NBA '08 Playoff Thread

Or much better, depending on your point of view

 

Is there really anything particularly hateable about this Celtics team, or is it just because they're from Boston?

 

Blame Bill Simmons, ESPN and SI, which shoved them down our throats all year.

 

I was standing on the edge of the cliff until two weeks ago, when ESPN started pimping a Lakers-Celts final before the first game of the playoffs had even started.

That did it. If the Hawks win, I'll buy a round or three at the bar Sunday night.

 

Fair enough, that's kind of what I expected. It's tough because it's not like that's the Celtics fault. The organization isn't pushing Red Sox nation or anything like that. I'm a Boston fan and I can completely understand why people don't like the Sox or Patriots. I get sick of some of those teams bullshit too, particularly the Sox unrelenting marketing. But with the Celtics I don't see it. They're a storied franchise that was mismanaged for years and driven into the ground. Now they've rebuilt by doing what just about every team in the league could do (go for broke, trade young talent, pay the luxury tax, get a little lucky) and for the most part the coach and players don't seem to be especially offensive, if at all. I can understand rooting for Atlanta -- if you're neutral it's a great story and it's easier to root for the underdog. I was just curious on where the Celtics hating came from.

 

I'd like to hate the Celtics. I mean I hate the Red Sox and the Pats, but I can't bring myself to hate the team Larry Bird played for [/IndianaStategrad]

I've also avoided the vast majority of the marketing on ESPN, since I refuse to watch that POS channel.

 

I have zero problem with the Celtics past glory and all of that -- tremendous franchise and some of the best teams ever. Bottom line though, it just gets a little old to crown a team who hadn't played one playoff game together ever. With a GM who, up until stumbling onto two gold mines, has been about as bad as Isaiah Thomas during his tenure and a city that enjoys acting picked on more than just about anyone else. Cubs fans whine and cry with the best of them, but they have reason to. Boston fans really don't have much of a reason to do it anymore -- yet, a solid majority of them still do. Not saying anyone on here in particular does, because I haven't heard it from any of you -- but in general.

 

Well, there is one person...

 

Magicians hanging right in with Detroit ... down one at the half. Both teams with a solid first 24, every time Detroit scored Orlando came right back.
One thing to watch, as always, Billups is abusing Nelson again -- if that keeps up Detroit wins by 15.

 

Detroit up 18 with seven to play and Walter Herrmann just checked in. This might be wrapping up.

 

I'm a Hawks fanboi who truly expects the Celts to win by 15-20 tomorrow. Win or lose, the last week has been fun. And it's revived my interest in the NBA.

As for the hatred for the Celtics: good question. I think it's just a Boston thing. The rest of the nation is tired of having Boston (and New York) shoved down our throats by ESPN and the like. I've always liked Garnett and Allen, and never had any real animosity toward the Celtics. But, up until a few years ago, the Pats and Sox were fine with me, too.