2008 NBA Playoff Thread

tmoney1 · May 12, 2008, 2:40am

Sunday, May 11th Recap:

Jazz defeat 1) Lakers 123-115 (OT): Deron Williams had 29 points and 14 assists, and the Jazz tie up the series at 2-2. Kobe Bryant had 33 points, 10 assists, 8 boards, and tweaked his back during the course of the game.
Spurs defeat 2) Hornets 100-80: Tim Duncan had 22 and 15 boards, and Tony Parker added 21 and 8 dimes as the Spurs tie up the series 2-2. Chris Paul scored 23 points for the Hornets, and the Hornets will look forward to going home.

Stud of the Night: Tim Duncan. The Big Fundamental finally broke out of his slump by pouring in 22 and 15 boards, and the Spurs try to steal a victory on the road in Game 5.

tGunslinger · May 12, 2008, 4:24am

While I’ve underestimated NO, I think a great many people wrote off SAS far too early.

These aren’t the Nuggets or the Mavs; SA won’t fold their tents just because they fall behind 2-0. They’re not done until they lose that fourth game.

tmoney1 · May 12, 2008, 4:46am

[quote]tGunslinger wrote:
While I’ve underestimated NO, I think a great many people wrote off SAS far too early.

These aren’t the Nuggets or the Mavs; SA won’t fold their tents just because they fall behind 2-0. They’re not done until they lose that fourth game.[/quote]

Yeah I agree. People quickly forget they are the defending champs, and have won 4 of the last 9 titles, so they are prepared for every game.

NO is still playing outstanding this season and playoffs so far, and I think Coach Scott will have his team ready back in the Big Easy.

Xeneize · May 12, 2008, 5:21am

[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
tGunslinger wrote:
While I’ve underestimated NO, I think a great many people wrote off SAS far too early.

These aren’t the Nuggets or the Mavs; SA won’t fold their tents just because they fall behind 2-0. They’re not done until they lose that fourth game.

Yeah I agree. People quickly forget they are the defending champs, and have won 4 of the last 9 titles, so they are prepared for every game.

NO is still playing outstanding this season and playoffs so far, and I think Coach Scott will have his team ready back in the Big Easy.[/quote]

Well, I thought the Hornets could steal a game in San Antonio, but that obviously didn’t happen. The Spurs could take the next one in NO, but I don’t think that’s going to happen either. At this point, I think we’re definitely looking at a seven game series.

tmoney1 · May 12, 2008, 5:42am

[quote]Xeneize wrote:

Well, I thought the Hornets could steal a game in San Antonio, but that obviously didn’t happen. The Spurs could take the next one in NO, but I don’t think that’s going to happen either. At this point, I think we’re definitely looking at a seven game series.
[/quote]

Concur

tGunslinger · May 12, 2008, 5:56am

[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
Xeneize wrote:

Well, I thought the Hornets could steal a game in San Antonio, but that obviously didn’t happen. The Spurs could take the next one in NO, but I don’t think that’s going to happen either. At this point, I think we’re definitely looking at a seven game series.

Concur[/quote]

Absolutely. Neither team has come particularly close to winning a road game yet. This series is going to be a nail-biter.

deputydawg · May 12, 2008, 2:47pm

After a great weekend of playoff basketball my thoughts:

The possibility of Detroit going to the Finals is looking stronger every game. I can’t remember a one seed (excluding Don Nelson’s occult-like powers over Dallas in 2007)struggling in the playoffs like the Celtics this year. As one of the other posters said they aren’t going to go 16 - 0 at home.
I still like LA in the West but did Kobe get hurt yesterday? It looked like it. That could definitely change things. Yesterday’s game between LA - Utah the best yet in this playoffs. Very exciting. LA missed a golden opportunity to bury Utah. Malevolence-- I used to hate Kobe but now that they have had several sucky seasons and Kobe has been somewhat humbled, I can enjoy watching him play again. Of course if SA and LA meet in the Finals then I’m sure my Kobe hatred will be rekindled.
Of Course I loved the SA - NO game last night. But like Tim said all they have done is win their home games. They still have got to win one in NO at some point. Tuesday’s game will be crucial. I think NO will bounce back. I think it will be close. Beyond that – who knows?

Xeneize · May 12, 2008, 3:34pm

[quote]deputydawg wrote:
After a great weekend of playoff basketball my thoughts:

The possibility of Detroit going to the Finals is looking stronger every game. I can’t remember a one seed (excluding Don Nelson’s occult-like powers over Dallas in 2007)struggling in the playoffs like the Celtics this year. As one of the other posters said they aren’t going to go 16 - 0 at home.
I still like LA in the West but did Kobe get hurt yesterday? It looked like it. That could definitely change things. Yesterday’s game between LA - Utah the best yet in this playoffs. Very exciting. LA missed a golden opportunity to bury Utah. Malevolence-- I used to hate Kobe but now that they have had several sucky seasons and Kobe has been somewhat humbled, I can enjoy watching him play again. Of course if SA and LA meet in the Finals then I’m sure my Kobe hatred will be rekindled.
Of Course I loved the SA - NO game last night. But like Tim said all they have done is win their home games. They still have got to win one in NO at some point. Tuesday’s game will be crucial. I think NO will bounce back. I think it will be close. Beyond that – who knows? [/quote]

Good post. I think your thoughts are right on the money. Especially the one about Detroit looking more and more like the team that will emerge out of the East. Their mental toughness might just give them that edge over that talented but enigmatic Celtics team.

chillain · May 12, 2008, 11:26pm

[quote]deputydawg wrote:
After a great weekend of playoff basketball my thoughts:

The possibility of Detroit going to the Finals is looking stronger every game. I can’t remember a one seed (excluding Don Nelson’s occult-like powers over Dallas in 2007)struggling in the playoffs like the Celtics this year. As one of the other posters said they aren’t going to go 16 - 0 at home.
I still like LA in the West but did Kobe get hurt yesterday? It looked like it. That could definitely change things. Yesterday’s game between LA - Utah the best yet in this playoffs. Very exciting. LA missed a golden opportunity to bury Utah. Malevolence-- I used to hate Kobe but now that they have had several sucky seasons and Kobe has been somewhat humbled, I can enjoy watching him play again. Of course if SA and LA meet in the Finals then I’m sure my Kobe hatred will be rekindled.
Of Course I loved the SA - NO game last night. But like Tim said all they have done is win their home games. They still have got to win one in NO at some point. Tuesday’s game will be crucial. I think NO will bounce back. I think it will be close. Beyond that – who knows? [/quote]

About BOS - just heard the PTI guys point out an interesting fact: apparently, no team that has gone on to win the championship has ever won FEWER than three road games during their title run. So it would seem that history demands that the Celtics turn things around, and soon.

About SA/NO - great series, but these home blowouts are getting old. What’s kind of funny is that no one can realistically expect NO to win a Game 6 on the road. And no one would be surprised to see SA win a Game 7 on the road either. So in some strange way, it’s kind of like SA actually has the home court advantage in this series, if that makes any sense.

shizen · May 13, 2008, 1:18am

Kobe being hurt REALLY showed in overtime, usually when he is that close he is like a predator and just finishes the other team like any great player would. Yet he had the opportunities just could not finish, I’m a little worried but I still strongly think they will finish it at home since that has been the theme this year in the playoffs.

I think san antonio will win a road game and finish it at home, I really don’t want it to happen as I think the possibility of NO and Laker series would be much more exiting to watch.

The east is just too boring to watch I just stopped watching those games.

Xeneize · May 13, 2008, 2:54am

Christ, did you see that LeBron dunk?! Down go the Celts on the road again.

In fairness to Boston, road teams are 1-14 so far in this round. But the one team that has won on the road … Detroit. Not a good sign for the Celts, if they even get past Cleveland.

Xeneize · May 13, 2008, 3:53am

POW!!!

tGunslinger · May 13, 2008, 4:04am

[quote]Xeneize wrote:
Christ, did you see that LeBron dunk?! Down go the Celts on the road again.

In fairness to Boston, road teams are 1-14 so far in this round. But the one team that has won on the road … Detroit. Not a good sign for the Celts, if they even get past Cleveland.[/quote]

Cleveland will win in 6. That series is over.

While Boston didn’t even show up in Game 3, they kept it close for three quarters in Game 4. But when crunch time came, Boston pissed down their legs while Cleveland bitch-slapped them a second time. Cleveland has established that Boston is their bitch come crunch time in the fourth quarter.

Also, can anybody on God’s green Earth explain to me why Doc Rivers’ lineup for the first five minutes of the 4th quarter was Pierce, Cassell, P.J. Brown, Big Baby Davis, and James Posey? W. T. F.?!

It was crunch time in a huge Game 4, and Doc Rivers has one starter on the floor? Big Baby hadn’t even played all game, all series!, long, and Doc throws him into the fire in the fourth quarter?

Brown and Davis are limited offensively - to be generous - while Cassell can’t keep up on defense and Davis needs interior help to be effective on D. That stupid-assed lineup meant that Boston was effectively playing three-on-five ball on both sides of the floor.

And that idiot Rivers kept that lineup on the floor for the entire first half of the fourth quarter. Absolutely ludicrous. His big guns didn’t step up when Rivers put them back in later, but that’s still a remarkably stupid coaching decision by Doc. You just don’t fart away five minutes of the 4th quarter in a decisive playoff game like that.

tmoney1 · May 13, 2008, 4:36am

Monday, May 12th Recap:

Cavs defeat 1) Celtics 88-77: LeBron James had 21, 13 assists, and 6 boards, and the Cavs knot the series up at 2-2. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo had 15 points each for the Celtics, who are still winless on the road this playoff season.

Stud of the Night: LeBron James. 21 points, 13 helpers, 6 boards, and one SICK dunk at the end of the game sealed the deal for the Cavs, who tie up the series heading to Beantown.

tmoney1 · May 13, 2008, 4:38am

[quote]Xeneize wrote:
POW!!![/quote]

somebody call the janitor…

because that was DIRTY!!!

tmoney1 · May 13, 2008, 4:49am

[quote]tGunslinger wrote:
Xeneize wrote:
Christ, did you see that LeBron dunk?! Down go the Celts on the road again.

In fairness to Boston, road teams are 1-14 so far in this round. But the one team that has won on the road … Detroit. Not a good sign for the Celts, if they even get past Cleveland.

Cleveland will win in 6. That series is over.

[/quote]

Now that you say that, I remember Cleveland went down 2-0 last year to the Pistons (although both games could have easily been won by the Cavs), then railed off four straight, including LBJ’s RIDICK performance in Game 5, where he scored the Cavs’ last 25 straight points. That is honestly the most dominant performance I’ve seen from an individual basketball player not named Jordan.

I just can’t believe how weak Boston is on the road. There is almost zero chance they can go 16-0 at home, and 0-12 on the road, if all series go seven games through the Finals.

I think the true mark of a championship team is if they win on the road, and consistently. The Celtics are definitely not showing that.

But then again, this is their first year in the playoffs in a while, and the first year with the Big 3 playing together.

But on the other hand, the Bulls Big 3 from 96-98 (Jordan, Pippen, Rodman) won three titles in three years, and won on the road regularly, so hopefully this will be a learning curve for the Celtics. They better get it together soon enough though, or else they’ll be playing golf with the other teams that are already done.

tGunslinger · May 13, 2008, 5:12am

[quote]tmoney1 wrote:
tGunslinger wrote:
Xeneize wrote:
Christ, did you see that LeBron dunk?! Down go the Celts on the road again.

In fairness to Boston, road teams are 1-14 so far in this round. But the one team that has won on the road … Detroit. Not a good sign for the Celts, if they even get past Cleveland.

Cleveland will win in 6. That series is over.

Now that you say that, I remember Cleveland went down 2-0 last year to the Pistons (although both games could have easily been won by the Cavs), then railed off four straight, including LBJ’s RIDICK performance in Game 5, where he scored the Cavs’ last 25 straight points. That is honestly the most dominant performance I’ve seen from an individual basketball player not named Jordan.

I just can’t believe how weak Boston is on the road. There is almost zero chance they can go 16-0 at home, and 0-12 on the road, if all series go seven games through the Finals.

I think the true mark of a championship team is if they win on the road, and consistently. The Celtics are definitely not showing that.

But then again, this is their first year in the playoffs in a while, and the first year with the Big 3 playing together.

But on the other hand, the Bulls Big 3 from 96-98 (Jordan, Pippen, Rodman) won three titles in three years, and won on the road regularly, so hopefully this will be a learning curve for the Celtics. They better get it together soon enough though, or else they’ll be playing golf with the other teams that are already done.[/quote]

I decided after Game 3 that Boston has proven that they lack that championship fire to win the title this season. Game 4 demonstrated to me that they’re unlikely to even beat Cleveland in Round 2. Crunch time rolled around, and Cleveland significantly elevated their game while Boston, yet again, folded like a cheap tent.

Cleveland ripped their hearts out in Game 4, and I suspect that will carry over to Game 5 in Boston. After that, 0-6 is inevitable.

Not only is their road record the worst among the remaining playoff teams, Boston seems to be one of only two teams that really can’t even stay competitive on the road. Four of Boston’s road games have been decided by the final minute.

Oddly, the other team that is flatly horrible on the road? The San Antonio Spurs. They’re 1-3, with three blowout losses.

Road Records (1st round, 2nd round):
LAL - 2-2 (2-0, 0-2)
UTH - 2-3 (2-1, 0-2)
SAS - 1-3 (1-1, 0-2)
NO - 1-3 (1-1, 0-2)
Orl - 1-3 (1-1, 0-2)
Det - 3-2 (2-1, 1-1)
Cle - 2-3 (2-1, 0-2)
Bos - 0-5 (0-3, 0-2)

From this list, a Detroit-LAL finals seems very likely. Boston could still pull out of their tail-spin since they’ve been virtually invincible at home, but they’re giving themselves absolutely zero margin of error.

Xeneize · May 13, 2008, 6:44am

[quote]tGunslinger wrote:

Also, can anybody on God’s green Earth explain to me why Doc Rivers’ lineup for the first five minutes of the 4th quarter was Pierce, Cassell, P.J. Brown, Big Baby Davis, and James Posey? W. T. F.?!

It was crunch time in a huge Game 4, and Doc Rivers has one starter on the floor? Big Baby hadn’t even played all game, all series!, long, and Doc throws him into the fire in the fourth quarter?
[/quote]

the only thing I can think of… and yes, I’m reaching, but trying to apply some logic to Rivers’ madness, is that he figures this series is gonna go 7, and if he can get those knuckleheads some crunch-time playing time, maybe that will yield dividends down the road, later this series or in the next, which figures to be even tougher. I can’t think of any other reason to justify his moves.

Xeneize · May 13, 2008, 6:46am

[quote]tGunslinger wrote:
tmoney1 wrote:
tGunslinger wrote:
Xeneize wrote:
Christ, did you see that LeBron dunk?! Down go the Celts on the road again.