NBA Playoff Preview

After what has been the best NBA regular season since 1993, David Stern is, as Pete Carroll used to rant, pumped and jacked. It should be an amazing two months of basketball. Every team in the Western Conference playoffs has at least 50 wins and only seven games separated the top seeded Lakers (57-25) from the eighth seeded Nuggets (50-32). The Golden State Warriors, 48-34 on the year, didn't make the playoffs but if they were in the Eastern Conference they would have home court advantage in the first round. Anything is possible. The East is not as deep but the best team in the NBA calls this conference home. The Celtics ripped through the league with a 66-16 record. The Pistons, Cavaliers and Wizards will try to stop the C's from walking through the East but it will be hard to stop KG, Truth and Jesus in May and June. EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS 1. Celtics over 8. Atlanta (4-0) 5. Washington over 4. Cleveland (4-2) 3. Orlando over 6. Toronto (4-2) 2. Detroit over 7. Philadelphia (4-3) SEMIFINALS 1. Celtics over 5. Washington (4-1) 2. Detroit over 3. Orlando (4-2) FINALS 1. Celtics over 2. Detroit (4-1) WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS 1. LA Lakers over 8. Denver (4-2) 4. Utah over 5. Houston (4-3) 6. Phoenix over 3. San Antonio 7. Dallas over 2. New Orleans (4-2) SEMIFINALS 4. Utah over 1. LA Lakers (4-3) 6. Phoenix over 7. Dallas (4-2) FINALS 6. Phoenix over 4. Utah (4-2) NBA FINALS Boston Celtics over Phoenix Suns (4-3)