NBA Playoffs

[bottomzone]

Celts over Lakers again. Front line too big and powerful, especially with Rasheed. Nate is gonna go off. Jordan will overshadow Kobe's punk azz foreva. foreva eva?? Yep.

C's in 6. again. Say it....BEAT LA. On their home floor. AGAIN.

Yeah, right!!!!!!!! Sorry Lakers and Kobe haters.................LAKERS, BABY!!!!!!!!!!!

A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!

 

[Number27]

Not gonna happen.

Magic in 5.

Then, Magic in 6.

 

[burk48237]

All I got out of this is that you can't stand Shaq. I already knew you were a Pistons homer.

No, I can't stand Antoine Walker. I'm more indifferent about Shaq. Shaq, was an incredible natural Talent, who made good use of the skills he had. He wasn't lazy, but he wasn't driven. He didn't have brain farts and make dumb plays, but he wasn't Mr. clutch. My only frustration with Shaq is I think his resume was inflated by playing beside great wingmen and playing in an era with very few quality centers and I don't see him as a number one on a great team more a 1a.

Yep, and I'm still a Piston Homer, but I don't recall making any great claims about the current Pistons. In fact I have no idea why Joe D signed Antoine Walkers kid brother Charlie Villinuava.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

No, I can't stand Antoine Walker. I'm more indifferent about Shaq. Shaq, was an incredible natural Talent, who made good use of the skills he had. He wasn't lazy, but he wasn't driven. He didn't have brain farts and make dumb plays, but he wasn't Mr. clutch. My only frustration with Shaq is I think his resume was inflated by playing beside great wingmen and playing in an era with very few quality centers and I don't see him as a number one on a great team more a 1a.

Yep, and I'm still a Piston Homer, but I don't recall making any great claims about the current Pistons. In fact I have no idea why Joe D signed Antoine Walkers kid brother Charlie Villinuava.

That's all well and good and all, but I'd just like to point out that it's Lakers and Celtics in the final. As I predicted.

 

[Deluge Of Sound]

So. He's not going to touching the ball tonight or any other game.

We were talking about team history...

I'm seriously pissed that I couldn't watch any of the game last night--Memorial Day Weekend means disgustingly busy workplace 'til all hours of the night.

 

[burk48237]

That's all well and good and all, but I'd just like to point out that it's Lakers and Celtics in the final. As I predicted.

As did I in my preseason breakdown. This will be an interesting series.

So here's burks position by position analysis (FOR FREE!!)

POWER FORWARD: Paul Gasol, Lamar Odom v. Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis. Boston has a much more physical group, but LA's are more athletic. A healthy K Garnett would have tilted this one in the C's direction, And Davis is very underrated as a defender. But LA has a slight advantage here.

CENTER: Andrew Bynum, Josh Powell? v. Kendra Perkins, Rasheed Wallace. With Bynum healthy this would be only a slight edge to the C's, but with Bynum hurting and no other true centers on the LA rooster, this match up could spell trouble for LA the entire series. I imagine Sheed will spend a lot of time guarding Gasol, and he should bother him with his length. Also neither Bynum or Gasol are effective at guarding a big who can pop out and hit the three. Perkins is far more physical then anyone on the LA roster. edge: Celtics

SMALL FORWARD: Ron Artest, Sasha Vujcic, v. Paul Pierce, Michael Finley, Paul Pierce is not the PP of 08, but he still seems to get it done in the clutch, he is still Boston's best player on the floor. Artest, is not the lock defender he once was and on offense, he doesn't go to the basket the way he use too. Both teams use other players at this position, but I would give the edge to the Celtics

SHOOTING GUARD: Kobe Bryant, Shannon Brown, v. Ray Allen and Tony Allen. One of the biggest things Boston had going for them in 08 was Posey on the bench to guard Kobe. The C's do not posses a true lock down on the wing D man without him. Ray Allen is still capable of big numbers, but not as often, and Tony Allen is better then any of the Lakers backcourt bench, but Kobe will be a tough match up for them without Posey. Large edge to the LAKERS

POINT GUARD: Derek Fisher, Jordan Farmar, v. Rajon Rondo, Nate Robertson. While Shooting guard is the Lakers biggest advantage, this match up will give the Lakers fits the whole series. Fishers bodying up bothered Steve Nash, Rondo likes it. While in 08 Rondo was still learning the game, he has improved greatly and kept the team together this year. Robertson is still a wild card, capable of great burst of offense, but also undersized and a sometimes liability on D. The jury is still out on him on the big stage. Edge CELTICS

BENCH: While I rated the back ups by position things do get juggled sometimes depending on match-ups. LA has the best bench player in the series, Odom, but LA has no one who can match up with Rasheed Wallace. I would say the Benches are about Even with Boston being stronger at the power positions, and LA stronger on the wings.

COACHING: I'm not a big Phil Jackson fan, and at times this year he seems disinterested, but he still has an edge in experience. Edge: LA

The big questions:

1) Who will get a rebound for LA, with Bynum gimpy?

2) Who will guard Kobe and at least slow him down for the C's?

The Verdict BOSTON IN SEVEN

 

[Hoover]

The Verdict BOSTON IN SEVEN

Man, I hope so! Imma long time Celtics fan from way back, so nothing would give me more pleasure than to see another C's banner.

But...

I've noticed that whenever I see a game with the Lakers losing this year, I've thought "wow, the Lakers are playing like crap tonight"

And whenever I see a game with the Celtics winning this year, I've thought "wow, the C's are playing really well!"

So if the Laker's play well, methinks it's all over.

 

[Tommygunn]

One of my favorite commercials of all time...... . Right up there with Grandmama.

-Mike

Black kids wouldn't even talk about the black ones so the wouldn't be associated with Bird.

Edit: I remember Magic telling about that commercial and the director telling them to play basketball against each other and bird and magic gave each other a look and magic turned to the director and said "Are you serious? You want us to 'play' ball?" and the director thought a bit and was like "well just pretend"

 

[Bigjohn]

Well, better luck next season.
You got the Lakers right. Who woudda thunk?
Mavs?????

I'm really excited about the playoffs, looking forward to some great games.

Here are my picks :

Round One :

Lakers vs. Thunder
Nuggets vs. Jazz
Suns vs. Trailblazers
Mavs vs. Spurs

Cavs vs. Bulls
Celtics vs. Heat
Bucks vs. Hawks
Bobcats vs. Magic

Round Two :

Lakers vs. Nuggets
Suns vs. Mavs

Cavs vs. Celtics
Hawks vs. Magic

Conference finals :

Lakers vs. Mavs

Cavs vs. Magic

Finals

Lakers vs. Cavs

yep, I think LBJ will finally get his first ring.

 

[burk48237]

Well, Here's my post from October picking the Celtics and Lakers to be in the finals.

Burks Pre Trade deadline NBA picks:

I have to go with the Celts (healthy), they are by far the most complete team competing for the title. With Sheed, Perkins, and Garnet I don't see any team competing with that defense around the basket. They really could use a shut down outside defender (ala Posey). Also while Sheed has his foibles I suggest he'll be rejuvenated and he is one of the most skilled big men in the league on both ends of the floor. And unlike a lot of skilled players in the league he won't complain when he doesn't have the ball.

The Lakers are as skilled as the Celts but not as strong or physical. Who would you want grabbing rebounds, setting physical picks, and defending in the low post. Sheed, Perkins, and Garnett or Bynum and Gasol. Orlando had one physical post player, not enough to expose LA's weakness inside, the same can't be said of a healthy Celts team. The real issue is the Lakers don't have a legitimate four on the roster The other question for the Lakers is how much gas does Derek Fischer have in the tank, and can Artest play nice for a whole season.

The Cavs, added another slow big man who can't cover pick and rolls, the very thing that killed them during the conference finals. Garnett and Sheed will have a field day watching Shaq and Illgaskus trip over each other while their shooting uncontested. The Delonte West situation leaves them a big hole at the two guard, and Mo williams sure looked not ready for prime time in last seasons conference finals.

The Spurs may be the dark-horse. They are a fundamentally sound team that knows how to win and have added areal offensive horse in Jefferson. The question for them is do they have the rebounding, and can Ginobli stay healthy something he's failed to do for the last two seasons.

The Magic gave up their best playmaker who created major match up problems for a me first/no defense ball hog. I don't see how that can be a step up. Lots of regular season wins, major playoff fail. Any other center in the league but Howard, I'd predict a first round exit. Brandon Bass will help, but Carter will find a way to blow it in the clutch.

None of the top teams are perfect and all of the teams underneath these five have serious flaws, and barring some trade deadline magic, I don't see any of the others in the finals. Here is the Burk's list of what makes a championship team:
1) At least two players who can generate offense in the low post

2) At least three players who can break down a defense and get their own shot

3) Every starter can not have any serious defensive flaws. You can hide defensive liabilities in the regular season, but not in the post season. This is why the Dallas Mavs are also rans, Dirk can't guard any quality player at his position.

4) At least three players who can do dirty work, rebound, set picks, block shots, take a charge.

5) A point guard who makes smart decisions with the ball and avoids turnovers, why do you think the Pistons were so strong with Billups?

6) At least one player who can "get the calls" in the clutch and get to the foul line, and make foul shots when he gets there.

7) One very good defensive "stopper" who can make the other teams star wing players work much harder for their shots then normal. This is the reason that the Spurs with Bruce Bowen were always in the mix.

One last question: How did the effin Mavs get in this poll? I can think of several teams that could finish ahead of the mavs who may not even be a sixth seed in the conference

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8152040&postcount=20

 

[stinger12345]

Celtics will beat Kobe Bryant in 6. But if it goes to 7, I gotta give it to Kobe Bryant.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Well, Here's my post from October picking the Celtics and Lakers to be in the finals.



http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8152040&postcount=20

Beat ya there, pal.

Celts in the East, Lakers in the west...IF everyone stays healthy. And that's a big IF.

 

[Tommygunn]

I like this jongor man

 

[elgecko]

w00t w00t!

 

[Deluge Of Sound]

Bah!

 

[elgecko]

Come on...it was a beat down. Not even remotely close!

 

[Deluge Of Sound]

I know, it was disappointing. But it was a 10-point difference for most of the game, and it looked like one... We got outplayed, plain and simple.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Haha.

 

[bwv1013]

LAKERS!

 

[Hoover]

I've noticed that whenever I see a game with the Lakers losing this year, I've thought "wow, the Lakers are playing like crap tonight"

And whenever I see a game with the Celtics winning this year, I've thought "wow, the C's are playing really well!"

So if the Laker's play well, methinks it's all over.

Well there ya have it. Lakers played well, so game over. Actually, Celts played like TOTAL CRAP, so the game was over early: I actually stopped watching two minutes into the 3rd period. pretty sure I didn't miss anything.

This stat speaks volumes: "Phil Jackson-coached teams are 47-0 all-time when they win the first game of a series."