NBA Playoffs 2010

[Darth Fanboy]

(Even if a cynic might point out the Lakers were not top in the West until they snagged Pau Gasol on top of Bynum).

WELL IT'S TRUE!

Look I will begrudgingly admit that Kobe Bryant is the best player of this current generation of NBA players, I'll even go so far as to put him on a very short list of the best NBA players of all time. But the fact remains that the Lakers were not even in the mix to contend for the title until they added Gasol. Out here in Southern California nobody seems to want to remember the fact that Kobe won titles with Shaq and Gasol playing center for him. Who were the Centers when Jordan won titles? Bill Cartwright and Luc Longley. Yeah Jordan had Pippen for two runs, Horace Grant in the first one and Dennis Rodman in the second, but not nearly the quality of the supporting cast that has formed the core of the modern Lakers championship squads.

Despite that, the 1990's Chicago Bulls beat either of these two teams in six games.

[Steve]

The 90s Bulls squads, both three-peat versions, are a tall order for any team to beat. Might be why they won 6 championships out of 10 in that decade.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Am I the only one here who hates the Lakers with a burning, fiery passion and will be eminently thankful if the Celtics take them down?

Hey, Arizona Suns fan here, Burning fiery hatred of the Lakers is as built in as a Burning fiery hatred of the SA Spurs.
That said they will most likely go down to to the Cletics

[Darth Fanboy]

The 90s Bulls squads, both three-peat versions, are a tall order for any team to beat. Might be why they won 6 championships out of 10 in that decade.

It would have been 8 if MJ had not decided to play baseball for a couple of years, and then Hakeem Olajuwon would have been on that looooooooooong list of Superstars that never won a championship because of Jordan hogging them all.

[Havok]

Who is on that list?

[Darth Fanboy]

To name the best of the best on that list

-Mark Price
-Karl Malone
-John Stockton
-Charles Barkley
-Patrick Ewing
-Reggie Miller

[Darth Fanboy]

ALMOST on that list

-Clyde Drexler (did get one with Houston during Jordan's two off years)
-Gary Payton (got one with 2006 Heat)
-Alonzo Mourning (got one with 2006 Heat)
-Hakeem (during the Jordan off years)

[Havok]

To name the best of the best on that list

-Mark Price
-Karl Malone
-John Stockton
-Charles Barkley
-Patrick Ewing
-Reggie Miller

Damn, that is a pretty good list. Did they all lose directly to Jordan?

[Steve]

All of them. Price was with Cleveland, which lost to the Bulls a few times in the late 80s and early 90s. Malone and Stockton, twice, in the '97 and '98 Finals. Barkley with the Sixers and then, most prominently, with the Suns in the 1993 Finals. Ewing with the Knicks, obviously. And finally, Miller's Pacers were beaten by the Bulls in Jordan's final year in Chicago, in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals.

[Ziggy Stardust]

I think we can all agree that Michael Jordan was the fucking man. Anyway, it's on tonight! I am going to find a nice cheap bar to sit in...

[Darth Fanboy]

Shit I accidentally left Dominique Wilkens off that list.

Do Shawn Kemp and Larry "Grammama" Johnson count as star players too? I didn't think they did but star-status is always debatable.

And finally, Miller's Pacers were beaten by the Bulls in Jordan's final year in Chicago, in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals.

Jordan abused the Pacers and Cavs quite often being in the same division.

[Havok]

Man, am I like the only one that thinks the Lakers are going to stomp the Celtics?

[Ziggy Stardust]

I have a nasty feeling that it might happen. God, I hope the Celtics play better next game. They were barely treading water out there.

[Jack Bauer]

The Celtics got outmuscled and outhustled on both ends of the court tonight.

Artest and Gasol did a great job on defense, putting pressure on Pierce and KG, making them virtual non-factors for three-quarters of the game. On top of that, Gasol was absolutely solid in the paint, while Artest made some terrific jump shots from the perimeter. Both were humming along nicely, playing the best ball of their careers.

And then there's Kobe.

30 points. 7 rebounds. 6 assists.

Just when the Celts were slowly chipping away, in steps Kobe to drop 15 points alone in the third quarter to pretty much seal the deal. The 2010 Lakers are a completely different animal than two years ago and Boston got to see that up close and personal tonight. Doc Rivers better make some changes quick before Sunday.

[Argosh]

03.06.2010.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics 102:89 (1:0)

The team with the first two games at home has won 19 of the 25 Finals since the NBA switched to the 2-3-2 format in 1985. The Celtics have already won five road games in these playoffs, but the Lakers are 9-0 at home so far at Staples Center.

[Steve]

Jordan abused the Pacers and Cavs quite often being in the same division.

I was going by playoff matchups. It wasn't until 1998 that the Bulls met the Pacers in the NBA Playoffs.

[Darth Fanboy]

Jordan abused the Pacers and Cavs quite often being in the same division.

I was going by playoff matchups. It wasn't until 1998 that the Bulls met the Pacers in the NBA Playoffs.

True, true.

Wow I completely forgot that they knocked out Cleveland FIVE TIMES in just seven years. Unbelievabull.

[Argosh]

06.06.2010.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics 94:103 (1:1)

[Havok]

I actually watched this game... 8 fucking 3s. Damn. I still thought L.A. was going to light it up in the 4th, but they never seemed to get that first basket to drop.

[Darth Fanboy]

What did the Lakers do differently in Game 2? They shot a LOT of 3 pointers. The Lakers do not win in the playoffs when they take a ridiculous amount of three pointers. It cost them in games against OKC and PHX and now it cost them one against the hated Celtics.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Regardless of what team you support, you got to admit that was a fucking great game. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

[Jack Bauer]

Ray Allen went 0 for 13 after sinking 8 three pointers on Sunday. Quite possibly the greatest turn from "can't miss" to "miss everything" in Finals history.

Also, if that didn't seal it for the Lakers, Derek Fisher's 11 points in the 4th quarter certainly did. Especially that last layup with THREE Celtic defenders on him, knocking it down AND getting the foul, sealing a 7 point LA lead and ultimately the game.

Just an incredible, if messy ball game. Admittedly, the atrocious foul-calling wasn't as bad in this game as the previous 2.

[Darth Fanboy]

Paul Pierce shouldn't have been so quick to claim the series wouldn't make it back to LA I guess.

[Argosh]

08.06.2010.
Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers 84:91 (1:2)

[Havok]

Ray Allen went 0 for 13 after sinking 8 three pointers on Sunday. Quite possibly the greatest turn from "can't miss" to "miss everything" in Finals history.

This was just fucking baffling. Allen has to be going nuts.

Admittedly, the atrocious foul-calling wasn't as bad in this game as the previous 2.

Are you talking about the fouls actually called not being so pussy, or the amount, because FUCK, you would think basketball players are made of fucking glass the way they call fouls. It's like the refs are like: 'OK, everyone has six. Let's get 'em there boys! Break!'