NBA PLAYOFFS 2010

[kendoiwan]

I suppose OKC could pull this off. I'm getting the same feeling with the Lakers that I got when they lost in the Finals against Detroit (2004? with Malone, Payton, and company). They're vulnerable in these playoffs. Just not looking as strong as they have in the past. But, we'll see. I still don't think OKC will win the series, but they have a good, young squad for sure.

The 2 games LA won, they just barely won, and that was with KD struggling. Nothing about the 4 games thus far leads me to believe LA can't lose. The only explanation people offer for why LA will win is "experience". I'm not buying it.

An interesting aside, through 4 games Kobe has taken 1 more shot than Lebron and scored 44 less points.

 

[INTPness]

Yeah, Kobe pretty much sucks. Maybe one of these days he'll start putting in the extra work that is required to be an elite player. Give him time. He'll get there.

But, in all seriousness, experience does play a factor. If an unexperienced team outplays an experienced one in all facets of the game, then they will win. But, experienced teams know how to grind out the close games. They understand that it doesn't matter if you get spanked by 38 or if you lose a heartbreaker by 1. It also plays a role when the game is on the line with 2.3 seconds to play in OT. One team is composed because they've been through it over and over again. They can focus on execution rather than the "hype" of the moment. I expect OKC to be all amped up for tonight's game because of the way they won Game 4. But, I think the Lakers are going to be very poised. No need to get all crazy. Just go grind out a home victory and catch your flight to OKC for Game 6.

But, if OKC can pull it out, I'm sure it will be pandemonium. Kevin Durant is my favorite! The Thunder have the coolest uniforms! I'm moving to Oklahoma City!

 

[kendoiwan]

OKC plays a grind it out style to begin with and they are extremely well coached, so I'm not buying. This game tonight will be golden...

 

[INTPness]

Golden and.....purple?

 

[kendoiwan]

Zing!

 

[Willfrey]

Heh, realistically I don't expect OKC to take it, but stranger things have happened. I guess tonight will be the decider, I was very surprised OKC took both their games. I wouldn't give them a snowball's chance if Kobe was 100%

Either way..... GO SUNS!

 

[kendoiwan]

Heh, realistically I don't expect OKC to take it, but stranger things have happened. I guess tonight will be the decider, I was very surprised OKC took both their games. I wouldn't give them a snowball's chance if Kobe was 100%

Him not being 100% is his own fault and no excuse.

Either way..... GO SUNS!

I concur GO SUNS!!!11

 

[kendoiwan]

Kobe on Westbrook, totally changed the whole dynamic of the game.

 

[Giggly]

GO LAKERS

 

[EffEmDoubleyou]

I am not a huge NBA fan, but I do believe that every time the Lakers lose, an angel gets its wings.

 

[INTPness]

I am not a huge NBA fan, but I do believe that every time the Lakers lose, an angel gets its wings.

I thought that only happened when Phil Jackson loses a 7-game series.

He's something like 51-8 in playoff series. He's had really good squads, but................come on! That's just ridiculous. We're talking about playoff series - where you are matched up against the very best teams in the league.

 

[kendoiwan]

I thought that only happened when Phil Jackson loses a 7-game series.

He's something like 51-8 in playoff series. He's had really good squads, but................come on! That's just ridiculous. We're talking about playoff series - where you are matched up against the very best teams in the league.

Give Larry Brown those exact same rosters and he'd have the exact same results if not better...

 

[kendoiwan]

Fear The Deer!!!!!

 

[INTPness]

Give Larry Brown those exact same rosters and he'd have the exact same results if not better...

What, like 65-3, with 14 championships?

 

[kendoiwan]

What, like 65-3, with 14 championships?

I thought I was supposed to be the literal one here?

 

[INTPness]

I thought I was supposed to be the literal one here?

Let's just get back to the basics here:

-Phil Jackson has a "slightly above average" coaching record
-Kobe Bryant is a "fairly decent" basketball player (by fairly decent I mean that he could probably at least be an effective bench player on most teams)
-The Los Angeles Lakers tend to play pretty decent basketball (both historically and this year).

I didn't want to overstate anything for fear of being labeled as some *biased and delusional Laker nut*.

But, I'm open to all arguments that the coach, Kobe, and the franchise suck. I could be wrong in my assessment of their abilities.

 

[kendoiwan]

Let's just get back to the basics here:

-Phil Jackson has a "slightly above average" coaching record
-Kobe Bryant is a "fairly decent" basketball player (by fairly decent I mean that he could probably at least be an effective bench player on most teams)
-The Los Angeles Lakers tend to play pretty decent basketball (both historically and this year).

I didn't want to overstate anything for fear of being labeled as some *biased and delusional Laker nut*.

But, I'm open to all arguments that the coach, Kobe, and the franchise suck. I could be wrong in my assessment of their abilities.

I don't recall saying Kobe was anything other than great. Top 2 in the world today overall, #1 at his position.

All I was getting at was with the cast of characters Phil Jackson has had at his disposal (MJ, Scottie, Rodman, Shaq, Kobe, Gasol), if you gave Larry Brown that same cast he'd be equally as successful...

 

[INTPness]

I didn't see the first ~40 minutes of the Cleveland/Boston game (Game 2), but I heard on ESPN that LeBron seemed very passive and lacking a sense of any kind of urgency in the 2nd half. I also noticed, while watching the final 8 minutes, at one point they were down by about 12 (and making a final push) and he just seemed very nonchalant. He was smiling and kind of joking around with a teammate like the whole thing was funny. I have no idea what they were talking about obviously, maybe the conversation was something like:

Mo Williams: Dude, we're getting a beat down at home and there's only 4 minutes left.

LeBron: Ha ha. No doubt. At least we're having fun though.

I'm not saying the guy can't have fun or laugh when he's down by 12 with 4 minutes left in a playoff game, but......................I dunno. Is it just me or am I missing something? I didn't see any fire or any sign of "This is NOT going to happen on our home court! Let's TAKE this from them right now." I saw nothing of the sort.

 

[Willfrey]

I saw some the game. Saw the beginning when Boston was beating them down, but never saw anything in the middle. They made their push, but I dunno what LeBron was doing. I saw one possession when LeBron got knocked down at the end when Boston scored on a fast break. Mo brought the ball back and LeBron was just sort of sitting there. Then slowly got back up, and slowly walked to the other end and did nothing for the rest of the possession.

He's been a little banged up, at the end of the previous series he smacked his elbow pretty hard on the court, also I think one of his legs is bother him, regardless though I don't understand the way he was acting.

The Phoenix game was way more exciting.

 

[INTPness]

OK, this is the 2nd game I've seen during the playoffs (Game 5) where the best player in the world just kind of stands around and watches his team get a beat down. I mean, anyone who is watching this game, and the entire city of Cleveland, has got to be thinking, "When is LeBron going to do something?"

I'm not a Cleveland fan, but just knowing that he is the best basketball player on the planet, makes it hard to watch. And I'm not talking about the fact that they are losing. In the NBA, you can lose on any given night. It's the lack of determination to get in the lane, draw a foul. No aggression whatsoever. I just don't get it.

If Kobe had no arms and no legs, he'd still be out there trying to block shots with his buck teeth or something. Find a way to make a difference. Or don't - I don't care.