(1) Cavaliers vs (4) Hawks

[Andrew]

The Hawks got the final blowout victory in their not-so-dramatic seven game series with the Heat, and have earned the right to face the Cavs in the second round. If not for their health issues I'd pick them to steal a win, maybe even two if they overachieve but with a few of their players hobbling I'm going to go with the Cavs in a sweep.

[JaoSming]

Cavs in 6, hoping the Hawks will put up some kind of fight

[Lamrock]

The Cavs' hopes died when Eric Snow called it a career

But probably Cleveland in 5

[NovU]

You wouldn't believe how upset I was with the Hawks. However, they were the better team, especially with them taking advantage of hurt Wade, Moon and O'neal. Grats to them earning rights to get owned by Cavaliers in 4 games. Again, I am not upset at all...

[AMenace]

Cavs in 4.

Atlanta were lucky to get this far, and as zanshadow said, they have earned the right to get owned.

[C-77]

Cavs in 5,i see the hawks winning one game at their homecourt and cavs crushing them in four other games

[dopeboy]

Cavs in 5 games.. Hawks are a good home team and will probably take 1 game in Atlanta and may lose 1 or 2 close ones, but there shouldn't be any major problems for Cavs. This extra rest they have, may cost them maybe a first half in game 1, but not a full game.

[C-77]

I could see a game 1 comeback for the cavs and a game 2 crushing

[Dan's Brain]

Cavs in 5, a slow start in game 3 will cost them, but then they run over the top of the Hawks late in Game 4 and carry that momentum to a blowout win in Game 5.

[kibaxx7]

Cavs in 5,i see the hawks winning one game at their homecourt and cavs crushing them in four other games

[Andrew]

Mike Woodson has shot back at Jon Barry over his comments that the Hawks/Heat series was the worst seven game series ever and predicting a Cavs sweep. Woodson basically questioned Barry's career accomplishments and basically employed the Shaq Defense: "You don't know anything because you weren't a star." Barry on the other hand is taking the high road.

Woodson's comments are all well and good and I can understand a coach defending his team, but the way he's gone about it is laughably childish. Much like Shaq deflecting Bill Walton's criticism last season, he's conveniently side-stepped the issue and made it personal. The problem with that is Barry's comments weren't nearly as personal. The Hawks/Cavs series was a trade-off of blowout victories, hardly a suspenseful seven game series (especially compared to Bulls/Celtics). That's not an attack on either team per se, that's just a reaction common to analysts and fans alike. Likewise, picking the Cavs to sweep is not without merit. If Woodson wants to take that personally then that's his business, but it's not Jon Barry's fault.

As always, reading the comments on both articles is good for a chuckle. Not surprisingly, most have jumped on the "Woodson is right, Barry sucks!" bandwagon, extending beyond his playing career and calling him out as a lousy analyst. Putting aside the fact we fans/armchair analysts think we're smarter and know the truth while all the professionals - players, coaches, analysts, you name it - are clueless and ill-educated, a good point is a good point no matter who says it. People would rather sit back and make their pithy remarks about the character of those involved, rather than the issue at hand. And when you get down to it, Jon Barry had a point on both counts, whether Woodson or any of the armchair analysts want to admit it or not.

[Oakrhum]

I may be childish but I also hate Jon Barry everytime he works for a Lakers game. He bashes Kobe every time, putting remarks as ubiquitous as most of the LA haters that we have here, making him childish too. But Woodson should not throw comments such as that, it's uncalled for.

About the poll, I never thought that Andrew is as cute and funny as Lamrock

[Andrew]

Oh absolutely, that's not to call Jon Barry the most brilliant analyst out there (though I don't mind him) but in this case he has a point, regardless of his abilities as a player or general performance as an analyst.

[NovU]

Jon Barry is right, it was frigging the worst 7 game series ever. 4 games is all Lebron needs. Woodson and his team need to STFU and accept the fact that they couldn't win against healthy Wade, O'neal, and Moon. I hope they won't bang Lebron like they did to Wade in the series.

[Oakrhum]

Jon Barry is right, it was frigging the worst 7 game series ever. 4 games is all Lebron needs. Woodson and his team need to STFU and accept the fact that they couldn't win against healthy Wade, O'neal, and Moon. I hope they won't bang Lebron like they did to Wade in the series.

bitter..

[Lamrock]

lol 0 votes for Atlanta.

[Oakrhum]

Right now, no current playoff team from the East can beat this Cleveland basketball gangsta.

[AMenace]

Right now, no current playoff team from the East can beat this Cleveland basketball gangsta.

Agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!


AT LAST!!!!!!!!!! MY 200TH POST

[C-77]

yeah but i do hope the cavs next opponent will be the Celtics!,so that it will be easier for them but if they can imitate the defense that the 76ers did to the Magic then It'll be ok for me for a Cavs vs Magic Matchup in the ECF

[Oakrhum]

yeah but i do hope the cavs next opponent will be the Celtics!,so that it will be easier for them but if they can imitate the defense that the 76ers did to the Magic then It'll be ok for me for a Cavs vs Magic Matchup in the ECF

Cleveland can't be beaten by Orlando and Boston combined! If there's any other team that can beat this Cavaliers team then that would be a team coming from the other coast.

[dopeboy]

I din't expect that even with slow first half Cavs will be ahead.. Damn, they're good or what?
I don't think they have to imitate any teams defense to win the Orlando or Celts. Cavs defense is opposite to 76ers - they don't go for steals all the time but just shut downs them. 76ers guards are more athletic and that's why they go to small lineup, especially with Brand out.
Anyway, Cavs will be in the finals against.. well, I'm not so sure anymore against who..

[Oakrhum]

I din't expect that even with slow first half Cavs will be ahead.. Damn, they're good or what?

I expected it because they're only facing the Atlanta Hawks that can't even sweep a subpar Miami Heat.

[C-77]

yeah me too now i'm not sure who will be the Cavs opponent in the finals but i still think it's the fakers! and yeah i still believe that Cleveland the 3 pointers of orlando,all they gotta do is defend Dwight Howard with Big Z or Wallace just don't double team howard and if he dominates the paint it's just 2 points you know plus those shots of Howard are gonna miss sometime they gotta challenge him in the post

[Oakrhum]

it's the fakers!

out of inquisitiveness , C-77, why do you have a lakers sig/avatar? is that for sarcasm purposes only?

[C-77]

No it's not a lakers sig/avatar it's a kobe one which he happens to be my second fav player and me hating the lakers doesn't mean i hate kobe