NBA Playoff Thread
- Thread starter lawyerman
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I think everyone wants to get the Finals in high gear. What better day to do it than Sunday!slk55amg said:
Bill Walton? Give me a break.
Are you employed by the NBA? Your points are valid but before you criticize my thought process, the Finals does not need more promoting as there will be plenty of interest that has been generated fot it.
I agree that maybe a day or two more is acceptable but not until Thursday?
I don''t think you read my post very carefully. Please check the schedule I had entered.
Bill Walton? I think you better relax.slk55amg said:
I do respect your opinions and I fully understand that the Finals needs to be marketed properly, my schedule makes perfect sense. I believe that in waiting too long for the series to commence that many people lose more interest than if the series started a couple of days after. I think though the anticipation is great, the general public would like to see the series start a few days after. This is what I posted before:
Revised schedule:lawyerman said:
Tue Jun 3 - Boston
Thu Jun 5 - Boston
Sun Jun 8- LA
Tue Jun 10 - LA
Thu Jun 13 - LA
Sun Jun 15 - Boston
Tue Jun 17 - Boston
The season is long enough and they really don't need to drag it on any longer than is should be.
How is it working for the NBA?
I'm sure the perks are great.Typical Bill Walton.lawyerman said:
I am neither critizing your thought process nor arguing the validity of your points or if it makes sense. My post was only commenting on your position that the schedule is "absolutely asinine". Obviously not so, since you have now changed your tune from a 2 day break to 4 days with my simple "need more prep" reasoning.
The game dates/time for the Finals are determined prior to the outcome of the Conference Finals...significantly prior. You would know this Bill, because advertisers determine their time buys on the network based on a schedule. And the networks determine the schedules ahead of time, right? That means doing so before the outcome of the round 3...sooo if the ECF went to a game 7 (Sundays are great days for a game 7s, no?)...the Finals would start 4 days later on...wouldn't you know it...Thursday June 5.
Maybe just me, but I found your "asinine" comment a little ignorant, somewhat patronizing, and all posture. Hey, maybe you are a lawyer...if so, carry on
As for my NBA employment...what would be so surprising if I worked for MLSE...and that the perks are great?
Can we please just bury this? I was only making an opinion on what would be a "better fit". I did not mean to be condescending in my comments and I do apologize for that. BTW, my name is not Bill so can you please refrain from calling me that name? I would greatly appreciate it.slk55amg said:Typical Bill Walton.
I am neither critizing your thought process nor arguing the validity of your points or if it makes sense. My post was only commenting on your position that the schedule is "absolutely asinine". Obviously not so, since you have now changed your tune from a 2 day break to 4 days with my simple "need more prep" reasoning.
The game dates/time for the Finals are determined prior to the outcome of the Conference Finals...significantly prior. You would know this Bill, because advertisers determine their time buys on the network based on a schedule. And the networks determine the schedules ahead of time, right? That means doing so before the outcome of the round 3...sooo if the ECF went to a game 7 (Sundays are great days for a game 7s, no?)...the Finals would start 4 days later on...wouldn't you know it...Thursday June 5.
Maybe just me, but I found your "asinine" comment a little ignorant, somewhat patronizing, and all posture. Hey, maybe you are a lawyer...if so, carry on
As for my NBA employment...what would be so surprising if I worked for MLSE...and that the perks are great?
I just was making a comment that it would be nice to see the Finals a little earlier and I don't think the such a long wait is really necessary.
The Celtics were solid last night. You can't say enough about Paul Pierce who really gutted it out with that sprained right knee. He has been with so many awful Celtics teams and stuck with them through thick and thin. Now he might have the chance to win the Championship. Can't wait for game two.
call me a pessimist...
....but I just had a bad feeling about Pierce's knee...I don't think that it was anywhere near as serious as it was made to look....maybe because of that bogus wheelchair issue with Dwyane Wade .... but I think it was more theatrics than anything else...
Gutting it out is that Pens player...(think it was Malone)...who took a slapshot to the face in front of the net...gets stitched up...and comes out on his next shift...and where does he go the 1st chance he gets??...back to the front of the net...Now that's what I call gutting it out...
N2G
lawyerman said:
....but I just had a bad feeling about Pierce's knee...I don't think that it was anywhere near as serious as it was made to look....maybe because of that bogus wheelchair issue with Dwyane Wade .... but I think it was more theatrics than anything else...
Gutting it out is that Pens player...(think it was Malone)...who took a slapshot to the face in front of the net...gets stitched up...and comes out on his next shift...and where does he go the 1st chance he gets??...back to the front of the net...Now that's what I call gutting it out...
N2G
Fair enough. That was unbelievable with Malone being hit in the face and he had truly gutted it out. Pierce is a very tough player and they taped up his knee, gave him some painkillers and away he went.
I have hade my knee blow out like that and you cannot even move. It's amazing what painkillers can do. In addition, running on pure adrenaline can make you get up in a hurry.
I have hade my knee blow out like that and you cannot even move. It's amazing what painkillers can do. In addition, running on pure adrenaline can make you get up in a hurry.
The Celtics almost blew it last night. It will be difficult for the Lakers to come back from this deficit. The only reason they would have a chance is the Kobe factor. Kobe was playing better last night but if you include the two regular season games and game 1, Kobe has not played as well as he could. Odom and Fisher look like crap out there. Leon Powe came out of nowhere last night but that was a career night for him. I don't think anyone expected that kind of performance last night and will probably not be repeated in that magnitude for the remainder of the series. I believe he scored 21 points in 14 minutes or so. Outstanding.
The Hawks put on a hell of a show and Johnson and Smith were great for them at times. The Celtics took them a little too lightly.guyroch said:
To say the Lakers would win in 5 games is a bit steep but they can still win it all. I still think the Celtics will win but I am not saying in how many games it will take them to do so. I really have no idea.
Boston had the best record in the NBA this year so why is it so hard for you to believe that they are up 2-0 against the Lakers? They beat them handily in both regular season matches and now with the addition of Pau Gasol, it's still not making that much of a difference. Not that Gasol is playing poorly but Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher look brutal. If they were on their game, the Lakers might have won last night.
Interesting take on Game 2 of Celts - Lakers from none other than Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. He had seats next to the LA bench and had this to say about Kobe (not that Schill is ever lost for words, but just found it comical). It was taken from his blog 38pitches.com
5) Kobe. This one stunned me a little bit. Who doesn’t know Kobe Bryant right? I only know what I have heard, starting awhile back with the entire Shaq debacle. I don’t really have an opinion one way or the other on or about him other than to know that people feel he might be one of the 4-5 greatest players to ever lace it up. What I do know is what I got to see up close and hear, was unexpected. From the first tip until about 4 minutes left in the game I saw and heard this guy bitch at his teammates. Every TO he came to the bench pissed, and a few of them he went to other guys and yelled about something they weren’t doing, or something they did wrong. No dialog about “hey let’s go, let’s get after it” or whatever. He spent the better part of 3.5 quarters pissed off and ranting at the non-execution or lack of, of his team. Then when they made what almost was a historic run in the 4th, during a TO, he got down on the floor and basically said ‘Let’s f’ing go, right now, right here” or something to that affect. I am not making this observation in a good or bad way, I have no idea how the guys in the NBA play or do things like this, but I thought it was a fascinating bit of insight for me to watch someone in another sport who is in the position of a team leader and how he interacted with his team and teammates. Watching the other 11 guys, every time out it was high fives and “Hey nice work, let’s get after it” or something to that affect. He walked off the floor, obligatory skin contact on the high five, and sat on the bench stone faced or pissed off, the whole game. Just weird to see another sport and how it all works. I would assume that’s his style and how he plays and what works for him because when I saw the leader board for scoring in the post season his name sat up top at 31+ a game, can’t argue with that. But as a fan I was watching the whole thing, Kobe, his teammates and then the after effects of conversations. He’d yell at someone, make a point, or send a message, turn and walk away, and more than once the person on the other end would roll eyes or give a ‘whatever dude’ look.
Let me reiterate that this is from a complete basketball newbie, so for all I know this could be exactly how these guys play this game and interact with each other
5) Kobe. This one stunned me a little bit. Who doesn’t know Kobe Bryant right? I only know what I have heard, starting awhile back with the entire Shaq debacle. I don’t really have an opinion one way or the other on or about him other than to know that people feel he might be one of the 4-5 greatest players to ever lace it up. What I do know is what I got to see up close and hear, was unexpected. From the first tip until about 4 minutes left in the game I saw and heard this guy bitch at his teammates. Every TO he came to the bench pissed, and a few of them he went to other guys and yelled about something they weren’t doing, or something they did wrong. No dialog about “hey let’s go, let’s get after it” or whatever. He spent the better part of 3.5 quarters pissed off and ranting at the non-execution or lack of, of his team. Then when they made what almost was a historic run in the 4th, during a TO, he got down on the floor and basically said ‘Let’s f’ing go, right now, right here” or something to that affect. I am not making this observation in a good or bad way, I have no idea how the guys in the NBA play or do things like this, but I thought it was a fascinating bit of insight for me to watch someone in another sport who is in the position of a team leader and how he interacted with his team and teammates. Watching the other 11 guys, every time out it was high fives and “Hey nice work, let’s get after it” or something to that affect. He walked off the floor, obligatory skin contact on the high five, and sat on the bench stone faced or pissed off, the whole game. Just weird to see another sport and how it all works. I would assume that’s his style and how he plays and what works for him because when I saw the leader board for scoring in the post season his name sat up top at 31+ a game, can’t argue with that. But as a fan I was watching the whole thing, Kobe, his teammates and then the after effects of conversations. He’d yell at someone, make a point, or send a message, turn and walk away, and more than once the person on the other end would roll eyes or give a ‘whatever dude’ look.
Let me reiterate that this is from a complete basketball newbie, so for all I know this could be exactly how these guys play this game and interact with each other
blueline:
Thats called being a fierce competitor. MJ was much harder on his teammates then Kobe is. MJ pushed his teammates so hard that Horce Grant couldnt take it anymore and left the team to join the Magics.
I think its great that a few players are like this. It shows me that they really want to win and not just sign a big contract and coast until they retire. Plus the Lakers bench sucked big time in the 2nd game. Bostons bench outscored them and that dude Powe killed them with something like 24 points.
Keep cussing Kobe, I think you can beat Boston (if the refs make legit calls)
Thats called being a fierce competitor. MJ was much harder on his teammates then Kobe is. MJ pushed his teammates so hard that Horce Grant couldnt take it anymore and left the team to join the Magics.
I think its great that a few players are like this. It shows me that they really want to win and not just sign a big contract and coast until they retire. Plus the Lakers bench sucked big time in the 2nd game. Bostons bench outscored them and that dude Powe killed them with something like 24 points.
Keep cussing Kobe, I think you can beat Boston (if the refs make legit calls)
Phil Jackson was asked why he never yells at Kobe. He said that of all of the players he has ever coached, no one works harder than Kobe, even Jordan.
In my opinion, I am not trying to say that he is better than Jordan but he is pretty close.
No one likes to admit that there is a player that comes close to Jordan and I have seen Jordan in his prime. He was unreal. Kobe is close but not quite there yet.
Not sure if MJ was much harder on his teammates than Kobe is.
I really don't think that the Lakers will beat the Celtics. All great players need help and if the rest of the Lakers crew does not get it going, they will lose the series no matter how great Kobe plays.
In my opinion, I am not trying to say that he is better than Jordan but he is pretty close.
No one likes to admit that there is a player that comes close to Jordan and I have seen Jordan in his prime. He was unreal. Kobe is close but not quite there yet.
Not sure if MJ was much harder on his teammates than Kobe is.
I really don't think that the Lakers will beat the Celtics. All great players need help and if the rest of the Lakers crew does not get it going, they will lose the series no matter how great Kobe plays.
I notice Schilling was careful to mention that he wasn't criticizing basketball, only observing an interesting difference with baseball. But I think the difference is perfectly understandable.
Basketball is a contact sport; baseball is not. Basketball is physically exhausting, with the players in constant motion; baseball players get plenty of opportunity to rest. Curt Schilling, a pitcher, always gets plenty of rest between performances; he has never experienced the grueling schedule of an NBA player.
It seems to me that in order to win in basketball, players must psyche themselves up to a degree that baseball players do not.
Obviously different basketball teams behave differently and not every player is like Kobe, but all winning basketball teams are intense.
It would be strange for a baseball player to carry on during a game the way that Kobe does, but it is not strange at all for basketball; basketball is simply much more intense physically. Kobe is obviously just trying to psyche up his team, and psyche up himself, in order to perform at a high level.
Basketball is a contact sport; baseball is not. Basketball is physically exhausting, with the players in constant motion; baseball players get plenty of opportunity to rest. Curt Schilling, a pitcher, always gets plenty of rest between performances; he has never experienced the grueling schedule of an NBA player.
It seems to me that in order to win in basketball, players must psyche themselves up to a degree that baseball players do not.
Obviously different basketball teams behave differently and not every player is like Kobe, but all winning basketball teams are intense.
It would be strange for a baseball player to carry on during a game the way that Kobe does, but it is not strange at all for basketball; basketball is simply much more intense physically. Kobe is obviously just trying to psyche up his team, and psyche up himself, in order to perform at a high level.
Never underestimate the Celtics my friend. The Lakers played a horrible game in the second half. The Lakers were up by 24 points at one point and up by 18 points at the half. That was definitely one of the greatest comebacks I have seen in a very long time if not the greatest.guyroch said:What the hell happened .... Went to Bed and the Lakers were kicking Celtic
Butt ... Wake up and Celtics are up 3-1 in series ..
This was with Rondo and Perkins being hurt and barely playing. James Posey and Eddie House were excellent off the bench.
The defence was smothering the Lakers in that second half and it was a great performance.
I must admit that some of these games have been pretty good but I was enjoying that comeback last night. That was truly something special.
Not sure that's going to happen. It could be over by Sunday. The Lakers must feel horrible. I don't think the Lakers will come back to win the series.guyroch said:Well here is hoping Lakers go back to Boston down 2-3 and take a lesson from the Celtics on how comebacks are done ..
Everyone seems so surprised that the Lakers are down 3-1. Again, Boston had the best record in the league this year. They outplayed the Lakers in both of their meetings this year so why is everyone acting like this is the upset of upsets? The Lakers were very lucky to win game three as the Celtics played quite poorly and were always hanging around. I think many people wanted to see the Kobe win the MVP and NBA Championship in the same year. His chances are running out.
The Lakers could still win the series. Game two could have easily gone to the Lakers, a game that proved the Lakers can score a dozen points in a few minutes at any time. I wouldn't be surprised if they won the next game and even if they were to take the one after that in Boston. The series is not over.
