2011 NBA Playoffs Thread

[Covert Rain]

you figure he gets one more year in NY and then he's blown outta there and then what does he do? does he stick in the league? i mean, if Paul Westphaul can keep getting jobs, DA can probably keep failing as well.

Westphaul did have the courtesy to leave the league for a time. I am hoping D'Anotoni has that much class.

 

[desertdawg]

Damn they talking on ESPN like it wasn't just an ankle sprain. I hope Kobe is good to go, this is a good battle between these two teams right now.

 

[Cheesewater]

Mavs, Spurs, Lakers all lose.

Nice weekend.

 

[desertdawg]

Mavs, Spurs, Lakers all lose.

Nice weekend.

That is pretty sweet.

 

[Michael]

What's wrong with the Mavs? I always enjoyed the battles we had with them in the past. Intense and beautiful, entertaining basketball and fair play.

Nowitzki is a class act, and I'm happy for Marion and Kidd whom I both liked in Phoenix.

 

[D-Dogg]

did anyone else here see DA running his mouth about Rondo?

http://eye-on-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22748484/28788496

I mean, holy cow Mike. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black... how's your "system" doing with Nash. What a freaking joke.

I've been waiting for the NY Media to jump all over Pringles - he's so cocky he'll start a war with them and it will be glorious to watch.

 

[Cheesewater]

What's wrong with the Mavs? I always enjoyed the battles we had with them in the past. Intense and beautiful, entertaining basketball and fair play.

Nowitzki is a class act, and I'm happy for Marion and Kidd whom I both liked in Phoenix.

I like Shawn Marion. That's about it.

I've always disliked the Mavericks. I hated Derek Harper. Jason Terry is a Top Five Punk. Jose Juan Barea is following in his footsteps. I don't like Dirk Nowitzki. Every time I actually wanted them to beat someone, they'd choke. That's key here, because I want a team to advance that I think could actually beat teams I REALLY hate like the Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, etc... Mavs would just choke that away.

 

[Mulli]

I like Shawn Marion. That's about it.

I've always disliked the Mavericks. I hated Derek Harper. Jason Terry is a Top Five Punk. Jose Juan Barea is following in his footsteps. I don't like Dirk Nowitzki. Every time I actually wanted them to beat someone, they'd choke. That's key here, because I want a team to advance that I think could actually beat teams I REALLY hate like the Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, etc... Mavs would just choke that away.

Brandon Roy scored at will on Marion in the parts I watched.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Brandon Roy scored at will on Marion in the parts I watched.

i couldn't for the life of me understand Marion's defense in the fourth quarter, especially at the end of the game. He was literally just giving Roy his right hand... RIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE.

I mean... it was some of the worst defense I've ever seen in my life... and that's saying something as a Suns fan!

 

[Mulli]

i couldn't for the life of me understand Marion's defense in the fourth quarter, especially at the end of the game. He was literally just giving Roy his right hand... RIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE.

I mean... it was some of the worst defense I've ever seen in my life... and that's saying something as a Suns fan!

Everyone knows Marion is a PF.

/D'Antoni

 

[Cheesewater]

Brandon Roy scored at will on Marion in the parts I watched.

True enough.

I like Shawn Marion, though.

 

[Mulli]

True enough.

I like Shawn Marion, though.

I know what you are saying.

 

[Cheesewater]

i couldn't for the life of me understand Marion's defense in the fourth quarter, especially at the end of the game. He was literally just giving Roy his right hand... RIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE.

I mean... it was some of the worst defense I've ever seen in my life... and that's saying something as a Suns fan!

I saw that, too. I wonder if there was supposed to be some rotation on a few of those occasions. Help that never came. The Mavericks host quite a few mental midgets in terms of basketball smarts.

 

[Lorenzo]

What's wrong with the Mavs? I always enjoyed the battles we had with them in the past. Intense and beautiful, entertaining basketball and fair play.

Nowitzki is a class act, and I'm happy for Marion and Kidd whom I both liked in Phoenix.

they can't score right now. dirk is the only guy on that team that can create his own offense. the blazers are a tough matchup for them defensively, but outside of dirk...they can't score unless it is a wideopen jumpshot. and we all know those looks aren't as common in the playoffs.

Honestly that loss was the worse playoff loss I've ever seen. Worse than game 3 of the finals. that was understandable in miami.... but 23 points against portland? All they had to do was score or get stops..(half heartedly) but they did everything wrong.

Nothing really went their way at either end of the court. they really need to just throw it to dirk on every possession in the 4th quarter. that's really the only bonus they have vs. portland in the halfcourt set.

 

[Lorenzo]

I saw that, too. I wonder if there was supposed to be some rotation on a few of those occasions. Help that never came. The Mavericks host quite a few mental midgets in terms of basketball smarts.

marion has been a no show in this series offensively, but that last game he played very well. roy just hit some tough shots. he even got a lucky bank shot. dallas should have trapped the ball out of his hands because overall there was a lid on the basket for the blazers. outside of roy they had nothing in that game. that and I don't understand why they didn't pound it to dirk down the stretch at all? they took jumpshots? It was like they went inside to dirk twice and he got a charge foul and a turnover and they never went back. he can get to the line at the least.

 

[Lorenzo]

I like Shawn Marion. That's about it.

I've always disliked the Mavericks. I hated Derek Harper. Jason Terry is a Top Five Punk. Jose Juan Barea is following in his footsteps. I don't like Dirk Nowitzki. Every time I actually wanted them to beat someone, they'd choke. That's key here, because I want a team to advance that I think could actually beat teams I REALLY hate like the Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, etc... Mavs would just choke that away.

jason terry has too much pressure on him. they brought him here initially to be a sixth man when finley and stackhouse were on the team. they actually had a real 2 guard on the roster then. In these instances terry was a huge asset when he was the 3rd or 4th option. If he was hot he got mins, but if he was off he sat in favor of someone else. Since those guys left they have made terry the 2 guard and dirk's lone sidekick by default. It is a nightmare matchup defensively for dallas. Every night they get beat down by the opposition at the other end. Every few games or so terry gets hot for a minute and it works. but it is a liability now. they need to lose terry or get a real 2 guard. too bad butler is out. he helped some at that position at times. For the last 4 years I have been wanting terry to leave or have his role diminished. I know that he is a fan favorite in dallas, but I think it might be best just to let him go and bring in a (solid) shooting guard.


Outside of that..i don't know why someone wouldn't like dirk. he is a likable guy, very humble off the court, and he is very unique. It is unfortunate that all these years he hasn't won a title, but that's ok. it doesn't take away from the player and person that he is. he is reliable and consistent and has done what roy did once in the playoffs...many times in the playoffs. yet the notion is that he chokes.

 

[Lorenzo]

ugly start so far. it looks like dallas is trying to attack early on. hopefully chandler won't get in foul trouble. some tick tack calls have really taken him out of this series.

 

[Lorenzo]

poor offensive foul calls by the ref. they are rewarding flops by kidd and camby. both chandler and batune(sp) get screwed for being aggressive in the paint. maybe they were both out of the restricted area, but I don't think they were set before the guy made his move to the basket..

 

[Cheesebeef]

ugly start so far. it looks like dallas is trying to attack early on. hopefully chandler won't get in foul trouble. some tick tack calls have really taken him out of this series.

the shame of it all with Dirk is really, for the majority of his career as a superstar, he's been completely side-kick-less. He's an A player with a bunch of Bs... and most them, past their prime Bs, or never were Bs.

Save for Nash, he's never had anyone on that level and he's been without that for the last 7 years.

I mean, you somehow put Chris Paul on that Mavs team right now and they're a legit contender in the playoffs. hell, probably even a Deron Williams. But Cuban's money is both a blessing and a curse. he has so much of it that he's willing to freely spend, and that gives the Mavs A LOT of depth... problem is there's only one superstar on top of that depth and Dirk's really the only one who can create for himself or others. kidd can't do that in the half-court. never has, never will.

 

[Cheesewater]

jason terry has too much pressure on him. they brought him here initially to be a sixth man when finley and stackhouse were on the team. they actually had a real 2 guard on the roster then. In these instances terry was a huge asset when he was the 3rd or 4th option. If he was hot he got mins, but if he was off he sat in favor of someone else. Since those guys left they have made terry the 2 guard and dirk's lone sidekick by default. It is a nightmare matchup defensively for dallas. Every night they get beat down by the opposition at the other end. Every few games or so terry gets hot for a minute and it works. but it is a liability now. they need to lose terry or get a real 2 guard. too bad butler is out. he helped some at that position at times. For the last 4 years I have been wanting terry to leave or have his role diminished. I know that he is a fan favorite in dallas, but I think it might be best just to let him go and bring in a (solid) shooting guard.

That's interesting stuff. Good post. Terry's still a punk though.

Outside of that..i don't know why someone wouldn't like dirk. he is a likable guy, very humble off the court, and he is very unique. It is unfortunate that all these years he hasn't won a title, but that's ok. it doesn't take away from the player and person that he is. he is reliable and consistent and has done what roy did once in the playoffs...many times in the playoffs. yet the notion is that he chokes.

I don't like or dislike a player based on whether he is good or not. I know that puts me in the minority... I base my opinion on HOW a player plays the game and what little the player may say publicly.

So, if you appear to be a constant whiner...that's a point against you. If you throw hissy fits toward your teammates, coaches, opponents...that's another point. If you demonstrably support your teammates...that's a point for you. If you woof and thump your chest like a clown, especially at unwarranted times, that's a point against. If you've got a sense of humor...big point for you. If you've got all the personality of a rotten egg...point against you. If you disrespect the game, if you think you are better than you are...major points against you. These are the things that shape my point of view on players.

I don't hate Dirk. But I don't like him. I'm at a minor disadvantage in that I don't live in Texas so I don't see much off the court stuff. I don't live in Phoenix, either though...

 

[Lorenzo]

the shame of it all with Dirk is really, for the majority of his career as a superstar, he's been completely side-kick-less. He's an A player with a bunch of Bs... and most them, past their prime Bs, or never were Bs.

Save for Nash, he's never had anyone on that level and he's been without that for the last 7 years.

I mean, you somehow put Chris Paul on that Mavs team right now and they're a legit contender in the playoffs. hell, probably even a Deron Williams. But Cuban's money is both a blessing and a curse. he has so much of it that he's willing to freely spend, and that gives the Mavs A LOT of depth... problem is there's only one superstar on top of that depth and Dirk's really the only one who can create for himself or others. kidd can't do that in the half-court. never has, never will.

yeah kidd can't shoot off the dribble like nash and paul can. other than that I love kidd. he is probably the second best player on this team at age 38 lol. the problem is they ask too much of kidd. they expect him to defend the 1, 2, and 3 on every night because of terry's defensive liability and it is too much. i mean did you see kidd guarding kobe and artest in that laker game a couple of weeks ago? and it is all because they don't have a real 2 guard and give terry free reigns to do whatever he wants.

but I agree with you about cuban. he has done a great job of adding pieces every year, but since nash left he has never brought in a real star to help dirk.

 

[Cheesewater]

Is it me or is the Memphis PA announcer the most annoying currently working in an NBA arena?

 

[Lorenzo]

terrible finish to the quarter by dallas. as soon as they sat kidd and chandler they tanked defensively. seriously rick carlile is on crack if he is going to play terry and barea at the same time trying to guard roy and miller. that is what lost the series vs the spurs last year. it is terrible to watch that defense. those two can't even score on a 2 on 1 fast break either when they stop to shoot a jumper? what is that? these guards suck.

3 straight mins with no score...7 turnovers...and carlise stays with barea and terry at the same time.

 

[Lorenzo]

Is it me or is the Memphis PA announcer the most annoying currently working in an NBA arena?

yes they have always had that....

 

[Cheesewater]

Personal fouls:
Portland 8
Dallas 2

FT
Dallas 10
Portland 1

Welcome to Dallas....