Starting this week, we have a new feature at Sportolysis. In Visitors, I invite one person each week to share perspectives on a sport, a sporting event, sporting aspects or any thing in between. This week, Jon Reed of Complete Sports joins us to give his thoughts on the NBA Playoffs 2006 till the conference semi-finals and looking ahead at the conference finals.

By Jon Reed

What have we seen so far? Try 9 OT games, lots more that were decided by 1 or 2 points, and the biggest young star in the NBA proving that he can get the job done in the playoffs. Ah yes, the rebirth of the NBA.

We’ve seen one of the best conference semifinals ever, when we had arguably the top 2 teams in the NBA (San Antonio and Dallas) square off in an incredibly well-matched series, where only one game could be considered “not close.” We saw a series between Cleveland and Washington that featured Cleveland making 3 game-winners in the last 5 or so seconds. We’ve seen running and gunning from Phoenix throughout the playoffs, and we’ve seen tight defense in Game 7 when the Pistons needed the win.

We’ve seen countless incredible performances from stars. LeBron got a triple-double in his first playoff game. Tim Duncan did everything but drain a couple 3-pointers against the Mavs (incredibly without drawing a foul), but even he was topped by the heroics of Dirk Nowitzki. Dwyane Wade’s been knocked down many times, but he has the Heat in the conference Finals. Shawn Marion has played over 40 minutes a night, guarding guys like Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Chris Kaman, or Elton Brand, and all the while he’s been the Suns #2 scoring threat. The individual performances have been incredible.

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LeBron Jones has been superb in his first play offs. Yes, it is his first play offs if you have forgotten that in all the craziness. I understand it caught every one’s fancy as James took the Cavaliers to almost eliminating the Pistons. What I don’t understand are the reactions over James.

First, people tried to compare him to Jordan and took that expectation level to the highest level possible in NBA terms. Let’s get this clear - no one comes close to Jordan. At least not any one I have seen. Actually, it is unfair on James when people even compare him with Jordan. I guess it is also the biggest compliment and he cannot help people raising their bar of expectation that high.

Now, people are ruing that he couldn’t crush the Pistons. LeBron James is just 21 years old. He isn’t yet the best player in the league for what it’s worth. People will take a Bryant or a Wayde or some one else. I don’t get why such aspects like LeBron is a king without a kingdom should be even pondered over at this stage of his career.

He has MANY more years ahead of him - and that, should be the end of that.

This is the tme when the NBA playoffs reach the clutch stage. If you don’t start watching now, you never will. Every one is trying his hand at basketball now. Even Bush.

Yay Sports catches the general atmosphere when they write:

Cleveland fans are doing the typical over-reaction, screaming that the entire team needs to be torn apart, and whining Shot/Fumble/Drive. This wasn’t one of those games, c’mon…

Game 7 should be a war, and it somehow seems fitting that if the Cavs are going to do this, they do it in that fashion. That’s about it - it was a tough loss, but it is what it is. Both teams worked hard, both made some key plays, and both made some mistakes. That’s what the playoffs are.

Will LeBron screw up? Will San Antonio screw up? Will Detroit screw up? What will happen in Suns versus Clippers? I am really excited about the Clippers but Suns are always attractive to watch as well. Clippers are no laughing stock any more.

Who will reach the conference finals? It should be exciting drama before Heat, Shaq and Wayde and the rest sweep over whoever comes in their way ;)

Series break downs: DET-CLE, SA-DAL, PHO-LAC.

Kobe Bryant, for all his brilliance, could not get the Lakers past the Phoenix Suns in the clutch game 7. A lot of people have said that Kobe has failed. Complete Sports, a sports blog I have come to enjoy over the past month said this:

Instead, he was beyond passive. In the 2nd half, he was 0/3 from the field. He scored 1 point, which came after a 3-in-the-key technical foul on Phoenix. He didn’t even look to shoot. He looked like a young Vince Carter after taking a hard foul…

Let’s just say Kobe failed.

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Ahead of the 2006 NBA Playoffs which begin today, the predictions are rolling thick and strong. Check out the Blogcritics and Marcellin Mutoni’s round 1 takes. Complete Sports has gone all the way and predicts a Detroit win:

This year, I think things may be tilted in Detroit’s favor. They’ve basically been resting for a while now, having locked up the East a while, they have home-court advantage, and their bench is better than it’s given credit for. And not to sound like a broken record, but their offense is better under Flip. Another thing is, I don’t think Rasheed Wallace will be leaving Big Shot Rob open for anymore late shots. PISTONS IN 7.

The Detroit Pistons have certainly moved from strength to strength after Brown moved on to coach the Knicks. Not many will predict any one except the Pistons or the Spurs to win the title. Can the Miami Heat or some other team tide over these two champion teams?

We will see.