Way too Early Playoff Preview: East
Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 1:30 pm
Previewing the first round of the playoffs:
1. Detroit Davis’
8. New Jersey Nets
Preview: Buddy Pedroza rolled up into this league and took it by the neck. This year he’s averaging 26/8.7 per game. This isn’t a one man squad either. The Nets have Tyreke Evans, F. Cole Medina, Thornton, and All Star Gallo, but the sum of their parts value deconstructed seems to be more valuable than together. The Pistons on the other hand are riding the tsunami wave that is Anthony Davis. With him, they’re the clear favorite in the East. Without him, they’re a bottom 5 team. The conventional thinking is to let (as if you have a choice) AD get his and shut down anyone else, but I don’t think that works with Davis’ outlandish 44.6/12/2/1/3 per game. He’s posting probably the best season the league has ever seen, and GM wombat can sleep his way through the playoffs.
Pick: Pistons in 4
2. New York Knicks
7. Charlotte Bobcats
Preview: Outside of the Pistons, anyone is able to be beaten in the east. The Knicks are the most vulnerable of the top 3 seeds because of some bad luck in the injury department. The Knicks deserve credit though. They’re holding it together without future hall of farmer Rudy Gay. The Knicks do a lot of things good. They’re a balanced team scoring, they create turnover and they don’t turn the ball over. This alone gives them a chance without their best player. The Bobcats on the other hand have made a ton of splashy moves. They traded their first overall pick Damion McNary for Enes Kanter which has paid dividends and has accelerated their timetable. Kanter and Wall would be scary enough, but they’re also dangling two potent Ball’s that can “fill it up” when they’re getting off on the opponent. The scary thing for the Bobcats is that when the Ball’s are on the court, they’re not a better team.
Pick: Knicks in 7
3. Hawks
6. Magic
Preview: I think this matchup and the next are very interesting. Preseason dance partners become dance off opponents. The Magic took a big step forward this year after years of futility and traded for James Harden, the problem was it cost them Harland Ellinger who the Hawks will pry their talons into to annoy the league for years and reset their tax (why do people keep bailing them out?) . Not all is bad in Magic land though. They’ve put together a very formidable starting 5 that can score, pass, create turnovers and rebound. They’re a terror from 3 and defend it pretty well themselves. The X factor here is if George can play like his OP title he’s been given. The Hawks on the other hand, have done another great job of selling off a late 20’s guy for a guy about to bud into a superstar on a rookie deal. They have mainstays Jokim Noah, maybe one of the most under appreciated players in league history; Draymond, who can make George a near shell of himself, Steph curry who’s playing much better than his green current shows, and Nate Robinson off the bench. On paper, I look at it and think they get smoked in this.
Prediction: On paper is one thing, in game is another. Hawks in 7. They typically struggle in r1 matchups for some reason.
4. Bucks
5. Hawks
Preview: No one quite knows the think of the yearly Jekyll & Hyde approach from the Bucks, but one things for certain, it’s working for them. Learning from the Hawks, the Bucks sold off a prime Kanter for a developing McNary. I personally thought this was a mistake, but it really hasn’t slowed them down as they’ve changed their identity from an elite scoring team to a very balanced team. Rubio is the engine that drives the machine with Irving being the shiny paint job. The 76ers are an upstart franchise that is finally growing into their pants. They’re lead by versatile Gordon Hayward who uses his blend of athleticism to stifle opponents. The 76ers make their money on defense but the worry is their offensive dynamo, Ben Simmons just isn’t ready to jump in the passenger seat with Hayward driving to give them enough to win this series.
Prediction: Bucks in 6
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1. Detroit Davis’
8. New Jersey Nets
Preview: Buddy Pedroza rolled up into this league and took it by the neck. This year he’s averaging 26/8.7 per game. This isn’t a one man squad either. The Nets have Tyreke Evans, F. Cole Medina, Thornton, and All Star Gallo, but the sum of their parts value deconstructed seems to be more valuable than together. The Pistons on the other hand are riding the tsunami wave that is Anthony Davis. With him, they’re the clear favorite in the East. Without him, they’re a bottom 5 team. The conventional thinking is to let (as if you have a choice) AD get his and shut down anyone else, but I don’t think that works with Davis’ outlandish 44.6/12/2/1/3 per game. He’s posting probably the best season the league has ever seen, and GM wombat can sleep his way through the playoffs.
Pick: Pistons in 4
2. New York Knicks
7. Charlotte Bobcats
Preview: Outside of the Pistons, anyone is able to be beaten in the east. The Knicks are the most vulnerable of the top 3 seeds because of some bad luck in the injury department. The Knicks deserve credit though. They’re holding it together without future hall of farmer Rudy Gay. The Knicks do a lot of things good. They’re a balanced team scoring, they create turnover and they don’t turn the ball over. This alone gives them a chance without their best player. The Bobcats on the other hand have made a ton of splashy moves. They traded their first overall pick Damion McNary for Enes Kanter which has paid dividends and has accelerated their timetable. Kanter and Wall would be scary enough, but they’re also dangling two potent Ball’s that can “fill it up” when they’re getting off on the opponent. The scary thing for the Bobcats is that when the Ball’s are on the court, they’re not a better team.
Pick: Knicks in 7
3. Hawks
6. Magic
Preview: I think this matchup and the next are very interesting. Preseason dance partners become dance off opponents. The Magic took a big step forward this year after years of futility and traded for James Harden, the problem was it cost them Harland Ellinger who the Hawks will pry their talons into to annoy the league for years and reset their tax (why do people keep bailing them out?) . Not all is bad in Magic land though. They’ve put together a very formidable starting 5 that can score, pass, create turnovers and rebound. They’re a terror from 3 and defend it pretty well themselves. The X factor here is if George can play like his OP title he’s been given. The Hawks on the other hand, have done another great job of selling off a late 20’s guy for a guy about to bud into a superstar on a rookie deal. They have mainstays Jokim Noah, maybe one of the most under appreciated players in league history; Draymond, who can make George a near shell of himself, Steph curry who’s playing much better than his green current shows, and Nate Robinson off the bench. On paper, I look at it and think they get smoked in this.
Prediction: On paper is one thing, in game is another. Hawks in 7. They typically struggle in r1 matchups for some reason.
4. Bucks
5. Hawks
Preview: No one quite knows the think of the yearly Jekyll & Hyde approach from the Bucks, but one things for certain, it’s working for them. Learning from the Hawks, the Bucks sold off a prime Kanter for a developing McNary. I personally thought this was a mistake, but it really hasn’t slowed them down as they’ve changed their identity from an elite scoring team to a very balanced team. Rubio is the engine that drives the machine with Irving being the shiny paint job. The 76ers are an upstart franchise that is finally growing into their pants. They’re lead by versatile Gordon Hayward who uses his blend of athleticism to stifle opponents. The 76ers make their money on defense but the worry is their offensive dynamo, Ben Simmons just isn’t ready to jump in the passenger seat with Hayward driving to give them enough to win this series.
Prediction: Bucks in 6
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