NBA Playoffs 2007: Round 1

[Guest Richard McBeef]

Actually, I have to admit the Nets foiling the Raptors' p.r. department is kind of funny, even though I wish the Nets were blasted into space.

[Ripper 0]

raptor fans wearing the visiting teams colors....great idea.

 

They really do need to get over the whole vince carter thing. Its not his fault their GM was lazy and decided he didn't want to do any work and would take the first bullshit trade that came along.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I thought the issue was he quit on the Raptors in his final few years there?

[Ripper 0]

They can't say that he quit the final few years. I will say that he wasn't playing hard that last year though, but they were blaming him for being injuried so often, oddly not blaming Bruce Bowen who did the injurying a couple of times. So the guy didn't like the direction of the franchise and wanted to get traded. It was what, 3-4 years ago....get over it.

 

Of course expect Bob to come in and say that he hopes he tears an achilles and dies in surgery or something because he didn't play his hardest for those 20 games after he said he wanted to be traded.

[Broward83 0]

So Golden State looks like they could pull the upset over the Mavs.

 

As a Houstonian.. this makes me quite happy.

 

Even if they don't win it, taking the Mav's to a long series will help us out as a fresh Dallas team could be a bit of a hassle.

 

Now, if Denver can just keep up this streak their on and find a way to get past both San Antonio and Phoenix, then I'll be happy.

 

The East? Meh...I guess I want the Bulls. Enough former Blue Devils on the team for me to cheer for.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Vince never took much criticism, outside of the smarmy media idiots, until he started dogging it. After that, the fans started ragging on him and that was it. If he had asked to be traded and kept playing hard, they wouldn't be booing him so much. But he didn't, and it probably hurt his trade value, even if that stupid retard Babcock still took less than market value.

[Golgo 13 0]

Can Orlando please just let Arroyo stay on the floor.

[Ripper 0]

So...question. Darko Milicic OBVIOUSLY has a better back to the basket game, has a midrange jumper and is alot more effective player on the offensive end.

 

So why the fuck do they keep trying to feature Dwight Howard who simply doesn't have the offensive game on the block right now on the offense?

[alfdogg 0]

What is it with the NBA and the Black Eyed Peas.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

Watching this Rockets series I feel so helpless as a Jazz fan when the ball gets passed inside to Yao. We don't have an answer for him and basically have to pray that he missed his shots. Boozer IS ON FIRE right now, though, so I'll take this 10-2 lead.

 

Kirilenko also needs to get his shit together because he's not being a very productive weapon out there right now.

[Guest Richard McBeef]

What is it with the NBA and the Black Eyed Peas.

They're black people that are safe for white people, obv.

[Just John 0]

Another solid win for the Rockets. T-Mac and Yao continue to be dominant, especially going the basket. Hayes had a nice game himself getting 12 and 12. If the 3-pt shooting was halfway decent tonight, it would've been a huge blowout. Going back to Utah will be interesting. Hopefully the veteran poise for the Rockets comes through, and guys can hit their 3's. Consensus seems to be Utah will have the edge at home, but Houston's been a good road team all year.

 

I'm also still bitter about that game going to NBA-TV, which is worthless to me in a college dorm. After tonight, I doubt I can stomach another wretched Pistons/Magic game, especially knowing what they're preventing me from watching.

[Rendclaw 0]

I'm sure they did it just to fuck with you, John.

 

The way the Pistons are guarding Howard is why he looks so bad. Anytime he catches the ball in the post and puts it down to make his move, they collapse on him immediately. He cannot deal with that much attention. He should learn how to pass out of doubles better for sure, along with his free throw shooting.

 

Carlos Arroyo needs to tone it down a notch. I have said it here before. The reason why the Pistons traded him, is because he's like that guy you see playing pick-up games. He would rather make a flashy play and look good rather than make the RIGHT play and help his team win. In Game 1 he had an EASY layup and he made the shot 10x harder that it was and of course he missed. Jameer Nelson is hurting the Magic a lot more than he is helping, and of course Brian Hill does not ride Turkoglu into the ground after hitting his first seven shots.

 

The Magic are going to get better as Dwight Howard does, if the right pieces are put into place.

[Just John 0]

I'm sure they did it just to fuck with you, John.

 

Man, only 3 games in the first round aren't televised. A Cavs/Wiz (rightly so), a Nets/Raps (Eh, no biggie), and then the Rockets/Jazz. I think it's more of a timing thing. Utah's in the Mtn. time zone, which is only an hour ahead of Pacific, and you know the Suns/Lakers game that day is getting coverage. It's just easier to throw an east coast game on there because of the time gap. And unfortunately, they won't go for a 5:30 start time in Utah.

[Broward83 0]

Luckily, the shitty dorms I'm at actually have NBA TV and I'll be able to catch the Rockets game.

 

Watching the game tonight.. I'm worried about Yao still.

 

The fucker has the wingspan of a midget and is easily anywhere from 6" to 12" above any player on the court, yet he doesn't keep his arms up nor does he jump to make a block. Seeing Boozer and a few others drive at him and sail shots over his frame and into the bottom of the net worries me if we move on to play the Mavs.

 

T-Mac is doing what T-Mac does and hoping he doesn't crumble in the playoffs, I'll be happy to ride him thruout the playoffs.. but then again, his falling apart is dependent on how the other three pieces play around him and Yao.

 

Battier and Rafer are doing a good job at their roles. Shane's hitting timely three's and Rafer has improved his game tremendously to become maybe not a top-flight PG but one of those guys that get the team moving and knows how to operate the offense they're part of.

 

Like I've said, I'm hoping "The City" can upset Dallas to give us an easier match-up on our side of the bracket...or if not, take them deep and get Dirk and maybe Terry tired so that we could pick up a quick win or two in Dallas.

[Ripper 0]

I'm sure they did it just to fuck with you, John.

 

The way the Pistons are guarding Howard is why he looks so bad. Anytime he catches the ball in the post and puts it down to make his move, they collapse on him immediately. He cannot deal with that much attention. He should learn how to pass out of doubles better for sure, along with his free throw shooting.

 

Carlos Arroyo needs to tone it down a notch. I have said it here before. The reason why the Pistons traded him, is because he's like that guy you see playing pick-up games. He would rather make a flashy play and look good rather than make the RIGHT play and help his team win. In Game 1 he had an EASY layup and he made the shot 10x harder that it was and of course he missed. Jameer Nelson is hurting the Magic a lot more than he is helping, and of course Brian Hill does not ride Turkoglu into the ground after hitting his first seven shots.

 

The Magic are going to get better as Dwight Howard does, if the right pieces are put into place.

 

 

Even when I see Howard dominating against some other teams, its more the other team sucks defensively than him knowing what he is doing on the blocks. I understand Howard is the future and everything and the franchise but there is another guy on the team that they could obviously run their offense through and they won't do it.

 

Carlos Arroyo is like a young Tyronne Lue. He will dribble the ball to death, you will see like 5 guys cut and beopen but instead he feels he needs to dribble some more. he tries to over do everything.

[bob_barron 0]

They can't say that he quit the final few years. I will say that he wasn't playing hard that last year though, but they were blaming him for being injuried so often, oddly not blaming Bruce Bowen who did the injurying a couple of times. So the guy didn't like the direction of the franchise and wanted to get traded. It was what, 3-4 years ago....get over it.

 

Of course expect Bob to come in and say that he hopes he tears an achilles and dies in surgery or something because he didn't play his hardest for those 20 games after he said he wanted to be traded.

 

I'm a huge Vince Carter fan Ripper!

 

Fans started to get a bit tired of Vince in 2002-2003, and it only got worse from there as fans realised it was a dead end team, and Vince's constant injuries were stating to grate on their nerves.

 

His final season, where he didn't try at all, was the straw that broke the camel's back. Add that with him going to the Nets and immediately becoming an elite player again- and you can see why Toronto fans despise him.

 

Go Nets though.

[starvenger 0]

Fans started to get a bit tired of Vince in 2002-2003, and it only got worse from there as fans realised it was a dead end team, and Vince's constant injuries were stating to grate on their nerves.

 

His final season, where he didn't try at all, was the straw that broke the camel's back. Add that with him going to the Nets and immediately becoming an elite player again- and you can see why Toronto fans despise him.

You forgot to mention the part where he ADMITTED he was half-assing it. That cemented his heel turn in Toronto. If that happened in New York or L.A., he'd probably be blackballed from the league.

 

Rob Babcock was a guy that was in over his head as GM. He made some decent moves (Alston for James, drafting Villanueva) but the Carter trade more than negated that. He pushed the panic button and traded Carter when he probably could've taken Isiah Thomas for more than market value.

 

What is it with the NBA and the Black Eyed Peas.

Hell, I'm still trying to figure out what a no-talent dunce like Fergie did (or didn't) do to become a member of the group. Probably shorter to list what she didn't do...

[Ripper 0]

I still say that quote was taken out of context (carter not giving his all) . Tracy Mcgrady said the same thing and Orlando fans jumped on him and his quote was REALLY taken out of context.

 

And Fergie had boobs and could sing thus they added that dynamic to the BEP's to make them more marketable. Just don't look at her for too long because you will figure out how god awfully ugly she is.

[starvenger 0]

Just don't look at her for too long because you will figure out how god awfully ugly she is.

It's far too late for that my friend.

[Rendclaw 0]

Not to even mention how fairweather Orlando fans are... T-Mac was in a catch-22 in Orlando because he was getting rapped on all sides for his play, similar to what Kobe has gone (and still goes) through. I still think he could have stuck it out and not been so sensitive, but I understand why he abandoned Orlando and went to Houston. The fans will only support you if you win every game, and at the time management of the team was quite inept.

 

I liken Arroyo to trying to be the Puerto Rican Magic Johnson. He forces passes that even Magic himself would know not to try, and always going for the flashbulb popping play than a basic play that could do just as much.

 

And who is this player that the Magic have that they could run their offense through aside from Howard? The only one I can see is Grant Hill and they had some success last night with him at point forward. I doubt Brian Hill is going to continue that, even if it was working.

 

And for gods sake, Fergie is not THAT bad on the eyes... sheesh.

[Ripper 0]

Fergie has overly stretched plastic surgery face. It is really that bad. A woman that is aging naturally = not bad looking at all. One that uses all those cosmetic effects to hide the fact that she is aging = odd looking beast woman. Funny thing is all women notice and see this when they are young, yet half of them will look like beast women when they get older anyway.

 

The magic should be running any offense on the block through Darko Milicic. I know its a little too late now, but they should have been doing it. Honestly, Tony Battie is better on the block than Howard. And this isn't me just jumping on Howard, because he has a few moves that he has learned, is continually getting better and in a few years will be able to go down there and wreak shop, but Darkos offensive skill set is WAY ahead of Howards.

 

Howard should be the Tyson Chanlder of the team now. Score on offensive rebounds and put backs and have like 18 boards and 4 blocks a game while the other players have use their offensive skill sets. Instead they are shoving the DOMINANT FORCE thing on him before he has developed the adequate offensive skills to be called that.

 

And why the hell is Keyon Dooling not getting more PT. The team plays better with him out there. Let Grant be the point forward, and play Dooling who isn't killing you like Arroyo and Nelson are right now. Or, crazy idea, hows about just throwing Travis Diener out there. He is a much better shooter than both, isn't a horrible defender, and once again, he can't be any worse than what is out there.

 

But Brian Hills is famous for not making adjustments so I guess he won't now.

[Guest]

Carlos Arroyo reminds me of Jason Williams when he first came into the league with the Kings. The only difference is that Williams adjusted his game and Arroyo never will.

[Ripper 0]

Carlos Arroyo reminds me of Jason Williams when he first came into the league with the Kings. The only difference is that Williams adjusted his game and Arroyo never will.

 

 

Damn good comparison. Only Williams was better than Arroyo is.

[Guest]

Williams played in a better system for point guards too. Arroyo's never been on a team that likes to play the up and down game.

 

I wonder what Arroyo's numbers would be if he played on a team like the Kings were. I'm surprised that a running team has never tried to acquire him.

[Ripper 0]

The thing about williams is that he never really over dribbled. He always dribbled to do SOMETHING. if he was dribbling high it was to set you up to go by you. The SECOND anyone got open anywhere he would try and rifle them the ball. Arroyo on the other hand just keeps dribbling....and dribbling....and dribbling. I don't think his numbers would be great at all. Good points, some assist and a shitload of turnovers and a team that would lose and lose badly.

[World's Worst Man 0]

What a friggin game that was. The Raps played poorly, but the momentum swings and drama made for a great game. Hopefully this win loosens them up so they start playing to their abilities.

[alfdogg 0]

Gotta say the Bulls' decision not to trade for Gasol is looking pretty good right now.

[Guest Vitamin X]

hey alf said it before TNT.

 

Luol Deng is ON FIRE! 11/15 since the first quater. I love watching the Heat lose.

[Guest Richard McBeef]

And yet some people in Chicago (hi, Boers and Bernstein) still think Deng is above-average at best.