My major questions heading into the playoffs

1) Magic will beat the Hawks.  Joe Johnson’s best day is behind him.  Replacing Wince Harder with Jason Richardson is an upgrade.  Getting back Turkoboo gives them a clutch shooter?

2) If Manu can play, then Spurs would win.  If Manu can’t play, then the Griz has a shot, but Spurs is still in favor.

3) Bulls is a contender.  Tom Thibodeau provided a defensive system and Rose bought into the coach’s ideas.  Will they win this year? I doubt it, but they have a shot.

4) Knicks may have a chance to take out Boston now that Perkins is gone.  If JO and Shaq can play though, the Celtics is still a better a better team.  Remember last year when everyone looked down on the Celtics, they toughed out a few close series and reached the final.  I think they can do the same as long as JO and Shaq can still play.

Nuggets would be no match to the Thunder.  They have a lot of good / young players, but no super star.  The Thunder got everything, a superstar to lead in scoring, a PG that can score and pass, a defensive swingman, a scoring 6th man, a PF that plays D and hit open shot, a banger C to man the post.  A banger defensive C is very critical for playoff basketball.

5) Lakers will probably reach WCF, but may have a tough time playing against Thunder or Spurs (if healthy).

Heat will probably beat Celtics in 2nd round.  The Celtics is getting old and the losing Perkins made them vulnerable in the post.  I think the biggest impact on the Perkins trade was that it hurt chemistry.  Rondo was Perkins’ best friend and he had been on decline since the trade.

Atlanta will have Orlando down and not finish. Joe Johnson will be decent in the series.

Memphis will give the spurs hell, but no Rudy no upset.

Bulls are contenders and should be taken very seriously.

Knicks have no chance in hell(nothing personal).

Nuggets and Thunder will be a great battle. Thunder should win,wont be surprised if they loose.

Lakers in finals at worst,you will see the difference in focus and attention to detail.

Miami is uncomfortably confident that they can beat Boston. When I say this, I’m speaking of everyone not named LBJ and Wade.

Boston is out of whack, Rondo and Big Baby shooting too much, Ray Allen and PP34 too little.

1)I got magic beating the hawks. but its not going to be like last year. i think this year hawks will try to redeem themselves for what hapened last year. i think hawks win 2 games but this will be a very competetive series.

2)NO mephis has no chance if SA is healthy. i think they lit a fire in SA by tanking last few games. i have SA in 5 if SA is healthy.

3)great defense. superstar who comes up big in big games. great team chemestry. everyone knows there roles. looking like best team in L after allstar break how can they not be a contender. rose has the playoff exoerience with those great 1st round series hes been in. hes hungry. but the key agian is health. they proved they can win without noah but idk if they can do it in playoffs.  idk hows his ancle but it looked like he tweaked it in the nyk game.(anyone know update with it)

4)knicks can beat anyone if melo plays the way hes playing. boston looks old beat up and i feel like there heads not in the game. but i felt like this going into the playoffs last year. it can go anyway. i dont think shaq is going to be healthy and JO is not tht big of a factor. but if the knicks get out of a tough 1st round i feel like we will lose to miami in the seccond round

denver will lose to OKC in 5. too much westbrook too much durant and too much toughness from perkins

5)lakers will reach ECF but they will not get past okc if bynum is not healthy.

i belive boston will lose 1st round.

miami will turn up thier D and will get to the ECF and if they beat the bulls i think they can beat any western conference team(i belive bulls can beat any western conference team aswell)

He did not rob anyone or take that contract. Both teams have regressed, I think the Hawks are slightly worse than the Magic though they could still win.

Are the Hawks legit contenders this year against the magic? And is Joe Johnson going to live up to the contract he signed?

I believe the series will be a toss and I have a slight edge to Orlando but it does not matter much because neither team can beat the Bulls but Orlando could give Bulls the most trouble.

Are people seriously taking Memphis in an upset over San Antonio?

Even with a healthy Manu, I have Grizz with the edge, Tony Allen is a big key why Boston has won a Championship and now he will help Grizz move to the second Round. Grizz match up very well with Spurs and it is no surprise that they lost that game to the Clippers to stay in 8th.

Are the bulls contenders or pretenders?

Bulls should make it to the to the Finals and could win if they dont have to face Lakers.  Miami could beat  them but right now Bulls have their number.

How far can the knicks/nuggets go?

Nuggets could possibly go second round but I doubt it because OKC could make it to the Finals. Grizz/Spurs are not a good match up for Denver even if they luck up and make it to the second round. 

Knicks are a wild card because depending on what team show up and for how consistent, they could come out of the East.  OKC/Lakers would murder them in the Finals but you are talking about a team with enough offensive fire power that if they play slight below average defense and make more than 9 3’s, there is no team in the East that could stop them or make them pay because other than Orlando, no team in the East has a dominate 5.

Will the Lakers/Heat/Celtics get it together?

Boston will be lucky to make it out the first round.  They will not be getting to the Finals this year.

Lakers should pull it off as long as Bynum can play at above 80 percent.