NBA Preseason Playoff Predictions

On Wednesday we posted our projected standings for both the Eastern and Western Conferences. We’ll build on that today and give you our preseason playoff predictions. Since we don’t know the real matchups, we’re basing these selections on our standings list from that Wednesday post. Here we go!

Eastern Conference

First Round

1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets

Lebron’s Heat took on Brooklyn last year in the playoffs and took care of business easily. The Nets veteran play could cause some problems for the youth on Cleveland, especially since this will be the first playoff series for many of them. But the Nets simply won’t slow down James, Love, and Irving enough.

Prediction: Cavs in 5

2 Chicago Bulls vs. 7 Atlanta Hawks

This is a terrible matchup for Atlanta. Atlanta has a great point guard, but not compared to Chicago’s Rose. They have some nice beef inside with Horford and company, but the Bulls have the best frontcourt in the NBA. Bulls will roll.

Prediction: Bulls in 4

3 Washington Wizards vs. 6 Toronto Raptors

Here’s where we see youth vs. youth. If last year’s playoff run was any indication, the Wizards are built to make serious noise in the postseason. If Wall and Beal are playing well, Toronto can’t keep pace. BUT, Toronto doesn’t have many holes, and can challenge the Wizards with great guard play themselves (Lowry and Derozan).

Prediction: Wizards in 7

4 Charlotte Bobcats vs. 5 Miami Heat

This is an excellent matchup and very tough to gauge. Miami clearly has great experience, and I’d give them a coaching edge too. But Charlotte brings a speedy point guard and dominating big man in, which are areas Miami struggles to guard. The X-Factor is Wade, and how he’ll shine without James overshadowing him.

Prediction: Heat in 6

Conference Semi-Finals

1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 5 Miami Heat

Isn’t this an interesting matchup? I think the storyline here is obvious… This series would be packed with emotion to say the least. The question I’d ask is can Cleveland’s playoff inexperience overcome a tight series like this? Yes, but barely.

Prediction: Cavs in 7

2 Chicago Bulls vs. 3 Washington Wizards

This is a rematch of last year’s first round matchup, where the Wizards rolled. They present challenges to Chicago due to their speed and beefy frontcourt themselves. But that series didn’t have Derrick Rose in it, nor Gasol, McDermott, Mirotic, etc. The Bulls are just better now.

Prediction: Bulls in 6

Conference Finals

1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 2 Chicago Bulls

I think this is a matchup everyone would want to see. Most believe these are the two clear top teams in the East, and the star power in this series is awesome. My heart is leaning Cleveland, but my head is taking Bulls. Thibs coaching might give Chicago the edge, but who will Chicago put on James? That to me is the difference.

Prediction: Cavs in 7

Western Conference

First Round

1 San Antonio Spurs vs. 8 New Orleans Pelicans

The veteran Duncan vs. the up and comer Davis. I’d love to watch that. The supporting cast is where the Spurs would have a big edge though, along with their style of play and coaching.

Prediction: Spurs in 6

2 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 7 Portland Trailblazers

This is a balanced matchup in my opinion. Westbrook and Lillard are fairly even as are Ibaka and Aldridge. I’d give the edge to Portland overall on those two spots though. But Durant vs. Batum is heavily on the side of OKC. So that’s the difference.

Prediction: Thunder in 7

3 LA Clippers vs. 6 Dallas Mavericks

Wow, these matchups in the West are great. I went back and forth on this one. The Clippers are good enough to win it all, but the Mavericks are dangerous enough to pull an upset. I think Chandler makes a huge difference here, as he’ll contest Blake inside and cause problems. Upset!

Prediction: Mavericks in 6

4 Golden State Warriors vs. 5 Houston Rockets

The offense in this series would be epic. And a big question mark already is will Bogut be healthy for the playoffs this year? But I just think Curry and Klay are too much to handle for Houston, as the Rockets can’t guard people consistently. It will go the distance though.

Prediction: Warriors in 7

Conference Semi-Finals

1 San Antonio Spurs vs. 4 Golden State Warriors

I really think the Warriors are a dangerous team when healthy. But the Spurs have seen it all before. I think SA would have a big advantage inside, and Tony Parker could go off against Curry.

Prediction: Spurs in 7

2 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 6 Dallas Mavericks

The thing I see in this matchup is that Dallas doesn’t have the defenders to stop Durant and Westbrook. They can handle inside players, but not these explosive perimeter scorers. I think the Thunder dominate.

Prediction: Thunder in 5

Conference Finals

1 San Antonio Spurs vs. 2 Oklahoma City Thunder

Sound familiar? We’ve seen this happen before, and I still think the Spurs are favored. But I just feel like OKC will eventually break through. And Durant will eventually have one of those series that goes down in history as all-time great. Why not this one?

Prediction: Thunder in 6

NBA Finals

1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 2 Oklahoma City Thunder

Cleveland would have home court advantage in my scenario, but it doesn’t matter much with the quality of these two teams. All eyes would be on James and Durant, as they would battle it out each night. Westbrook and Irving would be nearly as fun though, and Love vs. Ibaka is a great clash of styles for interior players. These teams are very evenly matched. But I’ll give the edge to a team that’s been here before (although they didn’t win), and that’s OKC. Irving, Love, Waiters, Thompson, etc. need a year before they win, just like the Heat’s first season with the Big 3. Durant will finally get his ring.

Prediction: Thunder in 7

The season has begun, so let’s get into it!

By: The Sports Guys

NFL Picks - Week 9

Big time upsets occurred last week, notably Washington over Dallas and Pittsburgh over Indianapolis. That caused for some volatility in the standings:

Andrew – 601 Points (70-36)

Greg – 548 Points (68-38)

Week 8 begins tonight with a NFC South showdown that will determine first place in the division. The entire conference lead is also up for grabs when Arizona travels to Dallas. The Ravens/Steelers game on Sunday night will be a good time, as that rivalry always is. But all eyes will be on the Sunday afternoon tilt when Manning’s Broncos play at Brady’s Patriots. I’m giddy already!

Below are our picks and confidence points for all the games (less this week due to byes). Play along in the comment section if you want:

Greg’s Picks

13       Indianapolis over NYG

12       Kansas City over NYJ

11       Cincinnati over Jacksonville

10       Seattle over Oakland

9          San Francisco over St. Louis

8          Philadelphia over Houston

7          Cleveland over Tampa Bay

6          San Diego over Miami

5          Minnesota over Washington

4          Carolina over New Orleans

3          Arizona over Dallas

2          Pittsburgh over Baltimore

1          Denver over New England

Andrew’s Picks

13       Seattle over Oakland

12       Cincinnati over Jacksonville

11       Kansas City over NYJ

10       San Francisco over St. Louis

9          Cleveland over Tampa Bay

8          Indianapolis over NYG

7          Philadelphia over Houston

6          Miami over San Diego

5          Denver over New England

4          Baltimore over Pittsburgh

3          Washington over Minnesota

2          New Orleans over Carolina

1          Arizona over Dallas

Enjoy week 9!

By: The Sports Guys

NBA Preview

The NBA season kicked off last night (3 games), and is set to explode onto the scene this evening (12 games). There are so many teams we are excited to watch, particularly because the offseason was so dramatic. Lebron is back in Cleveland. Kevin Love joined him. Deng replaced Lebron in Miami. Stephenson joined the Hornets. Parsons plays for Dallas now, and Ariza took his spot in Houston. Wiggins and Parker are representing a great rookie class this year. And Rose returns to a loaded roster, Kobe though, not so much…

Anyways, today we’ll project the standings in each conference. We’ll add playoff predictions on Friday. Feel free to comment if you disagree (or agree) and post your standings if you’d like.

Eastern Conference

1. Cleveland Cavaliers – I don’t care that they haven’t all played together or that they have a new coach or that many of their contributors are still young… This team is loaded and has the best core in the league. Irving, James, and Love could be the best “Big 3” in the history of the NBA.  I bet they’ll figure out how to play together quickly.

2. Chicago Bulls – Not only do the Bulls get Derrick Rose back to bolster the backcourt, but the addition of Pau Gasol gives their frontcourt even more pop. Mirotic could be another great signing, and I love their youth with McDermott, Snell, and Butler on the perimeter. Noah and Taj still anchor them defensively as well. They are loaded.

3. Washington Wizards – The Wizards smoked the Bulls in the playoffs last year, opening our eyes to their potential. Beal is a little beat up right now, but once healthy, he and Wall will make up one of the best backcourts in the league. The change this year is Paul Pierce, as he was signed when Ariza moved on. Otto Porter is a second year player to watch off the bench.

4. Charlotte Bobcats – Charlotte’s playoff appearance last season was just the start. They’ve added Lance Stephenson and Marvin Williams to their squad, and drafted a talented forward in Noah Vonleh. This team will be tough defensively, and should have enough contributors to be good enough on offense, especially if they feed Al Jefferson inside.

5. Miami Heat – There is a big drop-off from Lebron James to Luol Deng, but that’s really the only change to this roster. In fact, McRoberts and Granger could make this team even deeper than the last couple of seasons. Bosh should thrive as the top option again. I have them fifth because their age concerns me, particularly with Wade. I bet he misses plenty of time this season.

6. Toronto Raptors – Seeing as Toronto finished third last season and have essentially the same roster, this is a pretty low ranking. I believe they overachieved last year though, and may come down to earth a bit. They’ll still make the playoffs, but only as a lower seed. Good thing they kept Kyle Lowry.

7. Atlanta Hawks – The Hawks will do what they’ve done for years now… Be a decent team that makes the playoffs but isn’t a real threat to win once there. Horford’s return from injury makes them somewhat dangerous, but they whiffed on all their efforts to bring in a marquee free agent to really help out.

8. Brooklyn Nets – I have Brooklyn edging New York for the final playoff spot. And if this team could stay healthy, they could finish higher in the standings. That’s a tough ask though with Brook Lopez, Deron Williams, Kevin Garnett, and Joe Johnson on the team. Injuries are bound to hold this team back. That could mean more time for Mason Plumlee though, which is a great thing.

9. New York Knicks – Carmelo stayed so they’ll be a playoff contender simply because of that. I also think adding Jose Calderon was very smart. But they lack depth and don’t have much inside (unless you count Amare and Bargnani, which I don’t). I think they just miss out on the postseason.

10. Detroit Pistons – I expected some movement in their jammed frontcourt over the summer, but it didn’t happen. Once again, I think they’ll be held back as Drummond, Monroe, and Smith can’t all play together. This is a talented team, but they aren’t well put together.

11. Indiana Pacers – This is a team I’m expecting a big drop from. They lost Lance in free agency and Paul George to injury. Hibbert also struggled closing out last season, and who knows how he’ll bounce back.

12. Boston Celtics – If Rondo stays healthy (and with the team), the Celtics can finish this high. If not, they will plummet in the standings. They still are too young and raw to challenge for the playoffs.

13. Orlando Magic – I love this team’s potential in the years to come. They have a nice youthful core, but it’s a core that won’t be ready to contend for a while. They’ll have some great wins, but won’t be consistent in their results.

14. Milwaukee Bucks – Jabari Parker is my Rookie of the Year choice, and I also love the Greek Freak. Similar to Orlando, they have nice pieces, but it will take a couple years until they contend.

15. Philadelphia 76ers – This squad still has plenty of holes, and their top draft choice (Embiid) will be out for a while (maybe the season). Another selection (Saric) still plays overseas. Needless to say, they’ll be in the running for another top pick.

Western Conference

1. San Antonio Spurs – The Spurs were the best team in the league last season, won the NBA Championship, and returned 14 guys from that team. That’s crazy. That’s also why they have to be the favorite once again in the loaded West.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder – I rank the Thunder at #2 because of Durant’s injury to start the season. If he were healthy, they may have been ranked above the Spurs. On the flip side, if they fall into a huge hole, I could see the Clippers and others passing them up.

3. Los Angeles Clippers – The Clippers were a major contender a year ago, and they added much needed depth in the offseason, particularly inside. Year 2 of Doc Rivers in LA could be magical. CP3 and Blake Griffin will be MVP candidates again.

4. Golden State Warriors – Steve Kerr is coaching for the first time, but he takes over a team ready to win right away. The Splash Brothers will be a force in the backcourt, but the real key will be if Lee and Bogut can stay healthy inside.

5. Houston Rockets – This is another very good team that could win the West. We know about Harden and Howard, but the key will be getting consistent production from the rest of the squad. They won at the Lakers last night, so that’s a good start.

6. Dallas Mavericks – Yes, another team that I really like. By adding Parsons and trading for Chandler, they will be a serious contender as they have been in the past. Can Dirk find his old form though?

7. Portland Trailblazers – Last year’s surprise squad should be ready for another playoff run. Lillard and Aldridge make them go, but they have solid contributors all over this roster. I really like Batum as their glue guy.

8. New Orleans Pelicans – I wanted to rank this team higher, but they are still so young and that will lead to some inconsistency. They struggled with injuries a year ago too, so that’s worrisome. But Anthony Davis should be a monster, Ryan Anderson is currently healthy, and Omer Asik will help inside.

9. Denver Nuggets – I’m floored that this isn’t a playoff team in my projections, but that’s how deep the West is. Faried had a great summer, and the team welcomed back Afflalo who will help at the guard spot. Danilo’s return from injury is a big bonus as well.

10. Phoenix Suns – They key for Phoenix is interior play, as they are loaded at guard. Not only should Bledsoe and Dragic dominate again, but they added Isaiah Thomas, who averaged over 20 points last year. They’ll be tough to hang with in the open floor.

11. Memphis Grizzlies – Memphis just doesn’t have the firepower to compete with the teams above. They would be a playoff team in the East though. This will end a nice era, as I’m sure Marc Gasol will leave in the offseason (I’m guessing to the Knicks).

12. Los Angeles Lakers – I rank them this “high” simply because of my respect for Kobe. The rest of the roster doesn’t warrant them to be here though. Julius Randle also broke his leg last night in their opener. Ouch.

13. Sacramento Kings – I think Cousins makes his first All-Star Game, but that will be the lone highlight during another long season. If only they weren’t in the West…

14. Utah Jazz – I feel as if the Jazz had a great offseason. They kept their young talent together and added some great draft picks. But they still don’t have enough to challenge for the playoffs. Their young players still need more development.

15. Minnesota Timberwolves – After their trade of Kevin Love, they became a rebuilding team. They have great young pieces now, along with draft picks, and could get more by trading Budinger. But Wiggins and company will need a couple years until they make noise.

By: The Sports Guys

NFL Power Rankings 8

NFL Power Rankings

After Week 8

NOTE: Previous ranking is noted in the first parenthesis, record in second parenthesis.

1. (1) Denver Broncos (6-1) – Manning got Sanders more involved in a big way, as the two of them connected for three TD’s on Thursday night. Now they prepare to travel to Foxboro…

2. (7) New England Patriots (6-2) – With Tom Brady playing as well as he is can anyone beat them? We’ll find out next week with Denver coming to town… It’s Manning vs. Brady and #1 vs. #2 in my rankings!

3. (6) Arizona Cardinals (6-1) – Arizona maintained their lead in the NFC West with a great late win against Philly. Bet they are happy that Carson Palmer is back.

4. (2) Dallas Cowboys (6-2) – I only dropped Dallas two spots after a home loss to the Redskins because it was aided heavily by an injury (Romo). If there isn’t lingering damage, this team is still in control. If he’s affected by it, this team could drop heavily.

5. (9) Detroit Lions (6-2) – Another heroic comeback from Matt Stafford. But the defense was terrific in the second half also. They’ll all be happy with Megatron returns.

6. (5) Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) – Philly took the lead late but couldn’t hold on. If they can get McCoy running better, things will be much easier on Foles.

7. (3) Indianapolis Colts (5-3) – The most confusing result on Sunday was the Colts getting smashed by Pittsburgh. What happened to that defense that shut out Cincy a week ago?

8. (4) Green Bay Packers (5-3) – Total collapse in the Saints game Sunday night that started when Rodgers tweaked his hammy. Everyone gets blown out though in that dome on primetime.

9. (12) Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) – Here come those Chiefs, tearing it up on defense and pounding it on the ground. That recipe led to great things a year ago…

10. (11) San Francisco 49ers (4-3) – Bye week saw both NFC West rivals win. Bummer for them.

11. (14) Cincinnati Bengals (4-2-1) – They completed a season sweep of Baltimore on Sunday which could end up delivering them the division. Dalton was big in this one, especially since he was without AJ Green again.

12. (13) Seattle Seahawks (4-3) – There is trouble brewing in Seattle, despite Wilson’s claims that they are all together. He did pull off a late TD pass that won the game for them. That was clutch.

13. (15) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) – Big Ben… Just wow. First QB EVER to throw for over 500 yards twice. Oh, he had 6 TD passes also. Stud performance!

14. (8) Baltimore Ravens (5-3) – I just bragged on their defense last week, but they were a little soft on Cincy’s final drive. Of course, I’d be singing a different tune if Smith Sr.’s final TD wasn’t taken back due to penalty.

15. (16) Buffalo Bills (5-3) – With Kyle Orton at QB, the Bills have exploded. Sammy Watkins is quickly chasing down Kelvin Benjamin in the Rookie of the Year race.

16. (17) Miami Dolphins (4-3) – Tannehill wasn’t on fire in this one as he has been, but the team won with ease and moved above .500.

17. (10) San Diego Chargers (5-3) – I dropped this squad 7 spots for the second week in a row. They simply haven’t looked the part against good teams, this time getting smoked by Denver.

18. (22) New Orleans Saints (3-4) – Too bad they can’t play every game at home... The Saints offense returned in a big way, and they are suddenly looking good within their own division.

19. (18) Carolina Panthers (3-4-1) – Nearly beat Seattle, but couldn’t make a late play. They are still in the mix in the mediocre NFC South though.

20. (20) Cleveland Browns (4-3) – Got above .500 again but they did so by defeating the lowly Raiders at home. Can’t give them much credit for that.

21. (21) New York Giants (3-4) – We’ll see what sort of team New York is out of their bye. Too bad they can’t have Cruz back.

22. (26) Houston Texans (4-4) – The Texans did what they have all season: beat bad teams. JJ Watt continues to play at an amazing level.

23. (24) Washington Redskins (3-5) – Who needs RG3 or Cousins… Colt McCoy for MVP… Not really, but winning at Dallas was special. Defense paved the way.

24. (19) Chicago Bears (3-5) – Chicago is now officially the most underachieving team in the league. Their blowout loss was embarrassing on Sunday, and they lost Houston in the process during a pointless celebration.

25. (27) Minnesota Vikings (3-5) – Another win for the Vikings behind Teddy Bridgewater, but it was really the defense that got it done. Anthony Barr is the rookie that deserves some praise.

26. (23) St. Louis Rams (2-5) – They scored an early TD, but didn’t score again. Pathetic effort against KC. Coach is on the hot seat!

27. (25) Atlanta Falcons (2-6) – Here’s another coach on the hot seat, as Atlanta blew a big lead in London in this game. Can’t do anything right at the moment.

28. (28) Tennessee Titans (2-6) – Better get their scouts out there watching Mariotta, Winston, Hundley, and others.

29. (29) New York Jets (1-7) – The QB situation continues to be a mess. They too better get their scouts out there.

30. (30) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7) – Denard Robinson was good again, Bortles even had a lot of yards, but it still did add up to anything.

31. (31) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-6) – Tampa will be making some noise this week… on the market via trades.

32. (32) Oakland Raiders (0-7) – Winless on the year, and by my count they only have two winnable games left this season…

By: The Sports Guys