LOL @ "Ankle"..... He was holding his knee, and they showed the trainer on the bench rubbing his knee... then all of a sudden he twisted an ankle. Right.

GG Dikembe Mutumbo. From the early days upsetting the Sonics w/ his 8 seed Nuggets to his years in Philly with those great Larry Brown teams, to his latter stints as a surprisingly useful and productive reserve big man.. He's been a class act and one of the best defensive big guys ever.

Hats off to you, Dikembe.

As a funny aside, while Harry Calas was indeed the voice of Philadelphia radio, you can't deny the fact that if Allen Iverson and Dikembe Mutumbo were involved in a radio interview, you could seriously tell your girlfriend it was Tone Loc and the Cookie Monster and she believed you... well.... that was truly special.

It's kinda weird in a way... If it was Artest or Scola, or Wafer, I would have been jazzed or pumped (mainly cuz that's the haircut trifecta).. But it really felt like that was a Blazer being led down the isle exit into the locker room when they were helping him off the court. Hope he makes a full recovery, if only to not have to hobble around once retired.

I hope the Hawks lose now, letting a ****ing bird fly around during the game.

LOL that was pretty cheesy.

Someone smarter than me is going to have to figure out what makes the Heat tick. Could not have looked worse in Game 1, played flawlessly for the first 35 minutes of Game 2 (and then held on tight). Daequan Cook shooting well makes them a completely different team.

I am out of town for Game 3 which sucks (stupid weddings) but I am excited to go to Game 4 which will be pivotal no matter who wins Saturday.

And boo to the NBA for these ridiculous breaks between games. Another two day layoff? Really?

Travel day. I know they just had 2 days off as well, but it's better than playing in the daytime or something and nobody can see the games, or playing at the same time as more than one other game. I wanted to see the Portland game last night, but it was on at the same time as the Laker game so I couldn't. I don't like 2 days off if there's no travel day either, but I like it better than the alternatives.

What makes them tick? Dwyane Wade. He didn't play a good game and they lost. Tonight, played well, and won. It might be like that, remember this is his first playoffs as their only go-to guy. If he's not shooting the ball well he's going to struggle in a playoff game, and if he doesn't have a great game they can't win.

I think Cooks outside contributions and O'Neal's inside contributions also play a large role in the Heat's success. It's no secret that if O'Neal and Cook are cold the Hawks can essentially form the wall around Wade that is so successfull in 7th grade girl's BBall. I don't think Beasley is really ready to be a playoff difference maker, especially against a team as long and speedy up front as the Hawks are. It's still anyone's series, and will probably go 6-7 games easy.

It's a weird feeling.. I'd hate to put money against Wade, but i'd also hate to put money on Wade when he's doing so much each night just to keep it competitive.

And yeah, the live Hawk flying around is a bit much, Atlanta.

yeah, it's not just about Wade making them tick......does his good game explain how Jermaine Oneal woke up from a coma to score 19 and block 4? Or how Cook finally found his stroke? in fairness, maybe the Heat role players feed off Wade completely. It is possible.

This definitely feels like a 7 game series. Miami is too young/inconsistent to sweep all three at home.

Also, there has been a lot of Chris Paul love (especially from Jadaki) and rightfully so. He is awesome.

But it is fair to point out that the Hornets are getting absolutely lit up by Chauncey Billups.

Two games, 67 points, 12 assists, NO TURNOVERS.

Thats pretty sick. Granted, the Nuggets are a better team......but they were only better once they got Billups. It is amazing how much he changed their team dynamic. Trading him for Iverson was one of the great all time steals. I dont think it is a coincidence that the Pistons have bottomed out. Dumars made a bad, bad trade.

just sayin, Billups should get his due. Getting all those headcases in Denver to play together is quite a feat.

I'm a Nuggets fan and this point cannot be emphasized enough.

Following them on a local level, you realize how truly desperate this team was for any sort of leader. AI was fun to watch but just didn't give a shit enough to do anything but get his points and be Melo's buddy. Melo, I'm convinced, will never lead any team. Great scorer, but he just doesn't seem to really care that much. JR Smith is another guy that is either really fun to watch or really frustrating. He can put up 45 off the bench one night and then go 1-13 the next. Either way, he's no leader either. Camby was a nice veteran presence but always just seemed content to quietly do his thing. Even George Karl seems to not really care what happens one way or the other. When the Nuggets lose a tough game his reaction always seems to be, more or less, a shrug of the shoulders and an, "Oh, well."

But whatever Chauncey does/says in that locker room has worked. There's no telling how the season would have played out without him, but it certainly seemed like the Nuggets were a non-factor before the trade.

Anyway, I'm not sure I've ever posted in the basketball forum before but once the playoffs roll around I always get pretty amped up. It's been nice to see the Nuggets make an unexpected run this year and, even though they don't stand a chance to make it out of the West, it's nice to see them actually doing well in the playoffs with a chance to advance.

Billups definitely has the one thing Paul is missing right now and that's playoff/big game experience. I always thought Billups was highly overrated in Detroit, in retrospect it appears I was wrong about his leadership skills.

Ok 2 points of interest here:

1. ) Billups was yet another Rick Pitino draft bust.. Billups was at milk-carton status for his first *few* years in the league. One of the better late bloomers of our generation.

2. ) Iverson is off the books.. Remember that the trade was a freeroll for Detroit: Billups wasn't in their future, they needed to cut salary.. and if Iverson gave them anything, it was a bonus. (Note: Iverson didn't give them much). Stuckey and Maxiell were supposed to step up and take over this year. That's the real crime, not Iverson. Detroit wasn't winning a title this year, the trade changed little for their end. The fact that the trade sparked the Nuggets to new heights is a bonus to them.. It doesn't magically make it a lopsided trade.

2b. ) I always felt Billups was overrated in Detroit's success, too.. So yeah, I'll have a healthy chunk of the crow everyone's eating.

There's just too many variables.. Look at the Hawks:

Bibby, Smith, Williams, Horford, Murray...

Look at the Heat:

O'Neal, Beasley, Cook, Moon, Haslem...

There's 10 guys who play real minutes on both teams that you couldn't make any real accurate prediction of what they were going to accomplish that night w/ a cocked gun to your head.

This series could be over in 5 or 7 either way.. who really knows? And yeah, they feed of Wade for sure, far moreso than Atlanta feeds off of Joe Johnson.


Random question: Wth happened to James Jones this year? He was such a great reserve swing for Portland last year and he totally fell off the map in Miami? Is it just the staff thinking Beasley and Moon are the future and need the reps?

jermaine o'neal ruined the pacers, and he ruined toronto this year, i hope he ruins the heat, he is soft as butter

He's out playing Paul by a ton, and it's breakin' my heart.

I've got 3 tickets to every Denver home playoff game, minus a potential Laker series. The only reason we have them is to go to the Laker games. Sec 120 Row 1. We're always looking to unload non-Laker games if you want to be part of Nugget fever.

serious wrist injury which just killed him. Next year, he will be a much better asset if healthy. He should be the starter at the 3. The Heat's best lineup (imo) right now is Wade, Cook, Jones, Beasley, Haslem (smallball, ftw) but obviously that squad is never on the floor.

Jermaine ain't the Jermaine of old but he did make Top 5 in blocks/game this year

Yeah, that makes sense then.. Shame, too.. a legit spot up 3 point presence who brings it on D is the perfect low-maintanece compliment on offense to Wade. Perfect 4th Banana-type.

i hate lebron james and his entourage of referees

I think 79-77 is the most common score in basketball after the 1st quarter.

Wow Howard was clutch at the line and Young made a hell of a play to win it.

Also, I'm pretty sure that first half was the worst basketball I've seen the Blazers play this year (I don't see them as much as Cappy, so whatever) and they are letting Scola look like an all star.

Yeah, Philly and Orlando has been one heckuva series so far.

Houston's playing out of their heads. I think Adelman's lacing their gatorade with crack cocaine or something. Houston has been up for every game and brought it every time the whistle has blown. Portland's made a strong 3rd quarter comeback, so we'll see.. God we're streaky as hell.. damn kids...

I thought Portland took a lot of bad shots late. Travis Outlaw took a few and Blake took a few (he hit one of them) I totally agree that Portland is just so streaky. Should be a great series.

Having a 2-1 lead with game 4 at home is nice.

Wade with 29pts 7 rebs, 8 asts, 4 blks WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Hell of a PG battle in Chicago today.

crazy game

wow

What a fun young team the bulls are. It will be interesting to see the way they develop in the years to come.

Just imagine if they traded Deng and some other stuff for Pau Gasol when they had the chance. I guess they probably wouldn't have Rose then, but you never know.

the Hawks are such garbage on the road! that was a jopke of a game.

if James Jones and Jermaine Oneal keep playing well this could be over in 5. of course, Miami might revert to game 1 form at some point but I love how the Heat look right now......and ATL seems completely demoralized.

I should have bet the Cavs game today - I can't imagine Rasheed Wallace was psyched to play his ass off for the right to spend the next few days in Cleveland

Rasheed Wallace was scoreless, missing all seven of his shots, in what was probably his last game with the Pistons unless they make a stunning move and re-sign him as a free agent

79-77 Rockets 5:31 left.

The Hawks need to get a real coach.

whats wrong with mr. woodson

If there was a VORP stat for coaching basketball he wouldn't be any better than a 0.

I didn't watch the nuggets-hornets game. but wow, 58 pt loss at home in a playoff game. any hornets fans in this thread care to comment

I give up on figuring out what makes the Heat tick. They are either completely unstoppable on offense this series or woefully incompetent (with no in between). If you told me Miami kept Atlanta at 93 or less in all four games, I would have figured the series would be over.

This one's going seven.


edit: ok I just found out that Wade had back spasms which explains a lot. he looked completely lifeless out there, totally lethargic. I feel like he has a problem during the playoffs a lot. Emmitt Smith syndrome, perhaps. Oh well, I feel a bit better knowing this.

I'd like Jadaki specifically to reply. I know if a Lebron Jame's team had lost by 58 in a play off game, he'd use that as a reason to diminish Lebron's greatness. Do you think a loss like this diminishes chris paul?

I think all 6 of them just committed suicide. that was one of the worst playoff performances I can think of in recent memory...particularly since the Hornets are exactly chopped liver.

Aldridge is day-to-day and banged up, plus Roy is puking his guys out with the dreaded "Flu Like Symptoms".

So ummm.. yeah.. I'm not about to cast stones at the Hornets cuz there's about a 5% chance Portland could be short a couple key cogs tomorrow... and it could get real, real ugly.

I think if Lebron James's team lost by 58 in a playoff game, there would be 3 zebra-colored bodies floating in the East River.. Screw 58, you could easily lower it to 18 in that case.

Nuggets are good, and Birdman/Nene/Martin are all healthy and protecting the paint. I may have to adopt them if the Blazers don't pull off the comeback. Cuz lord knows I can't root for the Lakers until the finals and all other WC options have been eliminated.

I didn't see the game. I watched the Heat/Hawks and Lakers/Jazz games last night while jumping over to check on the Blackhawks. The Cavs would never get blown out by 58 because they play defense, it doesn't even have anything to do with Lebron. I'm pretty sure you put Paul on the Cavs roster and they don't lose by 58 either.

Uh, it's not about putting Paul on the Cavs roster - it's about putting Paul on the Cavs roster instead of Lebron - face the issue don't avoid it

I thought this was pretty funny

Last night the Denver Nuggets beat the New Orleans Hornets by 58 points, 121-63. USA Today honored the biggest road blowout in NBA history with a short article on the back page of its sports section by Rachel Shuster, who wrote that "It might have been even more dominating, but (Carmelo) Anthony sat out the entire fourth quarter."

Sounded logical to me until I looked at the box score and noticed that the Nuggets outscored the Hornets 33-13 in the fourth quarter. What, was Carmelo planning on shooting some 4 pointers before George Karl made him sit out the final period?

I will seriously consider this if they aren't ridiculously priced.

Either way, no one on the Hornets besides Paul plays defense except for Chandler occasionally. West & Peja play matador defense. Remember when Orlando blew the shit out of Cleveland earlier this year, it could have been that bad except the Cavs play better defense. It takes a team to stop someone from dropping 128 points on you, not one player.

I didn't even watch it. After a while I got bored and started flipping back and forth.

what about the 63 points?

How come whenever something happens bad to Paul or Wade its their teammates but when the Cavs get swept by the spurs it's Lebron?

Cavs never should have even been in the finals, if there was anything resembling a real team in the east that year they would not have been there.

How come every time something bad happens to the Hornets or Heat you want to pin all the blame on Paul or Wade, but if the Cavs do something shitty its the horrid support cast and coaching?

And the 63 points is just pathetic, but like I said I didn't watch that game so I don't know how/why it happened.

Because I've seen all the games and it sure isn't ever LeBron

Paul and Wade are great players but LeBron just had one of the greatest playoff series of all time - how about some props?

Sorry for bringing the Lebron thread here again