2008 NBA Playoffs Thread

[wolfpackdevil]

It should be a great playoffs starting today, with any team can win in the West.

List your predictions and thoughts about all the games here.

West: LA vs. Spurs and Spurs win in 7

East: Boston vs. Detroit and Boston in 7

And The Boston Celtics will be the Spurs in 6 games for the NBA Title

[darthur]

of all Phoenix Suns fans, I just want to say:

!@#$%!@%!@^!@^!@$%!@%

That is all.

[billybreen]

of all Phoenix Suns fans, I just want to say:

!@#$%!@%!@^!@^!@$%!@%

That is all.

That was ugly. About the only rooting interests I have in the NBA are 1) pulling for teams with Dukies and 2) hoping for the Spurs to fail. The Spurs are just so boring.

[Lavabe]

of all Phoenix Suns fans, I just want to say:

!@#$%!@%!@^!@^!@$%!@%

That is all.

Well, you had to love Nash's 3-pointer from the corner.:o

[DukieBoy]

West: Lakers vs. Suns- this is the lakers year for some payback from the last two years and for Kobe to prove he can win without Shaq.
East: Celtics vs. Pistons- by this point, I don't really think it matters who plays against the Celtics in the conference Finals because they will steam roll right through the East side of the Playoffs
Finals: Lakers vs. Celtics- I'm a Lakers fan, so I'm going to be biased and say Lakers in 7.

[geraldsneighbor]

West: Lakers over the Suns in 6....If you don't think its scripted see Tim Donaghy.
East: Celtics over Pistons in 7....Big 3 are too much, and who doesn't want Lakers-Celtics.
Finals:Lakers in 7...This is pending Andrew Bynum's health. Randy Moss didn't get a Super Bowl in year one, neither will KG.

[weezie]

Lakers over Spurs in 6: Kobe, Kobe, Kobe.

Pistons over Celtics in 6: Chauncey teaches Daniel to respect his elders. Tay makes it rain.

Pistons over Lakers in 7: Sheed brings his wisdom to the supreme court.

[DukeDevilDeb]

Utah wins, right?

We know that Carlos Boozer is the top player with 20 points and 16 rebounds.

Houston's top player?

Shane Battier with 22 points and 3 rebounds.


God, I LOVE IT when folks say that Coach K can't coach NBA Stars! :D

[gw67]

This is the time of the year when I watch an NBA game or two if I’m not on the golf course. Yesterday, I watched a chunk of the 24-second game between the Lakers and the Nuggets. Some thoughts:
• No news here but Bryant and Iverson are extraordinary one-on-one offensive players even if the team trainers will need to rub down the shooting arms of each after yesterday’s game. I’ve never particularly liked Iverson as a player but Bryant is a wonderful all around player who is worth the price of admission.
• The Lakers are playing well together and they have several players who are good passers and look for their teammates. They are a fun team to watch and I can see myself watching their games when they are television at a reasonable hour.
• I know that Jumbo will rough me up for this but it appeared to me that several players would occasionally take a play off on the defensive end. In addition, it didn’t seem like there was a lot of effort going after offensive rebounds, particularly, when one of the “stars” decided that it was his turn to take a shot.
• With all of this talk about the upcoming draft, who would have guessed that Fisher, Walton and “Jewish” Jordan would make the NBA and get meaningful minutes for the Lakers. The same could be said for Carter, Kleiza and Najera. I never even heard of Fisher and Carter when they were in college. I watched a couple of Wizards games this year and I saw a bunch of players who have careers long enough to make jaw-dropping money but whom I would have never guessed that they would have NBA careers, starting with Duke and Maryland players, Duhon, Dixon and Blake.

gw67

[Edouble]

who would have guessed that Fisher, Walton and “Jewish” Jordan would make the NBA and get meaningful minutes for the Lakers.

Who's "Jewish" Jordan? I know you're not talking about Tamir Goodman. Is Jordan Farmar jewish?

[gw67]

Farmar's mother is Jewish and he was raised as a Jew, including having a Bar Mitzvah. When he was being recruited he was often referred as the Jewish Jordan which was a cute play on his name. According to what I've read, he and his mom approved of the name.

gw67

[sagegrouse]

I figured it would be a rocking playoff, inasmuch as the likely Eastern winner -- Celtics or Pistons -- would have a good chance against the Western champ -- who could be the Lakers, Suns, Jazz, Spurs, Hornets, or maybe an upset by Houston.

Then I turned on the Pistons game yesterday and watched the Sixers walk away with a win on the road. Hmmmmm!!!

sagegrouse
'And, of course, on Saturday, Wizards center Brenda Haywood had a double-double in a losing match against Cleveland. Who'd a thunk it?'

[weezie]

Then I turned on the Pistons game yesterday and watched the Sixers walk away with a win on the road.



GROAN!!!! April in the "D" is turning into an endless nightmare :mad: .

[ugadevil]

After watching some of the games yesterday, I think Pau Gasol is one of the most underrated players in the league. When you hear about post players in the game, you hear the names Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Tim Duncan, etc...but you rarely hear people bring up Gasol. This guy is the complete package: great shooting percentage, rebounds, and exceptional passing. Watching he and Lamar Odom pass the ball in the post yesterday was impressive, regardless of Denver's defense.


Also, the Hawks were embarassing. Mike Bibby can't hit an open shot to save his life and I don't know what you'd call what they were doing to Kevin Garnett in the 2nd half, because it sure wasn't defense. Who cares though? Mike Woodson shaved his head.

[greybeard]

Flipper is not a playoff calibur coach; never was, never will be. So far, the Piston players don't look quite as smart as they did, do not make in-game adjustments quite as effectively as they did, when their coach was the guy who Dumars threw under the bus in order to get the "credit" he deserves.

My money says that the Pistons come up short again, but only because they do not have Larry.

If I actually watched, my pick would be for a Lakers Celtics final, with the Lakers taking it. Why? The Triangle works and, because they proved that they do not really need him, Kobe is finally, at long last, playing it. Gasol doesn't hurt either, but, contrary to the pundits, the game is about not permitting the other team to make stops, and, properly played, the Triangle puts the defense, well, on the defensive.

That's my story, that's been my story, and I'm sticking to it.

How you feel now Joe? Larry was really a detriment to your team? Please.

[Turk]

I think most hoopheads are well aware of Gasol's ability; he's just getting exposed to the casual fan now that he's free of the Babylonian captivity in Memphis. He'll get plenty of TV time as long as he's in LA. That pass of his to Kobe for the dunk late in the Nuggests game was sweet.

And I am starting to get very sour on Carmelo... That young'un might have had too much success too soon... Looks like he only goes 3/4 speed (of course everyone looks like that when playing next to Iverson, so consider that too), but it didn't appear like the Nuggets were too interested in defense...

And who would have thought the Sixers would come from way back to grab the opener in Game 1 vs. Pistons? Andre Miller and Mo Cheeks are running that team like a pair of maestros... Even Sleepin' Sammy Dalembert has made huge strides this season...

That said, I will join the consipiracy theorists and and say that the Commish has ordered up Celts / Lakers in the finals or else... Better get your Bird / Magic throwbacks before they're sold out...

[BlueintheFace]

And I am starting to get very sour on Carmelo... That young'un might have had too much success too soon... Looks like he only goes 3/4 speed (of course everyone looks like that when playing next to Iverson, so consider that too), but it didn't appear like the Nuggets were too interested in defense...


I am too... then again, I didn't like him all that much a few years ago until he absolutely blew up under Coach K last summer and played so great at both ends of the floor that I couldn't help but like him. I'll have to wait and see how he acts/plays at the olympics.

[moonpie23]

i think this might just be the best opening rounds that i can remember...these matchups are great..

if you want to take the title from the spurs...you have to be able to grind it out for the final 3 minutes....ask lebron...

i think it will be the celts/spurs for the title........spurs winning...

[geraldsneighbor]

I hope someone besides the Spurs win it.