2009 NBA Playoffs

[Hoopskid]

Safe to say that this will go down as the GREATEST NBA GAME of all time.

Amazing win, look forward to a HUGE game 7.

[gingerbreadmann]

I can't do this anymore.

[NJTank]

This is the best first round series of all time

[TFoA]

That game was too epic. Too, too epic.

I know off-the-jump that this will be forgotten: Ray Allen had 50+ points in this game. Lord have mercy.

[TFoA]

Safe to say that this will go down as the GREATEST NBA GAME of all time.

Hell no. Celtics-Suns from the 1976 NBA Finals was the greatest NBA game of all time.

[MVP]

What a freakin' game. But how can Ray Allen not get the last couple of shots? I understand John Salmons was draped all over him, but I would rather have one of the greatest shooters in the NBA and the guy with 51 points in the game force up a shot rather than a guy hobbling on his ankle with a suspect shot like Rajon Rondo. And that was not very smart from Paul Pierce fouling out on the Joakim Noah dunk (that long hair, the speed, did he look like a galloping horse or what?)

[VandyDelphia Mike]

The Noah steal and breakaway dunk, and the Rose block of a Rondo fadeaway in the 3rd OT were outstanding basketball plays.

I also want to curse out the Sixers not just for doing the el foldo in a game 6 at home for the second straight season, but for diverting my NBA attention from the Chicago/Boston series.

[dfwabel]

Safe to say that this will go down as the GREATEST NBA GAME of all time.

Amazing win, look forward to a HUGE game 7.

Stop it as you are easily dating yourself. Three of the top of my head are:

Game 5, 1976 Finals (PHX@BOS)

Game 6 1988 Finals (DET@LAL) Where Zeke goes nuts and scores 25 on a sprained ankle in the 3rd to lose 103-102.

Then there is also the 1984 Knicks@Pistons, Game 5 where it was Bernard King's 44 against Zeke's 36 and 12, including 16 points in the last 94 seconds of regulation.

Plus no Arena PA for the greatest game ever should have "Chelsea Dagger" by The Fratellis after the win.

[MDC]

I dont even have anything to say about the Bulls Celtics game, it was amazing. im just speechless.

Oh except, Rondo needs to learn to grow up, somebody a lot more intimidating than Kirk Hinrich is gonna put him into his place one of these days

[speedy]

What a freakin' game. But how can Ray Allen not get the last couple of shots? I understand John Salmons was draped all over him, but I would rather have one of the greatest shooters in the NBA and the guy with 51 points in the game force up a shot rather than a guy hobbling on his ankle with a suspect shot like Rajon Rondo. And that was not very smart from Paul Pierce fouling out on the Joakim Noah dunk (that long hair, the speed, did he look like a galloping horse or what?)

Bold 1: Because Doc Rivers simply can't draw up feasible offense plays without Paul Pierce in the lineup, hell he has trouble doing it with him in the lineup. Just an AWFUL offensive strategy in all 3 OTs.

Bold 2: No, he looked like a douche. Acts like one too. I probably dislike this guy more than any professional sports player, and yes I had these feelings before the series even started. He was a clown at Florida too.

The Bulls deserve this series and I hope they win it.

[dfwabel]

Good News: The NBA has an early game 7 which people will watch (all but Tank who still may think that this series is fixed).

Bad News: Goes to Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions who will not get many impulse PPV buys for Pacquaio/Hatton on Saturday night.

[NJTank]

How many times has there been a major upset when the teams expected to be in the Finals dont get there, or the superstar loses.

I watched tonight game it was good, but when you get down to it. The Finals will be Cavs vs Lakers. LeBron and Kobe will get every call and will travel 50 times and only get called for it once a game if we are lucky.

[FiddySicks]

This Boston Chicago series has been absolutely legendary. This is what generates interest in the game. The Sixers, on the other hand, couldn't have looked more disappointing tonight.

[gingerbreadmann]

What a freakin' game. But how can Ray Allen not get the last couple of shots? I understand John Salmons was draped all over him, but I would rather have one of the greatest shooters in the NBA and the guy with 51 points in the game force up a shot rather than a guy hobbling on his ankle with a suspect shot like Rajon Rondo. And that was not very smart from Paul Pierce fouling out on the Joakim Noah dunk (that long hair, the speed, did he look like a galloping horse or what?)

Bold 1: Because Doc Rivers simply can't draw up feasible offense plays without Paul Pierce in the lineup, hell he has trouble doing it with him in the lineup. Just an AWFUL offensive strategy in all 3 OTs.

Bold 2: No, he looked like a douche. Acts like one too. I probably dislike this guy more than any professional sports player, and yes I had these feelings before the series even started. He was a clown at Florida too.

The Bulls deserve this series and I hope they win it.

You may not be a C's fan, but honestly, objectively, whoever wins Game 7 deserves it. I don't think it could get much closer. Sure, you could point fingers at the collapses from the Celtics in a few of these games, and how many stupid things they have done, but they have still managed to get 7 Overtime periods in 6 games without Leon Powe and this little guy named Kevin Garnett. Truth is, they are playing their hearts out and there isn't much more we can ask for. Except for the bench to suck just a little less. That would make it easier on everyone. But still, these games have been too excruciatingly close and hard-fought for either team to "deserve" it more at this point. In a series like this, you can really throw seeds and experience and everything out the window; this has been straight-up balling and pouring guts onto the court. And some Ray Allen gold dust, and some Ben Gordon being ridiculous, and a lot of Brad Miller being an ass. But, hey. Win, or don't complain about it(okay, I will still definitely complain about many things if they end up losing ). Game 7, baby. This is pure NBA gold.

And I really can't take it anymore. You all may be enjoying this series but I hate it. I want it to end. I want a BLOWOUT. Channel Game 3! Woo!

[TFoA]

How many times has there been a major upset when the teams expected to be in the Finals dont get there, or the superstar loses.

I can tell you MANY times within this past decade.

1999: Spurs beat New York Knicks in NBA Finals. I mean, anytime the Spurs win a championship, that has to debunk the theory that the NBA is rigged. If the NBA was rigged, if the Knicks even got NEAR the finals, they'd be a lock to win, especially as a "magical, miraculous" 8 seed.

2003: Spurs beat New Jersey Nets in NBA Finals. That happening alone should tell you something.

2004: Pistons def. "Shaq & The Super Lakers." If the NBA is rigged, then tell me how a team with superstars such as Shaq, Kobe, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton could lose and get their asses kicked at that.

2005: Spurs beat Pistons. See 2003.

2007: #1: The Mavs lose to Golden State in the first round. The Warriors only had one star. The Mavs had the MVP. If the NBA was fixed, The Mavs would've rolled on Golden State and "redeemed" themselves after losing in the Finals the previous year. #2: The Suns losing their series to the Spurs. Once again, if the NBA was rigged, the most exciting team in the NBA would've won that series, let alone have players suspended from their team. #3: Spurs beat LEBRON JAMES in the Finals in a sweep. If it was fixed, it would've gone at least 7.

And to give a strictly Superstar example: Why hasn't a team with Tracy McGrady active been past the 1st round? That's a superstar, and he loses all the damn time in the playoffs.

So yeah, there have been crooked refs, but that still doesn't change the fact that your post was bad. If the Cavs and Lakers end up facing each other this year, it's because they're CLEARLY the two best teams in each conference, not because it's fixed. Come on, now.

[NJTank]

I disagree with the Spurs assessment to a certain point but I think the years they won there was no ref going out of the way to fix games.

I will give you the 2004 Finals, but I think that happened not because the refs did not attempt to fix it for the Lakers to win, rather the Lakers disintegrated as a team.

In 2003 the Nets were a solid team in a vast Eastern Conference wasteland, and the NBA knew the people were Laker fatigued so they let the chips fall that year fearing the Lakers in the finals could have created a backlash of fan boredom.

2005 the Lakers did not even make the playoffs the Spurs were champs two years removed the Pistons were defending, the NBA did get the match up they wanted.

And the NBA does not fix games they cant fix, like 2007 when the Cavs were sorely over matched.

When the NBA fix games is like Game 6 of the 2002 WCF, when the fear of Sactown in the NBA Finals led to the Lakers getting every call. No traveling the Lakers could be a little rough but the Kings breathe on Kobe out came the whistle. The refs let Jordan get a way with everything in the 90s.

There are so many examples of it its hard just to name a few, but bad calls all flow in one direction and thats to the benefit of the superstar.

Now I am not saying these teams are not better, but I would like to see the refs call it better.

[TFoA]

I'd understand if it weren't for the fact that, for the most part, the officiating has been decent. Much better than last year's playoffs during which the home team was basically unbeatable because the home team got EVERY call. Game 6 between the Hawks and Celtics last year was, honestly, one of the worst officiated games that I've ever watched. Paul Pierce fouled out of that game on an EXTREMELY questionable off-the-ball foul that also led to a continuation call on a layup. I've NEVER seen that combination happen.

So yeah, I'd just point out that the officiating this year has been worlds better than it was last year.

[dfwabel]

I disagree with the Spurs assessment to a certain point but I think the years they won there was no ref going out of the way to fix games.

I will give you the 2004 Finals, but I think that happened not because the refs did not attempt to fix it for the Lakers to win, rather the Lakers disintegrated as a team.

In 2003 the Nets were a solid team in a vast Eastern Conference wasteland, and the NBA knew the people were Laker fatigued so they let the chips fall that year fearing the Lakers in the finals could have created a backlash of fan boredom.

2005 the Lakers did not even make the playoffs the Spurs were champs two years removed the Pistons were defending, the NBA did get the match up they wanted.

And the NBA does not fix games they cant fix, like 2007 when the Cavs were sorely over matched.

When the NBA fix games is like Game 6 of the 2002 WCF, when the fear of Sactown in the NBA Finals led to the Lakers getting every call. No traveling the Lakers could be a little rough but the Kings breathe on Kobe out came the whistle. The refs let Jordan get a way with everything in the 90s.

There are so many examples of it its hard just to name a few, but bad calls all flow in one direction and thats to the benefit of the superstar.

Now I am not saying these teams are not better, but I would like to see the refs call it better.

If SAC gets a rebound in game 4, then Bob Horry does not get the ball and that one is moot. Or are you saying that game 5 would've been rigged. I am now beginning to regret bringing up "the fix" that was discussed last year, but I think that someone else would have done it anyway.

[speedy]

What a freakin' game. But how can Ray Allen not get the last couple of shots? I understand John Salmons was draped all over him, but I would rather have one of the greatest shooters in the NBA and the guy with 51 points in the game force up a shot rather than a guy hobbling on his ankle with a suspect shot like Rajon Rondo. And that was not very smart from Paul Pierce fouling out on the Joakim Noah dunk (that long hair, the speed, did he look like a galloping horse or what?)

Bold 1: Because Doc Rivers simply can't draw up feasible offense plays without Paul Pierce in the lineup, hell he has trouble doing it with him in the lineup. Just an AWFUL offensive strategy in all 3 OTs.

Bold 2: No, he looked like a douche. Acts like one too. I probably dislike this guy more than any professional sports player, and yes I had these feelings before the series even started. He was a clown at Florida too.

The Bulls deserve this series and I hope they win it.

You may not be a C's fan, but honestly, objectively, whoever wins Game 7 deserves it. I don't think it could get much closer. Sure, you could point fingers at the collapses from the Celtics in a few of these games, and how many stupid things they have done, but they have still managed to get 7 Overtime periods in 6 games without Leon Powe and this little guy named Kevin Garnett. Truth is, they are playing their hearts out and there isn't much more we can ask for. Except for the bench to suck just a little less. That would make it easier on everyone. But still, these games have been too excruciatingly close and hard-fought for either team to "deserve" it more at this point. In a series like this, you can really throw seeds and experience and everything out the window; this has been straight-up balling and pouring guts onto the court. And some Ray Allen gold dust, and some Ben Gordon being ridiculous, and a lot of Brad Miller being an ass. But, hey. Win, or don't complain about it(okay, I will still definitely complain about many things if they end up losing ). Game 7, baby. This is pure NBA gold.

And I really can't take it anymore. You all may be enjoying this series but I hate it. I want it to end. I want a BLOWOUT. Channel Game 3! Woo!

I'm a Celtics fan, just not a basketball fan.. if that makes any sense.

Back on track... Fair enough GBM, and well put. Clearly the winner of game 7 deserves to win the series. However, Boston just doesn't play like a dominant team (which for all intensive purposes they are.. still). Yes, KG is hurt and they look irrevocably lost without him in the lineup. The offense has such little fluidity it's almost unbearable to watch at times. Too many mistakes are made on veteran lead team that shouldn't be made, and it costs them games.

I stand by this upcoming statement and always have, Doc is a great person, but he just isn't that great of a coach. He was blessed with a great team that seemingly would've won 66 games last season with Wyc Grousbeck coaching. His mantra of saying "look for the extra pass" during time outs constantly drives me NUTS. Half the problem of this offense is they pass too much. Open looks are often passed up for a fadeaway/off balance shot.

I do hope they repeat, but even IF they get by the Bulls this series will have taken far too much out of an already thin team to make a serious dent in the title race.

As for Brad Miller, he really is an ass. Him and Joakim Noah really make a helluva bad facial hair/biggest douches on the planet tandem.

[MVP]

As for Brad Miller, he really is an ass. Him and Joakim Noah really make a helluva bad facial hair/biggest douches on the planet tandem.

Yeah, I've always had a problem with Brad Miller as well. I found it extremely hilarious to see him start crying when D-Wade hit that running 3-pointer to win the game in OT.