The 2007 NBA Playoffs may seem like an open and shut case, but training attorney Big Al McMordie cautions that while Dallas (67-15) looks good on paper, the jury is still out, especially in the Conference. East.
McMordie, a member of the Professional Handicappers League and the $100,000 grand prize winner of the 2007 World Series of Sports Handicappers, generally agrees with the conventional wisdom that any one of the West’s “Big Three” could prevail, but sees Orient like a game of dice, although he has many doubts. the Heat can repeat.
“Detroit SHOULD get out of the East as they have home court advantage, but every Eastern Conference team has flaws, so nothing would surprise me – even a repeat of 1999 when the No. 8 seed Knicks came through!” to the Finals!” McMordie said.
“Detroit is sixth in defensive efficiency (Chicago is first and San Antone is second), so if you’re looking for a team other than Detroit, Chicago would be a better choice than Miami, which ranks eighth in defensive efficiency.
“Chicago ranks first in defensive efficiency, which is a key stat, but the Baby Bulls’ problem is that they only rank 19th in offensive efficiency.
“So having Ben Wallace in the middle will benefit Chicago in the Playoffs, but the Bulls still need better scoring options to be in position to win the NBA Championship.”
Looking at standings and win-loss records, McMordie, going 31-10 during March Madness this spring, agrees it’s hard not to go with the Mavericks long-term.
“Anyone from Phoenix, San Antonio or Dallas could win the title this year, but the Mavericks surely have the upper hand,” he said.
“They started 0-4 and then went on a season-long streak that we haven’t seen since Michael Jordan played for Chicago.
“They are healthy and have one of the best coaches in the game in Avery Johnson.
“Dallas certainly learned a lot after last season’s collapse in the NBA Finals, and they’ll have a pretty easy road to the Finals this year (the actual Finals will be the Western Conference Championship series), just having to go through Golden State and (probably) Houston.
“San Antonio could be upset about Denver and Phoenix will have a hard time getting past San Antonio, so Dallas should emerge with the Larry O’Brien trophy.”
However, McMordie, who splits his time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, sees surprises as a distinct possibility.
“It all comes down to the matches,” he said.
“Denver, for example, could surprise the Spurs, which would be great for the Suns, who will have a hard time getting past San Antonio in Round 2.
“Houston could give Dallas some trouble with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.
“The Rockets are third in defensive efficiency and have a great record with McGrady and Yao in the lineup.
“But the NBA is known for being a league whose champion usually has a top 3 record (unlike baseball and hockey, for example, where upsets are common), so the winner would have to come out of Dallas, Phoenix or San Antonio”.
Pro basketball’s postseason prom kicks off this weekend after an 82-game regular season concluded with a flurry of drama Wednesday night when the league held an extravagant seeding dance designed to pay tribute to the division winners.
The once-dynastic Los Angeles Lakers beat Sacramento to take the seventh seed in the West and a date with No. 2 seed Phoenix.
Golden State, appearing in the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, will now face the high-flying Mavs in Round 1.
Meanwhile, Cleveland snatched the second seed from the East by losing to Chicago, setting up the Cavs-Wizards and Heat-Bulls series.
