Official NBA Finals thread

While that's true, I can't help but root for a Pittsburgh boy -- and with any luck, the next owner of the Pirates -- in the finals. That's on top of all the other reasons I'm backing the Mavs.

 

AP preview capsules rank Pat Riley and Avery Johnson as "Even" under the coaching category.

Discuss.

 

Pat Riley made his coaching reputation when he had Kareem, Worthy and some guy named Magic playing for him.

 

You're speaking my language. Shaq has received a pass from the media and fans since the beginning. What many forget now is that the Lakers could have been even deeper when he signed, but they had to trade George Lynch (solid rebounding off the bench) and Anthony Peeler (shooting off the bench) to Vancouver for draft picks to get enough cap room to further up their offer after Shaq saw what Zo was getting from Miami, and wanted more.

So insteasd of George McCloud and Corie Blount in those roles, they might have had better parts. Plus, Shaq asked for a Thug power forward and got Rodman in 1999, and asked for a shooter and got Glen Rice for Elden Campbell and Eddie Jones. Jones was nowhere in the playoffs, but still . . . . . Shaq set that team back with his bad general managering. He also asked for Van Exel's exit, but Nick would never have gotten a key playoff call with his history.

Anyway, I would like to see Shaq lose and lose quickly. And there's nothing wrong with Mark Cuban, the Most Well Educated Owner in the NBA, winning a ring.

 

"With sexy results ... " [/Homer Simpson reading soap opera script notes]

 

Both of you are right. Whenever Shaq does something dumb, he'll come back with some joke and then everybody runs back to him and begins to suck his dick. But the guy has 3 rings, has gotten to the finals 6 times, and has helped create 3 great guards (penny,kobe,dwade) and this is why he dosn't get knocked for the things he does . The thing that dissapoints me is that out of all the kobe vs. shaq feud, shaq is seen as the team player. There's a reason why Kobe and Penny have feuded with Shaq. Because back then, Shaq wasn't the team player that he is right now. But now ,he is forced to become a team player because he's not the same Shaq anymore and that's why Dwyane hasn't had any problems with him. If Dwyane played with the younger Shaq, they would've had the same thing that was going on with Kobe and Penny. The other reason for the whole new Shaq is because Shaq wants to get back at Kobe. This is the only reason why he's letting Dwyane Wade be Dwyane Wade.

 

Dallas was a top-10 defensive team this season.
Josh Howard will guard Wade. Upside: he won't shut him down, but he'll make him work. Downside: Amount of energy it takes to guard Wade could hurt Howard's offense/rebounding.
The Mavs will run a lot of high pick-and-roll with Nowitzki and Van Horn. Shaq doesn't play the two-man game well.
Riley obviously has a huge advantage in accomplishments, but Johnson has shown himself to be a very good game-planner and good at making in-game adjustments.
I say Dallas in six.

 

I'm picking the Mavs. Seriously, they are due!

 

AF's comment earlier that Dallas plays no D is so utterly stupid.
The Mavericks locked up the Suns and Avery has totally changed this team's mindset. Against the Heat, he can throw Dampier (who's played Shaq well the past 2 years) and Diop at Shaq and wear down the Heat.
I'll take the Mavs in 6 because of their depth and the way they always seem to make the right move in these playoffs (Devin Harris into the starting lineup against the Spurs, putting Howard on Nash in Game 6, etc...).

 

Ditto

 

Game 2 has turned into a blowout.
Shaq O'Neal and DWade attempted 10 shots total, between them, in the first half.
Stackhouse was lights-out shooting for the Mavs, too, in the first two quarters.
And jason Terry continues to shine
Th series is likely headed back to Miami, with the Heat down 2-0.
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(A great halftime piece, too, on and NBA referee who was a former informant against the mob.)
(Great piece by ABC newsgatherers)

 

Game 2 stat line

                      MIN  FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OREB DREB REB   AST   STL   BLK   TO    PF    PTS
Erick Dampier    29     2-3      0-0     2-3      4      9     13     1       1       1      2      2      6

Shaquille O'Neal 28     2-5      0-0     1-7     1      5      6      2       0       0      2      1      5