Round Two NBA Playoffs Predictions: Timing is everything

Whatever I write here, I'll probably just strike through anyway later when, you know, the first round is actually over. And when those other sites have all their picks up. And I've tabulated the leaderboard. Anyway, for the time being ...

UPDATE: First round still not complete ... another conference semifinal series starts tomorrow ... Vinny Del Negro still head coach of Chicago Bulls ...  

ANOTHER UPDATE: I should've remembered how the NBA post-season scheduling never makes this transition between rounds very easy for little collections of predictions like what I try to do here. And alas, just like last year, even with every second round series now having gotten underway, Yahoo is still missing predictions for a series and I never saw any at all for this round from the boys at Ball Don't Lie—which would really be unfortunate if I don't come across future picks of theirs since two from their trio went eight for eight. 

From the Department of the Inevitable, the axe that started coming down in, oh, December, finally fell on the proverbial neck of Vinny Del Negro yesterday, so final thoughts on the Bulls coming soon. As I'm sure we all know, many of us (no just in Chicago, me does think) seem to be actually more interested in the coming off-season's free agency period and how that affects next season rather than whether it's Kobe or LeBron hoisting the championship at the end of this year.

Somebody's bound to pick an upset eventually, but here's how things went to start with the first round of picks (in case you're new here, the number in parentheses denotes the number of series correctly predicted that also had the exact number of games correct):

1. Kelly Dwyer, Ball Don't Lie: 8-0 (4)

2. David Thorpe, ESPN: 8-0 (3)

3. Trey Kirby, Ball Don't Lie: 8-0 (2)

3. John Hollinger, ESPN: 8-0 (2)

5. Chris Broussard, ESPN: 7-1 (4)

6. Sergio Gonzalez, CBS Sports: 7-1 (3)

6. Tim Legler, ESPN: 7-1 (3)

6. Johnny Ludden, Yahoo: 7-1 (3)

9. Henry Abbott, ESPN: 7-1 (2)

9. Dan Devine, Ball Don't Lie: 7-1 (2)

9. Chad Ford, ESPN: 7-1 (2)

12. Ken Berger, CBS Sports: 7-1 (1)

12. Kenny Smith, Yahoo: 7-1 (1)

14. J.A. Adande, ESPN: 6-2 (2)

14. Jamey Eisenberg, CBS Sports: 6-2 (2)

14. Nunzio Ingrassia, CBS Sports: 6-2 (2)

14. Jalen Rose, ESPN: 6-2 (2)

14. Chris Sheridan, ESPN: 6-2 (2)

14. Marc Stein, ESPN: 6-2 (2)

14. Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo: 6-2 (2)
14. YOURS TRULY: 6-2 (2)

 22. Marc J. Spears, Yahoo: 6-2 (1)

22. Greg Urbano, CBS Sports: 6-2 (1)

Much like the first round, it appears that once again exactly three-quarters of these series will have universal favorites. And I guess from my end, my Laker hate hasn't really kicked in yet if I haven't started concocting reasons to believe they'll be upset. Not this round, I guess (what is Utah's record at the Staples Center? Like 0-and-for-fucking-ever?).

Anyway, I'll continue to update everybody else's picks when (if?) they come in, but for now, here's how they look and whatever's missing gets my shit-eating grin pic with the WTF look that I use for just about anything else in the meantime:

Yahoo:

ESPN:

CBS Sports:

Ball Don't Lie:

Again, we're looking at 75 percent of these matchups being unanimous, so maybe "mismatches" would be more appropriate. Certain variety next round, I swear!*

My first three picks also come courtesy of the Department of the Inevitable:

Cleveland Cavaliers over Boston Celtics in seven games

This is the first time the Celtics have not had home-court advantage ever since they put the Big Three together. Boston made surprisingly quick work of the Heat in the last round and as a result, won a series in less than six games—also something that hadn't happened for the Celtics in the past three years. But the mess surrounding Dwayne Wade in southern Florida is a far cry from the weapons surrounding King James in Ohio. I obviously expect a more spirited effort from Boston than most people and still think there's more than a little flex left in the muscle of the Celtics defense. Maybe not enough to necessarily win the series, but at least enough to keep it competitive.

Los Angeles Lakers over Utah Jazz in six games

The recent humble comments from Deron Williams made me think back to a lovely little "photo essay" about the Lakers seen-better-days point guard he'll be up against. Hopefully I'll get a few laughs there, because otherwise I'm not getting my hopes to high when even Jerry Sloan's hoping good shot selection will counter the easy baskets the Jazz have given up—and likely will continue to do so—against L.A. Utah steals a couple before the Lakers snap back into it and shut the shit down.

 

Orlando Magic over Atlanta Hawks in five games

Really, all I can hope for is creating any additional new reasons for Joe Johnson to get out of Atlanta. A good thumping from the Magic would probably help make a change of scenery sound better. This pick's going up after Game One was already played, and KD makes me feel that I'm being generous giving the Hawks a game—seeing as they've essentially got no chance whatsoever to win this series:

"What else can I say about a game like this? We talked about Orlando's potential brilliance last summer. We've talked about Atlanta's inconsistency all year. This is what happens. This is the end result of everything going to plan."

San Antonio Spurs over Phoenix Suns in seven games

Oh dear, how I guilty I am of denying how good the Spurs were in that second half to the season. And it sure looks as though if San Antonio indeed really does have enough left in that old thing to make another trip to the Finals, they're obviously going to have to run into every one of those old conference foes along the way. I didn't see them getting by Dallas, but I won't make that same mistake twice. I expect nothing short of brilliance from Steve Nash when considering the misery the Spurs have put Phoenix through in recent years, but the series will still be won in the paint. And even if Tim Duncan never overpowers Amar'e Stoudamire, he'll still be able to ouplay him enough to determine the series.

* — not an actual guarantee