NBA Playoffs

[MrRant 0]

Thank god....

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Great Game tonight

 

Have to mention the "Greatest Flop of all Time", when Ginobili acted as though he was shot when an Antonio Daniel's elbow missed him by a mile. Loved how he continued to sell it.

[Guest Brian]

Well, he's got a big target. His honker makes Triple H's look like a mole hill.

[Damaramu 0]

Wow those first couple of games made all these series look mismatched.....until tonight and last night....well except for the Heat.

[Dangerous A 0]

While the Sonics got the win, I don't feel confident about their chances. The Spurs big 3 missed a total of 14 free throws and they still had a shot to tie or win at the end. I don't think that'll happen again. If this particular series goes 6 or 7, I'll be surprised. To counter that, I don't think we'll see another Ray Allen scoreless 4th quarter either.

 

Just a hunch, I am willing to bet the Spurs defensively adjust big time on the Ridnour/James pick and roll which was just killing the Spurs all night. I swear James was looking like Chamberlain out there with that one play.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Pacers win the only way they can against the Pistons: UGLY

 

79-74

 

Reggie seals deal with a 20 footer with 10 seconds to play

 

Pacers lead series 2-1

[razazteca 0]

Pistons shooting 3's and airballs in the final 2 minutes when they were only down by 1 did not make any sense.

[Guest news_gimmick]

Wow, talk about surprising I missed that Pacers/Pistons game and Pacers get a win. Now we have ourselves a real series in that one, I am glad too.

 

And now it looks like Miamis going to finish off the Wiz tonight. Wade just had a massive 3rd quarter with 20 points in the quarter.

[iliketurtles 0]

Now we got a game.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Good night Wiz.

[Guest Vitamin X]

So who has a better chance against the Miami Shaq? Detroit or Indy?

 

I bet Miami will take it all because they're the last team I'd want to see out of the ones remaining win it.

[The Electrifyer 0]

I don't think Shaq is who the next opponent has to worry about. Its the entire Miami roster.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Well then, it's a good thing people are realizing Shaq isn't the lone reason the Heat had the best record in the East...

[iggymcfly 0]

After watching the Heat dismantle the Wizards without Shaq, and after seeing how absolutely dependent the Suns are on Nash in the playoffs, does anyone still think Shaq deserved the MVP?

 

I mean, I've been defending the Big Fella for years, and I thought he should have gotten at least 3 trophies in LA, but he's just not all that important to his team's success anymore.

 

Take Shaq off of the Heat, and they're probably a 2 seed, and they'd be battling Indiana for a spot in the conference finals. Take Nash off of the Suns, and they'd be lucky to beat out Minnesota for the 8 seed.

[alfdogg 0]

All-defensive teams

 

1st

Ben Wallace

Kevin Garnett

Bruce Bowen

Tim Duncan

Larry Hughes

 

2nd

Tayshaun Prince

Marcus Camby

Chauncey Billups

Andrei Kirilenko

Jason Kidd

Dwayne Wade

 

Dunno why they went with six on the second team...logic would say that since Wade got more first team votes than Kidd, that would break the tie and Kidd would be left off, but hey.

 

Also, not a single vote for Jermaine O'Neal. What the hell is that? Even CLIFFORD ROBINSON got a vote, for fuck's sake.

[Guest Vitamin X]

More importantly is trying to figure out why the fuck Kirilenko's out there when he didn't even play most of the season. Or Bruce Bowen and his dirty style. Camby is a little iffy, but I don't disagree with the rest of the selections except that I think Prince probably should've been first team.

 

I mean, I've been defending the Big Fella for years, and I thought he should have gotten at least 3 trophies in LA, but he's just not all that important to his team's success anymore.

This I can agree with. The peak of his career was easily in LA, but the last 2 or 3 years (before this season) and the subsequent success they had in that timeframe was definitely a result of Kobe's improvement, and their combined talents let them go, but Shaq was extremely overweight and injury prone, slow/lazy on defense, and just generally quite unhappy with his run in L.A. I won't deny that he's still a force, but it looks more and more like Wade was the cause of Miami's extreme success this year and their surprising run last year as well.

[alfdogg 0]

Camby's not iffy at all. He'd probably be first team if it wasn't done by position.

[Guest news_gimmick]

I definately agree this shows that Shaq shouldn't have been the MVP this season. That Miami team was terrific and showed they are real winners after dismantling a hyped Washington team. They really stepped up and played like winners, and I was glad. I didn't need to see a game 5 of that damned series anyway. Shaq definately can help out, but Miami is a great team with and without him.

[cabbageboy 0]

People forget that the Heat were a 4 seed last year so I think Shaq helped them a bit but with an improved Wade they'd probably at least be a top 3 type seed this year. The Wizards were the 2nd best team in that division and the Heat beat them twice IN WASHINGTON without Shaq.

 

As far as the Pistons go, it doesn't shock me to see them struggle. They can't SCORE. The Spurs have this problem too but it happens to them maybe once a series rather than a constant problem. The Pistons are basically transition champions.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Let's not forget hat Alonzo Mourning has been able to come in and contribute depth to the team. He wasn't there for the whole season so you have to consider that when you try to downplay what Shaq dd in Miami this season.

[Fökai 0]

People forget that the Heat were a 4 seed last year so I think Shaq helped them a bit but with an improved Wade they'd probably at least be a top 3 type seed this year.

Yet, to get Shaq, they had to trade away 35.0 points, 21.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 2.83 steals and 1.54 blocks PER GAME in Odom, Grant and Butler. This is also not taking into account the loss of Rafer Alston to free agency.

 

O'Neal's presence and leadership on the court led to an already improving Wade, three re-emerging veterans (Laettner, Mourning and Jones), but most importantly, the ability for the roleplayers (Haslem, Dooling and Damon Jones) to step in and provide the depth that people questioned going into the season.

 

Shaq should've won the MVP award, but that's for another thread.

[Damaramu 0]

Bill Walton is arguing with the crew about who is better: Dwayne Wade or Lebron James.

That's actually an interesting debate.

[Guest Vitamin X]

People forget that the Heat were a 4 seed last year so I think Shaq helped them a bit but with an improved Wade they'd probably at least be a top 3 type seed this year.

Yet, to get Shaq, they had to trade away 35.0 points, 21.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 2.83 steals and 1.54 blocks PER GAME in Odom, Grant and Butler. This is also not taking into account the loss of Rafer Alston to free agency.

 

O'Neal's presence and leadership on the court led to an already improving Wade, three re-emerging veterans (Laettner, Mourning and Jones), but most importantly, the ability for the roleplayers (Haslem, Dooling and Damon Jones) to step in and provide the depth that people questioned going into the season.

 

Shaq should've won the MVP award, but that's for another thread.

I think personally Haslem and Jones have been tremendously overlooked. What people see when they see the Heat is OMG SHAQ~, whose numbers haven't really jumped out at you, but he's still good enough inside, albeit probably not for much longer, that he frees up the rest of the team to do what they have to do. Impressive, considering Haslem has to cover his AND Shaq's guy on defense, which is what I was most surprised by this year watching the Heat play, since I (quite wrongly) thought that when they got rid of Odom and Butler, it was basically Shaq, Wade, and a bunch of scrubs, but that's definitely not the case.

 

The key to beating them will be having the inside presence that the Wiz and the Nets lacked, but they'll find it in Jermaine O'Neal or Ben Wallace.

 

By the way, is there anyone here who can honestly be rooting against the Pacers at this point? Considering all the injuries, the tough contests they've had, the Malice at the Palace, and losing one of their best players for the whole year, and that they're trying to get Reggie to go out on top, I can't see how someone could root against them.

[Brett Favre 0]

I'm surprised at myself for rooting for the Pacers after all the shit they've been through with the Knicks. Not only that (what you mentioned about the Pacers), but the Pistons have this arrogant swagger that's annoying right now.

[Damaramu 0]

By the way, is there anyone here who can honestly be rooting against the Pacers at this point? Considering all the injuries, the tough contests they've had, the Malice at the Palace, and losing one of their best players for the whole year, and that they're trying to get Reggie to go out on top, I can't see how someone could root against them.

Well I hate Reggie Miller so I can.

 

And I like the Pistons. They aren't my favorite team but my fav is gone(at the hands of the pacers i might add) so I'm rooting for the Pistons.

 

Anyways I figured that Bill Waltons argument about D-Wade and Lebron would foster more discussion here. Because I mean I think there is a case that Wade was the best of the rookies from last year with his showings in the playoffs.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I think you like the Pistons only because they beat the Lakers last year.

[Guest Brian]

Everyone likes the Pistons because they beat the Lakers last year. It's a question of how much.

[iggymcfly 0]

I hate the Pistons. They're leading the push to send basketball back to the dark ages. The Mavs are my team, but anything that keeps Detroit out of the Finals is A-OK with me.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Ideally, I'd like to see a Suns-Pacers Finals. I wouldn't mind either team winning.

[Damaramu 0]

I think you like the Pistons only because they beat the Lakers last year.

Part of it. That and I like the way they're a complete team and just every guy on that team is cool. Seriously I do not dislike one guy on that team.

 

Oh back to the Lebron/Wade thing *dammit I will force this topic into discusssion* I really think in the long run Wade could be a more special player than Lebron. Wade has really stepped his game up in the playoffs and I think he could turn into a Mr. April/May/June type(too many damn months!!!).