1 DETROIT PISTONS vs. 4 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS GAME 1: SUN 3:30PM @DET GAME 2: TUE 7PM @DET GAME 3: SAT 8PM @CLE GAME 4: 15th 7PM @CLE if necessary: GAME 5: 17th TBD @DET GAME 6: 19th TBD @CLE GAME 7: 21st 3:30PM @DET
2 MIAMI HEAT vs. 3 NEW JERSEY NETS GAME 1: MON 8PM @MIA GAME 2: WED 8PM @MIA GAME 3: FRI 8PM @NJ GAME 4: 14th TBD @NJ if necessary: GAME 5: 16th 8PM @MIA GAME 6: 18th 8PM @NJ GAME 7: 21st TBD @MIA
WESTERN
1 SAN ANTONIO SPURS vs. 4 DALLAS MAVERICKS GAME 1: SUN 1PM @SA GAME 2: TUE 9:30PM @SA GAME 3: SAT 5PM @DAL GAME 4: 15th 9:30PM @DAL if necessary: GAME 5: 17th TBD @SA GAME 6: 19th TBD @DAL GAME 7: 22nd TBD @SA
2 PHOENIX SUNS vs. 6 LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS GAME 1: MON 10:30PM @PHX GAME 2: WED 10:30PM @PHX GAME 3: FRI 10:30PM @LA GAME 4: 14th TBD @LA if necessary: GAME 5: 16th TBD @PHX GAME 6: 18th TBD @LA GAME 7: 22nd TBD @PHX
My thoughts here: Pistons in 4 Heat in 6 Spurs in 7 Suns in 6
I picked the Lakers to lose in 5, so I guess I cant be TOO mad that they lost in 7. But I am disappointed with the way they went out. Dont get me wrong, the Suns kicked our ass fair & square.
That being said however, the Suns did in fact kick our ass fair & square.
1. Detroit Pistons vs 4.Cleveland Cavaliers After one heck of a duel to get to the second round, Cleveland finally gets its reward... facing the Detroit Pistons. Some reward. Detroit is looking pretty much unstoppable right now. In my opinion, the champs were upset in the first round by not sweeping the Bucks like pretty much was expected. Cleveland has some pretty big weaknesses for Detroit to exploit: a complete lack of anything resembling a playoff defense; relatively immobile big men, headed up by Z. Ilgauskus, that Detroit's athletic bigs will blow by time and time again; a lack of a true enforcer in the paint; disappearing players, etc. However, I truly believe that Lebron James is a very special player, and I think we are going to see something special from him in this series. Much like Milwaukee before them, Cleveland is going to steal a game here, due to LeBron's heroics.
Detroit 4-1
2. Miami Heat vs. 4. NJ Nets This is going to be the most bizarre series in the round. Both teams tantalized their fans with glimpses of dominance, and then disappointed with moments of ineptitude. Miami looks banged up, NJ may be a little banged up too. Overall, both teams are going to surge and then ebb, so I predict...
Heat in 7
Western Conference
1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 4.Dallas Mavericks This series is going 7. There is no question about that in my mind. Just who will come out on top is the big question. In my opinion, SA looked disappointing in their first round series against the Kings, including a loss to an Artest-less Kings team in the early going. Dallas, meanwhile completely dismantled their opponents, sweeping them in 4. The Spurs are the champs, and will find a way to step up their game in this series. A really tough call in what will surely be the most competitive series in the round.
Prediction: Spurs in 7
2. Phoenix Suns vs. 6. LA Clippers In what may be an NBA record, a visiting team has a chance to play 6 consecutive away games in the same arena. Phoenix looked good in several games this series. Also, if it wasn't for some dubious officiating in game 4, the Suns would have taken the series in 6 games. However, I can't see Phoenix winning this series for several reasons: 1. The Clippers are a far superior team than the Lakers. The Clips have more talent man for man than the Lakers, also they have far superior team chemistry. 2.Phoenix's defense The old cliche "defense wins championships" is perhaps the most true expression in all of sports. As the competition gets better, poor defense becomes a larger liability. The absence of Kurt Thomas and Amare Stoudmire's muscle will be verily exploited by... 3.Elton Brand Phoenix has no answer for him. Period.
Originally posted by DJ FrostyFreezeThat being said however, the Suns did in fact kick our ass fair & square.
A tremendous letdown to have a Game 7 play out like that. I know the Suns were doubling and tripling Kobe, but how does he take only three shots in the second half of a Game 7? A gunner like him has got to go down firing and he didn't.
Originally posted by piemanA tremendous letdown to have a Game 7 play out like that. I know the Suns were doubling and tripling Kobe, but how does he take only three shots in the second half of a Game 7? A gunner like him has got to go down firing and he didn't.
What we all saw was Kobe throwing a tantrum in the 2nd half, using a playoff game (a game 7 no less!) to give the finger to everyone that has called him selfish.
Once he realized they couldn't win, Kobe decided to put an exclamation point on his "I can't win with these guys" argument by not shooting or looking to the basket at all. He had only 3 field goal attempts, and just one point (on a technical free throw) in the 2nd half.
Kobe is a lot like Barry Bonds actually, in that they're both supremely arrogant and petulant, and they'll think nothing of engaging in such obviously self-destructive acts just to get their way or (in their eyes) prove their point.
Originally posted by Alpha DogWhat we all saw was Kobe throwing a tantrum in the 2nd half, using a playoff game (a game 7 no less!) to give the finger to everyone that has called him selfish.
Once he realized they couldn't win, Kobe decided to put an exclamation point on his "I can't win with these guys" argument by not shooting or looking to the basket at all. He had only 3 field goal attempts, and just one point (on a technical free throw) in the 2nd half.
Kobe is a lot like Barry Bonds actually, in that they're both supremely arrogant and petulant, and they'll think nothing of engaging in such obviously self-destructive acts just to get their way or (in their eyes) prove their point.
Like spoiled children.
I fully agree with every point made above. I wouldn't expect an MVP to behave that way and, luckily, Nash didn't.
Originally posted by Alpha DogWhat we all saw was Kobe throwing a tantrum in the 2nd half, using a playoff game (a game 7 no less!) to give the finger to everyone that has called him selfish.
Once he realized they couldn't win, Kobe decided to put an exclamation point on his "I can't win with these guys" argument by not shooting or looking to the basket at all. He had only 3 field goal attempts, and just one point (on a technical free throw) in the 2nd half.
Kobe is a lot like Barry Bonds actually, in that they're both supremely arrogant and petulant, and they'll think nothing of engaging in such obviously self-destructive acts just to get their way or (in their eyes) prove their point.
Like spoiled children.
I'm not going to aruge with the idea that Kobe Bryant is arrogant & selfish in general, but I certainly dont think any of that played into game 7. I also dont think he stopped shooting in the 2nd half to prove anything either. If anything, I expected him to ignore his teammates and try to win the game by himself, not the other way around.
Originally posted by Kobe's postgame commentsI knew that it was a serious possibility given the fact that the team we're up against has a lot of firepower. I knew that we were playing extremely, extremely well. And I knew that they had a notch that they can go to, and they went to it and we couldn't keep up.
This hardly sounds like a man who just intentionally gave up on a game 7 in the 2nd half just to show people how sucky his teammates are. You can pull something like that earlier in the season, when there's still time to come back from the loss, not in game 7. Not even for the tantrum-throwing, supremely arrogant & petulant Kobe Bryant.
Originally posted by Phil Jackson's postgame commentsDid he score in the second half] I couldn't remember him scoring. Obviously the other guys had to come alive. I'm sure Kobe could have [mustered] up a 50-point game, but that wasn't going to put us in the ballgame. I trust his judgment in that ballgame.
And that certainly doesnt sound like a coach who thinks Kobe did anything intentionally wrong in the game.
(edited by DJ FrostyFreeze on 7.5.06 0943) You should visit AlenOnline.com today
Thread rated: 6.45
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DETROIT PISTONS vs. 4 
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
MIAMI HEAT vs. 3 
NEW JERSEY NETS
SAN ANTONIO SPURS vs. 4 
DALLAS MAVERICKS
PHOENIX SUNS vs. 6 
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
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