1st Rd. Upsets?

the only potential upset i see is the nuggets over the thunder. the magic will crush atlanta like they did last year in the playoffs. dont be fooled by the regular season. they are the same exact teams, orlando is probably better actually. the spurs will rip the hornets, the mavs may go 6 games with memphis. if memphis still had rudy gay it could be different but they dont. the lakers will beat portland but it will be tougher than everyone thinks. the bulls will rip indiana in all likelihood, the heat will rip the sixers, the celtics will soundly beat the knicks unlike many people would lilke to think.

I got OKC in the Finals but you can’t rule off Denver for an upset by the way they have been meshing well after the Melo trade

As a Memphis fan i hope they end up in the 8th seed and play the Spurs..They blow them out a few weeks ago and have played them and the Lakers well this season..But i cant see Memphis beating Lakers or Dallas in a 7 game series..But i can see them beating the SPurs….

The Nuggets will surely run the Thunder very close if we could call 5th beating 4th a major upset.

Atlanta are struggling recently and can they cope with Dwight Howard I have my doubts.

The Knicks against the Celtics will certainly be the most high profile first round match up!

Otherwise I cannot see any major first round shocks.

I Think the Nuggets can beat OKC in a series..

Even though OKC has added Perkins i still cant see them beating the Lakers in a series…

 knicks WILL beat the celtics. mark my words. 

 Portland beating the lakers, 

I’m not saying this because I’m a Heat hater.  I’m really not.

But the 76ers are 28-19 in their last 47 games and match up well against the Heat with Brand, Igoudala, and Meeks, all guys capable of at leasting competing with Bosh, James, and Wade.

I know they are 0-3 in this matchup, but Wade has been the main offensive threat in all three, so if Meeks, a steadily improving young player, has learned anything in the first three contests, and can keep Wade moderately in check, this one could happen.

Not predicting it will, but it could.

The only potential one is Memphis beating San Antonio, if it comes out that way, and that’s the only one. Even George Carl said that the Nuggets can’t handle OKC… and OKC just beat them at Denver, which Denver played really well at this year, and at OKC.. IMO there isn’t a chance that Denver beats OKC.. Memphis has played extremely well against San Antonio and even blew them out the last game, as someone here already mentioned. That would be a great matchup imo. Lakers and Blazers would be a good series, but Lakers will come out on top, and Dallas SHOULD beat David West-less New Orleans, so the top 4 seeds will probably move on to the next round if the matchups stay the same if it comes out the way i think it will

Memphis has a shot at beating anyone they face in the playoffs who isn’t called lakers. I say we have a shot, not that we are going to win. if we get dallas, they can’t matchup with our guys inside. OKC has perkins now, he’ll be a huge difference maker. If a team lets memphis pound the ball inside the grizz will be very tough to beat. Also, portland can beat the mavs and okc. In the east, ny has a puncher’s chance and if howard isn’t dominant the hawks can win.

Doubt that the grizz beat the playoff battle tested Spurs. Pacers have abetter chance of beating the Bulls than the Spurs losing to the Grizz. If Rudy Gay was healthy that would be another story, then again they wouldnt be the either seed then

Knicks still have not 1 a game and the last 1 won’t count cuz no stars will play. The rest of the NY squad is trash and the will get beat in 5.

I know I am gonna get owned for saying this but look out for the pacers. Been playing there best ball lately i think they have won 10 out of their last 15 and during that stretch they beat the bulls in OT. Noah can’t cover Hibbert who I think will have some big games.

I know the bulls will probably win but just thought i would share my thoughts

The Spurs were roasted 4-0 by the Suns in last year’s Conference Semi Finals but for the Grizzlies to upset them would be a huge shock given that the Spurs have won 60 plus games and probably have more play off experience on their roster than any other current NBA perhaps apart from the Lakers and the Celtics.

In many ways I think the teams that have won titles have less pressure on them than those expected to win, likewise younger teams take a while to gel and sometimes need a trip or two to the play offs before they can really challenge. The Thunder should be much stronger after last year and Chicago will be far better equiped.

Teams that have the pressure on them are Miami for certain and possibly Dallas as although Miami won in 2006, LeBron has never won a title and if he comes up short again then the pressure starts to mount. Dallas have always come up short and as ther window closes then each year the pressure mounts. Boston winning in 2008 took a lot of pressure off them as KG and co had their title and anything since is a nice extra. The Spurs and Lakers have their titles so again their isn’t the waiting for that elusive title.

The Knicks won’t have pressure this year as any play off run is a bonus but next year I can see the fans wanting them to be genuine challengers.

Hawks will beat Magic and everyone’s new love story aka Thunder will get beat by Denver.

Hawks will beat Magic and everyone’s new love story aka Thunder will get beat by Denver.

 the Sixers will beat Miami count on it

bring the negatives

 why? what advantage do they have? Is Hawesome gonna be a rebounding beast? would old man Brand do it instead? The Heat should sweep them or at least take them out in 5. Now if the Lakers somehow fall to the 4 seed which might be possible due to a Kings and Thunder win,still could be the three seed but if they take on the Nuggets they really could lose in the first round which would be awesome.