Re: NBA Playoffs

[Guest]

I'll take 12-3 in the playoffs. And yeah, if I was a Laker hater, I'd be pissed right now, because the Lakers are only likely to get better with the return of Bynum last year...they'll just be unfair then.

And Kobe tried to quit this team. While a great player he is nothing more than an ass.

 

Well, he didn't try to quit this team. Gasol wasn't there at the beginning of the year, Bynum wasn't expected to be as good as he was when healthy and not many people expected the Lakers to be the top seed in the West for a while before Bynum went down. Going into the year, I figured it would be tough for LA to make the playoffs. And even if the Lakers did play well, I thought they would have a really tough time advancing past the first round.

 

I'm by no means defending what Kobe did, because he was an idiot in the way he acted. But you would be hard pressed to find a person who realistically thought, at the beginning of the year, that the Lakers would be in the NBA Finals. Even when they were playing well and had the best record in the West when Bynum was healthy, I didn't really think they would be in the spot they are now.

 

While I don't agree with the way he handled it, I understand why Kobe was frustrated. I was kind of indifferent on Kupchak after the Shaq trade since, considering the circumstances, I thought he got about as much as he realistically could. But I was pissed with him letting Fisher walk and then trading Gary Payton, which left them with Chucky Atkins followed by two years of Smush Parker. Then he went and traded Caron Butler for Kwame Brown and then Butler goes and makes two straight All-Star games. There were no signs that showed the Lakers were going to be any better than they were the past couple years and Kobe, rightly IMO, felt they were wasting his prime years. But like I said, I don't agree with him publicly bitching and moaning about it, but I can't blame him for doing so.

[CuseCubFan69]

Thank God someone finally killed off the Spurs.

 

 

Are you David Stern?

[CuseCubFan69]

How many rings does Laker coach Jackson have right now?

[SouthSideRyan]

Kobe also wanted Bynum traded, and publically ripped him.

 

Good times.

[Derwood]

How many rings does Laker coach Jackson have right now?

 

9 I think

[CuseCubFan69]

How many rings does Laker coach Jackson have right now?

 

9 I think

 

That many, wow. Thanks.

[Guest]

How many rings does Laker coach Jackson have right now?

 

9 I think

 

10 counting his ring as a player with the Knicks.

[illiniguy]

I'll take 12-3 in the playoffs. And yeah, if I was a Laker hater, I'd be pissed right now, because the Lakers are only likely to get better with the return of Bynum last year...they'll just be unfair then.

And Kobe tried to quit this team. While a great player he is nothing more than an ass.

 

Well, he didn't try to quit this team. Gasol wasn't there at the beginning of the year, Bynum wasn't expected to be as good as he was when healthy and not many people expected the Lakers to be the top seed in the West for a while before Bynum went down. Going into the year, I figured it would be tough for LA to make the playoffs. And even if the Lakers did play well, I thought they would have a really tough time advancing past the first round.

 

I'm by no means defending what Kobe did, because he was an idiot in the way he acted. But you would be hard pressed to find a person who realistically thought, at the beginning of the year, that the Lakers would be in the NBA Finals. Even when they were playing well and had the best record in the West when Bynum was healthy, I didn't really think they would be in the spot they are now.

 

While I don't agree with the way he handled it, I understand why Kobe was frustrated. I was kind of indifferent on Kupchak after the Shaq trade since, considering the circumstances, I thought he got about as much as he realistically could. But I was pissed with him letting Fisher walk and then trading Gary Payton, which left them with Chucky Atkins followed by two years of Smush Parker. Then he went and traded Caron Butler for Kwame Brown and then Butler goes and makes two straight All-Star games. There were no signs that showed the Lakers were going to be any better than they were the past couple years and Kobe, rightly IMO, felt they were wasting his prime years. But like I said, I don't agree with him publicly bitching and moaning about it, but I can't blame him for doing so.

Keep in mind Kobe forced the trade of Shaq. I think Kupchak did the best he could in those situations.

[Guest]

I'll take 12-3 in the playoffs. And yeah, if I was a Laker hater, I'd be pissed right now, because the Lakers are only likely to get better with the return of Bynum last year...they'll just be unfair then.

And Kobe tried to quit this team. While a great player he is nothing more than an ass.

 

Well, he didn't try to quit this team. Gasol wasn't there at the beginning of the year, Bynum wasn't expected to be as good as he was when healthy and not many people expected the Lakers to be the top seed in the West for a while before Bynum went down. Going into the year, I figured it would be tough for LA to make the playoffs. And even if the Lakers did play well, I thought they would have a really tough time advancing past the first round.

 

I'm by no means defending what Kobe did, because he was an idiot in the way he acted. But you would be hard pressed to find a person who realistically thought, at the beginning of the year, that the Lakers would be in the NBA Finals. Even when they were playing well and had the best record in the West when Bynum was healthy, I didn't really think they would be in the spot they are now.

 

While I don't agree with the way he handled it, I understand why Kobe was frustrated. I was kind of indifferent on Kupchak after the Shaq trade since, considering the circumstances, I thought he got about as much as he realistically could. But I was pissed with him letting Fisher walk and then trading Gary Payton, which left them with Chucky Atkins followed by two years of Smush Parker. Then he went and traded Caron Butler for Kwame Brown and then Butler goes and makes two straight All-Star games. There were no signs that showed the Lakers were going to be any better than they were the past couple years and Kobe, rightly IMO, felt they were wasting his prime years. But like I said, I don't agree with him publicly bitching and moaning about it, but I can't blame him for doing so.

Keep in mind Kobe forced the trade of Shaq. I think Kupchak did the best he could in those situations.

 

That's actually been debunked and it was Jerry Buss who wanted Shaq traded because Buss didn't want to give Shaq and extension and be on the hook for $20M for the next four years. Amidst all the Kobe wanting to be traded stuff, Kobe said that it was Buss' doing on the radio and Shaq backed Kobe and said it was Buss. Not that I disagreed with Buss' thoughts about Shaq breaking down because he's clearly been proven right and I didn't want four or five more years of Shaq, but it wasn't Kobe who was behind the Shaq trade.

[Guest]

Lakers-Celtics in the finals.

 

GO LAKERS!!

[hawkeyecub]

Thanks for showing up tonight Rasheed. Now you have plenty of time to pay homage to KG. What a choke job in the 4th quarter with a 10 point lead at home in an elimination game. Good Lord that was awful and I did not see it coming. Tayshaun was awful again, McDyess disappeared.

 

We'll see what happens with Flip now and who would replace him. I thought he had a terrible series. I absolutely hate this Finals.

[illiniguy]

Thanks for showing up tonight Rasheed. Now you have plenty of time to pay homage to KG. What a choke job in the 4th quarter with a 10 point lead at home in an elimination game. Good Lord that was awful and I did not see it coming. Tayshaun was awful again, McDyess disappeared.

 

We'll see what happens with Flip now and who would replace him. I thought he had a terrible series. I absolutely hate this Finals.

Yeah I am done watching. I am glad the NBA got its wet dream though.

[Flames24Rulz]

As much as it pains me to say it, go Celtics.

 

Ugh.

[illiniguy]

As much as it pains me to say it, go Celtics.

 

Ugh.

I loathe Paul Pierce. Thus I can't root for them.

[Flames24Rulz]

As much as it pains me to say it, go Celtics.

 

Ugh.

I loathe Paul Pierce. Thus I can't root for them.

 

The only player I hate on Boston is Posey (for obvious reasons). I really wanted the Bulls to get Pierce last year when the Celtics somewhat made him available and I like Garnett and Allen. The only reason I don't really like the Celtics is the fact that they're from Boston. And that makes me sick.

 

The Lakers are my most hated NBA team, so do the math.

[illiniguy]

As much as it pains me to say it, go Celtics.

 

Ugh.

I loathe Paul Pierce. Thus I can't root for them.

 

The only player I hate on Boston is Posey (for obvious reasons). I really wanted the Bulls to get Pierce last year when the Celtics somewhat made him available and I like Garnett and Allen. The only reason I don't really like the Celtics is the fact that they're from Boston. And that makes me sick.

 

The Lakers are my most hated NBA team, so do the math.

No I get it. I don't really like the Lakers either. I was ok with Pierce until he threw up a gang sign on live tv to Al Horford. I wonder what he would have done had the game been non televised, would he have hit Horford? and for what getting excited for hitting a big shot. Lot's of people, including Paul, do that. Just rubbed me wrong.

[TruffleShuffle]

well, david stern got the nba finals that he forced the rest of the league to accept. hopefully it's a good series.

[Guest]

Thanks for showing up tonight Rasheed. Now you have plenty of time to pay homage to KG. What a choke job in the 4th quarter with a 10 point lead at home in an elimination game. Good Lord that was awful and I did not see it coming. Tayshaun was awful again, McDyess disappeared.

 

We'll see what happens with Flip now and who would replace him. I thought he had a terrible series. I absolutely hate this Finals.

Yeah I am done watching. I am glad the NBA got its wet dream though.

 

I really don't understand why people wouldn't watch the NBA Finals this year. I mean, it's not like it's a complete mismatch like some of the previous finals have been, namely last year. It should be a pretty good series between two solid teams. And it's not like there were a bunch of calls that went in the favor of the Lakers and Celtics to get to this point. The Celtics were completely dominant at home and, if you've got home court, that's all you need to advance. The Lakers kicked the crap out of the Nuggets, were solid against the Jazz and were the better team against the Spurs. Both earned the right to be in this spot. I realize that this was the best possible matchup for the NBA but that shouldn't make it unwatchable.

[Guest]

As far as the actual matchup goes, I'd put the Lakers as the slight favorite and I think they match up better with the Celtics than they would the Pistons.

 

The biggest reason is that the Celtics don't have anyone who can even think about containing Kobe while the Pistons have Tayshaun Prince. Kendrick Perkins is going to have to guard one of Lamar Odom or Pau Gasol and either way, it's going to be a huge mismatch for the Celtics. And the combo of Big Baby and Leon Powe is nowhere near talented enough to guard either Gasol or Odom. I'd expect one of those two to have a big series. I also expect Garnett to have a big series on the offensive end because neither Gasol nor Odom will be able to guard him. I think the point guard matchup is fairly even with a slight advantage to the Lakers since I think they match up pretty well with Rondo and Cassell. I'd obviously take Kobe and Radmonovic/Vujacic over Pierce and Allen at the SG/SF positions. Kobe is so ridiculously good and I think the Lakers are quick enough to stay with Allen when the Celtics are on offense. I also expect to see Kobe take on the challenge of guarding Pierce and hopefully limiting him. I'd give a slight advantage on the bench to the Lakers although if Farmar and Vujacic aren't hitting their shots, that can change.

 

Overall, I think the Lakers have the better overall team. Boston won both games but those came before the Gasol trade and the Lakers are clearly a different team now. Ultimately, though, I think the series comes down to Kobe. He knows he's so close to a championship and when he's on and he wants to take over - such as the 4th quarter of Game 5 against San Antonio - he can't be stopped. The Celtics don't have anyone like that and that will be the difference.

 

Lakers in 6.

[Exile on Waveland]

christ, if we have another San Antonio vs. Detroit finals i'm swearing off the NBA.

 

This is the NBA. It's going to be LA-Boston.

 

I'm stunned.

[Derwood]

Lakers vs. Celtics and the Bulls with the #1 pick. Stern has completed his mission

[hawkeyecub]

Thanks for showing up tonight Rasheed. Now you have plenty of time to pay homage to KG. What a choke job in the 4th quarter with a 10 point lead at home in an elimination game. Good Lord that was awful and I did not see it coming. Tayshaun was awful again, McDyess disappeared.

 

We'll see what happens with Flip now and who would replace him. I thought he had a terrible series. I absolutely hate this Finals.

Yeah I am done watching. I am glad the NBA got its wet dream though.

 

I really don't understand why people wouldn't watch the NBA Finals this year. I mean, it's not like it's a complete mismatch like some of the previous finals have been, namely last year. It should be a pretty good series between two solid teams. And it's not like there were a bunch of calls that went in the favor of the Lakers and Celtics to get to this point. The Celtics were completely dominant at home and, if you've got home court, that's all you need to advance. The Lakers kicked the crap out of the Nuggets, were solid against the Jazz and were the better team against the Spurs. Both earned the right to be in this spot. I realize that this was the best possible matchup for the NBA but that shouldn't make it unwatchable.

 

You don't understand why? It probably has something to do with the fact that a lot of people like myself who aren't Lakers/Celtics fans have absolutely no one to root for even slightly.

 

I'll probably watch a little bit of it because it should be a good series, but when you have zero interest in who wins or loses it's just a buzzkill. I may have gone out of my way more to watch Suns/Spurs, Jazz/Lakers, Hornets/Spurs and of course the Pistons series' than I will this Finals. Maybe I'm just bitter now and will get into it in a week, but I have no interest right now.

[Guest]

Lakers vs. Celtics and the Bulls with the #1 pick. Stern has completed his mission

 

Seriously, Isiah must have pissed Stern off.

[David]

I heart Kobe.

 

Go Lakers!

[hawkeyecub]

We'll see what happens with Flip now and who would replace him. I thought he had a terrible series.

 

Flip is out, Michael Curry is probably in. Everyone expects Curry to trust the younger guys more and will have more respect in the locker room.

 

Joe D is pissed and says no one is safe. Billups is probably back, if they think Curry can get through with Sheed when needed, he's probably back. What could Rip or Tayshaun fetch on the trade market? They obviously need more post presence on both ends.