2006 NBA Playoffs

The ratings have been up (as much as 10%) for this year's NBA playoffs and there's no doubt what the basic reason is. This year the playoffs have showcased amazing matchups which have produced hard-fought, entertaining games. LeBron had a great playoff run and I'm sure that brought in some viewers. As must have Kobe and the Lakers taking the Suns to 7 games in the first round. And speaking of the Suns, the always entertaining Steve Nash was once again league MVP (though I felt the voting should have been much closer with a three way race between Nash, Dirk Nowitski, and LeBron). And while great stars bring in viewers, I strongly feel it is the great games (setting records for overtime games and games won by 1 or 2 points) that have brought in the viewers.

During the regular season it seemed as if the Pistons were in a league of their own. And even though their second half of the season was not as magical as their first half, most felt the Pistons would make the finals. Over on the Western Conference, the always formidable Spurs wonderfully weathered a lingering injury to their stellar stud Tim Duncan. Many felt they were peaking at the right time and would also make it to the finals, setting up a rematch of last year's epic 7-game series between the Pistons and the Spurs.

I must admit that I felt likewise. For those who follow the NBA, you know that both teams are now out of the playoffs. The Spurs lost a tough series against the new look Mavs (helmed by the little general and NBA Coach of the Year Avery Johnson, now in his first full season as coach). The Pistons just lost to the new look Heat.

While the Spurs and Mavs faced off in the quarterfinals, they did have the top two records in the West. The tournament glitch might be taken care of by next year. Nevertheless, the 7-game series was majestic, with two games going into overtime (both times the Mavs outlasted the Spurs). Game 7 was a heavyweight fight. The Mavs jumped ahead with a flurry, building a 20 point lead. However the Spurs came charging back and the game headed into overtime. In the overtime period it was all Mavs, who seemed to have simply outlasted the Spurs. At the start of the series, I wasn't sure the Mavs could defeat the Spurs. But they proved me wrong by making shots when needed and getting a stop or two when needed (something they were not recently known for).

During last year's playoffs, one of the semifinal matchups was between the Pistons and the Heat. It came down to 7 games with the Pistons defeating a hobbled Heat team (Heat star Dwayne Wade missed game 6 and played game 7 on a bad ankle). If the Heat were healthy, it could have been them in last year's finals.

However, it will be the Heat in this year's final as they just defeated the Pistons in 6 games. I for one did not think the Heat would be this strong in the playoffs. Since last year the team has added quite a few new players and many (including me) felt they had yet to click together as a team or perhaps would never click. The great Pat Riley, returning as Heat coach, made the changes and he proved the critics wrong with his Heat having a great playoff run and finding themselves in the finals.

The remaining semifinal is between the Mavs and the Suns. And with the Mavs up 3 games to 2 this seems as though it will go the full 7 games as well. Though I thought the Mavs would rather easily win this series. Just goes to show that that's why they play the game (as well as proving I might not be ready to jump into the NBA coaching scene).

All in all, these playoffs have been absolutely memorable so far. And it seems the best part is yet to come. As for a prediction ... I'll give it a shot:

Mavs vs Heat in a 7 game final series. I have no clue which team will win, I could flip a coin and name a team, but you can do that as well.