With the excitement and unpredictability of the regular season complete, it is now time for the NBA playoffs to begin. Last year, I attempted to predict the playoffs, and it was pretty much a disaster. However, I'm getting back up on the horse this year, but with a twist. To celebrate the unpredictability of the season, in addition to my "normal" picks, I'll be flipping a coin to pick playoff matchups as well. We'll see who does the better job. The participants:

  Eric (aka gearhead)
  Age: 22
  Qualifications: None, really
  Advantages: Power of analysis
  Disadvantages: Dork
  Most analysis can be followed with "This is Kige Ramsey..." 
  attempt at smiling looks like douchey smirk (which I just noticed)



       1986 United States Quarter
       Age: 22  
       Qualifications: Given to me as change yesterday when buying
       a soda
       Advantages: 100% unbiased 
       Disadvantages: Unaware of any outside factors 
       might pick the Hawks to win something




First up, my picks.

First Round

Lakers over Nuggets in 5...The one easy matchup out West. The Lakers are on a mission, and who knows how the Nuggets will come out given Carmelo's extracurricular activities.
Jazz over Rockets in 6...The Jazz don't lose at home. Ever. ...Thus, they only need to win once at Houston. The Rockets have a good thing going with T-Mac and guys that know their roles, but it falls shot against Utah's superior talent.
Spurs over Suns in 7...I want to pick the Suns. Until the final day, SA looked close to done, Amare has played out of his mind since Shaq arrived, and Bruce Bowen will probably be killed during the series. However, the Spurs are the cockroaches of the playoffs. They never go away, and thus find some way to advance here.
Hornets over Mavs in 6...Last night's game made me think twice, but I considered the possibility that the Hornets starters weren't giving it their all. Paul can outplay Kidd easily (remember that one game right after Kidd arrived in Dallas), David West can reasonably keep pace with Dirk, and Tyson Chandler can provide what Diop provides Dallas defensively. The lack of playoff experience is an issue, but does anyone really think Chris Paul will be afraid? Plus, do you really trust the Mavericks, even considered how well they played down the stretch?

Celtics over Hawks in 4...Will any game be within 10 points?
Cavs over Wizards in 6...With Arenas still getting back into things, and LeBron being LeBron, history repeats itself.
Magic over Raptors in 5...The one thing I do guarantee is that this series will be on NBATV a lot.
Pistons over Sixers in 4...Too much Pistons for the Philly playoff virgins.

Conference Semifinals

Lakers over Jazz in 7...This will be a high octane series, as these teams rank 2nd and 3rd in offensive efficiency. Unless Bynum comes back, Carlos Boozer could have a field day with the Lakers interior D. However, in the end, this is where having Kobe down the stretch really helps the Lakers. Since the Jazz don't lose at home, I'm predicting a series where the home team wins every game.
Spurs over Hornets in 6...This series would definitely put to the test how much playoff experience matters. I want to pick New Orleans (do you notice a trend here?), but it's easy to see the Hornets running out of gas at some point. Against the cockroaches seems to make sense.

Celtics over Cavs in 6...The 6 is out of respect for LeBron. Most of the rest of his team wouldn't crack Boston's rotation.
Pistons over Magic in 6...The 6 is out of respect for Dwight Howard. Boston-Detroit is the East Finals has been all but inevitable for months.

Conference Finals

Lakers over Spurs in 6...Here's where getting older finally hurts the Spurs. The Lakers are younger, could very well be hungrier, and have an offensive that has been absolutely rolling since getting Pau Gasol. The one variable here is that these two teams have yet to play at full strength. The first three games were before the Gasol trade, and the last one was without FBS.

Celtics over Pistons in 5...Two candidates for the wheels falling off due to past history: the Pistons and Kevin Garnett. Since KG has plenty of backup, I can't see the league's best defense losing to a team with as many miles on the odometer as Detroit.

NBA Finals

Oh boy, this is not easy. All the history, both past and present (Kobe vs. Allen) obviously would make this a marquee Finals. The biggest advantage Boston would have is not their Big 3 or their top ranked defense, it's the fact the Lakers (or whoever wins the West) will have gone through three tough series to get this far. The Celtics would maybe have one and a half tough series. The Lakers could be beaten down by this point. However, my hunch is that it's Kobe's time. The entire team is been on a different level since acquiring Gasol, especially on the offensive end. Plus, Kobe is second to none in crunch time, while the Celtics top dog might change between four guys (have to include Cassell). Thus...

Lakers in 6

Now it's the coin's turn. For the coin, it's simple. Heads: higher seed wins; Tails: lower seed wins. If the Finals teams are the same seed, heads means the West team wins.

First Round

Lakers over Nuggets
Rockets over Jazz
Spurs over Suns
Mavs over Hornets

Celtics over Hawks
Wizards over Cavs
Magic over Raptors
Pistons over Sixers

Conference Semifinals

Lakers over Rockets
Mavs over Spurs

Celtics over Wizards
Magic over Pistons

Conference Finals

Mavs over Lakers
Celtics over Magic

NBA Finals

Mavs over Celtics

Share your predictions for the NBA playoffs, and who you think will win the battle: Man or Coin.