NBA Playoffs

[Bibbed]

I don't remember that, because that was a Miami team that went 11 guys deep that could start on any other team in the NBA... I don't really think anyone would count out a team with Wade and Shaq on it.

Detroit is only so-so versus the West, though they are the only East team with any chance.

 

[10th-Karma]

As a Bulls fan, I'm not counting them out yet...but it seems unlikely. As I said before, no matter what, I'm proud of my bulls especially Deng stepping it up!

That "kick" happens in the NBA a lot if not in the form of a kick. I know it's dirty, and who else to do it but the dirtiest player in the NBA, Bowen, but that's just how it is. I love the way Baron Davis plays, but I totally hate his personality and his beard. No class whatsoever.

And I hate to say it, but remember the Warriors beating the Mavericks???? The Warriors aren't good enough to win a championship and yet they beat the majority favorite to win. How is that possible?? Can anyone say...matchup? Not only do you have to consider the abilities of teams, but how they matchup against different teams in the league. This is how the Bulls were able to sweep the defending champs and how the Warriors pulled off that miraculous upset. These teams matched up almost perfectly. If you ask me, I don't think the Pistons could have pulled off a sweep of the Heat. Yet they are up 3-1 in the series.

So just determining "Western teams are better" doesn't mean that they will necessarily win the championship. Moreso than ability, a team needs a good matchup to win. Thus Michael Jordan's Bulls were relieved to find out they would play Seattle rather than Utah in the 96 championship series (Though they played Utah the next 2 season).

Whether Golden State or Utah advances, The winner of San Antonio and Phoenix will have a tough time gettin to the Finals. It depends on the matchup. In the East, it's a little more clear. It was either the Bulls or the Pistons. Both have tiebreakers over Cleveland and both match up very well against them. They also matched up well against the Heat and Orlando. The only team that could give either trouble is the Nets.

 

[Bibbed]

The Bulls are awesome... they're the future of NBA basketball. A bunch of young talented college players that learned to play the game the right way. None of them are superstars, but because they do all the little things and know the fundamentals, they're successful.

I'm pulling for them to take this series, especially since I hate the Pistons. Two games to go.

And, I would of loved to see GS vs. Phoenix in the West Finals, but I like the way the Jazz play. Who would of thought a Duke player would be successful in the NBA?! Go figure...

 

[Bibbed]

Thus Michael Jordan's Bulls were relieved to find out they would play Seattle rather than Utah in the 96 championship series (Though they played Utah the next 2 season).

LOL, the Bulls with Jordan could of beat the '92 Dream Team (minus himself) if they would of met them in the Finals that year (or any year). I refuse to believe Michael ever worried about his opponent.

 

[10th-Karma]

Haha go ahead and do that Bibbed. The fact of the matter is that it is the fear of the opponents that drives you to do your best. How can you say that the Stockton-Malone combination wasn't intimidating, even to Jordan. Of course, Jordan wasn't pissing his pants, but when they met in 97' and 98', Jazz did win the season series. But the Bulls never underestimated them like they did Orlando in 96' and Seattle in 96' (they still won those but it looked grim at times).

This year I like both the Jazz and the Bulls. I got to see Derron play at U of I and he is plain awesome!! This Bulls-Pistons series isn't over at all. If Bulls hold on and win at home next (which I'm pretty confident they will), they will go to Detroit for Game 7, but have a 3-game streak and momentum going in. This game in Detroit today was the one I was worrying about. Instead of getting closed out 4-1, Bulls easily have the potential to win it 4-3.

 

[Bibbed]

Jazz should close it out tonight at home. Atleast, I hope so.

Boo at UofI though. I sold my soul for Carolina to win that game.

 

[10th-Karma]

Heh everyone knows that the refs were callin the stupidest moving pick calls on Illinois and letting Sean May beat everyone up inside. But it still was a close game. Luther Head shoulda drained that routine 3 to tie it. Only second game that Illinois lost all season.

 

[Bibbed]

Granted Illinois had no inside game that year. Augustine, Powell, and a couple other nobodies were no match for the May, Williams, Williams triple threat.

I'll give ya Head choked on that three, BUT Illinois should NOT have gotten past Arizona that year. Biggest collapse in NCAA tournament history maybe... I would of won my pool that year if Arizona would of just made one **** bucket!

 

[Rushbaby]

Little update. Detroit is trying to close it out, and the suns got screwed. Sean may was another great NCAA player and a crappy pro player. details as events warrant.

 

[Rushbaby]

you guys are so delusional. the bulls can't come back and beat the pistons. and in today's NBA you need a superstar. The Heat when healthy are the best team in the east proven by last year. Utah will give SA or Pheonix a really hard time. The bulls are one dimensional, you think the nets need an inside Banger!?! The bulls are a jumpshot team. which means they are 2-d the pistons and the (healthy) Heat are 3-d teams. And please no 3 page long commetaries about the MJ bulls. He was the greatest to date no doubt and without him the bulls were sunk.

 

[10th-Karma]

hehe at least the bulls are makin this a series. and detroit should have closed it out at home.

Bulls are a team OF THE FUTURE!! The fact that they made it this far so young, is amazing! Them beating the Pistons these last two games are sweet and gives them one extra playoff game of experience. And aren't you wondering how these Bulls have won the last two games? They also almost won game 3 as well (horrible choke which every team goes through at least once) which would have given them homecourt from tuesday's win. Detroit is a well-balanced team that matches up well against Chicago, but the fact of the matter is that they should have already closed it out. I don't see how Detroit fans aren't worrying about this comeback. Never, ever take any team for granted, especially the Bulls when they're on fire.

The success that Illinois had w/o a good post presence and the loss of OSU despite Oden's best performance is another reason why the college 3 should be moved back (I think it is next season).

I believe in the Suns and the Jazz in the west. Suns have already proven they can win in SA in game 4, so hopefully Amare and Diaw are rested enough to break out. King James will get to the Eastern Finals after friday and the Bulls will force game 7 at Auburn Hills. Like it or not, that's what I'm believin.

 

[Rushbaby]

I love the suns. I still think the Jazz have a better shot at beating the spurs but I like the suns. The bulls need one player to get them over the hump. A back to the basket player. maybe Oden in the draft. then they could trade Wallace to the bucks for thier next 2 first rounders. Then the bucks would bench ben Walace!
(Defense? what's Defense?)

 

[Mr.GAW]

Anybody watching the bulls? They're down by 3 right now, but they're in it.

 

[Bibbed]

The Bulls are awesome! They play defense, they run set plays, they slash, they screen, they rebound, they do it all. Every team needs a back to the basket player, and their lack of one is the only reason they aren't tapdancing their way through the east.

But the Pistons have zero depth, which means that even if they get to the NBA Finals they have little to no chance of winning. The Heat are the ONLY team in the East with depth and superstars, which is what makes them the best when they're healthy. Though they are getting to be a fairly old team (minus Wade), so they're days are probably numbered.

Bulls are the future. They play good solid college-esque basketball, which is better form of the game than the NBA game, and I think ultimately it will prevail.


Edit -- Also, the Pistons won two years ago with no superstar. Maybe Chauncey Billups, but at that point no one on that team was superstar status. If superstars made teams, then the Lakers would win every year, because Kobe is far and away the best player in the NBA today.

 

[Rushbaby]

you just don't get it do you? the bulls can slash the lane my 75 year old grandpa can slash the lane. But only if the perimeter game has loosened up the defense. They can't win without a back to the basket player. And the pistons were a freak of nature look at the team that won before them 3 times in a row. In the 90's it was Mj and Scottie or Hakeem and the rockets in the 80's it was Kareem and the lakers or Larry and the Celtics. the bulls are a good team, no doubt but they lack that one player to get them over the hump. Maybe it will be an inside scorer or a superstar they just need one player.

 

[Rushbaby]

If superstars made teams, then the Lakers would win every year, because Kobe is far and away the best player in the NBA today.[/QUOTE]

Okay; see; You sound like an idiot I said a good team needs a superstar;
a GOOD!! team the lakers are not a good team the bulls are a good team. the heat were a good team before D-wade and after they are awesome. Kobe is the biggest $#@%^% in basketball. He can't win with the crap he's got now but that's his Fault all you idiots on ESPN;His Fault!!! He scared Shaq away, He scared Fisher away, he scared all the good players away. this mess he's in is his fault! (sorry) He also isn't the best player in the NBA. that title goes to D-wade. Kobe is a ballhog. If d-wade got 45 shots a game he could score 50 easy but the difference is this: D-wade can score 35 and also get 10-12 ast. 5-9 reb. and 6 stl. all in one night! Kobe can score 30 points OR he can get 10 dishes and score 15. he doesn't make the players around him better like d-wade or even (sigh) Lebron. kobe is like Michael redd. If you put up 55 points and you still losethere's something wrong. think about it. ( and if you truly enjoy colledge basketball and understand it you know i'm right)

 

[10th-Karma]

What an electrifying two days!

My bulls lost :-(, dirty San Antonio took out the Suns, Pistons advance, Cavs advance, and Utah gets to play San Antonio.

Bulls are a perimeter team, and they do need an inside presence, though I don't think they will ever be able to get Oden unless their New York pick gets mighty lucky in the lottery.

 

[Rushbaby]

Spurs are dirty. the media is giving the jazz no chance because of the boozer-Duncan match up. Now correct me if I'm wrong,but didn't Boozer go up agains't and beat yao Ming? and isn't Duncan just a little smaller? Duncan also isn't as physical; I give Boozer the edge. The spurs don't have an answer for Memhet Okur which give's the jazz an edge. the Jazz are also maybe THE most physical team in the NBA. The Jazz won't just take it, Like the suns. And Manu is no problem. If you remember, Fisher defended T-mac pretty well and Manu is no T-mac. Go Jazz!!

 

[10th-Karma]

Spurs are dirty. the media is giving the jazz no chance because of the boozer-Duncan match up. Now correct me if I'm wrong,but didn't Boozer go up agains't and beat yao Ming? and isn't Duncan just a little smaller? Duncan also isn't as physical; I give Boozer the edge. The spurs don't have an answer for Memhet Okur which give's the jazz an edge. the Jazz are also maybe THE most physical team in the NBA. The Jazz won't just take it, Like the suns. And Manu is no problem. If you remember, Fisher defended T-mac pretty well and Manu is no T-mac. Go Jazz!!

yeah thas true, but Duncan doesn't play like Yao and neither does Manu play like T-Mac. I reallly want the Jazz to knock this boring team out, but it's gonna be **** hard. Spurs are playing excellent basketball. As long as the Jazz can maintain rebounding and get the outside shot, they have a good chance.

 

[Nike.]

Spurs over Pistons in 7

again