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"Hey, where's that usual stupid graphic you do for these posts, D. Rock?" Well, funny you bring that up, because apparently when you buy Microsoft Office for your new laptop, it's only for a limited time and then you have to buy some new plan or something that allows you be raped once a year or assaulted to a lesser degree every month. Neat! UPDATE: Fixed, obviously.
Anyway, the graphic will have to wait until tomorrow morning when I'm at my work computer where my employer doesn't deal with bullshit like this. I'll probably regret the P.K. Subban picture I chose once again, having dismissed its poor quality initially as a non-issue, because, c'mon, the Predators will be gone in the first round.
Instead, Nashville sits here four wins away from its first Stanley Cup. That is something I believe I both predicted and said I would openly root for to happen this year after the Blackhawks got ousted. Only one little problem with that now though: The last hurdle to get over is the defending champion.
Many of us dismissed the likelihood of a Penguins repeat because the prospect of running the gauntlet again simply seemed all so unlikely, what with having to play two 100+ point teams in the first two rounds an all. But Pittsburgh hasn't shown any signs of slowdown this postseason, even with the loss of Kris Letang. So I'm having second thoughts here.
Oh, I nailed my picks last round, bringing me to 10-4 this playoff season now with three series predicted in the exact number of games.
And at long last, we have finally arrived at the final stage before the NBA Finals in which we will be told that one of four matchups will be possible. In truth, we all know we're probably going to get the same Finals we got last year.
Forgive my cynicism, but we'll be lucky if one of these series proves to be competitive. You might notice that there's still five players in color in the graphic here, because the final game of the second round will tip (I believe) after the first game of this third round. NBA Playoffs always gotta be messing with my predictions schedule.
Anyway, I went 2-1 so far in the last round, bringing me to ... 9-2? Seriously, just get us to the Finals. Then you'll have my attention, NBA. Until then, I can't think of a moment in these playoffs that really stands out as something I couldn't have missed.
Got three of the four series right last round, although the only one I got the length right for was the one I got the winner wrong. So that brings me to a record of 8-4 so far this postseason and ensures a better than .500 record regardless of how my final three picks turn out. If you care.
What we're left with now must be giving the execs in the NHL some cold sweats. TV numbers are likely to be down with a Cup Final featuring possibly a Canadian team or a small-market American team with little to no national following (well, maybe Pittsburgh gooses the numbers). This isn't to say there isn't the potential for some compelling hockey.
I'm not going to wait to read previews about either of these next two series. I've got my mind made up as to who will be playing for the right to hoist Lord Stanley, although I can fully admit that I won't be the least bit surprised if I'm wrong on both of this round's predictions. Unlike the inevitable predictability of the NBA Playoffs, the hockey playoffs this year have seen some astonishing upsets that have defied a lot of conventional logic. My beloved Blackhawks are obviously the prime example here, but the continuing success of the Ottawa Senators remains truly remarkable.
I got seven of my eight first round predictions right, but only one in the correct number of games. While I've heard that this year's playoffs have been pretty good, I admit that I personally have been more attached to playoff hockey games and have only as a result watched a select few NBA games. For the most part, the first part confirmed my belief that such a round was more of a formality for most teams.
This round offers four series that all have interesting aspects, but I would say I'm only really going to be compelled to actively seek out and set aside time for the Texas series. The other three don't instill much hope from me, either because the outcome seems so obvious or I'm just not that into either of the teams.
Anyway, I don't even feel much of any kind of rooting interest right now, so I assume that I'll be just pulling for underdogs the rest of the way to subvert the seemingly automatic Golden State title. At this point, every basketball game just sort of delays the inevitable.
