** NBA Conference Finals **

[llabb]

Detroit in 6.
Dallas in 6.

Yes, predicting both win away. These are both the better teams, and have proven they can win on the road. Strongly feel these are the winners, and if selecting 2nd choice # of games, lean towards Detroit in 7 and Dallas in 5.

[CharlieDontSurf]

TD
All of it was also because the Spurs were playing at home for Game 7.
After watching most of the games I thought Dallas should win the series for sure given the Spurs problems of the past...no one on the bench ever shows up..continued into this years playoffs. Also Parker will always vanish.

Spurs are not a Dynasty, never were.
It is a huge win for Dallas obviously given their past, but its not like they knocked of the best team in the league(Pistons).

The one thing the Suns have going for them is they have nothing to lose. If I was a Mavs fan I'd be slightly worried about how everyone is saying the Mavs are a lock for the Finals and will basically sweep the Suns.

No one expects the Suns to do well in this round...so if they play loose and shoot well-defending Harris,Howard etc won't be a worry. If the score is 115-120....the Suns will almost always come out with the win.

Dallas needs to win the first two home games.

Dallas in 7
Heat in 6

[Hornacek]

I wonder if its possible for the PreGame show to talk about the Heat any more. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Round 1: 3/5 games on NBA TV
Round 2: LBJ LBJ LBJ
Round 3: Wade Shaq Wade Shaq Wade Shaq

Seems like the Finals made be the first time people notice the Pistons are playing. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Not that I'm complaining. Just an observation.

[damaniac]

Because flashy great individual players sell. Great Team O/D don't (which the Pistons haven't been playing lately, at least on O). People outside of Detroit can certainly acknowledge that Ben and Chauncey and the like are excellent players, but no one outside of Detroit really revels in a chance to watch them, while plenty of outsiders will tune in just to see Lebron/Kobe...people have huge fetishes for flashy guards.

[CharlieDontSurf]

You need to win multiple titles in a row to be a dynasty in my book.

[tdarko]

Charlie,

Why weren't the Spurs a dynasty?

Their record & accomplishments for the last eight years:

2004-05 59 23 .720 NBA Champions
2003-04 57 25 .695 L to Lakers in Conf Semis

[ QUOTE ]
The 2004 postseason marked the seventh consecutive playoff appearance for the Spurs … the Spurs have made the playoffs in 14 of the last 15 years, missing only the 1996-97 season in which David Robinson played only six games … in their NBA history, the Spurs have earned a playoff berth in 24 out of their 28 NBA seasons … only the Lakers, with 26 postseason appearances, have made more trips to the playoffs during the 28-year span … the Spurs have an all-time NBA postseason record of 105-101 (.510) which is sixth best among current NBA franchises.

[/ QUOTE ]

2002-03 60 22 .732 NBA Champions
2001-02 58 24 .707 L to Lakers in Conf Semis
2000-01 58 24 .707 L to Lakers in Conf Finals
1999-00 53 29 .646 L to Suns in 1st Rnd. (Ton of injuries including Tim Duncan)
1998-99 37 13 .740 NBA Champions
1997-98 56 26 .683 L to Jazz in Conf Semis

This is a pretty stout resume considering they have played in the brutal West. I guess when we hear dynasty we have a knee jerk reaction of the old Celtics teams or the 80's Lakers/Celtics or the 90's Bulls but I definately think the late 90's and early 00's Spurs can be classified in there as well. They have done it for a long enough time.

[Artdogg]

wtf, anyone else find it hard to believe that Ben Wallace is only 240 pounds?

[wonderwes]

Three random sound clips here. These were on the Mavericks website as ringtones. I got a chuckle

link1
link2

link 3 (the song)

[holeplug]

I don't think the Spurs are even close to a dynasty. The Lakers had a mini dynasty when they won 3 in a row. The Bulls winning 6 in 8 years is a dynasty.

[andyfox]

Has now missed thrirteen free throws in a row. He's ten for forty-four in the playoffs.

He should try closing his eyes.