Predicting the Eastern Conference Finals

I really don't get too bent out of shape over predictions. If so called "experts" think my team is going to lose, I really don't care. Personally I prefer being the underdog. As expected the "experts" are lining up to say the Celtics will get "steamrolled" (to use Stephen A. Smith's term on the series) by the Heat. It's a valid argument. I mean based on Bradley's absence, Ray's ankles, Pierce's knee, Stiemsma's feet, and the team's mediocre play the first two rounds, logic says the Celtics are only in the Eastern Conference Finals, because the #1 seed lost it's best player. Logic also says the recent injuries are just too much to add to the season ending injuries of Jeff Green, Chris Wilcox, and Jermaine O'Neal (Love him or hate him, he's a rotation player).

The problem is this Celtics team is anything but logical, which makes sense when you have a wildcard like Rajon Rondo, a player who could end up in this matchup anywhere from the series' top performer to it's 5th or 6th best player (Also read TB's Hey Rajon,). The Celtics had their way with the Heat the last month of the season. The Celtics no longer have Bradley, but then again the Heat no longer have Chris Bosh. As well as Bradley played to close out the season are we honestly saying his loss is greater than a top 20 NBA player on the other side?

I don't blame anyone that predicts the Heat to win this series. You can be a Celtics die hard fan and still predict the Heat to win in 5. A prediction is not what you want, but what you believe will happen. Think of it like betting your own money. If Keyon Dooling played LeBron James in a 1-on-1 game would you really bet money on Dooling to win? Who you root for should be irrelevant with who you think will win. Unfortunately that's not always the case. (VOTE IN THE POLL AFTER THE JUMP)

For example, my mind is kind of telling me the Heat will win this series in 5, 6 games max, but when I thought further on I convinced myself that the Heat will win in 7 games. That the Celtics will go down swinging hard in Game 7. That I might even have predicted the C's to win the series if Game 7 wasn't going to be in Miami and that the Heat didn't have two of the players who get the most preferential treatment from NBA refs.

How do I want the series to go? Celtics in 4. What's my honest prediction? Heat in 7. We all know what most of you want as well (the Celtics to sweep the Heat's entitled asses), but what's your prediction? (Please feel free to comment below on your prediction).



Credit Edwin Khu for the above pic.