Playoff Predictions

[DAF86]

Suns > Spurs (Shaq)

That's not going to happen. The suns are our es! We could play with voughn, Stoudmire, Bonner, Horry and Oberto for 48 minutes every game and still kick their asses.

[Allanon]

Hornets in the 5 slot? I'm not sure I see NO losing 4 out of their last 9 chief. The harder games that they might have dropped they already squeaked out (CLE and ORL). Not much left on their plate ( at LAL and DAL). The home games against UTA and GSW are gimmies.

Hornets haven't lost a trap game lately so I think they're due ... either T'Wolves or Kings will get them (both 2nd game of a B2B). LAL and Dallas will be losses. And I think they'll lose either to the Jazz or the Warriors. All speculation of course.

That's not going to happen. The suns are our es! We could play with voughn, Stoudmire, Bonner, Horry and Oberto for 48 minutes every game and still kick their asses.

I think Suns match up to Spurs better than anybody
Shaq>Oberto
Amare=Duncan (Amare scores more, Duncan better defense)
Bowen on Grant Hill = Raja on Manu...Manu scores more but Grant Hill is a waste of Bowen
Nash > Parker

X Factor is Diaw vs Finley

Both teams have experience. Spurs have a deeper bench but the Suns only go 7 players deep and they have Barbosa off the bench who's a nightmare.

Suns vs Spurs will run 7 hard fought games with lots of bad blood. I think the Suns are hungrier.

[dbreiden83080]

West is tough but i think if we are focused with a few little breaks Spurs will come through it but i tell ya Boston is just incredible. They are just killing everyone, while i think we can beat them in the finals it will be an all out slugfest likely 7 game series. Probably Timmy's toughest challenge yet.

[DAF86]

I think Suns match up to Spurs better than anybody
Shaq>Oberto
Amare=Duncan (Amare scores more, Duncan better defense)
Bowen on Grant Hill = Raja on Manu...Manu scores more but Grant Hill is a waste of Bowen
Nash > Parker

X Factor is Diaw vs Finley

Both teams have experience. Spurs have a deeper bench but the Suns only go 7 players deep and they have Barbosa off the bench who's a nightmare.

Suns vs Spurs will run 7 hard fought games with lots of bad blood. I think the Suns are hungrier.

Duncan is better than Stoudamire (besides Amare always gets into foul trouble against us)

Bowen will be on Nash not on Hill

Manu is way better than Hill, Raja, or wathever wing of the suns you want to mention (is not even close)

Nash can't stop Parker

and you are forgetting the most important match up of all: Popovich's 10 times better than D'antoni

There's a reason why we have been kicking their asses these last couple of years.

[dbreiden83080]

Nash > Parker

X Factor is Diaw vs Finley

Both teams have experience. Spurs have a deeper bench but the Suns only go 7 players deep and they have Barbosa off the bench who's a nightmare.

Suns vs Spurs will run 7 hard fought games with lots of bad blood. I think the Suns are hungrier.

Nash is NOT better than Parker in that series, he can't guard Tony to save his life and Tony is in that lane owning the Suns like crazy. That is an equal matchup no doubt about it and the Suns are not hungrier. Spurs have kicked their ass the last few years and want this repeat, Suns are not taking it away from them.

[Allanon]

Duncan is obviously better than Amare individually...BUT, not when he has Shaq at his side. Shaq takes up so much attention, Amare is free to do his thing...Amare will get his 25-30 points a night. Duncan will get about 20.

Ah, I know, the Manu is better than anybody but I'm saying defense wise, Raja will do a good job on him. Just like Bowen will do a good job on Hill but Hill doesn't need to do much so Bowen's talents are wasted. I'm not sure how effective Bowen is on Nash since he's a scorer and a break-down passer. I think if Bowen guards Nash, Duncan, Fabio and KT are going to be in foul trouble.

Nash can't defend Tony but Tony can't defend Nash either. Tony's great in the paint but he has Shaq and Amare waiting for him in the paint. Nash doesn't look to score on his penetration...he tries to draw Duncan or Oberto for an easy shot by Shaq or Amare.

The thing with Nash is he breaks down the interior defense. With Shaq and Amare the recipients, Timmy, Oberto and KT are going to have a long night.

It's going to be a pound for pound equal matchup in my opinion...probably the most even of any possible playoff matchup.

[DazedAndConfused]

The Suns ARE hungrier, watch them play out there on court right now. They are giving it their all and then some.

[dbreiden83080]

The Suns ARE hungrier, watch them play out there on court right now. They are giving it their all and then some.

And the Spurs aren't they are playing great right now.

[DAF86]

Ah, I know, the Manu is better than anybody but I'm saying defense wise, Raja will do a good job on him. Just like Bowen will do a good job on Hill but Hill doesn't need to do much so Bowen's talents are wasted. I'm not sure how effective Bowen is on Nash since he's a scorer and a break-down passer. I think if Bowen guards Nash, Duncan, Fabio and KT are going to be in foul trouble.

Nash can't defend Tony but Tony can't defend Nash either. Tony's great in the paint but he has Shaq and Amare waiting for him in the paint. Nash doesn't look to score on his penetration...he tries to draw Duncan or Oberto for an easy shot by Shaq or Amare.

The thing with Nash is he breaks down the interior defense. With Shaq and Amare the recipients, Timmy, Oberto and KT are going to have a long night.

It's going to be a pound for pound equal matchup in my opinion...probably the most even of any possible playoff matchup.

Didn't you read what i wrote? Bowen is always on Nash not Parker. And that works pretty good for us. And Manu always kills phoenix... so Raja on Manu, not so good for phoenix

[BonnerDynasty]

Duncan is obviously better than Amare individually...BUT, not when he has Shaq at his side. Shaq takes up so much attention, Amare is free to do his thing...Amare will get his 25-30 points a night. Duncan will get about 20.

Ah, I know, the Manu is better than anybody but I'm saying defense wise, Raja will do a good job on him. Just like Bowen will do a good job on Hill but Hill doesn't need to do much so Bowen's talents are wasted. I'm not sure how effective Bowen is on Nash since he's a scorer and a break-down passer. I think if Bowen guards Nash, Duncan, Fabio and KT are going to be in foul trouble.

Nash can't defend Tony but Tony can't defend Nash either. Tony's great in the paint but he has Shaq and Amare waiting for him in the paint. Nash doesn't look to score on his penetration...he tries to draw Duncan or Oberto for an easy shot by Shaq or Amare.

The thing with Nash is he breaks down the interior defense. With Shaq and Amare the recipients, Timmy, Oberto and KT are going to have a long night.

It's going to be a pound for pound equal matchup in my opinion...probably the most even of any possible playoff matchup.

Team defense man. Go back and watch the series. Nash had a hard time making the outlet pass most of that series.


Tony better not puss out with Shaq daddy in the lane.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Team defense man. Go back and watch the series. Nash had a hard time making the outlet pass most of that series.


Tony better not puss out with Shaq daddy in the lane.

If Shaq elbows tony in the mouth, it might work out to be a good thing

[Bruno]

Playoffs predictions are really hard to make when seedings aren't even determined.

The only thing I'm sure is that I don't want to see Spurs facing Mavs or Suns in the first round.
Spurs need to find a way to face Denver, Utah, Houston or Golden State in the first round. Among these four teams, Denver (with Nene back) will the harder to beat but it still will be less difficult than beating Dallas or Phoenix.

[timvp]

1. Spurs
2. Hornets
3. Lakers
4. Jazz
5. Rockets
6. Suns
7. Mavericks
8. ???

This would be the best possible bracket for the Spurs. Denver and Golden State will both be pretty difficult but the Spurs have to play someone. Houston looks easier on paper but I don't think that they can fall all the way to eighth.

In this scenario, the second round will be doable. Tough but doable. The best part about this scenario would be avoiding the Hornets, Lakers, Suns and Mavs until the WCF. Plus, the Hornets and Lakers could both easily be bounced in the first round.

My nightmare bracket would be ...

1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Spurs
4. Jazz
5. Rockets
6. Suns
7. Mavericks
8. Warriors

Going through the Suns in the first round with Shaq as healthy as he's going to be in the playoffs would be damn tough. And then the winner of the Hornets and Mavs series would be even tougher. Then the Lakers in the WCF would be fully healthy.

Even if the Spurs made it out of this gauntlet, they just wouldn't have the juice to beat the Celtics (who would beat the Pistons in this nightmare scenario).

[Brutalis]

^^ Actually if they came out of that gauntlet I'd bet there would be more than enough juice left to defeat Boston much less Detroit.

[Texas_Ranger]

[wildchild]

That's not going to happen. The suns are our es! We could play with voughn, Stoudmire, Bonner, Horry and Oberto for 48 minutes every game and still kick their asses.

Sure. If Oberto plays like last playoffs against Utah, Suns, Denver game 1 and 2, or Cavaliers in game 4, the Spurs 4-0 against Suns.

[SpurAddict561]

lmao@ the Suns talk

they never learn.........

[RobinsontoDuncan]

1) NO
2) SA
3) Pho
4) LA
5) Utah
6) Dallas
7) Hou
8) Golden State

1) NO v. Golden State in 6
2) SA v. Hou in 6
3) Pho v. Dallas in 6
4) Utah v. LA in 5
--------------------------
semis

1) SA v. Utah in 7
2) Pho v. Golden State in 5
-------------------------------
Conference Finals

SA v. Golden State in 5

Finals...... eastern conference is hard to predict--depends on if the Pistons care this year

[41times]

Well the Nuggets have the Tie Break over the Mavs and GSW is finished so....

It looks like Dallas will probably have the 8th seed because thier schedule is MUCH harder than the Nuggets.

so if you don't want to play the Mavs in the 1st round you better not finish 1st.

I on the other hand would love to play the Spurs in the 1st round!

[BonnerDynasty]

Anything before the Shaq Suns era DOES NOT COUNT!!!!! The Suns got Shaq and beat the Spurs so now the Suns are better than the Spurs and the Spurs stand absolutely no chance against the Shaq filled Suns.


via ArizonaSportsFans lmfao

[ancestron]

Shaq doesnt scare me at all. Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan will go right at him and get him in foul trouble, nullifying his impact on the game, and Pop probably has an entire playbook dedicated to defending the big Tamale in the playoffs.
On offense, if they can even get the ball into him, its hack-a-Shaq. Its common knowledge Shaq sucks at free throws, and his dominant days he had with the Lakers are over.
the Heat with Shaq got embarassed in the first round last year by the Bulls.
Granted the players around Shaq are better now, but so is the compe ion. Shaq's impact will be minimal at best, especially under the pressure of the western conference playoffs.

[DazedAndConfused]

If Ginobli, Parker, and Duncan can so easily get Shaq into foul trouble and nullify his impact then why didn't they do that when they last played? If anything, the facts show that Shaq usually gets the best of Duncan and throws him off his game.

[BonnerDynasty]

If Ginobli, Parker, and Duncan can so easily get Shaq into foul trouble and nullify his impact then why didn't they do that when they last played?

Amare and Shaq had 5 fouls with like 6 minutes to go in the 4th. The NBA is reffed by morons though, so not one ref would dare call the 6th foul on either of them.

[DAF86]

I don't know if SA is going to win the 5th, maybe the lakers, the pistons or the celtics could beat us. but what i do know is that they aren't going to lose against phoenix or dallas.

[mavs>spurs2]

Lmao at all the people not even predicting the Mavs to make the playoffs. I might have said the same thing a week ago, but at this point its just foolish. We have a 3 game lead on GS and will get the job done.