NBA discussion thread

[Dunk]

I don't really understand the "Yankees of basketball" comparison that is being drawn about the Lakers. Could someone explain it to me?

I'm not a Lakers fan being a sarcastic smart-aleck, right now; I just want to know what that particular saying means. I absolutely hate baseball, but I hear about the Yankees a lot, so I assume it just means that everyone likes the Lakers simply because they're popular?

 

[Phizzlax]

I don't really think it's a fair comparison, IMO the Celtics right now are more like the Yankees of basketball, which to me means buying championships.

But even that isn't a perfect comparison, no sport right now has a comparable team. The Yankees literally just pick up every expensive free agent for any amount of money.

 

[TDS]

I don't really think it's a fair comparison, IMO the Celtics right now are more like the Yankees of basketball, which to me means buying championships.

But even that isn't a perfect comparison, no sport right now has a comparable team. The Yankees literally just pick up every expensive free agent for any amount of money.

yet this year, the yankees picked up texeira, burnett and cc sabathia and have a lower salary total than they did last year

 

[Zero]

Magic holding slim lead in 3rd quarter!

 

[YTP]

There. Now I am not fearing a 4-0 sweep. The Magic continued to play well from Game 2 even though they let up a little bit at the end.

 

[Jikos]

craaaap, lost my bet. :(

 

[darknite]

Rafer Alston played extremely well (perhaps because Jameer Nelson didn't play as much? Hmmm). I also felt Battie played well when he was in.

 

[Scofield]

Calling it now, Magic are going to be like the Heat, which kobe is going to get for losing this series.

 

[franky]

This is an example of what would have happened if they nailed those shots in those previous games. The weakness has already been exposed in Games 1 and 2. The Lakers lack the ability to rotate and they are weak from Pick n Roll and cannot guards the open looks from downtown. They are getting exposed now. Next 2 games, Magic will take it, especially with the crowd behind their back.

 

[RaikouLover]

Calling it now, Magic are going to be like the Heat, which kobe is going to get for losing this series.

Get the fuck outta here.

This is an example of what would have happened if they nailed those shots in those previous games. The weakness has already been exposed in Games 1 and 2. The Lakers lack the ability to rotate and they are weak from Pick n Roll and cannot guards the open looks from downtown. They are getting exposed now. Next 2 games, Magic will take it, especially with the crowd behind their back.

Basically posting to squash all this rediculous "Magic are going to win out" bullshit that will inevitably shit up this thread in the next few hours. The Magic played the perfect game. Five guys in double figures, dwight made his free throws and stayed out of foul trouble... and to top it off, they shot over 60 percent from the field for the entire game. And to make matters worse, the BEST CLOSER ON THE PLANET, accomplished a feat that we will probably NEVER see again in his career. Five missed free throws in a game. FIVE. Coming from a ~88% free throw shooter (who is rated at 92% in the 4th quarter). So basically, the Magic played perfectly and barely squeaked out a win.. and you mean to tell me that they are going to win out? Either you don't know the lakers, or you don't know basketball. But after watching this game, and watching the rest of the series, the Magic's margin for error is slim to none, even after winning todays game. Have an nice day!

 

[Kay [Old]]

As much as I hate to say it, I'm agreeing with Raikou. Magic played spectacularly, and still would not have won if Kobe had shot free throws like well, Kobe Bryant.
I mean, seriously, if the Orlando Magic are depending on Rafer Alston having good games to win this series, they are doomed. Plain and simple. Even though I don't want to say it, Lakers in 5, at most 6.

 

[ToF]

You guys are fucking ridiculous. RL said everything that needs to be said. One thing you guys seem to forget is the fact that Kobe missed 5 out of his 10 free throws, which never happens ever. Just food for thought.

 

[Scofield]

It'd be kind of hard for me to get out of here, seeing as how I made the thread and all ~_~

Anyways, while kobe is dangerous, I think he is way overrated as a "closer".

Look at this study on 82games.com

http://www.82games.com/gamewinningshots.htm

In the last 5 years, Kobe has hit only 25% of his game winning shots and that's with 1 assist and 5 turnovers. That is insanely sucky. I do agree with the fact that 5 missed FT's is off for him, he is very underrated at FT shooting and one of the best FT icers in the game. Would I want to be down one with him having a shot to win the game? No, but I'd still hardly call him the greatest closer ever.

 

[muttonhead]

I posted that link a while back trying to debunk "the Kobe is the greatest closer myth" and got ignored :(
Actually that site is really good to show the insanely low percentage of league wide game winning shots, but what really strikes me about Kobe is the 1 assist over 5 years. Basically he has the lowest assist/shot ratio out of all the elite wings in that study. Which brings me to...
Did you guys see the potential gamewinning J Kobe took at the end of regulation in Game 2?
Kobe beats Hedo off the dribble, Redick, Lewis and Howard all collapse on Kobe, Kobe ignores Odom who is wide-open in the left corner, Ariza who is wide-open at the top of key and Fisher who is wide-open in the right corner, to reiterate there are FOUR orlando defenders on him, and kindergarden math would tell you there would be some Lakers open...but he shoots with two seconds left anyway, and gets stuffed from Hedo from behind.
Basically the stats show in these kind of situations, Kobe will almost never pass the ball. And the Magic knew it. And bumrushed him to great effect. And I've seen these situations happen over and over again.

While Kobe is probably the best in the league in making tough, contested shots, I think he suffers from some excessive hubris, that even his own coach touched on in "the last season", saying that Kobe is battling himself in some kind of "I can make anything" philosophy, especially when faced by an elite defender like Prince in 03.

Having said that, Kobe really played well in Game 1, and if I have to nitpick anything about that performance it would be him coming out to play in garbage time in the fourth quarter when the Lakers were up by 25, and trying to pad his way to 40 over J.R. Reddick??

Anyway even though I support the Magic over the Lakers, objectively I would still say the Lakers will go on to win this series. (And I will now go kill myself for saying that.)

 

[A.P.]

Magic won, 108-104, for those who didn't see it.

I was surprised; Kobe was beast in the first quarter.

 

[Phizzlax]

yet this year, the yankees picked up texeira, burnett and cc sabathia and have a lower salary total than they did last year

That's what happens when you clear 50 million dollars in space just from losing a few players. Mussina, Abreu, Farnsworth and I think Pettite too.

 

[darkie]

we should probably keep this restrained to basketball, though i guess as a lowly firemod, i have no real say here in cong.

 

[AceDragon619]

I still say Lakers in 6. But Kobe had his off night tonight =/ Then again, Courtney Lee had his off night on sunday :P

 

[Zero]

I couldn't watch the end of the game due to the idiots at DirecTV blacking out ABC, but I just read an article. I lol'd at the premature confetti.

 

[YTP]

The Lakers didn't exactly play bad either... The Magic pretty much killed then with the Pick n Roll. Kobe Bryant missed 5 free throws... yeah. But who's fault is that? I'm still going with the Magic to win it all because I don't switch up teams. I agree with Scofield. Heat like sweep...

 

[Brawley]

IMO Lakers should play it like Philly and let Dwight get his points and stay at home with the shooters, and on the offensive end just go to the mismatch whether it be Gasol or Kobe.

 

[AceDragon619]

I don't get why they still can't guard the pick and roll. That has been hurting them like the plague. You'd think after 3 series of going up against that strategy that Phil Jackson or some other coach would think of a way to guard it....

Then again, Magic do have clutch shooters, so even if they were heavily guarded, they'd probably still sink it.


Lakers 4-2 ^^

 

[franky]

Basically posting to squash all this rediculous "Magic are going to win out" bullshit that will inevitably shit up this thread in the next few hours. The Magic played the perfect game. Five guys in double figures, dwight made his free throws and stayed out of foul trouble... and to top it off, they shot over 60 percent from the field for the entire game. And to make matters worse, the BEST CLOSER ON THE PLANET, accomplished a feat that we will probably NEVER see again in his career. Five missed free throws in a game. FIVE. Coming from a ~88% free throw shooter (who is rated at 92% in the 4th quarter). So basically, the Magic played perfectly and barely squeaked out a win.. and you mean to tell me that they are going to win out? Either you don't know the lakers, or you don't know basketball. But after watching this game, and watching the rest of the series, the Magic's margin for error is slim to none, even after winning todays game. Have an nice day!

I didn't state they are going to win out. Orlando is a legit team, they may be the darkhorse of the series but don't underrate them. From your post you seem confident that Magics need to shoot 60% to win over the Lakers. They don't need to shoot 60%, the fact is, Lakers are pathetic at Screen and Roll game and sooner or later Van Gundy will take advantage of this and it will all rely on Magic's hitting their shots.

The Magic played the perfect game.

Crazy Lakers fan always - look and listen. Orlando's weapon is the 3 and of course, they didn't need it that much in the last game. Orlando getting around those avgs MEANS its their perfect game alongside what you listed. The Magic made only 5 threes last night. They are averaging 8.5 made 3s per game in the playoffs and averaged 10 per game in the regular season. The Magic's shooting is why they are in the Finals in the first place. Acting like their hot shooting is some kind of anomoly is pretty naive. Seriously, don't be too confident. If they hit more 3's than they normally would, those measly free throws wouldn't matter because the lead would be more expanded. Have a nice day!

 

[y2zipper]

This series is a lot closer than people think. You could argue that if Courtney Lee makes a layup, it's 2-1 Magic. People only believe the Lakers are as far ahead because of the garbage 2-3-2 format and the Lakers may win simply because it's hard to see the Magic winning all 3 in a row, although it is possible at home games.

Games 2 and 3 are more of an indicator of what's going to determine the outcome of this series than game one, and the 2 things are how well Orlando shoots the ball and whether or not the Lakers role-players will show up to play.

Game 4 is pretty much a must-win for both teams, even moreso for Orlando because they don't want to end up down 3-1.

 

[Kay [Old]]

Hey, LA. Maybe you guys should try playing defense sometime. It would probably make things easier for you, you know.