The Official 2006 NBA Playoffs Thread

[namkcuR]

As much as I pulled for them, being my favorite team and all, part of me is glad they lost. I got sick of their fat-cat mentality months ago, and it's fitting that they paid for it in the end.

What do you mean by 'fat-cat mentality'?

 

[stammer476]

Basically, the mentality that "we're the best, so we can decide when we'll play hard and when we'll coast." They've been that way since the All-Star break, and it's incredibly frustrating as a fan.

 

[LMP]

Basically, the mentality that "we're the best, so we can decide when we'll play hard and when we'll coast." They've been that way since the All-Star break, and it's incredibly frustrating as a fan.

The Sports Guy compared the Pistons to Rocky in Rocky III, and I agree 100%.

 

[speedracer]

Hey....Headache was right.

What I am talking about?

Earlier this season, Headache made comments about how Detroit would be stupid to give Big Ben another big contract, because it would handicap Detroit and lock them into medicority, because they would have no more flexibility to fix an aging team.

Ben just said 'no comment' when asked about his future.

It's looking more and more like he's done with Detroit, and that Detroit won't sign him again.

It depends. They may resign him, but it's got to be at the right price. It all depends on how much the rest of the market evaluates him. If there's that one team that wants to give him a max contract, then he's gone for sure.

EDIT: Aw crap. I just read somewhere that Ben Wallace signed Arn Tellem as his agent. This is the guy who in 2003 insisted that the Red Sox pay Nomar $16 million a year or trade him. This is not going to end well.

EDIT: Aw crap. I didn't even watch the fourth quarter because the game was out of hand by then, but Ben Wallace sat on the bench the entire quarter. This move looks like it was about 15% because the Pistons needed all the offense they could get at the time and 85% payback for Ben throwing Flip under the bus earlier in the series.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

order and sanity has finally been restored to the basketball world... and done so in convincing fashion

 

[speedracer]

order and sanity has finally been restored to the basketball world... and done so in convincing fashion

I hope Isiah Thomas signs Ben Wallace to a max contract, just to spite you.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

probably the only time that i'm happy the knicks have no cap room, 'cause he probably would.

then again, there's always the sign and trade..

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

magic johnson is as terrible an analyst as he was good as a player, and considering he's one of the 5 greatest players ever, uh, yea...

 

[LMP]

Whoa...Marquis Daniels isn't dead.

I see him on the court right now.

Dallas down 51-39 at half.

I still think they'll close it out tonight.

 

[namkcuR]

magic johnson is as terrible an analyst as he was good as a player, and considering he's one of the 5 greatest players ever, uh, yea...

Who are your top 5 players ever?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

well 2nd round is over... we're just a few hours from the conference finals.

i got the heat and mavs advancing, both in 6 games, but i think one of them will go only 5 games... not sure which one though, so i'll just take the safe route and go 6 games for both

i'm so smrt

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Who are your top 5 players ever?

eh, top 5 any position takes too much thought... but i would have to put jordan, chamberlain and russell in the top 3, #s 4 and 5 are subjective...

but if i were picking an all time starting 5, there's no doubt in my mind that magic would be starting at the 1

 

[namkcuR]

Mavs v Heat

This is going to be the best Finals since the 98 Bulls/Jazz series.


Dampier/Diop
Dirk/Van Horn
Howard/Stackhouse
Harris/Griffen
Terry/Daniels

v

Shaq/Zo
Haslem/
Walker/Posey
Wade/
Williams/Payton

 

[LMP]

I wish they'd sub Marv Albert's voice in whenever DeSagna Diop does anything worth shouting for

 

[thetitans2k]

I left my house at half time thinking the suns had it in the bag. FUCK!

But they'll be back next year with Amare and Kurt Thomas.

 

[impy13]

But they'll be back next year with Amare and Kurt Thomas.

And they'll be absolutely frightening.


Finals tickets go on sale tomorrow. Looks like I'm going to be trying my luck on ticketmaster again.

 

[speedracer]

And they'll be absolutely frightening.


Finals tickets go on sale tomorrow. Looks like I'm going to be trying my luck on ticketmaster again.

Got an entire computer lab you can use?

I honestly have no idea who to pick to win. There are so many mismatches on both sides, just about any player in either starting 5 could score 40 one day and 8 the next.

 

[impy13]

Well the ticket-getting was a miserable failure, and considering ticket brokers are asking up to 400 a piece for some of the worst seats in the building, I don't think I'll be going.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

this has the makings of either a 4 game sweep or a 7 game thriller

no one can guard shaq on dallas, and no one on miami can guard dirk.

i still don't have a pick

 

[namkcuR]

The starting lineups are very even and well-matched:

Shaq > Dampier
Haslem < Dirk
Walker < Howard
Wade > Harris
Williams = Terry

It's two clear advantages for each team, with Williams and Terry canceling each other out.

That said, I think this series is going to come down to how the benches perform.

Miami has Payton and Posey for extra points, and Zo for extra interior defense(to put a body on Dirk).

Dallas has Stackhouse and Daniels for extra points, while KVH and Diop will serve primarily to score some garbage points and to commit fouls to Shaq. I wouldn't be surprised to see Griffen get more playing time these series, as he's the kind of perimiter defender the Mavs are going to need on Wade all game long.

Overall, Dallas has a little bit deeper of a bench, but Miami's bench has more playoff experience(Zo's been the ECF, Payton's been to the Finals, Derek Anderson's been to the Finals).

The placement of games should also have a big effect on this series. In the Finals, it changes from the 2-2-1-1-1 format to the 2-3-2 format, and I think that format is going to have a WHOLE LOT to do with the outcome of this series.

Look at both teams' home/away records throughout the playoffs thus far:

Dallas is 6-2 at home, and 6-3 on the road.

Miami is a staggering 8-1 at home, and a sub-par 4-4 on the road.

This series will start with two games in Dallas. Shaq is not one to be phased by a road crowd. While Dallas is VERY good on their home court, I expect Shaq to lead the Heat to a win in one of those first two games, despite their lackluster 4-4 road record in the playoffs.

And then series, tied at 1-1, goes to Miami, where the Heat have lost only ONE game throughout the ENTIRE PLAYOFFS thus far, for three straight games. Taking Miami's home record into consideration while also taking into consideration the fact that Dallas has won 2/3 of its games on the road in the playoffs thus far, I'm going to say that Dallas steals one of these three games, and that the series goes back to Dallas with the Heat up 3-2.

The question then becomes, can the Mavs win two straight on their home court? I think they can. They've won 3/4 of their homes throughout the playoffs thus far, and I already gave the Heat one win in Dallas. Also, take into consideration that the Heat are generally an older team than the Mavs. I think Shaq will be sluggish and worn by the end of the series. Same for Payton and Zo. I realize that these three guys happen to have a TON of playoff experience, but I don't know if that will be enough to overcome the physical fatique they will likely be experiencing at the end of the series.

So, my initial pick is: Mavs in 7

But the Heat could easily win it too.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Walker < Howard

i'll have to disagree with this one... especially the way walker's been playing of late. he's fully accempted his role, been the perfect 3rd option, fitting in perfectly, not trying to do too much. he's a more talented player than howard, and could be a #1 or 2 scoring option on many other teams.

terry is a bit better than williams, but when you combine j-wll and payton, miami might have the over-all advantage at the 1.

alright i'll bite...

1- j-will/payton vs. terry/daniels... slight edge for miami, esp. experience wise down the stertch.

2- wade vs. harris/stackhouse... looks like a clear edge for wade, and probably will be, but harris has the speed to keep up with him, and stackhouse provides dallas with more depth off the bench to give harris a spell... but the advantage is still with miami.

3- walker/posey vs. howard/van horn... howard's more athletic and could turn into a great player one day, but walker is the more talented player at this point in their careers. plus the advantage of bringing a defensive stopper with three point range off the bench in posey, give the advantage again to miami.

4. haslem vs. nowitzki... no contest. huge edge dallas.

5. shaq/mourning vs. dampier/diop... again, no contest. huge edge miami.


so i guess i have to go with miami in 6... with dirk being the X factor. he's finally shown that the's capable of putting a team on his back and carrying them to great things, and they'll need him to do that if dallas is to beat miami.

 

[Hewson]

Miami in 5

 

[phanan]

so i guess i have to go with miami in 6

 

[LMP]

I told all of my friends there would be a Miami-Dallas finals.

And now I have no idea who to pick

 

[impy13]

Mavs in however many it takes.

But I'm saying six.

 

[zumanity42]

Right number of games, but wrong team.

Heat in six.

 

[speedracer]

Having five days between the conference finals and the NBA finals sucks.

That is all.

 

[stammer476]

Mavs in 5

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

pistons in 3... i'd bet my next pay check on it

 

[gvox]

GO RAPTORS!