Congrats to Lakers, Congrats to Suns

[jagu]

Hard fought series. I'm going to congratulate the Lakers for playing like they care. Kobe was virtually unstoppable, we played about as good as D as you can play on a guy and he still made shot after shot. Odom remained a pain, continued to get "lucky" rebound after "lucky" rebound and in the end won pretty fair and square.

The calls were even. They were better.

We were good too but we still missed some of the key ingredients to get over the hump.

We have some really awesome guys going forward. Dragic had to impress every Suns fan tonight and pretty much the whole season. I have faith that Kerr can make the Suns better. He is pretty smart after all.

Go Suns!!

 

[eastcoastSUN]

Well said. Kobe was unstoppable unless you literally throw a brick in his face. We need someone on this team with that killer mentality; little Stevie can't do it by himself... No more being the 'nice guys' because we all know, in sports, and in life, being nice will lead to getting walked all over.

Congrats to the Lakers team. Their fans on the other hand... ughhh.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

jagu - Classy post. Great series. Hard to put you guys away.

 

[jagu]

The Lakers played hard, they didn't step beyond the lines. I loved Odom's intensity, seriously wished he was coming off the Suns bench, he would have probably made a big difference. Good luck and please WHOOP up the Celtics and their BEAT LA jerseys.

 

[elindholm]

For the record, I have always said Bryant is the best player in the league, better than James. So there.

 

[az1965]

Go Celtics

 

[Renz]

PHX had a hell of a year. Before the season, I figured them to finish between 7-9 in the West with a first round playoff exit. Gentry did a great job.

Greg Popovich (the poster) would mock him as being a "10-year-old girl", but seeing Nash cry after the game made me respect him that much more. How can you not respect a guy who cares that much?

 

[D-Dogg]

The main thing that I come away from this series with is the respect I have for Gentry. I liked him beforehand, I really love the guy right now. He's classy, smart, and a great coach. He coached at Phil's level, and the way he's built that Phoenix bench is a testament to great coaching and belief in his players...

I knew this would be a tough series...I felt this was a tough matchup for the Lakers.

If the Suns keep building a defensive core, they will continue to be a strong team in the West, and Dragic just might be a nice transition from Nash going forward.

Good series...heart attacks..Suns are not a team to ever feel safe having a lead on.

 

[jibikao]

Not good enough. If we lose Game 7, then I say it's a good season ender. Losing Game 6 at home is not good enough.

Excellent championship in sweeping Spurs. Hopefully that continues.

PS: I like Gentry as a coach a lot. Dragic and Dudley are really worth investing in. Frye is still questionable because his first 3 games were probably one of the worst 1/20 shooting?! We kept digging holes for ourselves to climb out. That's not how you beat Lakers. Yes, Frye got more rebounds in the past two games but it only looks great when you compare to Amare's 4-5 rebounds per game at power forward.

 

[jibikao]

Go Celtics

F*uck Celtics. Those people were chanting "Beat L.A" even before this series ends.

 

[az1965]

F*uck Celtics. .

Yeah, that too... but I still hate Lakers more. Celtics are not our rivals.

 

[Chaplin]

You know, I have always maintained that Kobe is a better player than Lebron. Maybe not as marketable anymore, but certainly better on the court.

That said, I can't congratulate the Lakers. I hate them too much and I know that come Tuesday, I'll have to hear all the immature Laker fans gloating to me about the win.

This coming Finals, like most of them lately, is one of those classic "I wish both teams could lose" deals. Congrats to the Suns, definitely. But screw the Lakers.

 

[Michael]

I'm with Chaplin on this ('Screw the Lakers') one but hope for KG and Allen to win. I don't care what team they play for as these two are in a similar class of classy athletes as Nash and Hill. ...ok, I would care if they'd be on the Lakers' squad.

As for LA, think about it for a second: Without that gift from Memphis, they would have lost crying Kobe in the off-season of 200? instead of having made the Finals three straight times (again). This franchise is just more lucky than anything! Shaq hired there because, well, he is Shaq and has a big ego that just longed for LA.
After being swept a number of years, Shaq and Kobe finally found a way to achieve a title despite their massive egos.
Still, without Portland's inconceivable fourth quarter let down and the fixed Game 6 against Sacramento, we wouldn't even remember a three-peat. Instead, we would remember that team as biggest underachievers of all time.

It was amazing when the Celtics blew them off the court in 2008, and the pressure is on LA this year. If they lose, everybody will just say: 'Oh well,... if KG hadn't been injured in 2009...'

 

[D-Dogg]

KG ... classy athlete

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[Michael]

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So what? It's not like a hidden elbow or a Bowen-like foot under the landing shooter. He's a fighter but never disrespectful or arrogant. He still has the same love for the game as 15 years ago. KG completely changes a team. He is almost a taller, more skilled version of Dudley. Energy, hustle, teamwork, fighting spirit, defense.

And regarding that video, if Gasol would stand up to a guy like Howard instead of just crying to the refs, you would applaud him, right?

 

[Brian in Mesa]

And regarding that video, if Gasol would stand up to a guy like Howard instead of just crying to the refs, you would applaud him, right?

Sure looked like Howard looked to the refs to make a call on KG...how is that standing up to a guy?

 

[AzStevenCal]

So what? It's not like a hidden elbow or a Bowen-like foot under the landing shooter. He's a fighter but never disrespectful or arrogant. He still has the same love for the game as 15 years ago. KG completely changes a team. He is almost a taller, more skilled version of Dudley. Energy, hustle, teamwork, fighting spirit, defense.

I just don't get this. There is no more arrogant or disrespectful player in the game the past few years than Kevin Garnett. He's more like a taller more skilled more disrespectful more arrogant more physical version of Derek Fisher. The Garnett of 12 years ago had my respect, this version doesn't. Oh, and he while he doesn't do the Bowen foot-slide, he uses his elbows quite well.

Steve

 

[D-Dogg]

So what? It's not like a hidden elbow or a Bowen-like foot under the landing shooter. He's a fighter but never disrespectful or arrogant. He still has the same love for the game as 15 years ago. KG completely changes a team. He is almost a taller, more skilled version of Dudley. Energy, hustle, teamwork, fighting spirit, defense.

And regarding that video, if Gasol would stand up to a guy like Howard instead of just crying to the refs, you would applaud him, right?

Wow, just wow. Unless you are a Celtic fan, I can't see anyone defending that video. KG should be suspended for throwing a closed fist, twice. However, he won't even be fined. Same thing happened in 2008, he commits a suspendable act in a game and doesn't even get a slap on the wrist for it. At least this time he got a personal foul called on him.

 

[AfroSuns]

Lakers was definitely the better team no contest. Dont care who wins the final, just hope the Suns can do it before Nash and Hill retires, they are classy guys.

 

[Renz]

I just don't get this. There is no more arrogant or disrespectful player in the game the past few years than Kevin Garnett. He's more like a taller more skilled more disrespectful more arrogant more physical version of Derek Fisher. The Garnett of 12 years ago had my respect, this version doesn't. Oh, and he while he doesn't do the Bowen foot-slide, he uses his elbows quite well.

Steve

This. Garnett is a complete tool. And also quite articulate.

 

[Michael]

I guess we just have to disagree about KG, then.

About the video, however, I don't know what happened before, and surely nobody would just hammer another player's arm after the first touch.
So I must assume that Howard hasn't been playing by the rules for a while before that incident. KG could have cried 'Ref! Ref! Ref!' or tell Howard in no uncertain terms that he won't take that from anybody.

Anyway, that's just a fan's perspective and I am not blind behind my rose-colored glasses. If Howard would have been Lopez, I'd probably see things differently.
I'm sure you Lakers fans admire Fisher for his defense on the screens while we Suns fans will see a determined attempt to blow out Amar'e's knee.
I'm sure most Lakers and Suns fans have different views on Raja Bell's closeline, too.

 

[Errntknght]

Much as it pains me, I have to congratulate the Lakers on a well earned victory in the series. (Special props to Artest, who stepped up big after mouthing off about the Suns - in retrospect, I guess Nash should have kept his mouth shut...)

Big congrats to the Suns, too... except for Amare. I've had it with him and his prima donna ways.

 

[Bufalay]

Props to the Lakers for getting Gasol and Fisher via avenues which are not available to other teams, as well as signing a front running former all star, very shrewd.

 

[Bufalay]

Why is anyone sticking up for either side in this battle of the two least likable teams in the NBA?