A LEGEND IS BORN II

[Fresh8]

NBA Playoffs: Third Round
NBA Playoffs: Conference Final Previews At-A-Glance

Join ESPN.com’s Woody Hannes in this quick series-by-series preview to get up to speed with the NBA playoffs. Click on the links to read more about the series you are interested in.

Eastern Conference Final: 1. Miami Heat (53-29) vs. 6. Detroit Pistons (43-39)

Team Rotations
Miami: C: K Thomas | PF: M Beasley | SF: D Wright | SG: D Wade | PG: M Chalmers | S Livingston
Detroit: C: Z Randolph | PF: J Maxiell | SF: J Green | SG: R Hamilton | PG: L Head | S Vujacic

Series Breakdown A huge criticism for the Miami Heat during and after the NBA regular season was that they were not a strong enough defensive side to make it this far into the NBA postseason. The Heat have come out and proved the haters wrong as they knuckled down on the defensive end during the first two rounds. Miami is allowing just 97.1 ppg; third best out of all the playoff teams.

Led by Dwyane Wade’s 25.8 ppg, 5.9 apg, 1.4 spg and Michael Beasley’s 19.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg; the Heat have cruised into the Eastern Conference Finals. 28 year old PG Marcus Banks has contributed stunningly and stood out in an outstanding second unit as he has put up 8.3 ppg in just 11 mpg. The veteran is shooting at .500 from behind the three point line.

Their opponents, the Detroit Pistons, have surprisingly lost just one more game during the first two rounds. Led by Rip Hamilton’s 22.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 6.6 apg, and 1.5 spg; the Pistons have five other players averaging double digits. The team’s three point shooting has helped lead to upsets of third seed Washington and second seed Cleveland.

This series should be won by Miami easily. Conventional wisdom would suggest that the Pistons’ luck from beyond the arc should dry up soon but don’t forget that anything can happen. Detroit did take the scalp of MVP LeBron James and his Cavs.

Wade is desperate to win his second ring and after missing the anticipated matchup against James and the Cavs; Wade knows that this is his best chance at advancing to that final round.

Read More…

Woody’s Prediction Heat in 5

Western Conference Final: 1. Portland Trailblazers (55-27) vs. 7. Los Angeles Lakers (45-37)

Team Rotations
Portland: C: G Oden | PF: C Boozer | SF: B Roy | SG: B Gordon | PG: S Nash | J Bayless
LA Lakers: C: A Bynum | PF: P Gasol | SF: K Bryant | SG: J Carter | PG: J Farmar | R Stuckey

Series Breakdown Eleven years ago, the Portland Trailblazers dropped a seventh game after leading by double digits against the Los Angeles Lakers. That loss all but led to the decline of a promising and talented Blazers side while the Lakers went on to win three straight titles. Now, the two franchises are pitted against each other in the same stage of competition as in 2000 and although the Blazers own the first seed; this series should be closer than many would expect it to be.

The Western Conference is a boiling pot of the league’s best talent. Regular season triumph means nothing when you are a Western Conference playoff team; this explains how the Lakers and Warriors just contested a six game second round series. Furthermore, the Lakers only got starting PG Jordan Farmar back midway through the season whilst also battling through injuries to key members of their team – a reason why the side won just 45 games.

The reason for the Lakers’ winning run of late has been the shifted attitude of Kobe Bryant. Bryant has transformed his game for the postseason; he has been picking better shots as evidenced by him shooting at a career best clip of .528 from the field for the playoffs. Bryant’s stats have dipped to 22.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, and 4.2 apg but the Lakers are winning.

LA’s run could end against the Blazers though as they match up against the best defensive club of the postseason. Portland is allowing just 94.6 ppg while winning by a margin of 10.9 ppg. Brandon Roy and Ben Gordon both average more than 20 ppg. Jerryd Bayless has been a major reason for success as he is scoring 14 ppg off the bench while Greg Oden has been the defensive anchor by averaging 4 bpg.

This series could go either way if the Lakers dig in deep but Portland should be too strong.

Read More…

Woody’s Prediction Blazers in 6

[Lamrock]

Man I'll be pissed if the Blazers lose. With 43 and 45 win teams making the conference finals, the two series should be pretty lopsided. I'm hoping for a Pistons-Blazers final though.

[kibaxx7]

I'm hoping for a Pistons-Blazers final though.

That would be nice, but I'm rooting for a Heat-Blazers series.

[Fresh8]

You guys can start predicting if you want. I havbe the updated leaderboard for the tipping comp at home with tipping instructions but will post later. Feel free to predict now if you want!

EXAMPLE:

Heat in 5
Blazers in 6

Message to hova, check out the hip hop/rnb thread in entertainment talk... thats gonna be our new joint right there

EDIT: Will give you guys until tommorow afternoon my time to vote... so approximately 24 hrs from now (its 2 pm my time)...

[Lamrock]

Pistons in 7
Blazers in 5

[kibaxx7]

Heat 4-2, Blazers 4-2

[kaiser_kobe]

Heat in 6, Blazers in 7 (but Im hoping Lakers will upset)

Was Phil Jack still in the game? Why dont you get the greatest coach to discipline Durant...

[|)e8*]

Pistons in 6 Blazers in 6

[Fresh8]

NBA Playoff Predictions
Get Your Tips In, Earn Points, Your Virtual Player Reaps The Benefits

Get your tips in guys for each playoff series and earn points that you will be able to use on your virtual player in this Association! Please participate even if your player has not appeared in this Association because it will be worthwhile. All rewards will be announced at the completion of the Postseason.

How This Works?

The playoff matchups will be posted in a series-by-series playoff preview. You will then be given some time to post your predicted outcome of each series. Don’t forget to choose the winner and amount of games won by each team.

Scores will be accumulated and posted prior to the commencement of the next round.

What Implications Does It Have For You?

All the points accumulated, no matter if you finish first or last, will be able to be used on your virtual player. How that will happen will be explained at the completion of the postseason.

And if you do not have a virtual player part of this association, don’t forget that there are still spots available for additional rookies in future Draft Classes!

Scoring System

General Scoring

If you pick the winner of the series - +10 Point
If the winner has a worse record than their opponent - +5 Points
If you correctly pick the amount of games won by each team - +5 Points

Other

If you come first in the competition - +50 Points
If you come second in the competition - +25 Points
If you come third in the competition - +10 Points

Now that you are aware of this competition, please start positing your predictions!

An example of how to vote will be posted below this post.

[Fresh8]

How To Make Your Predictions
An Example Of How To Submit Your Predictions For the Second Round

Note that this is for the Third Round only. Please follow this template! Thank you.

Third Round Predictions

Portland win 4-2

Miami win 4-1

Leaderboard: Name | Points | Tiebreaker*

1. Kaiser_kobe | 110 | 9
2. Lamrock | 110 | 8
3. Valor | 100 | 8
4. Martti | 95 | 7
5. Clutch | 90 | 7
6. De8 | 85 | 7
7. Hova | 85 | 6
8. The X | 80 | 7
8. ChrisO0 | 80 | 7
9. Dare | 80 | 6
10. Mark. | 75 | 6
10. Cartar | 75 | 6
11. Thierry | 60 | 5
12. megarover | 55 | 5
13. Oskar | 50 | 3
14. puttincomputers | 40 | 3
15. Skills | 0 | 0

* Tiebreaker – If two or more people have the same amount of points, the tiebreaker is decided by how many series you correctly picked.

[Fresh8]

Was Phil Jack still in the game? Why dont you get the greatest coach to discipline Durant...

Phil Jackson retired.

[The X]

Detroit in 6
Portland in 5

[hova-]

Heat in 5
Portland in 6

I think D-Wade is too much for Rip. Portland's way better overall, but the Lakers should be able to steal at least on but I think even two games.

[Martti.]

Heat in 6.
Blazers in 5.

D-Wade for Finals MVP!

[Cartar]

Heat in 5
Blazers in 5

[dare]

Heat in 6
Portland in 5

[puttincomputers]

Heat in 4
Blazers in 4

other predictions
Heat mvp Wade
Blazer mvp
Gordon

I would encourage you to keep this franchise going!
(oh and my fantasy player will be calling out durant during this round)

[Fresh8]

6 hours till tipping ends!

[Valor]

Heat win 4-1
Blazers win 4-2

[megarover]

Piston in 7
Lakers in 6

[Fresh8]

2 hours remain!

[Fresh8]

The Story So Far…
Conference Final Games 1 and 2 Results

Western Conference

Game 1

Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trailblazers
Portland win 74-97 (Portland lead series 1-0)
Top Performers
LA Lakers: A Bynum 14 pt, 8 reb | K Bryant 13 pt, 6 reb | P Gasol 10 pt, 5 reb
Portland: J Bayless 17 pt | B Roy 17 pt | G Oden 15 pt, 11 reb, 4 blk

Game 2

Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trailblazers
LA Lakers win 99-89 (Series tied 1-1)
Top Performers
LA Lakers: J Farmar 24 pt, 4 reb, 6 ast | P Gasol 13 pt, 9 reb | J Carter 12 pt
Portland: B Gordon 19 pt | S Nash 18 pt | J Bayless 17 pt

Eastern Conference

Game 1

Detroit Pistons @ Miami Heat
Miami win 92-116 (Miami lead series 1-0)
Top Performers
Detroit: S Vujacic 24 pt | J Green 18 pt | Z Randolph 15 pt, 6 reb, 5 ast
Miami: D Wade 36 pt, 3 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl | D Wright 14 pt, 11 reb | M Beasley 12 pt, 10 reb, 5 blk

Game 2

Detroit Pistons @ Miami Heat
Miami win 100-109 (Miami lead series 2-0)
Top Performers
Detroit: R Hamilton 27 pt, 6 reb, 8 ast | L Head 14 pt, 3 reb, 5 ast | J Maxiell 14 pt, 8 reb
Miami: D Wade 20 pt, 9 ast | M Williams 18 pt | M Beasley 16 pt

[|)e8*]

I lol@Kobe for being outscored by Farmar and others

[kaiser_kobe]

So which veteran coaches are still alive? Larry Brown, Riley?

Wow, is Farmar their new go-to guy?
looks like Vujacic finally found his home at Motown...

[Fresh8]

I lol@Kobe for being outscored by Farmar and others

Sorta refreshing you know

So which veteran coaches are still alive? Larry Brown, Riley?

Wow, is Farmar their new go-to guy?
looks like Vujacic finally found his home at Motown...

Not many vet coaches.

I will let you know when I have a look!

And Sasha always done well for Detroit.