WESTERN CONFERENCE
Phoenix (2) vs. Dallas (4)
My Prediction: Mavs 4-3 Outcome: Mavs 4-2
Dallas advances to the NBA finals for the first time in their franchise’s 26-year history by handling the Suns in an impressive fashion. Dallas inexplicably tried to run with the Suns in game one and lost in the process. After that, the Mavs emphasized transition D and took control of the series. This was especially true in the second half of the series-deciding game six, when Dallas put on a truly remarkable show of defense. Maybe the Raja Bell injury was a slight factor, but make no mistake, the better team is advancing. The Mavs have now outrebounded their opponents for 17 consecutive playoff games – an NBA record. Avery Johnson has truly transformed this team and is officially one of the best coaches in basketball – a fact epitomized by his decision to put Josh Howard on Nash in the second half of game six, reeking havoc on the Suns’ favorite screen-and-roll play and effectively putting a dagger in the Suns season. A special congratulations is in order to Tim Thomas, who made himself a very rich man during this postseason. Same goes for Boris Diaw, who had himself a terrific series. Dirk Nowitzki is currently playing the best basketball on the planet and was ultimately too much for the Suns to handle.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Detroit (1) vs. Miami (2)
My Prediction: Pistons 4-2 Outcome: Heat 4-2
This series wasn’t even all that close. The Heat really made the Pistons look bad, and a season was left in disappointment. Midway through the season, it looked like a foregone conclusion that the Pistons would take home the title, but what a change since then. The plan was that it was going to take awhile for all of the Heat’s offseason changes to gel; well I guess it has come together at the right time. With Wade, the Heat always possessed the ability to beat anyone on a given night, but the role players have really stepped up their play in the postseason. I bashed Larry Brown all year, but in the end, Flip Saunders looked in over his head and should at least bare some of the responsibility for the fall. Detroit simply lacked their previous defensive tenacity. The fact of the matter is, even during their impressive regular season, Detroit allowed opponents to shoot over 45 percent, which was only 13th in the league; I mean, the Suns were real close directly behind them. Poor Ben Wallace, a few months ago he was in line for a huge payday. Now, with the NBA’s obvious change in philosophy due to the new rules, he could be seen as a liability. In case you were counting, the guy shot an eye-popping 18-for-66 (27.3 percent) from the foul line this postseason. Anyway, Miami makes it two teams in the finals who have never been there and should make for a great matchup against the Mavs.
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