NBA Playoffs - Round 1 Recap/Round 2 Predictions

Well, I didn't get all of the series right in my first post, but I did go 7 out of 8, and for me that's amazing.  Let's recap the 1st round.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlanta vs Brooklyn

My prediction - Atlanta 4-0
Actual result   - Atlanta 4-2

Got the winner right, but was off on the number of games.  Brooklyn played them pretty well until the series-clinching 6th game.  I'm not sure if I should give more credit to the Nets, or be worried about the Hawks for the rest of the playoffs. 

Cleveland vs Boston

My prediction - Cleveland 4-0
Actual result  -  Cleveland 4-0

Bango!  Got the winner and games right.  Not much to say here, but I'd like to tip my cap to Boston for never really getting blown out in any of the games.  They played much tougher than I thought they would.  That being said, they were still swept.  :)

Chicago vs Milwaukee

My prediction - Chicago 4-1
Actual result  -  Chicago 4-2

Pretty darn close.  But much like Boston and Brooklyn, Milwaukee played some good basketball.  Until that last game and all, when they lost by 54 points.  Yeah, you read that right.

Toronto vs Washington

My prediction - Toronto 4-2
Actual result  -  Washington 4-0

(cue the sad music)
Holy smokes did I botch this series.  Not only did Toronto lose, but they got swept.  I think Washington is a decent team, but I'd be lying if I said I saw this coming.  Well, obviously that would be a lie since I just told you my original prediction.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Golden State vs New Orleans

My prediction - Golden State 4-3
Actual result  -  Golden State 4-0

Before any of you start laughing at me, hear me out.  There were two games that New Orleans absolutely should have won.  The Warriors had to overcome deficits of 20 and 13 points.  Had the Pelicans played actual basketball in the 4th quarter of those games, this would have been a totally different series and made my 4-3 prediction quite respectable.  Quite!

Houston vs Dallas

My prediction - Houston 4-1
Actual result  -  Houston 4-1

What, what, whaaaaatttt!  Yessir, nailed two series perfectly.  Props to the Mavericks for playing hard, but the Rockets were too much for them to handle. 

Los Angeles vs San Antonio

My prediction - Los Angeles 4-3
Actual result  -  Los Angeles 4-3

Get the fudge outta' here!  I'm on fire with these predictions!  This series was insane for the 1st round.  It had the look and feel of a conference finals matchup.  Tons of people were complaining that these two teams had to play each other so early, but that's the way the cookie crumbles, folks.  The NBA had better hope the rest of the playoffs pan out like this series did.

Memphis vs Portland

My prediction - Memphis 4-0
Actual result  -  Memphis 4-1

Portland played better basketball in the last three games, even pulling out a win, but this series was never in question.  

My picks weren't too shabby, huh?  Now let's get some round 2 predictions.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlanta vs Washington

I'm a day late on a couple of series, and this is one of them.  Washington has already taken game 1 from Atlanta.  Had Brooklyn not won two games against the Hawks, I would have most certainly picked Atlanta, but they were completely underwhelming in that series.  While I think the Wizards played a little above their heads in the sweep of Toronto, they just seem to be clicking right now. 

Washington 4-2

Cleveland vs Chicago

This would have been a great series had Kevin Love not gotten hurt and JR Smith not been suspended two games.  The Bulls are finally at 100%, which they haven't been for a couple of years now.  When it's all said and done, though, I really think the Love injury will prove to be too much for Cleveland to overcome. 

Chicago 4-2

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Golden State vs Memphis

This is the other series that already played its first game.  Shockingly, Golden State won.  Let's just cut to the chase.  Golden State is going to win, it's just a question of by how much.  To me it depends on the health of Mike Conley.  He already missed the first game, and if he misses more time, this could very well end up being a sweep.  For the sake of my predictions, I'll assume Conley ends up playing.

Golden State 4-2

Houston vs Los Angeles

This should be a great series.  James Harden, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.  It's packed with all-stars, but will all of them play?  Chris Paul hurt his hamstring in the last game of the Spurs series.  Though the MRI came back clean, a hamstring injury is still hard to bounce back from.  Despite that, Paul shouldn't have a problem scoring on the likes of Jason Terry.  This should be a fun, high scoring and entertaining series.

Los Angeles 4-3

This 2nd round should be a good one.  Enjoy the games and let's see if I can keep my good predictions rolling.