Umm first of all if you read closely, I said it was a smart strategy. Secondly, I am not a Suns fan, and thirdly even though it is a very smart strategy that doesn't mean it is much fun to watch.

What's stupid about that as compared to two guys positioning on the blocks and one of them getting called for a foul, with the same result?

In any case, it doesn't make any sense to me to have a special rule taking away the normal situation of the person being fouled doing the shooting.


Ok, a couple points here. One, there were around 105 or so possessions in the first half. The Hack-a-Shaq was employed six times. So you're telling me that something that happened about 1 in 16-20 trips down the floor ruined any enjoyment of the other 94% or so? That just doesn't make any sense.

Furthermore, this whole idea that entertainment value is the pre-eminent reason to have rules is ridiculous to me. It's a consideration, but only that. It'd be one thing if they could do this every time down the floor, but that's impossible. I mean if one is going to say aesthetic value rules all, then lets knock the shot-clock down to say 14 seconds or something so everybody has to play like Phoenix/GS/Denver do, let's discourage fouling by making it an automatic 2 shots and the ball no matter what the foul is -- after all, we all just want to see dunks and great shooting -- let's outlaw shot-blocking ... there's something to be said in my opinion for not allowing a player to hide his weaknesses. A player's total package of skills should matter, not just the ones most people happen to enjoy watching the most.

Hawks beat the Celtics 102-93.

First playoff win for Atlanta since May 16, 1999.
First ever post-season win for any tenant of Phillips Arena.

Tomorrow's forecast calls for human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, and mass hysteria.

So you are saying that Petrino is coming back to coach the Falcons and they are going to trade for McFadden as well?

:D

Watching ESPN, and I'm pretty sure Jalen Rose wants to knock Stephen A. Smith the f*ck out.

Oh, look, Lakers are up 3-0.

Melo is feeling it

It seems then that Rose has the pulse of the American people.

Since it was asked before -- Gregg Popovich was Coach of the Year in 2003.

As far as Phoenix goes, I view what's happened to them as a tragedy, as I really appreciate the style they played before the Shaq trade and I think that style is great for the league and given how really close they were, is a style that can result in a title under the right conditions. It's much better for the league certainly than the one-on-one style of Denver and GS, which might be exciting but is also just plain bad basketball.

I think the Suns should get rid of D'Antoni, but only because his strengths is running the European-style offense and they don't have the horses to do that anymore. I don't think they'll easily find a better coach though, and whatever minor additions/changes in strategy they make are not going to sufficiently mask their weaknesses. With Shaq they have to play a more traditional game, and the defensive liabilities that Shaq, Amare, and Nash have are too much to overcome when combined with their general lack of mental toughness(including D'Antoni's). Kerr won't do it, but optimally they really need to say the experiment failed, let's break this thing up and rebuild around Amare.

Stevenson is such a punk for that move. Instead of fouling him he should play defense.

That being said LeBron is a beast.

The Hawks played a great game, and the fans that showed up had alot of energy. However, unless they can hit 10 of 18 three pointers in the rest of the series, they won't be picking up any more wins.

I <3 Delonte West. Best PG in cleveland since forever(dre Miller).

What's with the Spurs/Suns. I'm not watching, but I just saw the score in the third quarter.

From what I could tell, it looks like the Suns came out desperate and the Spurs were sleepwalking from the tip. I can't see Phoenix coming with this kind of energy for another three games though, especially with 2 of them on the road, and especially because SA will have been embarrassed by their performance today.

Man, that was a huge dunk by Iguodala. If the Sixers keep up this intensity all game, they are going to go up 3-1 in the series.

Go Sixers!

Sixers are making the Pistons look very old. :)

San Antonio did come out flat today, feeling a little too good about themselves after Game Three -- but the way Phoenix played in the first half, focused every possession, was championship basketball. Had they played that way one game earlier, they'd have a real shot at this series. It shocked me because before the game, Amare looked like he just wanted it to be over -- really depressed and pretty much just hoping something good would happen. I expect the Spurs to adjust for Game 5 and match Phoenix's intensity, which will probably be enough unless the Suns play another fabulous game. I was really impressed with their intensity in the first half.

I guess I spoke too soon :(

Disappointing 2nd half.

Yeah, to the Pistons credit, they came out with an extreme sense of urgency in the second half. I haven't watched many Pistons games this year, but I hear that's their calling card - turning it on and off.

I think the second half of the game sealed this series. Unfortunately, I don't see the Sixers recovering from this one. Hell of a season though - I think every espn.com expert picked the Sixers to finish dead last in the conference.

Dallas is just... out-matched against the Hornets.

I wonder if Kidd will be suspended for that Flagrant 2 against Pargo?

I don't think he will be. No need to give the Mavs any excuses.

:)

But, on a serious note, he did grab on to the back of Pargo's neck and attempted to spike him down to the floor. If Pargo hadn't put his hands up, he could've been seriously injured.

I think reputation will play a big part of it. If that was Jerry Stackhouse, he would get two games

It's one of those things where if Pargo had been hurt, Kidd would have been facing suspension. When I first saw it in real-time I thought Kidd was going for the ball and didn't realise he had Pargo's head, but in slow-mo it's obvious.

the fine on paul pierce is fucking ridiculous. horford ought to get one too for taunting. That's ridiculous!!

Okay I like trash talk as much as the next guy but the Wizards REALLY need to shut up.

But Pierce was throwing up a "gang sign":rolleyes:

They need to get Jay-Z to make a diss tracks for them.

The Magic are through to the second round.

Joe Johnson is scoring at will out there.

If Joe Johnson can get in the paint like this against Boston I can't even begin to imagine what Lebron will do to them.

Wow, we may have a series in this Boston-Atlanta matchup.

gah - how bad are the C's looking these past two games!!

Detroit being tied 2-2 with Philly is not that surprising to me, with how well they played them in the regular season, and how horrible the Pistons are as professionals. They just sleepwalk way too much so that doesn't shock me.

Boston playing like this is unreal though.

28 points (so far) in the 4th quarter for Atlanta, 18 for Johnson & 10 for Smith.

yeah. They are playing like shit I gotta say

I always liked Joe Johnson when he was on the Suns, nice to see him doing well.

It isn't that shocking to me. I always thought and said that Boston would face some serious growing up in the playoffs, because of their youth at a lot of role-playing positions, because they've never been through this before as a group, and because every team that wins a title has to go through a period where they learn how to do it. I expected them to lose one to Atlanta -- two is a little surprising, and I thought the next round vs. Cleveland would be their real wake-up call so to speak, but the Hawks are playing hungry and Boston isn't a championship team yet(which isn't to say they can't get there by the end of the playoffs, but they've got learning to do).

I'm not sure the Celtics have played that badly, at least in Game 4. They were up 10 going into the 4th and then Joe Johnson and Josh Smith just started hitting everything. Meanwhile, the Cetics had a couple bunnies missed - Pierce's layup most obvious, Garnett had a couple rim out in the 4th, and the two times ATL missed they got offensive rebounds over Celtics players. I will say I'm not a fan of the offense running through Garnett in crunch-time - if he's the one shooting or taking it to the rim, there's rarely anyone else to get an offensive rebound as at least 3 guys are waiting for kick-out 3's.

C's also shot HORRIBLY from the FT-line.

Last two minutes... come on Lakers, you can pull this one off.

Woohoo! Sweep, baby! Yeah!

Woot! The only sweep of the first round?

Could be some suspensions from this altercation:



Here's the highlight at 15 seconds in from a different angle:



Supposedly Marvin Williams and Kendrick Perkins left the bench during it as well. Let's see if Stern sticks to his "I have no choice" BS and suspends all these guys (supposedly shoving a ref is an auto suspension as well).

I didn't think the C's played all that poorly either - I'm just trying to figure out how the Hawks only won 37 games this year. Even on paper they look better than that in the Eastern Conference.

Williams and Perkins took one step away from the bench. It's not even close to what Amare did last year, not even close. Suns fans really need to let that go from last year. Amare deserved the suspension

As for the picture, the ref was trying to restrain him, I doubt that will get the suspension.

In Garnett's defense, it doesn't look like he ever sees who is grabbing his arm before he pushes him away.

As for Perkins, you can see him in the background during the clip. He's already up off the bench (going to the scorers table maybe?) and takes a step towards the ref before the altercation. During the altercation, he makes no move towards it, but he is technically on the court, so who knows. Can't see Williams at all.

Dola - is it just me or did these NBA refs do a really bad job getting involved in the altercation? What is that one ref thinking trying to pull Garnett back from the side and behind?

If you're playing peacemaker - and especially where no one is even allowed to touch you - you simply get your body in between both sides and make sure they see you there, maybe start pushing the two sides apart with your hands. Grabbing guys from the side or behind is going to further confuse the situation. and is about the only chance you have of getting clocked (Kermit Washington aside.)