Last November, only a few weeks before the Super Bowl, I hosted a pick ‘em contest to demonstrate the unpredictability of the NFL.
It worked.
I asked contestants to pick not only which teams would be in the Super Bowl but who would win it. Not a single person got it right. In fact, only one person picked the Rams to even get there. Not a soul picked the surprise Bengals.
The NFL wanted parity and it got it.
The NBA isn’t far behind in its quest for team equality. Not too long ago, you could set your watch to a LeBron James-led team making another appearance in the Finals. He’s currently watching the playoffs from home.
There are plenty of new sheriffs in town this year and they all have a legitimate shot to win the title. Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns are the number one seed in the West, your odds-on favorites to win it all, but you also have Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzles, Steph and Klay’s Warriors, Luca’s Mavs, Donovan’s Jazz, Nikola’s Nuggets and a weepy, celebratory Pat Beverly’s Minnesota Timberwolves all vying for Western Conference glory. Let us not forget about New Orleans.
Giannis’ Bucks are the current lien holders looking to repeat but standing in their way are Jimmy’s Heat, Jayson’s Celtics, Joel and James’ Sixers, Van Fleet’s Raptors, DeMar’s Bulls, Ice Trae’s Hawks and of course the black hat wearing Brooklyn Nets.
As you can see, picking even an opening round series correctly is risky business.
To celebrate all things unpredictable, I’ve decided to host another contest. All you need to do to win more fabulous prizes is pick the last two NBA teams standing in the comments section below. I want you to tell me who will represent the West, who will represent the East and who will end up winning it all. As your tiebreak, just in case two people pick the same outcome, I want to know how many games out of seven they’ll win in. (Remember, the NBA Finals is a best 4-out-of-7 series. Anyone answering with a tie break number less than 4 will be immediately disqualified and subject to the ridicule of the rest of my readers.)
Got it? The deadline to enter your picks is Friday, April 22 at noon sharp!
It’s NBA Playoff time, people! Show me what ya’ got!
I’ll go with Warriors – Celtics in Finals
Warriors in 6.
Warriors-76ers. 76ers champs in 6
Alright, I’m going with what I think will happen… or is it more what I want to see.
An official defense of a team that should have won more titles but didn’t due to injury going against the young upstart team that won it all last year and won’t go quietly to ensure the future is theirs.
But it won’t happen as the former wants to prove there’s a little something left in the tank.
Give me an NBA Finals of… wait for it… the Golden State Warriors to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks in a beautiful, must watch seven-game series.
How poetic that would be.
Warriors -Heat
Heat win 4-2
I’m going 76’ers – Suns with the 76’ers winning it all