the Cavaliers seemed less hesitant. I pick the Cavs in 5.
- WC-3 Suns v. WC-7 Spurs - I'm hoping for a replay of 2008's first round, complete with a Tim Duncan three and everything. But the Suns have given us some heck this year, winning the season series 2-1. I still pick the Spurs in 6.
- EC-2 Magic v. EC-3 Hawks - This is a good old-fashioned regional rivalry (or should be). Maybe this round will make it one. I doubt it, though. The Magic were the only team to sweep in the first round, and the Hawks were the only team to go 7 games. The Magic also won 3 of the 4 regular season matchups. So . . . Magic in 5.
Random Notes
First, the lowest ranked team at this stage is the Spurs at # 7. It's not so much that their beating the Mavs was an upset as it is that the Western Conference is just a very even playing field right now.
Second, speaking of even playing fields, the Western Conference First Round featured two "upsets" (the Jazz were the other), while the Eastern Conference First Round went straight by seeding. It seems there are two powers in the East, and it's not the two from the early 1960s.
Third, all four of this year's pairings are (or should be) storied rivalries.
- Lakers-Jazz: these two teams are geographically close enough and culturally opposite enough that they should be (and probably are) a great rivalry. Two historically strong West Coast teams like this? I like it.
- Cavs-Celtics: I don't know anything about this, but apparently the Cavs and Celtics have hated each other since the 1960s. If they haven't, oh well.
- Spurs-Suns: I'm not an authority, but I know that there are three teams I love to watch lose more than any other: the Lakers, the Mavericks, and the Suns. To me, that spells good rivalry.
- Magic-Hawks: These two teams are close geographically, share a division, and while the Magic have dominated for a couple of years, the Hawks are historically the strongest team in this division.
So these could be a few good series. I'll update in a week or so.
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