Official NBA Playoffs 2006 Thread

As a casual fan, I remember first hearing about Nash leaving the Mavs a while back, but was surprised when it ended up doing him AND the Mavs some good. I didn't expect to see them get this far, but hey, I guess I'm starting to get into the home team.

 

What did I say about Kobe? The man is the best player in the NBA today. Wow...

 

I edited my post and deleted my thoughts on Kobe. Simply because the Suns already beat the Lakers and because too many people love him and will probably just start a fight.

I've been a Suns fan since I was a kid. It's good to see them winning. I love watching them play. I will enjoy the Suns/Clippers games, and hopefully 2 more series.

Suns beat the Clippers tonight. Good game. Great sportsmanship by both teams to start things off.

 

Hah. When I get, as you put it, 'clotheslined', I am just emotionally shattered too. Aren't we all? I mean, it hurts my feelers every time. I'm going to go cry for my dear Colby now.

I give it up to the Suns for coming back in the series. That was some great basketball.

 

I started editing that before you posted. My point is that Kobe had to make a scene so that people wouldn't think it bothered him, but it did.

I can't spell half the time. Sue me.

 

I wasn't mocking your spelling, I just didn't know there was a name for that karate chop Raja laid down. I wasn't starting a fight either, I don't like the way Kobe acts. I respect the way he plays though.

I'm more interested in watching Lebron James. I feel like I'm watching the future 'G.O.A.T.' when he is playing. Too bad the Cavs have to go against the Pistons in the 2nd round, they are going to get annihilated.

 

Im in shock about the Suns, but the better team did win at the end. The way Kobe reacted after Raja's hit was cocky, but thats Kobe. I mean nobody even expected the Lakers to win 3 games against the Suns. They are a young and unexperienced team and it showed down the stretch. The Suns now face the Clippers, which in my mind is an awesome matchup, another potential 7 gamer for the Suns. And as for the Cavs and Pistons, the Pistons are truly going to destroy the Cavs, this should be a 5 game series, maybe 6, but in no way gonna make it to game 7. The Nets handed it to the Heat today which I was very excited about, I hope they keep it up. If they keep this intensity up, the Heat stand no chance. And the Dallas vs San Antonio series is too close to call. If I were to guess who would win this series it would either be a close game 6 victory for the Spurs or a close game 7 victory for the Spurs, but I may be wrong with that, so we'll see.

 

The Pistons are going to destroy every team they go up against. They've won two games in a row against two different teams by like 25+ points. They've only lost one playoff game so far and they didn't even seem to be trying.

 

I hope Tim Thomas resigns with the Suns. With Kurt Thomas and Amare back they will need him off the bench against bigger teams. He has such an advantage because big men have to guard him and he's outside for a three. Its a damn good advantage.

 

IF Kurt Thomas and Amare were healthy for the Suns, itd be a whole different playoffs for the Suns.

 

I think that consistency will be key for the remaining contenders for the championship (in order of the amount of chance each team has to win it all) (my MVP argument is at the end):

Detroit- The most consistent. They have the will to win. They look like they completely implode for one game at a time, as evident in losses to Atlanta this season and the game they lost to Milwaukee in the first round. Then, they come back stronger than ever. I predict that they will win the championship, and I think they are most deserving.

San Antonio- Looks a lot more unstable than in past years. They have such a deep bench, but the changing leadership role from Duncan to Parker makes them much more unreliable on the scoreboard. They sometimes cannot find their stroke, and at those times, they proceed to get dominated.

Dallas- Despite the fact they've been to so many playoffs, they aren't experienced and can lose confidence. Avery Johnson is a tremendous coach, and when the players are executing properly, they become unstoppable. This team has went from a random collection of all-stars a few years ago to an actual team with role players that plays together. However, both Detroit and San Antonio will be playing MUCH harder during the postseason, and I don't think Dallas has the ability to flip a playoff switch like that yet. That comes with experience and drive.

Phoenix- If the game goes to the inside like it undoubtably will for the rest of the playoffs, they will have trouble winning games. Their biggest guys are Boris Diaw and Tim Thomas for Christ's sake. They can shoot the lights out and run the floor when they're playing "Phoenix basketball," but if things get too hairy in the key on either end of the court, they're screwed.

Miami Heat- They have the players. They have the coach. They have the playoff experience. Shaq has even said that he's flipping his playoff switch. But chemistry? Non-existant. Jason Williams, Gary Payton, and Antione Walker have always shot the ball way more than they should. James Posey steamrolled Kirk Hinrich. Shaq gets frustrated when he gets in foul trouble or misses free throws. Dwayne Wade is an injury waiting to happen. He gets knocked to the ground every time he goes to the basket; he's basically LeBron James with a bad outside shot and no size. He takes it to the basket no matter who is there, can score, but unlike LeBron, he keeps falling! Their offense is already falling apart against the Nets. They will never get past the Pistons.

L.A. Clippers- Sam Cassell (loudmouth and melodramatic) and Shaun Livingston (20 or 21 years old) running things? Elton Brand (and the entire Clippers franchise, for that matter) in their first year in the limelight? Corey Maggette trying to fit back into the offense? They are a good team with 6 or 7 REALLY good players, but not this year.

New Jersey Nets- They might beat the Heat. They can play on both ends of the floor. If just one of their big four (Carter, Kidd, Jefferson, Krstic) goes down, they won't be able to keep up with anyone. Their bench is horrible. If they remember to play together and don't just play isolation with Vince (he's not LeBron, Lawrence Frank), they have a chance. Otherwise, they just aren't as good as the other teams, mainly because they spent all their money on 3 players.

Cleveland Cavaliers- Back in October, I thought they had a chance this year. But I also thought Larry Hughes would play like Pippen, Marshall and Jones would light it up every night, and Drew Gooden would actually improve (where is Boozer when you need him? Playing with a Russian in the midst of Mormons?!? Aw, crap.) LeBron is very, very good. The reason why he isn't MVP this year is because he made no one around him better. Nash, as a lot of you have stated, made his whole team better. LeBron may have gotten a lot of assists, and he is a good passer, but for some reason his team can't convert in a Cav uniform. Still, at least he doesn't hoist 30+ footers with three guys around him like Kobe. Phil Jackson and Luke Walton made Kwame and Odom better, not Kobe. LeBron will eventually learn the intangibles that the veteran Nash knows, will have teammates that want to win, and MOST OF ALL, have a coach that can him and his team a better system under which to play. (WHO THE HELL IS MIKE BROWN?!? Nash has D'Antoni, Nowitzki has AJ, Chauncey has Saunders, Kobe has the Zenmaster, and Wade has a Riley! James won 50 games with NO help from the head coach. Could we at least let him play with Marion?)

 

That was a solid arguement, good work.

 

Skeet skeet. (Jazz fan)

I can't believe the Cavs are 2-2 with the Pistons. I can't believe the Mavs are 3-1 with the Spurs. I can't believe the Heat are the first team to advance to the conference finals. Exciting playoffs!

 

The Cavs defeated the Pistons tonight to take the series lead 3-2.

 

Im so bummed about the Nets, but I guess the better team did win...and as for the Cavs, this is huge. Very exciting playoffs.

 

I love the Cavs because I think LeBron is the most exciting player in the league. I also respect Detroit because of their ability to work as a team. There are three things that could explain what is happening in the series right now, or it could be a combination of them...
1. The Cavs are cracking down on defense, and Detroit, who is used to being in control of games due to THEIR OWN defense, and they are in disbelief and unable ot react to the situation.
2. The Cavs are cracking down on defense, and the refs are not calling fouls, and of course they give LeBron the calls because he's one of the league's biggest stars.
3. The Cavs have won three close games that could have gone either way. Detroit, by chance as well, can't make shots down the stretch.
I don't know what to think yet, the next two games will tell us. These toss-up games are also happening in the Spurs-Mavs series. Each series would usually tell us which team is better, but with this many games that could literally go either way, I'm not sure. But that's basketball.

 

Nothing would be better than the Spurs and Pistons getting eliminated tomorrow

 

Wow that would be unbelievable. Well I hope the mavs get out there and win tonight. It will be kind of hard with Jason Terry out. But Devin Harris most likely will pick up his game.