The 2014 Playoffs thread

[SparzWizard]

Ginobili one of the greatest floppers of all time, next to Derek Fisher.

Hope Dallas takes down San Antonio...as a respectable team they are, I get bored watching these old men playing every year lol.

[JSD]

The imbalance between the conferences has definitely put me in the camp of being 100% in favor of the 16 best teams in the league being seeded 1 - 16 regardless of conference.  I feel like all 8 teams in the West have a legit chance of knocking off Miami, or anyone else in the league, we'll watch them beat the heck out of each other in the Western Conf. Playoffs, and then MIA will stroll into the finals to play the lone survivor.

I think Washington might be able to make it interesting but I don't think they'll be able knockout the Heat.  We shall see.

I agree I think something needs to be done. The NHL did a kind of interesting thing by reshaping their playoff format to encourage more rivalries. I like their new format a lot, even though it still made up of separate conferences.

[rondohondo]

The imbalance between the conferences has definitely put me in the camp of being 100% in favor of the 16 best teams in the league being seeded 1 - 16 regardless of conference.  I feel like all 8 teams in the West have a legit chance of knocking off Miami, or anyone else in the league, we'll watch them beat the heck out of each other in the Western Conf. Playoffs, and then MIA will stroll into the finals to play the lone survivor.

I think Washington might be able to make it interesting but I don't think they'll be able knockout the Heat.  We shall see.

I agree I think something needs to be done. The NHL did a kind of interesting thing by reshaping their playoff format to encourage more rivalries. I like their new format a lot, even though it still made up of separate conferences.

the # 8 seed in the east is about to upset the # 1 seed.......

[JSD]

The imbalance between the conferences has definitely put me in the camp of being 100% in favor of the 16 best teams in the league being seeded 1 - 16 regardless of conference.  I feel like all 8 teams in the West have a legit chance of knocking off Miami, or anyone else in the league, we'll watch them beat the heck out of each other in the Western Conf. Playoffs, and then MIA will stroll into the finals to play the lone survivor.

I think Washington might be able to make it interesting but I don't think they'll be able knockout the Heat.  We shall see.

I agree I think something needs to be done. The NHL did a kind of interesting thing by reshaping their playoff format to encourage more rivalries. I like their new format a lot, even though it still made up of separate conferences.

the # 8 seed in the east is about to upset the # 1 seed.......

There is unprecedented parity going on in the West this playoff season. What we are seeing in the East is a number one seed that fell apart after the trade, but was enough games ahead to hold onto that seeding. A very rare situation going on there, to have such a weak number one seed.

[hpantazo]

The imbalance between the conferences has definitely put me in the camp of being 100% in favor of the 16 best teams in the league being seeded 1 - 16 regardless of conference.  I feel like all 8 teams in the West have a legit chance of knocking off Miami, or anyone else in the league, we'll watch them beat the heck out of each other in the Western Conf. Playoffs, and then MIA will stroll into the finals to play the lone survivor.

I think Washington might be able to make it interesting but I don't think they'll be able knockout the Heat.  We shall see.

I agree I think something needs to be done. The NHL did a kind of interesting thing by reshaping their playoff format to encourage more rivalries. I like their new format a lot, even though it still made up of separate conferences.

the # 8 seed in the east is about to upset the # 1 seed.......

There is unprecedented parity going on in the West this playoff season.

Well that is what the league has wanted and has been working toward for years now. Parity = more exciting playoffs and more interest from various markets which traditionally had no chance to win.

[fairweatherfan]

Spurs gutted that one out.  Too bad I was hoping Dallas would pull it off.

[JSD]

The imbalance between the conferences has definitely put me in the camp of being 100% in favor of the 16 best teams in the league being seeded 1 - 16 regardless of conference.  I feel like all 8 teams in the West have a legit chance of knocking off Miami, or anyone else in the league, we'll watch them beat the heck out of each other in the Western Conf. Playoffs, and then MIA will stroll into the finals to play the lone survivor.

I think Washington might be able to make it interesting but I don't think they'll be able knockout the Heat.  We shall see.

I agree I think something needs to be done. The NHL did a kind of interesting thing by reshaping their playoff format to encourage more rivalries. I like their new format a lot, even though it still made up of separate conferences.

the # 8 seed in the east is about to upset the # 1 seed.......

There is unprecedented parity going on in the West this playoff season.

Well that is what the league has wanted and has been working toward for years now. Parity = more exciting playoffs and more interest from various markets which traditionally had no chance to win.

I accidentally posted before finishing out my thought. The parity going on the West is attributed to the pathetic Eastern conference. Imagine if Miami had to go through Houston or Portland next round instead of which ever pathetic team they're going to face next?

[hpantazo]

The imbalance between the conferences has definitely put me in the camp of being 100% in favor of the 16 best teams in the league being seeded 1 - 16 regardless of conference.  I feel like all 8 teams in the West have a legit chance of knocking off Miami, or anyone else in the league, we'll watch them beat the heck out of each other in the Western Conf. Playoffs, and then MIA will stroll into the finals to play the lone survivor.

I think Washington might be able to make it interesting but I don't think they'll be able knockout the Heat.  We shall see.

I agree I think something needs to be done. The NHL did a kind of interesting thing by reshaping their playoff format to encourage more rivalries. I like their new format a lot, even though it still made up of separate conferences.

the # 8 seed in the east is about to upset the # 1 seed.......

There is unprecedented parity going on in the West this playoff season.

Well that is what the league has wanted and has been working toward for years now. Parity = more exciting playoffs and more interest from various markets which traditionally had no chance to win.

I accidentally posted before finishing out my thought. The parity going on the West is attributed to the pathetic Eastern conference. Imagine if Miami had to go through Houston or Portland next round instead of which ever pathetic team they're going to face next?

yea, I hate the thought of Miami having a cakewalk through the east while the west coast teams kill each other.

[JSD]

The imbalance between the conferences has definitely put me in the camp of being 100% in favor of the 16 best teams in the league being seeded 1 - 16 regardless of conference.  I feel like all 8 teams in the West have a legit chance of knocking off Miami, or anyone else in the league, we'll watch them beat the heck out of each other in the Western Conf. Playoffs, and then MIA will stroll into the finals to play the lone survivor.

I think Washington might be able to make it interesting but I don't think they'll be able knockout the Heat.  We shall see.

I agree I think something needs to be done. The NHL did a kind of interesting thing by reshaping their playoff format to encourage more rivalries. I like their new format a lot, even though it still made up of separate conferences.

the # 8 seed in the east is about to upset the # 1 seed.......

There is unprecedented parity going on in the West this playoff season.

Well that is what the league has wanted and has been working toward for years now. Parity = more exciting playoffs and more interest from various markets which traditionally had no chance to win.

I accidentally posted before finishing out my thought. The parity going on the West is attributed to the pathetic Eastern conference. Imagine if Miami had to go through Houston or Portland next round instead of which ever pathetic team they're going to face next?

yea, I hate the thought of Miami having a cakewalk through the east while the west coast teams kill each other.

That's why I would be in favor of some type of reform. I think division winners should get automatic births to the playoffs, and maybe conference winners should get number one and two seeds, but outside of that it should go by record.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I wish the East was much better this season instead of the West because Mia will coast through and get to the finals and have a beaten down western opponent to face, making it so much easier for them.


To me, Bobcats were the worst team in the playoffs and Mia toyed with them. Even with a healthy AJ the series would have been the same because all Mia had to do was let him get whatever he wanted (as usual) and clamp down on everyone else, that is why I say Cats were the worst... sure they could have gotten a different matchup and probably slipped through but of all the teams in the playoffs I think they rely on one person, while all the other teams have different weapons at their disposal. I know Cats have Kemba but he is neutralized pretty much. They just didn't have enough to make Mia worried at all... it just looked like Mia was resting through the games and turning it on when they felt like it.

I don't know why they think Toronto can give them trouble (Chuck), the only teams that give Mia real trouble in the playoffs are teams who are willing to bang Mia. If Tor makes it, BKN battered them so much they won't be able to put up much of a fight!

Just ticks me off that once again Mia gets a break, ugh!

[SparzWizard]

I wish the East was much better this season instead of the West because Mia will coast through and get to the finals and have a beaten down western opponent to face, making it so much easier for them.


To me, Bobcats were the worst team in the playoffs and Mia toyed with them. Even with a healthy AJ the series would have been the same because all Mia had to do was let him get whatever he wanted (as usual) and clamp down on everyone else, that is why I say Cats were the worst... sure they could have gotten a different matchup and probably slipped through but of all the teams in the playoffs I think they rely on one person, while all the other teams have different weapons at their disposal. I know Cats have Kemba but he is neutralized pretty much. They just didn't have enough to make Mia worried at all... it just looked like Mia was resting through the games and turning it on when they felt like it.

I don't know why they think Toronto can give them trouble (Chuck), the only teams that give Mia real trouble in the playoffs are teams who are willing to bang Mia. If Tor makes it, BKN battered them so much they won't be able to put up much of a fight!

Just ticks me off that once again Mia gets a break, ugh!

I think Chris Bosh will have a lot of amazing games against the Raptors if they ever meet in the postseason.

Heat's biggest challenge will be against the West if they can evade Brooklyn.

[staticcc]

Lol, whoever comes out from the West can beat the Heat...honestly speaking.

This was said in 2012 and 2013 as well. Look at how that turned out. Anything can happen in the Finals if you have Lebron.

[SparzWizard]

Lol, whoever comes out from the West can beat the Heat...honestly speaking.

This was said in 2012 and 2013 as well. Look at how that turned out. Anything can happen in the Finals if you have Lebron.

And that is why I implied that nobody in the East comes close to beating Miami this year whoever they face. A Ray Allen 3-pointer saved Miami's season last year, but man the Spurs were that close. But you do get the idea that any of the top teams in that conference can contend with them. All I'm hoping for, though, is LeBron coughing up in the finals.

[Celtics18]

Man, I love the way the Grizzlies play ball.  They are such a pretty passing team. 

[SparzWizard]

Hopefully Wizards can close this out tonight.

And Grizzlies can go back to Memphis with a 3-2 series lead, and close it out at home.