They’re here.
After a lockout-shortened, frenzied regular season, the NBA playoffs are off and running. This year’s postseason has no shortage of storylines or star power: Will Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder claim their first ring in franchise history? Can the Bulls still return to Jordan-esque Finals form without the injured Derrick Rose? And will this finally be the year that LeBron James silences critics and hoists the Larry O’Brien Trophy?
With so much uncertainty, who better to offer some insight than the Northwestern basketball team? True, there’s a considerable gap between college ball and the pros, but Dave Sobolewski, Reggie Hearn and others sat down with North by Northwestern to share their thoughts on this spring’s hardwood action.
Dave Sobolewski: It’s no secret that the Naperville native is a Bulls fan. The freshman one-guard was at the Bulls’ game two loss to Philadelphia. “Tough to watch, they had no offense,” he remorsefully remarked. “Nobody will give the Bulls a chance,” he added when weighing the thought of a Bulls/Heat Eastern Conference Finals rematch. “I hate to say it, but without Derrick Rose, I think the Heat are gonna get there.”
Sobo has the Thunder coming out of the West. “I’d love to see the Thunder pull it out, even though everyone’s saying how young they are,” and he ultimately opted for Oklahoma City over Miami in the Finals.
Alex Marcotullio: “I’m a Pistons fan, so, you know, not the best of years,” the junior forward joked. Without a team in the running, Marcotullio predicts a Heat/Lakers Finals, with the former winning in six games.
“I like the way (the Lakers) have been playing as of late. I think that’s what it is in the playoffs. You get hot late," Marcotullio said. "They’re starting to mesh together under that system at the right time. I think they’re going to be tough to stop.”
Marcotullio also noted that without Derrick Rose, the Boston Celtics have a clear path to the Eastern Conference Finals. But all in all, the sharp shooter from Warren, Michigan favors LeBron James’ intensity over everything else. “I think he’s playing like a man possessed right now. There’s no one that’s going to get in his way, in the East at least. It’s just a matter of him getting over the hump to win that first championship. I think he’s going to do it this year.”
John Shurna: Although Northwestern’s all-time leading scorer no longer suits up in purple and white, the senior forward still has basketball on his mind.
Despite a slew of injuries, Shurna has the Bulls going all the way, surpassing the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals and eventually topping the Thunder in the NBA Finals.
Reggie Hearn: “I watch it mostly for the entertainment,” Hearn said during Friday morning shootaround at Welsh-Ryan. The junior forward also sees Miami heading to the Finals against a Rose-less Bulls squad. “It hurts my heart, because the Pacers are my team. Hopefully they’ll make it interesting for the Heat in the second round.”
“Lately, I’ve been surprised by the Spurs,” he added. “Kobe seems to think the Lakers are gonna be in there, but I don’t know how many more rings Kobe has in him.” After some deliberation, Hearn chose the Heat as his champion. “The ringless king gets his ring,” he laughed.
Tavaras Hardy: Perhaps nobody is more qualified to evaluate basketball talent than a coach. Assistant coach Tavaras Hardy says that watching the playoffs teaches him about offensive sets, but added that “a lot of it doesn’t translate” on the defensive end. “I’m hoping the Bulls can do it, and obviously Miami is gonna be there,” he noted.
“That Oklahoma City/L.A. matchup [will be] phenomenal,” Hardy said, before acknowledging his own personal bias towards the Spurs. Coach Hardy chose a Heat/Thunder Finals, with Miami prevailing in the end.