2010 NBA Playoffs thread

[Eye]

For the record, I'd like to correct my post which was quoted a few times (no sense in editing the original, since it was quoted in other people's posts) that it was Kobe Bryant who made two free throws to make it 81-76, not Pau Gasol.

[See Red]

Today is always my favorite day of the year. It's the first day of a long, glorious summer where there is NO basketball on TV to get in the way of real sports. That right there, is enough to celebrate.

Yeah, now you can cheer for 26/30 of your favorite MLB teams.

Oddly enough, seconded.

When comparing Game 7 of the NBA Finals and Game 6 of this year's Stanley Cup Final...it's not even close. The NHL blew the NBA out of the water this year. It was more entertaining, more passionate, and most of all, more believable. (And this is coming from a Bruins fan who saw his team lose a 3-0 series lead.)

Sorry, NBA. You lost me this season. You used to be at the top of my sports heap, and now you've slid into a distant fourth. The league has lost so much credibility in my eyes, and I'm not sure how it gets it back.

Really? You seemed to have the opposite mindset before the Celtics played like idiots down the strech. Instead of going for high percentage shots, your boyz were taking three pointers and jump shots when their feet weren't set and shoulders weren't squared to the basket. Couple that with the fact that Kobe took an ill advised 25 footer (when the game was 79-76), wasn't even close and Pau Gasol got the rebound, was fouled, then made two free throws. Nah, that couldn't have had the slightest effect on why the Celtics lost.

I actually cemented this mindset in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Orlando (and the Celtics won Game 6 handily, if you'll recall). It was one of the most ridiculous displays of officiating and bias I've ever seen in sports. Game 7 was the only full game of the Finals that I watched, as a result.

Officiating was poor throughout the Finals, but it's not because the referees learned too far one way or another. That fourth quarter of game 7, the Lakers were aggressive offensively while the Celtics became passive and started settling for poor shots. That, in addition to the Celtics having looked tired which typically results in you being poor positioning which typically results in fouls, is going to result in a pretty sizable difference in free throws.

Celtics fans want to complain, but I really don't think there's much to complain about. I'm sure ya'll weren't complaining about the free throw margin in 2008...

I'm not complaining that the Celtics lost. Don't misunderstand that. I didn't complain when the Patriots lost Super Bowl XLII, I didn't complain when the Bruins lost a 3-0 series lead, and I didn't complain when the Red Sox choked the ALDS against the Angels last year. That's not what this is about.

This is about a general theme of inconsistency in the NBA. No two games are called alike. While that's true for other sports, at least other sports are called fairly, however loose or tight the calls may be. The NBA is completely different. The game can be called in a ridiculous manner, and if you complain about it, you're just "pissed your team lost." That's not always the case.

I'd kill for some consistency on a quarter by quarter basis.

What was a foul in that game seven completely changed from the first half to the second -- it just happened to benefit the Lakers as they became more aggressive as the game went on and Celtics got very passive. You're absolutely right, though. The officiating is a huge problem in the NBA.

[PurpleRush]

Celtics fans want to complain, but I really don't think there's much to complain about. I'm sure ya'll weren't complaining about the free throw margin in 2008...

No, but Laker fans have since that series ended, and still do, if you check out the ESPN message boards.

What irks me about the officiating, in any game, regular season through the playoffs, is when touch fouls are called at one end, and muggings at the other are a 'play on'. Also when clean blocks are called fouls because of who is being blocked.

If the same calls are made at both ends, then great, so be it. If neither are made, that's fine too.

[See Red]

Celtics fans want to complain, but I really don't think there's much to complain about. I'm sure ya'll weren't complaining about the free throw margin in 2008...

No, but Laker fans have since that series ended, and still do, if you check out the ESPN message boards.

What irks me about the officiating, in any game, regular season through the playoffs, is when touch fouls are called at one end, and muggings at the other are a 'play on'. Also when clean blocks are called fouls because of who is being blocked.

If the same calls are made at both ends, then great, so be it. If neither are made, that's fine too.

In all fairness that year the Celtics had 38 free throws in Game Two to the Lakers 10.

[Still MIGHTY]

I'm a little late, because I was in Chicago on vacation over the weekend, but still...

LAKERS WIN!!!

BACK-TO-BACK, 16-TIME WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!

I was flying to Chicago to watch the Angels/Cubs series over the weekend and had to follow the first three quarters on my phone while I connected in Denver and waiting for my bags in Chicago. I heard most of the fourth quarter in the car, and then I got to watch the final two minutes in the hotel bar. Me and my buddy were just tense through the final minutes and did a small celebration with a yell or two a high five followed by a guy at the bar yelling to us "Lakers Suck." I turned to him, pointed at the TV and said back "World. Champions." Turned around went into the hotel room and got to let loose a little.

From what I was following and heard, a horribly played game throughout, but the Lakers pulled through in the fourth and overcame. Kobe hit some shots in the fourth, Derek Fisher came back off the bench to hit that three, and Ron Artest's three I saw in the bar with a reaction of "NoooooooooYESSSSSS!!!" And of all people Sasha Vujacic sealing the game with his two free throws. Not a great game, but a great finish, and a great result.

And as we all know, Phil Jackson has only won championships in threes. He has set up a run at a fourth three-peat with these last two. I expect Phil to come back with this same team mostly intact and make that run. And this run isn't just for another three-peat, but to tie the Celtics in the championship race.

Now I'm going to go back and enjoy watching this parade down Figueroa.

GO LAKE SHOW! I LOVE L.A.!

[Cujo]

So, the Lakers are having their parade today.....

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?!!!

[Still MIGHTY]

I miss Mark Madsen

Also, I'm kinda miffed the Lakers just did the parade part with no culminating rally at the end. Oh well.

[DustDevil61]

Celtics fans want to complain, but I really don't think there's much to complain about. I'm sure ya'll weren't complaining about the free throw margin in 2008...

No, but Laker fans have since that series ended, and still do, if you check out the ESPN message boards.

What irks me about the officiating, in any game, regular season through the playoffs, is when touch fouls are called at one end, and muggings at the other are a 'play on'. Also when clean blocks are called fouls because of who is being blocked.

If the same calls are made at both ends, then great, so be it. If neither are made, that's fine too.

What was a foul in that game seven completely changed from the first half to the second -- it just happened to benefit the Lakers as they became more aggressive as the game went on and Celtics got very passive. You're absolutely right, though. The officiating is a huge problem in the NBA.

Bingo!! I think that an independent investigation should be made that covers everything about the league's darkest depths (gambling, altering game outcomes, etc.), and it shouldn't be conducted by an alleged acquaintance of Stern (Pedowitz).

Rather than hearing the Commish tell us that everything's fine and that the problem is fixed (Donaghy), it should get actual results from the investigation, like stricter rules for officals. Little has been done to correct the NBA's officiating policies. Why can't they follow the World Cup's lead and suspend officials who show a shred of bias/corruption/etc.?

I don't expect officiating to be 100% perfect in any game, but when the calls were so inconsistent between halves in Game freakin' 7 of the NBA Finals, it sends up a red flag in my book. Yes, the Celtics were very physical in Game 7, but a 37-17 free-throw disparity over the course of the game sure isn't helping non-Laker fans like me. How many FTs were attempted by each team in each half? I can't seem to find that anywhere.

[Lights Out]

I miss Mark Madsen

I too miss Mark Madsen, but unfortunately, my Clips waived him before he could even play a game for them. How could you not like the Mad Dog?

He's coaching the Utah Flash of the D-League now.