vcjack
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Post by vcjack on Apr 14, 2008 20:58:26 GMT -5
Oh and hilarious ending to the cavs-sixers, all the more so because it happened in Philly and I know there are some dual Sixers/Wildcats fans out there are probably ting bricks of fury
I love it
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Apr 14, 2008 22:25:47 GMT -5
To be fair...7 to 10 years ago AI could have possibly made a mistake like this.
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RDF
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Post by RDF on Apr 15, 2008 10:41:56 GMT -5
Well the Nuggets are in--so happy for AI and yet still feel badly that Golden State is out and the annoying/boring Fighting Cubans are in--maybe they can lose tomorrow night to New Orleans and get the 8th seed--which would have Nuggets facing Hornets and Mavs facing off against the Lakers in 1st Round--but doubt that happens.
I can't get on Anthony about what happened. The amount of people who drink and drive and are never caught--I can't come down hard on Anthony for getting caught. It's irresponsisble, it's stupid, and life threatening, but he's no different then millions of others who do this and his pay scale doesn't influence the degree of criticism in my eyes. Hope he learns from this--but how can we all point a finger at him--when we know people who do this type of crap every weekend/some every night and they are not athletes? It's a serious problem, always will be and for the media to give him the degree of crap they have (I'm pointing at ESPN) is so laughable. ESPN waited for 5 years to fire Gary Miller after he urinated on a police officer.
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Apr 15, 2008 11:05:07 GMT -5
The Mavs being in doesn't bother me as much as the Rockets being in. That fluke winning streak gave them more than enough wins.
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Apr 15, 2008 12:52:46 GMT -5
The Mavs being in doesn't bother me as much as the Rockets being in. That fluke winning streak gave them more than enough wins. I'm no fan of the Rockets, but I don't see how you can characterize the second longest winning streak in league history as being a fluke. Even after the streak ended, they held together well enough (without Yao all that time) to still be challenging for the best record in the conference up to the last three days. I think they deserve some credit. Could they do it again? Of course not. But by that measuring rod, every long streak was a fluke, because the team never came close to repeating it.
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Apr 15, 2008 13:27:31 GMT -5
A 22-game winning streak by them is a fluke because IMO, even with Yao, they are no better than the 5th best team in the West. Long streaks like that tend to be achieved by great teams (not necessarily NBA champs, but great nonetheless). I don't consider the Rockets to be great.
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kghoya
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Post by kghoya on Apr 15, 2008 15:05:45 GMT -5
The Mavs being in doesn't bother me as much as the Rockets being in. That fluke winning streak gave them more than enough wins. I'm no fan of the Rockets, but I don't see how you can characterize the second longest winning streak in league history as being a fluke. Even after the streak ended, they held together well enough (without Yao all that time) to still be challenging for the best record in the conference up to the last three days. I think they deserve some credit. Could they do it again? Of course not. But by that measuring rod, every long streak was a fluke, because the team never came close to repeating it. mci's assertion that it was a fluke might be premature...let's see how far they go in the playoffs and compare that to the other teams that had similar such streaks in nba history who knows really...but i would tend to agree with mci...luckily time will tell us whats up
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RDF
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Post by RDF on Apr 15, 2008 17:08:30 GMT -5
If McGrady doesn't get out of First Round this year--he's done as a superstar and should have his "card" as one taken away. His status should be --wimpy sidekick. So we'll get another proclimation from T-Mac--but it's time for him to get the job done--and I don't care if he's got homecourt, is the road dog, whatever--just win a damn playoff series.
Grant Hill got injured last night--that just helped the Suns chances against the Spurs. If he plays--they likely find a way to lose to Spurs--although San Antonio is looking pretty beatable right now--it's just I can't trust anytime that employs Grant Hill to win a Series.
Who wins a Playoff series first--Hill or McGrady? Or is it a trick question and the answer is NEITHER? ;D
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kghoya
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Post by kghoya on Apr 15, 2008 18:37:03 GMT -5
i hope its a trick question
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FewFAC
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Post by FewFAC on Apr 17, 2008 13:34:00 GMT -5
Where is the Grant Hill theory? Talk about a guy who has been riding the coat-tails of being a nice guy. He never wins a Playoff Series with Detroit--yet gets voted to every All Star game as a Starter, he had good talent around him, and he leaves the city and their organization improves. He goes to Orlando--and they stink due to him never being healthy, and he leaves and they are a top 3 seed in East. He goes to Phoenix who is competing for titles the past 3 years and now they are likely a 5-7 seed in West, with chance to again lose in 1st Round of Playoffs. I'd say that is what identifies a player worthy of a "theory" more then Patrick Ewing-but I'm admittedly a biased homer when it comes to Ewing. I guess maybe it's just my perspective--and I think I've read enough of your posts, RDF, to know you're not being ironic, and I think you're a pretty intelligent guy capable of compiling a relatively intelligent argument, so I'll assume this argument was made in relation to some outside input--but I think this argument was a highly compelling pro-Grant Hill argument. I don't disagree about the on-the-court results, but given the state of the modern NBA, why wouldn't an organization want a player who leaves the organization in a better state than when he arrived? In fact, this is one of the only reasons I hoped for a successful post-AI season in Philadelphia, because a less than successful season would have reflected very poorly on AI, even though it would have had nothing to do with him, because then all of the post-mortems would have have found a way to point an accusatory finger. I suppose one could always support the buy high, sell low advocacy of Jordan, et al., but manufacturing reasons to hate Grant Hill seems pretty counterproductive.
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RDF
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Post by RDF on Apr 17, 2008 14:37:17 GMT -5
I don't "hate" any NBA player as a person--I don't know them. This time of year I have to differentiate the criticism of someone as a player and person. Grant Hill seems like an okay guy to me--but that isn't my point. My point is that Bill Simmons has an entire theory around a guy who has been a success--and based on a series/Playoff year he's playing with a torn achilles tendon--and Grant Hill gets lauded by the same guy--for what exactly?
Same with KG--I don't "hate" Kevin Garnett. I just don't like how he's perceived as a player prior to every actually living up to it on the biggest stage. I've seen the guy manned up on defense and pass to the likes of Dean Garrett, Anthony Peeler, Terrell Brandon, Troy Hudson, to decide Playoff games. Unselfish play is great--and when you aren't doubled--you should take your man/go to the hole--instead of being a 7'1 guy who shoots baseline fadeaways or 20 foot face up jumpers. His acclaim as a defender. I've seen KG get worked by Slava Medvedenko in Western Conference Finals--elimination game--with Shaq/Kobe sitting out due to St. Paul's Ken Mauer calling fouls on them which were ridiculous. Mauer is related to Twins Joe Mauer for those interested. Slava took it to KG in the 4th quarter when season is on the line and you are MVP of the league. No--that just can't happen. It did. Film is there for everyone--Game 6 of WCF in '04. Garnett is a fine player--no doubt. I just don't think he's at the level he's hyped to be. He's in a role he has excelled and anyone here would tell you that I've said he's a perfect "sidekick"--so my criticism of him isn't that he stinks--its' that he's overrated as "franchise" player. A Franchise player is different then "face of franchise" which is what so many of today's "superstars" are--be it Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, etc...and why some of them get credit or excuses made for them--it gets tiring.
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FewFAC
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Post by FewFAC on Apr 18, 2008 10:14:00 GMT -5
Hate probably wasn't the right word; otherwise, I completely understand what you're saying and pretty much agree. It's one reason why I try not to get caught up in the regular season so much anymore, though I do think the NBA is pretty compelling. Personally, I don't read much Bill Simmons, so I didn't see the article in question, but I would strongly agree with you re: Ewing.
As for Garnett, I've never been a fan, I've always thought he should have gained some weight/mass and play the five because I don't think he's anything other than serviceable at the 4 with a game more suited to a 3 where he's a significant defensive liability, and not necessarily productive enough offensively to overcome those deficiencies. I think he does a lot of things well, but nothing exemplary, and I will be extremely interested in how he performs this postseason, but doubt I will see anything new that disproves my suspicion that he is a really good player, but not a HOFer, though I bet a championship this season locks up HOF for him.
But in reality, he had to have known that his team last year had no realistic shot, and I've always suspected his play reflected that knowledge, and I can only fault him so much for that because all those years in Minnesota had to be mentally draining. But you're right, I need to see some killer instinct from him this postseason or who he is as a player is forever etched in stone on my memory.
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