I don't watch the NBA during the regular season, but I keep track of what's going on and the records and everything and read stuff on ESPN and whatnot.
I don't really have a favorite NBA team...I tend to go for underdogs and I always like to see new teams in it. So I've been going against the Celtics this year, and I almost always go against San Antonio and Detroit. The only exception is the Lakers, who I like now that it's Kobe, Pau and a bunch of others that they carry. I don't know...I've just liked the Lakers these past two years for some reason.
I also like Chicago, New Orleans, Orlando and Portland.
However...it looks like until the final series this year will be pretty predictable.
In the West, the Lakers look by far to be the best team. Any of the other seven can beat each other, so in any game that doesn't involve LA anyone could win. But LA clearly seems to be going to the finals.
If I had to guess:
LA over Utah
Denver over New Orleans
San Antonio over Dallas
Portland over Houston
LA over Portland
San Antonio over Denver
LA over San Antonio
In the east, Orlando, Boston and Cleveland seem to be easily the top dogs...Miami might make it interesting. But, what makes it interesting is that Orlando and Boston have some injury issues, especially if KG is out for a long time (I'm very tempted to pick Chicago over Boston, but I don't think so). So, unless KG makes a big comeback or Boston gets a big upset, I think LeBron and Cleveland cruise to the finals, especially given Cleveland's big homecourt advantage:
Again, if I had to guess:
Cleveland over Detroit
Boston over Chicago (barely)
Orlando over Philadelphia (also barely)
Miami over Atlanta
Cleveland over Miami
Boston over Orlando
Cleveland over Boston
The problem with the NBA playoffs is that because there are series, there are less upsets than in the NCAA tournament. It's a lot more about the best team winning and showing why they're the best...which is enjoyable to watch, but not as exciting as the NCAA tournament.
But....if it is a Cleveland/LA final, that will be really really exciting. Not only do you have Kobe vs. LeBron, but you have the last two teams to make the finals and not win it, so it will be a satisfying victory for either team. I think it would be fun to see the Lakers win it after falling short last year (now that they have Bynum), but it would also be fun to see LeBron get a title after being so dominant.
It's also a really hard one to choose who would win it between....Cleveland has the homecourt advantage (at least I think they do over the Lakers), and they're almost impossible to beat at home this year...but I think the Lakers are an overall better team and as a team have a bigger drive.
I think it would go to game 7, but I would choose LA over Cleveland.
But, like always in sports, you never know.
