I'll start

OKC vs MEM
I was sold on OKC but MEM looked mighty strong last night taking game one, if they can't find something or someone to stop Randolph I think MEM can take this in 5-6 games.

DAL vs LAL
As a German I'm obviously going to cheer for DAL but it's gonna be a tough series. I think a lot will depend on how good DAL can defend the big guys in the paint.

CHI vs ATL
I didn't like the bulls too much in their first round matchup against the pacers but CHI should still be the clear favourite here.

MIA vs BOS
Rondo and Garnett weren't looking too good last night but the refs helped out quite a lot for MIA to stop the celtic's run in the fourth quarter. If Rondo and Garnett get their game on it's gonna be a tough tough series but I'd have to give MIA the slight edge due to their home court advantage.

I've made it a thing to see almost all of the playoffs games, but I didn't much follow the regular season so I'm by no means an expert. I was kinda rooting for the Spurs but I guess they got old quite fast, plus a superstar is born in Randolph. Another team that looks old is the Lakers - i think Dallas might beat them. In any case Pau needs to wake up. He's been terribly unconvincing. His brother is better atm.

Pierce deserved to be booted last night, the first one was a clear flagrant, the second one not that clear. But he should have known better than to test the waters on that - just very stupid five minutes from their "captain".

Chi-Ind was the best duel of the first round imo, just no way that should have gone 4-1. Derrick Rose is awesome and they're the second seed, but can they go all the way yet? I hope so but I doubt it.

Predictions:

Mem over Okc
Dallas over Lakers
Chi over Atl
Miami over Bost

Dallas over Mem
Miami over Chi

Miami over Dallas

Bulls are the first seed ;)

IMO Jones' foul should have been called as a flagrant foul he clearly had no movement to the ball and intentionally hit Pierce in the neck area. Pierce probably should have reacted like Nowitzki when he was hit in the face by some Portland player in game 6 though. The second tech was probably because of something he said maybe even because he verbally abused the ref, then again the refs had it coming for the double tech call on the first foul IMO.

I just find it extremely bizarre that the refs wouldn't even review the first foul and make a ridiculous call.

edit: What I was basically saying was that I agree with Jeff van Gundy that the refs ruined the end of the Game for no real reason

The Jones incident got called as a double technical. Looking back on it though I think I overestimated Pierces reaction, both during the shot (the head-check) and the aftermath. But still the refs had no choice really.

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/playoffs/20...play17.nba

I'm loving the "hub series" they have for each matchup on the site btw, instant press conferences.

The refs had the choice to call a flagrant on Jones and a tech on Pierce, 2 freethrows + possesion could've made all the difference in the world and maybe Pierce wouldn't have went off like he did in the second double tech but that's just speculation.

I just think that hard hits against the neck or head/face should always be flagrants unless it was CLEARLY by accident. I'm all for physical play but you have to draw the line somewhere and IMO it should be right there.

Either way it was a game changing situation where, in my opinion, the refs made a bad call.

Yeah, and I think he deliberately went down on his neck like that because of the head-butt from Pierce during the shot. In any case it was a well deserved victory though, can't really blame it on the refs. Too many no-shows from Boston as you said in #1 and terrific play from Wayde, James and Jones. But that's home court and maybe the long break hurt the Celtics, so maybe we can't draw too many conclusions.

Can't wait for tonight. I was surprised to find out that this will be the first post-season matchup between Kobe and Nowitzki!

I can't see a head-butt from Pierce during the shot, all he does after the pump fake is to put his body into Jones to get the foul call which is the standard play here.

Agree that it was a well deserved win for Miami though! But there have been some questionable ref performances in the first round aswell, look at Dallas vs. Portland the Trail Blazers couldn't get a free throw in the first two games in Dallas yet after McMillan picked up a hefty-fine for calling out the refs it went completely the other way in Portland. Reminds me a bit of the NCAA tournament this year, they had some hilarious ref performances as well.

I could have sworn I picked Dallas over Miami 4-2

OKC > MEM
memphis are on it but i think they might run out of steam on this one especially if randolph doesn't keep this up

LAL > DAL
underestimating kobe and the lakers is a bad idea, but i agree they are looking a bit old. still kobe is kobe

CHI > ATL
nice to see the bulls doing great and rose is fucking sick. heres hoping they go all the way this year..

MIA > BOS
miami's defence has been great and with james and wade playing so well boston will really have to get their shit together to stop them. saying that they rolled the knicks so they do have it in them to turn this one around

LAL > OKC
i would love the thunder (or memphis) to take this one, but once again i think the lakers have the experience and kobe) to take this one

MIA > CHI
should be great if this actually comes into fruition. i think the heat should be able to contain rose and take this one.

MIA > LAL
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee boi

top 10 from may 1st

You shouldn't overestimate Kobe against the Mavs though, he traditionally has bad games against Dallas and averaged AFAIK only 16 points against the Mavs during their regular season games. I think the key to cracking the Mavs for LA will be to dominate the paint with Bynum, Gasol and Odom on the other hand though the Mavs have been pretty good defensively against Portland and if Chandler and Haywood have some good defensive performances and Chandler doesn't get in foul trouble I'd give the edge to Dallas.

ya i agree he doesn't have the best record against them and will be interesting to see how that one plays out for him psychologically.
i'd love to see the mavs go through, all factors taken into account it could be the best series of the semis. hopefully the mavs can win the first game and put some real pressure on the lakers but still i don't expect them to go down easily especially if chandler can't keep his shit together

Agree on everything.
I'm excited for tonight, too bad the Mavs lost the nr. 2 seed to LA this close before the end of the regular season. Not having home court advantage could ultimately break their necks, although they have been extremely solid on the road during the regular season they have a history of giving away games on the road in the post-season and they showed just that once again against Portland.

home court doesnt really matter against the lakers. their road record in playoffs is over 0.500. dallas got really really lucky tonight. but i think its still bad for them. expecting the lakers to destroy them in the next 2 or 3 games.

I don't want to sound like a fanboy but IMO the Lakers were lucky for it to be this close.

they had a 14 point lead at one point? im sorry what u said just makes no sense.

they had a 14 point lead at one point? im sorry what u said just makes no sense.

0-3PEAT

xD. getting butt fucked. o well.

havent watched nba for a looong time. bulls not shit anymore wtf?

Bulls have gotten better and better since 04 I believe, they even had a big season in 06-07 when they eliminated then-reigning champion Miami Heat in the first playoff round. They drafted Derrick Rose in 08 with the first pick and he has made a tremendous progress as a player and will most likely earn this year's MVP trophy. Most people consider him by far the best pointguard in the league at the moment although there are some terrific pointguards out there.

well, I'd call that an "interesting" game one :D

Yeah definitely.

Got the league pass on the NBA website, watching all the games on my pc. :D

sweet! :)

Fantastic half time finish for Dallas..

yup...and the start of the second half wasnt to bad either -_-

Bringing it back!

LET'S GO MAVS!

People need to stop risking stupid fouls behind the half court with two seconds on the clock..

fuck me, these 20 seconds are going to cost me five years of my life

Mavs \o/

I think the yankees should take it. Either them or the dolphins.

Dirkules > *

would love to see a MEM v ATL final, but i doubt that will happen now. most likely will be DAL v MIA/CHI final, when the heat are on their game I don't think chi can beat them, but MIA like to play very inconsistently,. I've always been a fan of durant too, when that guy's shot is on he can take over against anyone in the NBA

Happy to see Kidd and Nowitzki win over lame cunts Lebron and Wayde.