2007 NBA Playoffs Thread

[k0ruptr]

I'm a huge LeBron fan, and I have no doubt he will bounce back from this performance.


But it is hilarious everytime Tony Parker scores, the announcers say "Thats great defense by LeBron James"

[amdaily]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

I'm a huge LeBron fan, and I have no doubt he will bounce back from this performance.


But it is hilarious everytime Tony Parker scores, the announcers say "Thats great defense by LeBron James"

Yeah, they've been all over LBJ all night. Loved the half time show where they predicted he was gonna suddenly channel MJ and "take over" the second half when he was 0-9 at the time.

It's all about ratings though. Everyone knows the Spurs wll win in 4 by 15+ in each game. It's up to the announcers to keep the the game watchable in the viewers mind.

[Chief Rum]

But...but...but...

LeBron's the best player in the NBA ever!!!

[amdaily]

So... a giant "what if" here, but lets say Daniel "7 of 9, 66% from 3pt land" gets all of Larry "the fucking worthless gimp" Hughes minutes: do the Cavs win the game?

Seriously, at what point should a coach deactivate a critically injured, just outright bad player?

If you know, please page Mike Brown. God damn Even with Lebron's hideous night, this game was manageable.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by amdaily

So... a giant "what if" here, but lets say Daniel "7 of 9, 66% from 3pt land" gets all of Larry "the fucking worthless gimp" Hughes minutes: do the Cavs win the game?

Seriously, at what point should a coach deactivate a critically injured, just outright bad player?

If you know, please page Mike Brown. God damn Even with Lebron's hideous night, this game was manageable.

Boobie has to be out there 40 minutes a night. I think Brown will figure that out, hopefully. I had a bad feeling they were going to get blown out tonight....lets hope they got something positive out of the decent 4th quarter. Last year they got humiliated by the Pistons in game one, and at least they learned from it. Guys cannot keep leaving their men behind like they have been. The Spurs guys don't miss from three, you can't leave them open.

[Crim]

Was working and couldn't watch the game... I heard that the game was still in reach, Cavs down 8 with, like, 2 minutes to play, and they just started letting the Spurs spin clock instead of fouling. That right? If so, Mike Brown sucks. Oh, wait, I guess "Mike Brown sucks" has been well established at this point. He's the Joe Madden of the NBA.

[Brian Swartz]

How Cleveland reacts to this loss will determine whether this is any kind of series. They could possibly push it to six, but this is the first time they've been really challenged. They were never outplayed by Detroit or Washington and both losses to New Jersey came when they were in control of the series(up 2-0 and 3-1).

On Mike Brown I think he's horrible at managing games, but he's done a better job than most are willing to admit on getting the Cavs to play better together: Ilgauskas, Gooden, Varejao have all made big strides since he started as Cleveland's coach. Not in Popovich's class obviously, but then few are.

[Groundhog]

LeBron SHOULD bounce back, and hopefully Boobie SHOULD start too.

As painful as it was to watch the 2nd half and part of the 2nd Q, that Tim Duncan move in the 2nd Q where he faked the hand off (to Manu?) and hit the turnaround from above the FT line was one of the most beautiful basketball moves I've ever seen.

[k0ruptr]

Hughes should be deactivated, With Gibson starting, and giving Eric Snow more minutes

[Groundhog]

"Coach" Brown said there will be no lineup changes in game 2.

Super.

[k0ruptr]

lol. There's always next year. heh

[Crim]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

"Coach" Brown said there will be no lineup changes in game 2.

wow.

[Crim]

Larry Hughes: 20 minutes, no points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers. I didn't watch the game. I imagine the box score tells the story pretty well.

[Groundhog]

The box score didn't tell it half as well as the game did. I honestly don't see why he is out there. It's not just the injury - he actually seemed to move pretty well. It's just that he can't shoot worth a damn and made no contribution to the game what-so-ever apart from some bad passes in the second half.

I'm still in disbelief that Coach took LeBron out for the last 9 minutes of the 1st Q after he picked up 2 quick fouls. We just fell apart, and LeBron ended up with just what, 3 fouls to finish the game? He should have switched Gibson or someone on to Parker and trusted LeBron to not pick up a quick third.

Gibson and V were the two most solid contributors tonight through-out. Gooden made some shots, but his lack of awareness on D really hurt as Duncan capitalised on pretty much everyone of his mistakes. LeBron was better and more aggressive, but man, he needed to finish some of those drives with dunks. He made most of the lay-ins, but a couple of the ones he missed he could've easily thrown it down. He came out in the 3rd looking like the LeBron I've seen all season - making great passes that led to easy baskets, but when he steps into "take over" mode the results are sometimes mixed, and I saw him miss at least 2 open guys in the 3rd Q that he usually would've found, one being V cutting to the hoop, and the other an open Gibson in the corner where LeBron dribbled away from him and then turned it over.

Z is another guy that needs to throw the damn ball down when he gets it in close. He is 7'3 and just tosses it at the ring.

Still, was a good 4th Q and better 3rd Q after a painful first half, and I'm hopeful we can pick up a W at home.

[stevew]

someone needs to give larry hughes some food poisonin'....sonofabitch they better find any trade for him this summer. I will take back ANY player in the league for him, as long as their contract is the same length or shorter.

[Ksyrup]

I've only watched about 5 minutes of this series, but I happened to turn it on when the Cavs were making a serious comeback and saw that spinning wild shot that Parker made...what a joke. He took 3 and a half steps! There is no way I could watch basketball on a regular basis and put up with nonsense like that.

[miami_fan]

Hey look on the bright side. The Cavs finally figured out how to come out strong in the 3rd quarter.

I expected the Spurs to beat them in 5 but the Cavs are not giving themselves a chance. Why the Cavs insists on trying to match up against the Spurs half court defense is beyond me. They have to make this an up and down game and force the Spurs to play them all over the court. I think it is time to sit both Hughes and Z. Neither is producing enough at the offense end to make up the massive shortcomings at the defensive end. Get

[Brian Swartz]

I've only watched about 5 minutes of this series, but I happened to turn it on when the Cavs were making a serious comeback and saw that spinning wild shot that Parker made...what a joke. He took 3 and a half steps! There is no way I could watch basketball on a regular basis and put up with nonsense like that

I don't understand comments like this. Yes Parker traveled on that play, but there are calls just as blatant all the time in other sports, and they have more impact on the outcome since there are a lot more scoring plays in basketball. Why is it that(seemingly) people expect more from basketball referees than in other sports?

[Butter]

Originally Posted by amdaily

So... a giant "what if" here, but lets say Daniel "7 of 9, 66% from 3pt land" gets all of Larry "the fucking worthless gimp" Hughes minutes: do the Cavs win the game?

Seriously, at what point should a coach deactivate a critically injured, just outright bad player?

If you know, please page Mike Brown. God damn Even with Lebron's hideous night, this game was manageable.

So, you're back to being a credible NBA critic again? Sweet.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

I'm still in disbelief that Coach took LeBron out for the last 9 minutes of the 1st Q after he picked up 2 quick fouls.

Yep, that was completely ridiculous. Maybe if you have a team of solid contributors and your superstar picks up two quick fouls do you sit him down, but LeBron is this team. Crazy.

Z is another guy that needs to throw the damn ball down when he gets it in close. He is 7'3 and just tosses it at the ring.

For real. He plays like a pansy near the rim.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I've only watched about 5 minutes of this series, but I happened to turn it on when the Cavs were making a serious comeback and saw that spinning wild shot that Parker made...what a joke. He took 3 and a half steps! There is no way I could watch basketball on a regular basis and put up with nonsense like that.

That was all the more absurd considering that LeBron was called for a very similar travel earlier in the game.

[Groundhog]

OK, so no Hughes tonight and Gibson starts. Finally.

We'll see how we go now...

[Groundhog]

Stuck at work but managed to watch the ugly 3rd Q.

Even though LeBron probably should have kept taking Bowen on in the post, he made some nice passes to open perimeter players who failed to knock down open 3s.

Z is having a hell of a game, too.

[st.cronin]

Well, that was lame.

[Lathum]

looks like it's time for LaBron to step up

[Groundhog]

So, who takes the 3... LeBron?

[heybrad]

I'm no expert on the Cavs, but everytime I watch them Varejao strikes me as a total spaz. And yes, Ilgauskas was having a great game, and yet he's now sitting on the bench in favor of Varejao. Mmmmkay.

[Groundhog]

V is all energy. I really like him, but he's still a few more years away from getting any kind of polish on his game.

[Lathum]

pop

[Groundhog]

Game over, and that's it for the Cavs. They might win game 4 due to the Spurs mailing it in, but that's the best they can hope for.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Game over, and that's it for the Cavs. They might win game 4 due to the Spurs mailing it in, but that's the best they can hope for.

nah, spurs are to focused.

[stevew]

I was expecting a better showing than this. Totally pathetic. I guess that's what happens when you have a fucked up roster, and a dumbass coach. An Bron can cry all he wants about being fouled there(he clearly was), it's not like he goes to the line and knocks down 3 in a row anyways.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by stevew

I was expecting a better showing than this. Totally pathetic. I guess that's what happens when you have a fucked up roster, and a dumbass coach. An Bron can cry all he wants about being fouled there(he clearly was), it's not like he goes to the line and knocks down 3 in a row anyways.

exactly, they never should have been in that position anyway.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Lathum

exactly, they never should have been in that position anyway.

They should have won this game by around 10 points with the way the Spurs played.

[Karlifornia]

At least they made the Finals and the Ghost of Ehlo-past has released the franchise.

[Groundhog]

Yeah, that's the most frustrating thing - the Spurs were not playing near to 100% tonight, and the Cavs just couldn't get anything going.

Far too passive on offense... it's like no one wanted to be the one who missed the shot.

[Young Drachma]

Danny Ferry better start earning his keep as a GM and get LeBron some players around him. Gibson is a nice piece to the puzzle, but seriously..that team is pretty bad.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Danny Ferry better start earning his keep as a GM and get LeBron some players around him. Gibson is a nice piece to the puzzle, but seriously..that team is pretty bad.

I'd like to see him do just that, but I don't know how. Gooden's contract makes him the most tradeable asset. I'd move him if we can hang on to V and get either an athletic wing who can shoot and create his own shot, or a PG like Andre Miller. Everybody else is overpaid or has no trade value.

[Ajaxab]

A lot of people are tough on Mike Brown and to a degree, that is entirely justifiable. But the 'no excuses' mantra is one thing that I think will be valuable to the Cavs moving forward. The fact that Brown refuses to jump up and down screaming and yelling after calls in the 2nd quarter like a certain coach in the desert or even make a big deal out of what was definitely a foul at the end of the game is something that will make Cleveland mentally tougher in the future.

I'm not sure what to say about last night's game. The Spurs played horribly except for their defense and their three point shooting. That they can still win the game may be down to Cleveland or it may be down to their own greatness that they can pull it out when their offensive game has gone down the toilet.

[dime]

someone tell the sports guy that if the spurs were really a fantastic team, they wouldn't need their opponent to go 1-20 from 3 to win by a point on the road.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by stevew

An Bron can cry all he wants about being fouled there(he clearly was)

SportsCenter showed a part of LeBron's media interview after the game, and he called it "incidental contact" and said it made no difference to his shot - he just missed. Which is classy. They also interviewed a bunch of Spurs, who all said it was Bowen's job to foul him there, and he had been trying to, which was funny.

[Brian Swartz]

someone tell the sports guy that if the spurs were really a fantastic team, they wouldn't need their opponent to go 1-20 from 3 to win by a point on the road.

Try 3-19 from 3, and a 3-point win. But aside from that, every team has days where they can't shoot and San Antonio missed a lot of layups and easy two-point shots. The point is that they still did the other things. For example, some observers might consider it impressive that they are outrebounding the best rebounding team in the league for the series, or that they've managed to contain James, which Detroit could not do.

[dime]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Try 3-19 from 3, and a 3-point win. But aside from that, every team has days where they can't shoot and San Antonio missed a lot of layups and easy two-point shots. The point is that they still did the other things. For example, some observers might consider it impressive that they are outrebounding the best rebounding team in the league for the series, or that they've managed to contain James, which Detroit could not do.

cleveland also missed a lot of layups and easy two-point shots. there weren't any good teams playing last night, and it should have proved to those who want to put the spurs up there with the bulls and lakers dynasties that they are very foolish. as for "containing" james, if he was even a threat to make the jump shot (as he was in the last few games of the detroit series) he would be putting 30+ up on the spurs. they aren't doing anything special to make him miss the open jump shot.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by dime

there weren't any good teams playing last night, and it should have proved to those who want to put the spurs up there with the bulls and lakers dynasties that they are very foolish.

Couldn't disagree more. The Spurs are a very, very good team and deserve to be mentioned amongst all the other great dynasties. Having one off-night doesn't negate that. It's not like the Bulls (who lost to the woeful Raptors twice I believe in the 72 win season in 96?) or Lakers went undefeated for 82 games and every playoff series and never had an off night.

[Brian Swartz]

they aren't doing anything special to make him miss the open jump shot.

Au contraire. They aren't allowing him any uncontested dunks/layups. Any shooter will tell you that getting these kind of easy points helps you get in a rhythm for jumpers.

As for the comparison with other teams, I totally agree with Groundhog. As of right now the Spurs are 15-4 this year in the playoffs, which compares favorably with 80-90% of championship teams. They had an even more impressive run during their 2003 title run. I don't think the Spurs as a good as Jordan's Bulls, but their record of accomplishment over several years is matched by few franchises. That's what makes a dynasty, not one game(and the same is true of games like Game 2 or Game 5 vs. Utah when they dominate).

[Groundhog]

Well, barring a miracle in these final 7 seconds, the NBA's nightmare Finals are done.

[Groundhog]

dola

And the NBA REALLY needs less timeouts.

[k0ruptr]

Woah, what an end. Cleveland tried as hard as they could to say Hell no to the sweep

[Groundhog]

They should've started trying about 3 quarters earlier.

[Karlifornia]

Cavs fans booing the team that just dismantled theirs.