paul secor Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 How 'bout some respect for the Rockets? I know that everyone says they won't go far in the playoffs without Yao, but 20 straight wins is 20 straight wins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceW Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 How 'bout some respect for the Rockets? I know that everyone says they won't go far in the playoffs without Yao, but 20 straight wins is 20 straight wins. I'm with you on this one Paul, 20 wins is 20 wins. Some will try to discredit Houston by saying look who they played. Well they played the same teams everyone plays and they are doing what winning teams do, beat the teams you are supposed to beat. :bwallace2: However, right now I don't see anyone beating the Pistons in a seven game series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 How 'bout some respect for the Rockets? I know that everyone says they won't go far in the playoffs without Yao, but 20 straight wins is 20 straight wins. I'm with you on this one Paul, 20 wins is 20 wins. Some will try to discredit Houston by saying look who they played. Well they played the same teams everyone plays and they are doing what winning teams do, beat the teams you are supposed to beat. :bwallace2: However, right now I don't see anyone beating the Pistons in a seven game series. Think you may be right. I'm hoping the Lakers will improve a notch or two when and if Bynum returns, but ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorldB3 Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 (edited) Stupidest trade of the year -- Suns acquiring a near-corpse Shaq, or Dallas trading for Jason Kidd? Honestly, if you'd told me at the beginning of the season that: a) 3/4 of the way through the season, the Warriors would win 63% of their games (on pace for a 52 win season) and be 5 games out of 1st place... b) ...but would nevertheless be the 8th seed... c) ...and fighting for that seed with the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns... d) ...all after an 0-6 start I would have called you insane. What a bizarre season. Hey now the Warriors are good, they matched up well with Dallas all of last year and beating them wasn't a fluke. Heck, if they would have made half of their free throws and if the entire team didn't have the flu they would have pulled out a victory at Utah in one of those first two games in the playoffs last year. In the West seeds don't matter as much as how you match up with team you will be playing as you have 10 deserving teams that should make the playoffs. They went 0-6 to start because their heart and soul of the team Steven Jackson was suspended (who by the way has been a model citizen and teammate) and have been playing great since his return. I said it at the time that even if Jackson and Harrington didn't work out trading Dunleavey Jr and Troy Murphy last year just to get them and their salaries off the team that it was the trade of the year. The great contribution Jackson has given us has been a bonus. Even if the Warriors miss the palyoffs this year they have shown more heart then any other in the 20 years I have been following them. The games coming up against the Suns, Nugs and Mavs will be huge! Don't miss them if they are on TNT or ESPN they will be barn burners. Go Warriors! Edited March 13, 2008 by WorldB3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 I look at how tight things are out West and it looks wide open. The way Houston is playing, they look like they can beat anyone but I still think the favorite is San Antonio. The Spurs are too solidly composed for playoff basketball for other teams to deal with. The Suns could still surprise teams, the last two games they've looked like they've figured out how to play with Shaq. The Lakers are offensively potent but defensively weak. On top of that there's still the Warriors, Jazz, Hornets, and Mavs to consider. Out East, I think the Cavs and Celtics can definitely beat the Pistons, but I'd agree Detroit is the favorite. Orlando isn't a pushover with Howard manning the paint, and Turkoglu has been playing well. Should be a great playoffs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 My only worry in the East is the Celtics, but I still think they might be a little worn out by the time they face the Pistons due to a shallow bench. Especially if they have to face Cleveland in the second round. The addition of Theo Ratliff and Juan Dixon was a very smart move by Dumars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 You can't look past the willingness of the NBA to help LeBron succeed in the playoffs. Who can forget the obvious travel which the officials failed to whistle on a playoff-game winning basket? I didn't even mention Denver, who has been playing respectable ball lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 (edited) No one should take the Hornets lightly. They beat San Antone (albeit at home) big time last night. I'm happy to see Byron Scott doing well, after the screwing he took in New Jersey. Edited March 13, 2008 by paul secor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quincy Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 (edited) No one should take the Hornets lightly. They beat San Antone (albeit at home) big time last night. Boy I'll say! And Chris Paul is the last person the over 30 all-star point guards want to face too. He has pasted Kidd & Nash (though plenty of PGs too.) Paul is also appearing in more of those "here's who your team drafted instead" articles. But the team obviously has other talented players too. I'm happy to see Byron Scott doing well, after the screwing he took in New Jersey. Yup. You'd think he'd get some credit for the way the team has played, though who knows, I'm sure somebody will complain he only wins when he has a great PG. Edited March 13, 2008 by Quincy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 You can't look past the willingness of the NBA to help LeBron succeed in the playoffs. Who can forget the obvious travel which the officials failed to whistle on a playoff-game winning basket? Please. If you can look past the travelling by Kobe, Shaq, Iverson, etc., etc., etc., you can look past LeBron. Try it. It's not hard. It's been the NBA way of life for at least 20 years... :bwallace2: Pistons slight favorites over Boston in the East. Cavs have a chance if they can get everyone playing together--new guys (Wally, Ben, Delonte, Joe Smith) and their injured (or recently off the injury list) players (Ilgauskas, Gibson, Pavlovic, Varajao). I'm actually pessimistic about this happening in time, but we shall see. They have a few games against Detroit and Orlando, but much of their remaining schedule is fairly soft. Ben Wallace appears to be damaged goods, but I've never been that high on him, and I think Cavs will get as much contribution out of him as they did Larry Hughes (who is genuinely happier scoring in Chicago rather than winning (and earning bonuses) in Cleveland). In early games it looked like Ben and Z were playing well together (even getting more D out of Z!), but now Ilgauskas is on the shelf. Best part of the trade so far is Joe Smith who is easily contributing as much as Drew Gooden (while being better at the defensive end and at the line). Other best part of the trade is that Daniel Gibson and Anderson Varajao are still in town (for now). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 I won't deny that others travel, but it at least they make it look pretty good at full speed. They're usually like the two-and-a-half step variety, in rhythm. Hell, Jordan used to walk all over the place. But the play I'm talking about LeBron took like four steps, on a game-winner. In the playoffs. You'll notice it never gets shown as one of his highlights, despite being about the biggest bucket he's made so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulstation1 Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 The big cactus has never traveled in his career Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorldB3 Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I won't deny that others travel, but it at least they make it look pretty good at full speed. They're usually like the two-and-a-half step variety, in rhythm. Hell, Jordan used to walk all over the place. But the play I'm talking about LeBron took like four steps, on a game-winner. In the playoffs. You'll notice it never gets shown as one of his highlights, despite being about the biggest bucket he's made so far. I don't think I ever say Patrick Ewing NOT travel. Sweet shot and all but dude traveled every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted March 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Stupidest trade of the year -- Suns acquiring a near-corpse Shaq, or Dallas trading for Jason Kidd? Honestly, if you'd told me at the beginning of the season that: a) 3/4 of the way through the season, the Warriors would win 63% of their games (on pace for a 52 win season) and be 5 games out of 1st place... b) ...but would nevertheless be the 8th seed... c) ...and fighting for that seed with the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns... d) ...all after an 0-6 start I would have called you insane. What a bizarre season. Hey now the Warriors are good, they matched up well with Dallas all of last year and beating them wasn't a fluke. Heck, if they would have made half of their free throws and if the entire team didn't have the flu they would have pulled out a victory at Utah in one of those first two games in the playoffs last year. In the West seeds don't matter as much as how you match up with team you will be playing as you have 10 deserving teams that should make the playoffs. They went 0-6 to start because their heart and soul of the team Steven Jackson was suspended (who by the way has been a model citizen and teammate) and have been playing great since his return. I said it at the time that even if Jackson and Harrington didn't work out trading Dunleavey Jr and Troy Murphy last year just to get them and their salaries off the team that it was the trade of the year. The great contribution Jackson has given us has been a bonus. Even if the Warriors miss the palyoffs this year they have shown more heart then any other in the 20 years I have been following them. The games coming up against the Suns, Nugs and Mavs will be huge! Don't miss them if they are on TNT or ESPN they will be barn burners. I love the Warriors... but this looks like a team that, if it makes the playoffs, will probably be out in the first round. That said, things are competitive enough out west that they would give a dogfight to any of their opponents. Monta Ellis has been absolutely phenomenal and has completely justified the departure of Jason Richardson. If they could only line up a young point guard for Baron's eventual departure, I would feel pretty good about this team's long-term future. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted March 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 However, right now I don't see anyone beating the Pistons in a seven game series. Perhaps, but they will beat them in six. The Flip Saunders principle still applies until proven otherwise. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceW Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 However, right now I don't see anyone beating the Pistons in a seven game series. Perhaps, but they will beat them in six. The Flip Saunders principle still applies until proven otherwise. Guy I am trying very hard to not think of the Flip Saunders principle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulstation1 Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 Paul lit up the lakers last night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 Gasol out in the first quarter with an ankle injury. The Lakers could drop an amazing amount of places in the standings on a tough road trip without the big man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalupa Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 The Sixers beat the Spurs??? WTF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quincy Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 The Sixers beat the Spurs??? WTF? 7-1 in March, 15-6 since February. Sure there were some patsies along the way but also wins over PHX & DET on the road to go with the Spurs victory. You might be able to move up from the 7th seed all the way to 5th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulstation1 Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Rockets putting it on the lakers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Denver scored 168 points against the Sonics tonight. :rsly: Makes me wonder what the record is for most points scored. Wow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalupa Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Former Sixer talks about regrets with career in Philly PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Allen Iverson planted a real kiss on the 76ers logo at midcourt and blew imaginary ones to the fans. With a packed Philadelphia crowd standing and roaring in appreciation for their former MVP, Iverson had to wonder if his career would be different had he simply kissed and made up with the Sixers last season. "I had a big hand in me getting traded," a reflective Iverson said Wednesday night. "I always wanted to finish my career here in Philadelphia. The opportunity was there for me to do it. In a lot of ways, I made sure that didn't happen." All of Iverson's arguments with former coach Larry Brown, the complaints about practice -- practice! -- and his falling out with coach Maurice Cheeks that led to his trade to Denver were forgotten the moment he walked into the Wachovia Center for the first time as a visitor. Iverson hugged security guards, embraced Cheeks, kissed the team logo and joked about not knowing where to go inside the Wachovia Center. He took a different route to the arena than he did in his years with the Sixers, dressed in a new locker room and sat on the visitor's bench. "That is a locker room that I never wanted to end up in," Iverson said. Not everything was strange in Iverson's first game in Philadelphia since he was traded to the Nuggets in December 2006, like the earsplitting ovation that greeted him when his was name was called first in the pregame introduction. All anyone in the packed arena could hear was "Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome back, from Georgetown University ..." before the rest was completely drowned out by the wild cheers. Iverson waved and saluted the crowd, then blew some kisses. He cupped his hand to his left ear and the ovation only become louder and longer. He pointed to all four corners of the arena and clapped his hands in approval. Only the rest of the lineup cut short the appreciation. Iverson seemed touched to receive the reaction he wanted to hear. "I want to feel appreciated," Iverson said before the game. "I don't think there's nobody that plays this sport that don't care about what the fans think of them and think of what they gave on the basketball court. I hope it goes the way I dreamed it up." Iverson was cheered after all his baskets early and had 12 points on 6-for-10 shooting at halftime. He sank a 3-pointer that tied the game at 113, missed a potential tying shot with 6 seconds left, finished with 32 points and watched the Sixers ruin his return with a 115-113 win. Iverson was open and honest, about his time with the Sixers and accepted some of the responsibility for the bitter split with the Sixers. In a wide-ranging press conference, Iverson touched on fatherhood, his maturation in Denver, his indiscretions, and how he also "did a lot of things right" being a Sixer. "I don't make mistakes and do some of the things I was accustomed to doing anymore," he said. "I don't want to be the person that I used to be. I don't regret any of it because I felt going through what I went through here, my ups and downs, helped be the man I am today." Iverson had "THXPHILA" imprinted on his sneakers and the fans responded with their own tributes. Iverson's No. 3 jerseys dotted the crowd and a few fans held signs of appreciation. One read "We Miss You A.I." and another said "The Answer Deserves Brotherly Love." "I don't think this is a day for anything negative," Iverson said. "I feel like I want to make this day a positive point in my life. I want to make it a day I'll always cherish and remember for the positive things about it, not anything negative." Iverson posted the highest scoring average in team history (28.1), is second on the points list (19,583) and holds the record for 3-pointers (877). He was a seven-time All-Star, won four scoring titles, two All-Star game MVPs and the league MVP award in 2001 after taking the Sixers to the NBA finals. "I don't have nothing against this organization," Iverson said. "Obviously, they made me a household name, known all over the world because of this organization. They enabled me to take care of my family for the rest of my life and theirs." Some of his family made the trip to watch him play. When Iverson hit a jumper late in the third for an 84-82 lead, his mother, Ann, stood and raised the roof. Ann Iverson watched from a second-row seat wearing a glittery custom-made jersey that read "Iverson's Mom" and a No. 3 on the front and "Nuggets" and 3 on the back. She signed autographs for fans at halftime. "We love Philadelphia, we love Philadelphia fans," she said. "They've been real good and kind to my son. When he came here he was a boy and now's he's a man." Iverson heard his first boos midway through the fourth when he went to the free-throw line with the Nuggets down six. He sank both free throws to make it 99-95. Iverson entered the Wachovia Center for the first time as a Nugget with a crush of media worthy of a playoff game waiting his arrival. There was a similar horde in the press room where Iverson, with a Denver yellow headband wrapped around the cornrows, spoke for nearly 20 minutes. Iverson hugged arena employees, but did not cross paths with Cheeks. Iverson and Cheeks had a splintered relationship -- it was Cheeks who banished A.I from the team -- that was one of the catalysts for the former MVP getting traded. The two had not spoken since the trade, but Iverson went over and shook hands with Cheeks shortly before tip. "It's time to move on, the Sixers and myself," Iverson said. "It's time for both of us to move ahead and look for more positive things." Iverson joked with his Denver teammates in the locker room before the game, then had to take care of some business. "Where the bathrooms at?" he said, laughing. "I ain't too familiar with this area." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 You can't look past the willingness of the NBA to help LeBron succeed in the playoffs. After last night's lost to the Cavs, in which the Pistons got to the freethrow line a grand total of three times for the whole game (yes... three times), you may be right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorldB3 Posted March 21, 2008 Report Share Posted March 21, 2008 (edited) I know one night doesn't reflect an entire season but the Lakers and Celtics look good! I am sure Stern already has the checks written out to the refs to fix the playoffs because a Lakers-Celtics final would be marketing wet dream for him. Bank it, Lakers-Celtics finals. btw-If the Laker fans hate Odom so much the Warriors will gladly take him off your hands this off season. Edited March 21, 2008 by WorldB3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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