Predictions of the 2004 playoffs

A few weeks ago, before the playoff seedings were set, I placed a wager on the NBA playoffs with two good friends. In this bet, I picked all the winners which I thought could be possible match-ups.

In the West, I took the top four teams to win in round one -- L.A., San Antonio, Sacramento and Minnesota.

In the East, I figured the Pistons, Nets and Pacers would role while the Hornets would squeak by the surging Miami Heat.

So far so good, but the second round is where the playoffs actually begin to draw remote interest from me since it is here where real battles will be waged and quality games will be the result.

It is so difficult to pick a winner amongst the top three seeds out west. In reality, the two best teams are the Spurs and Lakers, but the Wolves cannot be discounted.

Like most people with any sense of basketball history, I am leaving out the Sacramento Kings, who have been playing -- as Shaq has dubbed them -- like the Sacramento Queens. I do feel as though the Kings will get by a hungry, but overmatched Dallas team, although as I said before the real battles this year will start in the second round, where I expect the Kings to get trounced by Minnesota.

The toughest pick of any series will be the probable second round match up featuring the winners of the past five championships: San Antonio vs. Los Angeles. These two teams will surely produce this years winner yet again, so it is sad that they must play-for the second year in a row-in the second round!

I have been so impressed with the Spurs of late and expect them to do exactly what they did last year in the second round-beat the Lakers in six games.

At some point expect to see some very sweet redemption (perhaps karma is a better word for us Laker haters): Robert Horry, who has been indispensable in the recent Laker championships, will hit a clutch three down the stretch to help his current team, the Spurs, beat his old team, the Lakers.

This leaves us with a Western Conference Final featuring the leagues best two players: Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. I expect this series to go the distance, but the Spurs experience will come through in a decisive game seven -- on the road.

In the East, it's a collision course for what have been the conferences two best teams all year: Indiana and Detroit. I expect the Pistons to get by the Nets on their strong defense and new found offensive rhythm with the addition of Rasheed Wallace.

Indiana will cake walk through the Hornets in five games on their way to a much anticipated showdown with the Pistons.

The Eastern Conference Finals will pit two teams who many have said can compete for the NBA title this year. This would be a nice welcome since the east has been played as the jayvee league the last five years leaving fans with a bit of an anti climax at the conclusion of the conference finals.

I would like to see Rick Carlisle, fired after winning 50 games in each of his two seasons with the Pistons, get some revenge over his former team in the conference finals. But, I just don't see anyone out east beating the Pistons, even though Indiana is the number one seed. Expect a hotly contested battle, but the addition of Rasheed Wallace will prove decisive in the Pistons taking care of the Pacers in six.

However, I don't expect any Western Conference winner to lose to the East, particularly the Spurs. The defending champs, with a much different identity this year, are hungry and determined to show last year was no fluke.

With the leagues top defense, quickest point guard in Tony Parker, best on-ball defender in Bruce Bowen, best sixth man in Manu Ginobli and two time MVP Tim Duncan leading the way, the Spurs will beat the Pistons on their way to their second consecutive title and third in the last six years.