NBA playoffs

[Gypsiyee]

holy shit, that's awesome... I've only sat courtside once in my life... when the Mavs were starting the "3 Jays" - Jason Kidd, Jamaal Mashburn and Jim Jackson. We were completely destroyed by the Sonics =(.

It'll go to 6, definitely.

well they're not courtside, they're row AA right behind the floor seats. this'll be the second time we're sitting in that row, first time was against the nuggets last year and you could see their butt-sweat! and tiger woods sat in front of us, so that was neat too. but what's so amazing is that by some miracle, I got the tickets directly from ticketmaster for face value.. shit's going for 900 a piece on ebay and stubhub, got both for 300 total. so super exciting! they're aisle seats right by the tunnel~ I hope you're right about game 6!

[Zanchief]

Just the same, I don't think that Chauncey Billups, in his best year, could have taken that 76ers team to the finals.

Just to derail a bit again, I don't think that 76ers team was that good so I'm not so sure.

[vonkaar]

I don't think so either... but remove AI and put in pretty much anyone that we've mentioned in this thread - John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups, all in their absolute best year - and I don't think they make the finals. Steve Nash might be the closest.

[Lyion]

Ugh, my Cavs need to pick it up and play tougher.

Strange that it easily could be the Nugs and Magic in the finals. Who'd a thunk.

[Phlegm]

Strange that it easily could be the Nugs and Magic in the finals. Who'd a thunk.

ABC probably shit in their pants if that happen.

[vonkaar]

That would be the 2nd time in the past 30 years where both teams in the finals are there for the first time.

The last time that happened?

Mavs / Heat

[Gypsiyee]

I knew a game 6 was going to be a concern.. but this isn't quite how I pictured it going down >.< Cleveland better win tomorrow, yo!

[Zanchief]

That would be the 2nd time in the past 30 years where both teams in the finals are there for the first time.

The last time that happened?

Mavs / Heat

I don't understand this. Orlando was in the finals in 94 or 95 with Shaq.

I'm really hoping for an Orlando win and an early exit for the Cavs. They just aren't that good aside from Lebron.

Out of the west, it doesn't matter who makes it out for me really. It will likely be the Lakers, which I wouldn't cry about since Kobe would get a bit more well deserved credit, but if Denver wins that would be nice to make AI look a bit worse.

[vonkaar]

oh yeah... I should have remembered that since that was right smack in the, "dallas is so bad, we cheer for ANY texas team" period.

[Zanchief]

That's the same reason I cheer for any other Canadian NBA teams.

[Lyion]

I'm really hoping for an Orlando win and an early exit for the Cavs. They just aren't that good aside from Lebron.

Out of the west, it doesn't matter who makes it out for me really. It will likely be the Lakers, which I wouldn't cry about since Kobe would get a bit more well deserved credit, but if Denver wins that would be nice to make AI look a bit worse.

You may get your wish. I thought the Cavs were a better team than Orlando and had the pieces to win.

I think Mike Brown is just outcoached, and Mo isn't stepping up for the Cavs.

I think Denver will win Game 6 and then the lakers will win Game 7. That's if the Lakers show up. Like the Cavs, they have more talent than their opponents, but less heart.

I think if the Lakers played the Cavs they'd lose the finals, but I expect them to beat the Magic in 5 games.

[Gypsiyee]

I think Cleveland will win tonight.. I agree about Brown being outcoached, though - plan a) Get the ball to Lebron and let him do what he do. plan b) uh...

Not really seeing how he got coach of the year >.< didn't have league pass this year so didn't get to watch too many games, but haven't really been impressed in this series.

[Reynaldo]

I'm calling in the fix for games 5/6 for the Cavs.

If LeBron makes an exit this early, ratings for the rest of the playoffs are going to take a nosedive. I think a game 7 would be pretty even, but will be interesting to see if the calls heavily favor the Cavs for these next 2.

[Gypsiyee]

I'm calling in the fix for games 5/6 for the Cavs.

that's my expectation too.. and that's what I'm hoping for =O

[Gypsiyee]

sweet.

[Gypsiyee]

awesome, awesome game - crowd was super high energy, we had a lot of fun.

lebron was a total shitbag, though. I don't know what was wrong with him, but he definitely wasn't with it even from the start and he got more sulky and whiney throughout the night, obviously. he was incredibly ungracious and quite frankly I was embarrassed for him to see that type of behavior out of an MVP. I understand loss is hard, but he left the court without shaking anyone's hand (from what we were able to see) and went straight to the bus. Thumbs down for him Saturday.

the finals should be interesting - I know it's not the intense Lebron Kobe finals people were expecting, but I think the Lakers will find a formiddable opponent in Orlando and it should be interesting to see how they match up without Nelson. They've been playing great team ball and Howard was on fire Saturday (even hitting his FT's, hot damn!), so if they keep it up they have at least a decent chance, I think. Should be a good series.

[vonkaar]

Weren't you a Boston fan, like... only a few weeks ago?

[Gypsiyee]

still am a boston fan, but of course I'm going to root for the home team. boston's out, not going to just indifferently watch the finals and just because I'm a boston fan doesn't mean I don't like any other teams. I like a lot of teams because I like a lot of players. I didn't grow up in a basketball area, so I'm not like a lifelong devotee. don't you have someone you'd like to win in the series, or once the mavs are out you just lose interest?

[Zanchief]

or once the mavs are out you just lose interest?

If I had the attitude I'd never watch a playoff game.

I'm going to Orlando (even though I hated them at the begining of the year), but I wouldn't mind LA winning because I like Kobe.

I'm glad Cleveland lost.

[Gypsiyee]

purely for interest - what was your qualm with the magic? I do so love your quirky reasons!

I like the magic. was telling snerp earlier - couple years ago now, before I'd ever actually even watched an NBA game in its entirety, before Jonathan moved here and was visiting and I took him to a game - magic vs mavs. I asked him who the Urkel guy who had his pants up to his boobies was and he was like "jesus, how do you come to a bball game and not even know who dwight howard is." told him I don't know, but anyone who's cool enough to look like urkel is my new favorite. course pauly's my favorite now, but I do love me some urkel pants.

games are a lot more fun to go to when you have more to look forward to than pointing out the clothes, though, that's for sure >.< I think the Magic must've been really bad that year, and that was the year that Dallas was doing crazy good too - they blew the magic out - not really as entertaining to watch, haha. crowd was all disgruntled. such a difference from how it was on Saturday - Howard was a beast and people were just super hyped. When Wally missed a shot by like a foot it there was just resounding laughter. was just fun to be at an energized game like that and get to root for the home team, which is something we haven't really done when going to Orlando any other time :p

[Zanchief]

purely for interest - what was your qualm with the magic? I do so love your quirky reasons!

We’ve had a bit of heat with them in the last few years (Bosh VS Dwight) and we played them last year in the playoffs and we lost. I got into it with a few of the fans who didn’t give us any credit even though I think we played better then advertised. This is all on internet mind you. I love Howard though, always have. But I’ve always maintained that Bosh is a much better offensive player then Dwight is, and that’s something no magic fan is willing to concede.

[Gypsiyee]

I know you're a big Bosh fan - how would you feel if Bosh went to Cleveland? there's been some talk of that, yeah?

[Zanchief]

If he left on good terms I would probably become a fan of Cleveland (on the side).

I've heard rumors all over the place about where Bosh might be traded (if he is), and Cleveland has nothing to offer Toronto to get him.

I wouldn't mind a trade with CHI if a few picks were added to the deal that's most rumoured (Deng, Thomas), but I'm not of the camp that Bosh is guaranteed to leave without us getting anything. He'd be walking away from a lot of money to not even take a S&T next year.

We shall see.

[vonkaar]

You don't think Bosh will get a max deal in the 2010 free-agency lottery? I think all of those guys are getting max contracts... any of 10 teams will have sufficient cap room for that. Hell, even the Mavs will and we've been over the cap since before Cuban.

[Zanchief]

He can make more money signing with Toronto, that's the way the CBA works.

He may just outright sign somewhere else, but he'd be walking away from a lot of money and really for no good reason if he can just strong arm the Raptors to do a S&T.