NBA Playoffs (1 Viewer)

[Combat]

I'm going against all evidence so far and taking the Lakers tonight. They have played poorly in every non-essential game in the playoffs. Denver is a tough place to change that, but I think they get it done on the road.

 

[tdubel]

I'm going against all evidence so far and taking the Lakers tonight. They have played poorly in every non-essential game in the playoffs. Denver is a tough place to change that, but I think they get it done on the road.

Kudos, you were right. I sure hope they show up for the Finals, this playoff run is highly frustrating. Orlando looks hot, but beatable.

TD

 

[mikemiller1955]

I'm going against all evidence so far and taking the Lakers tonight. They have played poorly in every non-essential game in the playoffs. Denver is a tough place to change that, but I think they get it done on the road.

Doug, good pick.

I didn't post odds on this game cause I was out of town, but for some strange reason, Las Vegas was giving the Lakers 6 points as the underdog.

From a financial view, it would have been hard not to take the Lakers with the points.

 

[Combat]

Orlando is red hot. They should have won 5 of the 6 games with Cleveland. Who would have thought that? Dwight Howard may be the best center in the NBA. They have great shooters which will give the poor Laker D fits. I'm still going with the Lakers in 6. Playoff experience, home court, Kobe, and too many athletes for Orlando. I hate that 2-3-2 home/road set-up in the finals.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Boy oh boy,

Lebron is catching it from the press.

This is from Adrian Wojnarowski's column,

"I’m a winner, King James proclaimed. So, there you go. That’s his reason for rushing out of the conference finals without so much as a nod to Dwight Howard(notes) and the Orlando Magic. That’s his reason for marching to the bus and letting the Cleveland Cavaliers’ spare parts take care of his responsibilities in the interview room.

Funny, but James stayed on the court to make sure the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks paid respect to him. As it turns out, there’s one thing allowed to happen at the end of a playoff series: Everyone bows down and kisses the King’s ring. Only, LeBron doesn’t have a ring. He’s never won a game in the NBA Finals.

So, yes, maybe they just have to kiss his ***.

“It’s not being a poor sport or anything like that,” James said.

No, nothing like that. Yes, James cares so much that it isn’t possible to be gracious and humbled.

You know me, he told the reporters in Cleveland on Sunday. I’m a competitor. “If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them,” James said. “It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand.”

Here’s the question: Who has the guts to tell him that he sounds like an immature, self-absorbed brat?"





I wouldn't want to shake your hand either if you kicked my butt,

BUT I WOULD!

I heard the NBA is not going to fine him for walking off the court and not shaking hands.

I didn't know they could fine you for that.

Just a bad decision on James part, I'm sure he regrets it.

Okay, enough said on that,

even though Orlando has swept the Lakers this year,

I like the Lakers in 5, or 6 at tops.

Hopefully Bynum and Odoms can contain Howard somewhat.

I think the Lakers got the wake up call Friday night.

Last comment, I think Gundy is a great coach.

 

[mikemiller1955]

By the way,

the Lakers are a 6 point favorite for Thursday night

and

-250 to win the series.

The Cavs are +210 for the series.

I'm not betting the series,

I can't put up $250 to win $100,

but,

can the Lakers cover by 6 Thursday, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

 

[mikemiller1955]

I noticed the Vegas odds changed on the series today.

The Lakers are now -280

and

the Magic is +240.

2 1/2 to one for a payoff on the Magic.

It's tempting, but I don't think they can win the series.

After Kobe lost in the finals last year to Boston (4-2), I just don't think it will happen again.

Phil Jackson gets #10 passing Red Auerbach.

 

[Warrior]

"Phil Jackson gets #10 passing Red Auerbach."

No offense as there are quite a few Laker fans on this forum; Red's been gone now for three years and he can still outcoach Jackson, so let's keep things in perspective. If Doc Rivers could, so could Red.

And I wouldn't book that "Phil gets #10" party just yet; the Lakers did squat vs the Celtic inside game last year, specifically Perkins and KG.

If they collapse down low to double Howard, the Magic will kill them with threes................................

 

[mikemiller1955]

"Phil Jackson gets #10 passing Red Auerbach."

No offense as there are quite a few Laker fans on this forum; Red's been gone now for three years and he can still outcoach Jackson, so let's keep things in perspective. If Doc Rivers could, so could Red.

And I wouldn't book that "Phil gets #10" party just yet; the Lakers did squat vs the Celtic inside game last year, specifically Perkins and KG.

If they collapse down low to double Howard, the Magic will kill them with threes................................

Okay George,

"No offense" here either,

as you said earlier........................but,

you seem a little biased here to me.

I guessing I struck a nerve when I mentioned the Boston icon may lose his "most wins" title.

Arnold "Red" Auerbach,

the "God of the Gardens",

"The Coach",

"The Legacy" .

You live about 30 miles from Boston don't you?

You sound like a big Celtics fan, so I'm sure you despise Hollywood's Lakers.

Auerbach was a great coach, conceded by me right here right now, you don't have to document that for me, but if Phil passes him, then he passes him.

Auerbach was a great coach, we're not going to debate that are we?

Doc Rivers, well, lets see,

with 3 (Garnett, Pierce and Allen) All Star members on his team in 2008 he was supposed to win a title wasn't he?

A lot of people thought Rondo should have been on the All star team too.

Home court advantage, 3 All Stars on his roster, could have been 4, he was supposed to win wasn't he?

I believe Kobe was the only All Star Phil had to work with when they played in the finals in 2008.

Maybe Phil would have looked like a better coach if he had 3 All Stars on the Lakers against Doc.

You know,

Phil did look like a pretty good a couple of years ago with only 2 All Stars (Kobe and Shaq) for 3 consecutive years.

Well Garnett, Pierce and Allen also made the NBA All Star team in 2009.

Good players sure make a coach look talented.

He didn't seem quite as good a coach once Garnett went out in the playoffs this year did he?

Lowly Chicago took them to seven games,

even though Doc had 2 All Star players still on his roster and home court advantage.

We both know Rivers was lucky to sneak out of that series with Chicago.

Orlando won their series even though Doc still had 2 All Stars and home court advantage.

Come on George, is Rivers a better coach or did he just inherit a team stacked with talent?

When he lost Garnett they went into a nose dive deluxe.

Rivers didn't look like such a great coach while still having 2 All Star players on his roster and home court in the playoffs to me.

Is Doc Rivers a better coach than Phil Jackson?

Not in my opinion.

I don't think so.

No way.

You said, "the Magic will kill them with threes................................"

Okay George, here is what we can do.

Lets make a friendly wager.

A set of Jenkins bet against each other.

A two figure set.

You pick the set.

Got to be a set I have and a set you sell.

Whoever loses the series pays off.

A friendly bet George.

A Lakers hater against a Lakers fan.

You pick a set George, let me know.

Come on, it will be fun.

Win or lose, I'll always love you, lol.

 

[Combat]

I'm a Lakers fan, but not a big fan of Phil. He seems like a better babysitter of NBA stars than coach. With maybe the greatest player in NBA history in Chicago and two great players in LA, almost anyone should have won with those teams. Some coaches could have screwed up those teams so Phil does deserve credit, but I would take a guy like Pat Riley any day over him to coach a series.

Not to jinx them, but I can't see the Lakers losing this series. They were embarrassed last year and Kobe won't let it happen again. This will make or break his legacy. The first two games in LA are huge in the 2-3-2 finals format.

 

[mikemiller1955]

I'm a Lakers fan, but not a big fan of Phil. He seems like a better babysitter of NBA stars than coach. With maybe the greatest player in NBA history in Chicago and two great players in LA, almost anyone should have won with those teams. Some coaches could have screwed up those teams so Phil does deserve credit, but I would take a guy like Pat Riley any day over him to coach a series.

Not to jinx them, but I can't see the Lakers losing this series. They were embarrassed last year and Kobe won't let it happen again. This will make or break his legacy. The first two games in LA are huge in the 2-3-2 finals format.

I'm not a big fan of any coach. They never scored one point or played one minute. Coaches are important for fundamentals, discipline, training, set plays, motivation and a lot of other aspects of the game, however, you can throw 5 All Stars on the floor and they will probably dominate.

You can't underestimate talent.

Coaches are over rated for wins.

I might consider Tom Landry or John Wooden as exceptions, but just for style and discipline. I think discipline is under rated.

Almost all the great coaches had the great players.

I really think all coaches are a little over rated.

Even Landry's style became antiquated with "modern" football and he was replaced after a couple of poor seasons.

You need good players to win games.

I thought Phil was a disappontment as a "babysitter".

He struggled for 3 years to be the "rubberband and glue" to hold the clashing dominant personalities of Shaq and Kobe in check.

He let a possible dynasty fall apart.

I don't think he is a "great" coach either.

Great players make a great coach.

I think you're right about Kobe this year.

Not sure he was embarrassed last year, just frustrated.

I don't think he will allow this one to slip by for lack of effort.

When they accquired Bynum and Fisher this year and their fast start with wins was lauded by the press, Kobe said,

"I'm not playing with butter knives this year".

I can't see Kobe letting two final appearances slip by without a championship.

Inside, I think he really wants to show the world that he was the star, not Shaq.

 

[Warrior]

Okay George,

"No offense" here either,

as you said earlier........................but,

you seem a little biased here to me.

I guessing I struck a nerve when I mentioned the Boston icon may lose his "most wins" title.

Arnold "Red" Auerbach,

the "God of the Gardens",

"The Coach",

"The Legacy" .

You live about 30 miles from Boston don't you?

You sound like a big Celtics fan, so I'm sure you despise Hollywood's Lakers.

Auerbach was a great coach, conceded by me right here right now, you don't have to document that for me, but if Phil passes him, then he passes him.

Auerbach was a great coach, we're not going to debate that are we?

Doc Rivers, well, lets see,

with 3 (Garnett, Pierce and Allen) All Star members on his team in 2008 he was supposed to win a title wasn't he?

A lot of people thought Rondo should have been on the All star team too.

Home court advantage, 3 All Stars on his roster, could have been 4, he was supposed to win wasn't he?

I believe Kobe was the only All Star Phil had to work with when they played in the finals in 2008.

Maybe Phil would have looked like a better coach if he had 3 All Stars on the Lakers against Doc.

You know,

Phil did look like a pretty good a couple of years ago with only 2 All Stars (Kobe and Shaq) for 3 consecutive years.

Well Garnett, Pierce and Allen also made the NBA All Star team in 2009.

Good players sure make a coach look talented.

He didn't seem quite as good a coach once Garnett went out in the playoffs this year did he?

Lowly Chicago took them to seven games,

even though Doc had 2 All Star players still on his roster and home court advantage.

We both know Rivers was lucky to sneak out of that series with Chicago.

Orlando won their series even though Doc still had 2 All Stars and home court advantage.

Come on George, is Rivers a better coach or did he just inherit a team stacked with talent?

When he lost Garnett they went into a nose dive deluxe.

Rivers didn't look like such a great coach while still having 2 All Star players on his roster and home court in the playoffs to me.

Is Doc Rivers a better coach than Phil Jackson?

Not in my opinion.

I don't think so.

No way.

You said, "the Magic will kill them with threes................................"

Okay George, here is what we can do.

Lets make a friendly wager.

A set of Jenkins bet against each other.

A two figure set.

You pick the set.

Got to be a set I have and a set you sell.

Whoever loses the series pays off.

A friendly bet George.

A Lakers hater against a Lakers fan.

You pick a set George, let me know.

Come on, it will be fun.

Win or lose, I'll always love you, lol.

Gee Mike, I said no offense, looks like I hit a nerve with you on this one.

Sorry, the Lakers were the odds on favorite to win the series last year, a gambler like you would know that better than I, but most of the talking heads on ESPN, etc, etc, were picking the Lakers.

And I think Doc did a terrific job this year after losing Garnett, I'd hardly call the Bulls lowly Mike, they've got some great young talent on that team. The Celtics took a nose dive after KG was lost for the year? They ended up with the second best record in the East, I'd hardly call that a nose dive Mike.


And they took Orlando to seven games, the same Orlando team that is now in the finals and the same Orlando team that had King James not hit a miracle shot, would have swept the Cadavers.

What does home court really mean Mike? Remember game 4 of the finals last year in LA Mike? Do you remember that game, because I sure do, one of my all time favorites.

And you are wrong, I don't hate the Lakers, I respect them greatly, the secont best franchise in the history of the NBA and they've got the titles to prove it. And unlike the Celtics of the 80's, who fell off the grid for 18 years, the Lakers were making the playoffs and winning titles, so they've maintained their 80's greatness.

Magic is perhaps my third most favorite player all time, a class act, a true champion, an icon in the history of the game.

And Shaq is one of favorite players, I was rooting for the Lakers to win in the finals while he was there, was actually bummed out to see him leave, the Lakers would have won more titles had he stayed. Imagine that Mike, a Celtics fan rooting for the Lakers; it's a fact my friend.

And Kobe is another of my favorite players, a winner, a guy who carries his team when needed and a total stand up guy, has never run off the court after losing a game or a series and has always faced the media and answered every question the press throws at him. My girlfriend and I met him last year during the finals at dinner one night, he is one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet, we had a couple of drinks together and had some laughs. Just a total class act on and off the court.

So there you go Mike, three Lakers that I respect and admire.

Based your post, sounds like you hate the Celtics quite a bit.

Sorry Mike, I am not one of those stereotypical Boston yahoo fans who never, ever gives the other team credit.

Boy did you have me pegged wrong Mike.

And no thanks to your offer, I never, ever gamble on sports, it's a bad habit and one that can get you in alot of trouble with certain members of an Italian American club here in the US of A.


I leave the gambling to others and just enjoy the games for the sport of it all.

And good luck in the finals.

I'll be pulling for the Lakers and Kobe.

And I love you too Mike.

Oh and back to my original point; I can't stand Phil Jackson.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Gee Mike, I said no offense, looks like I hit a nerve with you on this one.

Sorry, the Lakers were the odds on favorite to win the series last year, a gambler like you would know that better than I, but most of the talking heads on ESPN, etc, etc, were picking the Lakers.

And I think Doc did a terrific job this year after losing Garnett, I'd hardly call the Bulls lowly Mike, they've got some great young talent on that team. The Celtics took a nose dive after KG was lost for the year? They ended up with the second best record in the East, I'd hardly call that a nose dive Mike.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


George, did you just "cut and paste" my opening line to you about being offended, lol.

George, I'm not offended, we are having a friendly discussion on Doc Rivers coaching abilities and how you think he is better than Jackson.

Concerning last year,

First off George, I don't know who these "talking heads" were on ESPN, etc..., etc..., that were picking the Lakers as you say, lol.

The Celtics record was the league best in 2008.

Their record was 66-16.

The Lakers was 57-25.

Even Detroit had a better record than the Lakers in 2008, lol.

These are the facts and they can't be disputed.

Nobody but die hard Lakers fans picked the Lakers to win it all.

Boston was a major Las Vegas favorite to win it all from the beginning.

I don't remember anybody on ESPN except James Worthy saying the Lakers would win.

But lets just forget about the facts for a second and get back to Doc being a better coach than Jackson.

Concerning this year you said,

"I'd hardly call the Bulls lowly Mike, they've got some great young talent on that team."

George, their record was 41-41, that is pretty lowly, in fact that is very lowly.

Chicago barely made the playoffs.

Boston was a 12 point favorite in some of their home games, and Doc rivers lost some of those games straight up.

Boston didn't take a "nose dive", they just flat stunk.

You said, "They ended up with the second best record in the East, I'd hardly call that a nose dive Mike."

George, they had the best record before Kevin got hurt, before he went out.

They barely played 500 ball without him.

A team with a record of 41-41 (Chicago) took them to the limit.

Once Garnett was out, Doc was exposed.

Why do you think Doc Rivers is a good coach?

 

[mikemiller1955]

One last thing George.

Don't get me wrong.

I have always loved the Celtics. Always.

I think the best 5 players ever on the floor together were Bird, Ainge, McHale, Johnson and Parish.

Great players, great chemistry and a stong desire to succeed.

I won't lie though, I always rooted for the Lakers when ya'll pounded us over and over.

It was a love/hate realtionship with Boston, lol.

Enjoy the playoffs George, it should be physical, I hope Bynum and Odoms stay out of foul trouble.

I know Gasol can't deal with Howard, lol.

We may have to use Mbenga off the bench, lol.

 

[Warrior]

I think the best 5 players ever on the floor together were Bird, Ainge, McHale, Johnson and Parish.

Mike,
Have to disagree with you on that one; the Lakers of the 80's beat the Bird, Ainge, McHale, Johnson and Parish teams not once, but twice, the Lakers of the 80's were the better team. And had Henderson not stolen the ball on a bad cross court pass in game 2, they would have lost all three series to LA; they were clearly the better team. The Celtics ran the fast break pretty well, but the Lakers of the 80's with Magic in charge were the masters of it.

It wasn't called showtime for nothing.

Also, I do agree Howard is going to give Gasol fits, all I want is an entertaining series, may the best team win.

Enjoy yourself Mike, back to back trips to the finals is a nice thing to see....................

 

[mikemiller1955]

Ooooooooh George,

I'm so happy to see back to back.

My last dog was named Magic, lol, for real.

I'm a big fan.

One of the reasons I quit drinking (or slowed down) was because I came home one night drunk and impulsively bought a piece of the Forum at 3:00AM on TNT.

I have no idea what to do with it, lol.

Gotta quit drinking George, lol, or at least slow down, lol.

I live my Chivas on ice.

Enjoy the series George, I hope the Lakers bring their "game face" tonight.

They are going to need it.

 

[Warrior]

Don't feel bad Mike, I bought a seat from the old Boston Garden, a brick from when they tore it down and a piece of the original court, so I'm three times as bad as you.

Look at that 80's run Mike; 80, 82, 85, 87, 88, incredible. Not to mention they lost in the finals to the Celtics, 76ers and Pistons in the 80's too, so that is an off the charts 8 trips in 10 years.

Incredible run by a great team.

 

[Combat]

The Celtics streak of 8 consecutive NBA titles is probably the greatest feat in sports history, but the 1980's Lakers teams were better than Bird and company. Go LAKERS!

 

[tdubel]

Ooooooooh George,

I'm so happy to see back to back.

My last dog was named Magic, lol, for real.

I'm a big fan.

One of the reasons I quit drinking (or slowed down) was because I came home one night drunk and impulsively bought a piece of the Forum at 3:00AM on TNT.

I have no idea what to do with it, lol.

Gotta quit drinking George, lol, or at least slow down, lol.

I live my Chivas on ice.

Enjoy the series George, I hope the Lakers bring their "game face" tonight.

They are going to need it.

That is a cool piece of memorabilia!!!!

I also collect sports autos, etc, but that is another story for another forum!!!!

TD

 

[Combat]

Well, Jack is a happy boy once again. The LA papers have declared the series over, but most of these blowouts are followed by a let down. Game 2 is a dangerous game for the Lakers.