NBA Playoffs

[st.cronin]

I don't know much about basketball, but why don't the Clippers just give the ball to Brand every single possesion? It seems like he should be able to score 80-100 points against the Suns.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

I don't know much about basketball, but why don't the Clippers just give the ball to Brand every single possesion? It seems like he should be able to score 80-100 points against the Suns.

I agree. The Suns don't have anyone on their roster who can guard him, since KT is hurt.

[Groundhog]

Can Cavs pull it off???

Stupid 3-in-the-key on Z...

[bob]

I am so sick of refs anticipating calls rather than waiting to see if contact actually happens. I'm also sick of Pistons players being whistled for fouls because of reputation rather than what actually happens on the court.

[amdaily]

Looks like the Cavs have forgotten how to shoot again...

Detriot fans shouldn't worry about much.

[Groundhog]

I heart Donyell Marshall... keep bringing in those boards, baby!

[Groundhog]

Can't keep missing these FTs.

[amdaily]

For as many game winners as Lebron has had, he has also had more than his share of losers. 0-2 in the last 1:15 of a game isn't going to cut it

[Groundhog]

Well, it's Lebron time again. 39 seconds, Cavs ball.

[Groundhog]

Gooden!

[kingfc22]

Somebody just got SWATTED!!!

[kingfc22]

Ping Rasheed Wallace: Was that guarantee of a win for the 06/07 season?

[amdaily]

Wow. Diehard Cavs fan and I still can't believe it!

[Groundhog]

Damn Snow... 1 second left... c'mon Cavs, get the stop.

[Groundhog]

YES!!!!!!

[Groundhog]

Considering people thought Cavs would go 4 and out in this series, this is amazing... I'm lost for words. Now they got to win 1 out of 2. Won't be easy - Pistons will come out firing - but having the best player in the NBA has to count for something.

[jbmagic]

I still think the Spurs and Detroit will end up winning there series and advancing to the NBA finals.

[cmp]

I'm still shocked at how Lebron can push people down and its not called a foul. Also, since when is it called a charge when someone slides in front of someone who's already in the air.

[Logan]

First NBA playoff game that I've watched (almost) in its entirety in about 6 years.

Wasn't too bad.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by gold101

I'm still shocked at how Lebron can push people down and its not called a foul. Also, since when is it called a charge when someone slides in front of someone who's already in the air.

Maybe Rip Hamilton should've tried to actually get a shot off instead of that pathetic, last-ditch attempt to draw a foul at the buzzer?

[Gary Gorski]

WTF was that? What a disaster by Detroit. Flip needs to go - what kind of play was that to draw up at the end and why is Lindsey Hunter doing shooting with the game on the line? He's like 50 years old - he's been around long enough to realize how much time is on the clock. And Billups fouling out on a breakaway - brilliant move there. Lets see, do we give up 2 points or do I, the MVP of the team and the only one who has the ability to do anything offensively commit my final foul and put a decent FT shooter on the line where he's going to get at least 1 if not 2 points. I don't know about you but I would rather give up 2 points and have Billups on the floor for the most important 2 minutes in the season to this point.

For as much crap as we put up with in regards to Larry at least he could draw up a play to get a shot off. Brilliant move to send a right handed shooter, down two points, to the left corner where his only move would be across his body to even have the possibility of getting off a shot. There's a reason Minnesota never got anywhere in the playoffs and its not because there were so many great teams in the West. And how can you not stop a pick and roll with a guy like Varejo? They run the same damn play every time and LeBron just picks it apart time and time again. Saunders just has been a disaster this entire series and he deserves alot of blame for being down 3-2 to the freakin Cavs. No offense Cavs fans, LeBron and Co are playing their ass off and deserve all 3 wins they got but this series should have been over after game 4.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Gary Gorski

WTF was that? What a disaster by Detroit. Flip needs to go - what kind of play was that to draw up at the end and why is Lindsey Hunter doing shooting with the game on the line? He's like 50 years old - he's been around long enough to realize how much time is on the clock. And Billups fouling out on a breakaway - brilliant move there. Lets see, do we give up 2 points or do I, the MVP of the team and the only one who has the ability to do anything offensively commit my final foul and put a decent FT shooter on the line where he's going to get at least 1 if not 2 points. I don't know about you but I would rather give up 2 points and have Billups on the floor for the most important 2 minutes in the season to this point.

I love how the commentator started raving about how great of a play that was. "He kept LeBron away from the easy two points. [pause] That's #6 on Billups. He's gone!"

P.S. I hate, hate, HATE the NBA rules with timeouts in the backcourt and then inbounding the ball all the way up court.

[cmp]

Originally Posted by Logan

Maybe Rip Hamilton should've tried to actually get a shot off instead of that pathetic, last-ditch attempt to draw a foul at the buzzer?

Yep, that was definitely a horrible last play.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Gary Gorski

WTF was that? What a disaster by Detroit. Flip needs to go - what kind of play was that to draw up at the end and why is Lindsey Hunter doing shooting with the game on the line? He's like 50 years old - he's been around long enough to realize how much time is on the clock. And Billups fouling out on a breakaway - brilliant move there. Lets see, do we give up 2 points or do I, the MVP of the team and the only one who has the ability to do anything offensively commit my final foul and put a decent FT shooter on the line where he's going to get at least 1 if not 2 points. I don't know about you but I would rather give up 2 points and have Billups on the floor for the most important 2 minutes in the season to this point.

For as much crap as we put up with in regards to Larry at least he could draw up a play to get a shot off. Brilliant move to send a right handed shooter, down two points, to the left corner where his only move would be across his body to even have the possibility of getting off a shot. There's a reason Minnesota never got anywhere in the playoffs and its not because there were so many great teams in the West. And how can you not stop a pick and roll with a guy like Varejo? They run the same damn play every time and LeBron just picks it apart time and time again. Saunders just has been a disaster this entire series and he deserves alot of blame for being down 3-2 to the freakin Cavs. No offense Cavs fans, LeBron and Co are playing their ass off and deserve all 3 wins they got but this series should have been over after game 4.

I have to agree with you. I find it difficult to believe that play went down quite how Flip planned it - at least you would hope so, or else it just boggles the mind.

As a Cavs fan I do agree that this team should have been out of this series - and probably out of the Wizards series, too. I think it really speaks volumes of the skill of James that they haven't been. A team like the Pistons though should absolutely outclass this one-man train, yet they haven't been able to and I think you need to look hard at Flip for that.

[Young Drachma]

LeBron keeps on teaching lessons. Hope Kobe is watching. He can't use his team's inexperience as a crutch anymore.

That said, whose team has more talent (playoff performances notwithstanding..) - Kobe's Lakers or LeBron's Cavs?

[Deattribution]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

As a Cavs fan I do agree that this team should have been out of this series - and probably out of the Wizards series, too. I think it really speaks volumes of the skill of James that they haven't been. A team like the Pistons though should absolutely outclass this one-man train, yet they haven't been able to and I think you need to look hard at Flip for that.

I think Mike Brown deserves alot of credit, perhaps more so than James at this point - there have been several games where James hasn't been the deciding factor but with great use of the entire team they have got by. Lebron has definitely elevated himself through the playoffs in both series though.

[Gary Gorski]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

I have to agree with you. I find it difficult to believe that play went down quite how Flip planned it - at least you would hope so, or else it just boggles the mind.

As a Cavs fan I do agree that this team should have been out of this series - and probably out of the Wizards series, too. I think it really speaks volumes of the skill of James that they haven't been. A team like the Pistons though should absolutely outclass this one-man train, yet they haven't been able to and I think you need to look hard at Flip for that.

I wish I could say that's not how Flip drew it up but the sad thing is that he's been so outcoached in this series that I really can't say that isn't the way he designed it. The Pistons have lost their edge it seems and the only real difference between this team and the one that has been to the last two championship series is Flip.

LeBron is just a freak. If anyone still has doubts about him I don't know what you are watching. The scariest thing is that he's doing this at his age with nothing really around him. He's got a team of average to decent players around him (and not to mention not having Hughes) and they're beating a team with four all-stars.

[Deattribution]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

LeBron keeps on teaching lessons. Hope Kobe is watching. He can't use his team's inexperience as a crutch anymore.

That said, whose team has more talent (playoff performances notwithstanding..) - Kobe's Lakers or LeBron's Cavs?

I think Lebron has more talent on his team, but it looks like a huge gap because theyre better utilized thus far. Kobe was doing good at the start of the playoffs til he became the Kobe of old.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Deattribution

I think Mike Brown deserves alot of credit, perhaps more so than James at this point - there have been several games where James hasn't been the deciding factor but with great use of the entire team they have got by. Lebron has definitely elevated himself through the playoffs in both series though.

Yeah, I noticed this in the last game I watched especially. You could just tell he had control of that team. In the era of Larry Brown-esque meltdowns or throwing his players under the bus, you have to appreciate that.

[jbmagic]

Flip doesnt have a good playoff record in his career.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

LeBron keeps on teaching lessons. Hope Kobe is watching. He can't use his team's inexperience as a crutch anymore.

That said, whose team has more talent (playoff performances notwithstanding..) - Kobe's Lakers or LeBron's Cavs?

Kobe's Lakers IMO. I think Lamar Odom is very talented and had a much better 2nd half of the season than he did 1st. Chris Mihm is an under-rated bigman. Lack of depth and Smush Parker at PG are the main weaknesses, but Smush had a decent season.

Cavs 2nd best player is probably Z, but he's far too inconsistent. Gooden gets his numbers but has a frustratingly low basketball IQ. Donyell Marshall is a very nice option off the bench, but shoots too many 3s. Larry Hughes would be a nice player if he could shoot higher than 30% from the floor.

It's pretty close, but I just don't think the Cavs have a Lamar Odom-esque player for their LeBron.

[Neon_Chaos]

I sure do hope the Pistons and Spurs are gonna be gone when the 2nd round ends. We need new champs!

[Groundhog]

Well, if Pistons and Spurs lose, it looks likely that it will be a Mavs-Heat final. That could be quite interesting. My money would be on Mavs, but I think those teams match up well.

[Groundhog]

Spurs win. Big block by Bowen on Nowitzki near the end (didn't see it, just watching the PbP on NBA.com).

[PackerFanatic]

Good game.

[Franklinnoble]

Obvious "make-up" game by the refs in San Antonio. Instead of three fouls on the Spurs in the last ten seconds, they get two jump balls and a no-call.

I got no dog in this fight, but after seeing that, I hope Dallas pounds San Antonio in game 6. That was just sad.

[MrBug708]

Flip Saunders performs pretty bad in the post season...

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Logan

P.S. I hate, hate, HATE the NBA rules with timeouts in the backcourt and then inbounding the ball all the way up court.

Oh, I know. It sucks. Your team runs the clock down from 24 hits some shot with like 3 seconds left, and then the other team still gets that last ditch attempt. And the last 2 minutes take about 40 minutes real time.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by gold101

I'm still shocked at how Lebron can push people down and its not called a foul. Also, since when is it called a charge when someone slides in front of someone who's already in the air.

Wah. The Pistons outshot the Cavs 42-22 in game 2 from the line. You can get position until the ball goes above the guys waist.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Considering people thought Cavs would go 4 and out in this series, this is amazing... I'm lost for words. Now they got to win 1 out of 2. Won't be easy - Pistons will come out firing - but having the best player in the NBA has to count for something.

They gotta get it done in game 6. Hopefully LeBron can put together a 25 point first half, and they role. A "Miracle in Richfield" for the next generation.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Gooden!

So apparently I work all night on the night that Stupid 90 actually makes a clutch shot.

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Spurs win. Big block by Bowen on Nowitzki near the end (didn't see it, just watching the PbP on NBA.com).

Looked to me like Bowen got some wrist on that "block", but that just might be the homer in me.

Also, after the first jump ball Terry has possesion of the ball and was calling for time when the two Spurs jumped on top of him, causing the second jump...

Poorly officiated series all around.

[Logan]

I meant to post last night that if I were the Spurs, I would kick Michael Finley off the team for starting to flip out near the end of regulation and just begging for a technical.

Would've felt pretty stupid about it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playof...ory?id=2450020

DALLAS -- The Mavericks-Spurs series took another wild turn Thursday, with Dallas guard Jason Terry getting suspended from Game 6 for punching former teammate Michael Finley while chasing a loose ball in the closing seconds of Game 5.

Terry and Finley jostled with 3.4 seconds left in San Antonio's 98-97 victory on Wednesday night. Terry wound up on his back, grasping the ball, but Spurs forward Manu Ginobili got a hand on it, too, to force a jump ball.

While officials were trying to sort out who had possession, Finley was visibly angry and needing to be restrained by teammates. He appeared to be making a fist and telling his teammates that someone had punched him.

Nothing was called at the time. Neither team mentioned it during postgame interviews.

"Unbelievable," Mavs owner Mark Cuban wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "Michael Finley does a pile driver with his hip to Jason's head while he is on the ground. Jason is on his back with Ginobili laying on top of him.

"No question he tried to get Finley off of him and he should be fined for that. But to suspend him is questionable."

Terry missed a 15-foot jumper in the closing seconds, allowing San Antonio to keep alive its title defense.

The Mavericks still lead the series 3-2. They have another chance to advance to the conference finals with Game 6 at home. If the Spurs win, Game 7 would be Monday night in San Antonio.

Terry already had been sharing point-guard duties with Devin Harris since Game 2. Dallas' most likely move would be adding Jerry Stackhouse to the lineup.

Stackhouse and Finley tangled at the end of Game 2, with Stackhouse getting a technical foul.

Finley has been a lightning bolt all series, with his teammates and coaches offended that he's been getting booed in Dallas. Finley spent the previous nine seasons with the Mavericks, making the All-Star team twice and leaving as the fourth-leading scorer in franchise history.

After practice Thursday, Terry was finishing shooting before speaking to reporters when he was called to the locker room by coach Avery Johnson. He didn't return and he wasn't expected to take part in his local radio show scheduled for Thursday night.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by stevew

Wah. The Pistons outshot the Cavs 42-22 in game 2 from the line. You can get position until the ball goes above the guys waist.

FT disparity means very little when discussing how good or bad the refs were

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Logan

I meant to post last night that if I were the Spurs, I would kick Michael Finley off the team for starting to flip out near the end of regulation and just begging for a technical.

Would've felt pretty stupid about it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playof...ory?id=2450020

So is this a case of the refs actually seeing it? Or are they just taking Finley's word for it? Either way this is a big blow to the Mavs/

[Logan]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

So is this a case of the refs actually seeing it? Or are they just taking Finley's word for it? Either way this is a big blow to the Mavs/

I'm guessing the NBA went back and reviewed the tape.

[JeeberD]

Unreal...

[RGunner]

I find it shocking that Terry gets suspended for what they cant even see, yet the guy on Denver reaches under Kaman and pulls on his nuts, yet doesnt receive a suspension even though its easily seen on camera...i still think dallas wins tomorrow night anyways.

[Deattribution]

Originally Posted by RGunner

I find it shocking that Terry gets suspended for what they cant even see, yet the guy on Denver reaches under Kaman and pulls on his nuts, yet doesnt receive a suspension even though its easily seen on camera...i still think dallas wins tomorrow night anyways.

He was just giving him a free testicle exam.

[Groundhog]

Suns get roasted by Brand and co today. The Suns style of ball can be deadly, but they just can't stop the likes of Elton Brand. I see the Clippers moving on to the next round.