sports: I am so glad that I got a little lazy didn't write my NBA playoff post before they began. If I had my one big prediction would have totally blew up in my face before the end of the first game of the playoffs. I would have said that the Chicago Bulls would beat the Miami Heat and then go on to win the NBA Finals. This looks like it will not happen. Before the end of their first game, Bulls guard Derrick Rose tore his ACL and now is out for the entire duration of the playoffs. I still think the Bulls have a chance to make it to the Conference Finals. They should be able to handle the 76ers no matter what. They might even have a chance to beat the Celtics in the second round thanks to the large amount of regular season games Rose missed and the chemistry the rest of the team developed in his absence. But that is probably as far as they go. (Oh yeah, I just can't bring myself to fear the Atlanta Hawks. Sorry, I just can't).
Assuming Miami continues to dismantle the Knicks and then can beat whomever the play in the second round, most likely the Indiana Pacers, they could get the Rose-less Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls played Miami tough this year even without Rose, but to think they can win a best of seven series against Lebron and Wade is just tough for me. That means that the Heat now have a relatively clear path to the Finals. If the Celtics beat the Bulls though, they might be able to challenge Miami with their experience; not to mention their hatred of the Heat. But even the Boston will have a hard time in a seven game series against the Heat. I'm saying to count out the Celtics. Paul Pierce hates them enough to pull it off and Avery Bradley's defense is for real. I just think Rose was any teams best chance to beat Miami in the Eastern Conference.
The Western Conference however is wide open. Oklahoma City and their scoring freaks, Durant and Russell Westbrook, could be enough to carry them past any team they play. The only problems with them is their lack of great defense and the fact that Durant settles for jumpers all the time. If he gets cold and can't get inside to help himself out they could lose. San Antonio will stop putting Manu Ginobli and Tim Duncan on the bench for being too old (It happened. Look it up.) and show their championship heart in the playoffs. As always though, they could go down in a heap because their so damn old though. And their young guys just aren't ready to win it all on their own. The Clippers are fun and exciting but are handicapped by having Vinny Del Negro as a coach. Sorry Vinny, I watched you in Chicago and have now bestowed on you the lowest confidence rating ever. Kobe can still drag the Lakers to the promiseland as long as Meta World (Peace wouldn't do James Harden like that. I think he should change it to Hate) and Andrew Bynum don't act like the children they seem to be. Then there's the Grizzlies. They look tough. They have youth. They have experience. They have Beasts for bigs. They are everyone's great pick this year. But I am sorry, The Grizzlies!!!! Seriously?
Ok, yes seriously, the Grizzlies maybe the best hope of anyone to beat the Heat with their punishing big men and perimeter players that can play defense, not to mention a healthy Rudy Gay, who they were missing during last years run to the Conference Finals. Unless the Mamba just goes off and decides that Lebron won't get one on his watch. But I think Rose just changed the site of the championship celebration from the Windy City to South Beach with his torn ACL.
If it wasn't painfully obvious already, this is a Bulls fan with his heart ripped out and looking for a way for the Heat to lose veiled as a playoff preview. There's always next year. Oh wait that's the Cubs. Screw it, I'm stealing their line.
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