NBA Playoffs 2006: Conference Semifinals

[Kurt Angle Mark]

Awesome display by the Clippers tonight

 

Now on to game 7 and may the best team win

[chaosrage]

It's surprising how bad Raja Bell was from the 3 point line tonight, considering how good he's been in the last few games. Tim Thomas also had an awful game with only 3 points. Hopefully, they're just tired out and in need of a few days rest because I want game 7 to be closer than that. I really want a Mavs/Suns series too.

[Guest Felonies!]

Scottie Pippen just said on ESPN that if he had to choose to have someone on his team between Lebron right now and Jordan when they beat the Cavaliers in 89, he would pick Lebron. I'm interested in hearing what your opinion is on this, Dama.

Scottie's drunk again

[CanadianChris]

Scottie Pippen just said on ESPN that if he had to choose to have someone on his team between Lebron right now and Jordan when they beat the Cavaliers in 89, he would pick Lebron. I'm interested in hearing what your opinion is on this, Dama.

Scottie's drunk again

The migraines must have blocked that entire year from his memory.

[Kurt Angle Mark]

Found this to be a little surprising

 

I was just looking at the cable ratings for last week and except for the second game of Spurs and Mavs the first four Clipper/Suns games were the most watched games on cable.

[Black Lushus]

Clippers = RATINGS!

[Adam]

Hey, if I could, I'd watch every game of that series. Instead, we mostly get the Eastern Conference. Hopefully we get the West finals though.

[Black Lushus]

I think it's because that's fresh and new while San Antonio/Dallas is the same ol same ol that we've seen 4853253 times.

[naiwf]

I want both games tonight to end with elimination. Why? Because an NBA Playoffs devoid of San Antonio and Detroit will give every remaining team a legitimate chance at winning the NBA title. When's the last time we didn't have a clear cut favorite for every remaining series when we got down to the Conference Finals?

 

Out of the Cavs, Heat, Mavs, Clippers/Suns you could make a claim that any of those teams could beat the others, and I'd rather have that than two potential blowout game 7's on Monday night.

[Black Lushus]

I dunno, I'd almost go with Dallas as sure-shots if either of those teams fall...

[Just John]

I don't know... Phoenix has historically owned Dallas, and LA can match their depth and balanced scoring, while playing better D.

[USC Wuz Robbed!]

I think it will be Detroit/Miami and Dallas/Phoenix in their respective finals.

[Cheech Tremendous]

I don't know... Phoenix has historically owned Dallas, and LA can match their depth and balanced scoring, while playing better D.

 

What do you mean by "historically owned"? If you are referring to last year, Phoenix was a little better and Dallas was a little worse... you can't really compare the two. If Dallas makes it to the next round, they probably won't get pushed passed 6 games by either team.

[Black Lushus]

EDIT: nevermind

[Guest Vitamin X]

I think it will be Detroit/Miami and Dallas/Phoenix in their respective finals.

I agree, and this is what I'm hoping for.

 

I predicted Dallas/Detroit at the beginning of the playoffs, and I'm gonna stick by it. Unless Detroit gets eliminated, obviously.

 

I want both games tonight to end with elimination. Why? Because an NBA Playoffs devoid of San Antonio and Detroit will give every remaining team a legitimate chance at winning the NBA title. When's the last time we didn't have a clear cut favorite for every remaining series when we got down to the Conference Finals?

Not to mention that none of those teams have ever won the NBA Championship.

[naiwf]

How funny would it be if we ended up with the LA B team vs Miami in the NBA Finals? Kobe and Buss would have a bunch of sleepless nights if either the Clippers or Shaq won a title before they did.

 

And for those of you who are upset you won't have playoff hoops tomorrow night, just remember that the WNBA's 10th season begins tomorrow!

[Dangerous A]

The key to Dallas/SA tonight is will the combo of Stackhouse/Harris/Daniels step up in the abscence of Jason Terry.

 

I think Stackhouse and Ginobili is going to get pretty nippy tonight and it would not surprise me to see them have to be seperated from each other sometime tonight.

[Guest Vitamin X]

How funny would it be if we ended up with the LA B team vs Miami in the NBA Finals? Kobe and Buss would have a bunch of sleepless nights if either the Clippers or Shaq won a title before they did.

 

Kobe, Buss, and Shaq already have plenty of titles for themselves.

 

I thought about this too, when it came to rooting for Miami. I figured it'd be alright since, after all, Shaq winning a title before Kobe with his supporting cast of Wade, Walker, and J-Will made more sense, especially playing in the weaker conference, even though the two conferences are much more even nowadays.

 

Shaq winning a title with the Heat would be kind of like Shannon Sharpe winning one with the Ravens. Even though both gave a boost to the team's title chances, they weren't the main factor in getting them to the title like they used to be, given they were both past their prime.

[bobobrazil1984]

so, will we see ANY coaching adjustments by the Pistons tonight or not?

[naiwf]

so, will we see ANY coaching adjustments by the Pistons tonight or not?

 

Your coach is Flip Squanders. If the Pistons win it'll be solely based on the level of play from the guys on the court.

 

 

 

Quick pregame update - Hughes will dress but won't play.

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

With the game starting, just a friendly reminder about sticking on topic or close to it.

[bobobrazil1984]

which was basically what i was getting at seriously though, to Flip everything's about offense. ask him about rebounding and he'll tie it to making more shots so you dont have to rebound. ask him about a stop and i swear he ties it to execution on the other end somehow.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Agreed. The Cavs definitely have had the edge in coaching throughout the whole series.

 

I still expect Detroit to win tonight, however. It's too hard for me to believe the Cavs go on to face Miami. If that were to happen, all bets would be off. Hell, even if Detroit pulls out this series to face Miami, all bets would still be off considering the Heat have had a long time to rest and Detroit would be fresh off a Game 7 against a team they were supposed to have finished off quickly.

[Dangerous A]

I think this is going to stay the heavyweight slugfest that it is and will go down to the wire. Not going to say who I think will win, but I don't see anyone pulling that far ahead to where this won't come down to at least the final minute and a half or so.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

I want both games tonight to end with elimination. Why? Because an NBA Playoffs devoid of San Antonio and Detroit will give every remaining team a legitimate chance at winning the NBA title. When's the last time we didn't have a clear cut favorite for every remaining series when we got down to the Conference Finals?

 

Actually, the year before last.

[naiwf]

Who had the T-Wolves beating the Lakers? Detroit/Indy was a pick'em, but many people had the Lakers being the overwhelming favorites in the Finals as well. Granted they lost, but that doesn't change the fact that the Lakers were the favorites throughout the playoffs once they beat the Spurs in the Semis.

[Guest El Satanico]

The Cavs just won't die. They seemed to be struggling and Pistons seemed to be getting back to their groove. Next thing you know, Cavs up by 5 and has momentum.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Who had the T-Wolves beating the Lakers? Detroit/Indy was a pick'em, but many people had the Lakers being the overwhelming favorites in the Finals as well. Granted they lost, but that doesn't change the fact that the Lakers were the favorites throughout the playoffs once they beat the Spurs in the Semis.

 

The T-Wolves were the other favortie out of the west that year and it was contended that they would have beaten the Lakers had they not suffered so many injuries. The ECF was a toss-up and the Pistons beat the shit out of the Lakers, almost sweeping them. If you're trying to make a point about the Lakers winning the title as a foregone conclusion, I don't see it.

[naiwf]

The T-Wolves were the other favortie out of the west that year and it was contended that they would have beaten the Lakers had they not suffered so many injuries. The ECF was a toss-up and the Pistons beat the shit out of the Lakers, almost sweeping them. If you're trying to make a point about the Lakers winning the title as a foregone conclusion, I don't see it.

 

I don't think you understand what I'm saying. Most people had the Lakers winning the WCF and the NBA Finals handily in 2004. Only the ECF was without a big favorite. Therefore, 2/3 of the last 3 series of the year had big time favorites. Just because the Lakers didn't win, doesn't mean that they weren't huge favorites going in.

 

On the other hand this year, if you have Cavs/Heat and Mavs/Suns or Clippers, there's no team that is a monster favorite in any of those pairings just because the Cavs would have eliminated the best team in the league, and the Mavs have had their issues with the Suns for example. Almost any permutation with those five teams would see at least 4 analysts out of 10 picking each team. I don't recall the last time that's happened simply because over the last 25 years you could always rely on either the Spurs, Shaq/Kobe Lakers, Jordan Bulls, Nasty Boy Pistons, Rockets, Bird Celtics or Magic/Kareem Lakers as the team to beat. If Detroit and San Antonio lose tonight, the Cavs would be considered the weakest team at the end, but they could just as easily win as a Dallas or Miami.

[Mik]

The Cavs are winning this game. BANK ON IT.