2009 NBA Playoffs

[HD MM]

ONE KING......... ONE GOAL........ ONE MVP............ #23!

Wow! What a performance Flight 23 had tonight. An MVP performance by all accounts. 47 pts, 12 reb, 8 ast. He was absolutely un-guardable tonight.

Tonight was clearly Atlanta's strongest effort. The Hawks had the crowd behind them and they went on several runs to keep it close for the majority of the game. Yet, it still wasn't enough. Huge win by the Cavs.

Game 4 and possible series clinching game is on Monday Night.

 

[HD MM]

That was a bad call, but two other things I look at from the game:

1. Even if they call the foul, Carmelo would have shot free-throws, and he's very good at that- overtime, perhaps?

2. Dallas had chances to close it out- if Dirk hits that shot with 8 seconds left, then they likely get the win. If they hit a few late shots or played better defense on Denver, who knows?

1. Actually the Mavs still had one foul to give. All this meant was that the Nuggets would've got to inbound the ball again. A foul at this point wasn't an automatic trip to the foul-line.

2. I agree with you that Dallas shouldn't have let this game be so close where a questionable call could cost them the game. Denver hung in there and kept it close down the stretch. Give them credit. BTW, did you see Mark Cuban flipping out?

 

[HD MM]

ONE KING......... ONE GOAL........ ONE MVP............ #23!

Wow! What a performance Flight 23 had tonight. An MVP performance by all accounts. 47 pts, 12 reb, 8 ast. He was absolutely un-guardable tonight.

Tonight was clearly Atlanta's strongest effort. The Hawks had the crowd behind them and they went on several runs to keep it close for the majority of the game. Yet, it still wasn't enough. Huge win by the Cavs.

Game 4 and possible series clinching game is on Monday Night.

Interesting stat from ESPN...

-LeBron joined Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA postseason history with 45-10-8 in a playoff game.

-The Cavaliers improved to 7-0 in the playoffs, becoming the only team in NBA history to win each of its first seven games to start the playoffs by 10 or more points.

 

[anders5189]

It was a missed call an the NBA has already admitted the mistake. With that said, the opposing defender can not stop defending until he hears the whistle. If he continues to guard, Carmello doesn't have an open look at the 3-pointer.

You're right and in hindsight the defender should have rushed at Anthony when he lost the ball and had to retreive it. A foul at halfcourt would be hard to miss and no chance of Carmelo turning it into a shooting foul from out there. Still the fact that the ref blew the call and Dallas lost makes you wonder if Tim Donaghy was alone in fixing games.

 

[kstuart]

It seems to me that everyone is forgetting the actual rules:

Incidental contact with the hand against an offensive player shall be ignored if it does not affect the player's speed, quickness, balance and/or rhythm

People are so used to the idea of an "intentional foul" that they forget that a "foul" is an offense that is considered to require punishment against the offender. To instead punish the victim is nonsensical - " you have committed something that requires punishment, so your punishment is to be awarded victory in the game " - that would be ludicrous.

 

[BillD1984]

Sunday's Playoff Schedule- All times Eastern

LA Lakers at Houston - Game 4 (Lakers lead series 2-1)- 3:30 PM [ABC(HD)]

Boston at Orlando- Game 4 (Magic lead series 2-1)- 8:00 PM [TNT(HD)]

 

[Paul Wozniak]

I've got the brats on the grill and the beer will be flowing shortly.

It's almost time to PARTY!

P...... A....... R...... T...... Why, because I gotta!!!!!!! @party

You shouldn't grill your children. Society frowns on the consumption of one's young.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Stick a fork in Houston. Yao Ming is out for the rest of the playoffs with a broken foot. Not that I thought they even had a chance, anyhow.

 

[BillD1984]

Stick a fork in Houston. Yao Ming is out for the rest of the playoffs with a broken foot. Not that I thought they even had a chance, anyhow.

Exactly! Denver is the only team standing between a Cavs/Lakers and LeBron/Kobe Finals.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

The only question I have is whether Cleveland will lose a game in route to the NBA finals.

Fo, fo, fo.

 

[anders5189]

It seems to me that everyone is forgetting the actual rules:



People are so used to the idea of an "intentional foul" that they forget that a "foul" is an offense that is considered to require punishment against the offender. To instead punish the victim is nonsensical - " you have committed something that requires punishment, so your punishment is to be awarded victory in the game " - that would be ludicrous.

Well if Carmelo had missed that shot the Nuggets would be the ones complaining about the no call saying it caused him to miss. Either way it was a horrible mistake.

 

[SabresRule]

The Rockets are really putting the Lakers to the woodshed!

This series is up for grabs- these Rockets are REALLY playing scary good without Yao.

 

[BillD1984]

The Rockets are really putting the Lakers to the woodshed!

This series is up for grabs- these Rockets are REALLY playing scary good without Yao.

I don't know about that, BUT I certainly think you were on to something with Denver POSSIBILY beating the Lakers in the WCF (I'm still on record for a Cavs-Lakers Finals, but I would no longer be surprised if the Nuggets get there).

 

[BillD1984]

End of 3: Celtics 79, Magic 71

C's trying to send the series back to Boston tied at 2.

 

[SabresRule]

Celtics survive on a buzzer-beater and avoid a 3-1 deficit.

If you check the dictionairy, there should be a picture of these playoff Celtics under the word "resilient."

Rudy Tomjanovich once said "Never underestimate the heart of a champion." These C's are the modern epitome of that phrase.

This is also similar to the 1987 Celtics- defending champs, banged up, but keep finding ways to win in spite of the odds.

 

[SabresRule]

When you look at the Bulls series, their near-comeback in game 1, and the finish to this game, I've got a nickname that would fit this team:

The Cardiac Celtics.

 

[BillD1984]

Big Baby, baby!!!


Ho-hum, now it's on to the Red Sox!

 

[anders5189]

When you look at the Bulls series, their near-comeback in game 1, and the finish to this game, I've got a nickname that would fit this team:

The Cardiac Celtics.

Celtic Pride used to be the phrase that captured it until Dan Ankroyd ruined it with a lame movie by the same title.

 

[milehighmike]

People are so used to the idea of an "intentional foul" that they forget that a "foul" is an offense that is considered to require punishment against the offender. To instead punish the victim is nonsensical - " you have committed something that requires punishment, so your punishment is to be awarded victory in the game " - that would be ludicrous.

You express my sentiments exactly. The NBA needs to change its rules so that this intentional foul concept goes bye-bye. I propose this rule change. If a defensive foul is commited before the defensive team has commited enough fouls to mandate free throws, with less than 10 seconds remaining in the game, the offensive team is awared two free throws if the foul is commited inside of the three point line and three free throws outside of the three point line, provided the score differential is 3 points or less.

This concept of commiting an infraction to secure an advantage, and ultimately a victory, needs to go away.

 

[salsadancer7]

Celtics survive on a buzzer-beater and avoid a 3-1 deficit.

If you check the dictionairy, there should be a picture of these playoff Celtics under the word "resilient."

Rudy Tomjanovich once said "Never underestimate the heart of a champion." These C's are the modern epitome of that phrase.

This is also similar to the 1987 Celtics- defending champs, banged up, but keep finding ways to win in spite of the odds.

The same could be said about the Houston Rockets. They could have easily folded, but they actually DOMINATED the Lakers yesterday and the score does not indicate just how bad the Lakers were beaten. And Phil Jackson was TOTALLY out-coached....I mean does anyone PLAN on guarding Battier??!! AT ALL??!! I mean really....