Alrighty, It's the 2012 NBA Playoffs Thread

[Danny]

I hope San Antonio dismantles either of these teams.

[Noop]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I hope this shuts up people bitching about Miami's supporting cast. It's not Spurs level or anything, but it's a solid NBA rotation. Can't use that as an excuse like last year.

Err. Miami's rotation just became solid because before the last two weeks of the season it was a terrible bunch, let's not act like they have been solid all season.

[Noop]

Originally Posted by Danny

I hope San Antonio dismantles either of these teams.

I think the Spurs will win 4-0 or 4-1 against Miami. I think they would sweep Boston with no problem.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Noop

Err. Miami's rotation just became solid because before the last two weeks of the season it was a terrible bunch, let's not act like they have been solid all season.

Not many teams have a great rotation that goes 8-9 deep. Chalmers, Battier, Haslem, Anthony, and Miller are solid NBA players. The only bad players they play are Cole, Pittman, and Turiaf. And those guys don't get many minutes at all anyway. Like I said, it's not a great supporting cast, but it's decent.

If they lose in the Finals it's not going to be because Norris Cole played 4 minutes.

Originally Posted by Noop

I think the Spurs will win 4-0 or 4-1 against Miami. I think they would sweep Boston with no problem.

A team with that much talent should not be going out 4-0 or 4-1 to anyone. While I think San Antonio is great, Miami still has the most talent in the league.

[whomario]

Don´t root for either team but have to admit that i´m a bit gutted ´seeing such an amazing performance by Rondo not lead to a win. That was extremely impressive.

[Noop]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Not many teams have a great rotation that goes 8-9 deep. Chalmers, Battier, Haslem, Anthony, and Miller are solid NBA players. The only bad players they play are Cole, Pittman, and Turiaf. And those guys don't get many minutes at all anyway. Like I said, it's not a great supporting cast, but it's decent.

If they lose in the Finals it's not going to be because Norris Cole played 4 minutes.



A team with that much talent should not be going out 4-0 or 4-1 to anyone. While I think San Antonio is great, Miami still has the most talent in the league.

Like I said the last two weeks of the season Miami's rotation became solid. Battier, Haslem and Miller all have found themselves during the playoffs before the playoffs they were terrible. Unlike the Spurs bunch who have been playing fantastic all year.

Miami can have all the talent in the world (I don't think that is true btw because 10 is always bigger than 8) but it doesn't mean anything if LeBron is tired from having to play defense and be an offensive threat.

The Spurs are the better team and they are two deep for Miami. I wouldn't be shocked if Miami lost to the Spurs 4-0 or 4-1 with a healthy Bosh maybe 4-2.

[miami_fan]

That was a great interview!

[whomario]

Thabo Sefolosha was great. Way to step up. Sure, it wasn´t a monster game by common standards, but for him to step up and even take those shots was huge. (he didn´t have more than 10 FGA in any game the last 2 seasons btw)
Not to mention his defense, he really might be the best perimeter defender in the league when you factor in his ability to guard a variety of player-types.

There was one posession where he denied Parker the way to the basket on a pick and roll with Bonner, then closed down Bonner on the sideline and then finished it off by forcing Jackson into a bad shot he blocked.

The way he switched and then recovered back to his man tonight was amazing.

Spurs didn´t help themselves with bad finishing inside.

[Arles]

Thabo reminds me of a young Shawn Marion. He's not quite the rebounder or finisher Marion was, but he's a similar defender and threat from 3 at times. Those players are very valuable on contending teams.

[RainMaker]

I really liked Thabo in Chicago but Skiles never wanted to play him. We did end up with Taj Gibson in the deal for him so I guess in the end came out on top.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by Logan

Sorry Celtics fans, nothing personal, but watching Bill Simmons cry all over Twitter is too good.

Speaking of Twitter, Laker fans are fucking asshats, as well as keyboard cowards!

Daily Dot | NBA player's wife savagely attacked on Twitter

[SirFozzie]

You know? THis Celtics run..

Not many people like the Celtics because of their history (both in the far off past and more fairly recently)

They don't play the flashy style of ball people prefer

They may play in a city no one likes.

But no one could fault their effort in these last few years.

They are going to look so different last year. Half of the big four (Allen and Garnett) will likely be gone. The Celtics iwll have Pierce, Rondo from this team, and Jeff Green (who does NOT fit the current style the Celtics play, but in a quicker paced game next year probably will do a LOT better). Bringing back Bradley, and Brendon Bass, it's not a "Reload not rebuild" situation, but it's going to be a lot better then I expected in a "Year six of a 3 year plan"

Edit: ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNDOOOOO!

[stevew]

They are foolish to not at least try to bring Garnett back for 2 or 3 more years. Obviously not at more than 10M/year though.

[RainMaker]

Miami is a different team when they aren't shooting 50 free throws.

[SirFozzie]

Obligations next year for the Celtics

Pierce:$16.8 Million
Rondo: $11.0 Million
Bradley: $1.6 Million
J.Johnson: $1.1 Million

Total Guaranteed: $30.5 Million (According to Hoops Hype)

Options:

Greg Stiersma: Qualifying Option ($1 Million)
Brendon Bass: Player Option ($4 million)

(I think the Celtics will make a qualifying offer to Stiersma, he's still a middle-ceiling project at BEST.. I HOPE Bass signs up for another year, but he's been worth a bit more than $4 million for the Celtics next year)

So they'll have money to resign their own guys (or grab a good FA or two with the $20 million they have in cap space, then resign their own guys)

Heat making a good run..

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Miami is a different team when they aren't shooting 50 free throws.

Yeah, if they're not getting to the line they are very beatable

[SirFozzie]

Dola: The Celtics have a habit of not FINISHING their opponents. They don't have the "kick them while they're down and finish them off" mentality this year. Too many big leads blown late.

The refs screwed that one up. I can see the Garnett T, but it should never have gotten that far into the play, he had already been fouled at least once with no call.

[larrymcg421]

Ainge is probably still having wet dreams over this blockbuster Rondo deal that he's been trying to pull off for several seasons now.

[larrymcg421]

The problem with the Garnett T is that he didn't throw the elbow after the whistle.

[SirFozzie]

ROOOOOOOONNNDOOO!!!

Man, As great as KG has been, I think that Rondo's doing a good job of showing what life is going to be when it becomes "His" team in a year or two

[SirFozzie]

See? No flow at all to the Celtics offense, it's mostly contested stuff. Sure it takes 20+ seconds off the clock but you hit like, HALF the shots they normally do.

Heat with a chance to cut it to 8. Keep running Celtics. Keep playing your game, not this slowdown shit.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

Ainge is probably still having wet dreams over this blockbuster Rondo deal that he's been trying to pull off for several seasons now.

LOL


I wonder what he will do now that he can't find anyone dumb to trade with.

[Noop]

Refs were in rare form tonight.

Garnett is such a dirty player.

I still like Miami to win this series but I am concerned that James will eventually wear out.

[SirFozzie]

If you mean in rare form, meaning not favoring the heat.. yeah, they were in rare form Noop.

[Noop]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

If you mean in rare form, meaning not favoring the heat.. yeah, they were in rare form Noop.

No. They were swallowing their whistle, and some of those calls were baffling. Miami gets calls because they *gasp* attack the basket. I recall in the first half LeBron got pushed while attempting a steal and pulled while on a fast break... and wow nothing happened.

I know Doc and the Celtic faithful are mad about last game, but this game was terrible.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Noop

Miami gets calls because they *gasp* attack the basket.

They have nearly identical shot breakdowns for the series. Both teams are attacking the rim at the same rate.

[Desnudo]

If the heat made the free throws they had called, the game would have been tied. Refs aren't to blame for their shambolic %.

[Cuckoo]

Originally Posted by Cuckoo

That said, it's been two extremely tough games. To control the first for much of the game and then blow it in the 4th, then to fall so far behind and be unable to come back in the 2nd, has to be giving this team doubts for the first time this season. It's plain for me to see that San Antonio is just the better team, and that's a sobering fact given the expectations. It looks very unlikely, but I'll be holding out hope nonetheless that OKC can win two at home to get back in it.

Hmm... maybe I spoke to soon. Either that or I jinxed the Spurs. Either way, I'm cool with it.

Very important game 5 coming up. We'll see if OKC can keep up the momentum. I absolutely love the way they've played the last two games.

[Galaril]

The NBA is a fucking joke seriously these days with the BS fouls called in favor of the teams the NBA and it's Czar Stern want to win. Shameful.

[SirFozzie]

Pierce and Rondo both with four fouls. Uh oh. Miami going to attack late.

[stevew]

Whoa....they called an offensive foul on LeBron.

[stevew]

Fuck these refs.

[spleen1015]

Makes no fucking sense at all.

[stevew]

That's either a double foul, or a no call.

[stevew]

Battier is a floppy little cunt

[MizzouRah]

They should have guarded the perimeter at the end of the game there.. leaving James open for a 3 is not good.

C'mon Celtics!

[MizzouRah]

James fouls out!

[stevew]

First foul out in 2 seasons and 7 playoff series playing virtually every minute of every game and challenging almost every shot and driving with abandon.

Fucking amazing.

[SirFozzie]

This series is going to give me an ulcer

[Scoobz0202]

Celtics vs. Heat vs. Refs

[SirFozzie]

A compromise: At the end of this series, can we call it Celtics 0, Heat 0, Refs 4?

[Groundhog]

If I'm counting correctly, that was LeBron's 3rd charge?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

If I'm counting correctly, that was LeBron's 3rd charge?

Well it was probably his 7th charge, but who's counting.

[Groundhog]

Phew. I don't have a lot of confidence that Boston will win in Miami, but a boy can dream.

[Groundhog]

A total of 6 points scored in OT, too. Honestly, I don't think it matters who comes out of the East, Thunder or Spurs should have this one locked in.

[SirFozzie]

Groundhog: We said the same thing for Philly-Boston Game seven "Who ever wins gets killed by Miami"

So, the one word that describes this NBA Playoffs is: "Youneverknow"

[Groundhog]

Well, the one word I'd use to describe the Eastern Conference playoffs in general is "painful"

[RainMaker]

Shoot the whole conference into the Sun.

[Groundhog]

The Rose injury really killed the East IMO.

[DaddyTorgo]

Celtics almost BLEW it there.

Jeezus.

Glad they were able to execute and take it - they deserved it.