NBA Basketball 2008-09: The Thread

[namkcuR]

This is shocking.

Who would've ever thought the Magic would come 1 second away from going up 2-0 over the Cavs?

Ridiculous shot by LeBron, but you just have to tip your hat.

Hedo should have waited one more second before taking his shot.

 

[LMP]

Hedo should have waited one more second before taking his shot.

Yeah, totally. All his fault right there. Incredible play by LeBron.

I'm amazed the Magic even got into a position to win the game, with Dwight being in foul trouble and shaky play in the first half. Apart from that, it played out nearly the same as the first game, just with a different end result. I'm still glad they pulled out one win in Cleveland though.

Cleveland still has no answer for Turkoglu or Lewis, and the Magic don't for LeBron.

Both of this and the Denver/LA series have been incredible.

 

[lazarus]

Again, I'm curious why every one is pointing at the Lakers as being in some kind of significant trouble. How is Cleveland not in the exact same position?

 

[namkcuR]

Again, I'm curious why every one is pointing at the Lakers as being in some kind of significant trouble. How is Cleveland not in the exact same position?

They are. It's just that Cleveland looked much more dominant in the playoffs leading up to the conference finals than the Lakers did, and as a result, before the series' started, the Nuggets looked like they had a better chance to beat the Lakers than the Magic did to beat the Cavs. I don't think anybody expected the Magic to win one game in Cleveland let alone come within a second from winning both games in Cleveland. I think a lot of people fully expected the Nuggets to get a split in Los Angeles.

 

[CTU2fan]

I think they're both in trouble (LA and Cleveland). In a lot of ways LA is probably in better shape, only because if they play the way they're capable of playing they should be able to win. Whereas Cleveland has consistently had problems matchup-wise with Orlando. Orlando played them well the past 2 years, and once it gets to Orlando you'd expect more things to go the Magic's way.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Who would've ever thought the Magic would come 1 second away from going up 2-0 over the Cavs?

me

cleveland's not that good... they played nobody in the first two rounds. the magic have a much more balanced attack than cleveland does.

it was a great shot by lebron. just ask him, he said it himself after the game.

 

[zonelistener]

me

cleveland's not that good... they played nobody in the first two rounds. the magic have a much more balanced attack than cleveland does.

I wish Jameer Nelson was around to help the Magic. I think it would cut down on the inconsistencies we see on the offensive end for Orlando.

I am going to be lazy and not read back to see if this has been discussed, but does it seem like no one is listening to Van Gundy during these little time out break in they show on ESPN and TNT?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i didn't actually watch the game i was watching the mets & red sox then went to bed, so i can't answer.

i did, however, see that the AP is calling lebron's three a bigger all time shot than michael jordan's shot to be the cavs... um, no.

for clevelanders, obviously... and in the grand scheme of things lebron's shot was in the conference finals while jordan's was in the first round (it was game 5 of 5 though).

but jordan's shot (and the ensuing celebration) has become one of the most iconic images in all of american sport... a few, oh i dunno, hours should pass by before we compare a shot to an image that everybody knows.

 

[LMP]

I wish Jameer Nelson was around to help the Magic. I think it would cut down on the inconsistencies we see on the offensive end for Orlando.

I am going to be lazy and not read back to see if this has been discussed, but does it seem like no one is listening to Van Gundy during these little time out break in they show on ESPN and TNT?

Without a doubt. You wouldn't be seeing them scrambling to catch up in the second half. Alston's been inconsistent, but Anthony Johnson, believe it or not, has played extremely well for the past 4-5 games or so.

I'm getting the same impression, too, but it seems like they respond to him in the huddle. That's part of why I think they stayed strong to win Game 1.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I cannot fucking believe he hit that shot. It's nauseating to think about the amount of times we will all see the replay of that shot in our lives.

 

[namkcuR]

Fuck.

That was an ugly game all around. Great, the Nuggets have to get at least one more in LA now.

Carmelo's foul trouble killed the Nuggets.

And I can't believe they screwed up an inbounds play again just like game 1.

Ugh.

 

[Got Philk?]

Nuggets made bone head plays at the end. Lots of em

 

[CTU2fan]

So...bitch? As much as I don't like Kobe I don't know if I'd outright say he's a bitch. Bitch in NBA parlance generally indicates flopper/whiner, and while he's known to do that he's not quite on the bitch level. Diane Wade, Manu, and Lebron (you ever notice how Lebron gets fouled on the arm, flops like he's been shot, then goes to his mouth like a high-sticked hockey player looking for blood?), those are the bitches. And don't forget Anderson Vajayjay and Sasha YouABitch...see, Kobe isn't even the biggest bitch on his team. I'd put Sasha and Walton ahead of him on the bitch-o-meter.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

he is a little bit of a bitch... but only a little. he has become less bitchy as he's gotten older. he used to be a huge bitch.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

.

 

[Got Philk?]

he is a little bit of a bitch... but only a little. he has become less bitchy as he's gotten older. he used to be a huge bitch.

 

[CTU2fan]

He's still Shaq's bitch.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

aren't we all?

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Marcin Gorwhat?

 

[lazarus]

Can the Cavalier coronations and the Laker obituaries stop now?

Unbelievable ref bullshit with Lebron. No goaltending call? And Howard called for a foul on Lebron that had almost no contact? They're trying to give this thing away but the Magic still win.

 

[Got Philk?]

Yup. I love how any time LeBron misses a shot or gets blocked on a layup, he stares at the ref like..."seriously...I'm the King."

 

[LMP]

Marcin Gorwhat?

Schindler's Fist.

Can the Cavalier coronations and the Laker obituaries stop now?

Unbelievable ref bullshit with Lebron. No goaltending call? And Howard called for a foul on Lebron that had almost no contact? They're trying to give this thing away but the Magic still win.

8-on-5, and they're still the better team. I love it.

Yup. I love how any time LeBron misses a shot or gets blocked on a layup, he stares at the ref like..."seriously...I'm the King."

There were at least 3 calls tonight that happened after the play because of this. Ridiculous.

 

[CTU2fan]

You know, Lebron is a great player. Great. He's an absolute freak. But between the NBA's marketing machine, Lebron getting every call, Lebron bitching when amazingly a call doesn't go his way, and Doug Collins justifying said shitty officiating because "he's so hard to officiate" I can't stand the guy. And that's too bad. I've got eyes, if you just show me Lebron James I can judge how great he is, I don't need him shoved down my throat constantly. I mean come on, it was a big shot the other night, but it's a game 2...you'd think nobody ever hit a buzzer-beater before. And comparing it to the Jordan one is just laughable.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

well he is very difficult to officiate because in a way lebron is a smaller, quicker version of shaq... it's not his unbelievable basketball skill that makes him as good as he is. when comparing lebron and kobe purely on skill there is no comparison... it's kobe, by a decent margin. but lebron is an absolute physical freak of nature, much in the same way shaq was. and you can make the same arguments that they made with shaq... he's committing a ton of offensive fouls that don't get called, while at the same time they could probably call a foul against the person guarding him every time down the court.

orlando is defending him the best they can... let him be the scorer. it's similar to what people do against kobe, actually... if kobe's jackin' up bad shot after bad shot, the rest of the team isn't involved, and the lakers are worse... same with the cavs. they're better when the rest of the team is involved... thus the defenders have to worry about the rest of the team, thus it makes lebron half a step quicker getting to the basket.

 

[Got Philk?]

Ha! If the Cavs lose, that buzzer beater means nothing. Just a win.

 

[impy13]

So 86 free throws last night? I'm glad I stopped watching the NBA.

 

[LMP]

well he is very difficult to officiate because in a way lebron is a smaller, quicker version of shaq... it's not his unbelievable basketball skill that makes him as good as he is. when comparing lebron and kobe purely on skill there is no comparison... it's kobe, by a decent margin. but lebron is an absolute physical freak of nature, much in the same way shaq was. and you can make the same arguments that they made with shaq... he's committing a ton of offensive fouls that don't get called, while at the same time they could probably call a foul against the person guarding him every time down the court.

orlando is defending him the best they can... let him be the scorer. it's similar to what people do against kobe, actually... if kobe's jackin' up bad shot after bad shot, the rest of the team isn't involved, and the lakers are worse... same with the cavs. they're better when the rest of the team is involved... thus the defenders have to worry about the rest of the team, thus it makes lebron half a step quicker getting to the basket.

Why doesn't Dwight get the same "respect" that LeBron gets then, you know?

So 86 free throws last night? I'm glad I stopped watching the NBA.

20 made free throws gets me a free Chik-Fil-A chicken sandwich. So I've got that going for me, which is nice.

 

[lazarus]

You wish you could Fil-A-Chik, if you get my meaning.

 

[LMP]

Could you elaborate on that please?

 

[lazarus]

No, but I'm thinking of starting a "gherman is a bitch" thread.