Playoff Previews

The NHL playoffs began yesterday and the NBA playoffs begin on Saturday, and I'm here to "handicap" each series.

NHL:
East: Bruins over Canadiens, Capitals over Rangers, Devils over Hurricanes, Penguins over Flyers
Bruins over Penguins, Captials over Devils
Capitals over Bruins
West: Sharks over Ducks, Red Wings over Blue Jackets, Blues over Canucks, Blackhawks over Flames
Blackhawks over Sharks, Red Wings over Blues
Red Wings over Blackhawks
Finals: Capitals over Red Wings

I'm sticking by my early season prediction of the Capitals. I know they lost the first game at home, but I could never count out a team with Alex Ovechin. And it's not like I know squat about hockey... you put the puck in the net, right?

NBA:
East: Cavaliers over Pistons (5)... remember what LeBron did to them 2 years ago in the East Finals? That's what we'll see for every game of this series.
Celtics over Bulls (6)... it will take more games without KG, but expect Pierce to carry them.
Magic over Sixers (6)... Philly will make Orlando work just enough to scare Howard into playing lights out.
Hawks over Heat (7)... best series of the first round. I had to go with the Hawks, but I could see D-Wade hitting a few clutch shots in Game 7 and altering the results.
Cavaliers over Hawks (6)... they are the best team, but not good enough to run through the playoffs without a few bumps.
Magic over Celtics (7)... I say Orlando because KG will probably be out, I say 7 games because the champs always die hard.
Cavaliers over Magic (6)... a burned-out Magic team will not win in Cleveland.
West: Lakers over Jazz (5)... just enough talent in Utah to avoid a sweep.
Nuggets over Hornets (5)... worst match-up for CP3, Billups will make it too hard with the lack of help Paul has around him.
Spurs over Mavericks (7)... I don't see either team getting a road win. Not that it will be a great series, just well-contested.
Blazers over Rockets (7)... if all I can get out of Yao is 20 and 10 and they don't have a clutch scorer, I have to go with the hungry, young Blazers.
Lakers over Blazers (7)... the young boys will take Kobe to the limit, but they'll be too tired to win Game 7 in LA.
Nuggets over Spurs (7)... only because the Mavs should take the Spurs to the limit and I think Carmelo will find his fire and Duncan is getting old.
Lakers over Nuggets (6)... there is some hope for Denver to stretch the series if the Blazers to push LA to 7, but it will be hard to win in LA in Game 7 if they had to hold of the Spurs for 7 games.
Finals: Lakers over Cavaliers (7)... believe me, I'm not rooting for this. I just don't think LeBron has the support to win it all. I really hope he doesn't fall into the "All-Time Greats that couldn't win it all for some reason" group with Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, Reggie Miller and Dominique Wilkins. Part of me thinks if he's anything like Jordan, and he gets back to the finals, he'll steam roll LA and win in 4 or 5. There is also the home-court advantage, and hopefully having played 1 less game, maybe having more rest and a healthier bench. I just don't see it yet. I hope they prove me wrong.

NCAA Wrap Up and Baseball Preview

How 'bout them Tar Heels? While I didn't have them in my pool, and 'Nova, OU, Michigan State, and Mizzou threw wrenches in my bracket... I was happy with the tourney overall. Cleveland State, Siena, Western Kentucky and Wisconsin made it fun and kept it from being complete chalk. Also, seeing Hansborough win one and Mizzou make a run kept me smiling... as well as Kansas' early-ish exit and Illinois' VERY early exit. Can't wait for football season...

In the meantime, we've got NHL and NBA playoffs (which I'll cover at another time) and the baseball season starting... oh boy, baseball!
It's really early, and I'm no baseball expert... but he we go.

AL East - Tampa, Toronto, Boston, New York, Baltimore
AL Central - Minnesota, Cleveland, Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit
AL West - Oakland, Texas, Los Angeles, Seattle
NL East - Atlanta, Florida, Philadelphia, New York, Washington
NL Central - St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Houston, Cincinnati
NL West - Los Angeles, San Diego, Arizona, Colorado, San Francisco

AL Playoffs - Tampa over Texas, Minnesota over Oakland
NL Playoffs - St. Louis over San Diego, Los Angeles over Atlanta
ALCS - Minnesota over Tampa
NLCS - St. Louis over Los Angeles
World Series - St. Louis over Minnesota

AL MVP - Justin Morneau, Minnesota
NL MVP - Albert Pujols, St. Louis
AL Cy Young - Matt Garza, Tampa
NL Cy Young - Zach Duke, Pittsburgh

But, what do I know??