NBA Playoffs

[razazteca 0]

Lebron vs Wade deserves its own topic.

[The Czech Republic 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.

I thought your favorite team was out at the hands of the Maveri aw fuck I can't keep track anymore

[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.

I thought your favorite team was out at the hands of the Maveri aw fuck I can't keep track anymore

No....I never said they were my favorite team. I said I liked them a lot but the Celtics have always been my favorite team.

[razazteca 0]

The Spurs are losing because they are playing RASHO at Center.

[alfdogg 0]

"LeBron or Wade" is starting to become the new "T-Mac or Kobe".

 

I remember last year's playoffs when I said Wade was better than Carmelo, and nearly everyone disagreed with me.

[cabbageboy 0]

I don't think people understand the full awesomeness of Wade. I mean this guy led fucking MARQUETTE to a Final 4. Has anyone but me watched Marquette since Wade left? They're garbage. I know Melo won that title with Cuse in 03, but he had some other guys around him. Marquette was a flat out bad team minus Wade.

 

Wade > Melo

[bobobrazil1984 0]

good win for dallas, and good strategy, but I dont understand why people dont do it more often. Why do so many defenses collapse and double on Nash? He's not gonna throw up 40+ every game. its well known his greatest effect on phoenix is finding the open guys and making them better.

[iggymcfly 0]

The fact that Nash took all of Phoenix's shots is not the reason the Mavs won the game. The difference tonight was that Dirk got into his game early and played great basketball, and Howard followed him with a similar performance. The two of them combined scored 54 points on 22-36 shooting.

 

The Mavs defense was no better in Game 4 than it was in Game 1 or Game 3, as they gave up 109 points and let Phoenix shoot 51.2%. However, if you shoot 55.4%, you can get away with playing that kind of defense and still win basketball games.

 

One thing I want to mention is that I really like the decision to get Darrell Armstrong more minutes at PG. Terry's basically just a scorer which the Mavs already have plenty of, while Armstrong helps settle the team down, and gets the other players into the game. If you notice, he also shut down Nash pretty well in the second quarter. It was only when Terry was on him in the second half that Nash went crazy.

[Guest news_gimmick]

Definately good win for the Mavs, they caught the Suns on an off night and took full advantage of it. Nash had it going, but the rest of the Suns just played bad and Dirk had a great night, one that he's been due to have. I can see this going the full 7 games and being very entertaining all the way through.

 

 

As for the Pacers, way to let us all down and fall to the Pistons. Detroit was determined and pulled out all stops to win today, and now we've got another 7 game series on our hands.

 

And I gotta give props to Seattle for playing their best game of the series today. Ray Allen played like the leader he needs to be and downed huge shots all game. Ridnours unexpected scoring was also crucial, this is the time for him to grow and become a great player in critical times. Although it was a great win, I'm not convinced they can play like this in San Antonio. But we shall see.

[Guest Vitamin X]

See, I knew the only way the Mavs would stay competitive in this series against Phoenix was to try and outshoot them, not try and play defense and force Phoenix to play halfcourt. It just isn't going to happen. I still can't see Dallas taking the series, though, but with Joe Johnson out, they have a shot if their roleplayers and bench keep stepping up the way they have. It can't be all Dirk.

 

I fear for whoever has to play Miami the following round, since the Indy-Detroit series is going to go the distance, it seems, facing a well-rested Miami team after a sweep.

 

The Western Conference Finals should turn out awesome, though. Happy to see the Sonics hang in there against the Spurs.

[Damaramu 0]

You know I really seriously don't want to see Seattle in the Western conference finals. I have no joy out of watching them play. I typically love to watch the Spurs and it has been painful for me to watch them play Seattle. Don't ask why but I don't like them. And I really can't explain why. Nothing about their style offends me or is even bad. I don't know.

 

Anyways any chance Miami sweeps there way to the finals? I mean probably not b/c of Detroit or Indy but wouldn't that be something?

Hell has a team every swept through the playoffs and finals?

[Guest Vitamin X]

2002 Lakers came the closest ever to sweep the finals till losing Game 1 of the Finals to Larry Brown and Allen Iverson's Sixers- only to get swept the rest of the way.

[Guest Brian]

You know I really seriously don't want to see Seattle in the Western conference finals. I have no joy out of watching them play. I typically love to watch the Spurs and it has been painful for me to watch them play Seattle. Don't ask why but I don't like them. And I really can't explain why. Nothing about their style offends me or is even bad. I don't know.

Fuck you.

 

That is all.

[Damaramu 0]

You know I really seriously don't want to see Seattle in the Western conference finals. I have no joy out of watching them play. I typically love to watch the Spurs and it has been painful for me to watch them play Seattle. Don't ask why but I don't like them. And I really can't explain why. Nothing about their style offends me or is even bad. I don't know.

Fuck you.

 

That is all.

What? I told you I don't know why I don't like them! I just don't. Same deal with the Kings. I hate the Kings almost as much as I hate the Lakers......wait no I can hate nobody as much as I hate the Lakers. But the Kings are close! I dunno maybe I hate everything on the west coast........except San Diego. I'd live there.

[Guest news_gimmick]

Thats....some deep, deep hatred you have then. Such an angry....Okie. But don't explain it or anything.

[iggymcfly 0]

I'd actually love to see Seattle in the Western Finals for one simple reason:

 

I know Dallas can beat them.

 

San Antonio, I'm not so sure about, but if the Mavs face the Sonics, they're going to the NBA Finals.

[Ripper 0]

Amare in foul trouble killed the Suns tonight. That and like I said before, phoenix has the shallowist team in the playoffs. they are literally 6 deep, 5 deep now that Joe Johnson is gone. Getting anyone in foul trouble or injured is a very big deal and it is showing, despite that beatdown they gave Dallas on Friday.

 

They still have a series ahead of them.

[Dangerous A 0]

Go figure the Heat sweep their way to the conference finals while the other 3 series are turning into some nice looking 6-7 game wars. Miami probrably doesn't care who wins between Indy and Detroit since both pose different matchup problems for the Heat, they are just pulling for it to go 7 which will give their guys about 7-8 days of rest.

[Damaramu 0]

Do you think that Phoenix can duplicate the success they had this year if they kept the same team but got a deeper bench? Because sometimes it seems when you go on a run like they did it's hard to duplicate it even with a better team.

[Ripper 0]

60+ wins? I doubt it.

 

Not because it would be hard to duplicate, but they were able to get through this season relatively injury free. Nash missed like 5 games and so did Amare and Q missed a few in the end but mostly they were injury free for the entire season. That is not going to happen two years in teh row in the NBA.

[Fökai 0]

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.

Last I checked, Jermaine O'Neal had a hard time posting up on Antoine Walker with his shoulder. Secondly, the Pistons are no different from the team last year who couldn't guard O'Neal in the Finals.

[Guest Brian]

You know I really seriously don't want to see Seattle in the Western conference finals. I have no joy out of watching them play. I typically love to watch the Spurs and it has been painful for me to watch them play Seattle. Don't ask why but I don't like them. And I really can't explain why. Nothing about their style offends me or is even bad. I don't know.

Fuck you.

 

That is all.

What? I told you I don't know why I don't like them! I just don't. Same deal with the Kings. I hate the Kings almost as much as I hate the Lakers......wait no I can hate nobody as much as I hate the Lakers. But the Kings are close! I dunno maybe I hate everything on the west coast........except San Diego. I'd live there.

You're banned.

[Guest Vitamin X]

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.

Last I checked, Jermaine O'Neal had a hard time posting up on Antoine Walker with his shoulder. Secondly, the Pistons are no different from the team last year who couldn't guard O'Neal in the Finals.

When your strategy is to let O'Neal get his points and shut down the rest of the team, of course you won't be able to guard him, because you're not trying to.

 

I could see Detroit employing a similar strategy here against Miami. Except it looks like the Heat are deeper than last year's Lakers.

[Damaramu 0]

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.

Last I checked, Jermaine O'Neal had a hard time posting up on Antoine Walker with his shoulder. Secondly, the Pistons are no different from the team last year who couldn't guard O'Neal in the Finals.

Yeah but they shut the rest of the team down.

If they do that with the Heat then what are the Heat going to do?

Shaq can go off and score 35(doubtful with his injuries) and the rest of the starters will score like 5 apiece and Wade will score like 12 if the Pistons do it right.

Remember what they did against the Lakers? They let Shaq go off and shut the rest of the team down. Occasionally Kobe would have a big game but the rest of the Lakers weren't worth a damn against the Pistons and I'm guessing that they'll use that same blueprint against the Heat.

[Sass 0]

This year's Heat are deeper than the Lakers. They have a couple okay players who can play back-up to Shaq. The Lakers never had that when Shaq was with the team.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

miami and detroit will be an epic battle if it happens. i can see a 7 game series. i hope the pacers dont deny us of that match!

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

2002 Lakers came the closest ever to sweep the finals till losing Game 1 of the Finals to Larry Brown and Allen Iverson's Sixers- only to get swept the rest of the way.

The 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers accomplished a similar feat, losing just once on their way to the NBA title. The received a first round bye, but I doubt the 8th best team in the East would've provided much of a challenge.

[Guest news_gimmick]

2002 Lakers came the closest ever to sweep the finals till losing Game 1 of the Finals to Larry Brown and Allen Iverson's Sixers- only to get swept the rest of the way.

The 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers accomplished a similar feat, losing just once on their way to the NBA title. The received a first round bye, but I doubt the 8th best team in the East would've provided much of a challenge.

How'd they manage a bye in the first round?

[Fökai 0]

Last I checked, Jermaine O'Neal had a hard time posting up on Antoine Walker with his shoulder. Secondly, the Pistons are no different from the team last year who couldn't guard O'Neal in the Finals.

Yeah but they shut the rest of the team down.

Nope.

 

They shut down Kobe, but the blame is pointed at the shots Kobe was taking, not how Prince or Hamilton was guarding him. He would be taking 20-foot jumpers in double coverage and just miss horribly.

 

Shaq can go off and score 35(doubtful with his injuries) and the rest of the starters will score like 5 apiece and Wade will score like 12 if the Pistons do it right.

 

Unless they put Tayshaun on Wade (obviously not), Wade will have the stats he wants. Billups is a questionable defender, which leaves Hamilton to guard Wade. Now, with Hamilton being pimped as the "best conditioned player" in the NBA, would Van Gundy put Wade on Hamilton on the defensive side? No. Hamilton has had struggles this year with his shooting, which is why you'll see Eddie Jones on him. Jones, despite losing a step over the past three years, is a superb defender (unlike any of the Laker guards), limiting Hamilton to the shots he wants to take. Hamilton will run circles around anyone on the Lakers OR Heat, but the Lakers didn't have a shred of defense to contain him...the Heat will. On the offensive side, Wade will take advantage of Hamilton's frustrations.

 

Remember what they did against the Lakers? They let Shaq go off and shut the rest of the team down.

 

Derek Fisher is not a scorer. Nor is Gary Payton, a hobbled Karl Malone, Medvedenko, Walton or George. Kobe needed to step up, and he didn't. THAT is why the Pistons won so handily against the Lakers.

 

As for the Heat, Wade WILL step up. As I've stated, he has a easier matchup on offense than Kobe had with Prince and Hamilton. Damon Jones, thusly, will get his shots on Billups, while Tayshaun might be wasted in the early games against a roleplayer (Eddie or Dooling). The Pistons matched up PERFECTLY against the Lakers; this year's Heat? No dice. The series will depend on the adjustments Larry Brown makes to guard Wade. If they feel Prince should be up to it, then it's a different argument on how the Heat will do. But Brown has no reason to make a premature adjustment, because he has all the reason to believe Wade can be stopped by his guards.

 

EDIT: This isn't taking into account the bench the Heat has. Laettner, Dooling and Mourning smoke the cheerleaders the Lakers had last year.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

2002 Lakers came the closest ever to sweep the finals till losing Game 1 of the Finals to Larry Brown and Allen Iverson's Sixers- only to get swept the rest of the way.

The 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers accomplished a similar feat, losing just once on their way to the NBA title. The received a first round bye, but I doubt the 8th best team in the East would've provided much of a challenge.

How'd they manage a bye in the first round?

At that time, it was a twelve team tournament instead of sixteen, and two divisions. So each division winner received a bye.