The Official 2003 NBA Playoffs Thread

[Guest Ripper]

And if they stand there for 3 seconds he commits a foul that is never called. You can't have it both ways. If they really called the game Shaq and his defender would only play less than 13 plays in a game. If Shaq wants to be physical, they have to be physical back. The mans primary, secondary and third most used offensive moves are offensive fouls. He does them 9-10 times a game. Maybe...and I do mean MAYBE one of them will be called. Laker fans should never have the balls to say that Shaq gets fouled too much. This is the man that admitted after the Championship that he made it a effort to commit a offensive foul on Mutumbo EVERY PLAY because he knew it would wear him down. He knows what he is doing which makes it even more pathetic when he complains about it.

 

BTW....I don't recall a single one of the foul calls that sent the spurs to the line being two arguable...someone want to remind me.

[Guest The Grand Pubah of 1620]

I don't want to turn this into a flame war, but you have lost your mind.

 

Shaq has great offensive moves. For a man his size he has amazing foot work and is extremely mobile. The reason he gets fouled is becasue that's the only way you can hope to contain him. As far as his offensive fouls go, I don't know what you're watching or have been watching but when he commits an offensive foul, he gets called.

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

I don't want to turn this into a flame war, but you have lost your mind.

 

Shaq has great offensive moves. For a man his size he has amazing foot work and is extremely mobile. The reason he gets fouled is becasue that's the only way you can hope to contain him. As far as his offensive fouls go, I don't know what you're watching or have been watching but when he commits an offensive foul, he gets called.

He has great foot work for a man his size taking 3-4 steps after he picks up his dribble on the way to the basket.

 

This is not going to get us anywhere, but it sure is a fun topic.

[Guest The Grand Pubah of 1620]

I don't want to turn this into a flame war, but you have lost your mind.

 

Shaq has great offensive moves.  For a man his size he has amazing foot work and is extremely mobile.  The reason he gets fouled is becasue that's the only way you can hope to contain him.  As far as his offensive fouls go, I don't know what you're watching or have been watching but when he commits an offensive foul, he gets called.

He has great foot work for a man his size taking 3-4 steps after he picks up his dribble on the way to the basket.

 

This is not going to get us anywhere, but it sure is a fun topic.

Travelling never gets called anymore on anyone unless it's just blantantly obvious.

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

Basic fundamentals is certainly lacking in today's game. We need more Euro's and the current crop of future basketball prospects should all be forced to watch Hoosiers.

[Guest razazteca]

Sadly I bet most of the young playas have seen Blue Chips more than once.

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

Sadly I bet most of the young playas have seen Blue Chips more than once.

Yeah, they know to take the money like Neon and whatever Penny's character's name was.

[Guest razazteca]

or And 1 Mixtapes trying crazy street ball passes.

[Guest Ripper]

I didn't say that Shaq didn't have great post moves. I said his PRIMARY, SECONDARY and THIRD MOVE he uses are all illegal. His primary move if he gets in trouble is to turn to the side, take a hop step with his shoulder down to create space and takes the shot (Offensive player cannot intiate all of the contact, and lowering of the shoulder into an defensive players chest is illegal) his second move is his, take my massive for elbow, slam it into the defenders shoulder, use his strength to push them out the way and take the shot. Once again, it is a perfect example of a offensive foul. His third move is the same as the first only he does it with his back turn and hops back into the defender....offensive foul.

 

If you watch the Minnesota series, his serie vs the nets last year and basically any time he isn't really being challenged, he uses about a dozen other moves and basically outplays and embarasses the opposing center(I am sure that Todd Mcullah still has nightmares from last June.) But if someone is playing good D or his team is in trouble, he will go to the big 3 which never get called.

[Guest The Grand Pubah of 1620]

The thing you left out is that usually the defender is fouling the hell out of Shaq so lowering his shoulder is the only way for him to handle the foul. Shaq gets fouled all the time and it doesn't get called. So if he puts an elbow in somebody chest it's becasue they were hacking him to death to begin with.

[Guest Lethargic]

I really hate the selective way refs call fouls man. I wish they'd crack down on that crap. You got the way the champions always get better foul calls. You got the way superstars get the benefit of the doubt calls. You got the way they try not fall a sixth foul on somebody near the end of a game. You got a different way of calling fouls in the playoffs. Hell, different referees call different fouls. They claim that they have to call fouls differently against Shaq because he's "big".

 

I would just like to see the referees call the fouls by the book, straight down the middle for everyone. If somebody gets fouled, call it. That's it, plain and simple. I don't care if it's a star, what time is left in the game, what game it is, if it's a favorite player or if it's somebody I hate. Just call the game by the book. If they did that the game would be a lot better. Nobody would have any excuses anymore. I just get so sick damn sick and tired of hearing commentators say things like "well, they're not gonna call that on player X at this time of the game!" If you would call it on another player, or if you'd call it on that player at a different time, CALL IT NOW. Quit calling fouls whenever you feel like doing it.

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

I agree that they must be fair, but I don't think they can possibly call every hand check foul or every time a player palms the ball.

 

Just be consistent. If Shaq is in the paint for 3 seconds call it. Same goes if Menk Bateer is in the lane for 3 seconds.

[Guest Bricks]

Anybody heard anything about Jermaine O'Neal's plans? I live an hour from Indy (no I dont like the shitty pacers), and between his free agency, the playoff collapse, and shittiest coach ever Isiah, it seems like this team's about to be broken up.

 

ps - Sixers-Pistons will be an awesome series.

CNNSI is saying it's between staying in Indiana or heading to San Antonio.

 

"Because Jermaine O'Neal has blossomed into an All-Star power forward since coming to Indiana from Portland in August 2000, many G.M.'s assume that he'll re-sign with the Pacers as a free agent this summer. But last Thursday, an hour after his third-seeded team lost to the No. 6 Celtics in the first round, O'Neal sounded intrigued by the prospect of playing elsewhere. "I want to be in the best winning situation," the 24-year-old O'Neal said. "I don't want to be around anybody who's just interested in playing out the season and then going home for the summer."

 

It has also long been assumed that the Spurs will use their salary-cap space to make a run at Nets point guard Jason Kidd, but O'Neal may be a better fit. San Antonio already has a promising playmaker in 20-year-old Tony Parker, who recovered from a horrid playoff start to average 18.0 points in the last four games of the Spurs' six-game, first-round victory over the Suns. O'Neal is not only six years younger than Kidd but would also fill the role of the retiring David Robinson and discourage the double teams that have hindered 7-foot Tim Duncan in the postseason.

 

A more immediate attraction for O'Neal is that the Spurs already have a championship-caliber team. The young and promising Pacers had the East's best record (34-15) at the All-Star break, but they lost 23 of their last 36 games, including four of six in the playoffs. Despite averaging 22.8 points and 17.5 rebounds against the Celtics, O'Neal failed to advance past the first round for his third straight year in Indiana.

 

O'Neal made it clear that there are plenty of reasons for him to remain with the Pacers. He doesn't want to uproot his mother, his brother, his three-year-old daughter and her mother, all of whom live in Indianapolis. He would also have to swap a leading role for a complementary one if he signed with the Spurs. While both teams could pay him an estimated $11 million next season -- barring a sign-and-trade, the only other potential suitors with that much cap room aren't nearly as competitive as San Antonio -- Indiana could increase his salary by 12.5% annually over the next six years, while the Spurs could offer raises of only 10%. That difference would be mitigated by the absence of a state income tax in Texas.

 

Pacers president Donnie Walsh has vowed to re-sign O'Neal, center Brad Miller and 37-year-old Reggie Miller while avoiding the luxury tax -- a clear sign that Walsh is planning one or more trades to clear cap room. That would help streamline the rotation for coach Isiah Thomas, who has been asked to develop a half-dozen young players while turning the team into a contender. O'Neal has made it clear that he wants Indiana to retain Thomas, who is entering the final season of his four-year contract.

 

Reggie Miller endured his worst postseason, averaging 9.2 points on 28.3% shooting. He took responsibility for the Pacers' flameout, but O'Neal wasn't buying that. "If my team isn't motivated, it's my fault," he said. "I can't consider myself the best of the best until my team is able to get out of the first round."

 

 

Anyways, how bad will Antoine Walker be tonight? I'm guessing 3 for 17

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

Jermaine O'Neil would be a perfect fit for the Clips. A line-up of O'Neil, Brand, Odom, Richardson and Jaric would kick major ass.

[Guest Lethargic]

O'Neal isn't going anywhere. You gotta take those post game comments with a grain of salt. Players that come off a bad loss will always say something like that that they later on regret. He's been saying all along that he'll stay with the Pacers, I don't think that's gonna change now just because of this one playoff exit. The Spurs would probably rather sign a true center like Olowokandi to compliment Duncan instead of a rail thin power forward. I would also hope that he'd be smart enough to realize that he's only as good as he is because he plays in the East. Taking down 20 boards a night against the Celtics isn't all that hard compared to doing it against the big guys out West. Hopefully they'll keep Thomas around long enough to get O'Neal to re-sign and THEN fire him.

 

Besides, if Jermaine leaves I'd have to shoot myself and I don't wanna do that.

 

Every once in a while, I just like to cry over the fact that Donnie Walsh thought it was a good idea to let Rick Carlisle leave and go to Detriot, become one of the best coaches in the league then hire Isiah Thomas instead.

[Guest Lethargic]

Jermaine O'Neil would be a perfect fit for the Clips. A line-up of O'Neil, Brand, Odom, Richardson and Jaric would kick major ass.

Yeah, that'd team would only be 10 games out of the playoffs instead of 17.

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

Jermaine O'Neil would be a perfect fit for the Clips.  A line-up of O'Neil, Brand, Odom, Richardson and Jaric would kick major ass.

Yeah, that'd team would only be 10 games out of the playoffs instead of 17.

I disagree. If the Clips actually sign someone to a long term deal (Brand, Odom...), then that would cut out all the selfish play and they might be able to play as a TEAM.

 

Then again, I'm a Clipper fan so what do I know.

[Guest Lethargic]

Dude, they could have a line up of Stockton, Jordan, Pippen, Malone and O'Neal all in their prime and they wouldn't make the playoffs simply due to the fact that it's the Clippers. haha

 

On the Spurs front. I've seen this brought up a little bit. Has anybody thought about Alonzo going there next year? He's been cleared to return next season and he's a free agent. I'm sure he'd come really cheap having an uncertain future and all. Personally I'd rather have 50% of Mourning over 100% of Olowokandi. Even if he can't start and play the way he used to, a combination of him and Rose would be nice and then they could draft another young center to groom for a year or two for down the line.

 

I'd also think about Brad Miller before O'Neal as well. O'Neal is a star, Miller is a complimentary player. I also think he's extremely under-rated. I think he'd be great playing next to Duncan. He's one of the few centers that isn't afraid of Shaq. He can rebound and he can score. I think he'd fit that team a lot better than O'Neal.

 

Of course, I'd have to shoot myself if he left the Pacers too.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Anyways, how bad will Antoine Walker be tonight? I'm guessing 3 for 17

I'll be optimistic. 5 for 19 with 8 bricked threes and one make. You know, his usual crap.

 

 

 

Dude, they could have a line up of Stockton, Jordan, Pippen, Malone and O'Neal all in their prime and they wouldn't make the playoffs simply due to the fact that it's the Clippers. haha

Man... that is COLD.

 

[Guest Kingpk]

Anyways, how bad will Antoine Walker be tonight? I'm guessing 3 for 17

I'll be optimistic. 5 for 19 with 8 bricked threes and one make. You know, his usual crap.

 

 

Bricks was closer: 3 - 15 (0 - 1 3PT), 7 points.

 

Boston shot 26% from behind the arc.

 

Yeesh.

[Guest razazteca]

The refs are calling fouls on everything Shaq does on offense

 

And Bruce Bowen feels like he can make all of the shots from the outside.

[Guest razazteca]

On the Spurs front. I've seen this brought up a little bit. Has anybody thought about Alonzo going there next year? He's been cleared to return next season and he's a free agent. I'm sure he'd come really cheap having an uncertain future and all. Personally I'd rather have 50% of Mourning over 100% of Olowokandi. Even if he can't start and play the way he used to, a combination of him and Rose would be nice and then they could draft another young center to groom for a year or two for down the line

I don't know who the Spurs will be looking to get on the Free Agency market but there will most likely be openings as I don't see Steve Smith, Steve Kerr, Kevin Willas, David Robinson, Danny Ferry returning next season. The Spurs will need a good FC to back up Duncan and maybe another PF or Guard for the bench.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Spurs lead by 25 in the 4th.

[Guest Flyboy]

Kobe will make a comeback for the Lakers... I know it.

[Guest razazteca]

Its nice to see the Spurs crush the Lakers with role players like Bruce Bowen and Charles Barkley's favorite Spur Manu GINOBLI good defense all around by the Spurs as they contained the Zen Triangle.

 

Duncan & Robinson & Parker has not played in the 4th Quarter so far and will not be needed tonight. You know its bad when Steve Kerr of all people gets playing time.

[Guest Flyboy]

I mark for Ginobli as well... he reminds me of J.J. Redick.

[Guest Human Fly]

Is it safe to say that the next game is a "must win" for the Lakers?

[Guest razazteca]

Is it safe to say that the Lakers will get rules changed reguarding injuried players and getting replacements?

 

Hell they made it a best of 7 after years of best of 5 in the 1st round.

[Guest razazteca]

Charles Barkley's comments in the post game will be good

[Guest Will Scarlet]

I also mark for Ginobili. During the regular season, he helped my fantasy team get a lot of steals, and now that's he kicking the Lakers' asses, I mark for him even more.

 

You know its bad when Steve Kerr of all people gets playing time.

 

He's still around??? Wow. I thought he retired years ago.