NBA Playoffs anyone?

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by mredskins

I am excited for the Celtics as well but I just know deep down they will find a way to lose and break my heart.

I have more faith in the Bruins actually making a run at it then the Celtics this year. Speaking of we need a win bad tonight I don't want to see a game seven.

Flyers are going to take that series. My crazy Sharks/Flyers Stanley Cup Finals prediction is looking very possible.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by Buster

Flyers are going to take that series. My crazy Sharks/Flyers Stanley Cup Finals prediction is looking very possible.

I think the Bruins pull it out but it may just be their last win of the season. The Habs are red hot. I am sorry if you beat Pitt and Wash in back to back series without home ice advantage, you are playing so damn good hockey.

[SmootSmack]

LeBron will get a lot of grief for tonight's game and rightfully so. He's having a barely average game, but he should be having a dominant game. You look at some of the other series and superstars out there-Kobe, Dwight Howard, and Steve Nash had no problem leading their teams to easy series victories. But LJ is getting no help at all from anyone of his teammates (except for Mo Williams briefly), and worst of all has been Antawn Jamison. He's really been terrible.

I hope the Magic handle the Celtics easily in the next round. Never liked the Celtics (even less so now that I'm up in New England) and I know a lot of people inside the NBA don't care for them either. That said, I'll give them their props for what they've done in these playoffs.

I'll be rooting for Suns vs. Magic in the playoffs with the Suns winning it all

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

LeBron will get a lot of grief for tonight's game and rightfully so. He's having a barely average game, but he should be having a dominant game. You look at some of the other series and superstars out there-Kobe, Dwight Howard, and Steve Nash had no problem leading their teams to easy series victories. But LJ is getting no help at all from anyone of his teammates (except for Mo Williams briefly), and worst of all has been Antawn Jamison. He's really been terrible.

I hope the Magic handle the Celtics easily in the next round. Never liked the Celtics (even less so now that I'm up in New England) and I know a lot of people inside the NBA don't care for them either. That said, I'll give them their props for what they've done in these playoffs.

I'll be rooting for Suns vs. Magic in the playoffs with the Suns winning it all

Cleveland was down by single digits with a minute plus to play, and didn't even foul when Boston had the ball. They literally quit. Lebron had a triple double... actually almost quadruple double if you count turnovers. Plus he shot terribly, and as usual he spent 10x more time whining for calls than he did leading. I am SO happy to see them go down. Mike Brown will be fired tomorrow.

My fiancee is from Orlando and is a huge Magic fan, and Dwight Howard may be my favorite NBA player right now, so I'm pulling for them big time.

It was so nice seeing Queen James and the Cavs go down. They are just a notch below the Penguins, Cowboys, Yankees, and Tennesse Vols as my most hated sports teams. Sayonara Lebron James.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

I'll be rooting for Suns vs. Magic in the playoffs with the Suns winning it all

yessir!

[tryfuhl]

brown is horrible.. no adjustments.. poor late game mgmt etc

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by tryfuhl

brown is horrible.. no adjustments.. poor late game mgmt etc

Cleveland is younger and more athletic than Boston, and yet over and over again Mike Brown was content to run that slow, half-court offense. They should have been pushing up and down the floor and rotating guys like Mo Wiliams, Delonte West, Anthony Parker, and Booby Gibson to try and tire out the older Celtic stars. Instead their rotation was poor, and played right into the Celtics hands.

And quitting at the end of the game by not even fouling to try a last ditch desperation effort to save their season was flat out deplorable. If I'm the Cavs owner, Mike Brown is already fired.

On a side note, Rajon Rondo is special. Big fan of his game.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Cleveland is younger and more athletic than Boston, and yet over and over again Mike Brown was content to run that slow, half-court offense. They should have been pushing up and down the floor and rotating guys like Mo Wiliams, Delonte West, Anthony Parker, and Booby Gibson to try and tire out the older Celtic stars. Instead their rotation was poor, and played right into the Celtics hands.

And quitting at the end of the game by not even fouling to try a last ditch desperation effort to save their season was flat out deplorable. If I'm the Cavs owner, Mike Brown is already fired.

On a side note, Rajon Rondo is special. Big fan of his game.

Agreed, thought that it was a joke when he got coach of the year last year too.

Rondo is one of those guys you have to like no matter what, agreed.

[Bushead]

I did not understand the anti-Lebron statements after game 5; I thought it was stupid and just the media making up a story. Let's be honest, there hasn't been much excitement for the playoffs until this "Lebron might be a failure" angle. I thought that was a poor way to treat a guy who is such a talent.

But, after tonight's game, I'm not sure what to think. I felt like the coaching decisions were horrible. I thought Jamison didn't fit in with what they were trying to do. O'Niel was playing so many minutes when it has been years since he could play on that level for 30+ minutes a game.

It looks like it might just be a repeat of last year's finals. This offseason for the NBA is the one that everyone has been talking about; let's see if it lives up to its hype.

[itvnetop]

Jamison's lack of defense is anti-thetical to what makes the Cavs go. His help/man defense leaves an entire baseline open for any forward with a semblance of offense. Mo Williams is inconsistent when it comes to the playoffs. Shaq clogs up the middle (in a bad way, nowadays)- and Mike Brown's "system" of letting Lebron dominate the ball on every possession clashes with the big man's presence.

This implosion was basically all of Cleveland's doing... Ferry kept making bonehead moves in a win-now mode, meant to keep Lebron happy. Trading a first for Jiri Welsh? Signing Mo Williams to be James' sidekick a few seasons after LJ singlehandedly carried a bum squad to the NBA finals? Adding an old Shaq was the last sign of desperation. Add Mike Brown's rotations (second worse only to Eddie Jordan) and you get great regular seasons... but 2 and out playoffs.

Looking at the future roster for Cleveland, I can't see any way for Lebron to believe he could actually stay and win a title. In this series, I think he just became tired of willing the team to even striking distance of the Celtics every game.

He needs running mates that have the talent/desire to win- and I think the Bulls have that. Derrick Rose is a bonafide wing scorer, but he's unselfish and without ego- he'll work perfectly with James (who wouldn't have to do everything by himself alongside Rose). Noah is basically Varejao with a skillset and a passion to win. There's some young talent for possible trade bait. I could see a S&T to bring another big name from that FA class, creating a dynasty in Chicago.

Brooklyn is a better destination than the Knicks, imo... Lopez, Harris, Lee, CDR and a top pick- plus plenty of cap to bring a stud in. Although the Knicks have a bunch of space, there's no one on that squad that's a building block (David Lee's probably gone).

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Never liked the Celtics (even less so now that I'm up in New England) and I know a lot of people inside the NBA don't care for them either.

:tongue And the smiley is in Celtic green.

Go Celtics!!!!! I enjoyed every minute, especially the last two when Cleveland quit. LeBron wouldn't look bad in green in the Gah-den next year......great coach, great PG, veteran cast, what's not to like.

[Rainy Parade]

Originally Posted by Bushead

I did not understand the anti-Lebron statements after game 5; I thought it was stupid and just the media making up a story. Let's be honest, there hasn't been much excitement for the playoffs until this "Lebron might be a failure" angle. I thought that was a poor way to treat a guy who is such a talent.

But, after tonight's game, I'm not sure what to think. I felt like the coaching decisions were horrible. I thought Jamison didn't fit in with what they were trying to do. O'Niel was playing so many minutes when it has been years since he could play on that level for 30+ minutes a game.

It looks like it might just be a repeat of last year's finals. This offseason for the NBA is the one that everyone has been talking about; let's see if it lives up to its hype.

agree. granted he certainly layed an egg in game 5. and sure, stars have bad games but that was just the worst spot for it and he didn't seem to do things to help himself get thru a bad game (take more than 4 shots in the first half, keep driving the lane cuz he WAS getting to the line). and yes, you get the glory so it's on you when you lose.

but agree about the overkill on "lebron's a failure/choker/whatever!"

their coach SUCKS. JJ Hickson started 70 games and then fell completely out of the rotation in the playoffs. the whole rotation got yanked around. giving Shaq and Z big minutes just played into Boston's hands. Jamison wasn't used right, beside the fact that he cant defend KG. Mo Williams is overrated and was a marginal signing at best. sadly Varajao is still their 2nd best player.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by Slingin Sammy 33

:tongue And the smiley is in Celtic green.

Go Celtics!!!!! I enjoyed every minute, especially the last two when Cleveland quit. LeBron wouldn't look bad in green in the Gah-den next year......great coach, great PG, veteran cast, what's not to like.

Go Celtics!!!!! They pushed Orlando to 7 last year without KG. IT should be a good series. Big Baby needs to bring it again like he did last year against Orlando.

[djnemo65]

This just proves what I've always said: When you cheat-win by traveling against the Wiz, and aren't humble about winning by cheating, and then follow that up the next year by getting yours and everyone's favorite rapper to make a song dissing the D.C. team that you only beat the previous year by traveling, you are only playing yourself by cursing yourself.....4 life. Lebron, Deshawn Stevenson's ghost will follow you to hell! Wizards mutha*****!

[celts32]

Celtics Pride!!!