NBA Discussion - The Stretch Run

[Daedalus12]

Chris Paul's line tonight. 32 points on 16 shots, 62.5% FG, 17 assists, 5 rebs, 3 steals and only 3 turnovers. He practically owned the Mavs by himself.

Okay as of right now who would you take as a GM Chris Paul or Deron Williams?

 

[Neroon]

You haven't been paying attention the last 7-8 years if you think this is true.

What I see this year is a player markedly different from years past. He seems to me to be getting his teammates involved more often, and still taking control when he needs to. He is putting the team first.

 

[GeorgeKirk]

Damn the Spurs! Why don't they ever lose?

 

[Neroon]

Dwight Howard..... a second straight game of 20+ pts AND 20+ rebounds!!! Apparently that hasn't happened in nearly 40 years.

 

[Scout101]

Did nobody tell these other teams that the Celtics have already won the Championship? Eh, let them play it out, I guess, they'll feel better about it. Won't change the result, though...

 

[gblews]

You haven't been paying attention the last 7-8 years if you think this is true.

What I see this year is a player markedly different from years past. He seems to me to be getting his teammates involved more often, and still taking control when he needs to. He is putting the team first.

Kobe has always put winning ahead of everything else, including team. That you think you're seeing a different player has more to do with the players around him than it does with Kobe.

With the cast of characters he had for the first 3 years post Shaq (coach included), the Laker's best chance at winning was nearly always Kobe taking the shot. To those who weren't watching closely, this was perceived as ballhoggery -- but as I said, you had to be paying attention.

This season Kobe has more good players around him than he has ever had (including the Shaq years) and he is taking advantage of it. He is now playing more like he did in the championship years and as a result the Lakers are winning, which has always been what Kobe has been about at his core.

 

[gblews]

Did nobody tell these other teams that the Celtics have already won the Championship? Eh, let them play it out, I guess, they'll feel better about it. Won't change the result, though...

Yep, with their regular season record, prticularly their record against the west, the Cs are pretty much everyone's favorite to win it all. In fact, I'de venture to say that just about everyone thinks the Cs are shoe-ins for a ring this season after their regular season. Might as well crown 'em now,huh.

Boy, that sure does sound familiar doesn't it? Lets see, great regular season, heavy favorite to win a championship...damn, who does this remind me of.. I just can't place it...who indeed?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Wow, just wow

In more relevant news, the Pistons crushed the Sixers 105-88

 

[1001001]

Boy, that sure does sound familiar doesn't it? Lets see, great regular season, heavy favorite to win a championship...damn, who does this remind me of.. I just can't place it...who indeed?

 

[Borgminister]

Kobe has always put winning ahead of everything else, including team.

Agreed.

Ironically.

 

[Neroon]

Kobe has always put winning ahead of everything else, including team.

Agreed.

Ironically.

To each their own. There's no doubt he now has a better quality team around him, players capable of taking the load off and handling what he can provide. Last night was a perfect example, since the Nuggets focused on Gasol to their own detriment. Kobe made them pay BIG time, which is what the greats will do.

What is still vivid memory though is the Kobe who pouted to run a coach and co-star out of town. Then again, winning cures a multitude of ills, and this team knows just how to do that. And it's good to see such talent come together with maturity, to become arguably the most complete player in the game today.

 

[1001001]

Kobe sure looked unstoppable last night.

 

[Scout101]

Did nobody tell these other teams that the Celtics have already won the Championship? Eh, let them play it out, I guess, they'll feel better about it. Won't change the result, though...

Yep, with their regular season record, prticularly their record against the west, the Cs are pretty much everyone's favorite to win it all. In fact, I'de venture to say that just about everyone thinks the Cs are shoe-ins for a ring this season after their regular season. Might as well crown 'em now,huh.

Boy, that sure does sound familiar doesn't it? Lets see, great regular season, heavy favorite to win a championship...damn, who does this remind me of.. I just can't place it...who indeed?

Suppose the difference on this one is that in the NBA you have to win a 7 game series for the ring. It's not a one game, winner take all event where a bad day, or a fluke play (say, avoiding a sack, running BEHIND the pile, tossing up a ball that should be intercepted, guy catches it on his helmet, somehow holds on while being bodyslammed. That kinda fluke play. After that, if Samuel holds onto the ball he should have intercepted, the Giants STILL lose. Anyway, I digress). Which team do you figure has the manpower to beat the Celtics 4 out of 7 times right now?

 

[Neroon]

I had no idea the Celtics' records against the West was that good, until I saw them display it during last night's game. When they started off the season with such a gaudy pace, I kept wondering if they'd keep it up. At that time there was a piece showing how no team with three 20+ scorers had won a NBA title... or it had been a very long time at least. That contributed to my skepticism of their chances. But no more, man.

It wasn't all that long ago that Danny Ainge was being criticized roundly for his performance as the top man there. It'd be interesting to hear the thoughts of those critics, now. Heckuva performance on his part, orchestrating the trades. And it's no small accomplishment for Doc that he's been able to get three such superstars to work together so mightily well. It compares favorably with the job Phil Jackson did in Chicago.

There's a long way to go, but I like the Celtics' chances more and more. It'd be good to see the breakdown of their record against the West teams that are currently in the playoffs.

 

[Scout101]

Well, they are holding the Lakers up as the team to beat in the west, so the Celtic's record against them this year is 2-0, near as I can tell.

110-91
107-94

 

[Xevious]

Damn the Spurs! Why don't they ever lose?

Because Popovich is a far superior coach to D'Antoni. That's all. The Suns have all the firepower they need to beat any team in the league, but they'll never beat the Spurs in a 7-game series as long as they keep playing the same game. And signing an aging 300+ pounder isn't what the Suns needed to give them a defensive game. I'm not counting them out yet though, I'm expecting them to win their games at home. Anyway... Suns/Spurs game 1 was one of the best NBA games I've seen in a long time. It's a shame these two have to meet in round 1.

As competitive as the West race was, I bet that it's going to come down to the Lakers and Spurs. And I'm not jumping on the Celtics bandwagon just yet. They had an amazing regular season, but I don't think think they're a shoe-in for a title.

 

[Scout101]

Already posted the Celtics' record against LA, so here's their record against the Spurs: 2-0

98-90
93-91

Definitely much closer games, i'll give you that. Should also be noted that I don't have a huge stake in this, being mostly a Baseball/Football guy myself, but i hear enough about it on the talk radio shows, and catch games here and there, so...

 

[Neroon]

Already posted the Celtics' record against LA, so here's their record against the Spurs: 2-0

98-90
93-91

Definitely much closer games, i'll give you that. Should also be noted that I don't have a huge stake in this, being mostly a Baseball/Football guy myself, but i hear enough about it on the talk radio shows, and catch games here and there, so...

I would tend to think that the Spurs pose the biggest challenge to the Celtics championship aspirations this season. San Antonio possess no small amount of talent, good shooting and defense and years of playing together. Most significantly, they are long on experience in the post season having won a few championships.

Then again, that makes the dicey supposition that they can get out of the West.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I'm torn whether or not I want the Celtics to win. On one hand, I love the fact that they are good, since it's weird when the Celtics are bad. On the other hand, as a Sixers fan, the Celtics have always been the biggest rival. I don't want the Lakers or Spurs to win, though, that's for sure.

 

[Scout101]

I'm going to look like a homer on this one no matter what I say (despite not being much of a basketball fan), but I think it would HELP basketball for the Celtics to win. The Celtics have long been one of the big, storied franchises, are in a big market, and have a passionate fanbase. That, and the Celtics have sucked pretty hard for almost 20 years. For them to shoot back up this year (and hopefully maintain it) can only be a plus for the sport. It would be like if the Yankees just started really sucking, and battled Tampa for last place for a couple decades. Sure, people like to hate them, but having more strong teams in the league never really hurts, it draws interest. at the very least, gives you someone to hate...