Who else would want to see a Bulls-Lakers finals? ’91!
I haven’t seen the Bulls play much. Do they run a lot of spreads with Rose at the point driving to the hoop (maybe with some pick and roll action)? I’m curious to see the Bulls play.
I’m curious to see the Lakers beat up on the Spurs in the playoffs like they just did a few days ago.
This has been one of my favorite seasons ever. For once, the East is actually competitive and the West seems closer than ever with the Lakers, Spurs and Mavericks all being neck and neck.
I must admit I’m taking great joy in the Heats demise. The cockiness they showed to start the season really got on my nerves. They thought it was going to be easy.
@Bobby
Why all the hate towards the Spurs?
@Stefr
The thing that bugged me was the Lebron’s “announcement.” That just seemed excessively cruel. I understand why he wanted out of Cleveland, but I don’t understand why he had to rub salt in their wounds.
I think LeBron was just immature in the way he left Cleveland. LeBron leaving Cleveland wasn’t like someone else leaving their team. That was HIS city. The ramifications of him leaving are bigger than he is, really. The hit it gave that city and state financially was staggering, and that city/state was already struggling. He had every right to leave, but the way he did it was the WORST. It was a total jerk move.
I think what we’re seeing now is not only was Mike Brown underrated as a coach, but LeBron, after all the talk of never having any help, actually benefited from not having another superstar next to him. LeBron is someone who needs the ball in his hands at ALL TIMES. He doesn’t know what to do without the ball. I’m surprised he even knows how to set a pick. He’s the best player in the game, but to be effective, he needs the ball so he can score and set up teammates.
@Brian
The way the Heat have been playing, that’s not saying much.
@Stefr
The problem is that D-Wade is a guy who operates off the dribble, too. I think the triangle could have worked, though. I think I’m also more concerned about their defense (especially defending the post) and their rebounding—two factors that are going to be huge in the playoffs.
I just want my spurs to win again.
did you see the game jazz? it’s not like wade and lebron weren’t bringing it. blazers shut bosh down and stepped up. oh and newest acquisition gerald wallace came on like a champ. i know it feeds into the mainstream story of heat’s recent blip but to put the win/loss all the heat is misleading.
I don’t hate the Spurs. I just like to see them lose, along with any other Western conference team that thinks they have a shot at my Lakers.
Now the Celtics, THAT’S a team I hate. As should any true-blooded Laker fan.
Oh man, the Lakers… Only team I have ever passionately hated is the Lakers. Kobe also qualifies as one of the few players that really disgust me. I won’t deny that he is good, really fucking good, but the way he handles himself is crazy. I don’t have much reasoning, just that since I first started really watching basketball when I was like 12 or 13, I just didn’t like that team.
Again, I won’t deny that the Lakers are good, but I will never cheer for them.
Anyone else watching this game right now?
Lakers down 3-0 now. No answer for Nowitzki.
Whoo—Mavericks. I’m starting to believe again. Way to go, Dallas!
I’m happy to see someone other than the Lakers or Spurs likely to come out of the West.
Will we see Mavs-Heat again? This time the Mavs better get the job done.
I just about stopped watching Mavs games after their monumental choke in ‘06, but with this series they’ve really shown some heart.
Dirk’s off-season heart transplant by BMW apparently worked—he’s the ultimate shooting machine.
But Tyson Chandler is the difference maker this season. And give it to Kidd for continuing to play at this level.
Phil Jackson has never faced an 0—3 situation in a seven game series. Zen THAT.
“Will we see Mavs-Heat again? This time the Mavs better get the job done.”
I wouldn’t rule out the Bulls quite yet (if they can get past the Hawks). I know the playoffs are a different animal, but they did sweep the Heat in the regular season.
Oh, Bobby won’t be pleased.
Who was the Dallas guard that seemed to be penetrating in the previous game?
I wish I could have watched the Lakers a bit more, because I was curious to see how they were playing. I think earlier in the season I heard a comment that Kobe was trying to orchestrate things on the court (as a point guard would), and I just thought that was bad news. But I never really got to see them play, so…
“Who was the Dallas guard that seemed to be penetrating in the previous game?”
Barrea.
JJ Barrea—the shortest guy on the court.
Thanks. I just saw the two nice drives he had.
(Btw, I can’t wait for the day when we can have access to watch any game in history—especially college ball.)
Am…not…happy. Kobe, time to unleash your fury. Let’s go out swinging like the champs we are.
“time to unleash your fury"
I would have thought the second half last night would have been the ideal time for fury, no? I think the ankle is bothering him a lot more than he’s let on.
But has the problem been Kobe’s “lack of fury” or just the players playing well as a team? Is age/fatigue a factor?
Sometimes I get the feeling that Kobe taking control can hurt the other players by taking them out of the game. But seemed to bigger problem a few years ago.
Team play is always a factor, but at the same time, I’m not sure how Bobby feels about this, but if I’m a Laker fan, I kinda want arguably the best player in the game to take over in a critical game like that (see Derrick Rose with series tied, going into Atlanta and putting up 44). I at least feel like I need him to match Dirk’s 32. The six assists last night is nice, but 17 points and 0 for 3 from behind the arc? You know they’re in trouble when Bynum (21 points/10 rebounds) is the best player on the court for them on a given night. LA matches up badly both against Dirk and at the point, so maybe this was bound to happen.
That’s right. Stars win you championships, not role players. And if you gotta go out, you go out firing with your best weapon. If we lose I want it to be with Kobe having 30 or 40 points, not 17. That renders the rest of our team pointless (pun intended).
Extra time off sure helped the Celtics.
Jazzaloha
Blue said, “There are very good reasons why the whole “we’ll outscore the other team” plan works in the regular season but doesn’t in the playoffs. The game slows down, becomes less of a finesse game and grittier and more physical. The refs hold their whistles more as well, and it becomes a half-court game.”
Yep. Also, pressure affects offense, while having little impact on defense. A good defensive team is good with little or a lot of pressure. That’s not true with offense. Even open shots are harder when there is more pressure. Players tend to get a little more tentative and that can affect offensive execution, not to mention slow down the transition game. (When every shot counts, players, by themselves, have a tendency to slow things down because they become cautious.)
I am also a little uncertain if the new personnel is a good fit for D’Antoni’s style. (He seems to want penetrators and long range shooters.)
Re: Reggie Miller
I’m on the fence with him, but I think he probably should have been a finalist. I think his iconic moments in the playoffs really increase his stature as a player, but I don’t know how substantive this is. I mean, was Reggie the best two guard while playing? I mean, even if you take away Jordan, I don’t know if Reggie is clearly the next best two guard during his career. I’ll say this though: he was a great clutch shooter.