I don't think the Nets can take the Cavs. Who on the Nets' is gonna guard Lebron? Who in the league can guard Lebron? And the Nets arent known for their team defense, which is what Detroit needed to stop Lebron last year. There are plenty of people to throw at Jason Kidd, Vinsanity, Richard Jefferson; I'm not saying the big 3 of NJ can be stopped, but they can definately be bothered. No one seems to be able to bother, much less stop Lebron. I really wish Chicago beat the Nets for the last game of the season so Lebron would have to face Shaq and Wade, that would've taught him for coasting during the beginning of the season and putting the fans of Cleveland through that.

But yeah, I'm going with Detroit to come out of the East this year. They have that team chemistry thing going on, veteran experience, the clutch Chauncey Billups, an awesome starting 5, and an offensive mastermind in Flip Saunders. Miami is too banged up to make it out of the East this year, Wade is going to be walking into so many pick and rolls throughout the playoffs his shoulder might fall off. And Shaq can't dominate for a full 48 minutes much less a run at the title when his team needs him to be the no.1, that was Wade's job last year and Miami will be desperately missing his form from last season. I would be rooting for Chicago but they dont have enough experience yet, maybe in a couple years Chicago will be a contender for the East.

As for the West, I truly think this year is the Suns' time. Everything is going right for them, Steve Nash has increased his level of play and Amare is just a beast. Not to mention that Shawn "Matrix" Marion is the ultimate utility player since Pippen. They have that playoff/Western Finals experience, a genius coach, an incredible starting 5, not to mention the great team chemistry. Suns to win it all this year.

Atma, you got to go for the gold, or don't go at all.

WE BELIEVE!!!!

1Dub

Nets over Raptors and Suns over Spurs in the playoffs.

warriors and cavs in the finals

warriors in 6 baby!

except in the Eastern Conference, I had Detroit pass up the Heat, the Cavs passing up the Nets, then the Cavs getting passed the Pistons with the W's reliving the 1975 shock championship!  What a dream...

there is no way the suns beat the spurs in the playoffs, unless TD gets thrown out of every game for laughing...oh wait, Crawford got fired.  Yeah, there goes the Suns' last chance.  TD is a more versatile big man than Amare, and the suns just don't have an answer for him.  That means that if the spurs just run their offense through TD, they'll get their points and slow down the tempo.  Then on D, Gregg had it right in their last game - take away the dunks and the treys and make their midrange game beat you.  Just wanted to say that cause (after the warriors of course) the suns are one of my favorite teams, and I was absolutely disgusted every time I saw d'antoni's inability to adjust the gameplan in the face of adversity.

My picks (didn't do ballhype, but here they are anyhow):

pistons over magic in 4
cleveland over washington in 4
raptors over nets in 6
bulls over heat in 6
dubs over mavs in 7
suns over lakers in 5
spurs over nugs in 5
rockets over jazz in 7

bulls over pistons in 6
raptors over cavs in 5
rockets over dubs in 6
spurs over suns in 5

bulls over raptors in 6
spurs over rockets in 6

spurs over bulls in 6

Games indicate certainty more than they do actual # of games, incidentally - as you can see, there's a fair number I'm iffy on. :P