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2013 NHL Playoffs Expert Picks: Second Round

By on May 16, 2013 at 7:43pm
Detroit did well to knock off Anaheim, but their arch rivals Chicago await. (http://angelinos.narod.ru/) Detroit did well to knock off Anaheim, but their arch rivals Chicago await. (http://angelinos.narod.ru/)

The second round of the NHL Playoffs is underway, and it should be fun. Chicago and Detroit face off for the last times in the same division. Boston and the Rangers face each other in the playoffs for the first time in 40 years. The Penguins face a Senators team that just won’t go away. Los Angeles finally hosts four games in a playoff series, but against a well-rested Sharks squad coming off a sweep as the road team.

All of it makes the series pretty difficult to choose, as just one of the series had a unanimous winner as predicted by our panel. No sweeps were predicted in this round, but predictions for how many games each series will last were also quite diverse.

As before, picking the winner of a series is worth two points, while picking how may games each series will last is worth one point.

That all opens the door for some big movement in the standings after the second round, so check below for the second round picks, and come back once the round is complete for all the results.

Name Brian John Nick Taylor
Penguins vs
Senators		 Winner Penguins Penguins Penguins Senators
Series
Length		 5 5 6 7
Bruins vs
Rangers		 Winner Bruins Rangers Bruins Bruins
Series
Length		 7 5 6 7
Blackhawks vs
Red Wings		 Winner Blackhawks Blackhawks Blackhawks Blackhawks
Series
Length		 6 7 5 6
Kings vs
Sharks		 Winner Kings Sharks Kings Kings
Series
Length		 5 7 7 5
Total Points 19 8 13 11

Previous Results:

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Boston nearly gave away a 3-1 series lead, but erased a three-goal deficit to pick up a huge win. (iStockPhoto)

What a first round. The only team to sweep an opponent was a #6 seed. The Bruins undertook a comeback for the ages. Pittsburgh was given a run for their money by the Islanders. All of that produced a variety of levels of success for our panel.

The Penguins, Blackhawks and Bruins were all solid choices, and the Sharks weren’t far behind. The rest of the field, difficult to pick, produced mixed results. The length of each series was also hard to choose, further widening the scoring gap between our experts.

So be sure to check the results below to see who’s in the lead, and come back Thursday for the next round’s picks. Continue reading 2013 NHL Playoffs Expert Picks: First Round Results »

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Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

The Celtics’ 2012-13 season came to a close on Friday, as the New York Knicks came away from TD Garden with an 88-80 win in game 6 of their first-round playoff series. It was the end of a rollercoaster season for the Celtics: they got off to a bad 14-17 start but won six straight games in January, then lost six straight right after that before losing point guard Rajon Rondo for the season to a torn ACL.

When many thought the Celtics were at risk of not even making the playoffs without Rondo, they bounced back with seven consecutive wins, eventually leveling off to finish the regular season at 41-40, in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

While the C’s showed plenty of toughness in winning two games after finding themselves down 3-0 to the Knicks, their lack of offensive firepower was also on full display as they failed to score more than 80 points in any of the four playoff losses. Now, they face a long offseason with a lot of uncertainty regarding what this team will look like in 2013-14. Let’s look at Boston’s key offseason issues:

Continue reading Celtics Facing Plenty of Offseason Questions »

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Golden State pulled off a huge upset against the favored Nuggets; can they do the same against a well-rested San Antonio squad? (http://tactwarrior.com/)

The NBA is down to its final eight teams, and it was a fun first round to get to this point. Three lower seeded teams won their series, despite all eight losing Game 1. New York and OKC were given scares, while San Antonio and Miami (with 2013 League-MVP LeBron James) rolled to sweeps.

The second round looks to be very competitive, so we’re here to bring you our picks. The aforementioned, well-rested Heat and Spurs are picked to once more roll on to the final four. The Thunder and Knicks are also favored, but their resilient Round 1 opponents have cost them a bit of favor in the next round.

As before, correctly guessing a series winner is worth two points, while guessing how many games a series will last is worth one point.

So check below for the picks, and come back once the Conference Championships are set for the results. Continue reading 2013 NBA Playoffs Expert Picks: Second Round »

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Congratulations to Chicago for gutting out a tough win over Brooklyn. Their prize is a series against a very well-rested Miami Heat. (http://scientopia.org/)

The first round is complete, and had plenty of drama. The Warriors pulled off a big upset against the best home team in the NBA. Houston pushed the Thunder before finally falling in six. The Bulls fought off the Nets in a grueling seven-game series. Now, they have the honor of facing a Miami team that’s had a week off to rest up and prepare. Good luck with that.

The Bulls were the only team to defy the predictions of all five of our panelists, who all had the Nets moving on. One person, though, was able to have the clairvoyance to see Golden State’s victory, which certainly helped out their cause. Memphis and Los Angeles were entertaining to watch as expected. Only two panelists picked the Grizzlies, but all five knew it would be close.

So where does this leave everyone after the first round is done? Check below for the results, and check back Monday for the second round selections. Continue reading 2013 NBA Playoffs Expert Picks: First Round Results »

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Toronto has gone nearly half a century without a Stanley Cup; will they be able to get through a stacked Eastern Conference to get another? (ared Wickerham/Getty Images)

The playoffs are upon us, and there are plenty of good match-ups. Boston backed into the postseason and faces Toronto, who you don’t usually see in May. The Blackhawks and Penguins easily solidified their positions. Ottawa barely avoided Pittsburgh in the first round, while Minnesota is just happy to be in, winning a tiebreaker over Columbus.

All of that mix made for some interesting choices for our expert panel. Aside from the two #1/#8 series, only Boston and Toronto had a unanimous winner in all pick sets. And whoever got the nod in their series, St Louis and Los Angeles look to be the most fun to watch, with everyone but one choosing the series to go a full seven games.

As usual, correctly guessing the winner of a series is worth two points, while guessing how many games a series will last is worth one point.

So now that everything is underway, be sure to check below for everyone’s picks, and check back for the results after the first round is complete. Continue reading 2013 NHL Playoffs Expert Picks »

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Alfredo Aceves Struggles in Boston (AP)

As the Red Sox disastrous 2011 season came to an end, Alfredo Aceves was one of the notable successes, besides of course the MVP-caliber performance turned in by Jacoby Ellsbury. Aceves made four starts and fifty-one appearances out of the bullpen, finishing with a combined 2.61 ERA in both roles. While his starts were nothing special (14 runs in 21 innings, although 8 of those came in one start) his body of work for the season was beyond what the Red Sox could have hoped for. At the time, much was being made about the club “stealing” Aceves away from the Yankees, who had released the swingman due to injury concerns before the season started. By the end of 2012 the goodwill was gone. A 5.36 ERA, 8 blown saves and fighting with the manager – even the embattled Bobby Valentine – will do that. Aceves rushed to join a brawl in the WBC and then began 2013 with an ERA approaching 9.

Aveces was recently optioned to AAA Pawtucket, but he may not be long for the Red Sox organization. If the Red Sox finally cut ties with the troubled right-hander, through trade or release, where might he find work? Continue reading Alfredo Aceves Needs A New Home »

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Detroit did well to knock off Anaheim, but their arch rivals Chicago await. (http://angelinos.narod.ru/)
Boston nearly gave away a 3-1 series lead, but erased a three-goal deficit to pick up a huge win. (iStockPhoto)
Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Golden State pulled off a huge upset against the favored Nuggets; can they do the same against a well-rested San Antonio squad? (http://tactwarrior.com/)
Congratulations to Chicago for gutting out a tough win over Brooklyn. Their prize is a series against a very well-rested Miami Heat. (http://scientopia.org/)
Toronto has gone nearly half a century without a Stanley Cup; will they be able to get through a stacked Eastern Conference to get another? (ared Wickerham/Getty Images)

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