NBA Playoffs 2010

[Dark Flame]

That was a good column. His most recent column also had a little bit about the horrendous officiating. That's also a problem in the other major American sports (or at least football and baseball, not sure about hockey.) I really think it's almost become a self-destructive circular pattern-whatchamacallit thing. The refs suck so bad that everybody criticizes them, and then nobody steps up to replenish the ranks because they don't want to take all the flak for it, and the aging refs keep getting worse, and on and on and on.

[Argosh]

29.04.2010.
Portland Trail Blazers vs Phoenix Suns 90:99 (2:4)
San Antonio Spurs vs Dallas Mavericks 97:87 (4:2)

Both Phoenix and San Antonio advance with a 4:2 series wins against their opponents. Too bad for Dallas, again ... in how many years have they had this bad luck in first round? Three times in four years? Yep, after visiting the Finals in 2006, the Mavs have advanced past the first round only once, in 2009 ... they won against Spurs then.

[Steve]

Well, the Jazz and Lakers won, so the only first round series still being played - and the only one to reach 7 games this year - is Hawks-Bucks. Hooray, another two days of nothing happening for Orlando.

And I mean that sarcastically. It actually concerns me, the Magic being off for a week.

[Argosh]

30.04.2010.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks 69:83 (3:3)
Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets 112:104 (4:2)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers 94:95 (2:4)

Yeah, Magic might forget the playoff feeling with so much rest between series so the winner of Bucks vs Hawks might have a chance ... then again, fresh players vs 7 game series, hmmm.

[Steve]

30.04.2010.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks 69:83 (3:3)
Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets 112:104 (4:2)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Los Angeles Lakers 94:95 (2:4)

Yeah, Magic might forget the playoff feeling with so much rest between series so the winner of Bucks vs Hawks might have a chance ... then again, fresh players vs 7 game series, hmmm.

It didn't help the Hawks last year against the Cavs... but then again it might have helped the Magic against the Cavs. Or might not. Remember Game 1 last year in Cleveland? The Cavs had the Magic reeling in the First half, then everything changed in the second half.

[Argosh]

01.05.2010.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics 101:93 (1:0)

Well, they started this series with a win. Also, Cleveland is 10:0 in series with Game 1 won. Thats a good sign though Boston has won three of the previous four series between the teams. Cleveland’s only series victory was in the conference semifinals in 1992.

[Argosh]

02.05.2010.
Atlanta Hawks vs Milwaukee Bucks 95:74 (4:3)
Los Angeles Lakers vs Utah Jazz104:99 (1:0)
In each of the teams' previous five playoff meetings, the winner went on to the NBA finals.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson's teams are 45-0 in playoff series after winning the first game, including 21-0 with Los Angeles.
Also, Atlanta advances to the next round.

[Dark Flame]

Fuck. Hopefully that was everything failing all at once and fucking up one game rather than fucking up multiple games.. But still, damn that was bad. I'm still convinced we're going to win the series and I know that this team needs an all-too-frequent wake up call, but that was awful.

In other news, the Spurs-Suns series is looking like it's going to be a fun series.

[Argosh]

03.05.2010.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics 86:104 (1:1)
Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs 111:102 (1:0)
This is the 10th playoff series between the Suns and the Spurs since 1992, the most between any pair of teams in this time-span.

[Steve]

Oh, that wasn't pretty.

[Steve]

I just hope our team remembers the last time the Magic destroyed a team in a Game 1.

1995 NBA Playoffs. The Magic, with Shaq and Penny in the lead, decimated the Boston Celtics 124-77. Tied for the biggest playoff win margin in NBA history, I believe.

Two days later, Game 2.... 99-92, Boston.

The Magic had to pull a comeback victory in Game 3 to avoid being put on the brink of elimination. Then they won Game 4 (the last game in the historic Boston Garden building) and closed out their first NBA playoff round victory ever.

The Hawks will adjust in some way, and even if they have matchup problems I think they can be especially dangerous in Game 2. The Magic need to come out Thursday swinging.

[Argosh]

04.05.2010.
Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks 114:71 (1:0)
Los Angeles Lakers vs Utah Jazz111:103 (2:0)

[Argosh]

05.05.2010.
Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs 110:102 (2:0)

[Steve]

Well, looks like I was right, the Hawks did adjust and did play better, and they made this one exciting.

Good for ratings and interest... but it does get the blood racing.

[Argosh]

06.05.2010.
Orlando Magic vs Atlanta Hawks 112:98 (2:0)

[Argosh]

07.05.2010.
Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers 95:124 (1:2)
San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns 96:110 (0:3)

Now the Cavaliers won a game in Boston in the postseason, last time was the '92 conference semis.

[Steve]

Ow. Just.... ow. I'm starting to think the Hawks lost this series in Game 2 when the Magic took over in the fourth quarter. Competing for three quarters, leading at half-time\ by 8, and then losing the game by 14 anyway seems to have been a critical blow to their morale. And I was certain they'd put up a fight today...

Oh, and Flame, I take it you were enjoying Friday night?

[Argosh]

08.05.2010.
Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic 75:105 (0:3)
Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers 110:111 (0:3)

That was a close one for the Lakers. And Hawks ... thats the negative side of the playoffs, only 1 team out of 16 wins in the end

[Steve]

Rajon Rondo seems to be the future of the Celtic franchise. The key for Ainge and co will be if they can find ways to offload their aging vets and get new players of sufficient caliber to augment Rondo without losing him.

The Celtics threw everything on a gamble that paid off: get major stars soon to move past their prime and make a run at a championship before said stars' age made them unable to compete effectively. Their gamble succeeded two years ago, but last year and now this year show that the window is closing fast and, given the rise of the Cavs and Magic, may have already effectively shut.

The Spurs and Suns matchup is interesting because the Spurs' window is also closing while the Suns, who were written off last year, are suddenly contender-caliber again.

It does look like both Western series will end in a sweep.... which will benefit the Lakers/Suns victor since one expects a Magic/Cavs or Magic/Celtics series to go 6 or 7 games and the WCF, by beginning earlier, may offer the victor a day or two more rest and preparation.

[Argosh]

09.05.2010.
Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers 97:87 (2:2)
San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns 101:107 (0:4)
Phoenix Suns advance to the Western Conference Finals.

Rondo is second on Boston’s career list for postseason triple-doubles. Larry Bird is the leader with 10. James had scored 30 or more points in 10 of his last 14 games against the Celtics.
The Suns pulled off their first sweep since ousting Memphis from the first round in 2005.
Also, Nash is crazy.

[Steve]

Jeez, where is everyone? Last year we had like six people posting in the Playoffs thread...

[Argosh]

I'm here, not a bot.

10.05.2010.
Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic 84:98 (0:4)
Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers 96:111 (0:4)
Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers both advance to the Conference Finals.

The Magic have defeated the Hawks in 10 of their last 11 meetings. Orlando became the third team in the past six years to sweep its first two best-of-seven series, joining Miami (2005) and Cleveland (2009).
The Jazz hadn’t been swept since Golden State knocked them out 3-0 in the first round of the 1989 playoffs.

[Steve]

I'm here, not a bot.

Yeah, but it's just you, me, and Dark Flame from the look of things.

[Steve]

I was away from the computer reading when I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices cried out in despair and were suddenly quieted.

Then I looked at the Cavs-Celtics score.

[Argosh]

11.05.2010.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Boston Celtics 88:120 (2:3)

I agree, it was felt across the globe as Celtics handed the Cavs their worst home playoff loss in history.