The 2008/2009 NBA season thread

[faldor]

I'm a Cleveland sports fan.  We manage to choke everything away.  Hence my prediction.

Plus, the Magic won 2 of 3 against the Cavs in the regular season.

Kelly Dwyer, writing for Yahoo Sports Canada: "Will Cleveland's offense remind us of that old Cleveland offense? The one you hated to watch? The one that took 14 seconds to set up a bad play featuring a low percentage shot as its go-to move? The one that made you wonder if Mike Brown was long for the head coaching chair? There have been signs during the playoffs that this sort of offense might return, and Cleveland's last game in Orlando certainly reminded us of the Cavs of old, so this is worth paying attention to."

Most writers seem to be calling Cleveland in 5, 6, or 7 though.  I'm hoping for something like that, but judging on the patterns of how Cleveland sports work, they'll find a way to blow it either against Orlando or against LA/Denver.

Wow!  Unfortunately for you, I now put a lot more stock into your prediction.  Maybe just some rust after the long layoff.  That's a shocker.  To me at least.  I didn't think the Cavs would lose at home.  Lebron has a good enough supporting cast where he doesn't have to carry them like he did last year.  West, Williams, Z, etc. have to step it up.

In a somewhat related note, I heard last night that IF the Celtics had gotten by the Magic that the plan was for KG to play against Cleveland and Danny Ainge pretty much confirmed that today.  It's not known when exactly he would've played, possibly not early in the series, or how effective he would've been.  But, they lost, so we'll never know.  Personally I don't think it would've made that big a difference.  He still wouldn't have been near 100%, and talk about rust.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Poor shot clock.

[w.axl.rose]

lucky shots shouldn't count in the nba 

[Axl4Prez2004]

I'm a Cleveland sports fan.  We manage to choke everything away.  Hence my prediction.

Plus, the Magic won 2 of 3 against the Cavs in the regular season.

Kelly Dwyer, writing for Yahoo Sports Canada: "Will Cleveland's offense remind us of that old Cleveland offense? The one you hated to watch? The one that took 14 seconds to set up a bad play featuring a low percentage shot as its go-to move? The one that made you wonder if Mike Brown was long for the head coaching chair? There have been signs during the playoffs that this sort of offense might return, and Cleveland's last game in Orlando certainly reminded us of the Cavs of old, so this is worth paying attention to."

Most writers seem to be calling Cleveland in 5, 6, or 7 though.  I'm hoping for something like that, but judging on the patterns of how Cleveland sports work, they'll find a way to blow it either against Orlando or against LA/Denver.

Wow!  Unfortunately for you, I now put a lot more stock into your prediction.  Maybe just some rust after the long layoff.  That's a shocker.  To me at least.  I didn't think the Cavs would lose at home.  Lebron has a good enough supporting cast where he doesn't have to carry them like he did last year.  West, Williams, Z, etc. have to step it up.

In a somewhat related note, I heard last night that IF the Celtics had gotten by the Magic that the plan was for KG to play against Cleveland and Danny Ainge pretty much confirmed that today.  It's not known when exactly he would've played, possibly not early in the series, or how effective he would've been.  But, they lost, so we'll never know.  Personally I don't think it would've made that big a difference.  He still wouldn't have been near 100%, and talk about rust.

Faldor, be happy they lost then.  All KG would have done is fucked himself up even worse.  He should be healthy and ready to kick some ass next season.

[Mal Brossard]

lucky shots shouldn't count in the nba 

Haha, please.

I guess the NFL shouldn't count any touchdowns scored on hail mary or desperation multi-lateral plays?

If there's time on the clock and the game is within one TD/basket/goal/run/whatever, you still need to play, lucky or not.

I guess Michael Jordan's 1989 shot against the Cavs was just something lucky that shouldn't count?

[Gnrfan]

I'm a Brit who semi-follows the NBA (I guess i'd say i'm a Celtics Fan). But i have to say as a sports fan that LeBron James Buzzer shot was just a great sporting moment.

The Magic players couldn't believe it, the crowd couldn't believe it. I'm not sure that even LeBron believed it.

Just Fantastic. That 4th Quarter was just one of those events that you couldn't stop watching even if you wanted to.

[D]

Anyone else wondering why the fuck Van Gundy didn't double Lebron with Turk and D Howard and single everyone else?

With 1 second, the inbound man wouldnt have had time to get the ball back, so why not double Bron?

if so, orlando are in the finals.


DUMB coaching move.

[Axl4Prez2004]

lucky shots shouldn't count in the nba 

Haha, please.

I guess the NFL shouldn't count any touchdowns scored on hail mary or desperation multi-lateral plays?

If there's time on the clock and the game is within one TD/basket/goal/run/whatever, you still need to play, lucky or not.

I guess Michael Jordan's 1989 shot against the Cavs was just something lucky that shouldn't count?

Hey Brossard, thanks for reminding me that Jordan shot was...20 years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!?  I feel so old...that felt like it happened just yesterday.     I feel so old. 

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

lucky shots shouldn't count in the nba 

I hardly think he was serious with his statement.

You can all take out your panties from your throbbing anuses at once.

Thanks

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

                                                                   WIT
                                                                   NESS

[D]

David Stern is shitting himself currently

[w.axl.rose]

how sweet would of been if orlando was 3-0.

[Mal Brossard]

The 80's Celtics were still a playoff team without Larry Bird.

Ditto on the 80's Lakers without one of either Magic or Kareem.

Same deal with the 90's Bulls without Michael Jordan.

And the turn of the century Lakers without either Kobe or Shaq.

Take Lebron off the Cavs, and they're a lottery team.

Danny Ferry REALLY needs to do something this offseason.

[Mal Brossard]

how sweet would of been if orlando was 3-0.

You should be thanking your lucky stars that it isn't 2-1 or even 3-0 in Cleveland's favor either.  Game 1 could have gone either way.  The Magic played like crap in Game 3 and just got lucky that the Cavs played even crappier.  It's been a very even series.  I just don't see the Cavs pulling it out, no matter what kind of predictions Mo Williams makes.

[faldor]

Bad officiating right there at the end of regulation.  Methinks the refs want Cleveland to win this game and make the series a little more interesting.  Questionable foul calls both go the Cavs way in the last 5 seconds of the 4th.

[D]

Bad officiating right there at the end of regulation.  Methinks the refs want Cleveland to win this game and make the series a little more interesting.  Questionable foul calls both go the Cavs way in the last 5 seconds of the 4th.

how bout that tech they called on Howard in the 3rd. that was HORRIBLE

Also, lebron elbowed Pietrus there at the end of the 4th and tripped over his own feet.

Orlando are up 6 though

this should've been a sweep.

[faldor]

Bad officiating right there at the end of regulation.  Methinks the refs want Cleveland to win this game and make the series a little more interesting.  Questionable foul calls both go the Cavs way in the last 5 seconds of the 4th.

how bout that tech they called on Howard in the 3rd. that was HORRIBLE

Also, lebron elbowed Pietrus there at the end of the 4th and tripped over his own feet.

Orlando are up 6 though

this should've been a sweep.

Yeah, if you're gonna make that call FOR Lebron, you gotta do the same for Howard.

Orlando is outclassing Cleveland in every way though.  I can't say enough, how impressed with them I've been ever since about game 3 of the Celtics series.  I never thought or imagined they were capable of playing this well.  Boy have they proved me wrong.

[D]

Micheal Pietrus is this year's James Posey

he has been sensational.


I think Orlando can win the title.

[Mal Brossard]

Yeah, complain about the officiating, while ignoring Howard tackling Delonte West with 6 seconds left.  No call, which would have led to Howard fouling out.  And then Retard Lewis hits the three.  You've got to be kidding me that you think the officiating was one sided for Cleveland.

The officiating in this series has been total shit both ways for both teams.

[D]

I actually would love to see Bron vs Kobe but I can't help it, I am for Orlando just due to like u said, all this bullshit hype etc.