NBA Playoffs Anyone?

[PerryG2480]

I just wanted to kick up a conversation about the playoffs because some pretty crazy things have happened. I think that Kevin Garnett is showing why he is the MVP...and probably the best player in the world right now. He said some stupid things to the media, but he apologized (probably at the request of his agent). He was a monster in game 7 versus Sacramento. I'm pulling for the T-Wolves now; one, because I like KG and Cassell, and two, I do NOT like the Lakers.

On the "not as exciting" Eastern conference side, I liked watching the Heat (mainly Dwayne Wade) play. Jermaine O'Neal is definitely the real deal. I didn't watch much of the Pistons/Nets series, but Jason Kidd was apparently shut out in game 7?

I'm predicting Wolves in 7 and Pacers in 7.

Oh yeah, one last thing. I can't tell you how happy I am that the Sacramento Drama Queens have been eliminated...again. I know it wasn't the Mavs' year, and they had our number. But watching "Mini-Me," "the Flopping Lumberjack," the "man" named Christie, "headband on a white guy" Miller, "mouth's always open" Stojakovic, and "no time outs left" Webber get knocked out of the playoffs again makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[KPFC Sports Dept.]

Jason Kidd had his hurt back flare up. He has been playing hurt all playoffs and missed a lot of the end part of the regular season. He was sitting on heated pad every minute he was on the bench. He was obviously stiff and not himself. I heard Chauncy Billups saying that he would have done the same thing healthy, really Chauncy, then why didn't you do it the last two years?

Kevin Garnett in game 7 was awesome. The block on Peja in the 2nd quarter where he almost palmed the ball in mid air and brought it down was crazy. I honestly think that was the best playoff performance I have seen since the Greatest was on the Bulls. He was that good. I can only hope he keeps it up this series because the Wolves will need it to beat the Lakers.

I know everyone is saying the Pistons are like a West team because they have spothead now, but they don't have the scoring to hang with the West. The Pacers do, IMO, and if the East is gonna have a chance to win the series, it's gonna have to be Indiana.

I will say Wolves in 7, and Pacers in 6.

KG vs. Jermaine down low...Reggie vs. Sprewell outside...stiff white dudes Madsen and Croshere waving towls and high fiving the aforementioned four players during timeouts...that would be a good finals.

Edited May 21, 2004 by KPFC Sports Dept.

[Zeke]

As long as the Lakers lose, I am happy.

[Guest e-bone]

I will laugh if it is Minnesota and Indiana in the Finals. Except that it would cause Stern to ensure that both the Lakers and the Knicks make it to the Finals next season.

[PerryG2480]

Well, the Wolves absolutely destroyed the Lakers in Game 2 even though Sam Cassell played all of 30 seconds...that was kinda surprising. Hopefully their defense can keep the Lakers offense off-balanced when they get back to LA.

Good game between Indy and Detroit. Jermaine O'Neal is freakin' awesome. Do the Mavericks take a shot at getting a Tyson Chandler or a Kwame Brown in hopes that they turn into a Jermaine O'Neal? Probably not.

[UNT_92_Fan]

WOW 29 points COMBINED in the first quarter in game 2......I LOVE ME SOME EASTERN CONFERENCE BASKETBALL......If it had anything to do with defense i would say WOW that was nice....but from what i have seen this far...WOW this boring!

[UNT_92_Fan]

ok so the game turned out to be an enjoyment.... Still like the western conference though....Tayshawn Prince's Block was ridiculous!

[Rudy]

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Ill take the Stanley Cup playoffs Round 1 over the nba finals ANYDAY!

[Zeke]

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Ill take the Stanley Cup playoffs Round 1 over the nba finals ANYDAY!

If only the rest of the country agreed with you then the NHL might play next year.

[NTEagle08]

If only the rest of the country agreed with you then the NHL might play next year.

The impeding lock out for the NHL has little to nothing to do with the popularity of the league in the States.

[PerryG2480]

That ending last night was crazy. Jermaine O'Neal packs Rasheed's dunk (again) and the fast break starts...DUNK THE BALL REGGIE! I know you're old, but you gotta send that one down. It was still very exciting.

[Zeke]

The impeding lock out for the NHL has little to nothing to do with the popularity of the league in the States.

This will be my last post on this subject cause I don't want to take over the orginal intent of the thread.

I do disagree however. Nobody cares on the whole. A new TV deal was just signed that was crazy, it basically just put on the hockey games for free and will let the NHL get a cut of some of the advertising. Also, ESPN will cut next seasons games from around 80 to around 40. Does America really care about Calgary and Tampa Bay. Once the finals are over, pull out the ratings for each game and see how it compares to other sports. The WNBA will probably pass the NHL soon.

Want to start a hockey thread than fine, but lets not ruin a thread started for something else.

Go T-Wolves.

[UNTLifer]

Go T-Wolves.

Amen

[Greenblood94]

I will laugh if it is Minnesota and Indiana in the Finals. Except that it would cause Stern to ensure that both the Lakers and the Knicks make it to the Finals next season.

Stern might be trying to ensure the Lakers make the Finals this year:

From ESPN.com

Give me a break (Malone got one)

By David Aldridge

Special to ESPN.com

This is ridiculous.

Not suspending Karl Malone for Game 3 for his elbow to Darrick Martin's noggin gives aid and comfort to every Looney Tunes wing-nut conspiracy theorist who thinks it's preordained that the Forum Blue and Gold will be the West's representative in the Finals. No fewer than two coaches and three personnel guys at the Detroit-Indiana series had the same reaction within seconds of hearing that the league was only fining Malone $7,500: You know who they want in the Finals.

How can I counter that argument?

Believe me, I want to.

I know how hard the refs work, and when they do make mistakes, it's because they're human beings, not because they have a Nassau on the road team. I know the commish always points out that fixing games is a felony that would subject a lawyer such as himself to disbarment. But how on earth can Malone skate when the Kings' Anthony Peeler did the exact same thing to Kevin Garnett eight days ago, and (rightly) was deactivated for two games -- including the decisive Game 7 of the Minnesota-Sacramento series? I don't think Malone should have gotten two games, but he had to get one.

Look, I love Karl Malone. He's one of the great players of all time and he's on the short list of the most decent people to have graced a court. He has almost always been generous with his time to most reporters. (He wouldn't talk before games sometimes, but if you waited him out after a game, you got really good stuff.)

But what he did Sunday was vicious and unnecessary, with the game having long since been decided. It certainly looked like Malone was trying to either send a message for Game 3 or finish what had become a chippy fourth quarter for both teams. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't recall Martin instigating anything, and even if he did, he's a 6-foot, 190-pound guard.

I would not feel so strongly about this if the league A) hadn't been so adamant over the years about condemning any contact above the shoulder, whether it came from a punch or an elbow. The league's various chieftans of discipline have all said the same thing: windup, contact and follow-through are a flagrant foul, subject to suspension. And even if there's some question about whether to suspend a guy, this brings me to .

The league always says that patterns of behavior are taken into account when disciplining players; i.e., if you do something once, you get disciplined X. You do something twice, you get disciplined X-plus. And so on. This escalating scale certainly seemed to be in place (correctly) with Dennis Rodman and Dikembe Mutombo. How many times over the years have we seen The Mailman hit somebody in the head? Isiah Thomas, Steve Nash, Brian Grant and David Robinson come to mind. Every time, Malone is utterly unrepentant, and that's his right. But the league shouldn't condone that kind of behavior.

I'm sure if I called Stu Jackson, he'd give me a rational, detailed reason why Malone gets to be introduced by my man Lawrence Tanter at Staples on Tuesday in the starting lineup. But this time, I don't buy it.

In this case, I'll believe my lying eyes.

David Aldridge, who covers the NBA for ESPN, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.

[KPFC Sports Dept.]

As bad as the Eastern Conference has been, I would rather watch a Magic-Hawks game without T-Mac and no shot clock than the two best teams in hockey go at it in a deciding game 7*.

The league always says that patterns of behavior are taken into account when disciplining players; i.e., if you do something once, you get disciplined X. You do something twice, you get disciplined X-plus. And so on. This escalating scale certainly seemed to be in place (correctly) with Dennis Rodman and Dikembe Mutombo. How many times over the years have we seen The Mailman hit somebody in the head? Isiah Thomas, Steve Nash, Brian Grant and David Robinson come to mind. Every time, Malone is utterly unrepentant, and that's his right. But the league shouldn't condone that kind of behavior.

Good for DA for pointing this out. I'm not a spothead fan, but if Rasheed Wallace did what Malone did, he would be sitting out game 3 without a doubt. Karl Malone is the dirtiest player I have ever seen in the NBA, yet they continue to let him get away with it and continue to market him as a "good guy".

* Unless it is the Stars, because I always cheer for the hometown teams.

[PerryG2480]

Well, what can I say...Kevin Garnett is only one man, he needs some freakin' help. A healthy Cassell/Troy Hudson combo would make this series a little closer. The T-Wolves run a good portion of the game without a point guard...makes it hard to match up with Payton/Fisher.

Hopefully the Pacers come through tonight...I cringe at the thought of a Lakers/Pistons final.

[KPFC Sports Dept.]

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Ill take the Stanley Cup playoffs Round 1 over the nba finals ANYDAY!

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup FINALS only drew 100,000 more than the WNBA season opener. That's the WNBA! The NHL drew 1.1 and the WNBA drew 1.0. Right now hockey only appeals to it's hardcore fans, and they will even lose some of those with the lockout.

I had to post and say how wrong I was that the Pacers had enough offense to compete with the West. Nobody in the East has enough offense. This Eastern Finals is pathetic. And it is NOT good defense, these guys can't hit a jumper. The last thing the NBA needs to dilute the talent any more, but Charlotte starts play next year...

[Zeke]

I am afraid the only hope I have of The Lakers finishing the season is the East . Defense means a whole whole lot. But even the Pistons D won't be enough to overcome their 70 a game offense.