NBA Playoffs: Let's Tip It Off!

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 4:36 pm

JackB1 wrote:Chicago almost did it to Boston again! They have to be shaken up a little to barely escape 1-1. Is KG that whole team? You would think they would still be able to handle Chicago with Pierce and Allen & Co. All these upsets have made the NBA Playoffs start out very interestingly.

It helped that Ben Gordon looked like the AI in NBA Jam last night, nailing shot after shot. But Ray Allen finally pulled out of his shooting funk to shoulder the scoring burden in the second half.

Pierce has definitely been a disappointment. Not playing badly, but he hasn't really stepped up the way the Celtics need him too or the way he did last year in the playoffs.

The Celtics are a better team but the Bulls are playing with a lot of intensity and energy, and they have been really strong at home.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:29 am

D-Wade was just unreal in Game 2 vs the Hawks. I don't think he and the rest of the Heat can shoot like that again. They just had everything going their way that night.

p.s. did anyone see all the press "Spirit The Hawk" got when he decided to take a little flight around Phillips Arena before Game 2? My wife works part time at Zoo Atlanta and the handler told her that they changed his routine a little and that freaked him out. I thought they made a bid deal about nothing and now they decided no more pregame "flights" for Spirit.
It was funny to see 7 foot NBA players running away from a tame Hawk that weighs maybe 5 pounds.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:40 pm

As a Chicago sports fan, I've seen my share of embarrassing playoff losses. But last night's Bulls game was one of the most pathetic postseason performances I have ever seen. Just brutal to watch.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:58 am

Bulls-Celtics yesterday was an incredible game. Aside from the awful game 3, this has been one of the best first-round series in years.

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:23 am

Pierce has had a chance to put away 2 games from the FT line and has chocked. Ugh...

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:35 am

jLp vAkEr0 wrote:Pierce has had a chance to put away 2 games from the FT line and has chocked. Ugh...

Not to mention getting his game tying three swatted by Salmons at the end. Pierce just looks dog tired...he's got no lift anymore.

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:48 am

dbdynsty25 wrote:
jLp vAkEr0 wrote:Pierce has had a chance to put away 2 games from the FT line and has chocked. Ugh...
Not to mention getting his game tying three swatted by Salmons at the end. Pierce just looks dog tired...he's got no lift anymore.

Yep.

It's gonna be interesting to see how the Pierce and Allen react to playing huge amount of minutes yesterday, considering that game 5 is tomorrow.

Bulls have a great shot of winning tomorrow's game.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 11:40 am

jLp vAkEr0 wrote:
dbdynsty25 wrote:
jLp vAkEr0 wrote:Pierce has had a chance to put away 2 games from the FT line and has chocked. Ugh...
Not to mention getting his game tying three swatted by Salmons at the end. Pierce just looks dog tired...he's got no lift anymore.
Yep.

It's gonna be interesting to see how the Pierce and Allen react to playing huge amount of minutes yesterday, considering that game 5 is tomorrow.

Bulls have a great shot of winning tomorrow's game.

I loved it! Love seeing Pierce and the Celtics choke! Hope Joakim Noah and the Bulls can win that series.

Now my Hawks on the other hand are sure hard to take sometimes. They can look like world beaters some days and others (game 2,3) look like a bunch of locals at the Y. If they can't take Game 4 at Miami, they
need to do some serious soul searching. After taking Boston to 7 games last year and snagging the 4th spot in the East this year, getting knocked out by Miami in Round One would have to be looked at as a Huge failure.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:10 am

I hope Rajon Rondo gets knocked into DuPage County the first time he drives the lane on Thursday. What a cheap shot and what a blown call by not hitting him with a flagrant. The Bulls didn't lose because of it -- bad turnovers down the stretch and their continued inability to switch on defense hurt them the most. But I'm not sure what you would have to do to draw a flagrant when you headhunt a guy driving for an open layup. Hit him with a bar of soap rolled up in a towel? Shank him with the sharp end of one of Garnett's earrings?

Despite that, what a series this has been.

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:32 am

Brando70 wrote:I hope Rajon Rondo gets knocked into DuPage County the first time he drives the lane on Thursday. What a cheap shot and what a blown call by not hitting him with a flagrant. The Bulls didn't lose because of it -- bad turnovers down the stretch and their continued inability to switch on defense hurt them the most. But I'm not sure what you would have to do to draw a flagrant when you headhunt a guy driving for an open layup. Hit him with a bar of soap rolled up in a towel? Shank him with the sharp end of one of Garnett's earrings?

Despite that, what a series this has been.

I don't think it was a cheapshot. I still haven't heard an analyst (haven't heard any from Chicago of course) say it should have been a flagrant foul.. It wasn't blatant like the one Howard gave Dalambert.

Still, the Bulls had the C's on the ropes, up 3 with 5 to go ,no Ray Allen (beacuse of 2 HORRIBLE calls on him, specially the last one) and didn't get the job done. It look bleak down 11 with 9 mins to go, but somehow the champs found a way.

Hope they can finish it off in 6, God knows they could use the rest.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:33 pm

Hawks / Heat Game 5 Tonite. I don't know what to expect. This series has been so unpredictable. One thing I can predict though...
I will be there!!!!

GO HAWKS!!!!

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:35 pm

jLp vAkEr0 wrote: I don't think it was a cheapshot. I still haven't heard an analyst (haven't heard any from Chicago of course) say it should have been a flagrant foul..

You haven't heard anyone say that? Do you not get ESPN or satellite TV? It was all over the radio this morning.

Look I'm not a Bulls fan, I hate NBA basketball and this in the main reason. They don't officiate the game the same at the end of games as the rest of the game, hell they don't even officiate it the same player to player.

But all I've been hearing all morning if "expert" after expert say it was a flagrant foul.

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:52 pm

JackB1 wrote:Hawks / Heat Game 5 Tonite. I don't know what to expect. This series has been so unpredictable. One thing I can predict though...
I will be there!!!!

GO HAWKS!!!!

Have fun tonight, Jack!

You know I'll be watching with interest. I don't really care who wins that series, I just hope it goes seven games, with maybe a couple of overtimes, and throw in a few flagrant fouls along the way...

Us Cavs fans are enjoying watching all these Eastern Conference teams beat the crap out of eachother while the Cavs just sit back with their feet up.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:19 pm

I don't think Rondo meant to hurt Miller, but given that he could not have made a play on the ball if his arms were two feet longer, he was swinging his arm at Miller hard enough to draw blood, and Miller had a wide-open lane to the basket, I'd say that it was a flagrant foul.

I like Rondo and don't mean to take anything away from the incredible series he is having, but I think he was doing more than just trying to grab Brad Miller. Just my opinion.

EZSnappin · Post by **EZSnappin** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:44 pm

I'm a C's fan but that should have been a flagrant. Probably only a flagrant one - I don't think the intent was to make a non-basketball play, or that there was malice, but he couldn't make a play from that position which is definitely unnecessary contact. Of course, the refs blew plenty of calls all game (like really, really cheap and bad calls on Ray Allen), and the Bulls had plenty of opportunities to win it before that play. If Ben Gordan shoots better than 6-21 it doesn't matter if they blow that call. Getting hung up on end of game calls is pointless, as a bad call in the 2nd quarter is just as egregious.

Getting away from Celtics-Bulls, does the NBA suspend Howard for that elbow?

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:19 pm

lexbur wrote:
Us Cavs fans are enjoying watching all these Eastern Conference teams beat the crap out of eachother while the Cavs just sit back with their feet up.

Looking forward to going at it with you after the Hawks dispose of the Heat! Seems like I am the only one interested in the Hawks/Heat series.

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 10:02 am

JackB1 wrote:
Looking forward to going at it with you after the Hawks dispose of the Heat! Seems like I am the only one interested in the Hawks/Heat series.

Impressive win for the Hawks last night. Maybe it would be better for the Cavs if the Hawks wrapped it up Friday night in Miami. That way we'd catch 'em on only 36 hours of rest Sunday afternoon, instead of 48 hours of rest Tuesday night.

The Cavs had to do that two years ago, they won a Game 6 on a Friday night in Washington, then had to turn right around and play a Game 1 in Detroit Sunday at 1pm. They virtually had no chance at winning under those circumstances.

Plus, I'm getting antsy! I'm sure the Cavs are ready to go!

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:23 am

lexbur wrote:
Impressive win for the Hawks last night. Maybe it would be better for the Cavs if the Hawks wrapped it up Friday night in Miami. That way we'd catch 'em on only 36 hours of rest Sunday afternoon, instead of 48 hours of rest Tuesday night.

The Cavs had to do that two years ago, they won a Game 6 on a Friday night in Washington, then had to turn right around and play a Game 1 in Detroit Sunday at 1pm. They virtually had no chance at winning under those circumstances.

Plus, I'm getting antsy! I'm sure the Cavs are ready to go!

I was at the game. Good win. VERY Physical game! The Heat were never in it and the Hawks were able to keep that 12-15 point lead almost the whole game. I hope the Hawks can close it out Fri in Miami, but I wouldn't be surprised to see this go to 7. The Hawks are a different team on the road and Miami will be desperate.

bulls23 · Post by **bulls23** » Sat May 02, 2009 11:30 am

EZSnappin wrote:I'm a C's fan but that should have been a flagrant. Probably only a flagrant one - I don't think the intent was to make a non-basketball play, or that there was malice, but he couldn't make a play from that position which is definitely unnecessary contact. Of course, the refs blew plenty of calls all game (like really, really cheap and bad calls on Ray Allen), and the Bulls had plenty of opportunities to win it before that play. If Ben Gordan shoots better than 6-21 it doesn't matter if they blow that call. Getting hung up on end of game calls is pointless, as a bad call in the 2nd quarter is just as egregious.

Getting away from Celtics-Bulls, does the NBA suspend Howard for that elbow?

It's obvious my alleigance, and here's how I look at it

Flagrant=intentional in my book.
Game 5-Rondo vs Miller- The Celtics were unprepared for that play, so Rondo just had reflex to go on at trying to get to that ball, so no flagrant.

Game 6-Rondo vs Hinrich -Rondo throws Hinrich into the scorers table on purpose -refs gave a flagrant - got it right - I don't like to see anyone ejected in the playoffs, unless it's a full out brawl. Look what happened with Suns-Spurs. That series changed because of an official. I don't want to see that here.

In additon, since Rondo wasn't ejected in Game 6, he shouldn't be suspended for Game 7. I don't want the Celtics to have ANY excuses

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Sat May 02, 2009 11:46 pm

Phew...

Survive and advance..

Bring on the Magic.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Mon May 04, 2009 9:08 am

jLp vAkEr0 wrote:Phew...

Survive and advance..

Bring on the Magic.

Great series. Sorry to see the Bulls lose, but they played much better than I expected them too. Hopefully with a season and a playoff series under his belt Rose will be that much better next year.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon May 04, 2009 9:39 am

GO HAWKS!!!

Bring On Lebron!

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Mon May 04, 2009 10:54 am

JackB1 wrote:
Bring On Lebron!

Be careful what you wish for.

Should be a good series. I'm sure the Hawks will put up a little more of a fight than Detroit did, which isn't saying much. Detroit played like all they were concerned with was reserving their tee times.

I'm a little worried about the long layoff. I guess we'll see tomorrow night.

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Mon May 04, 2009 11:46 am

Press conference today at 4pm... big announcement being made at Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary High School... hmmm, wonder what that's all about?

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon May 04, 2009 2:04 pm

I still don't think you should be able to have the coach of the year and the mvp on the same team. They cancel each other out don't they? And yes, I thought the same thing when D'Antoni and Nash won it three years ago in Phoenix.