NBA Playoff Thread

The Lakers seem a lot more rattled than they should be in a hostile road arena. Then again, the Cavs pulled the same shit the other night, so did the Nuggets.

 

Exactly.

 

Damn, dude. Bitter much? Y'all *did* win it all last year, right?

 

Sure. And I don't expect them to win it all this year, which I am obviously fine with. Kobe's got his post-Shaq title, the point is made. No need to be greedy. A lot of franchises have never even won one.

But I'd really prefer for them to not become the third (or is it fourth?) top seed to lose in the first round.

And if you can dispute the following statement, I'm all ears:

 

These Lakers are lacking something indeed. Kobe doesn't look the same. Artest has played horrible, especially offensively. Fisher is old. Bynum is here and there, as is Odom.

But I do also think a lot of is the Thunder just playing fantastic basketball moreso than the Lakers playing bad basketball.

 

Sooo much talent on Denver, yet they're so mentally and physically fragile, it's frustrating. How the hell can they not put away a team missing two of its starters?

 

The Lakers will win this series, but can you remember a time when a team as talented as the Lakers just layed down and died like dogs the way the Lakers did tonight? That was a joke, they should be ashamed

 

Yeah, I can remember.

The Lakers did the same last year against Houston, in Games Four and Six.

Then, having learned their lesson, they again capitulated to Denver in Game Four.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_NBA_Playoffs

They do nothing the easy way.

On another note, thought this was amusing, from a Mark Heisler throwaway column about LeBron vs. the Bulls (and it really was a throwaway column, except to note how poorly the Bulls have done with free agent money):

"Tweeted Cavaliers play-by-play broadcaster Fred McLeod before Game 3:

"Not saying it's a fe de compli in Chicago . . . but Bulls are on page 4 of the Tribune, kicked off front page by the Cubs and NFL draft."

Yes, Fred McLeod, that's EXACTLY how "fait accompli" is spelled.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-heisler-20100425,0,2371745.column

 

Ron Artest is shooting 3-23 from 3PT in this series. 12-40 FG. He's shot 40.1% and 41.4% from the field in the past two seasons. I wonder what his shooting percentages will look like in 4 seasons when he's making 8 million.

 

We're going to find out who wears the pants in the Cavaliers household today.

Cavs are having a problem with their bigs in the past two games. After a productive Game 1, Shaq has been a complete nonfactor in 2 and 3. JJ Hickson, who started 73 games this year (largely due to circumstances, but still), has barely been able to get on the floor.

LeBron has been stumping for going with a smaller lineup and playing Hickson more. Mike Brown said his priority is getting Shaq going. Shaq, meanwhile, hasn't said much of anything since the loss on Thursday.

 

So on one hand you're saying they'd only be the third or fourth No. 1 seed to lose in the first round. And on the other you're crapping on fans of other teams for being excited at a Lakers loss.

Well, guess what: People LOVE to see No. 1 seeds lose. Since the beginning of time (or at least tournaments), people have realized that seeing a top seed lose is 1) funny and 2) opens the door for their team to have a better shot at winning.

 

There can absolutely be zero doubt that LeBron is the best player in the league...it's not even close