2008 Woodie Awards
Prepare for the Red, Hot NBA Playoffs! Part 2
Brian Fitzsimmons Sports Columnist
Issue date: 4/21/05 Section: Sports
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While Major League baseball is underway with their new campaign, the NBA's 2004-2005 season has come to an end. Actually, only fourteen squads will hang up their sneakers for the summer and turn to the warm confides of a golf course to ease the pain of their unsuccessful attempt to make the playoffs.
Eight teams from both the Eastern and Western Conference will duke it out in a "last man standing" war for the duration of the next few weeks in the much anticipated playoffs.
In the East, there is no clear cut favorite to mow down that particular bracket, so any of the eight teams can make some noise. The Detroit Pistons, who are the defending champions, will have home court in the first round of the playoffs and that will give them the upper hand to get off to a good start.
Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace will be an inside presence that many teams wish they had. They will play an important role in constantly out rebounding their opponents, and since both are so athletic, they can run with the talented guard duo of Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton in the open floor.
The Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers are interesting clubs because they have talent, but give the vibe that they aren't finals material. The Pacers enter the playoffs with huge questions pertaining to Jermaine O'Neal's health. He has just returned from an injury, so his condition and play making abilities may be more of a liability than an asset. The Sixers come in with two weapons named Allen Iverson and Chris Webber. As enticing as that sounds, C-Webb has had a difficult time settling in the Philadelphia offense and trying to figure out team chemistry in the playoffs could be a disaster.
The safest pick in the East has to be the Miami Heat because they possess the most dominating tandem in the NBA. Shaquille O'Neal's partner in crime in the recent past was Kobe Bryant during his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he found a new friend in rising superstar Dwayne Wade.
Eight teams from both the Eastern and Western Conference will duke it out in a "last man standing" war for the duration of the next few weeks in the much anticipated playoffs.
In the East, there is no clear cut favorite to mow down that particular bracket, so any of the eight teams can make some noise. The Detroit Pistons, who are the defending champions, will have home court in the first round of the playoffs and that will give them the upper hand to get off to a good start.
Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace will be an inside presence that many teams wish they had. They will play an important role in constantly out rebounding their opponents, and since both are so athletic, they can run with the talented guard duo of Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton in the open floor.
The Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers are interesting clubs because they have talent, but give the vibe that they aren't finals material. The Pacers enter the playoffs with huge questions pertaining to Jermaine O'Neal's health. He has just returned from an injury, so his condition and play making abilities may be more of a liability than an asset. The Sixers come in with two weapons named Allen Iverson and Chris Webber. As enticing as that sounds, C-Webb has had a difficult time settling in the Philadelphia offense and trying to figure out team chemistry in the playoffs could be a disaster.
The safest pick in the East has to be the Miami Heat because they possess the most dominating tandem in the NBA. Shaquille O'Neal's partner in crime in the recent past was Kobe Bryant during his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he found a new friend in rising superstar Dwayne Wade.