ESPN "Expert" Predictions (C's vs Cavs)

[Witch-King]

Vegas gives us basically the same odds of winning the series as it gives the Bucks to win 2 out of the next 3 vs the Hawks.

^Speaking of Vegas, don't show that list to the refs or they might relapse into their 'gambling problem' again during this up-coming series...by the time we can convince anyone that they're in the tank for Le'Bro' and the Cavs the series will be be over, though we may still win it anyways... 

[misha]

Here's my expert prediction. If the cavs play the same was as vs Bulls, and the refereeing won't be over the top against us - Celtics in 6.

[RAcker]

Et tu Legler?

For real.  Even Timmy Legs?

[Moranis]

I hate to break it to you all, but the Cavs are a better team then the Celtics and should be picked by the experts to beat the Celtics.  The Celtics only legitimate shot to win is if Lebron really does have a problem with his elbow and that problem bothers him during the series. 

You can't even really look at the regular season since the rosters that are going to meet in the playoffs never actually played during the season (when the Cavs were at full strength the Celtics were not and vice versa).

[Fafnir]

I hate to break it to you all, but the Cavs are a better team then the Celtics and should be picked by the experts to beat the Celtics.  The Celtics only legitimate shot to win is if Lebron really does have a problem with his elbow and that problem bothers him during the series. 

You can't even really look at the regular season since the rosters that are going to meet in the playoffs never actually played during the season (when the Cavs were at full strength the Celtics were not and vice versa).

Even if he's healthy the C's should have between 20% to 33% to win, if you assume their regular season performances are indicative of their quality.

[Spilling Green Dye]

If your job is to be an "expert" and "accurate", how do you seriously select a sweep?  That is utterly ridiculous.  I have always wanted someone, or myself if I found the time, to go back through every ESPN analyst prediction on the major sports and come up with a ranking of accuracy.  I think you'd see that some of them are VERY inaccurate and shouldn't have a job.

[jdpapa3]

Ahh, Henry "lakers in 5" Abbott might get a new nickname after this one.

[FallGuy]

It's really odd for Abbott to pick a sweep. The guy absolutely knows basketball.

I've traded a couple of emails with him in the past. Might send one off now...

[LarBrd33]

Ahh, Henry "lakers in 5" Abbott might get a new nickname after this one.

Back when the experts were picking the Lakers over the Celtics, I thought they were nuts and misguided.  It was clear the Celtics were a better team in 2008 than the Lakers were.   I fully believed we would beat them.  I thought the Lakers were overrated and lucked into the finals.  I thought the media loved the Lake-Show and were just going with it.  It made no sense.

This year... I have pretty much no reason to rationally believe the Celtics are better than the Cavs.   You'd have to be a little nutty to pick the Celtics in this series.  Cavs have been dominant and Boston has been a little embarrassing.   Maybe they stand a chance and will shock the world, but I'd be joking if I said I was confident in a win.

[jdpapa3]

This year... I have pretty much no reason to rationally believe the Celtics are better than the Cavs.   You'd have to be a little nutty to pick the Celtics in this series.  Cavs have been dominant and Boston has been a little embarrassing.   Maybe they stand a chance and will shock the world, but I'd be joking if I said I was confident in a win.

Yea, I'm fine if they pick the Cavs in this series because they are pretty heavy favorites, but a Cavs sweep? After he called for the Lakers in 5 in the 2008 NBA Finals? At what point do you classify a guy as a Celts hater? Seems like something is in the way of him picking rationally.

[celticinorlando]

this is no surprise at all...not like we didnt expect it....it is the nba finals all over again

[D Dub]

they should keep a prediction % stat over there and display it right under each 'experts' head shot.  that would give their picks some needed perspective.

[rondohondo]

Here are the expert picks for the 2008 nba finals

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos

Legler is the only one that picked us then.

I can see the cavs winning ,but in 4 or 5 games ,come on.....

[Edgar]

Kiss of death for Cleveland 


p.s. legler play smart he pick the local in a close game 7 so
i still like the guy and his roots

[Neurotic Guy]

Let's see, no one gives a chance.  nice motivation if they needed any.
1 picks a sweep.
2 pick the full 7 games where we lose the final game.
2 pick a 5 game series meaning we can't hold serve on our home court.
5 pick a 6 game series meaning we lose an elimination game on our court.
They're all idiots. 

Let's be clear, predicting a Cavs win is not the same as saying the C's don't have a chance.  I would pick the Cavs, but I do give the C's a chance.  I am sure that if asked whether the C's have a chance, many of the 'experts' would say yes.  Logic, though, does dictate that the Cavs will win the series.  But that, of course, doesn't mean they will.