A LOOK AT POTENTIAL PLAYOFF MATCHUPS
http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/look-potential-playoff-matchups
Posted: Feb 02, 2015
By Sam Smith | 2.2.2015 | 8:59 a.m. CT
Wednesday in Houston, the Bulls play their 50th game of the 2014-15 NBA
season. And you know what that means. Right, Friday in New Orleans the Bulls
play their 51st game. But other than that, 50 games as well as the upcoming
All-Star break signal an unofficial beginning of the home stretch in the NBA,
the race to the playoffs. Finally we are beginning to peek at potential
playoff opponents.
週三公牛對火箭，這將是公牛本賽季第50場比賽，而週五在紐澳良，將是第51場，除此之
外，50場比賽，加上接下來的明星週，代表着我們可以來看看潛在的季後賽對戰組合。
Which makes it an opportunity to look at who’s hot—which means whom to avoid
—and who’s not. Which could make a friendlier path to the NBA Finals.
這是個機會來看看那隊狀況好，來避免面對他們，而誰狀況差，來尋找通往總冠軍的路。
In the Eastern Conference, of course, it’s the amazing Atlanta Hawks, just
completing the first ever 17-0 month in league history. They have the top
seed. It seems unlikely anyone takes that. But coming fast is LeBron and the
Cavaliers, who now are fifth, barely behind the Bulls and about to blow by
the Bulls while working on 10 straight wins. Their roster moves last month
for Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert have worked well and so much
for the slow process. The Raptors have won seven of eight, though mostly
against non playoff teams. So if the playoffs started it would be in the
Eastern Conference:
在東區，亞特蘭大老鷹毫無疑問是最令人驚奇的，才剛剛完成聯盟史上第一次，單月17勝
0敗的球隊，他們是第一種子，看起來沒有其他隊可以動搖，但是LeBron的騎士隊，雖然
現在是第五種子，但正以10連勝的速度準備超越公牛。尤其他們的Timofey Mozgov,
J.R. Smith 和Iman Shumpert 整合的很棒。暴龍近八戰七勝，雖然對手大多是非季後賽
球隊，因此如果季後賽就此開打，組合會如下。
Hawks (1) vs Hornets (8): Charlotte has made a nice move to get to eight and
seem only threatened by the Pistons to hang on. The Nets still seem in
ready-to-be-blown up mode, though Miami seems vulnerable even as Hassan
Whiteside moves into the league MVP discussion. Hawks in 5.
老鷹(1)vs黃蜂(8)：
夏洛特看來能夠待在第八種子，僅僅可能被追上來的活塞威脅到，籃網依然像是準備好被
踢出前八行列，雖然擁有打出MVP級身手的白邊，熱火還是看來很脆弱。預測老鷹4-1勝出
這系列。
Raptors (2) vs Heat (7): The Heat cannot score enough and aren’t about to
against this high scoring team. Raptors in 5.
暴龍(2)vs熱火(7)：
熱火無法得高分，因此無法阻擋暴龍這支高得分的球隊，預測暴龍4-1勝出此系列。
Wizards (3) vs Bucks (6): The Bucks remain one of the great surprises in the
NBA and come off a very impressive win over Portland with basically all their
main guys playing. They’re 25-22 and you’re still going to have trouble
naming two starters. Wizards in 6.
巫師(3)vs公鹿(6):
公鹿依然是一直充滿驚奇的球隊，僅只靠他們的球員就在最近，令人印象深刻地擊敗的波
特蘭，他們目前25勝22負，而你還是有困難講出他們的先發球員是誰。預測巫師4-2勝出此
系列。
Bulls (4) vs Cavs (5): The Bulls have home court for now, but this matchup is
the Bulls ultimate nightmare. If the Cavs pass the Bulls and stay there,
Cleveland would have home court advantage and force the Bulls to beat,
effectively, the two best teams in the conference on the road to get to the
conference finals. Not good odds for that one. But the way the Cavs have come
together and even over the last 10 games playing as second in the league in
defense, they’ll likely get up to second in the conference before the season
is over. Perhaps setting up Bulls-Wizards II in the first round. Cavs in 6.
公牛(4)vs騎士(5)：
公牛現在擁有主場優勢，但這組合是公牛的終極夢魘，如果騎士超越公牛然後待在第四種
子，騎士則會擁有主場優勢，要就讓這兩支季前最看好東冠的兩隊，在第一輪就對上，機
率雖低但還是可能成真。尤其最近騎士團結的表現，最近10連勝以外，近十場防守也是聯
盟第二，他們很有可能在例行賽結束前，攀升到第二種子。如果騎士對巫師，或是騎士對
公牛，預測騎士4-2勝出此系列。
The Western Conference playoffs are going to be great. And maybe without the
Spurs or Thunder the way things are developing. It looked like the Thunder
with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook back would move quickly into the top
eight. It hasn’t happened. The Thunder has lost four of five. Of course,
they lost back to back to the top East teams, the Hawks and Cavs, as
expected. Then they lost to the Knicks and were ground down by the Grizzlies
Saturday, scoring 74 points. Suddenly, they don’t look like a playoff lock.
Same with the Spurs, who got blasted at home Saturday by the Clippers and
basically have all of February on the road. That’s their famed rodeo trip
where they bond and all that jazz. But their top players keep getting thrown
off that bull.
西區方面依然很棒，即使雷霆馬刺可能不在此列，原以為 Kevin Durant 和 Russell
Westbrook的回歸會使雷霆快速回到前八，事實上並沒有。雷霆近五戰輸了四場，當然如
預期的，他們接連輸給了東區前段球隊，老鷹，騎士，接著他們輸給了尼克，接著又在周
六被灰熊撕裂，只得到74分。他們看起來不像是一支季後賽球隊，馬刺也是，他們整個二
月幾乎都是客場比賽，週六在家被快艇擊敗。本季是他們的衛冕之旅，但他們的主力球員
看似都不在狀況內。
Warriors (1) vs Suns (8): The Bulls clearly sent Golden Satte into a
depression with that overtime loss last week and then they went to Utah and
lost. They rely a bit too much on jump shots, but it may work with guys who
shoot jump shot like that. Warriors in 4.
勇士(1)vs太陽(8)：
明顯地，公牛隊在延長賽擊敗勇士給了他們很大的挫敗，勇士接著在
猶他被爵士擊敗，他們太過依賴跳投，但失當你擁有這些傢伙時，你當然可以場場跳投，
預測勇士4-0勝出此系列。
Grizzlies (2) vs Spurs (7): No more miracles. Unless it’s injuries that will
heal. Tony Parker’s had issues and Tim Duncan really isn’t quite an
All-Star. In losing to the Clippers Saturday, Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony
Parker combined for 18 points on 6-22 shooting. Duncan’s output was a
season-low, Ginobili missed on 5 of 10 free throws and Parker was two of 10
as his scoring and assists are the lowest since his rookie year in 2001-02.
They’ll compete and contest, but the Grizzlies look not only like a
deserving second place team, but one that could go all the way this time.
Grizzlies in 6.
灰熊(2)vs馬刺(7)：
不再有奇蹟，除非所有的傷勢都自己愈合，Tony Parker狀況不好，
TIm Duncan本季也不真正是一個全明星，在週六輸給快艇的比賽， Duncan, Manu
Ginobili和Tony Parker三人投22中6合得18分，Duncan的貢獻是本季新低，Ginobili在十
次罰球中，投失五球，Parker投10中2，他的得分以及助攻，皆是新人球季以外的新低，
灰熊不僅僅值得第二種子，他們是一支強隊，馬刺不會永遠這麼順，預測灰熊4-2勝出此
系列。
Clippers (3) vs Mavericks (6): Two teams capable of losing pretty much
anytime. The Clippers have a run going lately with seven of eight and have
played their best of the season. But their two and three positions, facing
the league’s best scorers, are their weakest and their center shooting free
throws makes Wilt look like Kyle Korver. But the Mavs have gotten worse with
Rajon Rondo, who holds the ball a bit too much and doesn’t shoot very well.
They’re 2-10 against other West playoff teams, 13-9 with Rondo and 19-8
before the deal. Clips in 7.
快艇(3)vs小牛(6):
兩隊看似很容易在任何時候狂輸一番，快艇最近有一波連勝，近八戰
七勝，是他們本季最好的時候，但是他們薄弱的23號位以及中鋒悲劇的罰球，讓Wilt打得
像Kyle Korver。而小牛得到Rajon Rondo變得更糟了，他持球有點過長，而投籃依舊悲劇
，小牛2勝10負於西區季後賽隊伍，有Rondo時戰績13勝9敗，而沒有Rondo時戰績是19勝8
負。在賭之前，預測快艇4-3勝出此系列。
Trail Blazers (4) vs Rockets (5): The Trail Blazers are into their annual
midseason swoon getting swept going East. Better to get back to the soft
West. They’ve lost eight of 10, but they’ve got their guys. The Rockets
look like they’re losing Dwight Howard for a while, which could send them
tumbling. If the teams behind them were playing better. Looking now like
another heartbreaking loss to the Trail Blazers if it stays like this, though
the Rockets also are about to wear out James Harden. Trail Blazers in 6.
拓荒者(4)vs火箭(5):
拓荒者正處於他們年度的季中昏厥狀態，到東區做客，拓荒者最好趕快結束東區之旅，回
到軟弱的西區，他們近十戰輸了八場，但他們陣容依舊不可小覷。火箭看來將失去
Dwight Howard一陣子，如果排在他們後面的球隊打得很好，可能使火箭戰績極度不穩，
但現階段看來，火箭應該會在經歷一次被拓荒者擊落的心碎，同時火箭也快要把James
Harden消磨殆盡了。預測拓荒者4-2勝出此系列。
心得:本季真得難分難捨,不過私心還是希望公牛能夠拿到總冠軍>_<
__
今日不分甚麼迷
一起為空難祈禱