NBA Playoffs Thread

[muzikfrk75]

Celtics finally woke up in the 3rd and beat the Hawks tonight.

Close Lakers/Thunder game right now. Kobe has turned back the clock and looked fantastic, 30 points and 4 dunks in the first 3 quarters.

[moonpie23]

76'rs?

[miltk]

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I find myself getting on the Heat bandwagon. The three things that triggered this are:

1) The SI piece on Lebron several weeks ago really showed his human side. He's still got issues, but last season's debacle clearly humbled him.
2) Years of Duke Hate have made me sympathetic to the plights of other "evil" teams in the sports world.
3) Weirdly, I find myself rooting for all the NBA players that will be playing for Coach K this summer. If Lebron's confidence is intact when the games start, it could go a long way towards a gold medal for the US.

With respect to the Heat, I agree with Starter that their margin for error looks to be close to zero against a very understated Pacers team. To me it's really up to the Heat's supporting cast to step up (paging Shane Battier...) and give Lebron and Wade some viable options.

lebron's not a bad guy. i cannot say the same, however, for wade, who is my new favorite villain. A guy who feels entitled and worthy of a sympathy call if things don't go his way.

oh and btw, he tends to physically take things out on others when he feels wronged.

[theAlaskanBear]

lebron's not a bad guy. i cannot say the same, however, for wade, who is my new favorite villain. A guy who feels entitled and worthy of a sympathy call if things don't go his way.

oh and btw, he tends to physically take things out on others when he feels wronged.

Yeah, Wade has had a few on-court incidents this year that might have gotten other players tossed or at least T'd up. Chief in my mind is the shove on Rip Hamilton, the incident at the all-star game, and then the blocking/tackle/charge in game two against the Pacers (or maybe it was vs the Knicks?) was it?

[CDu]

Yeah, Wade has had a few on-court incidents this year that might have gotten other players tossed or at least T'd up. Chief in my mind is the shove on Rip Hamilton, the incident at the all-star game, and then the blocking/tackle/charge in game two against the Pacers (or maybe it was vs the Knicks?) was it?

Yeah, Wade has become thoroughly unlikeable. Since day 1 after the Heatles intro party, he's handled the villain role the worst. He's complained to the media about how everyone wants them to lose, he's been chippy on the court, and he's whined for fouls on every possession. He made fun of Dirk's illness in the Finals last year. And he's had a number of incidents this year. He's just been a punk for the last two years.

It's funny because for a long time Wade was made of teflon. He could do no wrong in leading the Heat to a title and then carrying some bad Heat teams. He knew how to be the lovable superstar. But he hasn't handled the transition to villain at all well. I won't be sad if/when they lose again this year because of that.

[theAlaskanBear]

Battier is having a breakout night -- hits two 3s to start the game, is now 3/3 from 3 with 9 points AND he broke up a 3vBattier fast-break with solid D (and help from a bad pass from Indy). 4 minutes left in the 1st.

Edit: Hansbrough enters the game and the holding/grabbing goes up by a factor of 9(F).

[theAlaskanBear]

Hansbrough just popped Wade in the head on a clear flagrant. Wade is bleeding from the head.

[pfrduke]

Hansbrough just popped Wade in the head on a clear flagrant. Wade is bleeding from the head.

And Udonis returned the favor. Getting a bit chippy in Miami.

[theAlaskanBear]

And Udonis returned the favor. Getting a bit chippy in Miami.

It will be an interesting second half. Indiana is hanging in there despite being out-played.

[duke blue brewcrew]

Hansbrough just popped Wade in the head on a clear flagrant. Wade is bleeding from the head.

Only he was more blatant about it and less effective. Tarsqueel fans are officially no longer allowed to whine about that play.

[CDu]

It will be an interesting second half. Indiana is hanging in there despite being out-played.

It'll only be interesting if Granger can return and be effective (he sprained his ankle late in the second quarter). If not, the Pacers don't have the offensive firepower to threaten the Heat.

The Pacers just looked awful late in the first half. Battier simply fronted David West each time West tried to set a high screen, and Indiana didn't even attempt to go to a plan B. At the NBA level you have to expect teams to be able to take away plan A. If you can't run your plan B play, you're in trouble. And that's how Indiana quickly faded to down 9 after spending most of the game within 3-5 points.

[CDu]

Granger limps off the court early in the third quarter after reaggravating the ankle injury he suffered late in the first half. I will be very surprised if Indiana is able to mount a comeback without Granger. He's their best offensive player and the only one even remotely capable of slowing down James on the other end.

It's looking very much like a Celtics/Heat Conference Final. The Heat better hope Bosh is ready by then. Despite their seeds, Boston (with Garnett resurgent) is better than the Pacers.

[moonpie23]

lots of talk on mike and mike this morning about the hansblah/hasslem confrontation...who will be suspended (if any)...the pittman foul should surely draw a multiple game suspension....


gonna be extra chippy in game 6

[jdj4duke]

And Udonis returned the favor. Getting a bit chippy in Miami.

Just caught the quick recap on ESPN Highlight Express or whatever it is; opened with a long 3 by Battier, followed by Psycho Traveler getting clobbered (although it resulted in a flagrant foul). Call me petty (and I am certainly not wishing injury to anyone) but there it was not unpleasant about seeing old Tyler put his head down, start to bull his way to the basket, and then finding himself polishing the floor. Of course followed by him jumping up with his lip-extended pouty face on and acting like his next move was going to be a thrown punch.


After our Tyler clocked Wade, I am surprised a T wasn't called on Dahntay Jones.

[CajunDevil]

If LeBron and D-Wade play like they have the past two games then the Heat should dispatch the Celts.

[elvis14]

Just caught the quick recap on ESPN Highlight Express or whatever it is; opened with a long 3 by Battier, followed by Psycho Traveler getting clobbered (although it resulted in a flagrant foul). Call me petty (and I am certainly not wishing injury to anyone) but there it was not unpleasant about seeing old Tyler put his head down, start to bull his way to the basket, and then finding himself polishing the floor. Of course followed by him jumping up with his lip-extended pouty face on and acting like his next move was going to be a thrown punch.


After our Tyler clocked Wade, I am surprised a T wasn't called on Dahntay Jones.

Gerald Henderson has been suspended for the first 2 games of next season following the HansPutz foul on DWade

[hq2]

If LeBron and D-Wade play like they have the past two games then the Heat should dispatch the Celts.

Depends on if Avery Bradley comes back in time to guard D-Wade. If he does, Miami will have trouble.
If not, then Ray Allen can't stop him any more, so Miami may win. Still hard to say.

[_Gary]

While Haslem's foul was much more blatant, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that Hansborough meant harm to Wade (more than a hard foul to the hand/arm) by the way he not only followed through his hit to get to Wade's face, but to then change his open hand (which would have only been a hard slap) to a curled fingers hand (which got him the results he intended - blood through a nasty scratch/rake). He's a piece of garbage and I wasn't feeling bad at all after Haslem laid his butt out.

[CDu]

Depends on if Avery Bradley comes back in time to guard D-Wade. If he does, Miami will have trouble.
If not, then Ray Allen can't stop him any more, so Miami may win. Still hard to say.

Yeah, the Celtics play much smarter than the Pacers and they play much better defense. But Allen will have trouble with Wade if he has to guard Wade for 35 minutes. Bradley gives them a much different defensive look.

But more importantly, Rondo won't have the same problems initiating offense for the Celtics as the Pacers' PGs have had. The Pacers' offensive ineptitude for long stretches the last two games has led to a lot of transition opportunities for the Heat. The transition game is a game you don't want to play against the Heat, because you'll lose every time. Boston is much better at making it a half court game, and is very good in the half court.

It will be a much different series. I'm not saying the Celtics will win, but I am saying that the Heat won't run over the Celtics like they did the Pacers last night.

[Des Esseintes]

But more importantly, Rondo won't have the same problems initiating offense for the Celtics as the Pacers' PGs have had. The Pacers' offensive ineptitude for long stretches the last two games has led to a lot of transition opportunities for the Heat. The transition game is a game you don't want to play against the Heat, because you'll lose every time. Boston is much better at making it a half court game, and is very good in the half court.

Rondo is markedly better than either of the Indiana point guards. But haven't turnovers--with the obvious exception of injuries--been the Celtics' Achilles heel since this incarnation took shape in '08? And hasn't Rondo been a central culprit on that front? He's excellent in other areas, of course.

We'll see. I think that even without Bosh the Heat have too much, but Boston constantly surprises.