2009 NBA Playoffs

[HD MM]

Barkley Says What?!

For those of you who watched the TNT postgame show last night, did any of you find it a bit fishy when Charles Barkley tried to make a case for the Magic?

Look, I'm not trying to be brash, but I just find in comical that TNT also happens to be broadcasting the entire Eastern Conference Finals. It’s in their best interest to get as many viewers as possible. Telling potential viewers that the underdog has no shot, doesn’t help their cause. Kenny Smith and Chris Webber could barely contain themselves when Barkley picked Orlando. They know the truth.

“But Charles, we were in the building when he went off for 45 in the last 25! We were in the building!" -K. Smith

How soon they forget.

It’s easy to watch Orlando beat up on Boston in Boston and 20 minutes later state that they’re better than the Cavs. Orlando is fresh in their minds. So they forget that Orlando has already lost twice at home this playoff season, once to Philadelphia?! They forget that the Cavs are 8-0 with eight double digit victories.

In LeBron We Trust! Go Cavs! Gawd, it's been a long layoff! Will Wednesday get here already!!!!!!!!

 

[salsadancer7]

What's with these hypotheticals? Why should I have to make an excuse for picking Cleveland just because they also happen to be my hometown team?

It's not my fault they might be the better team. They have the body of work and the best player in the world to prove it. To all the doubters, including yourself, I guess we still have a ways to go to prove it to you and that's fine with me.

After all, that's why they play the games. May the best team win.

Oh.....it has NOTHING to do with YOU picking the team....that was expected. But the whole, "how dare you not be like everyone else and pick the Cavs" thing that gets tiresome. Really.....it does. YES....they are THE best team this season. YES...they have THE best player in the world. But can we wait a little bit till they DO win the NBA championship before you guys annoint them the greatest since the LAST NBA Champion to ever play the game....can you, really? Seriously?

I pick the Orlando Magic to win because they have MORE match-up problems than Orlando has with Cleveland. THAT is MY opinion. You either agree or disagree....period.

 

[HD MM]

I pick the Orlando Magic to win because they have MORE match-up problems than Orlando has with Cleveland. THAT is MY opinion. You either agree or disagree....period.

I disagree, greatly! But I think you already know that.

Q: In the final minutes of a close game, who do you want to have the ball on each team? LeBron on the Cavs, right? Now, who do you trust to take the final shot for the Magic? Do they even HAVE a go-to-guy? Sorry, but come crunch time, no one on Orlando scares me. To me, that's the ultimate difference between the two teams.

 

[salsadancer7]

I disagree, greatly! But I think you already know that.

Q: In the final minutes of a close game, who do you want to have the ball on each team? LeBron on the Cavs, right? Now, who do you trust to take the final shot for the Magic? Do they even HAVE a go-to-guy? Sorry, but come crunch time, no one on Orlando scares me. To me, that's the ultimate difference between the two teams.

Then you don't disagree greatly. The LAST sentence said it all. That statement said the only advantage Cleveland has is Lebron.....period.

And as far as your question....The teams TRY to AVOID getting down to that. Orlando will play to AVOID having Lebron take the last chance. I think I will take Dwight Howard waiting for you around 5-15 feet from then basket.

 

[HD MM]

Then you don't disagree greatly. The LAST sentence said it all. That statement said the only advantage Cleveland has is Lebron.....period.

And as far as your question....The teams TRY to AVOID getting down to that. Orlando will play to AVOID having Lebron take the last chance. I think I will take Dwight Howard waiting for you around 5-15 feet from then basket.

Errrrrr. Bzzzzzz. Wrong. Strike 3, your out!

Please don't try and spin my words. I said "ultimate deciding factor". There are other factors I considered that favor Cleveland as I've previously stated. This one however is the biggest X-Factor and should tip the scale in favor of the Cavs.

As for Howard, do you really want to give it to him to decide the game? If it came down to it, we could send him to the line where he is about 50%.

Seriously though, you seem to think this series will be close. Do you honestly think the Magic will blow the Cavs out, or do you recognize the fact that there will be a few games that will come down to crunch time. If so, you can't honestly take Howard over LeBron in that scenario. Howard has never been considered a closer. LeBron has.

 

[salsadancer7]

Errrrrr. Bzzzzzz. Wrong. Strike 3, your out!

Please don't try and spin my words. I said "ultimate deciding factor". There are other factors I considered that favor Cleveland as I've previously stated. This one however is the biggest X-Factor and should tip the scale in favor of the Cavs.

As for Howard, do you really want to give it to him to decide the game? If it came down to it, we could send him to the line where he is about 50%.

Seriously though, you seem to think this series will be close. Do you honestly think the Magic will blow the Cavs out, or do you recognize the fact that there will be a few games that will come down to crunch time. If so, you can't honestly take Howard over LeBron in that scenario. Howard has never been considered a closer. LeBron has.

I will take Dwight DEFENDING the basket waiting for Lebron. I think the series will be very close. I think THE ONLY X factor IS Lebron. You have your match-ups mixed up. Read my reasons again. ESPECIALLY the WHY Lebron will be covering Hedu and NOT Rashard.

 

[Rey]

Please change your dictionary....if they can't spell it right, it isn't very reliable!!!...

LMAO!!!:haha:haha

 

[Rey]

Am I missing something?

Why is Orlando all of a sudden a sexy pick????

They struggled against a Sixers team that limped into the playoffs, and struggled even more against a Celtics team that was ravaged by injuries (I'm in NO WAY making that an excuse, the Magic are the better team and the better team won).

OTOH, you have the Cavs who have hardly broken a sweat in their two series.

Okay, maybe the Magic win a few of the individual matchups, but the best player on the floor (by a widdddddddddddddde margin) is LeBron. And BTW, LeBron's supporting cast isn't exactly chopped liver.


Cavs in 5

i think they're basing this on what happened between these two when they met during the regular season. means nothing in the playoffs. i have the cavs in 6 games. this will be their toughest challenge yet which they shall pass

 

[SabresRule]

My conference final predictions:

Cavs in 5- They're more rested, they're on a mission, they have better players- but don't forget another factor- revenge. Cleveland was embarassed the last time they played in Orlando- you can bet that'll be on their minds. Also, if Orlando's shots don't fall, things can get ugly.

Lakers in 7- I was going to say Denver in 6, but the way L.A. played defense yesterday makes me feel a bit more nervous. Both teams match up well in what is the best West Final in years- we've had some duds in recent years (five games last year and the year before). Denver can win, but it'll be tough- the biggest key is if one team or the other can steal a game on the road. If Denver or L.A. steals one on the other team's court, that could be VERY crucial.

 

[Mr Tony]

The WWE is taking on the NBA
WWE: Inside WWE > News > WWE vs. NBA

World Wrestling Entertainment’s live, internationally televised broadcast, WWE Monday Night Raw (USA Network, 9:00 PM ET) to take place at the Pepsi Center in Denver next Monday, May 25 is in jeopardy of being cancelled by the Denver Nuggets. WWE and the Denver Nuggets are currently at an impasse in resolving a scheduling debacle by the team and the Pepsi Center. A sell-out crowd is expected to attend the WWE show at the same time the Denver Nuggets are slated to square off against the Los Angeles Lakers for Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference Finals. WWE has held the May 25 date with the Pepsi Center since Aug. 15, 2008.

“Even though the Denver Nuggets had a strong team this year and were projected to make the playoffs, obviously Nuggets and Pepsi Center owner Stan Kroenke did not have enough faith in his own team to hold the May 25 date for a potential playoff game,” said WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.

whoops....talking about a major blunder by double boking the arena. Vince's line is classic

 

[anders5189]

The WWE is taking on the NBA
WWE: Inside WWE > News > WWE vs. NBA



whoops....talking about a major blunder by double boking the arena. Vince's line is classic

Vince is a prick. There should be a clause in the contract that gives sports the priority over acting.

 

[Mr Tony]

I could see Vince not budging (he is a mean old bastard) and getting his way...something like a Tuesday night so he can host RAW and not have to pay a penny to rent it due to "an inconvenience"

 

[BillD1984]

The WWE is taking on the NBA
WWE: Inside WWE > News > WWE vs. NBA



whoops....talking about a major blunder by double boking the arena. Vince's line is classic

I just read this on ESPN's bottom line and I was LMAO!!!

I would love to see Cena or HHH body slam Kobe! :up

 

[Mr Tony]

ESPN article

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are scheduled to be at the Pepsi Center in Denver next Monday night.

Problem is, so are John Cena and a bunch of wrestlers -- and they called it first.

World Wrestling Entertainment said it is booked at the arena for an episode of Monday Night Raw, the same night the Nuggets are slated to host the Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

WWE chairman Vince McMahon told The Associated Press he doesn't believe there was "any malice, just ineptness," on the part of Kroenke Sports, which owns the team and the building, but can't tolerate the company "just simply throwing us out on our ear."

Without a quick resolution, McMahon plans to send his trucks to Denver.

"That's what we intend to do," he said. "We're going to show up."

Pepsi Center officials told the ABC television affiliate in Denver that the Nuggets game will be played as scheduled and that they are working with the WWE to reschedule or move its event.

Paul Andrews, executive vice president of Kroenke Sports Enterprises, issued a statement Monday night concerning the scheduling conflict, saying: "We are working with the WWE to resolve the situation amicably."

WWE spokesman Robert Zimmerman said the organization secured the Pepsi Center last Aug. 15 and has already sold more than 10,000 tickets for the event. He says the organization expects a sellout, with tickets ranging from $20 to $70.

McMahon blamed Kroenke for not believing his team was good enough to still be playing in mid-May.

"The fans in Denver had a lot more faith in making the playoffs than the owner," he said in a phone interview from Louisville, where Raw was taking place later Monday night.

Denver is usually done with basketball by now. The Nuggets had lost in the first round five straight years, but as the No. 2 seed in the West are in the conference finals for the first time since 1985.

The league, which handles scheduling during the playoffs, is leaving it up to the team and the WWE to figure things out.

"The Nuggets and the WWE understand that the date of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals cannot be changed," NBA senior vice president Mike Bass said. "We are confident that the Pepsi Center and the WWE will resolve their scheduling conflict."

Zimmerman said the Pepsi Center confirmed in March with the WWE that the organization wanted to keep the May 25 date, and sent a contract on April 15 -- the final night of the regular season -- which WWE signed and returned. Tickets went on sale April 11.

The conflict didn't arise until Sunday, when the Lakers beat the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. Had the Rockets won, Denver would have had home-court advantage in the next round, hosting Games 1 and 2 and putting the May 25 game in Houston.

As of Monday afternoon, the schedule on the Pepsi Center's Web site listed WWE for 6:30 p.m. local time and Western Conference finals Game 4 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the wrestling event could still be purchased online.

McMahon said he couldn't guess how much he would make from the show, but that canceling wasn't easy because of how much is involved in moving his equipment, plus filling its obligated time slot on USA Network. Litigation is likely -- but he plans to be putting on a card.

"When you do have a date, you plan everything around it," he said, adding, "we may be holding an event in a parking lot somewhere."

 

[The Insider]

Sounds like the Nuggets owners made a mistake and they will be paying the WWE a lot of money to cover the costs of moving this event. Or perhaps the Nuggets will play at a local high school?

 

[The Insider]

Vince is a prick. There should be a clause in the contract that gives sports the priority over acting.

Your right it is an act. But they are by far some of the best atheletes in the world. Id love to see these NBA guys play with some of the injuries these wrestlers do with. You sprain a finger you sit out in the NBA.....

 

[salsadancer7]

i think they're basing this on what happened between these two when they met during the regular season. means nothing in the playoffs. i have the cavs in 6 games. this will be their toughest challenge yet which they shall pass

It would be a sexy pick if I was NOT the ONLY person picking them. I have my reasons why I think they will beat Cleveland....and I pointed them out clearly. Hell, even Cavs fans HATED the fact that they were NOT facing a depleted Celtics team...don't let this stuff about 'I wish we were beating the champs to get there' fool ya...you want your team to get to the Finals the easiest way possible. I base NOTHING on the regular season when playoff time comes around....whole different set of circumstances there.

 

[salsadancer7]

Vince is a prick. There should be a clause in the contract that gives sports the priority over acting.

It's business. The ownership of the Denver Nuggests screwed up and now he is gonna pay because they had a chance to CHANGE at last month and they didn't.
I am sure that the ownership COULD HAVE put that clasue in there....but again, Vince could be right....maybe he DIDN'T think his team would make it that far....LMAO!

 

[Rey]

no one likes denver lets say in 7 games?

 

[salsadancer7]

no one likes denver lets say in 7 games?

I HATE the Lakers.....and I DO like Carmelo Anthony due to his Syracuse ties....but I really do not like that moron Kenyon Martin so much that it almost nullifies my like for Carmelo....weird huh? LOL!

I would like Denver to win because I like new blood in the finals....but I think the Lakers are a better team.

Lakers in 7.