On June 15 2010 05:20 igotmyown wrote: Ray Allen's child was sick... just like when he slumped in the playoffs in 2008.
And Bynum's knee, just goes to show you that feeling your knee give (a la Paul Pierce) is never something you should take lightly.
And when is Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson going to make the adjustments to open up the paint? Wasn't he supposed to have solved this issue Oklahoma game 6?
Playing against Oklahoma defense and playing against the Celtics defense are two entirely different things. The C's work hard as hell to deny good position and good passes to players in the paint.
I started this series pretty neutral: I thought the Celtics run through the playoffs showed a lot of heart and was very enjoyable (especially watching them cut down LeBron and Howard down to size). I also think Kobe is one of the greatest players to ever play the game (even if he doesn't win the championship, still one of the ten best to ever play) and deserves a championship to cement his position, and that the Lakers have really hit their stride.
But throughout this series the Celtics have just played with tremendous hustle and have fought with determination and grit. It's not over (all the Lakers need is one win at home to take it to game seven, and then anything can happen), but the Celtics have already proven to be more of a team than any other group in the league.
On June 15 2010 14:32 Kazius wrote: I started this series pretty neutral: I thought the Celtics run through the playoffs showed a lot of heart and was very enjoyable (especially watching them cut down LeBron and Howard down to size). I also think Kobe is one of the greatest players to ever play the game (even if he doesn't win the championship, still one of the ten best to ever play) and deserves a championship to cement his position, and that the Lakers have really hit their stride.
I think it's a bit unfair to single out Howard there. There's not much you can do when you have to go up against that Boston front line with Lewis as your 4.
L.A. should win game 6 since their role players respond very well to playing at home, but it's improbable that they will win 2 in a row without Bynum anywhere near healthy.
"...this totally bananacakes play that put the Celtics up seven and effectively closed the door on a potential L.A. comeback."
Well, Pierce was out of bounds when he caught the ball.
Just sayin'
Nice try editing, I think it'd be less presumptuous if you showed a video and tried to prove your point that way. Because for one thing this instance[the photo] could be after he passed the ball. One can see or not see the ball is already out of his hands. He could have caught the balls in bounds, passed in a split second and end up out-of-bounds the next split second. 2nd, this is a nice try at a editing attempt to divulge information or in trying to prove a point.
If you seriously believe he caught the balls out of bounds, please use a video or something more accurate so you can't try to tamper your way into an valid argument.
On June 15 2010 14:32 Kazius wrote: I started this series pretty neutral: I thought the Celtics run through the playoffs showed a lot of heart and was very enjoyable (especially watching them cut down LeBron and Howard down to size). I also think Kobe is one of the greatest players to ever play the game (even if he doesn't win the championship, still one of the ten best to ever play) and deserves a championship to cement his position, and that the Lakers have really hit their stride.
I think it's a bit unfair to single out Howard there. There's not much you can do when you have to go up against that Boston front line with Lewis as your 4.
L.A. should win game 6 since their role players respond very well to playing at home, but it's improbable that they will win 2 in a row without Bynum anywhere near healthy.
I agree about Bynum. Laker's crucial advantage that tips them over the Celtics is Bynum--his length, his size, his defense and believe it or not his offense; I think he is on par if not better offensively than Howard.
With that said, I pray to god Bynum suck ass in Game 6 and if need be Game 7; and a general hex towards the Lakers' overall performance inducing them to suffer severely so much in Game 6, or if need be Game 7 that they lose to the Celtics.
On June 15 2010 14:32 Kazius wrote: I started this series pretty neutral: I thought the Celtics run through the playoffs showed a lot of heart and was very enjoyable (especially watching them cut down LeBron and Howard down to size). I also think Kobe is one of the greatest players to ever play the game (even if he doesn't win the championship, still one of the ten best to ever play) and deserves a championship to cement his position, and that the Lakers have really hit their stride.
I think it's a bit unfair to single out Howard there. There's not much you can do when you have to go up against that Boston front line with Lewis as your 4.
L.A. should win game 6 since their role players respond very well to playing at home, but it's improbable that they will win 2 in a row without Bynum anywhere near healthy.
I agree about Bynum. Laker's crucial advantage that tips them over the Celtics is Bynum--his length, his size, his defense and believe it or not his offense; I think he is on par if not better offensively than Howard.
With that said, I pray to god Bynum suck ass in Game 6 and if need be Game 7; and a general hex towards the Lakers' overall performance inducing them to suffer severely so much in Game 6, or if need be Game 7 that they lose to the Celtics.
First, singling out Howard is easy for the self-proclaimed Superman thing - not so super when someone is capable of putting some hurt on you. If he had half the offensive skills of Ewing, he would be scary, but right now - he doesn't live up to the hype, not by a long shot. Same with LeBron - he's a great player, but his entire team is built to maximize his efficiency instead of winning games. Bynum is no Howard, but he does move Gasol to the 4, where he's matched up against KG instead of Perkins (KG isn't massive enough to push him around without fouling)... and just like in 2008, Odom just gets manhandled by KG (and now, Big Baby too). Bynum helps the match-up situation go from 4 position Celtics advantage down to two positions.
BUT, as someone who watched the (in)famous Sacramento series, what scares me is that Perkins will get a technical at the start of the match and one for Wallace will (inevitably) ensue, making game 7 much harder (both are one T away from an automatic suspension). Whistles tend to blow freely at the Staples Center, and unfortunately, the league has a history of ruining things.
On June 15 2010 14:32 Kazius wrote: I started this series pretty neutral: I thought the Celtics run through the playoffs showed a lot of heart and was very enjoyable (especially watching them cut down LeBron and Howard down to size). I also think Kobe is one of the greatest players to ever play the game (even if he doesn't win the championship, still one of the ten best to ever play) and deserves a championship to cement his position, and that the Lakers have really hit their stride.
I think it's a bit unfair to single out Howard there. There's not much you can do when you have to go up against that Boston front line with Lewis as your 4.
L.A. should win game 6 since their role players respond very well to playing at home, but it's improbable that they will win 2 in a row without Bynum anywhere near healthy.
I agree about Bynum. Laker's crucial advantage that tips them over the Celtics is Bynum--his length, his size, his defense and believe it or not his offense; I think he is on par if not better offensively than Howard.
With that said, I pray to god Bynum suck ass in Game 6 and if need be Game 7; and a general hex towards the Lakers' overall performance inducing them to suffer severely so much in Game 6, or if need be Game 7 that they lose to the Celtics.
First, singling out Howard is easy for the self-proclaimed Superman thing - not so super when someone is capable of putting some hurt on you. If he had half the offensive skills of Ewing, he would be scary, but right now - he doesn't live up to the hype, not by a long shot. Same with LeBron - he's a great player, but his entire team is built to maximize his efficiency instead of winning games. Bynum is no Howard, but he does move Gasol to the 4, where he's matched up against KG instead of Perkins (KG isn't massive enough to push him around without fouling)... and just like in 2008, Odom just gets manhandled by KG (and now, Big Baby too). Bynum helps the match-up situation go from 4 position Celtics advantage down to two positions.
BUT, as someone who watched the (in)famous Sacramento series, what scares me is that Perkins will get a technical at the start of the match and one for Wallace will (inevitably) ensue, making game 7 much harder (both are one T away from an automatic suspension). Whistles tend to blow freely at the Staples Center, and unfortunately, the league has a history of ruining things.
From the last two games you are right, Criminal Sterns is basically giving the trophy away to the Celtics.
On June 16 2010 03:01 ccdnl wrote:Nice try editing, I think it'd be less presumptuous if you showed a video and tried to prove your point that way. Because for one thing this instance[the photo] could be after he passed the ball. One can see or not see the ball is already out of his hands. He could have caught the balls in bounds, passed in a split second and end up out-of-bounds the next split second. 2nd, this is a nice try at a editing attempt to divulge information or in trying to prove a point.
If you seriously believe he caught the balls out of bounds, please use a video or something more accurate so you can't try to tamper your way into an valid argument.
He included a link to where you can view the video clip where that screencap originated from. I've watched the video clip and paused it at around that point in time, and it certainly looks like Pierce was out of bounds before he let go of the ball. "Try" not being such an ass with your posts in this thread.
As for the actual play in question... Is it so obvious that the refs should be grilled for missing it? No. Is it something that's pretty hard to determine even with pausing and a good angle? Yup. Should the Lakers or anyone use that as an excuse for the Celtics winning that game? No. Everyone in the NBA knows that you must do everything you can to not put yourself in a situation where a bad call can lose you a game. The referees are only human and there's no meaningful appeal process that can make up for a loss (particularly in the playoffs). Thus, you do everything you can to build up a lead and provide a cushion for unexpected things like bounces of the ball, miscalls by the refs, problems with timekeepers, etc. The Lakers put themselves in a situation to be screwed by a bad call, which there have been many of throughout the playoffs already, so they have no one to blame but themselves.
lol at this delusional Lakers fan. So unlike the first 2 LA games which were Oscar worthy films of how to ruin a game now that the Celtics are winning Stern is backing them?
Please back up this sentiment with some good examples.
@Kazius: Yea I fear the inevitable whistles against the Celtics too but they'll hopefully be able to play through it.
On June 15 2010 14:32 Kazius wrote: I started this series pretty neutral: I thought the Celtics run through the playoffs showed a lot of heart and was very enjoyable (especially watching them cut down LeBron and Howard down to size). I also think Kobe is one of the greatest players to ever play the game (even if he doesn't win the championship, still one of the ten best to ever play) and deserves a championship to cement his position, and that the Lakers have really hit their stride.
I think it's a bit unfair to single out Howard there. There's not much you can do when you have to go up against that Boston front line with Lewis as your 4.
L.A. should win game 6 since their role players respond very well to playing at home, but it's improbable that they will win 2 in a row without Bynum anywhere near healthy.
I agree about Bynum. Laker's crucial advantage that tips them over the Celtics is Bynum--his length, his size, his defense and believe it or not his offense; I think he is on par if not better offensively than Howard.
With that said, I pray to god Bynum suck ass in Game 6 and if need be Game 7; and a general hex towards the Lakers' overall performance inducing them to suffer severely so much in Game 6, or if need be Game 7 that they lose to the Celtics.
First, singling out Howard is easy for the self-proclaimed Superman thing - not so super when someone is capable of putting some hurt on you. If he had half the offensive skills of Ewing, he would be scary, but right now - he doesn't live up to the hype, not by a long shot. Same with LeBron - he's a great player, but his entire team is built to maximize his efficiency instead of winning games. Bynum is no Howard, but he does move Gasol to the 4, where he's matched up against KG instead of Perkins (KG isn't massive enough to push him around without fouling)... and just like in 2008, Odom just gets manhandled by KG (and now, Big Baby too). Bynum helps the match-up situation go from 4 position Celtics advantage down to two positions.
BUT, as someone who watched the (in)famous Sacramento series, what scares me is that Perkins will get a technical at the start of the match and one for Wallace will (inevitably) ensue, making game 7 much harder (both are one T away from an automatic suspension). Whistles tend to blow freely at the Staples Center, and unfortunately, the league has a history of ruining things.
I don't understand why Howard needs to have a big time offensive game in order for Orlando to win. The most successful center of all time was a worse FT shooter than Howard, and couldn't make any shot outside of the slam dunk. The center has always been, and will always be, a defensive position. There was nothing wrong with Howard's defense in the series, and it's impossible to rebound effectively against that Boston front line when Lewis and Barnes are your forwards.
Complaining about any one specific call is bogus, as there have been tons of clear calls that were missed and many poor calls that were made. On both sides.
Not calling a foul on celtics when the ball was ripped out of kobe's arms near the end of game 5 was much worse than missing that out of bounds on pierce imo. It was like, the most obvious foul ever. And incredibly game changing. Let me see if I can find a video.