2008 Woodie Awards
Don Juan's NBA Playoff Predictions
Juan Bernal
Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: Sports
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1 Detroit Pistons vs. 8 Milwaukee Bucks:The Pistons have been almost impossible to beat this season. There team chemistry is second to none. They lead the league in margin of victory and second in rebounding. There is not a great individual on this team, but a group of solid individuals make a solid team. They are led by Chauncey Billups, who has had the best season of his career and has been mentioned in the MVP race. Ben Wallace will more than likely win his fourth defensive player of the year award. The Bucks meanwhile are led by Michael Redd, who is 9th in the NBA in points per game averaging 25.1 per game. To beat the Pistons, the Bucks must get an amazing series from Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut. If the Pistons don't bring it on the defensive end of the floor, I can see the Bucks making a series out of it.. Pistons in 5.
2 Miami Heat vs 7 Chicago Bulls:The Miami Heat have as much talent as any team in the league. The Bulls probably have the least. But thanks to the admirable coaching job and late season surge, the Bulls find themselves in the playoffs. The key for the Bulls will be their guard play. Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon must excel and make the Heat guards play defense in order to give the Bulls a chance. The Bulls must also push the tempo, because Miami excels in a slow-half court tempo. If the Heat slow the game down and contain Gordon and Hinrich, they will win the series easily. Heat in 5.
3 New Jersey Nets vs. Indiana Pacers:This is the most compelling playoff matchup because it matches the Nets, who love to run the fast break against the Pacers, who like to slow it down. Depending on the team the controls the tempo, that is the team who will win this seven game series. The Pacers game plan is to run it through Jermaine O'Neal, and force the Nets to play defense. The Nets want to try to force as many turnovers as possible and get as many points on the fast break as they can. Nets in 6.
4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs 5 Washington Wizards:This series matches up two great players in Lebron James and Gilbert Arenas. The Wizards run everything through their catalyst, Arenas as he is fourth in the NBA in points and steals. The Cavaliers thrive off superstar Lebron James, who is third in the NBA in points. This will be a very tight series, and the winner will depend on which supporting cast steps up. Will it be Larry Hughes and Zydrunas Illgauskas or Antawn Jamsion and Caron Butler Cavaliers in 7.
2 Miami Heat vs 7 Chicago Bulls:The Miami Heat have as much talent as any team in the league. The Bulls probably have the least. But thanks to the admirable coaching job and late season surge, the Bulls find themselves in the playoffs. The key for the Bulls will be their guard play. Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon must excel and make the Heat guards play defense in order to give the Bulls a chance. The Bulls must also push the tempo, because Miami excels in a slow-half court tempo. If the Heat slow the game down and contain Gordon and Hinrich, they will win the series easily. Heat in 5.
3 New Jersey Nets vs. Indiana Pacers:This is the most compelling playoff matchup because it matches the Nets, who love to run the fast break against the Pacers, who like to slow it down. Depending on the team the controls the tempo, that is the team who will win this seven game series. The Pacers game plan is to run it through Jermaine O'Neal, and force the Nets to play defense. The Nets want to try to force as many turnovers as possible and get as many points on the fast break as they can. Nets in 6.
4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs 5 Washington Wizards:This series matches up two great players in Lebron James and Gilbert Arenas. The Wizards run everything through their catalyst, Arenas as he is fourth in the NBA in points and steals. The Cavaliers thrive off superstar Lebron James, who is third in the NBA in points. This will be a very tight series, and the winner will depend on which supporting cast steps up. Will it be Larry Hughes and Zydrunas Illgauskas or Antawn Jamsion and Caron Butler Cavaliers in 7.
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