Playoff Predictions Roundtable Style

OK Folks here it is, what you have all been waiting for... (drum roll please)... Our shotty attempt at predictions for the NBA's Second Season. But first lets take care of some predictions for end of year awards.

MVP:
Kyle - Lebron James. He is the best player in the league and means more to his team than any other player. That is a rare combination and a slam dunk for the MVP award.
Patrick - Lebron James. He is the best. (Patrick really went in depth on this one)
Nic - Lebron James. He is the best player in the league, and impacts his
team more than any other player.
Defensive Player of the Year:
Kyle - I am tempted to go with Lebron because he has to guard a guy who can light up teams far more often then Dwight Howard does. But Dwight Howard does absolutely change games so I will go with Dwight.
Patrick - Dwight Howard. He is a beast in the paint.
Nic - Dwight Howard. He is a beast, and all stats
aside, has the biggest influence on the defensive end of any player in the
league.
6th Man of the Year:
Kyle - Manu Ginobli. No other 6th man is an all-star. Plus you can't tell me that every single fan of an NBA team would love him on their team.
Patrick - Lamar Odom. HE is the reason that LA is so scary.
Nic - Jamal Crawford. He is averaging 18.0 ppg off the bench! Enough said!
Coach of the Year:
Kyle - I think it should go to Jerry Sloan (It wont) because he won 53 games with 1 lottery pick. That is incredible.
Patrick - Scott Brooks. I want to choose Jerry but I know everyone will vote for Scott Brooks.
Nic - Jerry Sloan. He will get shafted again, and OKC's coach
will probably win this year, but Jerry truly deserves it.
Most Improved Player:
Kyle - I originally said Andrew Bogut, but I am instead going with Kevin Durant. I know it sounds crazy, but the difference between his game last year and this is unreal.
Patrick - Aaron Brooks. He has become a factor against any team.
Nic - Channing Frye. Although Chris Douglas-Roberts had better improvement in per game averages from 2009 to 2010 (11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.9 steals, It's hard to give
an award to a guy on the worst team in the NBA.) Channing Frye improved his outside shooting in the off season, and helped the Suns snag the #3 seed in the West.
Rookie of the Year:
Kyle - Stephen Curry. Mainly because my love fest for Curry has been going on since his sophomore days at Davidson.
Patrick - Brandon Jennings. Mostly because of his hair do.
Nic - Tyreke Evans

OK now here comes the playoff Predictions
Cleveland v Chicago:
Kyle - Cleveland in 4.
Patrick - Cleveland in 4.
Nic - Cleveland in 5.
Orlando v Charlotte:
Kyle - Orlando in 5.
Patrick - Orlando in 6.
Nic - Orlando in 5.
Atlanta v Milwaukee:
Kyle - Atlanta in 5.
Patrick - Atlanta in 5.
Nic - Atlanta in 6.
Boston v Miami:
Kyle - Boston in 7.
Patrick - Boston in 6.
Nic - Boston in 7.
LA v Oklahoma City:
Kyle - LA in 7.
Patrick - LA in 7.
Nic - LA in 5.
Dallas v San Antonio:
Kyle - Dallas in 7
Patrick - Dallas in 5.
Nic - Dallas in 7.
Phoenix v Portland:
Kyle - Phoenix in 5.
Patrick - Portland in 6.
Nic - Phoenix in 5.
Denver v Utah:
Kyle - Denver in 7.
Patrick - Utah in 7.
Nic - Utah in 7.

Second Round
Kyle:
Cleveland v Boston: Cleveland in 5.
Orlando v Atlanta: Orlando in 6.
LA v Denver: LA in 6.
Dallas v Phoenix: Phoenix in 6.
Patrick:
Cleveland v Boston: Cleveland in 5.
Orlando v Atlanta: Atlanta in 7.
LA v Utah: LA in 6.
Dallas v Portland: Dallas in 4.
Nic:
Cleveland v Boston: Cleveland in 6.
Orlando v Atlanta: Atlanta in 7.
LA v Utah: LA in 6.
Dallas v Phoenix: Phoenix in 7.

Conference Finals:
Kyle:
Cleveland v Orlando: Cleveland in 7.
LA v Phoenix: LA in 7.
Patrick:
Cleveland v Atlanta: Cleveland in 6.
LA v Dallas: Dallas in 7.
Nic:
Cleveland v Atlanta: Cleveland in 6.
LA v Phoenix: LA in 6.

NBA Finals:
Kyle:
Cleveland v LA: Cleveland in 7.
Patrick:
Cleveland v Dallas: Cleveland in 6.
Nic:
Cleveland v LA: LA in 7.

Miscellaneous Questions:

What is your opinion of how the Jazz season went?
Kyle - You know I am pleased with the season. I feel like if we look at the overall picture there was a lot to be happy about. We had a lot of injuries and through great scouting and key player pickups, we ended just 2 games from the 2 seed. Plus, in a surprise, Bill Simmons on ESPN finally relented on the Deron Williams v Chris Paul debate. He now acknowledges that Deron Williams is every bit as good as Chris Paul. Finally.
Patrick - Great! Without injury we would be a 2 seed but what NBA team can't complain about that.
Nic - I am happy with how they did this year. As always, they struggled with key injuries at inconvenient times, but such is the life of professional sports. The one disappointing
thing is their playoff matchups. The 2 teams I am most afraid of for the Jazz, they will face in the first two rounds (DEN and LAL)

Which team is the most surprising this season?
Kyle - I have to go with Milwaukee here. When they were healthy they were legitimately good. Bogut and Jennings are a huge part of that.
Patrick - Bobcats. I didn't think they could make the Tourney and they did.
Nic - The most surprising team for
me is the Milwaukee Bucks. In the 2008-2009 season, they went 34-48, didn't add anyone substantial in the off season and this year turn in a 46-36 record and the 6th seed in the East. Like most people I wrote the Bucks off long before this season truly got under way.

Most surprising Player?
Kyle - I am going to go with Wesley Matthews. This is simply because no one expected him to be on a team, let alone starting for a semi-contender in the brutal west.
Patrick - Kevin Durant. I didn't think he would be an MVP candidate, but hopefully he doesn't pull a Dwayne Wade and disappear.
Nic - The most surprising player for me was someone I didn't even know existed when the season started. Wes Mathews! He is an undrafted rookie that is now starting for one of the best teams in the league and playing considerably well. I don't think anyone saw him coming, and in my opinion should be recognized by the league on the Rookie team (probably 2nd team),
but probably won't because he plays for the Jazz.

Which team was most disappointing this season?
Kyle - I have to go with the Toronto Raptors. They make this big splash in the off season and get Turkoglu, they already have Bosh and in the awful east they still make the playoffs.
Patrick - Clear cut for me, the Knicks disappointed me by winning. Jerks.
Nic - The most disappointing team this year for me was the 76ers. Last year they are the 6th seed in the East and this year, losing Andre Miller, but having Elton Brand healthy, they are
a lottery team.

Most disappointing player?
Kyle - I would have to say it's hard not to go with Gilbert Arenas, but I am going with Hedo. He has to be the biggest bust as a free agent.
Patrick - Gilbert Arenas. When you are in the NBA and a star, you have to know better than that.
Nic - Chris Paul is the most disappointing player this season. As much as I hate the Deron Williams v Chris Paul debates, I think it is great to have 2 players that play the same position and match up well able to compete at a high level. In a sense, I think Chris Paul doing well makes Deron do better. So for Chris Paul to be injured almost half the season

Well folks that is all for now. WE here at the Upper Bowl hope that you thoroughly enjoy the NBA's Second Season. Go Jazz.