***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

[poster]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

Wow what a win. To be down 19 on the road, in the playoffs, at a tough place to win, just hard to overcome. Sheed played awesome D. That block on Deng was pure power. Tay played awesome, Rip kept them in it, Chauncey brought them home. Amazing poise, just hate when they don't move on offense. That first half was horrid. Hopefully they can close it out on Sunday. Love this team!

[trobinson97]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

Great win tonight. Now to go ahead and put them away in Game 4. I was worried after that first half, but I knew if any team could regain their composure, it was the Pistons.

[Psyblast]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

This one should be over Sunday, I don't see anyway the young Bulls rebound from a loss like this one.

[WTF]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

Have to tip my hat to the Pistons (if I wore a hat)... they played excellent in the second half. As soon as I seen the score going into half time, I knew the outcome of the game... but the Pistons came through, just as I thought they would. The Bulls, although Athletic and young, still have a LONG way to go yet. Good win 'Stones...

[SoMiss2000]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

Have to tip my hat to the Pistons (if I wore a hat)... they played excellent in the second half. As soon as I seen the score going into half time, I knew the outcome of the game... but the Pistons came through, just as I thought they would. The Bulls, although Athletic and young, still have a LONG way to go yet. Good win 'Stones...

someone is obsessed with themselves.

[Blaxican8504]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns...0amare-ON.html

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sc4yz__akIU

Sure does look like he kicked him.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

Bowen's a dirty bitch. It's no surprise.

I can't believe him or Ginobili haven't been reprimanded for their actions at any point.

Stoudemire needs to dunk on his ***.

[Altimus]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

This one should be over Sunday, I don't see anyway the young Bulls rebound from a loss like this one.

It would be nice to at least win one, maybe two but that is really far away.

I was there tonight and I'll tell you, once the Pistons got that five point lead people around me already were yelling it's over. And to be honest I had that feeling as well. As small as a five point lead it is but when it is Detroit control it feels like a 20 point lead.

This one was a heart breaker. I had a bad feeling in my stomach right before the third quarter started and no it wasn't the nachos. I just sensed my Bulls team is going to some how self destruct. Not to take anything away from the Pistons, they had an excellent third quarter. And the buzzer beater three felt like that was the dagger.

Thing that kills me is 11 turnovers and 7 missed free throws in the fourth quarter by the Bulls. Especially those two by Nocioni with less then a minute and down by 5.

The way the game ended pretty much concluded the series for the Bulls. In 15 seconds they missed what 4-5 shots? Someone must have put something over the rim.

[Psyblast]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

It would be nice to at least win one, maybe two but that is really far away.

I was there tonight and I'll tell you, once the Pistons got that five point lead people around me already were yelling it's over. And to be honest I had that feeling as well. As small as a five point lead it is but when it is Detroit control it feels like a 20 point lead.

This one was a heart breaker. I had a bad feeling in my stomach right before the third quarter started and no it wasn't the nachos. I just sensed my Bulls team is going to some how self destruct. Not to take anything away from the Pistons, they had an excellent third quarter. And the buzzer beater three felt like that was the dagger.

Thing that kills me is 11 turnovers and 7 missed free throws in the fourth quarter by the Bulls. Especially those two by Nocioni with less then a minute and down by 5.

The way the game ended pretty much concluded the series for the Bulls. In 15 seconds they missed what 4-5 shots? Someone must have put something over the rim.

Don't sweat it too much man. The Pistons took their bumps too. The 2003 Eastern Conference Finals left a REALLY bitter taste in my mouth. The Bulls' window is just beginning to open, they're one solid scoring big man away from being dangerous. In my eyes they are the heir apparent to the Pistons' throne as the most consistent top team in the East.

[Court_vision]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

Great article.
Teamwork v one on one basketball.


The Jazz made plenty of bad decisions with the ball: Many of their 23 turnovers (the Warriors only had 12) were the result of careless passwork — primarily because Utah didn't fully take into account Golden State's extraordinary quickness into the passing lanes. Most noticeable were Andrei Kirilenko's several blind passes, and Mehmet Okur's pass to nobody on a 3-on-1 fast break. Indeed, only Deron Williams and Derek Fisher could be trusted to safely move the ball.

<TABLE class=emailBoothFields style="BORDER-RIGHT: #b3b3b3 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #b3b3b3 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #b3b3b3 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #b3b3b3 1px solid; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #eee" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=210 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>NBA Playoff Roundup

<!-- <table width="220" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" align="left"> <tr><td></td></tr> <tr><td class="caption">Game of the night: Chauncey Billups directed a balanced attack for the Pistons as they held off the Magic and took a 2-0 series lead.
| Dime Smack </td></tr> </table>

-->Thursday's action: Pistons rally past Bulls
Wednesday's action:
Jazz win in OT for 2-0 lead
Tuesday's action:
Nash helps Suns tie series
Cavs take 2-0 lead on Nets
Analysis:

Rosen: Bulls were half bad
Hill: Testing Suns' system
Rosen: Jazz all about team
Dime: Pistons top Hit List
Kahn: Nash proves his mettle
Rosen: Cavs good, Nets not
Video:

Marques in the Paint: East
Marques in the Paint: West
Photo gallery ...

Thursday's action
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Even though the Jazz once had an overpowering advantage on the boards — 60 rebounds to 32 — Utah's turnovers were the reason why the Warriors still put up more shots (90 to 87).
But the home team also launched several ill-advised shots — most of them by Kirilenko. And they also committed a superfluity of offensive fouls.
Moreover, on several occasions, Carlos Boozer failed to meet the ball when entry passes where aimed at him in the low-post.
And the Jazz foolishly fouled too many shooters who were at least 20 feet from the basket.
On the plus side, Utah's curls, screen/rolls, and dive-cuts were highly effective. Also, almost every player on the team made a big play down the stretch.
And the Warriors?
Sure, they hustled. But on a minute-to-minute basis their overall intensity level didn't quite match the baseline-to-baseline-tip-to-buzzer energy that they displayed in Game 1. On numerous sequences, they simply pumped up 3-balls. Of their 90 total shots, 40 were from beyond the arc. Forty! Meanwhile the Jazz put up only 16.
Even so, had the Warriors converted more than three of seven free throws in the waning seconds of regulation, the game would have been theirs. Did they choke? Probably not.
Given that Monta Ellis has proved to be too green to be effective at this level, and that Don Nelson essentially went with a seven-man rotation, the Warriors were obviously exhausted.
Still, the Warriors stuck to their guns and played their game throughout. It was no surprise, though, that their switching defense left too many holes that never got filled. Nor that on offense, Golden State relied almost exclusively on isolations — and that was THE overriding difference in the ball game.
Here's the relevant scoreboard:
In outright isolation situations, Jason Richardson was 4-13. Along the way he also induced a non-shooting foul and committed an offensive foul himself.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width=275 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD class=caption>The Warriors struggled from the field in Game 2. (Harry How / Getty Images)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Baron Davis was 7-18, plus four pass-outs, two assists, and five points scored from the stripe when he was fouled in the act.
Stephen Jackson was 3-13, plus six successful free throws and two turnovers.
Al Harrington was 1-7.
Matt Barnes was 0-2, plus two made free throws.
Monta Ellis was 0-2, plus one made free throw and one turnover.
So, then, 55 of Golden State's field goal attempts were the result of clear-outs (57 counting Davis's two assists). No wonder the Warriors totaled only 15 assists on their 38 total baskets.
For Utah, Deron Williams was the only player who went 1-on-1. He did this four times, scoring twice, plus hitting a pair of free throws. And the Jazz accumulated 31 assists on their 46 baskets.
In other words, a team beat a collection of extremely talented individuals who played like individuals. In fact, the Warriors failed in Games 1 and 2 because there was simply too much pressure on whoever's turn it was to create a scoring opportunity. Every shot was hard-earned, especially when the defense could so readily anticipate where and when the shot would be taken.
Teamwork is the way to success. In any sport, especially professional basketball.
That's the way the game should be played. That five players working in tandem should overcome ball clubs that play one-on-five.
For sure, the series isn't nearly decided, and the Warriors may yet be victorious. But for now, the Great God Basketball Jones is smiling.

<I>Charley Rosen is FOXSports.com's NBA analyst and author of 13 books about hoops, the current one being "The pivotal season — How the 1971-72 <ID>L.A. Lakers</ID> changed the NBA."</I>

[Psyblast]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

By the way (and I mean this sincerely, I'm not being a jerk), Bulls fans, what do you think of Ben Wallace now? Personally, if I was a Bulls fan, I'd be screaming for this joker's head. He's been a mess all series, from his weepy tale about the Pistons standing him up for dinner the night before Game 1, to his mysterious late arrival to Game 3...and he was hanging out with some of his old teammates after the game was over?

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/telander/381338,CST-SPT-rick11.article

But this one is on Ben Wallace.

''I don't have to explain myself to all of you,'' he said after the game, regarding his late arrival. ''I don't care what people are thinking.''

Fine. Because it's hard not to think he's a mercenary jerk.

In the hallway afterward, Big Ben hung with Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and other old teammates, hugging and swapping tales.

Wow. Would it be asking too much to wait to celebrate with the enemy until after you've been swept?

WTF? Ben is a clown.

[SteelersFreak]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

So much for this big revival of an amazing rivalry.

Interesting how so far, Suns and Spurs have been the only good series to watch.

[trobinson97]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

By the way (and I mean this sincerely, I'm not being a jerk), Bulls fans, what do you think of Ben Wallace now? Personally, if I was a Bulls fan, I'd be screaming for this joker's head. He's been a mess all series, from his weepy tale about the Pistons standing him up for dinner the night before Game 1, to his mysterious late arrival to Game 3...and he was hanging out with some of his old teammates after the game was over?

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/telander/381338,CST-SPT-rick11.article

WTF? Ben is a clown.

Lol, it makes that one post about Ben going to the Bulls to sabotage them a little funnier. Seriously, I'd be upset about that if I were a Bulls fan too.

Interesting how so far, Suns and Spurs have been the only good series to watch to me.

Fixed.

I hear you, but I am enjoying watching the Jazz/Warriors and the Pistons series (for obvious reasons of course).

[billmatic]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

So much for this big revival of an amazing rivalry.

Interesting how so far, Suns and Spurs have been the only good series to watch.

I don't know how anyone couldn't have enjoyed the first 2 Utah - Golden State games.

[Dice]

Re: ***Official 2007 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread***

By the way (and I mean this sincerely, I'm not being a jerk), Bulls fans, what do you think of Ben Wallace now? Personally, if I was a Bulls fan, I'd be screaming for this joker's head. He's been a mess all series, from his weepy tale about the Pistons standing him up for dinner the night before Game 1, to his mysterious late arrival to Game 3...and he was hanging out with some of his old teammates after the game was over?

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/telander/381338,CST-SPT-rick11.article

WTF? Ben is a clown.

I can't argue about this situation. Ben doesn't need to hanging out with friends while your friends are about to sweep you out of the playoffs. If Ben was serious about winning this series he wouldn't be fraternizing with the enemy. This is one of the problems with most of today's players, when you need to get serious about the game THEN GET SERIOUS! That means NO hanging out with your opponents while your trying to beat them in the playoffs.

Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas were the best of friends. They actually kissed each other before their games(insert joke). BUT during their championship series in the late 80's they were rivals while they were playing. Magic and Bird were the same. Off the court AND during the off-season Magic and Bird were good friends. BUT during the season and throughout their battles in the NBA finals they were mortal enemies.

Jordan and Barkley were also good friends. BUT during their 1993 Finals I seriously doubt that these two spoke to each other while they were playing.

Some people might think that this is too dramatic BUT when peoples careers are on the line you do what you have to do with no distractions.