NBA Playoff Thread

That's hardly a fair comparison. Bynum of last year was certainly no KG. And a broken finger isn't debilitating, certainly not like a knee injury is.

The Lakers certainly seem tougher than they were in 08. But the Celtics aren't physical with them as they were. If any team is intimidated now it seems to be the Celtics, by the height of the Lakers. I'm still not convinced Gasol couldn't be taken out of the game mentally by more physical play, but the Celtics aren't employing that.

 

See, I'm a little tired of C's fans having it both ways. I keep hearing this team has three Hall of Fame players (and if we listen to Bill Simmons, Rondo could be No. 4) but when Garnett got injured, the whole thing fell apart. Do the Lakers have three HOF players and an elite PG? Nope. There is anyone arguing Gasol is anywhere close to that level. How come these other HOFers couldn't step up any at least get back to the finals when Garnett was toast last year? I don't think they should have won it or anything, but getting bounced by Orlando in the quarters? They got a pass for the post championship hangover.

Artest, as crazy as he is, is killing Pierce in this series. He's been a non-factor after kicking the Lakers ass two years ago. He's more important than Garnett and he's not getting it done.

 

Rhetoric aside, I agree with DD on Pierce and Artest. If Pierce doesn't score, the Celts are going to have trouble winning, because Allen, while a great outside shooter, is going to have nights like last night because that's what happens to all outside shooters. There was a game in the 1972 playoffs for the Lakers where Jerry West was like 10 for 34 or some such.

 

KG and his faux tough guy act and his "intensity" is fucking annoying as hell.

 

Beating one's chest after being fouled definitely falls into the "faux tough guy" category.

Just a day in the intense life of this career Celtic.

 

No, pussy move against the Heat is a better example of his tough guy act.

Where was the "intensity" when he was playing like Bill Garnett in Games 1 and 2?

 

I'm not a Lakers or Celtics fan. I probably see more of the Lakers than the Celtics on TV. That said KG's personality, on or off court, never struck me as an act. Kobe's does. Everything seems very planned with, like there's this image to project. And I'm not sure what the point is of Kobe turning into a robot, who's just too intense and serious for anybody, in the Finals during any interviews.

 

So KG really is a bitch?

 

Gee . . . I guess Kobe IS Jordan.

 

Kobe just seems socially awkward. Like he is unsure what the right thing to do is. It just does not come naturally to him. A lot people are like that.

Jordan just always seemed so smooth and in control of everything around him. Jeter, Ray Allen, Tom Brady are the same way.

 

Derek Fisher took the big $$ and left the Lakers to go to the .......Warriors. He brought his 3 rings and promptly started firing jumpers in transition like he was MJ, which was not a pretty sight. I was happy to see him go to Utah (except when he turned around in 2007 and hit some big shots against the Warriors.)

However when he's just a sidelight and not the main player, he can make some huge shots. Last night Kobe for some reason was taking awful shots in the 4th quarter and barely hitting the backboard and Fisher pulled them through. Great performance.

Gasol needs to make quicker post moves though. That was the most aggressive I've ever seen Garnett in a big game.

 

Lakers starters have been embarrassed by the Celts bench this whole quarter.