New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season
- Thread starter Ron Party
- Start date
I'm not so sure. Would be a great series though.
Offense is not their main problem, except when the impotent B's come in off the bench. Defense is their main problem. Can't get stops? Then can't win. Period.
Same here, Steve.
Wade and Rose will even out, in their point outputs. The strength of Miami is they have the luxury of having James as a super-Robin, which is what is killing Boston now. This series made me see that by 'sliding down' to join Wade's team, James actually made a fantastic decision in his quest to have a ring. In Cleveland, he was pressured to pass and be an assist man to get his teammates involved, aside from his usual role of carrying the team by racking up points. In Miami, Wade is there to lead the pack and even assist James, what a luxury that is, come to think of it. It took a few months and the whole regular season for them to design this plan, and if they win it all, they would have proved again that you do not need a dominating center to win the championship. Sad to say, I don't see much solution in the C's side on how to contain Wade and James, with their aging starters.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Problem with Luke is not that he has the hustle or enthousiasm which he does but rather his sloppy passing which lead to turnovers and many times points by the opponent. His outside shouting is also atrocious. Loss of Artest could be the nail in the coffin
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Phil has kept Luke around because he likes him. My bet Luke and 2 of the B's will be gone next season
Heat showing very impressive defense. Bosh is giving KG tough looks and is doing a great job on the pick and roll. LBJ very effective on help. Who would've thunk it at the start of the season? Question is, with the Heat playing what is tantamount to Ironman basketball, how long will their legs hold out? Could they become the Shaq and Penny Magic of yore that gassed out in the Finals if they make it there?
LA seems distracted. Listening to Bynum, his tone didn't sound bitter. Major boo-boo talking about the trust issues in public. He should've known better but did he? LA showed against NO that they can defend IF they put their minds to it. It makes me wonder what exactly is causing the breakdown in the team's collective mental game.
All series' are running at fast and furious paces. There's concern over Rose's ankle even as the rest of the Bulls are coming on strong to take up the slack. Grizzlies and OKC fighting tooth and nail.
BEST PLAYOFFS EVER IMO. The stars are all playing as though they were back in school trying to impress scouts the way they are giving up their bodies!
Never have I seen such a Darwinian year. With talent so even, this year will be all about HEART.
LA seems distracted. Listening to Bynum, his tone didn't sound bitter. Major boo-boo talking about the trust issues in public. He should've known better but did he? LA showed against NO that they can defend IF they put their minds to it. It makes me wonder what exactly is causing the breakdown in the team's collective mental game.
All series' are running at fast and furious paces. There's concern over Rose's ankle even as the rest of the Bulls are coming on strong to take up the slack. Grizzlies and OKC fighting tooth and nail.
BEST PLAYOFFS EVER IMO. The stars are all playing as though they were back in school trying to impress scouts the way they are giving up their bodies!
Never have I seen such a Darwinian year. With talent so even, this year will be all about HEART.
Oh I see. I remember Luke from past playoff runs and he was quite pesky in defense and loose balls, but I haven't really seen this play much this regular season.
Imo, what the Celtics need now is a lot of emotional inspiration. Like the Spurs, they're old and easily tired. If I were Doc, I'd devote one afternoon to show they tapes of the '69 Finals when the C's were down 0-2 against LAL. They tied it at 2-2, then 3-3, then bucked all odds to win Game 7 on the road. But then they had a guy named Bill Russell then. It's much wishful thinking now on my part for them to draw some emotional energy to square the series. Other than than, Miami is primed, and hungry to roll over them.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
LOS ANGELES – Phil Jackson went to a very rare and un-Laker-like place about an hour before Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals, admitting concern over his team’s inconsistent play and even the ability to overcome the early deficit to the Mavericks if the two-time defending champs don’t quickly develop a focus.
“Yeah, we’re worried now,” Jackson said in his pregame media session when asked to compare the feeling of supreme confidence after losing the opener to the Hornets in the first round compared to losing the opener to Dallas.
There was no sense he was going for deadpan.
“You are?” one of the reporters asked in clarification if not surprise.
“This [Dallas] is a good team,” Jackson said. “We know that they have the same record we have. They have a lot of options in scoring. We’ve got to play a lot better to overcome this team in the course of the series. Our strength is we’ve always become better and better against teams in series. We hope to do that.”
This couldn’t be right. Surely Jackson was just trying to motivate his players.
“They’re not in here,” he responded. “You guys are in here.”
“But you know you use us all the time.”
“They’re not going to get this before the ball game,” Jackson said. “I’m really straight with you on that.”
He’s right on that, at least. Players were down the hallway in the locker room and rarely make themselves available to the media before the game. So began an intersection moment for the Lakers.
“Yeah, we’re worried now,” Jackson said in his pregame media session when asked to compare the feeling of supreme confidence after losing the opener to the Hornets in the first round compared to losing the opener to Dallas.
There was no sense he was going for deadpan.
“You are?” one of the reporters asked in clarification if not surprise.
“This [Dallas] is a good team,” Jackson said. “We know that they have the same record we have. They have a lot of options in scoring. We’ve got to play a lot better to overcome this team in the course of the series. Our strength is we’ve always become better and better against teams in series. We hope to do that.”
This couldn’t be right. Surely Jackson was just trying to motivate his players.
“They’re not in here,” he responded. “You guys are in here.”
“But you know you use us all the time.”
“They’re not going to get this before the ball game,” Jackson said. “I’m really straight with you on that.”
He’s right on that, at least. Players were down the hallway in the locker room and rarely make themselves available to the media before the game. So began an intersection moment for the Lakers.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Ron
you are right on re the pick and roll and quite possibly they might be swept
Gasol was lifeless
The team was totally demoralized in the last few minutes of the game
you are right on re the pick and roll and quite possibly they might be swept
Gasol was lifeless
The team was totally demoralized in the last few minutes of the game
Indeed ... Only it could be that Dallas goes all the way or the Grizzlies ... The way things are going it could be any of these two or OKC .. I don't see any of these teams beating Chicago or the Heat .. Looks like the Championship might land in Miami .. I would have never thought of that ...
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Dallas is answering the critics and trying to remove their choker tag from past playoffs. This is quite a different team, with spunk, muscle, height, experience, and composure. I am amazed at Jason Kidd's energy and stamina for a 38 year old. He can actually spring in a fast break today. I thought they would lose when they were down 8 at the 4th but they came back. Hats off to them. They played with poise today.
Rose is great material and at his age he will go far. That drive in with his leap and sideward stretch for a short bank shot is a masterpiece, nobody, even the centers, can reach that for a block with Rose's speed and timing. Awesome.
The C's, meanwhile, has a 0-3 staring at them too tomorrow unless they muster enough energy to beat Miami. While they have manpower, the machine is not well oiled. Big Baby is the biggest problem in these 2 losses. He is a 6th man and like Jason Terry, he has to produce instantly when he's on. He should give a big game or else nothing will happen to the C's. It just dawned on me that Miami is a team with not one but 2 'Kobe-type' caliber players in Wade and James who can take over games at any quarters. They are showing it now. I can see them winning the title this season if these 2 consistently play big, which they have been doing so far. Miami-Dallas for the gold would be nice, a rematch of a few years back, and Dirk can have him moment of vindication, if Dallas wins the West.
Tremendous playoffs this season. I never had enjoyed all series match-ups so much than this one.
Rose is great material and at his age he will go far. That drive in with his leap and sideward stretch for a short bank shot is a masterpiece, nobody, even the centers, can reach that for a block with Rose's speed and timing. Awesome.
The C's, meanwhile, has a 0-3 staring at them too tomorrow unless they muster enough energy to beat Miami. While they have manpower, the machine is not well oiled. Big Baby is the biggest problem in these 2 losses. He is a 6th man and like Jason Terry, he has to produce instantly when he's on. He should give a big game or else nothing will happen to the C's. It just dawned on me that Miami is a team with not one but 2 'Kobe-type' caliber players in Wade and James who can take over games at any quarters. They are showing it now. I can see them winning the title this season if these 2 consistently play big, which they have been doing so far. Miami-Dallas for the gold would be nice, a rematch of a few years back, and Dirk can have him moment of vindication, if Dallas wins the West.
Tremendous playoffs this season. I never had enjoyed all series match-ups so much than this one.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
well, as Kobe said
"if you want to make history, you have to do historic things" (like win the next 4)
"if you want to make history, you have to do historic things" (like win the next 4)
Similar threads
