NBA

[bodiddley]

Same salaries though, I hope.

[Gintaras]

Pretty damn amazing that only 7 games separate 1 from 8 in the West, which makes this bracket wide open.  Whereas, 20 games separate 1 from 8 in the East.

[kidcarter8]

Just pick the series winners - (# of games just a bonus - no points tallied)

No need to pick an entire bracket.  We'll pick from the 8 that advance next round.

We'll go 8, 8, 8, 10 pts for rounds

 8 X 1 point each - first round

4 winners X 2 pts each - rd 2

2 X 4 - rd 3

10 for the championship round, where picks can be e-mailed so noone sees the others' choices.

Please post the picks here.

Enjoy!

[bodiddley]

I wasn't aware of this:

1991: California Imposes First “Jock Tax”

Following a basketball game in which the Chicago Bulls beat the Los Angeles Lakers (edit: the Finals, I do believe), the state of California slapped the visiting team with a nonresident income tax. The next time the Los Angeles Lakers played Chicago on the Bulls' home turf, the favor was returned. Soon, the tax became known as the "jock tax." Now, 20 out of the 24 states that house professional sports teams impose the tax, making it so athletes sometimes have to pay taxes in multiple locations for one paycheck.

http://the-idea-shop.com/papers/latimes.htm
So playing in Texas and Florida where there are no state income tax only shields part (roughly half) of your salary from state taxes.
And apparently Illinois doesn't even let you deduct that which you pay in state income tax elsewhere, so you get doubled taxed.

A good longer article on this.
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/apr/12/sports/sp-jock-tax12

[Biz]

Lakers in 5
Mavs in 7
Suns in 6
Jazz in 6
Cavs in 4
Magic in 5
Hawks in 5
Celtics in 6

[kidcarter8]

CavS in 6
Magic in 5
Hawks in 4
Celtics in 4

Lakers in 7
Mavs in 7
Suns in 4
Jazz in 6

[Yankguy1]

Lakers in 5
Spurs in 5
Suns in 5
Nuggets in 7

Cavs in 5
Magic in 4
Hawks in 5
Heat in 5

[whiskeypriest]

Cleveland in 4
Atlanta in 5
Orlando in 5
Miami in 7

Denver in 6
LA in 5
Dallas in 6
Phoenix in 7
 

[Kam]

LA in 5
Spurs in 6
Suns in 4
Jazz in 6

Cavs in 4
Hawks in 5
Celts in 7
Magic in 5

[Gintaras]

Go Thunder!  Looks like it is going to take all 7 games for the Lakers to put the Thunder to rest.  Great games by Durant.  All though, you have to wonder about the Lakers "strategy" in this game, essentially sidelining Bryant?

[bodiddley]

LA in 5
Spurs in 6
Suns in 4
Jazz in 6

Cavs in 4
Hawks in 5
Celts in 7
Magic in 5

I like a lot of these predictions, even if some of them are clearly wrong by now.
But the Suns in 4?!?
Suns never good enough to maul an opponent.
Lack a killer instinct and a definitive closer.
I know the Roy injury looked dispositive, but I think folks overlooked the fact that Andre Miller plays essentially the same role, which is why the two of them had trouble meshing the first half of the year.  And the Blazers did well all year when missing key players, including getting good minutes from Cunningham and Pendergraph, two rugged rooks.  
And now that Roy has somehow returned, things are sure interesting ...

Prior to the start of the series, I didn't realize that Denver had the home court, making that series dead even, in my O.  But now Jazz have an op to go up 3-1 if they get a home win tomorrow, without Okur and AK.  Gotta love Milsap.

Surprisingly, the Celts are going for a sweep.
Magic the only other team up 3-0.
Experience counts for a lot in the playoffs.

[Kam]

LA in 5
Spurs in 6
Suns in 4
Jazz in 6

Cavs in 4
Hawks in 5
Celts in 7
Magic in 5

I like a lot of these predictions, even if some of them are clearly wrong by now.

Well, still a chance that I go 8 for 8 in picking Winners. And if not for those SUNS, i think theres only one other series where i will be off by more than one game. 

[Kam]

Blasphemy!

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=376028

[Yankguy1]

I agree with the writer's opinion.

[kidcarter8]

The writer's a  dope.

"Kobe tried to compete with Jordan by BEING Jordan"

Please.

Bryant will be the best ever, even if not known as such.  Jordan likely will be the best statistically among the 3. 

That leaves LeBron as Gale Sayers - as in, I AM THIRD!