For those of you heading out to Vegas, here are Kazzy’s Personally Guaranteed to be Wrong Playoff Picks:
I like the Thunder over the Spurs in 6. As great as the Spurs have looked, I just don’t know if they can keep up with the athleticism of OKC.
I like the Heat over the C’s in 7 or the Sixers in 5.
For the games actually being played this weekend, I like the C’s -5.5 and the Thunder +5.
In hockey, I think Game 6 between the Devils and the Rangers is a coin flip, so take the slight juice with the Blue Men at +103.
If it gets to Game 7, take the Devils. I’m not sure the Rangers can put together two good offensive games in a row, which is what they’ll need to do at this point to take the series.
What does everyone else think?!?!?!
If the Heat can stay pissed off, I like them over either opponent in 5.
That’s a tough series to pick. The Heat, especially an angry Heat team, are superior to Boston. But Boston has given the Heat fits all year. In reality, I like the Heat in 6, but I’m not sure they win a closeout game in Boston. It wouldn’t shock me to see the series got 5. I don’t really see Boston winning.
I agree with your hockey predictions — New Jersey in 7 games. Then I predict Los Angeles for the Cup in five. (Usually I like the Ducks better than the Kings but the cross-town fandom culture is not like, say, that of Yankees fans versus Mets fans).
I’m ignorant as to the NBA but I’ll take a stab in the dark. OKC beats Miami in six games for the championship. They seem to be overwhelmingly powerful this year. And I’m finding that it’s kind of fun to root against Miami.
Hockey is the sport I know least, particularly out West, so I’ll defer to your expertise there. LA seems unstoppable right now and I don’t think either the Devils or the Rangers have a dominant sort of team that can put their Cinderella rampage to a stop. Of course, the Kings could easily revert back to the team that finished 8th best in the West, meaning more of a toss up. I just hope for a well played Cup finals!
OKC/Mia would be a GREAT matchup, but I won’t pretend to have any insight into who’d win at this point. I’d like to see how each team plays in the conference finals, as well as get an idea of Bosh’s status.
If these predictions turn out right, I’m demanding my money back.
I’ll take the Devils winning game 7. I’ll take it one step further and suggest they’ll not fare well against the Kings.
I’m going with the Heat no matter what happens in the East Finals and I’ll take the Spurs this round and next.
“If these predictions turn out right, I’m demanding my money back.”
Are you going to bet AGAINST all my predictions?!?!
I mean all the hard-earned money I’ve been sending Jaybird to fund your posts on sports.
He’s been sending you your cut, right??
Wait… there’s money in blogging???
If you’re Andrew Sullivan. So, who do you think Sarah Palin’s real husband is?
Since we already broke this part of the ice, I get to say “I thought I was getting money in the mail because the demycrats were in office.”
Now I get to say “no politics”.
There’s always money in the Banana Stand.
I think Palin’s real husband is Bert. Or Ernie. Whichever was the gayer of the two. Do I win the money?
I am neither Sarah Palin’s husband nor am I gay.
If I were Sarah Palin’s husband, though, I’d take a second look at the other thing.
Ernie?
Is making fun of Andrew Sullivan’s obsessions politics? I thought it was a game the whole family could enjoy.
It feels like such could bubble up any second. It’s, like, pregnant. For real pregnant.
Seriously though, if folks have money to throw down on games, I really like the C’s tomorrow, especially if you can get them at 5.5 or 5. I am decidedly less confident about the Thunder.
Kazzy bite your tongue and Thunder up!
Hey, Anne, I did pick them in both the game AND the series! I’m just saying I’m not wildly confident about laying money down on them in game 1. That’s all! I *LOVE* the team. Total mancrush on Harden, by the way.
OK All is forgiven, Fear the Beard!
And the really great thing about the team, besides phenomenal playing, they are all super nice guys and do a lot of work in the community.
It was a shame when Russ got stuck with the bad rap as being surly and selfish and after the money. It’s great he was able to shake that, as it is so clear he is anything but those things.
I would have loved to see OKC face off against Memphis, as those are my two favorite teams to watch from a pure enjoyment perspective. I’ll guess we’ll just have to suffer through another Spurs series, though they have gotten considerably more fun to watch in recent years.
How much must it suck right now to be a former Sonics fan?
Just going to point out that I nailed the C’s and Thunder picks, with the latter getting some help from a buzzer-beating three that was otherwise meaningless (you can always tell the gamblers in the bar because they go nuts over a meaningless shot like that). Whiffed on the Devils, though I did say it was a coin flip and I’d say an OT finish is just a matter of which way the coin falls.
Prospects look good for the Heat over the Cs, though it might be fewer than 7. Despite the loss, the Thunder looked good for 3/4 but, holy hell, SA seems like they’re never going to lose again. MANU!