The Lakers, Suns, and Magic all swept their opponents in four games during the conference semifinals. A four game sweep of any playoff team is always impressive and is all the more challenging in the later rounds. But, which sweep was most impressive?
The Lakers beat the Jazz, who had just knocked off the second-seeded Mavericks in the first round. While this sweep was impressive two factors must be considered. First, one must acknowledge the Mavericks aversion to playoff success. If the Mavericks won 70 games in the regular season and DBSF were league commissioner, he still wouldn't let them get a seed higher than a four. Second, the Lakers were a tough match-up for the Jazz because of their size (this was exacerbated with Mehmet Okur being lost for the season with his Achilles injury). Thus, DBSF registers this as the least impressive sweep.
The Suns sweeping the Spurs certainly deserves consideration, especially considering the challenges the Suns have had with the Spurs in prior playoff series. Not only are the Spurs winners of multiple recent championships, but they're led by an all-time great center, Tim Duncan, the most underrated guard-forward in the NBA, Manu Ginobili, and one phenomenal (and one soon to be phenomenal) guards in Tony Parker and George Hill. However, the Suns shot the ball exceptionally well (which they will need to in order to beat the Lakers), and the Spurs began to really show their age (such as, when Tim Duncan couldn't keep up with Ama're Stoudemire outside the paint).
DBSF believes the most impressive sweep was the Magic over the Hawks. Not only because the Magic beat the Hawks by over 25 points per game, but because the Hawks had such phenomenal young talent on both sides of the court (which was brought on by decades of top 5 draft picks from the Hawks being perennial cellar-dwellers in the NBA.) If the Magic can continue to shoot the 3 and move the ball like they did against the Hawks and keep Dwight Howard out of foul trouble, DBSF likes them losing to the Lakers in six.
hawks series definitely. in the last game the look on josh smith's face--the look that goes, "for real...i don't even CARE no mo...fuck this shit i GOT xbox"--that look was priceless.
ReplyDeleteYOU'RE A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE DICKWAD. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE PAID TO SEE YOUR ASS DOG IT AROUND THE COURT FOR TWO GAMES. DON'T BE A PUSSY ABOUT IT.