Playoff Update

With the third round of the NHL playoffs set to kick off tonight, thought I'd review my predictions again. Not doing so hot, really. Although my Wings are still alive, so there's that.

We're left with two series now. Interestingly, all four teams left earned 100 points or more in the regular season. That's hasn't happened since...some time in the seventies. Of course, there's expansion and more weaker teams around now and everything but it means that the top seeds haven't been losing as much. There's two #1s, a #2, and a #4 left.

The first features my Wings against the Mighty Ducks of Annaheim. My brother tells me that tickets for the games are not, in fact, difficult to find. That's a big change from past years and makes me want to take a trip to the Joe and scoop up some upper bowl tickets (After all, I'll be in town for mother's day) but after seeing the prices, I think I'll pass. The Ducks are a lot like the Sharks, really. Although the Wings managed to pull out a win against the Sharks I'm not so sure they can do it again. Not with Schneider down and out leaving their blue line thin and their power play weakened. It's not a big a blow as losing, say, Lidstrom, but it shows how the lengthy series they've played – all against west coast teams, by the way – has worn them down. All those little aches and injuries add up. While the Ducks have had plenty of time off to rest and relax. So, my head says this is the Duck's series to lose but my heart says my head said the same thing about San Jose and look what happened there. Hard series but I can't go against my hometown team. Detroit in 7.

In the East, you've got the Sabres against the Senators. Both teams have been on a tear but I think this match goes to Ottawa (Late update: It's only one game but, yep, they won handily tonight). I think their scorers and goaltending are just that little bit better while the Sabres haven't exactly struggled but they haven't exactly been challenged either. So, I think Ottawa in 6.

While I'm at it, I might as well mention the NBA playoffs, too.

The Pistons/Bulls series hasn't quite lived up to my expectations. It's heading to Chicago tonight, though, and I fully expect the Bulls to play better so maybe we'll get a classic yet. The big thing so far, though, has been the Pistons showing up to play. They have a nasty habit of playing down to their opponent at times but when they're motivated? They're a balanced, aggressive team with a tough defense – there are no good match-ups because they're deep and talented - and that's hard to beat. But more than that, this current Piston team, with the exception of Webber, has been together for years now. It's an underrated quality but that kind of familiarity with the strengths and weaknesses of each other has played no small part in their success. I suspect they really, really want to beat the Bulls for any number of reasons so this series might go five, if that.

The Nets/Cavaliers series on the other hand is really up in the air. I know it's 2-0 Cleveland (Like Detroit, they haven't lost yet this post-season. Unlike Detroit they played Washington in the first round so I don't know if I'd brag about that.) but I still think this is a very swingy series that could go one way or the other. New Jersey is just really inconsistent. They're as likely to have a great game as to lay an egg. And Cleveland reminds me of the early Jordan Bulls. A bunch of stiff floated by one amazing player. He can obviously lift them pretty far but like all teams that rely on that single great player, if he's not on his game, what can they do? I say Cleveland in 7 but I don't think either will do well against Detroit in the conference finals.

Over in the west, the heavyweight Suns and Spurs have traded wins. That gives the Spurs homecourt advantage because they stole one but, still, neither team is winning this series easily. I'm hoping the Suns win because a) I hate the Spurs (I don't really know why. I think it has something to do with Bug-eyes Duncan but, really, you'd think I'd like a fundamentally solid team that can win any number of ways just like my Pistons but there it is.) and b) I really like the idea that the uptempo style the Suns play can be successful, if only because it's a lot more fun to watch (That, and I'd love to see a Suns/Pistons final.). So, I'm going to go with the Suns pulling it off in 7.

Which brings us to the best series of this round, the Utah/Golden State match. Which has been awesome so far – I was aching for GS to pull it off the other night, they just can't let games like that slip away – even though Utah would seem to have every match-up edge over the Warriors. I expect the Jazz to close this one out eventually although the Golden State crowd will have something to say about the next few games, I think. But, really, this is the kind of basketball you like to see in the playoffs. So, of course, it's the most undermarketed series and played in the wee hours of the night as far as I'm concerned.