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Poll: Which Underdogs Will Advance In Playoffs?

May 8th, 2013 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

All but two of the NBA's eight first round series lasted at least six games, but those two ended in a hurry. The Heat dispatched the Bucks in what felt like three games, while the Spurs had a sweep over their own over the Lakers. We're still in the early stages of the Conference Semifinals, but it already seems clear there won't be a series in this round that's as one-sided as those Heat and Spurs sweeps in round one.

The Grizzlies and Pacers each managed a split in Oklahoma City and New York, respectively, putting the pressure on the favored Thunder and Knicks. The Warriors were on the verge of picking up a victory of their own in San Antonio before blowing a 16-point fourth quarter lead, but they still displayed the ability to hang with the Spurs. Meanwhile, the team that everyone had already penciled in for the Finals trails its series 1-0, after the Bulls upset the Heat in the first game of that series.

Based on what we've seen so far, it seems reasonable to think at least one lower seed will pull off an upset and advance to the Conference Finals. Which team do you think it'll be? Feel free to choose more than one option in the poll below, if you think multiple underdogs will make it through the second round.

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Poll: Who Should Coach The Sixers?

May 2nd, 2013 at 10:15pm CST by Michael Pina

Earlier tonight we linked to a report from the Philadelphia Inquirer regarding four possible coaching candidates that the Sixers are interested in interviewing for their open head coaching position. Who do you think is the best fit?

Poll: Will C’s Or Rockets Win After Trailing 3-0?

May 2nd, 2013 at 4:29pm CST by Luke Adams

A week ago, I asked Hoops Rumors readers which team down 2-0 in its first round series had the best chance at a comeback. Over 51% of you picked the Grizzlies, and that's certainly looking like the right choice at the moment. The Grizz haven't lost a game since then, taking a 3-2 lead on L.A. with a chance to eliminate the Clippers in Memphis tomorrow night.

The Celtics and Rockets each received some votes in that poll, but both teams' odds of a comeback dwindled significantly when they fell behind 3-0 in their respective series. While there have been plenty of comebacks from a 2-0 deficit in NBA history, no team has ever come back from down 3-0 to win a playoff series. Last night though, Boston and Houston each won its second straight contest to force a pair of Game Sixes.

As Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (Sulia link) notes, only three teams in NBA history have even forced a Game Seven after being down 3-0, but there are some reasons to believe the Celtics and Rockets have a chance to become the fourth and fifth teams to do so. Boston isn't a typical No. 7 seed, given the significant amount of postseason experience on the roster, and the C's were provided with some extra motivation yesterday when the Knicks dressed all in black in preparation for Boston's "funeral."

Meanwhile, Houston has been much more competitive against the Thunder since Russell Westbrook went down with a knee injury earlier in the series, winning two of the three games Westbrook has missed. Additionally, both the C's and Rockets will be heading back to their home court for Game Six.

It's still a long road to the second round for both Boston and Houston, but not many of us predicted either team would even force a Game Six, so I'm not about to write them off quite yet. What do you think? Will either team make history, becoming the first club to erase a 3-0 deficit to advance in the postseason?

Poll: Which Team Down 2-0 Could Advance?

April 25th, 2013 at 11:39am CST by Luke Adams

There hasn't been a whole lot of drama so far in the 2013 NBA playoffs, as most series favorites have taken care of business on their home courts. Two games into the postseason, only a pair of series are tied at one game apiece, with the Warriors and Bulls picking up road wins in Denver and Brooklyn, respectively.

Still, as we saw a year ago in the Western Conference Finals when the Thunder reeled off four straight wins against the Spurs after falling into a 2-0 hole, a two-game lead certainly doesn't ensure a series victory. A couple of this year's first round series may end quickly, but I expect at least one or two of these seemingly lopsided matchups to turn into a lengthy series.

What do you think? Which team down 2-0 has the best chance to turn its series around and advance to the second round?

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Poll: Will Phil Jackson Consider The Cavs?

April 20th, 2013 at 5:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Starting today, 16 teams will begin their quest to win 16 games and capture the 2013 NBA Championship. Not among those 16 clubs are the Cavs, who canned coach Byron Scott after he led the club to just 64 wins across three seasons at the helm. Who do they turn to to help turn their fortunes around? We already heard one prominent name in Stan Van Gundy say that he’s not interested in the job and it may prove difficult for the Cavs to bring in a high-profile name.

That doesn’t mean they won’t try, however, and they’re going to make a serious run after the biggest name of them all – Phil Jackson. Earlier today, Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio spoke with a source close to the legendary coach who said that he would “absolutely” listen if the Cavs come calling. The news that the Cavs would make a run at the Zen Master wasn’t a surprise, but the notion that the interest could be reciprocated is. After all, Jackson has had the pleasure of coaching in two of the league’s biggest markets and taking the reins of teams that already were stockpiled with talent. The source close to Jackson downplayed the notion that he would want to go to a big market team that’s close to winning a title, but it’s fair to be skeptical of that notion. After all, as one of the greatest coaches of all-time, Jackson can have the pick of his litter and wait for the perfect opportunity to arise.

On the other hand, the Cavs aren’t a talent-starved bunch in the mold of, say, the Bobcats, and a core of Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and Dion Waiters could go a long way with a quality big man alongside them. The odds are obviously against the Cavs actually landing Jackson as their next coach, so the question isn’t whether he’ll come to Cleveland. We want to know if the eleven-time championship winning coach will give serious thought to taking the job.

Poll: Most Anticipated First Round Series

April 18th, 2013 at 9:50am CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA's 2012/13 regular season in the books, all eight first-round playoff series have been set. The Western Conference matchups feature some great storylines, including James Harden playing his old Oklahoma City team, the Clippers and Grizzlies meeting in the first round for the second straight year, and the Spurs and Lakers, who have combined to win nine of the last 14 titles, squaring off again.

The Eastern Conference may not have quite the same amount of drama, but it's hard to argue against a matchup like Knicks vs. Celtics, which figures to set an unbreakable record for the most Honey Nut Cheerios mentions in a single playoff series.

So today's poll question is fairly straightforward: With the postseason set to get underway this weekend, which series are you looking forward to most?

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Poll: Which City Deserves The Kings?

April 17th, 2013 at 8:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The NBA's Board of Governors is meeting this week to debate the future of the Kings, and though no decision is expected until next month, there's a lot riding on the next couple of days, as the league's owners will debate competing bids from Seattle and Sacramento. It doesn't appear that Sacramento's offer is quite as high as Seattle's, after Chris Hansen and company upped the ante by $25MM last week, though that may not be nearly as important as the speed with which each city can construct a new arena.

Hansen's investment group reached an agreement to buy the controlling share of the Kings from the Maloof family in January, so they can argue they were on the sale first. Sacramento can point to the fact that the team's been there since the 1985/86 season, as well as the city's repeated efforts to strike a deal with the Maloofs in the past.

Pundits on both sides of the issue have had their say over the past several months. Now, it's your turn. If you, instead of the NBA's finance and relocation committees, were making a recommendation to the Board of Governors, what would you tell them? Let us know by voting, and feel free to elaborate on your take in the comments.

Poll: Did Marcus Smart Make The Right Decision?

April 16th, 2013 at 10:25pm CST by Alex Lee

In light of Marcus Smart's decision to return to Oklahoma State for his sophomore season, the debate over whether he made the right decision is already underway. Smart was all but a lock to be drafted top five come June with an outside chance at going No. 1 overall (per ESPN's Chad Ford on Twitter). This year's NBA Draft is considered weak, especially at the top, and the prevailing thought on next year's draft, albeit 14 months away, is that it will be considerably stronger. The downside of Smart's decision is clear; he could be costing himself millions of dollars. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, who broke the Smart news, adds via Twitter that the overwhelming response of NBA executives on Smart's decision thus far is "shock."

But as Ford tweets, Smart is the type of "different" kid that values winning and college experience. Maybe Smart is returning to Stillwater because he values the development of his game over the paycheck that will come with his draft slot. Top five picks, by definition, typically go to the worst teams in the NBA. Sometimes those are not the best destinations for players who are not ready for the bright lights of the professional ranks. Who knows? Maybe Smart's decision will result in a bigger payday or more prosperous career down the road than he ever would have had stuck on a perpetual loser.

It is a subjective debate for sure… which is why it is important to ask the question. Did Marcus Smart make the right decision? Please feel free to elaborate on your answer in the comments section.

Poll: Defensive Player Of The Year

April 11th, 2013 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

There will be little to no drama when it comes to voting for some of the NBA's award winners this season, as players like LeBron James (MVP) and Damian Lillard (Rookie of the Year) are virtual locks to collect hardware. But for many other awards, no clear frontrunner has emerged, meaning there is potential for races that include a wide range of candidates, rather than just one or two.

One such award is Defensive Player of the Year. A year ago, Tyson Chandler's influence in turning the Knicks into one of the NBA's better defensive teams led to Chandler winning the award for the first time in his career. But in 2012/13, there's no real dominant narrative.

The Bucks' PR department has aggressively pushed Larry Sanders' candidacy, while Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post wrote today that Andre Iguodala deserves the award. Marc Gasol, Tony Allen, Joakim Noah, and Tim Duncan are among the other players that have earned some buzz for their defense at one point or another this season.

So what do you think? Which player is the frontrunner at this point for the Defensive Player of the Year award? After making your vote, feel free to share your reasoning in the comments section.

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Poll: Who Will Be The Number One Pick?

April 9th, 2013 at 10:24pm CST by Michael Pina

Now that the college basketball season is officially over, who do you think will be selected with the number one overall pick in this summer’s draft?

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Hoops Rumors Polls