2014 NBA Playoffs thread

When does Larry Bird start to get some of the heat for the Pacers' woes? It seems like everyone is making pains not to include him in the Pacers' collapse. He's the one who went out and got Andrew Bynum and Evan Turner.

 

Spurs barely survived tonight. Pacers now trail, 3-2.

For a few hours both No. 1 seeds were behind in their first-round series. I wonder if that's ever happened before.

And I imagine Dallas fans are saying "Boris 'Fucking' Diaw" a lot like Red Sox fans said "Bucky 'Fucking' Dent."

 

At the least, you'd think Bird might call Vogel into his office for a little chat. Certainly, the Turner deal didn't work out as planned, but Vogel seems to have a history now of his bench players thriving once they leave him. Then again, Bird is learning at the feet of Donnie Walsh, who has earned all the acclaim he has received as an NBA executive, but has his own history of letting things get to the point of chaos before finally stepping in.

I know Atlanta wasn't playing its hardest up 30, but you still wonder why it took Vogel five and three-quarters games to go to a smaller lineup. If Hibbert isn't going to score, then he's useless as a shot-blocker against a team that spreads the floor and uses the 3-point shot not as a means of opening the court, but as a means of hitting 3-pointers.

(By the way, I don't think Bynum was a bad deal. It was a cheap flyer on a backup big man, and at least in the two games Bynum played, he was a beast. Unfortunately, at 26, Bynum has the knees of a 75-year-old.)

 

David Freese occupies that niche.

Mavs-Spurs is going seven.

 

Mavs-Spurs is very compelling; maybe the best 1st rounder in a while. Too bad the Mavs couldn't make their free throws down the stretch and that Blair lost his head and got kicked out (he was a beast!). Boris "Freakin"" Diaw is dead on; that's what you lose on a 3 by him? Guess that just shows what a team the Spurs are; Mills with some big shots too late in 4th. Ellis had a great look at the layup at the end to tie it.

 

Mavs-Spurs isn't even the best first round series this year. Both OKC-Memphis and Houston-Portland have gone into three OTs apiece. I'd say that Grizz-Thunder has been easily the most best/most intriguing series so far.

 

Spurs & Raptors can say "Vince Effin Carter" together.

 

Given the way my team has turned to shit, I get a lot more enjoyment out of watching the two series you mentioned.

 

Last year, Matt Kryger of the Indy Star had great photos of Roy Hibbert blocking Carmelo Anthony, or Paul George dunking over the Birdman. This year, it's Herb Simon trying to suppress his vomit.

 

The Wizards not only won a playoff series for the first time since '05 but eliminated the Bulls by allowing just 69 points.

 

Memphis-OKC is insane. Memphis blows another big lead, but has the stones to keep composure and win it (again) in overtime to take a 3-2 lead.

And who figured Mike Miller playing a critical role?

 

Those two just matchup to create terrific games.