The NBA Thread...

[EastStandBlue]

Kansas take the College C'ship, beating Memphis and Derrick Rose. Big game tonight though, fancy your chances Uxbridge?

 

[Uncle Leo]

Kansas take the College C'ship, beating Memphis and Derrick Rose. Big game tonight though, fancy your chances Uxbridge?

Oh bloody hell, we've got the Boston Celtics!

No chance. Not seen the betting yet, but I make the 'tics 7.5pt favourites on the spread...

 

[EastStandBlue]

I wouldn't be entirely sure about the result tonight. Now that home advantage in the play-off's is secure and with just 6 games left of regular season I'd have thought that the big 3 wouldn't play as much, just to make sure they're raring to go.

 

[Uncle Leo]

I wouldn't be entirely sure about the result tonight. Now that home advantage in the play-off's is secure and with just 6 games left of regular season I'd have thought that the big 3 wouldn't play as much, just to make sure they're raring to go.

That's a very good point.

Ladbrokes haven't gone up with tonight's prices for that game and we always take our lead from Vegas, suggesting that the Stateside odds compilers aren't quite sure how this game will pan out.

Spanking of the night ought to be in Dallas, where the Mavs are 17.5pt jollies against Seattle :O

 

[EastStandBlue]

Pretty much what I thought would happen... Let the Big Three loose to build a lead and then rest them. Except, the bench failed to provide the cover and needed help in OT. Don't think we'll be anywhere near as lucky against the Wizards... Still, another game, another win and it's important to take some momentum into the play-offs.

 

[KrustyTheKray]

I follow The Toronto Raptors, and have a soft spot for The New Jersey Nets.

 

[Uncle Leo]

I follow The Toronto Raptors, and have a soft spot for The New Jersey Nets.

Vince Carter fan I guess?

 

[chaco27saf]

Huge game tomorrow night in Oakland, with the Nugs taking on the Warriors. They are currently tied for 8th place in the west, and the winner of that game will have a huge advantage with only 3 games left to play. I'm really looking forward to it, should be a good one.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Decisive night...

Nowitzki seals Dallas a play-off berth with a last second bucket and Nuggets overtake Golden State with an AI3 Inspired win.

Fully excited about the Play-Off's now. Promises to be a great weekend with Southend Carlisle on the Saturday and the Play-Off's starting on the Friday. I think Chris Paul will get MVP and the Hornet's have got a pretty good chance, but I do favour the Celtics. They've proved they can handle the big game situations (Ending the Rockets 22 Win streak) and KG is desperate for that elusive championship.

Only thing i'm slightly doubtful of is the strength of the bench. It happened midweek against the Bucks with the bench throwing away a lead built by the Big 3, and they had to be rescued in OT.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Regular Season over now... Playoff picture is:

Celtics vs Hawks
Pistons Vs 76'ers
Magic Vs Raptors
Cavs Vs Wizards (Potentially brilliant set of games)

Lakers Vs Nuggets
Hornets Vs Mavs
Spurs Vs Suns
Jazz Vs Rockets


On a side note, Miami look almost certain to take Derrick Rose as the first round draft pick. In him they have a player of the highest calibre, he really is that good... Been labelled as the potential Tiger Woods of the NBA.

 

[chaco27saf]

On a side note, Miami look almost certain to take Derrick Rose as the first round draft pick. In him they have a player of the highest calibre, he really is that good... Been labelled as the potential Tiger Woods of the NBA.

There is definitely a big prize awaiting whoever lands the first two picks with Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley both up for grabs. I think most teams would take Michael Beasley with the first pick just because there is such an emphasis on big men like him in the NBA. For the Nuggets sake, I hope both Beasley and Rose go to the East, I'd hate to see the Nuggets have to play them three or four times a year.

 

[Bentley's Absurd Gait]

Thank God for the Heat, it means the Clips are only the second worst team in the NBA. Let's get back to hockey.....

 

[Uncle Leo]

On a side note, Miami look almost certain to take Derrick Rose as the first round draft pick. In him they have a player of the highest calibre, he really is that good... Been labelled as the potential Tiger Woods of the NBA.

I'm hoping the Bucks get another outrageous piece of lottery luck like we did a few years ago. Seventh worst record, but we got the number one pick. Ha!

Good article here about the playoffs and who's going to win

 

[EastStandBlue]

I'm hoping the Bucks get another outrageous piece of lottery luck like we did a few years ago. Seventh worst record, but we got the number one pick. Ha!

Good article here about the playoffs and who's going to win

As a Celtics fan that had to endure last season it's great... The Big 3 have made what was a potentially average team into a potential record breaking team.

I didn't know that about the PPG winning margin either... I knew it was high at 10.3, but to be beaten only by 3 teams since the merger is amazing.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Watching Highlights of yesterdays action, I can safely say I think the only team Boston have to fear are the Cavs... They looked in great shape last night.

 

[Uncle Leo]

The paragraph below is an excerpt from the latest excellent article by ESPN's Bill Simmons. I've always thought this of Shaq, but get shouted down whenever I mention it:

The Chris Rock Award for "Most Glaring Negative In An Otherwise Tremendous Résumé"
You know how Chris Rock's movies are jaw-droppingly bad, to the point it's inconceivable that the same guy who gave us an influential HBO show and two Hall of Fame stand-up specials could make so many crappy movies, and this has to be mentioned any time he's evaluated against other comics? I feel the same way about Shaq's free-throw shooting. It's the **** in the punch bowl of his career. Not only will he go down as one of the worst playoff free-throw shooters ever, but let the record show teams proactively fouled him as a tactical advantage and it worked to the point that he was removed from dozens of playoff games, sometimes even in the last two minutes. As powerful and unstoppable as he was in his prime, I just don't see how anyone could rank him above Moses, Hakeem or Kareem because of one seemingly minor flaw that really wasn't that minor.

 

[Uncle Leo]

By the way, now they're 3-0 up against the Suns, this is the first time I'm willing to confess to my pre-season bet on the Spurs to win the Championship. Yes I backed them at 5.3 and the best price is still about 6.3, but at least the bet's not nearly as bad as it seemed a couple of weeks ago :unsure:

Also on the Celtics for the East, a bit more confident about that!

 

[chaco27saf]

By the way, now they're 3-0 up against the Suns, this is the first time I'm willing to confess to my pre-season bet on the Spurs to win the Championship. Yes I backed them at 5.3 and the best price is still about 6.3, but at least the bet's not nearly as bad as it seemed a couple of weeks ago :unsure:

Also on the Celtics for the East, a bit more confident about that!

The Spurs will definitely have their work cut out for them. The Suns have faltered quite a bit and seem deflated after their loss in Game 1, where they had a big lead but were unable to finish them off. The Spurs will need to play great to get past the Hornets, Lakers, or Jazz. Of course I'm still hoping the Nugs will knock off the Lakers, but through the first two games it has looked lopsided. Still, I'll be cheering myself hoarse at the Pepsi Center in 3 hours time.

 

[EastStandBlue]

That article was brilliant on so many levels... Not only because it gave Rondo the hype he so deserved for his brilliantly mature display but it confirmed what i've thought of Shaq for so long: If people are going to persist in fouling you, do something about it.

You're 7ft 325lb and built like a friggin express train, you're only going to demolish one person before they stop fouling you on purpose...

 

[EastStandBlue]

:stunned: Come on Celtics... In severe danger of f*cking this up now...