2011 NBA Playoffs

[cameroncrazie07]

I say Lakers win convincingly tonight, but lose the series in 7. And I'll go with the Bulls in a close game.

[MDC]

Bulls Derrick Rose takes over against the Hawks to take a 2-1 series lead. Rose put in a career high 44 in a prototypical MVP performance. Probably the best individual game I've ever seen, as I was a young lad during the MJ days. This is definitely a confidence booster going forward

[Drew22]

DRose is too good. Absolutely amazing.

[Drakonius26]

Apparently the Grizzlies and Hawks don't understand that they're supposed to start losing now.

Is it just me, or are the playoffs already better than they've been in a very long time?

You're not alone. This year has been 10x exciting and intriguing than the past few years, easily. I hope this continues - It'd be a shame for this year to end in yet another Lakers-Celtics Finals matchup. I havent watched a Finals with interest since 2007, and would really like to watch one again. It'd just take an intriguing storyline that isn't "Ooo The Rivalry!" or "Kobe vs. The King!" to do it for me - I'm strange in that I'd much rather watch a Memphis-Atlanta Finals over an LA-Boston Finals. Although as I mentioned in this thread before I think, I'd love an Oklahoma City-Boston series.

If the Lakers don't get there then I'm all for an "anyone but the usual suspects" finals. That said, I can certainly understand fans experiencing "Lakers - Celtics fatigue."

I'm not sure about the age of the other users here, but Infrared, these Lakers and Celtics aren't those versions of the Lakers and Celtics, you know... the actually, entertaining versions.

It'll be nice to see, hopefully, a Dallas/Oklahoma City or Memphis/Chicago/Miami, Final Four in the NBA. As much as it's been great to see the Spurs and Lakers mostly dominate for seemingly the past decade, some new blood is what the NBA needs from growing stale.

Also, Derrick Rose was a beast tonight... best single game playoff performance by a Chicago Bull since MJ dropped 63 on the Celtics back in the day. MJ had others, but what Rose did to the Hawks tonight reminded me of that game.

[tvko]

Oh lord this Mavs - Lakers game is ridiculous. Peja, Terry, and Dirk absolutely took over. Glad to see Stojakovic relevant again, and glad to see the Lakers lose. Mavs are looking very dangerous right now...

>Kobr

[NEW.ERA]

Oh this is way too grand.

[lordsketor]

Dallas takes a supremely commanding 3-0 series lead. The Lake Show may finally be over.

[Lights Out]

The Lake Show is burning off its last episodes right now. Tune in next year to its exciting new spinoff - the Blake Show!

[Drakonius26]

Dallas takes a supremely commanding 3-0 series lead. The Lake Show may finally be is over.

Yeah, going down 3-0 in a NBA playoff series... there won't be any miracle comeback for the Lakers this time. Truss me.

[infrared41]

I'm not sure about the age of the other users here, but Infrared, these Lakers and Celtics aren't those versions of the Lakers and Celtics, you know... the actually, entertaining versions.

Nope. They certainly aren't. But that's not a knock on either team and it's certainly not meant to say that the current teams aren't entertaining. The current versions are both great teams, they just play a different style of basketball than did their 80's counterparts. Then again, I've yet to see a team who can play like the 80's Lakers or Celtics. For my money, the 80's Lakers and Celtics were the most entertaining teams I've ever seen; in any sport. Period.

Anyway, after tonight, I don't think we'll be seeing the Lakers in the finals this year. I also think the Lakers aren't the only team from last season's finals that is going to get their asses handed to them. At this point, I'll be surprised if either the Lakers or Celtics manage to make it to a game six.

In any case, these playoffs are among the best I've ever witnessed and we're only in round two. I'm not crazy about seeing the Lakers get wiped out like this but I can set aside my "fandom" long enough to take a step back and really enjoy where these playoffs may be headed. Let's face it Lakers fans, our team is done. They were showing cracks against New Orleans and now Dallas is simply kicking their asses like I haven't seen a Lakers team get it's ass kicked in a very long time. (It may have happened between 1991 and this season, but I wasn't around to see it.) We may as well sit back and enjoy the new blood.

Anyone but the Heat! (although a miracle comeback from being down 3-0 wouldn't break my heart. )

[rainmaker17]

I'm happy the Mavs won tonight, but I'm almost happier we're (potentially) a game away from the end of the "Zen Master."

[rainmaker17]

The Lake Show is burning off its last episodes right now. Tune in next year to its exciting new spinoff - the Blake Show!

Way to drag the Clippers back in.

[srj34]

Has anyone realized that there is a surprising similarity between the 2004-08 Detroit Pistons and the 2008-present Boston Celtics?

Detroit

2004 54-28

2005 54-28

2006 64-18

2007 53-29

2008 59-23

1 championship, 1 runner-up

284-126 (.693 winning %) Avg. record 57-25

61-38 playoff record (.616 winning %)

Boston

2008 66-16

2009 62-20

2010 50-32

2011 56-26

1 championship, 1 runner-up

234-94(.713 winning %) Avg. record 58-24

42-28 playoff record (.600 winning %)

[Kevin W.]

Wow, I haven't seen a collapse like the Lakers in this series in a long time.

[Still MIGHTY]

I don't really know what to say now.

Dirk and the Mavs are playing absolutely phenomenal, and the Lakers are playing like complete dumbasses. The two combined are a disaster.

Unless Kobe and Co. completely just check out of Game 4 and go home, I see this series going back to LA and I believe they can get to a Game 6. After that, I have no idea what this team can do anymore.

Teams down 0-3 are 0-98 all-time. Somebody's eventually got to do it. And if it's the 2011 Lakers, then damn it, let's make some history. GO LAKE SHOW!

[vicfurth]

Wow, I haven't seen a collapse like the Lakers in this series in a long time.

Why, Kevin, I didn't know you worked for ESPN. Congrats!

In all seriousness, give the Mavericks some freakin credit. This isn't a matter of Lakers choking as much as Dallas playing like its finally their turn. Any other year Dirk and Co would've choked when Kobe tried to turn it on. However, one look at Dirks face when the Mavs were faltering would show you that (CLICHÈ ALERT) that he simply wants it more than anyone on the court.

I will give credit to Mark Cuban too. He stopped treating the Mavericks like a fantasy team, left them the hell alone, and now is their best shot at a title. Take notes, Dan Snyder and Nolan Ryan

[pmoehrin]

Wow, I haven't seen a collapse like the Lakers in this series in a long time.

Why, Kevin, I didn't know you worked for ESPN. Congrats!

In all seriousness, give the Mavericks some freakin credit. This isn't a matter of Lakers choking as much as Dallas playing like its finally their turn. Any other year Dirk and Co would've choked when Kobe tried to turn it on. However, one look at Dirks face when the Mavs were faltering would show you that (CLICHÈ ALERT) that he simply wants it more than anyone on the court.

I will give credit to Mark Cuban too. He stopped treating the Mavericks like a fantasy team, left them the hell alone, and now is their best shot at a title. Take notes, Dan Snyder and Nolan Ryan

I understand Dan Snyder, but why Nolan Ryan? The Rangers were doing nothing until he got there, and they got to the World Series last year for the first time in club's history.

But I do agree that this is way more along the lines of Dallas winning then the Lakers losing, no matter how the media wants to spin it.

[vicfurth]

Ryan and Daniels over-tinkered this offseason I think.

Back to basketball, seeing Dirk just pissed at the notion of giving a game away was really refreshing.

[infrared41]

Wow, I haven't seen a collapse like the Lakers in this series in a long time.

Why, Kevin, I didn't know you worked for ESPN. Congrats!

In all seriousness, give the Mavericks some freakin credit. This isn't a matter of Lakers choking as much as Dallas playing like its finally their turn. Any other year Dirk and Co would've choked when Kobe tried to turn it on. However, one look at Dirks face when the Mavs were faltering would show you that (CLICHÈ ALERT) that he simply wants it more than anyone on the court.

I will give credit to Mark Cuban too. He stopped treating the Mavericks like a fantasy team, left them the hell alone, and now is their best shot at a title. Take notes, Dan Snyder and Nolan Ryan

Couldn't agree more. The Lakers are simply getting outplayed. The Mavs are the better team in this series.

[Lights Out]

Teams down 0-3 are 0-98 all-time. Somebody's eventually got to do it. And if it's the 2011 Lakers, then damn it, let's make some history. GO LAKE SHOW!

You know, I've seen a lot of Lakers fans say this in the wake of Game 3, and I'm wondering why. How exactly have they shown in this series that they are ready and able to pull off such a comeback? They haven't even shown that they care enough to win just one game. They've choked away leads in the fourth quarter in two out of the last three games. Somehow I'm not convinced that they can "flip the switch" now.