Playoff Pick'em Game

First topic message reminder :

Okay, here is how it's going to work:

For each series, you will pick a winner and how many games it will take. For picking the winner right you will get points in an increasing amount like so:

--First Round - 2 points
--Conference Semis - 4 points
--Conference Finals - 8 points
--NBA Finals - 16 points

If you pick the winner right, you will also get a bonus score for picking the correct number of games that the series lasts:

--First Round - 1 point
--Conference Semis - 2 points
--Conference Finals - 3 points
--NBA Finals - 4 points

Go ahead and make your picks. Here's the bracket:

Dammit. I forgot to update and Orlando is leading the series. Anyway, Orlando in 6.

TonyEM: It's Giggles wrote:

They have a hard on for both. You got that loon in Stuart A. Scott who should be strapped down to a chair and pummeled repeatedly for his halftime commentating of replays and other NBA happenings and for his hard on for LeBron and the Cavs. Jalen Rose is also a tool of LBJ23's and an inarticulate one at that. Then you have Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson who are constantly on Kobe and the Lakers nuts. Thank goodness for Hubie Brown (only objective voice on there). Breen who is a Knicks commentator who should get the eff out cause he lacks opinions of his own and just goes on with whatever is being said rather than be objective just plays the field as I've said before. However, you should give these guys a resume yourself I'm sure Hubie Brown can take yet another one of his colleagues taking the on some team's nuts approach with your hiring. I understand that they are the defending champs for a reason but before they even play a game in the playoffs or a series of games it's best to not say anything at all. Especially, with the way they've been playing lately.


Take it round by round. You can say that they will advance to the semis, but to say they will go back to the Finals and win it all now without actually playing a single playoff game this season yet is hopping on their nuts if I can say so myself.

picking a champion is hopping on someone's nuts? other people picked other teams, why are you not asking them about hopping on anyone's nuts? up to this point, the lakers have been as impressive as any other team other than orlando. just because you dislike them, doesn't mean they aren't the favorite. picking the favorite to win something is not being all over them, its being smart.

i should have commented on this before, but i waited so it could have actual affect. lakers are still the lakers tony, even when they limp into the playoffs. should i still audition for espn for choosing them? gtfo

FC wrote:

Lakers in 6
Nuggets 6
Mavs 6
Suns 5
cavs 5
celts 6
magic 7
hawks 5

2nd round

lakers in 6
mavs in 7(great series)
cavs in 7
Magic in 5

Conference finals
Lakers in 6
Magic in 7

Finals
Lakers in 7

Im not biased

mine is a fail
how could nuggets and mavs lose

Dub C wrote:

TonyEM: It's Giggles wrote:

They have a hard on for both. You got that loon in Stuart A. Scott who should be strapped down to a chair and pummeled repeatedly for his halftime commentating of replays and other NBA happenings and for his hard on for LeBron and the Cavs. Jalen Rose is also a tool of LBJ23's and an inarticulate one at that. Then you have Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson who are constantly on Kobe and the Lakers nuts. Thank goodness for Hubie Brown (only objective voice on there). Breen who is a Knicks commentator who should get the eff out cause he lacks opinions of his own and just goes on with whatever is being said rather than be objective just plays the field as I've said before. However, you should give these guys a resume yourself I'm sure Hubie Brown can take yet another one of his colleagues taking the on some team's nuts approach with your hiring. I understand that they are the defending champs for a reason but before they even play a game in the playoffs or a series of games it's best to not say anything at all. Especially, with the way they've been playing lately.


Take it round by round. You can say that they will advance to the semis, but to say they will go back to the Finals and win it all now without actually playing a single playoff game this season yet is hopping on their nuts if I can say so myself.

picking a champion is hopping on someone's nuts? other people picked other teams, why are you not asking them about hopping on anyone's nuts? up to this point, the lakers have been as impressive as any other team other than orlando. just because you dislike them, doesn't mean they aren't the favorite. picking the favorite to win something is not being all over them, its being smart.

i should have commented on this before, but i waited so it could have actual affect. lakers are still the lakers tony, even when they limp into the playoffs. should i still audition for espn for choosing them? gtfo

They've been impressive for the semis and the semis only don't kid yourself. They hobbled their way into the playoffs and out of the 1st Round. You want a team that's scorching hot it ain't only Orlando. Phoenix has been the hottest team in the NBA for months now they are the ones that are playing some impressive ball. If you think the Lakers will beat them like they did the Jazz you've got another thing coming to you. Suns are a team you have to work for. And to think before the season even started I was the only one that bought into them being a playoff and deep in the playoff team. Even with the year they had last season. I'm not saying you are hopping on the Lakers nuts cause you are picking them for a championship. That's understandable cause they are already the defending champs. What makes you someone who is hopping on their nuts is that you constantly shower them with praise all of a sudden after you made it be known months back that they were not your favorites. It's almost like someone went into your thoughts and completely manipulated them and all of a sudden Lakers praise is all that you can say it's almost as if you don't even like the Warriors anymore. Bet you are the one that really wants such a predictable, over hyped, Cavs v. Lakers Finals for the sake of watching LeBron & Kobe. That would be such a downer watching such a predictable match-up that just plays into what Stern wanted all along. Not to mention LeBron is far to great to get into it with Kobe and on LeBron's greatness combined with the Cavs supporting cast (some of which are All-Stars in their own right) I don't see it as much as a series. King James is the greatest baller in the NBA bar none. I predict a Cavs-Suns Finals and hopefully Suns take it.

TonyEM: I Influence wrote:

They've been impressive for the semis and the semis only don't kid yourself. They hobbled their way into the playoffs and out of the 1st Round.

Were you not talking about how great the Thunder were playing in Round 1?
https://realbasketballtalk.forumotion.com/general-nba-f5/scott-gets-his-trophy-thunder-win-game-three-t4657.htm
The Lakers played AMAZING defense the whole series against the Thunder in what was a defensive matchup. They held Oklahoma City to under 40% shooting for the series. Their offense was not great, but the Thunder's defense was pretty good too. Down the back stretch the season, the Lakers' defense was their biggest issue. Their offense had been bad, but when their defense went too, they just didn't play well at all. To correct what had been their biggest problem is clealy playing much better basketball.

TonyEM: I Influence wrote:

You want a team that's scorching hot it ain't only Orlando. Phoenix has been the hottest team in the NBA for months now they are the ones that are playing some impressive ball. If you think the Lakers will beat them like they did the Jazz you've got another thing coming to you. Suns are a team you have to work for. And to think before the season even started I was the only one that bought into them being a playoff and deep in the playoff team. Even with the year they had last season.

Lakers definitely weren't the hottest team going into the playoffs last season either. They still won the championship. As far as being a hot team now, How are they not just as hot as the Suns? They've won 6 in a row, just as the Suns have. Clearly Orlando is the hottest team in the playoffs right now. They're playing amazing on both sides of the ball and have won 13 straight games dating back to the regular season. More often than not, though, it's the better team that wins a 7 game series, not the hotter one. BTW, I had the Suns as the 6th seed, and other people in the beginning of the year had them near the same spot. They were only 4 games better than the 6, 7, and 8 seeds in the West, and that was after a 14-2 run at the end of the season. Up until that point, they were right where most people said they were going to be. If you look at my original picks in this thread, I also have them in the Conference Finals, so I certainly am not underestimating them.
https://realbasketballtalk.forumotion.com/general-nba-f5/my-personal-preseason-nba-predictionspersonal-preseason-preview-t1869-15.htm?highlight=preseason

TonyEM: I Influence wrote:

I'm not saying you are hopping on the Lakers nuts cause you are picking them for a championship. That's understandable cause they are already the defending champs. What makes you someone who is hopping on their nuts is that you constantly shower them with praise all of a sudden after you made it be known months back that they were not your favorites.

I may not have liked the Lakers much, but the change was more gradual throughout the season. My hate of he Lakers has always been playful, as a sort of response to the Warriors failed rivalry with them. We're like a little brother, so I like messing with them. More than anything, I was a hater of Kobe. There were a lot of things that I just assumed even if I didn't watch a game. Not all of them are true. Even in the beginning of the season, when they weren't my favorites (as you have said), I had them winning Championships or at least making the Finals. So as much as I might have disliked their success, it was still undeniable to me that they were going to have it. I even remember saying to someone at one point that I expected them to win 3 of the next 4 championships (can't find a link for that, though).
https://realbasketballtalk.forumotion.com/general-nba-f5/my-personal-preseason-nba-predictionspersonal-preseason-preview-t1869-30.htm?highlight=preseason
https://realbasketballtalk.forumotion.com/general-nba-f5/5-reasons-the-lakers-will-repeat-as-nba-champions-t1600.htm?highlight=reasons+lakers

TonyEM: I Influence wrote:

It's almost like someone went into your thoughts and completely manipulated them and all of a sudden Lakers praise is all that you can say it's almost as if you don't even like the Warriors anymore.

Who might that person be? In case you haven't noticed, the Warriors are not in the playoffs, and have long since been out of contention. When topics about us did come up here, I did voice my opinion, and say what we needed to do to improve our chances for next season. I talked about the shortcomings and successes of both Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry, how much I want Don Nelson and the ownership gone, and how amazing our short and inexperienced bench was this season. I'm a Warriors fan. If you have a problem with me rooting for another team in the playoffs, just look in the mirror and tell yourself the same thing. You've been rooting for every team facing the Lakers this postseason. Are you not a fan of the Knicks or something? I know, dumb question, but it's nearly the same one you just asked me. Being a fan of the Warriors and a fan of the Lakers is not mutually exclusive. I don't know what suggests it is.

TonyEM: I Influence wrote:

Bet you are the one that really wants such a predictable, over hyped, Cavs v. Lakers Finals for the sake of watching LeBron & Kobe. That would be such a downer watching such a predictable match-up that just plays into what Stern wanted all along. Not to mention LeBron is far to great to get into it with Kobe and on LeBron's greatness combined with the Cavs supporting cast (some of which are All-Stars in their own right) I don't see it as much as a series. King James is the greatest baller in the NBA bar none. I predict a Cavs-Suns Finals and hopefully Suns take it.

Actually I want a Magic-Lakers Finals or Celtics-Lakers Finals. If you haven't noticed, I'm rooting for the Celtics against the Cavaliers because my sister is a big Celtics and Paul Pierce fan, and I actually like Rondo a lot. Maybe if the Cavs played one of my favorites (Boobie Gibson) a little more I'd be rooting for them. As of now, no thank you. Good for you to want to see Steve Nash get a ring and play in the Finals. I kind of want that too. I love the guy. As for your opinion on how a Cavs-Lakers series might turn out, that's fine too. It's very possible. You don't see me calling out your predictions do you? Lay off of mine then. Especially when they're right.

One more thing, if you want to keep picking against the Lakers, that's fine. Let me remind you though, that you're 0-2 so far. Do you really want to keep going?

Yeah I'm picking against the Lakers cause along with the Knicks I grew up watching the Jazz. That's why I picked them not because I have some hatred for the Lakers but because I've always liked the Jazz franchise. I'm gonna pick Phoenix cause I've always admired the Suns since Barkley & KJ & Chapman, but more so cause of Nash. He's my 2nd favorite PG of all-time after Stockton. Also Grant Hill is 1 of my all-time favorite players and my favorite SF of all-time. The Thunder I rooted for just cause it would have been a feel good story. If LA played MIA I would root for LA. If LA played BOS or CLE I probably would not watch the Finals would not care who wins between LA or BOS and would want CLE to beat LA not because I hate LA that's not the case but because LeBron James is the best player in the game and it would be dope if he wins a championship. These last years look at my track record when the Knicks haven't been in the playoffs I root for the same teams cause of the players and my likeness for them and their teams. TD, Gino, Parker (SA); Sloan, Williams, Okur, AK47, Sap (Jazz), Nash, Hill (Suns), & Dirk (Mavs).

Quote :

If LA played MIA I would root for LA. If LA played BOS or CLE I probably would not watch the Finals would not care who wins between LA or BOS and would want CLE to beat LA not because I hate LA that's not the case but because LeBron James is the best player in the game and it would be dope if he wins a championship.

I wish I could do that. But even when teams I have no interest in play in the Finals I just can't help but watch. Mavs/Heat for example. Or Spurs/Cavs (I like the Spurs, after game two that series was a grind to watch).

I dunno... I guess I don't hate any one team so much to not watch the Finals. Not saying you are hating any team... I don't know what you and Ryan are going back and forth on. I just wanted to drop in and give my two cents.

Updated picks:

Boston in 6
Suns in 7

Lakers in 5

Orlando in 6

Chris wrote:

Bingo.
Decent.
Fail.

Chris wrote:

1st Round:
Lakers, 6 games
Nuggets, 6 games
Mavericks, 6 games
Suns, 5 games
Cavaliers, 4 games
Celtics, 5 games
Magic, 5 games
Hawks, 4 games
---------------------

So far.
14pts.

Conf Semis :

Celtics in 7
Orlando in 6
Uta in 7
Suns in 6

+12pts = 26pts

Celtics in 6
Lakers in 5

bracket update:

Original Picks:

15 first round points, 12 second round points

Edited Second Round Picks:

12 points also

Conference Finals Picks:

Orlando in 7 games

Lakers in 6 games

Smile.jpg wrote:

Suns-Spurs = Spurs in 7 <-- This is a fail
Lakers-Jazz = Jazz in 7 <-- Another fail
Celts-Cavs = Cavs in 6 <-- I almost thought I had it when I realized that I had the Cavs winning. Damn.

I'll update when the winner in the game 7 of the Atlanta-Milwaukee series is decided

Original picks plus the Orlando in 6. I'll compute my points later.

Orlando in 6 <-- Another fail

Next predictions:

Western Conference Finals:

Lakers - Suns = Lakers in 6



Eastern Conference Finals:

Orlando - Boston = Orlando in 6

Suns in 6 or 7 gulp
Orlando-Boston - winner in 7

originally i had orlando in 6 over the cavs, but i'll take them in 7 over Boston

ill stick with lakers in 6, tho

Smile.jpg wrote:

Next predictions:

Western Conference Finals:

Lakers - Suns = Lakers in 6



Eastern Conference Finals:

Orlando - Boston = Orlando in 6

Bwahahaha. I got one correct.

whooo! I got one side of the finals right!

i got lakers in 6 right...dam you boston

I had lakers in 5. Damn u Phoenix lol.

told ya

Lol. only if we woulda taken game 4. But damn bench lit it up. oh well lol.

So I won?

I had Boston winning the champ from the beginning

My picks FAIL.