2005 NBA Play-off Predictions and discussion

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[quote name='Grave_Addiction']
McGrady also needs to stop hitting shots that no human should be able to make.[/QUOTE]

lol, i guess that's why he make's the big $$$$ :D
 
Reggie Miller could pull out a gun and shoot Tony Allen, and they'd call Allen for a blocking foul. This is rediculous. Don't the ref's know how stupid he makes them all look?
 
[quote name='dafoomie']Reggie Miller could pull out a gun and shoot Tony Allen, and they'd call Allen for a blocking foul. This is rediculous. Don't the ref's know how stupid he makes them all look?[/QUOTE]

I absolutely hate when he does that kick out his feet shit and they call the foul on the defender when they trip over his legs
 
Too bad Wade + Shaq = next Kobe and Shaq duo.

[quote name='jlarlee']I absolutely hate when he does that kick out his feet shit and they call the foul on the defender when they trip over his legs[/QUOTE]

18 years in the league, you learn some tricks that the refs don't pick up on. Also, I think the refs unintentionally give him calls because he has been in the league so long.
 
Rockets in 6, thats basically the only team that I am following. Awesome game today in Dallas, close game but the Rockets answered and pulled through.
 
[quote name='gsr']what a bummer..mavs are done :([/QUOTE]

Looks that way. So much for my Dallas upsetting Phoenix prediction. :roll: I'll sitck with it though until the Mavs are "officially" done.

Oh and about the Reggie Miller comments, I am not a fan of his but he has been doing that leg kick and getting calls his whole career. You'd think people didn't watch film on him or something. Adjust people!
 
Great game to watch between the Rockets and Mavs.

And Reggie coming through...blown out the first game, but coming back with the split. After years and years of watching Reggie, I seemed to have picked up his little quirks when playing. The leg shooting out on jump shots and the attention getting yelling and screaming when I'm hit going to the basket or any other time. End rant.
 
[quote name='bobo2k4']Looks like most ppl like Wizards over the Bulls.
I dont blame you since Eddy and Deng are injured.[/QUOTE]

who needs them when nocioni is red hot and gordon and hinrich run that offense so well.

First Round:

East -

1. Miami vs 8. New Jersey - Miami in 3
2. Detroit vs 7. Philadelphia - Detroit in 3
3. Boston vs 6. Indiana- Indiana in 5
4. Chicago vs 5. Washington - Chicago in 3

West -

1. Phoenix vs 8. Memphis - Phoenix in 3
2. San Antonio vs 7. Denver - San Antonio in 5
3. Seattle vs 6. Sacramento - Seattle in 4
4. Dallas vs 5. Houston - Houston in 3

i havent been paying to much to bball this yeah so i dont know if they are still using the best of 5 format for Round 1.

after watching a couple games i can see atleast 3 sweeps.. they are practically all obvious at this point.....anything surprising to you guys in these playoffs so far? most surprising to me is houston coming back after that crazy defecit in the 4th qtr. Tmac is on crack because no man could hit those shots consistently.
 
I definitely dislike the Mavs, but I don't see why everyone is jumping off the bandwagon so quickly. McGrady and the Magic were up 3-1 in the first round a couple of years ago and still somehow blew the series against the Pistons. Anything can happen in the playoffs. :p

*puts on flame shield*

That being said, I really hope Reggie wins the championship this year. Of all the players I've grew up watching over the years, he deserves the title (him and John Stockton). I wouldn't mind the Sonics winning either. That would somehow vindicate my horrible record in the CAG league.
 
[quote name='magilacudy']Too bad Wade + Shaq = next Kobe and Shaq duo.



18 years in the league, you learn some tricks that the refs don't pick up on. Also, I think the refs unintentionally give him calls because he has been in the league so long.[/QUOTE]
The ref's just don't call him for anything, and give him the calls for everything. He doesn't just get foul calls on the other team, he'll almost tackle people and won't get called for it. He'll grab someones arm with both of his and hold him back. They have a different set of rules for Reggie Miller, and its bullshit. I hope he gets punched in the mouth before he retires, he plays like a little bitch and gets away with absolutely everything.

As for Kobe/Shaq vs Wade/Shaq... Wade isn't as good as Kobe was, Shaq isn't as good as Shaq was, and the team around Kobe/Shaq was better than the team around Wade/Shaq. Though, I hate Kobe, and I like Wade and Shaq.

I like Miami to win the East, but don't overestimate them, they don't have Robert Horry, Rick Fox, or Derek Fischer on that team, making big shots.
 
[quote name='dafoomie']The ref's just don't call him for anything, and give him the calls for everything. He doesn't just get foul calls on the other team, he'll almost tackle people and won't get called for it. He'll grab someones arm with both of his and hold him back. They have a different set of rules for Reggie Miller, and its bullshit. I hope he gets punched in the mouth before he retires, he plays like a little bitch and gets away with absolutely everything.[/QUOTE]

As a Knicks fan my whole life I can't agree more but you got to give the man some credit. He's cluch when you need him to be. That 95 Pacers team that lost to the magic could have and should have won it all.
 
First Round:

East -

1. Miami vs 8. New Jersey - Miami in 5
2. Detroit vs 7. Philadelphia - Detroit in 5
3. Boston vs 6. Indiana- Indiana in 6
4. Chicago vs 5. Washington - Chicago in 7

West -

1. Phoenix vs 8. Memphis - Phoenix in 5
2. San Antonio vs 7. Denver - San Antonio in 7
3. Seattle vs 6. Sacramento - Sac in 6
4. Dallas vs 5. Houston - Houston in 6
 
[quote name='dafoomie']The ref's just don't call him for anything, and give him the calls for everything. He doesn't just get foul calls on the other team, he'll almost tackle people and won't get called for it. He'll grab someones arm with both of his and hold him back. They have a different set of rules for Reggie Miller, and its bullshit. I hope he gets punched in the mouth before he retires, he plays like a little bitch and gets away with absolutely everything.

As for Kobe/Shaq vs Wade/Shaq... Wade isn't as good as Kobe was, Shaq isn't as good as Shaq was, and the team around Kobe/Shaq was better than the team around Wade/Shaq. Though, I hate Kobe, and I like Wade and Shaq.

I like Miami to win the East, but don't overestimate them, they don't have Robert Horry, Rick Fox, or Derek Fischer on that team, making big shots.[/QUOTE]

Eh... you're contradicting yourself here, you say that the Wade/Shaq combo isn't as good as the Kobe/Shaq combo, nor do the Heat have as good a team as the Lakers, yet you like them to go to the finals? Understandable though, someone from Boston just can't pick Detroit ;)
 
[quote name='Zenithian Legend']Eh... you're contradicting yourself here, you say that the Wade/Shaq combo isn't as good as the Kobe/Shaq combo, nor do the Heat have as good a team as the Lakers, yet you like them to go to the finals? Understandable though, someone from Boston just can't pick Detroit ;)[/QUOTE]

Not really Wade-Shaq doesn't have to be as strong as Kobe-Shaq,because the East is no where near as strong as the west was back in the Shaq-Kobe days
 
[quote name='Zenithian Legend']Eh... you're contradicting yourself here, you say that the Wade/Shaq combo isn't as good as the Kobe/Shaq combo, nor do the Heat have as good a team as the Lakers, yet you like them to go to the finals? Understandable though, someone from Boston just can't pick Detroit ;)[/QUOTE]
I don't like them to win, I like them to get there. The East still isn't that good.

I still don't know why Detroit would draft a guy named Darko over Carmelo Anthony.
 
[quote name='dafoomie']

As for Kobe/Shaq vs Wade/Shaq... Wade isn't as good as Kobe was, Shaq isn't as good as Shaq was, and the team around Kobe/Shaq was better than the team around Wade/Shaq. Though, I hate Kobe, and I like Wade and Shaq.
[/QUOTE]

I am not saying you are wrong about who is/was better, but Shaq is still the most dominant force down low in the league and if you are picking them to get past Detroit, I think the only team that can stop them in the Finals is San Antonio and they just don't seem as solid as usual for some reason. As far as the Wade/Kobe and the supporting cast comparison, I think Wade makes people around him better whereas Kobe did not do as much of that. Sure the supporting cast might not be as good as individuals, but as a team they can win a championship just as easily as the Lakers did.
 
im gonna go out on a limb and say...

East Finals:
Heat Beat the Celtics
West Finals:
Suns Beat the Rockets

Champs:
Heat (Shaq and dwane wade are unstoppable IMO)
 
Wade is good, but he's no Kobe.

I'm a Knicks fan, so of course I've hated Reggie Miller for years, but I've come to respect him in the last 3 or so. He's really buckled down and started playing defense and also haustle'd a lot more. Yeah, he still does the leg kick, but he hardly every gets that call anymore. Besides, pump faking and then jumping into the airbourne defender for the foul is just as much of a bitch move, but no one whines about that.

Oh, yeah, the pacers are still going to beat the celtics because folding due to lack of heart or being absolutely crazy is what every player on the celtic team (excepting Payton) is known for. That unpredictability is what makes analysts give the pacers bench the edge even though there's clearly more talent on the celtics' bench.
 
[quote name='atreyue']Wade is good, but he's no Kobe.

I'm a Knicks fan, so of course I've hated Reggie Miller for years, but I've come to respect him in the last 3 or so. He's really buckled down and started playing defense and also haustle'd a lot more. Yeah, he still does the leg kick, but he hardly every gets that call anymore. Besides, pump faking and then jumping into the airbourne defender for the foul is just as much of a bitch move, but no one whines about that.

Oh, yeah, the pacers are still going to beat the celtics because folding due to lack of heart or being absolutely crazy is what every player on the celtic team (excepting Payton) is known for. That unpredictability is what makes analysts give the pacers bench the edge even though there's clearly more talent on the celtics' bench.[/QUOTE]

While he might be a knuckle head on occassion there is nothing wrong with Antoine walker's heart nor is he insane. Him and Pierce with absolutely no supporting cast almost took the celtics to the finals three years ago.
 
[quote name='chickenhawk']Shaq is still the most dominant force down low in the league[/QUOTE]
I agree

[quote name='chickenhawk']and if you are picking them to get past Detroit, I think the only team that can stop them in the Finals is San Antonio and they just don't seem as solid as usual for some reason.[/QUOTE]
Sort of agree, San Antonio doesn't look the same, San Antonio at 100% would have the best chance, but I think that a few West teams could beat them.

[quote name='chickenhawk']As far as the Wade/Kobe and the supporting cast comparison, I think Wade makes people around him better whereas Kobe did not do as much of that.[/QUOTE]
I agree

[quote name='chickenhawk']Sure the supporting cast might not be as good as individuals, but as a team they can win a championship just as easily as the Lakers did.[/QUOTE]
Doubtful. These are not the 2000 Lakers. Still, I think they're the favorite to come out of the East.
 
Wade is good, but he's no Kobe.
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Your right, he doesn't hog the ball, piss off all his team mates, score 40 points and still lose the game. :roll:

Wade is 100 times better than bryant because he is a team player and knows how to get his team mates involved + score 30 when he needs to.

With a healthy shaq the Heat are unstoppable.

Anyways, the NBA has always been about special treatment to certain players. So don't get mad at Miller, get mad at the refs and Stern who secretly promote such a system. And if your mad at Miller watch some old tapes of Jordan when he played and you'll pull your hair out at all of the stuff he consistantly got away with. The other day I saw a behind the scenes thing about how refs try to be the best, most objective refs out there, but that is such a heap of bull it's not even funny. During game 2 of the Heat playoffs Zo got mad and said something to one of the refs and when he got down to the other end of the court the ref called a foul on him in a split second. Do you think it was fair? Do you think the ref wasn't venting his frustration for getting yelled at by Zo? It happens all the time.
 
[quote name='jlarlee']While he might be a knuckle head on occassion there is nothing wrong with Antoine walker's heart nor is he insane. Him and Pierce with absolutely no supporting cast almost took the celtics to the finals three years ago.[/QUOTE]

Antoine Walker's only serious problem is that he plays like a small forward instead of a power forward. Having him and Pierce on the same team is kinda silly, cause they are virtually the same player. And how bad was the East 3 years ago? They should have beaten the Nets in the conference finals but they lost because all the 2 of them understood was how to throw up three pointers and ill-advised shots. Maybe they're smarter now. I guess we'll see.
 
[quote name='Scrubking']Your right, he doesn't hog the ball, piss off all his team mates, score 40 points and still lose the game. :roll:

Wade is 100 times better than bryant because he is a team player and knows how to get his team mates involved + score 30 when he needs to. [/QUOTE]

If you watched the Lakers play this year, you might have noticed that Kobe tried to get his players involved. They either didn't want to take the shots (Lamar Odom, Brian Grant) or couldn't make them (everyone else). The Heat bench players could start for the Lakers, so maybe that should be taken into consideration. Although I know how fashionable it is these days to bash Kobe...

[quote name='Scrubking']With a healthy shaq the Heat are unstoppable.[/QUOTE]

At least until they play the Pistons. I think that's a toss-up.

[quote name='Scrubking']Anyways, the NBA has always been about special treatment to certain players. So don't get mad at Miller, get mad at the refs and Stern who secretly promote such a system. And if your mad at Miller watch some old tapes of Jordan when he played and you'll pull your hair out at all of the stuff he consistantly got away with. The other day I saw a behind the scenes thing about how refs try to be the best, most objective refs out there, but that is such a heap of bull it's not even funny. During game 2 of the Heat playoffs Zo got mad and said something to one of the refs and when he got down to the other end of the court the ref called a foul on him in a split second. Do you think it was fair? Do you think the ref wasn't venting his frustration for getting yelled at by Zo? It happens all the time.[/QUOTE]

The only reason certain players get preferential treatment is because fans refuse to think objectively. They ignore/exaggerate the faults of players they love/hate, and businessmen won't miss out on chances to make a profit from that (most of sportscenter is an excellent example).
 
If you watched the Lakers play this year, you might have noticed that Kobe tried to get his players involved.
Click to expand...

No, he didn't.

Although I know how fashionable it is these days to bash Kobe...
Click to expand...

I've been bashing kobe since the begining. He was a ball hog back then and even more so now. And he deserves every bit of bashing he gets for breaking up one of the greatest duos in basketball history - so "fashion" has nothing to do with it.
 
Kobe has been exposed that he cant lead a team.
Look at last years Heat: Wade had Caron, Odom and Grant.
Wade as a rookie lead the team to the playoffs.

After the trade Kobe gets to work with the same 3 and no playoffs. Not even close to 8th seed.
Dont say that playing in the West is harder either. The western conference was really weak this year.
 
[quote name='bobo2k4']Kobe has been exposed that he cant lead a team.
Look at last years Heat: Wade had Caron, Odom and Grant.
Wade as a rookie lead the team to the playoffs.

After the trade Kobe gets to work with the same 3 and no playoffs. Not even close to 8th seed.
Dont say that playing in the West is harder either. The western conference was really weak this year.[/QUOTE]

Well said...and I agree about the West being down this year.

And to ScrubKing - I'm w/ you...I've been bashing Kobe since he was a rookie or 2nd year player. I've NEVER liked his attitude or his mentality. I always knew this guy was a toolbox :)
 
[quote name='atreyue']Antoine Walker's only serious problem is that he plays like a small forward instead of a power forward. Having him and Pierce on the same team is kinda silly, cause they are virtually the same player. And how bad was the East 3 years ago? They should have beaten the Nets in the conference finals but they lost because all the 2 of them understood was how to throw up three pointers and ill-advised shots. Maybe they're smarter now. I guess we'll see.[/QUOTE]

are you for real? does anyone actually listen to what is said on the airwaves anymore?

it has been made clear that jim o'brien's system in boston REQUIRED antoine and pierce to shoot 3s. Antoine was not doing it out of choice..He is playing great now, as a bruiser in the paint and as a playmaker.

[quote name='CaseyRyback']That shit was awesome.[/QUOTE]

I am a huge mavs fan..Used to live in Dallas until late last year. I enjoyed the victory last night, but I'm concerned. The Rockets had the exact same looks down the stretch that they had in games 1 and 2 and failed to knock them down. They make one or two of those open jumpers and it's over.

Dallas has not made any adjustments since game 2. I seriously hope that AJ can somehow get a strategy together to keep the rockets' shooters in check.
 
[quote name='gsr']are you for real? does anyone actually listen to what is said on the airwaves anymore?

it has been made clear that jim o'brien's system in boston REQUIRED antoine and pierce to shoot 3s. Antoine was not doing it out of choice..He is playing great now, as a bruiser in the paint and as a playmaker.[/QUOTE]

An NBA coach devised a system tha REQUIRED his power forward to shoot a lot of 3s during the course of every game? Are YOU for real? More likely Jim O'Brien didn't force him to play inside like he should have. He's playing better now because he's actually realized what his position requires or because Doc Rivers (a much better coach than O'Brien, btw) isn't lettting him get away with playing out of position. I do think, though, that Walker learned a lot about versatility in his time with the Mavs, and is now a much better player than the last time he wore Celtics green.

And no, I don't pay heed to what's said on the airwaves, because I know that 90% of it is devised by NBA publicists. Without extenuating circumstances, they will always throw a coach to the wolves before a player.
 
[quote name='bobo2k4']Kobe has been exposed that he cant lead a team.
Look at last years Heat: Wade had Caron, Odom and Grant.
Wade as a rookie lead the team to the playoffs.

After the trade Kobe gets to work with the same 3 and no playoffs. Not even close to 8th seed.
Dont say that playing in the West is harder either. The western conference was really weak this year.[/QUOTE]

You're right. Kobe has been exposed that he can't lead a team. At least not after being dragged through the mud for rape charges and supposedly breaking one of the greatest duos ever single-handedly. I'm sure it was also all his fault that the Lakers lost last year too. Wade as a rookie didn't take last year's Heat to the playoffs (in maybe the weakest Eastern Conference in years, btw), Stan Van Gundy and his excellent coaching did. That's not to say that Wade didn't play well, but Odom was as much team leader as Wade, if not more so. And neither of them had anywhere near the pressure Kobe had with or without Shaq.

The Lakers this year field a team with only 2 players anyone would call good (only one of whom were willing to play), no coach, less inside presence than the Knicks, and the worst rep in the league, and this team doesn't make the playoffs. Of course, this is all the dafamed Kobe's fault. Yet the team that almost went to the finals last year ended up in the same place in the standings with none of the handicaps the Lakers had. Where are all the people claiming that the so-popular Kevin Garnett failed to lead his team? Where are the books written by former coaches and the 30 minute-long Sportscenter 'reports'?

You don't have to like Kobe. In fact, he's given a lot of people plenty of reason not to since he first came in the league upset that he wasn't starting for a very talented Lakers team in the place of some very talented people that he actually was better than. But don't blame all the troubles in the world on him. And don't buy into the NBA hype machine built around Duane Wade and even pretend for a second that he's as good as Kobe, cause that's just BS.
 
[quote name='dafoomie']

Doubtful. These are not the 2000 Lakers. Still, I think they're the favorite to come out of the East.[/QUOTE]

I never said they were the 2000 Lakers. I simply stated they could just as easily win the championship. I'd argue that it took a better team to win it all in 2000 than this year. The 2005 Heat might not get past the Kings teams the Lakers competed against for their championships, but they don't have to. Aside from Detroit, I don't think they have an equal this year. SA maybe, but we've already covered that.
 
[quote name='Pershing']I wonder who would win if Washington and Dallas played in a series?[/QUOTE]

Whoever had the better series between Jamison and Nowitski
 
[quote name='atreyue']An NBA coach devised a system tha REQUIRED his power forward to shoot a lot of 3s during the course of every game? Are YOU for real? More likely Jim O'Brien didn't force him to play inside like he should have. He's playing better now because he's actually realized what his position requires or because Doc Rivers (a much better coach than O'Brien, btw) isn't lettting him get away with playing out of position. I do think, though, that Walker learned a lot about versatility in his time with the Mavs, and is now a much better player than the last time he wore Celtics green.

And no, I don't pay heed to what's said on the airwaves, because I know that 90% of it is devised by NBA publicists. Without extenuating circumstances, they will always throw a coach to the wolves before a player.[/QUOTE]

So if Jim O'Brien didn't force him to play inside, then he was okay with him shooting 3s right?

you can't have it both ways..The system predicated the three point shooting. You see it with Webber in Philly..Webber has been jacking up 3s. This guy has been a high post player his whole career and now he's shooting 3s..Yeah I guess O'Brien hasn't forced him to play inside..please

I'm not talking about the "improvement" of walker here...I'm merely telling you why he was shooting 3s, because you people like to label him a bad player just because of that.

Mavs are talking it back to Big D...Mavs win game 5, and take game 6 for one of the greatest comebacks in nba history.. =)
 
[quote name='atreyue']You're right. Kobe has been exposed that he can't lead a team. At least not after being dragged through the mud for rape charges and supposedly breaking one of the greatest duos ever single-handedly. I'm sure it was also all his fault that the Lakers lost last year too. Wade as a rookie didn't take last year's Heat to the playoffs (in maybe the weakest Eastern Conference in years, btw), Stan Van Gundy and his excellent coaching did. That's not to say that Wade didn't play well, but Odom was as much team leader as Wade, if not more so. And neither of them had anywhere near the pressure Kobe had with or without Shaq.

The Lakers this year field a team with only 2 players anyone would call good (only one of whom were willing to play), no coach, less inside presence than the Knicks, and the worst rep in the league, and this team doesn't make the playoffs. Of course, this is all the dafamed Kobe's fault. Yet the team that almost went to the finals last year ended up in the same place in the standings with none of the handicaps the Lakers had. Where are all the people claiming that the so-popular Kevin Garnett failed to lead his team? Where are the books written by former coaches and the 30 minute-long Sportscenter 'reports'?

You don't have to like Kobe. In fact, he's given a lot of people plenty of reason not to since he first came in the league upset that he wasn't starting for a very talented Lakers team in the place of some very talented people that he actually was better than. But don't blame all the troubles in the world on him. And don't buy into the NBA hype machine built around Duane Wade and even pretend for a second that he's as good as Kobe, cause that's just BS.[/QUOTE]

Actually people have been saying for years that Garnett needs to step up. It died down a little after last year but I've heard the same statements recently. The fact is Kobe is not a leader, plain and simple.
 
[quote name='gsr']So if Jim O'Brien didn't force him to play inside, then he was okay with him shooting 3s right?

you can't have it both ways..The system predicated the three point shooting. You see it with Webber in Philly..Webber has been jacking up 3s. This guy has been a high post player his whole career and now he's shooting 3s..Yeah I guess O'Brien hasn't forced him to play inside..please

I'm not talking about the "improvement" of walker here...I'm merely telling you why he was shooting 3s, because you people like to label him a bad player just because of that.

Mavs are talking it back to Big D...Mavs win game 5, and take game 6 for one of the greatest comebacks in nba history.. =)[/QUOTE]

There are some coaches out there who are ineffective at getting big name players to follow their gameplans and find themselves adjusting the plan to what the player wants to do. You can base a system on 3 pointers, but having your power foward take them all the time is idiotic. Even if he made them a fair amount of the time, Walker does his team more good by playing his position. I think he's learned that lesson, by now. Kevin Garnett had the same exact problem until last season, which is why they couldn't get out of the 1st round.

Chris Webber is a completely different matter. He can no longer play effectively inside and so has no choice but to try to shoot the three. They tried to get him to do other things in the first couple of games and had absolutely no luck(much like his entire season with Philly thus far).
 
[quote name='greendc27']Actually people have been saying for years that Garnett needs to step up. It died down a little after last year but I've heard the same statements recently. The fact is Kobe is not a leader, plain and simple.[/QUOTE]

You may be right. I think it'll take at least another year to be able to say for sure. Still doesn't change the fact that he's a great player.
 
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