NBA playoff tunes- HoopsCorner.com

H o o p s C o r n e r . c o m

HoopsCorner

<< Previous Next >>
--------------------
April 25, 2008

by Tyson Wyrth

Uh-oh.

Huh?

And grgalfdzegehsth.

These are the noises the NBA playoffs are already producing, barely four days in. From boisterous Philadelphia to disheartened Houston, every city and series is emitting its own special tune. Today we’ll listen to the beat and reactions of four series in this year’s expect-anything playoffs, tell you where the noises are coming from, and when to expect a crescendo. The second act, featuring the remaining four playoff series, debuts tomorrow.

Track #1: Uh-oh
The ‘uh-ohs’ are coming from Houston, where the Rockets slid into a 2-0 hole against Utah on Monday. After getting torched for 41 points and 20 rebounds by forwards Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko in Game 1, Tracy McGrady’s crew couldn’t capitalize on the pair’s combined 16 point-15 rebound disappointment in Game 2. The Rockets now travel to Utah, where the Jazz are 37-4 this season. Houston did account for one of those Jazz home losses, but that was with Yao Ming healthy and in the second game of the season; or around the same time Kobe Bryant was about to be traded and the Bulls were about to win their first post-Jordan championship. Ummm… let’s just say a lot’s changed since November. Prediction: Jazz sweep, 4-0.

Track #2: Grgalfdzgehsth
That would be the noise words make while beating eaten, and DeShawn Stevenson is the one at the buffet. After the former first-round pick called Lebron James ‘overrated’ in the season’s final weeks, Stevenson recorded this stat line in his team’s first playoff game of the season: 38 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 1-of-9 FG, 1-of-6 3PT, 0-0 FT.

Wow.

In fairness to Stevenson, he never claimed to be a relevant basketball player himself; he only said that Lebron is overrated. So let’s look at The Chosen One’s stat line in his team’s first playoff game of the season:

41 minutes, 32 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 12-19 FG, 0-2 3PT, 8-14 FT.

And in Game 2, James’ Cavs squashed Stevenson’s Wiz by 30; the largest margin of victory in Cleveland’s 112-game playoff history.

Lebron and DeShawn are similar in sound only. Lucky for the latter, he’s got Caron Butler, Gilbert Arenas, and Antawn Jamison on his side, the only three reasons I’m even generously saying this affair will last six games. Prediction: Cavaliers win, 4-2.

Track #3: Wooooosh
That was the air being let out of NBA executives’ collective balloons this week, after Kobe Bryant finally took his long-dithering trade request off life support and changed his evaluation of Laker GM Mitch Kupchak from an ‘F’ to an ‘A+.’ A No. 1 seed in the West and a 128-114 punishment of the Denver Nuggets on Sunday understandably put Bryant in good spirits. His new teammate, Pau Gasol, exploded for 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 8 assists in the victory and Lamar Odom added 17, 14, and 6.

If the Nuggets have any chance in this series – and they do, albeit a Nader-for-Vice President kind of chance – they need to get more out of Marcus Camby. The center can cover up a lot of Denver’s defensive mistakes when he’s on his game, but the weekend’s 4-point, 7-rebound, 2-block performance was only half of what he normally gives the Nuggets (9.1 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.6 blocks). Prediction: Lakers win, 4-1.

Track #4: Huh?
When I took Philadelphia +10 points on www.centsports.com, I was hoping just to cover; I, and no one who watched the Sixers tank their last four regular season games, thought Mo Cheek’s scrappy squad would win. But that’s exactly what they did in Game 1, outscoring the veteran Pistons 27-16 in the fourth quarter to cement a 90-86 road win.

The bad news for the Sixers is they’ve likely p*#$^d off a groggy giant. Detroit, who won 59 games this season for a reason, held a 51-38 halftime lead before its arrogance turned to lethargy in the second period; that won’t happen again, now that the Sixers have the Pistons’ full respect… I think.

If Philly fans squint their eyes, the 2007-08 Pistons might being to resemble the suddenly-old 2006-07 Miami Heat, who, one year removed from a championship, won 44 games but were swept by Chicago in the first round of the playoffs.

Ultimately though, the Pistons are too balanced and (relative to that Heat group) young for that scenario to repeat itself. As long as even one of Flip Saunders’ star guards – Chauncey Billups (14 points, 3-of-9 shooting, Game 1) and Richard Hamilton (13 points, 5-of-17 shooting, Game 1) – finds his stroke, the Pistons will be fine. Prediction: Pistons win, 4-2.

Tracks #5-8: Coming soon!

<< Previous Next >>

2007-08 archive