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

[Leahmic223]

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

We were all witnesses.

But really, just horrible defense by the Pistons.

Sooner or later you have to double the guy. Sooner or later you hve to say to yourself "Why is Billups guarding him one-on-one so much?". Everytime Billups did, he blew right past him for the easy 2. Prince on the other hand, forced him to take some fadeaways (which he still made) but i'd rather give you fadeaways then open lane dunks.

Still, great performance by Lebron...I am just saying...I don't think he does that to the Spurs. Also, I still think the Pistons are going to win.

They are a team that has to be knocked down to win. The pressure is on the Cavs, the momentum is with the Cavs. Last year same situation, but it wasn't for a entry to the finals. I think now that the Pistons have the thought in their mind that "We can't lose this game." tehy will outwill the Cavs...we shall see. They say the hardest game to win is the closer.

[mickj]

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

EDIT: If Cleveland wins this series...San Antonio in 3.

I'm sure that's what detroit was thinking when this series started ...

[trobinson97]

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

I'm sure that's what detroit was thinking when this series started ...

I'm sure that's not what they were thinking...

[billmatic]

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

We were all witnesses.

But really, just horrible defense by the Pistons.

Sooner or later you have to double the guy. Sooner or later you hve to say to yourself "Why is Billups guarding him one-on-one so much?". Everytime Billups did, he blew right past him for the easy 2. Prince on the other hand, forced him to take some fadeaways (which he still made) but i'd rather give you fadeaways then open lane dunks.

Still, great performance by Lebron...I am just saying...I don't think he does that to the Spurs. Also, I still think the Pistons are going to win.

They are a team that has to be knocked down to win. The pressure is on the Cavs, the momentum is with the Cavs. Last year same situation, but it wasn't for a entry to the finals. I think now that the Pistons have the thought in their mind that "We can't lose this game." tehy will outwill the Cavs...we shall see. They say the hardest game to win is the closer.

Prince did force a couple fadeaways, but Lebron was driving by him like he was standing still most of the time. Better than Billups, but he was still getting owned. He would drive past him, dunk the ball, and Tayshaun would be looking around like, "where's the help?". And he was right, the help defense was terrible.

As a few guys have said, Big Ben may be past his prime, but he can be 40 and still be a bigger defensive presence than Sheed and C-Web combined. Not really too intimidating driving into the lane when those two are all that's there waiting for you.

[Kruza]

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

Even though my team lost the game in heartbreaking fashion, I have to say that LeBron put up a performance for the ages last night. That was nothing but greatness that doesn't happen every so often, let alone happen during a pressure-packed playoff game. Gotta tip my hat off to him and the Cavaliers for winning this game that will go down as a memorable classic for years to come, like the '04 Game 5 vs. New Jersey and '05 Finals Game 5 vs. San Antonio.

And for those who said the Pistons defense was struggling down the stretch... a few players were out there for 50+ minutes. Any player will show signs of struggle defensively whenever playing that long. What do you expect? The legs just won't be there during that point of the game, and Flip chose not to make any substitutions during the overtimes.

Kruza

[heitkamp94]

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

Even though my team lost the game in heartbreaking fashion, I have to say that LeBron put up a performance for the ages last night. That was nothing but greatness that doesn't happen every so often, let alone happen during a pressure-packed playoff game. Gotta tip my hat off to him and the Cavaliers for winning this game that will go down as a memorable classic for years to come, like the '03 ECF Game 5 vs. New Jersey and '05 Finals Game 5 vs. San Antonio.

And for those who said the Pistons defense was struggling down the stretch... a few players were out there for 50+ minutes. Any player will show signs of struggle defensively whenever playing that long. What do you expect? The legs just won't be there during that point of the game, and Flip chose not to make any substitutions during the overtimes.

Kruza

Is it just me or does it seem like both sides of the eastern conference games have been giving credit to teams that beat them fans and players alike, while the talk in the last 3 weeks with the western conference have been from fans and players about conspiracy theories and bad reffing? Its nice to see some class.

[Leahmic223]

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

Prince did force a couple fadeaways, but Lebron was driving by him like he was standing still most of the time. Better than Billups, but he was still getting owned. He would drive past him, dunk the ball, and Tayshaun would be looking around like, "where's the help?". And he was right, the help defense was terrible.

As a few guys have said, Big Ben may be past his prime, but he can be 40 and still be a bigger defensive presence than Sheed and C-Web combined. Not really too intimidating driving into the lane when those two are all that's there waiting for you.

true, but he was doing better than Billups.
Ben would have been intimidating, but it seemed to me the help wasn't going to come because they didn't want to give up a and 1.

As it is, maybe Detroit should have put a big body down there (Dale) because he is dispensible, and force James to go to the line.

I think the Spurs have so many floppers, and dispensible big men that James just can't do that to them. He is either going to get into foul trouble, or going to the line.

[ExtremeGamer]

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

Is it just me or does it seem like both sides of the eastern conference games have been giving credit to teams that beat them fans and players alike, while the talk in the last 3 weeks with the western conference have been from fans and players about conspiracy theories and bad reffing? Its nice to see some class.

For me, I don't like Detroit, but don't hate them like other teams either. We always have good games with them in the playoffs. I used to think they were a dirty team, but the more I've watched of them, I've taken back from that. I don't like Sheed, but I'm not supposed to. He plays with his emotions on his sleeve every game, gotta respect that.

But these 2 teams beat the hell out of each other and it leads to good games. Even McDyess, while I didn't like the foul, he didn't purposely attack Varejao, it was just a hard foul.

Same with the TNT announcers on that one play where LeBronw as fouled hard and came up into Hamilton. The announcers tried to make it seem like LeBron was close to snapping at Rip. In reality, Hamilton was standing behind him, so LeBron ran into him, as I said earlier in this thread, they didn't even give each other a stare, just ran into each other, it's much ado about nothing.

If we win this series, then IMO we beat the best team in the NBA and crossed that mountain. The Pistons are the pinacle for me of NBA excellence. If we lose, well, then again, we got beat by the best.

I just want to see us shut the door Saturday night.

[cbgatorade0202]

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

For me, I don't like Detroit, but don't hate them like other teams either. We always have good games with them in the playoffs. I used to think they were a dirty team, but the more I've watched of them, I've taken back from that. I don't like Sheed, but I'm not supposed to. He plays with his emotions on his sleeve every game, gotta respect that.

But these 2 teams beat the hell out of each other and it leads to good games. Even McDyess, while I didn't like the foul, he didn't purposely attack Varejao, it was just a hard foul.

Same with the TNT announcers on that one play where LeBronw as fouled hard and came up into Hamilton. The announcers tried to make it seem like LeBron was close to snapping at Rip. In reality, Hamilton was standing behind him, so LeBron ran into him, as I said earlier in this thread, they didn't even give each other a stare, just ran into each other, it's much ado about nothing.

If we win this series, then IMO we beat the best team in the NBA and crossed that mountain. The Pistons are the pinacle for me of NBA excellence. If we lose, well, then again, we got beat by the best.

I just want to see us shut the door Saturday night.

Tho I agree that the Cavaliers are coming to there own and I do hope they beat the pistons...There is no way you can Say Detroit is the best in the NBA or the pinacle. Maybe in the East, But all together there is no Question San Antonion holds that in there hands. 3 Championships in 8 years and going for number 4 is not even touched by Detroit.

Hopefully Cavs win the whole thing tho.

[ExtremeGamer]

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

Tho I agree that the Cavaliers are coming to there own and I do hope they beat the pistons...There is no way you can Say Detroit is the best in the NBA or the pinacle. Maybe in the East, But all together there is no Question San Antonion holds that in there hands. 3 Championships in 8 years and going for number 4 is not even touched by Detroit.

Hopefully Cavs win the whole thing tho.

Yeah, but I'm not looking at the Western Conference, so I should have said East, you're right. The Pistons are the kings of the East, as the Spurs are the kings of the west.

[cbgatorade0202]

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

Yeah, but I'm not looking at the Western Conference, so I should have said East, you're right. The Pistons are the kings of the East, as the Spurs are the kings of the west.

Then I will agree there, The Cavs and Lebron James are moving up very fast. Cleveland better hope they can keep him around for a long time b/c in a few years teams are gonna want him and be offering big money.

[23]

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

We were all witnesses.

But really, just horrible defense by the Pistons.

Sooner or later you have to double the guy. Sooner or later you hve to say to yourself "Why is Billups guarding him one-on-one so much?". Everytime Billups did, he blew right past him for the easy 2. Prince on the other hand, forced him to take some fadeaways (which he still made) but i'd rather give you fadeaways then open lane dunks.

Still, great performance by Lebron...I am just saying...I don't think he does that to the Spurs. Also, I still think the Pistons are going to win.

They are a team that has to be knocked down to win. The pressure is on the Cavs, the momentum is with the Cavs. Last year same situation, but it wasn't for a entry to the finals. I think now that the Pistons have the thought in their mind that "We can't lose this game." tehy will outwill the Cavs...we shall see. They say the hardest game to win is the closer.

see I disagree. you believe in flip sanders too much and I've seen him always make the wrong moves in the playoffs.

one is what kruza mentioned. too many minutes for a short rotation can easily spell death no matter who you are.

what you should look at is flips background in these situations....believe me its not pretty.

I never liked the pistons picking him

[Fiddy]

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

Then I will agree there, The Cavs and Lebron James are moving up very fast. Cleveland better hope they can keep him around for a long time b/c in a few years teams are gonna want him and be offering big money.

the cavs can offer the the best contract, correct? with the new rules about max deals and such.. like they can offer the extra year other teams cant.. or do i have that all wrong?

[jmood88]

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

the cavs can offer the the best contract, correct? with the new rules about max deals and such.. like they can offer the extra year other teams cant.. or do i have that all wrong?

I doubt that he'll ever leave Ohio anyway.

[heitkamp94]

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

I doubt that he'll ever leave Ohio anyway.

I agree, I don't see him as the type to run to the money, plus the Cavs will be able to throw as much at him as anyone else. They know they don't have to surround him with alot of High priced players, just maybe a good big guy and a shooter.