NBA Playoffs 2007: Conference Finals

[Guest]

It's because he's South American. Diving and flopping is part of the culture.

[Maztinho 0]

Brazilian children practice diving on little contact in their pick up soccer games in the street. True story.

 

Going to the Best PF Malone/Barkley debate, I'm a homer so I'll lean towards Malone, but both guys where powerhouses. People knock Malone for being paired with Stockton, but really isn't any players greatness determined by the system he is in or the players around him? Jordan didn't win championships until the pieces where put in. Plus staying nearly injury free for two decades is something remarkable unto itself.

 

Malone was underrated as a passer alot of the time, and he was one of the first guys to do the "throw the ball off the opponent as you are falling out of bounds to keep possession" trick. Barkley was better at creating his own shot, but the systems he played in forced him to do so.

 

Plus it was always fun to watch Malone and Barkley battle it out, I doubt there was a more entertaining match up in the early 90's position against position.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Quick question: how many of you played basketball on a competitive level? I know that my varsity coach used to offer a dinner to anyone who'd flop on a charge and get the opposing player a foul. We used to have drills practicing it. I don't know where it got the stigma of being a European thing because it's always been a part of basketball culture.

[Ripper 0]

Barkley was a better rebounder and a better low post scorer and if the game was on the line I would give him the ball. he was virtually unstoppable for quite a while there.

 

Karl Malone had a Automatic midrange game and was made for the pick and roll. One on one he wasn't nearly as good a scorer as Barkley but ran in one of the better offenses in the league, taylor made for his talent and stocktons ability to get him the ball.

 

As mentioned Malone was a great passer and both of them were quite sucky on D, but I will say that Barkley tried harder(despite him always picking at himself now. Greatest moment of the 92-93 finals was Charles getting Jordan on a switch, getting down in his stance and Jordan laughing at him. Nothing trumps that for me).

 

Charles was a better ball handler too. Him thinking he had a 3 point shot hurt that monster field goal percentage he had earlier in his career.

 

Malone loses points for me because he was a dirty player while Charles might have been physical as hell, but he never tried to hurt anyone. Unless they were stupid enough to try and take a charge from him. He would try to destroy your soul then.

 

I take Barkley, but that could be homerism, but I think that if you put another PF with a good midrange stroke in Utah's offense, he might not have been as good as Karl for as long, but he would have put up similar numbers for awhile there. Think, Armon Gillim. The Hammer would have been a monster for Utah and Sloans offense. I mean look at what Thurl Baily did with Stockton feeding him the ball when he wasn't getting the ball to Karl.

[Guest]

Quick question: how many of you played basketball on a competitive level? I know that my varsity coach used to offer a dinner to anyone who'd flop on a charge and get the opposing player a foul. We used to have drills practicing it. I don't know where it got the stigma of being a European thing because it's always been a part of basketball culture.

I did it all the time. The South American thing was a joke.

 

There have been times that I got absolutely drilled while trying to take a charge. I got a few elbows and forearms to the face and throat.

[Ripper 0]

Quick question: how many of you played basketball on a competitive level? I know that my varsity coach used to offer a dinner to anyone who'd flop on a charge and get the opposing player a foul. We used to have drills practicing it. I don't know where it got the stigma of being a European thing because it's always been a part of basketball culture.

I did it all the time. The South American thing was a joke.

 

There have been times that I got absolutely drilled while trying to take a charge. I got a few elbows and forearms to the face and throat.

 

 

Its not a flop if its a real charge though. its just common sense. you can stand there and take ALL of the punishment which fucking hurts and will end up injurying you and the other guy, or you can take some of it and let you momentum take you on back.

 

Someone slightly extending their arm and you flailing back like you had been shot...flop. A guy making a move, you getting there first and catching some shoulder(while not enough to knock you completely down) and you hitting the ground, not flop.

 

The problem is, at full speed, its tough to see which is which sometimes.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Damn, those were two painful games to watch as a Cardiac Cavs fan. It's ashame their offensive strategy seems to be pass the ball to the guy farthest from the basket. Hopefully, they can salvage a couple games out of this series and not lose 79-76 AGAIN w/ another game ending w/ a Varejeo 80 foot heave ho into the upper concourse.

[Guest George's Box]

Cardiac Cavs? Coasting through a weak conference to inexplicably nab a #2 seed and then trudge past a depleted Washington and average New Jersey is inducing heart attacks these days? Ease up on the butter, my man.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

I was referring to the last two games, here's your butter back.

[ANKLELOCK 0]

Deron Williams rules your world.

[fazzle 0]

Does Rip Hamilton still need to wear that facemask?

 

I mean...REALLY? Even D-Lo and Orton are thinking that he's milking it a bit too much.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Does Rip Hamilton still need to wear that facemask?

 

I mean...REALLY? Even D-Lo and Orton are thinking that he's milking it a bit too much.

 

He got really comfortable with the mask that he felt awkward without it, so he has kept it.

 

Nice game by Lebron and a sick dunk on Rasheed

[Just John 0]

So, Deron Williams is questionable tonight with the stomach flu...

 

I don't think Utah can afford to lose him for the game. Utah looked their worst against Golden State when he had those two games with foul trouble, and he's been the only really effective player against San Antonio so far.

[ANKLELOCK 0]

Pretty fucking rediculous how biased the refs are toward San Antonio.

 

Bullshit.

 

Bullshit technical as I type this on Fisher will the usual acting job by Ginobili.

 

God I hate the Spurs and Steve Fucking Javy.

 

Embarassing. I hope David Fucking Stern is happy.

[Brett Favre 0]

Referees are fucking idiots. Did anyone see that technical they gave Fisher for Ginobili coming from behind, bumping into him, then selling it a fag? They need to fire referees more often.

[alfdogg 0]

But Steve Javie's a respected veteran!

[Brett Favre 0]

Isn't it amusing how the most respected refs are the worse ones? I guess if you make the games about yourself, you're respected.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Come on now, Most of the calls made were the right calls

 

Some of the T's were pathetic though

[ANKLELOCK 0]

Javy tossing people like he's fucking Joey Crawford. I hope the league suspends his ass as they did with Crawford.

 

I'm not going to say the Jazz were robbed, but damn they did not deserve the treatment they got.

 

Even ESPN acknowledging it: "Spurs getting home cooking on the road"

[Just John 0]

Finally, Utah's defense gets the whistle-treatment it deserves. The funny thing was no players were complaining about the personals, even though they had gotten like 4 in a row. Most of those personals down the stretch were no-brainers. I know the Utah fans must be furious the refs decided to actually call all the fouls their team commits.

 

Now, the techs... That was some bullshit there. Sloan's complaining was maybe .2 D'Antoni, but he gets ejected. Fisher's second was warranted, but the first was one of the lamest I've seen. I hope no one tries to spin these as an excuse, however, because the game was pretty much out of reach by the time the Tech parade started. I almost started to feel bad for Utah getting kicked while they were down by the refs, almost... Also, credit to Steve Javie for doing something I thought no human could do... He managed to get Marc Jackson to stop blowing Deron Williams for more than 10 seconds.

 

Unfortunately, those late techs will overshadow San Antonio out-playing Utah in crunch time, as well as out-playing them in Games 1 and 2. It'll be like that Suns series all over again.

[Ripper 0]

Unfortunately, those late techs will overshadow San Antonio out-playing Utah in crunch time, as well as out-playing them in Games 1 and 2. It'll be like that Suns series all over again.

 

 

Hey goddamnit!

 

I am still holding back my big ass complaint about that series. You are just poking me with a stick now.

[JohnnyBlaze 0]

Does Rip Hamilton still need to wear that facemask?

 

I mean...REALLY? Even D-Lo and Orton are thinking that he's milking it a bit too much.

 

He got really comfortable with the mask that he felt awkward without it, so he has kept it.

 

Nice game by Lebron and a sick dunk on Rasheed

 

Also I remember rip saying that hes broken his nose so many times that if he broke it again a more serious surgery would be necessary, but the comfortable wearing it thing is correct.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I heard that the rain delayed portions of the Indy 500 actually beat the NBA in the ratings this weekend. If that's true, it's incredibly sad.

[JohnnyBlaze 0]

Haha, unfortunately I'd have no problem believing that.

[Just John 0]

Can't say I'm too surprised. The CF are about as boring as they could've been this year. Took the East teams 3 games to reach 80, and the first 3 games in the West were all blowouts.

[JohnnyBlaze 0]

I miss Golden State They were so entertaining on so many levels.

[Guest]

Jerry Buss got arrested on suspicion of DUI.

 

And Kobe is on the radio right now and beyond pissed at the Lakers. He's getting traded.

 

Fuck this team. Fuck them.

[Guest Smues]

Is he pissed about the DUI? Or just mad about the direction of the team like he has been?

 

I really can't imagine they'd be stupid enough to trade him.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

They can't. He's the only guy resembling a good player in Los Angeles right now with Odom having surgery.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

There was a snippet in the New York Post that said Kobe told management he'd approve a trade to one team only. The author doesn't know what team that was.

 

He won't be traded.