Post by Jahallstar on Apr 13, 2009 20:08:04 GMT -5
#1 Minnesota Timberwolves
vs
#8 Phoenix Suns
Key Match-up : Derrick Coleman vs Charles Barkley
Injuries : Wolves - Andrew Lang (Games 1-4) , Suns - Augman (series)
Season Series : Wolves 3-1
SUNS 128, Timberwolves 109
Timberwolves 95, SUNS 74
TIMBERWOLVES 109, Suns 97
TIMBERWOLVES 109, Suns 94
Outlook : Well the Wolves have made a miraculous turnaround this season while the Phoenix Suns Barley made the playoffs. Defensive stopper Andrew lang is out for the first 5 games of this series so it could be closer than a lot of people thing. The Suns do play great defense so that should keep them somewhat in the series. Derrick Coleman will have to win his individual matchup with Barkley. If he does this it could go down to the wire. In the end the Wolves might have to much firepower though.
Prediction : Wolves in 7
#2 Golden State Warriors
vs
#7 Seattle SuperSonics
Key Match-up : Gary Payton vs John Stockton
Injuries : Warriors - none , Sonics - Roy Tarpley (Games 1-4), Will Perdue (Games 1-4)
Season Series : Warriors 3-1
SUPERSONICS 102, Warriors* 86
Warriors* 131, SUPERSONICS 119
WARRIORS* 92, Supersonics 76
WARRIORS* 117, Supersonics 87
Outlook : Well this is yet another series that the injury bug really killed. Tarpley is a vital part of the Sonics team and he will miss the first four games. Backup Will Perdue is also out for these same games. This should be enough to get the Warriors by fairly easily. The point guard matchup is just about as good as it gets. John Stockton vs Gary Payton should be amazing. Stockton just has to much help though. Brad Daugherty should have his way downlow and the Warriors will take this series.
Prediction : Warriors in 5
#3 San Antonio Spurs
vs
#6 Denver Nuggets
Key Match-up : Vlade Divac vs Patrick Ewing
Injuries : Spurs - Mark Jackson (games 1-3) , Nuggets - None
Season Series : Nuggets 3-1
Nuggets 121, SPURS* 99
SPURS* 113, Nuggets 103
NUGGETS 121, Spurs* 88
NUGGETS 117, Spurs* 95
Outlook : This is a very interesting series. Isiah Thomas will have to come up big for the Spurs for the first three games of the series. The matchup everyone wants to see though is Patrick Ewing vs Vlade Divac. These two big men will be attacking eachother this whole series. Ewing has been there before and Divac is the young gun who is looking to make his mark this offseason. While this is a very close matchup I think the Nuggets will steal one of the first two games with Jackson out and home court will hold up the rest of the series. This one is my upset special.
Prediction : Nuggets in 6
#4 Vancouver Grizzlies
vs
#5 Houston Rockets
Key Match-up : Shaq vs Kevin Duckworth
Injuries : Grizzlies - Shaq (games 1-2) , Houston - None
Season Series : Tied 2-2
ROCKETS 103, Grizzlies 74
GRIZZLIES 101, Rockets 79
ROCKETS 100, Grizzlies 90
GRIZZLIES 113, Rockets 75
Outlook : Shaq picked the worst possible time to get hurt. There is a good chance that the Grizzlies lose games 1 and 2 with the bigman out. If they don't lose both there is a huge chance they lose one. This postseason might be a learning experience for the Grizzlies though. There is pretty much no question that Shaq will be here for the next 15 seasons. The Rockets didn't finish the season nearly as well as they started, however they could very well see round 2 after this series. Look for Clyde Drexler and Kevin Duckworth to lead this team into a second round clash with the Wolves.
Prediction : Rockets in 6
vs
#8 Phoenix Suns
Key Match-up : Derrick Coleman vs Charles Barkley
Injuries : Wolves - Andrew Lang (Games 1-4) , Suns - Augman (series)
Season Series : Wolves 3-1
SUNS 128, Timberwolves 109
Timberwolves 95, SUNS 74
TIMBERWOLVES 109, Suns 97
TIMBERWOLVES 109, Suns 94
Outlook : Well the Wolves have made a miraculous turnaround this season while the Phoenix Suns Barley made the playoffs. Defensive stopper Andrew lang is out for the first 5 games of this series so it could be closer than a lot of people thing. The Suns do play great defense so that should keep them somewhat in the series. Derrick Coleman will have to win his individual matchup with Barkley. If he does this it could go down to the wire. In the end the Wolves might have to much firepower though.
Prediction : Wolves in 7
#2 Golden State Warriors
vs
#7 Seattle SuperSonics
Key Match-up : Gary Payton vs John Stockton
Injuries : Warriors - none , Sonics - Roy Tarpley (Games 1-4), Will Perdue (Games 1-4)
Season Series : Warriors 3-1
SUPERSONICS 102, Warriors* 86
Warriors* 131, SUPERSONICS 119
WARRIORS* 92, Supersonics 76
WARRIORS* 117, Supersonics 87
Outlook : Well this is yet another series that the injury bug really killed. Tarpley is a vital part of the Sonics team and he will miss the first four games. Backup Will Perdue is also out for these same games. This should be enough to get the Warriors by fairly easily. The point guard matchup is just about as good as it gets. John Stockton vs Gary Payton should be amazing. Stockton just has to much help though. Brad Daugherty should have his way downlow and the Warriors will take this series.
Prediction : Warriors in 5
#3 San Antonio Spurs
vs
#6 Denver Nuggets
Key Match-up : Vlade Divac vs Patrick Ewing
Injuries : Spurs - Mark Jackson (games 1-3) , Nuggets - None
Season Series : Nuggets 3-1
Nuggets 121, SPURS* 99
SPURS* 113, Nuggets 103
NUGGETS 121, Spurs* 88
NUGGETS 117, Spurs* 95
Outlook : This is a very interesting series. Isiah Thomas will have to come up big for the Spurs for the first three games of the series. The matchup everyone wants to see though is Patrick Ewing vs Vlade Divac. These two big men will be attacking eachother this whole series. Ewing has been there before and Divac is the young gun who is looking to make his mark this offseason. While this is a very close matchup I think the Nuggets will steal one of the first two games with Jackson out and home court will hold up the rest of the series. This one is my upset special.
Prediction : Nuggets in 6
#4 Vancouver Grizzlies
vs
#5 Houston Rockets
Key Match-up : Shaq vs Kevin Duckworth
Injuries : Grizzlies - Shaq (games 1-2) , Houston - None
Season Series : Tied 2-2
ROCKETS 103, Grizzlies 74
GRIZZLIES 101, Rockets 79
ROCKETS 100, Grizzlies 90
GRIZZLIES 113, Rockets 75
Outlook : Shaq picked the worst possible time to get hurt. There is a good chance that the Grizzlies lose games 1 and 2 with the bigman out. If they don't lose both there is a huge chance they lose one. This postseason might be a learning experience for the Grizzlies though. There is pretty much no question that Shaq will be here for the next 15 seasons. The Rockets didn't finish the season nearly as well as they started, however they could very well see round 2 after this series. Look for Clyde Drexler and Kevin Duckworth to lead this team into a second round clash with the Wolves.
Prediction : Rockets in 6
