NBA Playoffs Thread

[barryc83]

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"You had 20 more shots than NJ and 17 more rebounds and NJ had twice as many TOs as CLE on top of that. If NJ could grab a defensive rebound, you lose both games and they're a 6 seed remember."

so cavs force a bunch of to and get a bunch more boards and somehow you translate this into them getting lucky. interesting. jersey shot like 53% from the field and 57% from 3 so you could say if they werent so hot shooting they get blown out. such "if" arguments are fairly worthless but i guess its impossible to change your mind if you dont already realize why its inherently flawed assessment.

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This whole argument really started when capone0 asked if I thought either of the teams in this series could beat DET and I said no. I think either of these teams gets killed by DET. I never predicted that the Nets would win this series, however, if you think your team will get 2-3 shots each possesion against the Pistons you are dreaming. I watched both games so far and I don't see how any Cavs fan is super hyped about how their team has played thus far. If you guys are so great why can't you blow this team out like DET is killing CHI.

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"Winning 50 games in the regualr season means absolutely nothing."

?????????? winning games in the nba is meaningless? again, i dont even know how to argue with this bc its so ridiculous. the point of playing is to win games i always though. tell the hawks, kings, knicks etc that the regular season is worthless.

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At this point in time, the fact that the Cavs won 50 regular season games is irrelevant. The teams left in the playoffs now are all at least decent, so all those games where you beat up on BOS, IND, MIL, and ATL don't mean [censored] now. I'm not saying the Cavs aren't a decent team, they are and one of the better teams in the East. I just don't think they're anywhere near title contenders, even in a depleted East. If somehow the Pistons get in a plane crash or something, then you guys have a shot for sure.

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"Yes, you gave DET a series last year, but to me, they were noticably half-assing it. I don't think DET overlooks CLE this year again."

so youre argument is that in the 2nd rd of the playoffs, detroit - one of the winningest teams for the past few years, with tons of experience at all positions, known as one the hardest working, toughest, most disciplined team in recent history - you are saying they didnt try vs the cavs and thats why it was close?

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All I can say to this is that I watched that entire series last year and it looked to me as if DET was already planning for the conference finals. I honestly don't think they took CLE serious last year and they paid for it. However, I don't think that happens this year for 2 reasons: 1)bc it happenned last year and 2)CWebb won't let it happen. I guess I wouldn't mind if other posters would chime in here about the DET/CLE series last year and whether they think that I'm way off base or not.

[ClassicBob]

I like the idea that CWebb, a career underachiever, is the guy that will not let Detroit fall apart, as opposed to, say, the core of their team that has proven itself to be winners.

[Aloysius]

True Hoop - Last Night's PHX Win

I like Henry Abbott alot, and agree for the most part with this. It's also very nice to see KT getting some [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] from the national press.

The place where I disagree with Abbot is I think that this series is the Suns for the taking. Last night's gameplan doesn't leave a ton of room for adjustments on Popovich's part, imo. Obviously not saying PHX will blow them out for the rest of the series... but last night felt like D'Antoni hit upon the formula to solve the Spurs.

-Al

[barryc83]

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I like the idea that CWebb, a career underachiever, is the guy that will not let Detroit fall apart, as opposed to, say, the core of their team that has proven itself to be winners.

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So being a probable HOFer is underachieving? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
They can't all be MJ man.

[kidcolin]

I don't think CWebb is going to even sniff the HOF.

[tuq]

Al,

Suns in 7 obv. Thanks for your input.

[Aloysius]

KC - he's basically 20/10 for his career, right?

-Al

[barryc83]

21ppg/10rpg/4apg/1.5bpg/1.5spg/.48 fg%

[Aloysius]

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Al,

Suns in 7 obv. Thanks for your input.

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Haha - [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] this years Suns.

I haven't really read up on this but what are the agreed upon "this is what Popovich needs to do for Game 3" adjustments?

-Al

[Artdogg]

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All I can say to this is that I watched that entire series last year and it looked to me as if DET was already planning for the conference finals. I honestly don't think they took CLE serious last year and they paid for it. However, I don't think that happens this year for 2 reasons: 1)bc it happenned last year and 2)CWebb won't let it happen. I guess I wouldn't mind if other posters would chime in here about the DET/CLE series last year and whether they think that I'm way off base or not.

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I definitely don't think they took them lightly or anything, teams with a lot of experience like Detroit don't do that. The thing is they went to the finals two straight years (including one win) from executing down the stretch better than their opponents. Then all the sudden they got beat in two straight games by one player in exactly that, crunch time, and it bled into a 3rd. At some point in that stretch Detroit just wasn't the same team, they started missing open shots left and right. I think with a little more experience Cleveland would have closed them out.

People need to remember that this time last year people were penciling in the Pistons as the champs, as they pretty much started last years Cleveland series the same way they started this years Bulls series. Flip is probably the worst coach remaining in the playoffs and he is yet to have to make a real decision.

I will say that if they had trouble getting stops down the stretch against the Cavs with Ben Wallace in the middle than it will be a lot harder this time. I do think it would be the Pistons in 6 or 7, but seem to be one of the only ones who think the Cavs actually have a chance.