Round 2

Round 2 of the NBA playoffs is underway which means, the pressure on players ramps up and, their huge contracts come under increased scrutiny. The coaches lose their shit and more hair plus, their are more band wagon celebrities sitting court side.

With 8 teams left I take a look at each series and pick who'll move through to the conference finals.

I'll also look back on how I did predicting the first round winners and losers. Follow the link below to check out my first round article.

http://www.chewie.co.nz/single-post/2017/04/16/It’s-Playoffs-Time

East

Celtics (1) v Wizards (4) - currently 1-0

How did I fare in the first round

Celtics v Bulls

I said – 4-2

Result – 4-2

Wizards v Hawks

I said 4-2

Result – 4-2

I’m batting 100 here but, it didn't quite go how I thought it would.

I said Rondo might be the difference in the Celtics /Bulls series and he was but, just not on the court. Once he got injured the Bulls returned to being the average team they were all season. Dwayne Wade has turned into one of those work colleagues who just turns up for the wages.

In the Wizards/Hawks series I mentioned Dwight and Tim Hardaway Jnr, neither was a major factor with Paul Milsap and Denis Schroeder doing all the heavy lifting. In the end the better team won.

Celtics (1) v Wizards (4)

The matchup between these two teams is juicy, they’ve created a rivalry of sorts throughout the regular season. The Wiz donned all black in one game and Jae Crowder and John Wall got into a little push and shove in another. So they don’t like each other much. I expect that’s mostly because they see each other as major rivals both now and in the future.

After game 1 in Boston the Celtics can feel very confident. They’ve now won 5 in a row and after an appalling start in game 1, being down 16-0, they came back and looked fully in control.

For the Wiz, John Wall is the key, he played like an All Star against the Hawks and in fact, he has all season. The Celtics defence is going to give him grief all series, when Avery Bradley sits, Marcus Smart will be checking him, so there’s no respite, he and his coach are going to have to find ways for him to score.

The Celtics need to continue playing team basketball getting contributions across the roster and ramping up their D. I actually feel like Isiah Thomas might find it slightly easier in this series, obviously he’s had more time to process the loss of his sister and I think he’s more of a match up nightmare for the Wizards. Brad Stevens will continue to switch things up and after game ones performance Al Horford looks like he’s on point.

In the end I think Boston takes it 4-3, off the back of a deeper roster and better defence.

Cavaliers (2) v Raptors (3) currently 1-0

How did I fare in the first round

Cavs v Pacers

I said – 4-2

Result – 4-0

Raptors v Bucks

I said 4-3

Result – 4-2

The Cavs looked dominant on the score board with the Pacers not winning a game. LeBron was, well, LeBron, when his team got down, he turned it up. Despite some resistance from Paul George, the Pacers future doesn’t look good, and I think Larry Legend knows it, hence the resignation….

The Raptors started slowly against a talented young Bucks team but in the last 3 games they were too much for Giannis and co to handle. The Bucks have a bright future, for the Raptors it’s all about now!

Cavs (2) v Raptors (3)

The big thing for me in this series, for the Raptors at least is, how do you stop one of the best players to ever step on a court? With his team down 25 against the Pacers, LeBron turned on another master class, a reminder if anyone needed one, about who the best player in the world is. I’m not sure the Raptors can stop him.

The good thing for the Raptors is, the Cavs can’t defend an 8 year old. We know they have in the past, because they beat Golden State in a series, you can’t do that without some defence. The Raptors need to go all in on their attack, DeRozan and Lowry need to be at their best and a number of role players i.e. Ibaka, Tucker, Joseph, and especially DeMarre Carrol who’s hardly earnt a $1 from that big contract, need to step up and knock down 3’s.

In the end as DeAnjelo Barksdale once said, “The King remains the King” 4-2 Cavaliers

West

Warriors (1) v Jazz (5) currently 0-0

How did I fare in the first round

Warriors v Trail Blazers

I said – 4-0

Result – 4-0

Jazz v Clippers

I said - 4-3 Clippers

Result – 4-2 Jazz

This is the only result I got wrong.

So the Clippers did a standard playoff Clippers routine. Blake gets injured, they lose… On the other side, the Warriors did a standard Warriors thing and swept Rip City into next season. Not much more needs to be said here, except, I do feel sorry for Chris Paul. Despite his constant whining, I really like the way he plays the game.

Warriors (1) v Jazz (5)

I’m looking forward to this series as I think Utah might give the Warriors some problems. They can switch all over the floor, except at centre. But with Rudy Gobert manning the centre position there maybe some issues away from the basket but, he will be a major pain the ass for The Warriors in the paint at both ends of the court. Gordon Hayward is proving he’s a high quality player and Joe Johnson won’t die.

In saying all of that, I doubt they’ll take more than two games off Steph, Klay, Kevin, Draymond and, am I really saying this? JaVale, lol. It really isn’t fair when you think about those first four names, if they don’t win this year someone needs to lose their job….

I think the Warriors are too much for the Jazz to handle. 4-2

Spurs (2) v Rockets (3) currently 0-1

How did I fare in the first round

Spurs v Grizz

I said – 4-2 Spurs

Result – 4-2 Spurs

Rockets v Thunder

I said - 4-1 Rockets

Result – 4-1 Rockets

Russ couldn’t do it on his own against the Rockets, but hey that wasn’t from a lack of trying and, despite Harden and co not being at their best, they got it done pretty easily in the end. When you look at the Spurs series win over the Grizz, 4-2, you’d think that was easy as well, but it wasn’t. The game that went to overtime was the best game I’ve seen since the Xmas day Cavs v Warriors match up. The Spurs had to work to take out the series.

Spurs (2) v Rockets (3)

Looking ahead to this series, my head tells me the Spurs will win with better defence, but my heart is telling me something different. Kawhi is a beast, offensively he’s getting better every year, no doubt. If LaMarcus Aldridge doesn’t come to the party soon though, I’m not sure Kawhi can do it on his own. Tony Parker also needs to be more consistent, and at this stage any sort of contribution from Manu would be amazing.

What I don’t see is Houston shooting as badly as they did against OKC, and I also think James Harden will have a far bigger impact. Their defence is still non-existent and if Kawhi can frustrate Harden into becoming a spoilt little brat, then that will be Houston done. I’ve always liked Mike D’Anotion’s take on how to play the game, I just never thought you could actually win a championship with no D.

Even after a first game blow out, I’m going with Pop and Kawhi 4-3.