Ball Don't Lie the Boogie Down Productions of hoops blogging houses some great previews for these games.
SBN's in PLAYOFF MODE.
# 8 Utah Jazz @ #1 LA Lakers: 12pm on ABC
Don't get me wrong I dislike the Lakers as much as the next Fakers Hater, but I can't stand the Jazz and their classless fans even more. I'm predicting and hoping for a Lakers sweep. I'm predicting and not hoping that when the Lake-show thoroughly embarrasses the Jazz in SLC, those loser Utah fans start innately hurling objects onto the floor at the players. The NBA Has a Fan Problem.
Props to Deron Williams for the fabulous season (19.4 ppg and 10.7 apg), hopefully he can escape from there soon- because you know Carlos Boozer will be doing just that in a few short months.
The Jazz think they have 3 ways to beat the Lakers and their fans have become delusional:
I'm ready to get this going. I will ask this. For those that aren't Jazz fans and might not have a team in the playoffs, how can you not root for the Jazz?
First of all, it's the Lakers. Unless you're a Fakers fan, how can you root for the Empire? Shouldn't you be rooting for the Rebellion?
Second, everyone loves the underdog and it doesn't get much more underdog than this.
NO ONE outside of Utah roots for the Jazz and their barbaric fans. Not even against the Fakers. In fact I bet 99% of NBA fans would love to see the Jazz re-locate or be contracted.
You can look at it Position By Position or examine the Jazz' Offense Vs. Lakers' Defense, but can you really tell me you aren't already looking past this series and towards a Kobe vs. LeBron NBA Finals? Black Mamba vs. The King and His WItnesses.
Blog Battle: SLC Dunk vs. Silver Screen and Roll
#7 Philadelphia 76ers @ #2 Orlando Magic: 5:30pm on TNT
I'll get this out of the way- if the 76ers were in the West they would have finished TENTH and being sitting at home with the WE SUCK Golden State Warriors.
Sorry just felt obligated to throw that in.
This should be an easy series for the Magic to take in 4 or 5 and Magic fans seem to agree with me, regardless of that feeble attempt at Six-Six-Six-ing the poll from the Philly Phanatics. The Magic have been very good at home this season (32-9) and the Sixers have been very bad on the road (17-24), so expect D-Wight D-Flight and gang to kick things off right in Game 1.
I was going to ignore Courtney Lee, but now I won't. It can't be a good sign that Sixers fans are already debating who's injuries are worse between these 2 squads but give them props for being pumped for an inevitable exit.
Blog Battle: Liberty Ballers vs. Third Quarter Collapse
#5 Miami Heat @ #4 Atlanta Hawks: 5pm on TNT
Oh my. Can you believe the season D-Wade just had? He led the league with 30.2 ppg, dropped 7.5 dimes, grabbed 5.0 rodmans and even sprinkled in 2.2 steals and 1.3 swats a game. South Beach was where amazing happened this year.
I'd love to see Dwyane Wade and Michael Beasley (peaking at the right time- 20.6 ppg and 8.6 rpg in April) face off against the Cavs in the next round. I could go either way with my prediction on what will be a FANtastic series, but since that would be a cop-out I'm going with Miami. Why? Well I was born there. So um, yeah... I really don't know about this series. All I can guarantee you is that it's going to be a good one.
It's gets even more exciting when you see Heat and Hawks fans trading Q&A's. Hotlanta is breaking it down to The Wade Help Block, The Horford Effect, and Defensive Rebounding- you know The Smaller Things and Wade.
This is going to be a good one. (I think I said that before, but just in case you missed it.)
Blog Battle: Peninsula is Mightier vs. Peachtree Hoops
#7 New Orleans Hornets @ #2 Denver Nuggets: 7:30pm on TNT
At the beginning of this fine NBA season if you were to pick how the West would go down, you can't tell me you wouldn't have this Game 1 reversed as #7 Denver Nuggets @ #2 New Orleans Hornets. What a difference a Detroit Grand Theft makes.
Is the year the Denver Nuggets stop immitating the Houston Rockets? I think so. They're a very, very solid team from top to bottom. That isn't to say that the Hornets aren't very scary either. You know CP3 takes scary to a whole 'nother level man:
I forecast this one to go the distance in another great 1st round playoff matchup. The hoops gods have been to us. (Us not meaning Warriors fans of course.)
KMart's still a bully and Denver does not think they will get stung. NOLA's High-Fiving, excelling in Stats 105, and kicking back at tables that couldn't be any more rounder. Both these teams have been here before and it'll show.
Blog Battle: At the Hive vs. Pickaxe and Roll
Post your Day 2 predictions and any ongoing game thoughts you have in the comments.
Utah Jazz @ LA Lakers
Philadelphia 76ers @ Orlando Magic
Miami Heat @ Atlanta Hawks
New Orleans Hornets @ Denver Nuggets
Here's mine:
Utah Jazz @ LA Lakers: Lakers
Philadelphia 76ers @ Orlando Magic: Magic
Miami Heat @ Atlanta Hawks: Heat
New Orleans Hornets @ Denver Nuggets: Nuggets
On an editorial note, I've had a blast covering the first 2 days of the 2009 NBA Playoffs as you can probably tell- way more fun than covering the 2008-2009 WE SUCK. How about we morph GSoM into all encompassing NBA blog? Some possible names:
- Suck Hoop in honor of True Hoop
- Suck Don't Lie in honor of Ball Don't Lie
- SuckHype in honor of BallHype
- Suckbarker in honor of Yardbarker
- SuckHouse in honor of FanHouse
- NBA Suck Squad in honor of NBA Blog Squad