Pre-Playoff NBA Talk

[Wildfool]

You know, this may be obvious but if Lebron gets his ring this year, I think he definately stays in Celveland. Why leave your homestate to play for the Knicks? I know he wants to be a global icon and all but seriously, the Knicks? they haven't been relevent in years and he'd be in another situation like he was when he first came to the Cavs.

 

[alfdogg]

The Bulls are now a half game up on Philadelphia for the 6 seed. Of course, Cleveland's going to fuck it all up by resting Lebron and others against the Sixers, giving Philly an easy win.

I think the Cavs will probably play their guys, with the chance to tie Boston's all-time home record of 40-1.

Also, Flip Saunders is going to be the new coach of the Wizards.

 

[Psycho Penguin]

The Bulls are now a half game up on Philadelphia for the 6 seed. Of course, Cleveland's going to fuck it all up by resting Lebron and others against the Sixers, giving Philly an easy win.

I think the Cavs will probably play their guys, with the chance to tie Boston's all-time home record of 40-1.

Also, Flip Saunders is going to be the new coach of the Wizards.

Woo hoo.

 

[Czech]

Flip would've been a decent coach. Better than Vinny. I think Eddie Jordan would be a good move, too.

 

[Vitamin X]

Avery Johnson will save whatever moribund franchise decides to hire him. Seriously.

 

[still fly]

I think Avery Johnson is overrated as a coach. He went to the Finals with Nellie's players, then got bounced out the first round the next year. There have been rumors that he was difficult to work with. I guess that's why nobody wants to hire him.

 

[Steviekick]

If Sloan packs up at the end of the season, I would like to see how the Jazz would do with Johnson or Jeff Van Gundy.

 

[Damaramu]

Well Ray Allen was suspended for the groin shot.
Whatever, I dislike Sideshow Bob (as i do with everyone else on the cavs) so it was pretty funny to me.

 

[MillenniumMan831]

Andy's arms-up-in-the-air no sell was funnier.

 

[alfdogg]

I don't think it's fair to say that Avery went to the Finals "with Nellie's players". Aside from Dirk, all the guys who were there when Nellie left were basically just starting their careers, and really got their feet wet and came together as a team under Avery.

Now, Larry Brown, he won a title with someone else's team.

 

[alfdogg]

OK, in the East, everyone is locked into their spots except for the Bulls and Sixers, who are battling for the 6 spot. The Sixers need a win (@ CLE) and a Bulls loss (v TOR) to move up into 6th.

In the West, the 1-8 matchup is locked in, which will the the Lakers against the Jazz. The rest currently looks like this

2. Denver (54-27)
3. Houston (53-28)
4. Portland (53-28)
5. San Antonio (53-28)
6. New Orleans (49-32)
7. Dallas (49-32)

All six of these teams are matched up against each other Wed. night.

HOU @ DAL
NO @ SA
DEN @ POR

Here are all the matchup possibilities. (2/7, 3/6, 4/5 matchups, respectively)

If DAL, SA, and POR win: DEN/NO, POR/DAL, SA/HOU
If DAL, SA and DEN win: DEN/NO, SA/DAL, HOU/POR
If DAL, NO and POR win: DEN/DAL, POR/NO, HOU/SA

If DAL, NO and DEN win: DEN/DAL, HOU/NO, POR/SA
If HOU, SA and DEN win: DEN/DAL, HOU/NO, POR/SA
If HOU, NO and DEN win: DEN/DAL, HOU/NO, POR/SA

If HOU, SA and POR win: HOU/DAL, DEN/NO, POR/SA
If HOU, NO and POR win: HOU/DAL, DEN/NO, POR/SA

 

[Vitamin X]

If DAL, NO and POR win: DEN/DAL, POR/NO, HOU/SA

This is my favorite scenario, especially since there's a good chance that Denver and San Antonio can, in this case, dispatch the two toughest teams for the Blazers, while also being really easy to win. Plus, with the #3 spot, we can look forward to a possible Lakers-Blazers WCF.

 

[Rendclaw]

Oh sure, Ray Allen is going to get fired up. If this was the complete package Ray Allen back in the mid to late 90s, I might think that the Cavs would be in trouble. But this is the hot-and-cold, at the end of his career Ray Allen, who can occasionally score 25 or so on a good night, and no more than 10 on a bad night. Have fun getting your ass kicked by either the Magic or the Cavs.

And as for the Cavs' act, fuck that noise. Never mind they did a fucking Gatorade dump on Doc Rivers when the championship was all but locked up, but THE GAME WAS STILL GOING ON.

Do I think the Cavs act like a bunch of high school kids? Hell fucking yes. But Ray Allen barking about how he is going to be motivated by them clowning it up on the sidelines is the height of hilarity and hypocrisy considering what his team did last year. You want to stop them from acting like a bunch of children hyped up on sugar? Beat them on the fucking court, Ray. And if its not too much to ask, quit elbowing opposing players in the nuts.

Now I want to see the Cavs and Celtics, just to see the champs try to throw the switch and get blown out by 30 AGAIN.

 

[alfdogg]

The Bulls are now a half game up on Philadelphia for the 6 seed. Of course, Cleveland's going to fuck it all up by resting Lebron and others against the Sixers, giving Philly an easy win.

I think the Cavs will probably play their guys, with the chance to tie Boston's all-time home record of 40-1.

Also, Flip Saunders is going to be the new coach of the Wizards.

Guess I was wrong, LeBron, Mo Williams, Ilgauskas and Joe Smith are all sitting tonight according to ESPN. The Bulls should be able to handle the Raptors at home, though.

 

[Next USC #55]

They could, but it'd be the Raptors they gotta play.

[edit: nevermind, Alfdogg corrected himself, prior to my posting.]

 

[Byron The Bulb]

Flip would've been a decent coach. Better than Vinny. I think Eddie Jordan would be a good move, too.

Flip would have been a decent coaching choice for the Pistons, too

 

[alfdogg]

Well, Dallas and SA have won so far, locking DEN/NO as the 2/7 matchup. If Portland wins here, the other two series will be POR/DAL and SA/HOU. If Denver wins, we get SA/DAL and HOU/POR.

 

[alfdogg]

Actually, ESPN just said it's SA/DAL no matter what happens here. So, Portland is playing for HCA in their series against Houston here. Which I don't get, since Portland won 3/4 against the Spurs.

 

[Brooklyn Zoo]

Dallas lucked out. They may make the 2nd round yet.

 

[alfdogg]

Also, how sad is Philadelphia. They needed overtime to beat a Cavs team with no LeBron, Ilgauskas, or Mo Williams? LOL. Good luck against the Magic, guys!

 

[Next USC #55]

I seriously hope Lebron doesn't win the MVP. That's all that matters to me.

 

[MFer]

I seriously hope Lebron doesn't win the MVP. That's all that matters to me.

LeBron's gonna win MVP, there's little to no doubt on that one. All I'm hoping for is that the Cavs don't win the title.

 

[Next USC #55]

I know he most certainly will. I just hope he doesn't. The Mo Williams acquisition turned the Cavs from the Lebron show (which was good by itself but not a true championship contender) into a bonafide threat to win it all. I know guys like Jordan needed help from a secondary player to break through, but I honestly think Kobe deserves a second award, since his team beat the Cavs both times this year, and he's taken them to within two wins of the Cavs, in a much tougher conference (aren't 8 of the top 12 best teams from the West?). I just think it's right to give it to Kobe again.

 

[Psycho Penguin]

I know he most certainly will. I just hope he doesn't. The Mo Williams acquisition turned the Cavs from the Lebron show (which was good by itself but not a true championship contender) into a bonafide threat to win it all. I know guys like Jordan needed help from a secondary player to break through, but I honestly think Kobe deserves a second award, since his team beat the Cavs both times this year, and he's taken them to within two wins of the Cavs, in a much tougher conference (aren't 8 of the top 12 best teams from the West?). I just think it's right to give it to Kobe again.

Since Kobe has no help around him? I don't really understand your argument. I get where you're coming from, but to say "Mo Williams is a guy helping the Cavs become a contender.. give it to KOBE!" seems wrong to me. How about Dwayne Wade?

 

[still fly]

As a Laker homer, I'd say that Lebron deserves the MVP over Kobe. LeBron turned me from a hater into a believer this season.

The MVP I want for Kobe is Finals MVP

 

[Next USC #55]

I know Kobe has Odom, Gasol, Bynum (sometimes) and others, and I know Lebron is a direct reason why Mo has done so well this year, but I just think Kobe has done as fantastic a job anchoring the Lakers in a tougher conference (though Zoo points out that they also have more garbage, which is true) as Lebron has the Cavaliers. Truth be told, I'm a Chicago native, I hate hate hate the idea of this schmuck trying to replay Michael Jordan's career, from resurrecting a sucky franchise into a bonafide dynasty, getting the second banana to do it, and even wearing the same number as Jordan while doing it! It just screams "We are trying to manufacture the next Jordan here" to me by the NBA marketing machine. Dwyane Wade is as good a MVP pick as any, but as someone pointed out earlier, the Heat sucked last year, and he anchored that team as well. Obviously at this point, I am going to have to accept that Lebron will win MVP awards. He is only 24 years old and he will only get better, which is a scary notion in itself. I don't see the harm in holding it off a year and giving it to an equally valuable player from a team that beat Lebron's team twice, once at the Q where they couldn't lose otherwise (until tonight). Kobe Bryant is my MVP, even if Lebron is everyone else's.


edit: Ok I realized I cannot really justify picking Kobe objectively over Lebron when Lebron leads Kobe in just about every category.

 

[Psycho Penguin]

Dwayne Wade was injured a LOT last season and I can't think of any major improvements they made in the offseason to warrant such a dramatic turnaround. Plus the stats are there.

1. Wade
2. Kobe
3. Lebron

That's how I'd do it. Craziest race in a while, though. You can make a case for any of them.

I also hate Lebron (and Kobe, too) and will probably always do so. They both have proven they can't carry a team by themselves (Kobe did a little bit, but both guys have a great lineup around them that could probably win 40+ without them. Wade doesn't.) but they definitely make their teams way better.

 

[Edwin]

What players in the NBA can "carry a team by themselves"? Are you implying that Wade, by leading the Heat to a whopping 43 wins and the 5th playoff spot in the East, can? I don't care much for MVP talks, but I'm interested in your list of "carriers," for lack of a better term.

 

[naiwf]

What players in the NBA can "carry a team by themselves"? Are you implying that Wade, by leading the Heat to a whopping 43 wins and the 5th playoff spot in the East, can? I don't care much for MVP talks, but I'm interested in your list of "carriers," for lack of a better term.

That team won 28 fewer games last year with a similar cast of characters. If one guy can pretty much account for winning an additional third of the games on the schedule because he's healthy I'd say that he's carried the team.

 

[Vitamin X]

Oh, fuck. The Blazers have the Rockets first round. So much for going past the first round this year. Fucking Spurs.