NBA Pre-season Picks by Gabe

Let me preface this NBA bit with a few things you need to know about me and my relationship with the NBA.

NBA basketball is my 2nd favorite sport, behind (way behind) NFL football. I am a die-hard San Antonio Spurs fan and have been since about 1989, the year David Robinson started playing.

All of that being said, I don't start paying much attention to the NBA until the Spurs make their East Coast swing and I have my annual "Does my schedule allow me to go to one of these games?" conversation with myself. This year that is coming early (January) and I actually might make to the Spurs/Wizards game. Two years ago I was in the building for Spurs-Celtics in Boston and had the worst live sporting experience of my life.

(Damn Boston fans. Paul Pierce went off for 35 points and they won the game. To make it worse, fucking Kevin Youkilis was sitting courtside. So on top of all of the "Is that the best the West has gawt?" taunts they yelled, I had to hear "Yoooouuuuuk!" all damn game.)

(Please don't take that last paragraph the wrong way Boston. I love you, but just you. Your fans can suck it.)

But I digress. As I said, I don't pay much attention to the NBA until about January, and I really don't focus on it until after the Super Bowl.

I also don't fully understand the intricacies and strategies of the game. Hell, I don't really know all of the rules. And I watch the game like a football fan, meaning I live and die on every trip down the court. Watching a Spurs playoff game really isn't good for my blood pressure.

Keep all of that in mind as I give you my football-fan, Spurs-homer, doesn't really know the game, NBA pre-season predictions.

Here is what I do know. In the NBA 16 out of 30 teams make the playoffs, 8 per conference. Of those 8 there are usually 2 or 3 legit title contenders, 3 or 4 nice teams who managed to win between 48 and 52 games, and 1 or 2 teams who are pissed that they won just enough to keep them out of the lottery.

So let's focus on the top of each conference. I am going to ignore the four also-rans in each conference and focus on the best. I'm going to assume these teams all win one playoff round. Here is how I see it shaking it out.

The best in the West - L.A. Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trailblazers.

The best in the East - Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks.

Here is what I think will happen with these teams in the playoffs

West Round 2

Los Angeles over Portland - The Trailblazers are young and talented. If Andre Miller embraces his new found sixth-man role then I think they can be dangerous. The Lakers' best off-season move was keeping Lamar Odom, and that ain't saying much. I still think the Lakers have enough to win this series though.

San Antonio over Denver - This might just be the homer in me talking, but I love the Spurs off-season moves. The additions of Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, and what could be the steal of the draft, DeJuan Blair have tremendously improved an already good team. This Spurs team is going to be exciting, for the first time in a long time, maybe ever. Denver is very talented and has had success in the playoffs, but as Bill Simmons wrote in his NBA preview, George Karl teams always decline after he has success. I think the Nuggets will be pretty good, but the Spurs are hungry.

East Round 2

Atlanta over Boston - A few years ago I thought Joe Johnson was crazy to leave Phoenix, where he was a role player, to go to Atlanta and be the leader of the team. I didn't think he had it in him. Well, three All-Star appearances, a 47 win season, and seven game series with the Celtics later, he has proven me wrong. The Hawks got Jamal Crawford for two pairs of gym shorts and some tube socks, and add him to a young roster that puts up points. The Celtics added Rasheed Wallace and appear to be healthy, but I don't think they are going to make it into the playoffs that way. I think Boston will win the East on muscle memory, but it will be hard on them.

Orlando over Cleveland - Here's the deal - Orlando are the defending Eastern Conference Champs, and they are basically the same team. The Cavs added and old fat Shaq who doesn't like playing second banana. I think he and Lebron are going to clash more than they gel. I think Orlando will get the better of them again.

Western Conference Finals

Spurs over Lakers - Cool it with the Homer chants. The Spurs clearly made the best off-season moves. They are hungry and are running out of time to win another title with Timmy. Ginobili is healthy and with him, Parker, and Jefferson they are going to run. These ain't your daddy's Spurs. The Lakers are great. But they have had role players and bench guys over-produce. I think Lamar is going to get happy and fat with his new contract. Ron Artest is crazy and I think Phil Jackson can temper that only so much. I don't think Kobe is going to be able to put the team on his back this year like last year.

Eastern Conference Finals

Magic over Hawks - The Hawks will be a nice Cinderella story until this round. Orlando has been there before. They know how to win. Atlanta will cut their teeth this year and learn, but just won't have enough to pull it off. Besides, I don't think Atlanta has an answer for Dwight Howard.

NBA Finals

Spurs over Magic - The Spurs are too talented and too motivated this year. That's it. That's the list. The only thing I am not looking forward to is how many times I'll have to hear Stephen A. Smith say "Jameah" Nelson.

Superlatives:

Rookie of the Year - Blake Griffin, easy.

MVP - Dwight Howard.

Coach of the Year - Mike Woodson, Atlanta.