2005 NBA Playoffs

Kaptain

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Did you notice how he jumped into the interview with manu and duncan after the game? Poor Tony's not getting enough attention.
 

Colonel_Reb

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Boy, how about that Eastern conference game last night. I just couldn't get into it at all. I think the finals will be much better than the eastern championship games have been and will be.
 

sunshine

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The media is missing a few points. First the series is not over especially if Joe Johnson becomes a factor. One thing has been obvious to me. I cannot recall a player as small as Nash controlling a game to the degree he has during the playoffs. The truth is he is carrying the ENTIRE team on his shoulders. Or to be crude he is taking out the trash and changing his teammates diapers. This is unusual for a point guard. In fact he seems to be doing more heavy lifting than say Jordan back in the day.Jim Jackson is a jouryneman. Stoudamire for all his gifts is still kind of one dimmensional. Shawn Marion has been exposed as a player who can't break anyone down on the dribble and must be set up in halfcourt or fast break, or garbage points to generate offense. And NO BENCH.At least Johnson was more versatile than the guys mentioned above thus alleviating some of the stress off Nash. If Johnson plays decently then I think we are still looking at a close series. Big if considering his face was mashed.Meanwhile the Spurs have a better all around team and deeper team so the Suns needed all their starters healthy. That said except for 4th quarter lapses the series has been close. Also apparent is Ginobli has been blowing by Marion on a regular basis. Worth noting since all the media big mouths consider Marion one of the top quickathletes in the NBA.
 

white lightning

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Good points.Marion did give Nowitzki some trouble but
Ginobli has had his way getting to the basket.I myself
want the Spurs to win the series but I will be rooting
for the Suns this weekend.They need to at least win
tommorow to keep it interesting.The Suns where winning
both games 1 & 2 going into the 4th quarter.They just
need to finish the game this time.Expect Nash to score
around 35 to 40 points and probably put up another
triple double.The Suns will win tommorow!You can bank
on it.
 

Colonel_Reb

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I don't care who wins, although I have been listening to the Spurs all year long on the radio at night. I want Nash, Ginobli, and Barry to all do well.
 

white lightning

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Well it will be World War III on the basketball court
tonight in Phoenix,AZ.I will go out on a limb and predict
that the Suns manage to win another game tonight in
game 5.It will be close though.My prediction for the
series is the Spurs in 6.Should be a great game guys.
Nash vs Ginobli,it doesn't get much better than that.
 

white lightning

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Ok,I was wrong.The Spurs ended it tonight.Overall,I am
very happy.The Spurs remind me of the New England
Patriots.They are the definition of team.They are so
unselfish and will go on to win their 3rd World Champ.
in my opinion.Go Ginobli.I hope he gets the M.V.P. of
the Finals.
 

SteveB

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Spurs win! What a great series. No fights or dirty plays. Class on both sides. This series is what basketball is all about. Two teams with great players playing hard and playing together as a TEAM. I can't wait for the finals.
 
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I laughed to see the Spurs in their "Western Conference
champs" t-shirts and holdling the Western Conference
championship trophy aloft. The Pistons will let them keep those,
and hold on to the real trophy.
 

Don Wassall

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I'll bet it's been many a year since 6 of the top 16 scoring leaders in the playoffs were white, as we have this year. Nash averaged 24.1, Nowitzki 23.7, Stojakovic 22.0, Ginobili 21.9, Gasol 21.3, and Hinrich 21.2.
 

Colonel_Reb

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Don, don't call it a comeback!

Great Lake State: I think the Spurs will win it all.
 

whiteCB

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Wow Don cool stat it probably hasn't happened since Rick Berry, Jerry West, and all those other guys were in the league. I still can't stand the NBA though.
 

Don Wassall

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After the game tonight Shaq was asked a question about the game and instead paid tribute to George Mikan, even stating that the Mikan family was having financial problems and he would pay for the funeral. He also said that he had several conversations with Mikan, that Mikan hadbeen very good to himand that he (Shaq) wouldn't be where he was without him. Prettygood stuff.
 

Kaptain

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Pretty classy of Shaq. There was a special on Mikan on an Espn station that aired just a week or two ago. His family is basically broke because of the bruden of medical costs. For some reason (likely racial) the NBA pays very little pension to the old-time players even though there are very few still remaining from that era. The players union could care less about those players. There is a lot of information on Mikan's story. Maybe a thread on him should be started as he was the Michael Jordan of his era.
 

White Shogun

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Although I can't stand what Shaq is allowed to get away with on the
court, and IMO who's actual basketball skills are specious at
best, he at least isn't an over-the-top-gangsta like so many other NBA
players.



I remember a quote from a Shaq interview the year he played with the U.S. Men's Olympic Basketball team in Athens.



Interviewer: "Shaq, did you go to the Acropolis?"



Shaq: "You know, I don't really remember the names of the clubs we went to."
smiley36.gif
 

Colonel_Reb

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Good quote whiteshogun! I am glad Shaq did what he did. Mikan was definitely a groundbreaker in many ways.
 

white lightning

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Well we have a great matchup of black vs white.The
Pistons against the Spurs.The Pistons are defending
champions and have a incredible defense although they
do get away with alot of fouls that are not called.I
must admit that I thought Miami would beat them.Detroit
is deserving and will be ready.I see San Antonio
winning in 6 or 7 games but it will be a war.Good luck
to your Pistons GreatLakeState.I know they are your
team.It starts on Thursday.
 
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Thanks. The Stones will be ready. I'm sure all the media will
pick against them, but they're used to it by now.

Darko will get his second ring:)

I think once LB is out after this year, Joe D. will start bringing
back some white guys like he had with Jon Barry and Bobby
Sura. Brown just wouldn't tolerate them. Other than Rik Smits,
can't think of a white player or foreigner who has thrived under
him. Barry was one of the most popular players in Detroit,
regardless the race of the fan, but what appealed to the fans --
his borderline wild style -- drove Larry nuts.
 

bigunreal

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The only way Detroit wins this series is if they fix it for them, which
they probably will. All they have to do is call about half the fouls
this "great defensive" team commits, every single game, during their
ghetto-style pressuring of the opponent. They are the worst shooting
team I've ever seen, at any level of basketball (including the youth
teams I coach). It's an absolute joke that they won the championship
last season. If this series is played with even a fraction of the
rules, the Spurs cannot help but win.
 
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Get real and leave the conspiratorial b.s. elsewhere. If the NBA
wanted a team to win, it would be a team like the Suns who
don't play defense and make it easy for simple fans to enjoy.
Another layup!

I'm sorry you can't enjoy a truly selfless team where any six
guys can beat you.

Defense is part of basketball. Your youth teams will find out the
hard way if they ever play real competition.

Have you seen Rip Hamilton shoot? Rasheed Wallace shoot?
Chauncey Billups shoot -- when it matters, crunch time.

Yeah, they "cheated" their way to the championship.

Back-to-back ...
Edited by: GreatLakeState
 

Colonel_Reb

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I'm not getting into the middle of ya'lls argument, but I do think the Spurs will win in 6. Maybe 7, but I'm picking 6.
 

speedster

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Love your pick, Kaptain Poop.Nobody ever picks a series sweep in sports,despite the fact there have been many over the years.Everyone always picks the safe thing and thats 6 or 7,6 or7.Spurs in 4,add Tim Duncan with Manu and the mini-dynasty is over.
 

Colonel_Reb

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I'm not picking a sweep because I don't think it will happen. Duncan could have an off night that might help Detroit win one, plus I doubt that the Spurs are that much better than the Pistons. That's why I say 6. I doubt it will go 7, and I doubt it will go 5 or less.
 

JD074

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In the last two rounds, the Spurs lost two games and the
Pistons lost five- and in the weaker Eastern Conference. So
that bodes well for the Spurs. I'm definitely rooting for the
Spurs- partly because of Manu, and partly because it's a whiter
team. I respect Great Salt Lake's decision to root for his team,
but I couldn't bring myself to root for a black team even if it was
a team that I loved as a child.
 
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