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Playoff Check-In: Revised SR Staff Predictions; How Our Original Picks are Doing

It's the half-way point of the 2015 NBA Playoffs.

By Matt Tucker
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Here we are on the cusp of the Conference Finals in the NBA Playoffs. Time to check in with how the Sonics Rising staff picks have held up through the first two rounds.

Up front, a look at the current bracket. The recap of our picks follows.

2015 NBA Playoff Bracket - Conf Finals

Staff participating are managing editor-in-chief Kevin Nesgoda; managing editor Chris Meirose; editor Taylor Bartle; senior writers Matt Tucker, Mike Baker, and Mitchell Northam; and contributors Lucas Shannon and Miles DeCaro.

First Round

SERIES
WINNER 		Chris Kevin Lucas Matt Mike Miles Mitch Taylor
1 vs. 8
Atlanta
vs.
Brooklyn
4-2
in 5
in 6
in 4
in 4
in 6
in 4
in 4
in 5
4 vs. 5
Toronto
vs.
Washington
4-0
in 7
in 6
in 7
in 6
in 7
in 6
in 6
in 7
3 vs. 6
Chicago
vs.
Milwaukee
4-2
in 5
in 5
in 6
in 5
in 4
in 6
in 5
in 6
2 vs. 7
Cleveland
vs.
Boston
4-0
in 5
in 4
in 5
in 5
in 4
in 5
in 6
in 4
1 vs. 8
Golden State
vs.
New Orleans
4-0
in 5
in 4
in 5
in 4
in 6
in 5
in 4
in 4
4 vs. 5
Portland
vs.
Memphis
4-1
in 6
in 6
in 6
in 6
in 6
in 6
in 5
in 7
3 vs. 6
Los Angeles
vs.
San Antonio
4-3
in 7
in 5
in 6
in 6
in 7
in 7
in 7
in 5
2 vs. 7
Houston
vs.
Dallas
4-1
in 7
in 5
in 7
in 7
in 7
in 7
in 6
in 6

Seemed to be a near unanimous consensus on just about every pick, except for a few key splits. Toronto surprised with how easily the Wizards dumped them. The Clips finally managed to get over the hump, taking out the defending champs in a hard-fought Game 7 showdown that might prove the best series of this year's playoffs when all is said and done.

This will have some lasting effect, as a few had the Spurs not only going back to the Finals but snagging the title once more.

Second Round - Conference Semifinals

SERIES
WINNER 		Chris Kevin Lucas Matt Mike Miles Mitch Taylor
1 vs. 5
Atlanta
vs.
Washington
4-2
in 6
over TOR
in 6
in 5
over TOR
in 6
in 7
over TOR
in 6
in 7
over TOR
in 5
3 vs. 2
Chicago
vs.
Cleveland
4-2
in 7
in 6
in 6
in 7
in 6
in 6
in 6
in 6
1 vs. 5
Golden State
vs.
Memphis
4-2
in 6
in 5
in 5
in 6
in 7
in 7
in 7
in 6
3 vs. 2
Los Angeles
vs.
Houston
4-3
in 7
over HOU
in 7
over HOU
in 6
in 6
over HOU
in 6
over HOU
in 6
over DAL
in 5
over HOU
in 6

It's the Spurs picks in that final series that demonstrate much alteration between the staff, but hardly matters all around as we all didn't count on the Rockets. (Everyone wave at Chris' lone Bulls pick in the Cleveland series.) In the East, we all picked the Hawks to get through to the Conference Finals, despite differing on their opponents in the round.

Let's look forward now to the remaining series in the playoffs, the Conference Finals and the NBA Finals.

Conference Finals Predictions

Obviously, with some of our original picks being eliminated, we've recalibrated our predictions based on teams still alive in the playoffs. First, our initial stab at the Conference Finals.

  • CHRIS: EAST - Bulls over Hawks in 6; WEST - Warriors over Clippers in 6
  • KEVIN: EAST - Cavaliers over Hawks in 6; WEST - Spurs over Warriors in 7
  • LUCAS: EAST - Hawks over Cavaliers in 7; WEST - Spurs over Warriors in 7
  • MATT: EAST - Hawks over Cavaliers in 6; WEST - Warriors over Clippers in 7
  • MIKE: EAST - Cavaliers over Hawks in 6; WEST - Spurs over Warriors in 7
  • MILES: EAST - Cavaliers over Hawks in 7; WEST - Warriors over Clippers in 7
  • MITCH: EAST - Cavaliers over Hawks in 6; WEST - Warriors over Clippers in 6
  • TAYLOR: EAST - Cavaliers over Hawks in 6; WEST - Spurs over Warriors in 7

Our revised predictions, joined by senior writer Dontae Delgado:

Chris Dontae Kevin Lucas Matt Mike Miles Mitch Taylor
ECF
Winner
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
ECF
Loser
2
2
3
3
3
2
3
2
2
WCF
Winner
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
WCF
Loser
1
2
3
1
2
3
3
2
1

NBA Finals Predictions

And that brings us to our picks for the 2014-15 NBA Champions.

Again, our originals:

  • CHRIS: Bulls over Warriors in 7
  • KEVIN: Spurs over Cavaliers in 6
  • LUCAS: Spurs over Hawks in 6
  • MATT: Warriors over Hawks in 6
  • MIKE: Spurs over Cavaliers in 6
  • MILES: Warriors over Cavaliers in 6
  • MITCH: Warriors over Cavaliers in 6
  • TAYLOR: Spurs over Cavaliers in 7

Our revised predictions:

Chris Dontae Kevin Lucas Matt Mike Miles Mitch Taylor
2015
NBA
Champion
in 6
in 6
in 7
in 6
in 6
in 6
in 6
in 6
in 6

There you have it. We have two more exciting rounds to see if any of us know what the hell we're talking about. Chime in below and let us know who you think is going to take the crown.

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