I'm Bringing Coach-Man Back...

(aka Avery Johnson)

Poor Aves. You gotta feel bad for the guy. I mean his team was expected to win it all, and their out in the first round...even though it was kind of their fault...which makes it even worse. To make matters worse, he had to go on Galloway and Company the day after that heart-breaking game 6 loss. But he did very well: he didn't deny anything that was so obviously true (i.e. the Mavericks didn't play well...at all). To go even further, he took the blame for the whole thing, saying that it was ultimatly his fault that the mavs didn't play up to thier standards.

Of course, the question of whether he would return next season came up, like it always does after a game like Game 6. To this, Aves said that Mark Cuban and him sat down and had a long talk about it and both agreed that Avery Johnson would be the head coach for the 2007-2008 season (HALLELUJA!!!), a season I think every Mavs fan who is not a Bandwagon Jumper is counting down the days to.

So round 1 is officially over. Conference Semi-Finals are up next. Here are the matchups and my picks:

Western Conference:

Goldenstate Warriors vs. Utah Jazz: this is going to be an interesting one, since nobody in their right mind predicted that these two teams would be playing each other in this series since everyone in their right mind predicted Dallas to survive the first round. Both teams have a lot of momentum coming out of the first round: Goldenstate (because "they believe" or some shit like that) and Utah Jazz (because they haven't made the playoffs in a million gazillion years...and c'mon, they're UTAH). I think this all depends on how each team plays on the away games. If the Jazz can withstand the psycological torment of the hyped-up GSW fans, then I say they have a chance. If GSW can win one of the first two games (both played in Utah because of home court advantage), they're going to gain momentum and run away with the series when they play back in Oakland. But I can't really comment on the Utah fans becaue I have never really seen them during a game. But GS did get off pretty easy in Dallas, because the NDBP think it's "uncool" to yell and cheer on their team or some shit like that. But I don't know how you can get any better than the GS fans; they were really there for their team. You got to respect that. So I think this season depends on how either team plays under pressure in away games, but I think that ultimatly the momentum that GS gained from round 1 will carry over to Conference semi-finals and carry them to a spot in the Conference finals.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns: God, I cannot wait to see this matchup! This is going to be one of the most intense displays of sportsmanship that we will see in the last few years. I think both teams are breathing a sigh of relief that they don't have to save some energy for Dallas in the Conference Finals round, so they are going to play with even more intensity this round. They are really going to beat each other up in this round, so it's hard to say who's going to come out on top. Neither team is really an "underdog" playing with something to prove like GSW and Utah. Both teams have been through these motions before, they know the intensity that comes along with the playoffs. It's going to come down to 1) how the refs are calling the games and 2) who really wants it more and 3) who gets tired faster. In the end, I think it will be Phoenix in 7...a rough 7. The Spurs are old, a big 7 game series is really going to wear them out. The Suns are a lot younger...'nuff said.

Eastern Conference:

Ya, I really don't care about the Eastern Conference because it sucks this year. The one team that I was kind of watching got swept in the first round (suck on that Miami Heat!! What do you have to say now Wade?? HMMMM??). Now, I only have 2 words for you: Detroit Pistons.