Bless my palm with SILVER baby..<Summer break...>

[The X]

sweet, I picked those Celtics and Magic upsets out East as well as the Spurs' upset out West....

if my calculations are correct, I stand on 11 points overall, 5 series wins with 1 bonus point

now to Round 2 predictions before I hit the sack....

X's ROUND 2 PREDICTIONS:

WEST:
Minnesota defeats Denver 4-3
San Antonio defeats Dallas 4-2 (don't forget about that embedded code that helps the Spurs )

EAST:
Boston defeats Washington 4-1
Orlando defeats New York 4-3

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

that confused me!

Means the Knicks lead the series 3-0 GOING INTO game 4. The game 4 result is below the recap, where it says it's now 4-0...



Okay, here's how the playoff predictions contest is shaping up:

1. The X - 11 points

2. Mafia - 10 points

3. Sit - 7 points

4. John - 4 points

The X predicted 5 out of the 8 winners and also the PHO-SA score. Mafia made 4 out of 8 but predicted exact scores in the PHO-SA and PHI-ORL matchups, while Sit missed out on the entire Eastern tree, but got 3/4 in the West being right on the money about the DAL-SAC series. John only got 2 out of 8, and is currently last in the standings...

Point system for Round 2 predictions:

3 points for picking winner, 5 points for picking winner AND score, 4 points for picking winner and being one game off in your score prediction, 1 point for missing out.

Let the games continue...

[Fresh8]

WEST:
Minnesota defeats Denver 4-2
San Antonio defeats Dallas 4-3

EAST:
Boston defeats Washington 4-2
New York defeats Orlando 4-2

[The X]

whether you know it or not Sit it looks like you're hedging your bets by picking a lot of 4-2 margins which allows possible bonus points with the added options 4-1 and 4-3....a smart ploy....although New York won't be Magic so it doesn't matter

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

picking a lot of 4-2 margins which allows possible bonus points with the added options 4-1 and 4-3....a smart ploy....

Hmmm,true. Tell you what... in case someone predicts 4-3 and misses out, provided the series goes 3-4, I'll give him one bonus point on top of the 1 he got already, for missing out. Also, the 4-1 neighboors with a swep and the 4-2 , so it's fine. Should someone predict a sweep correctly, he gets 5.5 points. 'Tis only fairer now...

[Fresh8]

right... i dont get it!

[The X]

yep, that is fairer now....glad you tweaked it....

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

right... i dont get it!

I expected as much. I don't get it myself now that I'm reading my own words.

Okay,here goes:

-3 points for predicting winner, regardless of score

-5 points for predicting winner AND score.

-5.5 points for predicting winner AND a 4-0 sweep score.( For those who feel lucky )

- 4 points for predicting winner and being one game off. E.g. you predict that Dallas beats San Antonio 4-1. If Dallas wins 4-1 you get 5 points, If Dallas wins 4-2 or 4-3, you get 4 points.

- 1 point for missing out completely

- 2 points if you predict a 4-3 score, but it comes the other way around. Let's say you predict SA best DAL 4-3. If DAL beats SA 4-3, you get 2 points. If DAL beats SA with any other score, you get 1 point. If SA beats DAL, well, check above...

Clearer now?

[Fresh8]

Clear man... very clear. oh btw, u doing nlsc rookies?

i cant be stuffed to check!

[The X]

Clear man... very clear. oh btw, u doing nlsc rookies?

i cant be stuffed to check!

what do you think you are making these pics for?

the winner of the picking competition becomes the one and only NLSC player to enter the draft this season

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

oh btw, u doing nlsc rookies?

No, but the winner of this predictions game will be an NLSC rookie in the 06 draft class... so make you rpredictions count

[Fresh8]

oh... dude

i should read properly next time!

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

Okay, now i'm waiting for Mafia's and John's votes so that i can post some round 2 recaps...

Summary so far, for those of you who just tuned in: The New York Knicks, after aome trading and an anxious playoff hunt during th eregular season that went right down to wire, getting them the 7th seed in the East, have pulled a major upset againt the Heat in round 1 , sweeping them 0-4.

Now they face another upset perpetrator, Orlando Magic... Will the Knicks continue on their rampage? Will they survive another homecourt disadvantage? You'll find out pretty soon, just as long as those voted have been cast...

[pHLo]

damn, why do i have all the bad luck and be out at the day where the playoffs begin ?? ^^

i maybe out of competition, but these are my predictions:

WEST:
Minnesota defeats Denver 4-1
Dallas defeats San Antonio 4-3

EAST:
Boston defeats Washington 4-3
New York defeats Orlando 4-1

maybe i'll get some points ^^

and.... nice recaps of the divison leaders and their MVP i really enjoyed reading it

lookin forward to ur next update

[-BHZMAFIA-]

WEST:
Minnesota defeats Denver 4-2
San Antonio defeats Dallas 4-3

EAST:
Boston defeats Washington 4-1
Orlando defeats New York 4-1

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

maybe i'll get some points ^^

and.... nice recaps of the divison leaders and their MVP i really enjoyed reading it

lookin forward to ur next update

I'll pretend you just got 0/8 in the first round and let you join in the race.

Now all that remains is for John to cast his vote and I'll post some more playoff action...

[John WB]

that confused me!

Means the Knicks lead the series 3-0 GOING INTO game 4. The game 4 result is below the recap, where it says it's now 4-0...



Okay, here's how the playoff predictions contest is shaping up:

1. The X - 11 points

2. Mafia - 10 points

3. Sit - 7 points

4. John - 4 points

The X predicted 5 out of the 8 winners and also the PHO-SA score. Mafia made 4 out of 8 but predicted exact scores in the PHO-SA and PHI-ORL matchups, while Sit missed out on the entire Eastern tree, but got 3/4 in the West being right on the money about the DAL-SAC series. John only got 2 out of 8, and is currently last in the standings...

Point system for Round 2 predictions:

3 points for picking winner, 5 points for picking winner AND score, 4 points for picking winner and being one game off in your score prediction, 1 point for missing out.

Let the games continue...

Awesome recap. And you gotta help me out there, by winning it all, so I get some more points..

What predicitions do you need now?

[John WB]

WEST:
Minnesota defeats Denver 4-1
Dallas San Antonio defeats 4-3

EAST:
Boston defeats Washington 4-2
New York defeats Orlando 4-1

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

Good. Now we can get on with the playoffs...





Game 1 – Eastern Semifinals : Orlando Magic vs. New York Knicks ( Series at 0-0)

This time it was all about defense for the Knicks. No 140 point game this time. Shutting down Grant Hill and Steve Francis at the times when it mattered the most proved to be the deciding factor for New York to control the game throughout. Francis had 20 points and 6 assists but on awful percentages, while rookie sensation Dwight Howard’s 20 points and 15 rebounds did not make the difference in the end. From the Knicks, Magloire had a fine game with 21 points and 14 rebounds, seconded by Odom’s 23 points and 9 rebounds. Jamal Crawford also dissed 6 assists.

–

Result: The Knicks take game one 81 – 94, grab homecourt and lead the series 1-0




Game 2 – Eastern Semifinals : Orlando Magic vs. New York Knicks (Knicks lead series 1-0)

This one went fast, and it was a high scoring affair in the end. Orlando seemed to find solutions against New York’s defense this time, with Hill and Francis causing no end of trouble to their man markers. Cato was helping in the rebounding department, while Hedo Turkoglu’s crucial 3s off the bench were killing any momentum the opposition was trying to build. The Knicks were led by Jamal Crawford and Lamar Odom once more, but with Allan Houston cold from the filed the Magic defense tightened and clogged up the driving lanes.

–

Result: The Magic win this game 113 – 105 and tie the series at 1-1.

[John WB]

Don't lose another game.

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

Game 3 – Eastern Semifinals : New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic (Series tied 1-1)

This was a disaster for the Knicks. Nothing went as plan from the opening tip-off up until the final buzzer. The offense was struggling to do anything, from hitting open jumpers to making lay-ups, while the defense was leaking like a rotten boat in a sea storm. Orlando took advantage of their opponents’ off night, and went on to destroy them in their own court leaving the garden fans in stunned silence throughout the game. Grant Hill was phenomenal but no other guy in the Orlando squad had a bad game, which is not something that can be said for the Knicks’ players.

–

Result: Orlando wins the game in a blowout fashion, 71-100, regains homecourt advantage and now leads the series 2-1.

[-BHZMAFIA-]

Dang, I think I had an error in my predictions because I wanted to put you winning 4-1, not losing 4-1

[John WB]

You're killing me man.

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

Game 4 – Eastern semifinals : New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic (Orlando leads 2-1)

New York learned its lesson from the previous encounter and gave Orlando a taste of their own medicine. With strangling defense and hot offense, the Knicks dominated this game from early on , with the Magic being unable to control the tempo at any point in the game. Steve Francis was shooting blanks, with most of his 22 points being scored in the 4th quarter when everything had already been decided. Lamar Odom led the Knicks with 29 points and excellent stats, while Jamal Crawford hit double figures in assists with 10.

–

Result : New York gets the victory, 108 – 78, and ties the series again at 2-2.

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

Game 5 – Eastern Semifinals : Orlando Magic vs. New York Knicks (Series tied 2-2)

The Knicks picked up where they left off at game 4 and proceeded to regain homecourt, with the next match being played at the Garden. New York was constantly ahead with a 5 – 9 point margin up until the 4th quarter, during which they elevated their play and proceeded to demolish Orlando’s chances of winning. Odom had 20pts – 15 rebs – 7ast in an all round great performance, and Allan Houston was making his shots to end up his team’s leading scorer at the end with 24. Steve Francis had 25 pts – 5ast but was nowhere to be found in the 4th quarter when the poop hit the fan…


Result: The Knicks take it 98 – 117 and regain homecourt, leading the series 3-2.



Game 6 – Eastern Semifinals : New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic (Knicks lead series 3-2)

Ouch. A missed opportunity for New York to advance to the Eastern Conference finals playing at the Garden. Orlando played with their backs against the wall but managed to win a close one in the end, with the help of Hedo Turkoglu’s shooting off the bench and Steve Francis’ leadership from the point position. Tim Thomas and Jamal Magloire were trying their best for the Knicks, but in the end the Magic escaped with victory from New York and will have the deciding game 7 in Orlando.



Result: The Magic win 96 – 103, tie the series at 3 games each, and will play the 7th in Orlando.