NBA Playoffs, 2005

[vinny-b]

yeah. Crazy.

maybe with Artest on the floor, and a healthy O'neill, they *would* advance past Motown.

[bdoughty]

The series in the West are going to be popcorn worthy and I don't say that about the NBA often.

Picks for this round

I am taking the Spurs over the Sonics in 7

Suns over the Mavs in 7

An all-Texas Western Conference final would be great, I just don't see it in the cards.


The East will end up finished early

Heat will sweep the Wizards

Pistons in 5 over the Pacers, though I hope that Miller and the Pacers can pull off a miracle and take it to 7 or even beat the Pistons.

[wco81]

As expected, most of the top contenders survived so we still have at least 4 teams, two from each conference, which could win it all. The conference finals should be terrific.

Dallas-Phoenix may go 6 or 7 and Seattle has played San Antonio well this season, especially if Allen just goes off with the 3s.

Indy-Detroit, the series the NBA didn't want, shouldn't be competitive. It's too bad because with Artest, this would be at least a 6-game series (and it still may be).

[Brando70]

The series in the West are going to be popcorn worthy and I don't say that about the NBA often.

Picks for this round

I am taking the Spurs over the Sonics in 7

Suns over the Mavs in 7

An all-Texas Western Conference final would be great, I just don't see it in the cards.


The East will end up finished early

Heat will sweep the Wizards

Pistons in 5 over the Pacers, though I hope that Miller and the Pacers can pull off a miracle and take it to 7 or even beat the Pistons.

Those seem like pretty solid picks, BD. I think the Pacers will push it to six games, if only because Miller will probably be able to get hot a couple times and get them enough points to win.

Heat will definitely b*tch slap Washington. Wizards just tend to lose focus too easily, and a rested Shaq and Dwayne Wade will give them fits.

Western playoffs should be barn burners from here on out. Can't believe Dallas came back to win that series. Tracy McGrady may wind up being the best NBA player to never get out of the first round.

I've had a couple days to digest a great but ultimately disappointing Bulls season. I don't understand why Skiles had Ben Gordon on the bench in the fourth quarter of a key game, especially when some kind of offensive spark would have probably won the game. I know Gordon had 5 turnovers, but at that point, you go with the guys who got you there. Duhon's back clearly limited his effectiveness, and Adrian Griffin, while a good role player, should not be playing crunch time minutes.

[jLp vAkEr0]

This is for you Javi:

Did I say Celtics in 6?

Ok I changed my mind. C's in 5.



No, seriously, that 1st half was total domination. Even though they started 1-13 from the field they still won the half by over 20 pts.

Celtics just have too much firepower for Indiana.

Then:

Wanna bet that the C's lose to Indiana in the series? So what, you played one good half.

To which you responded:

I'd actually take that kind of bet.

I don't see how someone would have so much faith in a team run by Anthony Johnson and that his only inside threat has a bumed shoulder.

Bye bye Celtics...down by 18 on your home floor in the 4th quarter. Way to sack it up and compete.

LOL... DB, seriously. Are you like 15 years old?

Congrats buddy... I guess...


On to the game.

All the props on the world to the Pacers, they woop the C's pretty nicely. I never would have though that Jones would have hit 5 3's. Reggie didn't even have to do his thing. Pretty lame effor by the Celtics. Oh well.

Congrats to Pacer fans, good luck vs Detroit.

[jLp vAkEr0]

My picks for round 2.

Miami in 5.
Pistons in 6.

Suns in 7.
Spurs in 5.

[WillHunting]

I am still in shock that the C's can loose that badly at home in a game 7. Sure, I think they aren't all that great anyway but surely they can beat an underman/injury ridden team like the Pacers. But Pacers show more heart than the C's.

At least this Pacers/Pistons series will be very interesting. I am hoping for alot of physical play.

[bdoughty]

Nice win by the Spurs but I don't think that it is indicitive of what the rest of the series will be like. I would like to thank Eva Longoria for giving Tony some much needed bed rest.

[vinny-b]

Suns in 5.

[wco81]

Looks like the second round could have some intrigue.

Indy's win is a bit of a fluke -- you can't expect Foster to get 20 rebounds again.

Dallas should be competitive with Phoenix if they can shoot hot, which they're capable of doing.

Those two calls against Stackhouse, the flagrant and the offensive foul towards the end, were horrible calls. But Mavs survived, got away with playing a small lineup and holding the Suns under 110.

That block by Stackhouse on Marion was something else.

[dbdynsty25]

Dallas was great tonight...I don't expect them to play like that again. Keep in mind...one of the Suns most versatile players was knocked out of the game. I have a feeling it would have had a different outcome with JJ on the floor rather than Jimmy Jackson.

[bdoughty]

That block by Stackhouse on Marion was something else.

Was just about to mention that.

I hate to see any player get hurt but that was far from an intentional foul in the first half. Wow all this agreeing with WCO has me dizzy. Of course no reply about tonights game would be complete without giving Finley much of the credit for the "w" Also nice to see Damp stepped it up.

[Atxj]

What a finish to the Suns game, with Richardson's 3 point ability I thought that last shot was money. Michael Finley was the difference for Dallas and Dampier answered Dirk's call to get them started off on the right foot. Should be a good rest of the series as long as Dallas shows up to play.

[bdoughty]

Dallas was great tonight...I don't expect them to play like that again. Keep in mind...one of the Suns most versatile players was knocked out of the game. I have a feeling it would have had a different outcome with JJ on the floor rather than Jimmy Jackson.

Please excuse my math but JJ was in most of the 1st half right (what 20 seconds left)? The Mavs were ahead 54-46 while he was IN THE GAME.

[bdoughty]

What a finish to the Suns game, with Richardson's 3 point ability I thought that last shot was money. Michael Finley was the difference for Dallas and Dampier answered Dirk's call to get them started off on the right foot. Should be a good rest of the series as long as Dallas shows up to play.

Dirk needs to take a long look in the mirror and in the breakdown of tonights game. I think he realized that he was partly responsible for what happened in game 1 after film study but sure did not play like a man posessed tonight. I credit him for the game winning shot but he has alot of work on the defensive end. Plus it would be nice to see him pass once or twice when he backs down to the bucket.

[dbdynsty25]

Please excuse my math but JJ was in most of the 1st half right (what 20 seconds left)? The Mavs were ahead 54-46 while he was IN THE GAME.

Guess you haven't watch many Suns games. When the Suns went on that run to start the 3rd, it would have been nice to have him in there instead of Jackson...just to guard Finley. Jim Jackson cannot contain him or Stack...Johnson is probably the Suns 2nd best defender. That's where they needed him most after they got rolling in the 2nd half, playing Suns bball.

[dbdynsty25]

Oh F*CK...

Johnson has a dislocated orbital bone and he underwent surgery. He's out for at least game 3...and he's going to be masking it a la Lebron and Rip. Suns are screwed without him.

[bdoughty]

Oh F*CK...

Johnson has a dislocated orbital bone and he underwent surgery. He's out for at least game 3...and he's going to be masking it a la Lebron and Rip. Suns are screwed without him.

Ouch hate to hear that. Spurs/Mavs dream matchup is still possible.

Guess you haven't watch many Suns games.

Nope, but I freely admit that I do not start watching the NBA until the playoffs hit. We can speculate till the cows come home and it will not change the final score. Plenty of cows here in West Texas and they already made it home and hit the hay (multiple puns intended).

[bdoughty]

and he's going to be masking it a la Lebron and Rip.

You need to go old school when referring to the mask. Give some credit to those who suffered through early insults to play the game they love.


Coolest Mask Ever (The Batman - aka Brandon Williams)





The real Old School Mask (Harold Pressley)





The player most deserving of an injury that would require him to wear a mask.

[jLp vAkEr0]

Dallas was great tonight...I don't expect them to play like that again. Keep in mind...one of the Suns most versatile players was knocked out of the game. I have a feeling it would have had a different outcome with JJ on the floor rather than Jimmy Jackson.

Dallas didn't play "great". They just hit some big shots and the Suns missed them. Dallas does have some firepower too you know. Suns missed a lot of open shots.

Finley really went off, but Dampier was the key, he finally gave the Mavs some inside presence(15pts 12rbs). If he can match those numbers the rest of the series(unlikely) and JJ misses the rest of the series(very likely) the Mavs "should" win the series in game 6 at home.

[dbdynsty25]

Dallas did play great (when you shoot 50% from the field and 46% from three, that's great)...had the Suns had their stopper down the stretch when Fin was going off, it might have been different. It really says something about a team when you play the best ball of the playoffs and barely win (in fact should have lost if Amare could hit a bucket under 5 feet in the final 2 min., he missed 3). It's all good...Dallas played a great first half and a good second half.

Home court really doesn't mean much to Phoenix though...I mean they were 31-10 on the road as well. Johnson is the biggest factor. If they do get past Dallas somehow without him (which is definitely not a lock now that the bench is even WORSE), they will get plastered by San Antonio.

[wco81]

They put Marion on Finley on some plays and Finley did that step back jumper from the left side over the outstreteched arms of Marion.

Yeah the Suns shot really poorly while Mavs shot really well. Johnson is one of their best shooters so he will be missed.

[dbdynsty25]

They put Marion on Finley on some plays and Finley did that step back jumper from the left side over the outstreteched arms of Marion.

Those were on switches...and Marion blocked two of those jumpers (with a total of 6 on the game).

Johnson is not only one of their best shooters, but he's one of their best defenders as well. They will miss him more on that end of the court. Jimmy Jackson can shoot it...he just isn't nearly as good defensively. That's where it will hurt the most.

[jujuhound76]

Dallas did play great (when you shoot 50% from the field and 46% from three, that's great)...had the Suns had their stopper down the stretch when Fin was going off, it might have been different.

Most of that shooting was Finley. He was 5 of 6 on 3s, rest of the team 1 of 7. He had a great game, but Dallas as a team was just average (great first half, sub-par 2nd half). Dirk was lethargic, Stack, Howard ineffective, Terry non-existent until the end when he really stepped it up. Dampier and Finley had great games though.

It really says something about a team when you play the best ball of the playoffs and barely win (in fact should have lost if Amare could hit a bucket under 5 feet in the final 2 min., he missed 3). It's all good...Dallas played a great first half and a good second half.

Did you miss the Houston series?? 116-76 ring a bell?

[Inuyasha]

These type of games are problems with your 'run and gun' teams. If the opponent can play some good defense and slow down phx, they'll be in the game until the end.

The suns will still pull out the series, but it'll be interesting to see what happens when they go up against defensive oriented teams.