2009 NBA Conference Semifinal Picks

Its always hard to pick NBA Playoff Games. In the first round, I went 6-2 (Wins: Celtics, Magic, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Nuggets, and Lakers // Loses: Heat, Blazers). What makes it hard is you never know who the "company" wants to win - you know "wink" "wink". Big Market vs Superstar, TV Ratings, Going against the NHL and Baseball for those ESPN Highlights - trying not to make things look too suspicious etc. So to make these picks it takes some extra naps and some good long deep sleep sessions where you dream about what you would do if you were Mr. D Stern - longtime commish of the NBA. Sometimes, in those dreams you do become the Maloof family wonder why your team is in Sacramento and not Las Vegas but hey... wake yourself up become the commish again and be happy small market teams like Toronto and Milwaukee didn't make the playoffs again...

Easy: Hawks vs Cavaliers
D Stern - you merchandise the hell of the Cavs this year, with the 85 different uniforms, you have LeBron James in All State commercials, ESPN has him in "This is SportsCenter" commercials, he is instant highlight film material, people like the nicknames: "King James", "The Chosen One", maybe you move him to NYC in 2010 if you can rid yourself of the torn called the Dolan family... most improtantly - rest him up for the finals vs. the Lakers (opps) CAVS IN FOUR.



Not So Easy: Magic vs Celtics
D Stern - Boston??? Red Sox, Bruins - you can't lose that market!!! But Dwight Howard - budding superstar... if they lose everyone will bring up the Shaq vs Van Gundy being soft stuff... But its Boston - you put the first game of the year LeBron vs the World Champs. Can't have them lose to a Mickey Mouse outfit who play there game in the AMWAY ARENA. Tough economy - keep the Celtics in it - make it seem like LeBron has to go thought the Champs to meet the Lakers. Milk it for all its worth - 7 Games but the CELTICS win.



Easy: Mavericks vs Nuggets
D Stern - Good got that rotten San Antonio Market out of the picture. Cuban and the Nuggets go into it during the second half of the season - good "storyline" for the playoff networks. Plus Cuban is good for a fine here and there (tough economy remember!!) Don't keep Cuban in the new for too long - NUGGETS IN 5 GAMES.



Not So Easy: Rockets vs Lakers
D Stern - Ooooohhhh that international audience in China. Yao is so important for the worldwide effort plus (and big plus it is) he help get TV disaster market of Portland Oregon out the picture. But I need Kobe and I need Los Angeles - MERCHANDISE and MARKETING - remember the Lakers are the only team to beat Cavs in Cleveland - Hubie Brown is good to mention that about 100 times in interviews leading up to the finals - still milk it for what its worth - ratings and highlights - LAKERS IN 6 - throw an Artest suspension in for game 4.

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PoodlePicks: NBA - Spurs vs Cavaliers

Finals Preview? - Ok April Fools (a few days late but I made you laugh). The Cavs are remarkable. Let us hope they don't turn into the Cubs when the Playoffs roll around. David Stern and I both have our paws crossed, praying for that Cavs vs Lakers finals. Lebron should have a huge game and the Cavs will continue to roll on. PoodlePicks the Cavs.

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RECAP: Poodle Keeps Up His Winning Ways Going 6-2

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Stellar weekend with the Wins:

UNC was pretty much a given - at home on Senior Day - they have Duke's number and now a #1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.

Gators - here is a prediction for Kentucky Fans - Coach Gillispie will be Texas - San Antonio with Larry Coker next year. No way he returns to UK with that talent and playing that poorly. Who knows where Billy Donavan will be too....

Spartans - the only Big 10 team that can play with the rest of the country. We'll see if they make it past round 2 of the NCAA Tournament.

Pittsburgh - just out hustled and out played UConn they will be in good shape for the Big East Tournament and #1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma - Their team play just outshines the speed of OSU. I think OSU will be a sleeper team for the NCAA Tournament.

The Avs - lucky pick. I'll get a few of those each weekend.

The Losses:

The Bruins: who is this backup goalie - Manny Fernandez - he play more like Manny Ramirez - don't be afraid of the PUCK

The Suns: Nash on the floor is a liability - all their big runs came with him on the bench. He isn't playing with heart. They had that game in hand, coming back from 13 down and losing in the last 2 minutes.

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PICK: Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs

The Suns and Spurs are both Jekyll and Hyde teams - you never know which team will show up. However, Shaq seems to play better when the game is in the national spotlight. So I'll go with the fast paced up and down Suns to beat the old Spurs.

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RECAP: Weekend Results 4-3 but Respectable

One unexpected loss (Celtics) is offset by an unbelievable upset (Suns).

Loses:
LSU vs Kentucky: The Wildcats almost pulled it off. They came back from way down and took a good lead inthe 2nd half until BAD COACHING cost them the game.

Duke vs Virgina Tech: Almost the upset again!! The Hookies came from down 10 at the half but just couldn't hold on.

Pistons vs Celtics: No A.I. - the Pistons play better. Stephan Marbury the Celtics play worse.

Wins:
North Carolina vs Georgia Tech: That is the UNC we like to watch - dominate and destroy.

Notre Dame vs UConn - The Huskies played it close - Big game next weekend: Pitt Rematch

Mizzou vs Kansas - I guess Mizzou was without a key player. Allen Fieldhouse is just a tough place to play in if your the road team.

Suns vs Lakers - holy cats - the Lakers lose 2 in a row. They just couldn't keep up with the running Suns - just too up tempo. Suns looked so slow on the Wedensday night game. Shaq really put in together for the home crowd.

Next Weekend Picks:
Pitt vs UConn
Duke vs North Carolina
Kentucky vs Florida
Oklahoma State vs Oklahoma
Purdue vs Michigan State
Suns vs Spurs
Bruins vs Rangers
Avs vs Blackhawks

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PICK: LAKERS VS SUNS

I'm watching the Lakers run all over the running Suns in the first half of this Thursday night game. So why pick the Suns to win on Sunday? Because after this game the Lakers will travel to play the Nuggets in Denver who are really their only challenge in the Western Conference (but a distant second). Also because the game is being played in Phoenix and maybe Steve Nash will be back. Finally, the true reason is because I'm a dog and I pick the food in that dish.

Poodle Picks: The Suns (paws and tail are crossed for a victory)

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PICK: PISTONS vs CELTICS

Lets face it the Pistions are just awful. The addition of Allen Iverson hasn't help - the new coaching the staff hasn't been effective and will probably be replaced. The Celtics should romp easily over the Pistons.

Poodle Pick: CELTICS

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RECAP: 5 Wins 3 Losses - Including a surprise and close upset

I returned to my winning ways this weekend. It could have been a really good weekend, as some of these loses should have gone the other way:

North Carolina loses to Maryland - not sure what happened here... UNC was coasting at the start of the 2nd half and then just collapsed at the end. I think Gary Williams felt administration coming down on him and just pulled out the miracle win to save his job. UNC will rebound as they will be another PoodlePick for their game with Georgia Tech this coming weekend.

Illinois Beats Ohio State in a squeaker - I thought I had a chance with the OSU upset pick as the Illini only scored 33 vs. Penn State earlier in the week. Ohio State made it close at the end but the Illini just ate the shot clock and made key 3 pointers to win.

Heat vs. Magic - Jermaine O'Neils has been a bust so for the Heat: out rebound 53 to 28 just terrible. Wade could score a 100 points - but unless you win on the boards you'll never advance. They better learn to jump higher and get after the ball real fast or the playoff position will push them to a first out knock out.

Wins came fromthe Celtics, Capitals, Villanova, Michigan State and Purdue.

Coming This Week:

Pistons vs. Celtics
Lakers vs. Suns
Notre Dame vs. UConn
Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina
Duke vs. Virgina Tech
LSU vs. Kentucky
Missouri vs. Kansas
{stayed away from the Tenneesse vs. Florida game}

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PICKS: NBA Celtics vs Suns and Heat vs. Magic

For the Celtics vs. Suns - I like the Celtics again. I think they are playing strong basketball. Although the Suns are on the run again, I think the Celtics D might be too much for them.

For the Heat vs. Orlando - Both teams did not play well on Wednesday. The Magic weren't scoring and the Heat weren't rebounding. Somehow I expect the Heat to win in a squeaker.

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RECAP: Sunday 2-8-2009 Pepper goes 2-2 Overall Weekend 5-3

Sour Sunday for Pepper, I really thought the Celtics would dominate of the Spurs.  Good thing the Lakers vs. Cavaliers was the late games.  Watched (and slept) thought most of it but it was exciting second half as the Lakers came back from 12 down to win.

Illinios defeats Purdue (Purdue = "to lose" must remember that going forward)
Spurs defeats Celtics (in the final minutes)
Red Wings defeat the Penguins (hockey is going good... expect 2 picks next with the NBA playing their All-Star Game)
Lakers defeat the Cavaliers (Pepper is proud of this pick)

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PICK: Spurs vs Celtics

I lost that Mavs at Celtics AND Spurs at Lakers game a few weeks back by picking the two Dallas teams on the road. Lesson learned the hard way. The Celtics will be coming off a huge game versus the Lakers and are playing excellent basketball again (now that the Stephan Marbey poison coming to Boston talk has stopped). PoodlePick Pick: CELTICS - big.

PICK: Lakers vs. Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are one of those teams the Lakers have dominated since LeBron has entered into the league. The Cavaliers haven't lost at home all season. Kobe has been putting up some amazing numbers on this road trip, although the back to back games between the Raptors and Celtics could take its toll. The Lakers dominated the Cavs back at the Staples Center last month so look for the Lakers to end the Cavs home streak. PoodlePick: LAKERS.

Poodle Picks for This Weekend

NCAA Men's Basketball
Oklahoma State vs University of Kansas
Arizona vs Oregon
Notre Dame vs UCLA
Mississippi vs Vanderbilt

NBA:
San Antonio Spurs vs Boston Celtics
Los Angeles Lakers vs Cleveland Cavaliers

NHL:
Detroit Red Wings vs Pittsburgh Penguins

Upcoming Picks Schedule

Saturday:
NCAA Men's Basketball: Memphis vs.Tennessee

Sunday:
NCAA Men's Basketball: Florida vs Vanderbilt
NCAA Men's Basketball: Michigan State vs. Ohio State
NBA: Dallas Mavericks vs. Boston Celtics
NBA: San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Super Bowl Bets:
Overall Winner
Coin Toss
Coin Toss Winner
First Team to Score
First Score: Touchdown, Safety, Field Goal
Over / Under

All picks will come after my grooming on Wednesday... I want to look handsome for the Super Bowl.

Me after my last Grooming - on neighborhood patrol