NBA Playoffs

[C Dubya 04 0]

well, that's over at least. Detroit over Philly in 5, as was most predictions. Philly played hard though, but in the end nobody else besides Iverson could do much (wow was Korver completely useless in this series).

Korver got as bad a matchup as he could have gotten, as he had Tayshaun Prince to contend with.

You know, almost everyone who watches basketball that isn't named Jim O'Brien realized this as well.

 

 

In regards to the Dalembert comments above, I agree that he has been developing nicely, but Joe D can't snatch him up yet, as he is under contract with the Sixers for one more year I believe, and they will def. make it a priority to resign him.

 

 

And, one more spare comment, Iverson this year moved into the realm of athletes that I will never forget watching, and will tell my children about when I'm an old man.

[cabbageboy 0]

I dunno if Iverson is on that high of a level, is he? Or if he is it's kinda like hearing about Pete Maravich with LSU. "Yeah, that Pistol Pete was awesome, he went for 50 against UK that night, but UK still won by 10."

 

Iverson did get to 1 finals but the Sixers were merely sacrificial lambs vs. the Lakers.

[Ripper 0]

I dunno if Iverson is on that high of a level, is he? Or if he is it's kinda like hearing about Pete Maravich with LSU. "Yeah, that Pistol Pete was awesome, he went for 50 against UK that night, but UK still won by 10."

 

Iverson did get to 1 finals but the Sixers were merely sacrificial lambs vs. the Lakers.

They won more games than anyone else did against the lakers in the Playoffs that year.

 

 

well...more game...

 

 

And Iverson is of that level if you ask me. The Sixers have enjoyed way too much sucess for a team that refuses to keep a nucleus. And people can blame AI all they want, it was Larry Browns fault. That guy can't keep a team from year to year anywhere he goes.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

For Iverson, it goes being pure ability. He's just an amazing athlete who plays as hard as anyone I have ever seen, in any sport.

[Styles 0]

So...tonight at 7 on TNT is game 5 of the Wiz/Bulls, back in Chicago. This is the most important game in Washington franchise history of the last 20 years. If we lose this one, winning 2 in a row (especially with the last game in Chicago which we've proven to be incapable of winning at) would be nearly impossible. If we win, it's back to the Phone Booth on Friday for a chance to advance.

 

Re: Kwame. Good riddance. I (and almost all Washington fans) have tried for 4 years to justify him and make excuses for him. Too much pressure, Michael Jordan and Doug Collins are too hard on him, he's a late bloomer, he'll be like O'neil, it's ok, he's still maturing. No more. He's a bust and he obviously has no intention of playing up to his capabilities here in DC. If he wants to do it with another team, more power to him. The rest of this team has tremendous chemistry and is in the most critical games of the team's past 20 years. Here's an excellent article from Michael Wilbon that sums it up perfectly:

 

washingtonpost.com

What Can Brown Do for You?

 

By Michael Wilbon

Post

Wednesday, May 4, 2005; D01

 

No consequence is too severe for quitting on your team in the playoffs, so dismissing Kwame Brown for the rest of this season is exactly the right thing for the Washington Wizards to do. Not another day should the franchise wait on this kid to develop or tolerate his continued lack of professionalism. To even have him in the locker room, where he can potentially undermine a team doing just fine in the playoffs, would be irresponsible.

 

So the coach, Eddie Jordan, told Brown not to come back, which is the right move. And Ernie Grunfeld, the president of basketball operations, backed Jordan, which is the right move. Any consideration of Brown's trade value should be secondary to giving this team every possible chance to advance in these playoffs.

 

Failing to show up for practice the day before, and the morning of, a playoff game because your tummy aches is unpardonable. On the same day that Brown didn't show up for the game-day shoot-around because he said he had a stomach virus, Houston Rockets guard Bobby Sura checked out of a Dallas hospital in time to play against the Mavericks later that night. Sura had some kind of bug himself, one serious enough to send him to the hospital, where he had IVs in him for hours. Nevertheless, he got to the game. Sura didn't bail on his teammates in the playoffs.

 

The issue here isn't whether Brown was sick. The issue is that he doesn't particularly want to play. Brown got upset Saturday because he played just four minutes in Game 3, even though he was wretched in those four minutes. He got upset because the people here who pay good money for tickets increasingly have booed him. He's upset at seeing a marginally talented guy like Michael Ruffin, a guy with no draft pedigree, get the minutes and the love because he works, thinks, hustles, practices, cares and sacrifices. Brown, of course, isn't even remotely familiar with any of those characteristics.

 

An hour before Monday night's Game 4, Jarvis Hayes was on the court trying to practice with a busted kneecap. It's killing Hayes to not play in this series against the Chicago Bulls. The day before the game, while Brown was not answering the phone when team officials were calling him, Juan Dixon was shooting hundreds of jumpers to try to find his stroke. He had followed his coach into MCI Center's garage after Saturday's 1-for-10 shooting performance, essentially to beg for another chance to earn his minutes. That's how desperately Dixon wants to play and play well.

 

The best thing about the Wizards, besides the fact that they've demonstrated quite a bit of savvy in evening this series with the Bulls at two games apiece, is that Washington has a team full of players who appear to embrace work. It's possible Gilbert Arenas practices too hard and too long at times.

 

They work, they get along, they trust their coach, they want to be where they are. No, these Wizards aren't the '86 Celtics. But they seem to understand they're building something that could be really good one day soon.

 

What they don't need under any circumstances is a selfish knucklehead in their midst, somebody who after four years in the league wants everything given to him. You can only use the excuse, "I'm young," for so long. Brown is the same age, 23, as Arenas.

 

When Brown chafed under the impatience of Doug Collins and Michael Jordan, we understood to a great degree. That was a bad fit from Day One. Jordan never, ever, ever, ever should have drafted Brown with the No. 1 overall pick. Collins and Jordan are both impatient, and they are both perfectionists. Collins, much to his credit, was the one who volunteered one day toward the end of Brown's rookie season that the kid was stressed out, that his normally smooth skin was breaking out in pimples as anxiety set in. Collins blamed himself, and apologized openly.

 

But Eddie Jordan isn't impatient. Eddie Jordan is perhaps the most patient and calmest coach I've ever been around. He has taken the polar opposite approach with Brown, who in turn has disrespected Jordan and his teammates with what amounts to desertion.

 

That's why it's the right move to get rid of Brown now, even if this dismissal does diminish his value on the NBA trade market this summer. Anyway, there are always teams willing to give a second chance to a 23-year-old 7-footer built like Adonis.

 

Please, if there are teams willing to take a chance on troublemakers like Bonzi Wells and J.R. Rider, don't tell me somebody won't want Kwame Brown. Kevin McHale thought he could turn Michael Olowokandi, another overall No. 1 bust, into a player, so don't tell me there aren't GMs and coaches who will feel they can get from Brown what the Wizards failed to. And perhaps somebody will. Grunfeld can worry about that this summer.

 

Right now, this franchise -- which has been uncompetitive for most of the last 20 years -- needs to stay on the straight and narrow. Just like the Patriots and Eagles, the Wizards need to demonstrate that the franchise isn't going to tolerate certain behavior . . . at least not from somebody who can't play, who after four years can't even make the effort to get his BUTT to practice and morning shooting sessions.

 

Please don't tell me the Wizards, if they win this series against Chicago, will need Brown's big body in the next series. Brown wouldn't have a clue of where he's supposed to be or what he should attempt to do against Shaq or Alonzo Mourning. Every time the Wizards have depended on Brown he's been a liability. The Wizards are better off without him. I would much rather put trust in Etan Thomas, Brendan Haywood and Ruffin playing five to seven minutes per game more from here on out than rely on a quitter.

 

For at least the last three years, as Brown has sputtered through games and practices, the most optimistic basketball observers among us have held out hope that Brown would be a late bloomer, as was Jermaine O'Neal, who wasn't much of a player until his fourth season. Tracy McGrady, like Brown and O'Neal, is another late bloomer who went from high school straight to the NBA. Maybe Brown, we kept thinking, just needed some care and feeding, a little patience, somebody with a lighter touch. You don't just wave bye-bye to 7-footers with that body and that ability to explode.

 

But the kid has used up his benefit of the doubt. If he's going to bloom, it will have to be elsewhere. This isn't Ben Wallace being traded away too quickly. Kwame Brown has been given every chance to make it here, and mostly he hasn't shown enough interest in the opportunity. Today it's a dismissal, next month the Wizards need to make it permanent and for the good of the franchise, send him packing.

[Ripper 0]

He is a Free agent, right? There is NO reason the Wizards should even make a offer to him now, and they should be counting their blessings that he didn't sign that 5 year, 30 mil offer from the preseason. Here you have one of the better up and coming teams in the league and they are in the playoffs after years of not winning, and you want to bitch about minutes. Your team WON game 3 you whiney lil fucker.

[Styles 0]

You're preaching to the choir and this is from someone who blindly defended him against the haters and hoped he'd mature into a player. Forget it. He's an "restricted" free agent, meaning we can match any offer and retain him. I agree we shouldn't waste the resources. Use that money to sign Larry Hughes. While you and that other guy we're arguing over whether Arenas or Jamison is the best player on the Wiz, I forgot to correct both of you, it's "Boogie"!

 

[Ripper 0]

You're preaching to the choir and this is from someone who blindly defended him against the haters and hoped he'd mature into a player. Forget it. He's an "restricted" free agent, meaning we can match any offer and retain him. I agree we shouldn't waste the resources. Use that money to sign Larry Hughes. While you and that other guy we're arguing over whether Arenas or Jamison is the best player on the Wiz, I forgot to correct both of you, it's "Boogie"!

 

Correction, I said Hughes was the best player. And they damn well better pay Larry, although I really doubt he would want to go someone where else, having found a niche in Washington, they are all pretty much young and have a future, the team has faith in him....after those years in Golden State, I am sure he isn't ready to leave a winning situation and move around again.

[The Czech Republic 0]

29 other teams end their season in disappointment every year as well since only 1 team wins it all.

I see what you're saying, but I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who thinks the Bulls ended their year in disappointment. This whole year has just been something else, after six awful years of 20-some-win seasons and all.

[Styles 0]

I think we'll do everything we can to retain Hughes. Hopefully he gives us the old "home town discount" too...

[The Czech Republic 0]

Hey Slapnuts! The NBA says to pull up your pants!

[Styles 0]

I don't get it.

[The Czech Republic 0]

The league says the Wizards are wearing their shorts too long or too low or something. Talk about a pressing issue!

[Styles 0]

Hadn't heard that. Hope they don't fine the players *Dr. Evil* ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS~!

[The Czech Republic 0]

They do look a little baggy, those Wizards, but no more than any other team in the league. You'd think wearing shorter shorts and more snug jerseys would make you more aerodynamic or something.

[Guest Redhawk]

Now that I know there is a uniform code, why were the Bobcats and Craig Sager never fined for having threads that are too ugly?

[Styles 0]

Watching that punk Nucioni fall smack on his back after hanging on to that slam, made the 2 points worth it...

[Styles 0]

Hah, Gil has his shorts hiked up John Stockton style to comply with the inane shorts warning...

[Guest Redhawk]

How many of the 16 playoff teams had rookies who contributed significantly? I'm thinking Philly (Iguodala), Chicago (Gordon, Duhon, Nocioni, Deng), Boston (Allen, Jefferson), Dallas (Devin Harris), New Jersey (Kristic), San Antonio (Udrich) and Seattle (Collison). Given some of the other rookies who shined on non-playoff teams -- namely Okafor, JR Smith, Josh Smith, Telfair, etc. -- this turned out to be a pretty good rookie class.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

This situation with Van Gundy and David Stern is ridiculous. How the hell can David Stern ban Van Gundy for not ratting omebody out?

[MrRant 0]

Because it's a private organization.

[the max 0]

Because Van Gundy attacked the league itself and insinuated that everyone was working against Yo and the Rockets.

 

It'd be one thing if he said "It'd be great if we could get some calls in our favor", he would have gotten the usual 10K fine and it'd be done. But Van Gundy implied that the games were fixed against his team and HE HAD PROOF. So Stern says "Prove to me that you have proof, or else you're lying and implying that the NBA playoffs are fixed."

 

Stern is completely right in this situation.

[Styles 0]

Maybe I don't quite understand the situation. So, supposedly a source from the league office told Van Gundy the officials were instructed to call more on Yao to appease Marc Cuban and stop him from complaining, and so the league completely overreacts giving him a record fine and threatening a league ban? Doesn't that just make them look more suspicious and almost prove their guilt if they're reacting in such anger like there cover's been blown or something? You'd think they'd want to play it down, give a more typical fine for speaking out and then deal with the issue privately...

[the max 0]

Basically, Stern says that he's investigating it, but if Van Gundy had taken his concerns to Stern instead of making them public right away, there would have been no BIG DEAL.

 

Plus, to imply that the playoffs are fixed...when each game is televised nationally and would be incredibly hard to rig, AND to say that you have proof of it, well, you'd better be damn sure.

[Styles 0]

Basically, Stern says that he's investigating it, but if Van Gundy had taken his concerns to Stern instead of making them public right away, there would have been no BIG DEAL.

 

Plus, to imply that the playoffs are fixed...when each game is televised nationally and would be incredibly hard to rig, AND to say that you have proof of it, well, you'd better be damn sure.

Hmm, I must have missed where he said that. I thought he just accused the officials of being told to call more on Yao. I'll read it over again.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

My Wizards in 6 prediction, while looking pretty bad after those first 2 games, is looking pretty good now.

[the max 0]

Well, when he says that they're supposed to be calling more on Yo, this implies that the games are rigged, since they're allegedly working against the Rockets.

[The Czech Republic 0]

He said he knew from an inside source that the officials were calling more on Yao. That stuff can't fly.

[Styles 0]

My Wizards in 6 prediction, while looking pretty bad after those first 2 games, is looking pretty good now.

You must have faith in this team's resiliancy. They've sapped all the confidence out of Chicago.

[Styles 0]

My Wizards in 6 prediction, while looking pretty bad after those first 2 games, is looking pretty good now.

You must have faith in this team's resiliancy. They've sapped all the confidence out of Chicago.

Oh god. And never under estimate the way this team can take what looks like a sure win and turn it into a heart stoppingly close contest in the final seconds...