NBA Playoffs: Day 13

So what about those Wizards. Never mind the rare LeBron buzzer beater missed or caron Butler having a career Playoff high the real postgame story was this.

“Miss this shot, make it interesting and let’s take this thing back to D.C.”

Needless to say Lebron bowed to Caron's demands missed a 5 footer in the Lane on the last shot of the game and Washington stole one in Cleveland now going back home in game 6. James was unbelievable with 34 points and 10 assists but when it counted a rarity occured. He fell short.

He can throw it down and put players off when the games's on the line. Just what can he not do

Oh and those pesky Celtics. In game 5 they ran the Hawks in a comforatble 110-85 victory meaning the eyes of the upset pursuits will be in Atlanta for game 6. If the Hawks win this one game 7 will approach the magnitude of Superbowl 41 where an enitre city which once dreamed of titles in all 3 Sports could be dashed assunming the Hawks cause the biggest upset in Playoff history. It won't happen just throwing a possibility out there!. How good is it to see though the arguements about reseeding the Playoffs fall shot though. Because of the disaparity between the West and East many people including our own Don nelson thought it should be just a straight seeding from 1-16. Yet in the West seeds 6 through 8 are eliminated while Eastern those series are locked at 2-2. Only in the NBA!.

G6: (2) Detroit Pistons @ (7) Philadelphia 76ers (Pistons Lead 3-2)

This is one of those series that doesn't keep me on the edge of my seat. However you have to give credit to the Pistons a team constructed to stay with the Spurs as one of the great teams as this NBA. Then you have the Sixers with Thaddeus Young being a draft day steal, Dalembert being a huge shot block threat and Andre Miller is still effective. Then again with the Sixers I can't tell if they've.

:are an up-and-coming team
:just overachieved
:are simply benefiting big time by playing in the league's JV
conference

Don't be surprised if an amped up Philly squad with nothing to lose steals this game and sends this series to a once unthinkable Game 7 with Detroit stealing this series

NBA Playoffs: Day 12

Two years ago when Mike D'Antoni was preparing to face the Mavericks in the Western Conference finals I don't think he could have imagined later on in his NBA career rumours by ESPN means he could be out of a job. Unfortunately after the Suns suffered another playoff exit at the hands of their nemisis the San Antonio Spurs it looks like the end. Any coach who goes 232-96, makes the WCF twice and totally revitalizes the way the modern game is played (most teams are adopting a version of the Fast Break now) deserves major credit but ultimately it was the Shaq trade that put his job on the line and it failed.

As for Avery Johnson with the loss to the Hornets either Mark Cuban has great patience or he won't rehire a coach with seasons of falling short, 3 seasons of failed expectations, 1 season of squandering a 2-0 NBA Finals lead, and one season of finishing with the best record in the league but getting kicked out of the 1st round by you know who. Fire Avery will be happy.

On the next plane out of Phoenix?

Easy to forget in the midst of all this Coaching speculation but the Pistons beat the 76ers 98-81 in a good old fashioned beatdown with Rip and Billups looking in decent form. I gurantee you I don't think anyone would have perdicted the Eastern Playoffs would have been more exciting then he West but it's happenned. For T-Mac's playoff curse to be on hold he has to performa godlike task and win in the land of the mormoms sorry Utah as they trashed the Jazz 95-69. On with todays.

Gme5: (8) Atlanta Hawks @ (1) Boston Celtics (Series tied 2-2)

A game 5 in Boston in this series. The NBA never ceases to surprise. Right now a team that made the 8th spot in the East with a losing record still seem to have more collective belief then a Celtics team that haven't reached their potential. Still is it a step too far to see Hotlanta pull this one out. Yes.


Gme5: (5) Washington Wizards @ (4) Cleveland Cavalliers (Cleveland lead 3-1)

All that Stevenson nonsense will end tonight. Lebron puts on a show and Fire Mike Brown will actually have some positive things to say about the state of the Cavs.

Update
Avery Johnson fired as Coach of the Dallas Mavericks(ESPN)

NBA Playoffs: Day 11

So far, the biggest shocker for me is the fact that Philly is actually hanging with the Detroit. While I love a good underdog story (as any Warriors fan should), it’s tough to imagine that this anomaly isn’t going to right itself with tonight’s action.

An Early offseason for Dirk looks likely




I’ve got my picks in… Do you?!

G5: (7) Dallas Mavericks @ (2) New Orleans Hornets (New Orleans lead 3-1)
Shut em down New Orleans. Give the Mavs a nice long offseason... Again.



G5: (6) Phoenix Suns @ (3) San Antonio Spurs (Spurs lead 3-1)
Not tonight. Phoenix will come with a 2nd half push that forces the Snores to play a Game 6.



G5: (4) Utah Jazz @ (5) Houston Rockets (Jazz lead 3-1)

Ugh. I hate to say it but I’m thinkin’ this one ends tonight.



G5: (7) Philadelphia 76ers @ (2) Detroit Pistons (Series tied 2-2)

Wow seriously?! Props to Philly but Detroit is coming with a reality check tonight

NBA Playoffs: Day 10

Isn't it funny how the average player like delonte West isn't heard off by a bigtime NBA fan yet when Playoff time rolls around one big play will change everything. Thats exactly what happenned when he made his buzzerbeating shot against the Wizards in the last 5 seconds of the game. It looks it'll be yet another year that the Cavs will knock the Wizards out of the playoffs as they took a 3-1 lead in the series. Anyhoo

G5: (6) Toronto Raptors @ (3) Orlando Magic (Magic Lead 3-1) As the All American Reject song goes it ends Tonight.

G4: (1) Boston Celtics @ (8) Atlanta Hawks (Celtics Lead 2-1)

How did the Hawks win a game? Josh Smith is a fiend! I highly doubt it's going to happen again, but it was fun while it lasted (all 1 time that is).

G4: (1) LA Lakers @ (8) Denver Nuggets (Lakers Lead 3-0)

How are the Nuggets going to give up at the end of the 3rd quarter? It's ridiculous! If the Warriors had that 8th seed, they'd be playing until the very last second! But whatever - Kobe's bringing out his broom for the sweeping tonight.

NBA Playoffs: Day 9

So how exactly did Atlanta pull off that win again? Are the Raptors and Chris Bosh done for the year, How exactly with so much potential talent are the Nuggets not avoiding getting swept?, Why is T-Mac destined not to get out of the 1st round is it a punishment for ignoring the Magic's plans for getting vince Carter so he could stay. Despite all the fire and star power on the bestcoast, I mean westcoast, it seems like we're seeing the same teams dominating night in, night out. Will this be re-runs of last season? We'll see...


G4)Cavaliers @ Wizards (Cavs lead series 2-1
Lebron is the type of player who can domiate when he wants to and how he wants to. The supposed DeShawn Stevenson-Lebron James "rivalry" no doubt will add fuel to Lebron's 5-alarm blaze throughout this opening series but I see the Cavs game 3 mishap evaporating hard as they take game 4.

(G4)Spurs @ Suns (Spurs lead series 3-0): The Suns are done but not tonight. Either Nash wakes out of his slump and has a big game or the Officals will ensure a game 4 for TV rating purposes. I'm gonna bet on the latter.

(G4)Pistons @ 76ers (76ers lead series 2-1 Maybe Detroit needed one game to adjust to Philly's crowd but I still see them finishing this off in 6. Reggie Evans shots will stop falling and we'll still have the title of greatest Playoff upset ever.

(G4)Hornets @ Mavs (Hornets lead series 2-1): Never mind Chris Paul and the inspirational so far postseason play the Mavs expereince will ensure no more Chris Paul alleyoops to Tyson Chandler. Dallas takes this one

NBA Playoffs: Day 8

The Shaq experiment has offically failed

Even though I didn't watch the mighty Suns struggle their way to a possible sweep against the Spurs making sure that since February that in all likelihood they would be done early not too many Pistons or NBA fans would have thought the Sixers in front of a loud but leave home early type crowd would jump to a 2-1 series lead. I have to say if you've never watched an NBA game but tuned in just then it would be impossible to believe that Detroit won 59 games such was the no heart, over confident, and poorly display they showed. But being a genuine Pistons hater, I’ll take it.

In the West you had Dallas with a big win keeping the series alive. Trailing the series by one game, the Mavs are still going to have to win their next game to stay alive. Even though Dirk has been labelled the peultimate playoff choker for one night only he was big with 32 and 19.

And finally, the last game of Friday night had the most exciting series turn into a bust. The Spurs beat the Suns in Phoenix by 16 points. This looks to be a sweep. I have to say, the Spurs are incredible. After watching this series so far, I’m really going to have to rethink who I have going to the finals!.





G4: (3) Orlando Magic @ (6) Toronto Raptors (Magic leads 2-1)

Even though I love watching howard and Bosh duke out in the paint much like I perdicted this series has been a dud neither game being close so far. Tonight motivated by the Pistons struggles and the possibility of earfly elimination Howard has a monstrous game while Rasheed gets hot outside and Orlando take a 3-1 lead back to Disneyland.


G3: (1) LA Lakers @ (8) Denver Nuggets (LA leads 2-0)

As reccomended by the excellent fire George Karl Blog the best thing Denver should do in the remainder of the series is just play as much free flowing Basketball as possible. Considering everyones job is on the line should they lose the series it's they only fun they'll have


G3: (1) Boston Celtics @ (8) Atlanta Hawks (Boston leads 2-0)

We're having a rare hot day in Ireland so if you excuse me rather then watching a perdictable blowout I'll be on the beach.


G4: (4) Houston Rockets @ (5) Utah Jazz (Jazz leads 2-1)

Yao Ming memorably asked Carl Landry if he would sacrifice 15 more teeth for the good of the team. They'll need to sacrifice more then that if they want to regain home court advantage

NBA Playoffs: Day 7

Couldn't write up a preview of Day 6 of the 200-2008 playoffs but after two blowouts and a rare win for the Rockets in Mormonland you didn't miss much. Wait run that sentence by me again. Houston won in Utah!. Yes thats right. T-Mac didn't use his 4th quarter heroics but he did have one nice little burst of good play as he hit 2 jumpers, 3 free throws, had a key block and rebound. Apart from those it was the same old do nothing T-Mac come playoff time. I don't why the guy has a knack for choking come 1st round Playoff time but in the interests of fairness the Rockets have done exceedingly well avoiding a sweep without their big man. As the Warriors know from last year playing utah without a decent big man is next to impossible so props to the Rockets for stealing a game. Won't be enough but whatever. On to the next slate of games

The NBA where Shawn Bradley lives


G3: (2) Detroit Pistons @ (7) Philadelphia 76ers (series tied 1-1)
Game 2 the Pistons realized they were suppossed to beat the Sixers easily so blew them out. I expect them later on to play down to Philly's standard just not tonight.


G3: (2) New Orleans Hornets @ (7) Dallas Mavericks (Hornets lead 2-0)
Right back when this series started in New orleans up until tonight Dallas just doesn't look like they can handle it. If they lose this series, A LOT of things come into question about this franchise. WIll Avery be fired? Is Jason Kidd overrated? Is Dirk ever going to recover? But for tonight, give the Mavs this one.


G3: (3) San Antonio Spurs @ (6) Phoenix Suns (Spurs lead 2-0) Steve Kerr's reasoning for the Shaq trade. so they could beat the Spurs. Hasn't worked yet but tonight I expect a double digit victory and the " real Slim shady" sorry Leandro Barbose to please stand up