New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season
- Thread starter Ron Party
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OKC vs Grizzlies indeed should be interesting. Young players who can fly around and both teams can play fast paced games. Ditto with Bulls vs Hawks. Young, athletic players slugging it out. It boils down to a chess game among the coaches, who can drag the other down with a better team defense.
I see a war too in the Heat-Celtic series. I am reminded of the '08 Eastern Finals between Boston and Detroit. Detroit was a very potent team with the nucleus of Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Teshaun Prince - the same core that beat the Lakers for the title in '04. The C's came up with a fluid offense and a solid defense to stop Detroit on the road in Game 6 to win the series. And yes, I agree with Steve, the C's have to win it in 6, or possibly 5, they need a 'blitzkrieg' in the series, not a drawn down Game 7 which will fatigue them physically and emotionally.
As for Dallas, imo, this may be their last chance to prove their mettle in making a title run. Kidd will have to assert his play-making role for one pivotal time in this series with LAL. Dallas historically has failed to deliver the clutch plays, a problem with vital execution when they need it most. To beat LA they need to execute their plays to perfection. Nobody would have thought that after losing Caron Butler they would play even better and win even more games. Again, they need to win a couple on the road as LAL has home court ad.
I see a war too in the Heat-Celtic series. I am reminded of the '08 Eastern Finals between Boston and Detroit. Detroit was a very potent team with the nucleus of Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Teshaun Prince - the same core that beat the Lakers for the title in '04. The C's came up with a fluid offense and a solid defense to stop Detroit on the road in Game 6 to win the series. And yes, I agree with Steve, the C's have to win it in 6, or possibly 5, they need a 'blitzkrieg' in the series, not a drawn down Game 7 which will fatigue them physically and emotionally.
As for Dallas, imo, this may be their last chance to prove their mettle in making a title run. Kidd will have to assert his play-making role for one pivotal time in this series with LAL. Dallas historically has failed to deliver the clutch plays, a problem with vital execution when they need it most. To beat LA they need to execute their plays to perfection. Nobody would have thought that after losing Caron Butler they would play even better and win even more games. Again, they need to win a couple on the road as LAL has home court ad.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Memphis is looking darn good. Up by 15 in the 2nd.
Shades of the Warriors several years ago when they knocked off 1st seed Dallas
Shades of the Warriors several years ago when they knocked off 1st seed Dallas
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Grizz' are for real. Randolph and Gasol were unstoppable. OKC had its moments of greatness but it was Grizz from wire to wire. KD was his usual phenom. Memphis just seems to be getting better and better with each game and the team is feeding off that duo.
Memphis matches up well against the Lakers and have beaten them this year just as easily as they beat OKC today.
Memphis matches up well against the Lakers and have beaten them this year just as easily as they beat OKC today.
Another wow for the Memphis. Stealing home court from OKC. They have momentum coming from their victorious series with SA. And confidence too. It's going to be difficult to stop a low seeded runaway train like the Grizzlies based on what has been going on till today. OKC needs to find more energy and elevate their game. In the meantime, the Heat is playing well at home so far, trying to hold serve.
Wade played a spectacular game today. Hard to stop a guy like that. Next game, I'm sure Doc will be designing a defense for James Jones, whose career average is 6 points, and to prevent him from scoring 25 like he did today. Garnett had an off game offensively, and so did Big Baby. These are the adjustments Doc needs to focus on to steal game 2. If they don't, Miami has a real good chance of taking the series and maybe even easily. Then I think they will hurdle Chicago (assuming the Bulls advance), but I really don't see them winning the title against LAL; with other western teams, they stand a very good chance.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I hope the scribes are right.
But, my feeling is that game 2 is a must game for Boston. They need to overturn the momentum and the confidence of the Heat. I saw a very different Lebron in Game 1 compared to his entire series with Boston last season as a Cavalier. It seems to me that James is very comfortable with a supporting role, that of to Wade, and the less pressure he has to carry a team, the more effective he plays. Suits him fine, he would say. He sort of deflated his ego by going to Wade's team and now he is proving it even in his plays, acting like a Pippen to MJ in the 90s. That's really scary. Boston needs to play its best in Game 2. KG and Baby had so so games and Rondo was not his usual court general self in Game 1. If they adjust to this, they can take Game 2. But if the Heat continues its momentum of hot shooting, they would be hard to stop. Right now I'm still dazzled at how the Grizzlies have been winning over big teams in the West. I wonder what their Vegas odds were to win the title. LOL
This is funny........except if you're from Orlando that is........
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2011/5/...tation-to-nba-playoffs-second-round-after-all
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2011/5/...tation-to-nba-playoffs-second-round-after-all
Hi
James Jones shot like a man possessed yesterday .. his career average is 6 pts per game ...He scored 25 ... I call that a fluke . i-e something which will not be repeated .. remind me of the game Big baby had against the Lakers last year in the playoffs.. He came back to his normal self thereafter ...I would count on Doc Rivers to adjust .. I
I still believe the Celts will prevail and likely fall to Bulls because they will have been bruised and battered by The Heat ...
Interesting series.. I never expected The Hawks or The Grizzlies to be alive at this time of the year.
James Jones shot like a man possessed yesterday .. his career average is 6 pts per game ...He scored 25 ... I call that a fluke . i-e something which will not be repeated .. remind me of the game Big baby had against the Lakers last year in the playoffs.. He came back to his normal self thereafter ...I would count on Doc Rivers to adjust .. I
I still believe the Celts will prevail and likely fall to Bulls because they will have been bruised and battered by The Heat ...
Interesting series.. I never expected The Hawks or The Grizzlies to be alive at this time of the year.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I hope the scribes are right.
Grizz are healthy, young and very fast as well as peaking at this time of the season. They killed SAS (as well as the Lakers I might add
)
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
It was painful to watch them blow a 16 point lead. Big difference IMO was the bench of each team
... and Gasol's absolutely atrocious defense on the pick and roll. He simply stood there upright as a statute, particularly on 2 consecutive plays late in the 4th quarter when the game was hanging in the balance. If the Lakers continue to fail to properly guard the pick and roll, they have no chance and Dallas will win the series.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
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