2013 NBA Playoffs

[Lights Out]

I do think it's interesting that the Clippers finally fire Vinny the same day that Stan Van Gundy claimed he wasn't going to coach next season.

[DG_YouKnowWhatThatMeans]

http://blog.seattlepi.com/sonics/2013/05/21/nba-legend-phil-jackson-had-deal-with-chris-hansen-for-any-job-he-wanted/

As Chris Hansen was gunning hard to buy the Sacramento Kings and relocating them to Seattle, he also was in talks to give NBA legend Phil Jackson any job he wanted in the new Sonics organization, Jackson said Tuesday.

“I had an agreement with (Hansen),” Jackson said on The Dan Patrick Show (see video below). “I thought he was dynamic, I thought he had great ideas, he went through the whole process of getting an arena. He did everything right — except, you know, win the franchise.

[HedleyLamarr]

I wonder if the Heat remember what it's like to play basketball. It's been about a year since their last game.

Why so long in between games? And why start three days after the WCF?

I believe the protocol is that if a series gets to a Game 6, a Game 7 is assumed, and the next series' schedule is formed then.

[dbadefense1990]

Jalen's probably the least objectionable part of ESPN's NBA coverage... Magic and Simmons are God-awful.

I can tolerate the ramblings of Sinmons and Magic, since the two at least can spew their basketball talk in a professional sense. Wilbon has the most NBA coverage experience, but slants his analysis to the point of Bullscentricity, especially when describing how those Bulls "lost" to the Heat (rather than how Miami played dominantly). Jalen, however, is the killjoy of the bunch; he doesn't fit in the panel, and has that voiceforous, obnoxious sound when talking, ala Stephen A. Smith. But at least Jalen is much better at description than Stuart Scott, who tries too hard to cater to casual non-sports fans with his punch line vocabulary on highlight reels.

[dbadefense1990]

I wonder if the Heat remember what it's like to play basketball. It's been about a year since their last game.

Why so long in between games? And why start three days after the WCF?

I believe the protocol is that if a series gets to a Game 6, a Game 7 is assumed, and the next series' schedule is formed then.

For the last 10-11 seasons, when the cable broadcasters became only TNT and ESPN, both conference finals rotated annually between the two networks; this year, ESPN has the West while TNT has the East. Based on how the first two rounds go, one of those series is bound to have a head start (West), while the other has a long layoff (East).

But eventually, the NBA stages conference final games to play every other day, and they always have a setup to make sure the series TNT does starts, and hopefully ends, last (since their season coverage ends after the conference finals, whereas ABC/ESPN has exclusivity in the NBA Finals). So the Grizzlies/Spurs series has their Game 2 tonight, then has a break until Saturday, in time for the Heat/Pacers to play their first two games, Wednesday and Friday. Starting on Saturday, the West and East series play every other day until we have our championship series finalists.

[dfwabel]

Outside of attending the Draft Lottery, what has Pat Williams been doing in the last decade outside of adopting more kids, writing motivational books and gain about 35 pounds?

[lordsketor]

Cleveland gets the No.1 pick in the draft.

[Cujo]

Dan Gilbert's 30-year old son is creepy as hell!

[Billy B]

I'm guessing the Cavs go with Noel at #1? Dion Waiters had a pretty solid rookie season, so I don't think they'd want to draft McLemore over him unless they think he's going to be that good. Oh well, this is going to be a pretty weak draft.

[vmd9]

Dan Gilbert's 30-year old son is creepy as hell!

Making fun of a kid with a life-threatening illness?

[Cujo]

Dan Gilbert's 30-year old son is creepy as hell!

Making fun of a kid with a life-threatening illness?

Please. Like I knew he was dying. (He's dying?)

[C's]

Dan Gilbert's 30-year old son is creepy as hell!

I personally guarantee that my creepy 30-year old son will win an NBA championship before the self-titled former 'king' wins one.

[pmoehrin]

I'm guessing the Cavs go with Noel at #1? Dion Waiters had a pretty solid rookie season, so I don't think they'd want to draft McLemore over him unless they think he's going to be that good. Oh well, this is going to be a pretty weak draft.

Any other team and McLemore probably would have been number one, but with Cleveland's depth in the backcourt, I would be pretty surprised if they didn't take Noel number one.

This is one of those drafts though where there really is no true number one pick out there, but it has to be somebody.

My own thoughts on Noel is that he should have gone back to Kentucky for another year. Just look at the difficulty Anthony Davis had in adjusting to the NBA. It took almost all year before he finally starting to resemble the player people including thought he was going to be from day one and Davis was a far better player then Noel was coming into the draft. I think Noel is at least a full season away from even being able to start let alone be an effective player.

If I was Cleveland I would be very tempted to say screw it, take McLemore anyway and just worry about what to do with three young starting guards later. I think I rather that problem then trying to figure out how what I think is a project is going to fit into the team when he has to play because he went number one overall.

[vmd9]

I'm guessing the Cavs go with Noel at #1? Dion Waiters had a pretty solid rookie season, so I don't think they'd want to draft McLemore over him unless they think he's going to be that good. Oh well, this is going to be a pretty weak draft.

Any other team and McLemore probably would have been number one, but with Cleveland's depth in the backcourt, I would be pretty surprised if they didn't take Noel number one.

This is one of those drafts though where there really is no true number one pick out there, but it has to be somebody.

My own thoughts on Noel is that he should have gone back to Kentucky for another year. Just look at the difficulty Anthony Davis had in adjusting to the NBA. It took almost all year before he finally starting to resemble the player people including thought he was going to be from day one and Davis was a far better player then Noel was coming into the draft. I think Noel is at least a full season away from even being able to start let alone be an effective player.

If I was Cleveland I would be very tempted to say screw it, take McLemore anyway and just worry about what to do with three young starting guards later. I think I rather that problem then trying to figure out how what I think is a project is going to fit into the team when he has to play because he went number one overall.

Cavs said they'll take the best talent available regardless of position. Yes, there's no true #1 but same could be said about the 2011. Both drafts lacked depth and possible top picks coming back from injury. As a Cavs fan I take Noel. What's the worst that can happen, a Cleveland draft bust? Never seen that before...

[pmoehrin]

I'm guessing the Cavs go with Noel at #1? Dion Waiters had a pretty solid rookie season, so I don't think they'd want to draft McLemore over him unless they think he's going to be that good. Oh well, this is going to be a pretty weak draft.

Any other team and McLemore probably would have been number one, but with Cleveland's depth in the backcourt, I would be pretty surprised if they didn't take Noel number one.

This is one of those drafts though where there really is no true number one pick out there, but it has to be somebody.

My own thoughts on Noel is that he should have gone back to Kentucky for another year. Just look at the difficulty Anthony Davis had in adjusting to the NBA. It took almost all year before he finally starting to resemble the player people including thought he was going to be from day one and Davis was a far better player then Noel was coming into the draft. I think Noel is at least a full season away from even being able to start let alone be an effective player.

If I was Cleveland I would be very tempted to say screw it, take McLemore anyway and just worry about what to do with three young starting guards later. I think I rather that problem then trying to figure out how what I think is a project is going to fit into the team when he has to play because he went number one overall.

Cavs said they'll take the best talent available regardless of position. Yes, there's no true #1 but same could be said about the 2011. Both drafts lacked depth and possible top picks coming back from injury. As a Cavs fan I take Noel. What's the worst that can happen, a Cleveland draft bust? Never seen that before...

They're taking the best player available with the number one pick regardless of position? Haven't heard that one before.

Not trying to belittle what your saying. Its just one of those things where I think teams just say it to cover their own ass. There's definitely been years where a team with the number one overall pick did not draft the best player they thought was available. I just take that stuff with a grain of salt. Whoever they draft is going to be the guy they claimed was the best player available.

The '11 Draft was a very weak draft. To date Irving has been the only real star to come out of that draft and I don't expect that to change anytime soon either. But I wasn't all that impressed with Noel even before he went down with the knee injury. Solid defensive player but offensively he's borderline incompetent right now. As the college game is built right now, you can get away with that and still be a dominant player. NBA not so much. Unless your going to be in the running for defensive player of the year, you need to be averaging at least 10 points a night to stay on the floor and I don't think he can do that right now. I think he's a one dimensional player that is going to be a major liability on offense at least starting out.

On the pro side, he does a have a very high ceiling. He has the potential to be that Tyson Chandler/Roy Hibbert type of presence down low defensively, and if he can be even decent offensively he will be one of the better centers in the game. Problem is it took those guys a few years to get going and I think that's going to be the case here. So you really don't know what your getting until three or four years down the road and that's just not something I would be looking for out of a number one pick. I would just be asking myself who is the best player right now and I think that's Ben McLemore.

[NJTank]

Dan Gilbert's 30-year old son is creepy as hell!

I personally guarantee that my creepy 30-year old son will win an NBA championship before the self-titled former 'king' wins one.

That kid is 30? Holy jeeze

[Lee Noire]

Thank God Del Negro is gone. Decent just ain't gonna cut it anymore. Not if the team wants to keep CP3. My only concern is who we get to replace him. Van Gundy said no and ol' 11 rings is engaged to the rivals daughter. I like Byron Scott if only because of the history he has with Paul.

[zpqmaowl]

Paul George!

[crashcarson15]

Dear Lord, that was amazing.

Pacers HAVE to win this game now.

[CS85]

I'd love for the Pacers to win this series, but even if they won this game just look at how far that took the Bulls. The Pacers are a much better team than the Bulls, but one game does not a series make.