Playoffs

Now, the real season begins.


The NBA Playoff season begins this weekend with the Lake show looking to defend their title for the third year in a row. The landscape in the league has changed since the Lakers won last year. A busy trade "season" has made nothing automatic in the first round matchups. Here are my upset specials for each conference in the first round.

In the East, it's really tough. Atlanta has the talent against the Magic, but they have seemed out of sync all season. Going up against Dwight Howard doesn't help either. The Magic will get by on coaching. Forced to pick an upset special, Boston - New York is my pick. Boston is going into the post season very gimpy at the center position. While they do have three 7-footers, will they be able to hold up? On the other side, the Knicks have the scoring with Carmelo (melo, my man - The Roots) "big man" Amare Stoudemire and floor general Chauncey Billups. They have the engine to go up and down for 48 minutes. Should be an entertaining series.

In the West, I am really tempted to pick the Nuggets over the Thunder. Using my own formula for championship success, the Nuggets don't have the bona fide superstar that you need. They also don't have Kendrick Perkins, who paroles the paint like a prision guard from OZ. While I think it will be a competitive series, the Thunder will be able to hold serve and advance. My upset special in the West is the Portland - Dallas matchup. In one way, it wouldn't be a upset from the Mav's point if view. They have been bounced out in the first round three out of the last four years. It doesn't get any better as they face a bigger, more physical Trail Blazers unit. They have the superstar in Lamarcus Aldridge (who should have made the All-Star team), a bigger bench and the X-factor in trade pickup Gerald Wallace, who has averaged 19 points a game since coming over from the Bobcats. Look for another Cuban blowup after the Blazers win the series.

Enjoy this year's playoffs...This might be the last one for a while.

Enjoy this week's Friday's Freeze Jukebox:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED9e8j8sewE