Hawks-Bucks:
Continuing in my grand tradition of making predictions after potentially half of the relevant facts are already on the table (I have a good feeling Joe Biden could be the next VP, guys), allow me to turn my attention towards the Milwaukee Bucks and the Atlanta Hawks. Now I originally called this series in six games, but that was before I realized that Chris Paul and Deron Williams draft-outshining center (and dude resembling my highschool physics teacher) Andrew Bogut went down at the end of the season. Now, thanks to ESPN and perennial versin blogger Bethlehem Shoals, I realize the Bucks don't stand a chance, which is a shame. I liked this Milwaukee team a lot, with its Salomonss, its late season surge, its fear the deer enthusiastic home fan base, and its indy rookie Brandon Jennings. They are now no match to face the lean, athletic, and (in this series at least) constantly dunking Hawks, who also had an amazing season and now have a pretty good shot at sweeping. That's a shame because this could have been the years best series, it will at least, mark the playoff debut of what will soon be one of the East's strongly competitive teams.
Interesting Stories:
Watch Jennings: he nearly tied the playoff record for best debut (in points) in this series' first game and followed it up with 9 points (a solid 73% decrease) in the second. Although there's nothing the Bucks can really do without solid rebounding, boddying, and blocking support in the center, these games will live or die (in terms of excitement) with Jennings' effort. So far this series has mirrored Jennings' performance during the regular season, which saw Jennings alternatively making commentators lose their stuff and scratch their heads. He's a fascinating kid (undoubtedly the number three pick for rookie of the year in an insane group of rookie point guards) and it will be interesting to see if he develops along Vince Carter lines, or is able to rise above the midwestern squalor that surrounds him. Stay tuned to find out.
Prediction:
Atlanta in 5: (Game 1, Game 2, Game 4, and Game 5)
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Yeah I think Jennings is the most perplexing of this new group. He also had all of that drama coming into the league, and it is nice to see him succeeding (or is he?) I still think the Hawks get dom'd by any serious team, but that's what the playoffs are for showing! The Bucks are the piece that differentiates the old East from the new one. We can no longer look down our Western noses at the big 3, and are starting to have to give legitimate props to 5-7 teams as playoff-worthy.
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