2008 NBA Playoffs Thread

[I wanna be like Miikka]

The pointless hate on for kobe is getting embarassing in this thread. He is a much less selfish player now compared to 3 years ago and at one point he got accused of passing too much.

I don't even care who wins because I want KG/Allen/Pierce to get a title, especially KG and Allen. But this Kome stuff is just stupid.

[StrayBullet]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

In any event, Doc Rivers has got to get his head out of his butt and stop these crap starts by the Celtics. If he comes out of the first quarter reasonably close then I think the Celtics win this in a walk. Garnett will not have 4 crap games in a row. Allen's personal issues - a sick child - are a concern for a couple of reasons (hope the kid is ok, and hope Allen is able to focus better).

Interesting to see that when Kome gets in early foul trouble that the rest of the team plays better. Is it them stepping up and seizing the moment, or is it a function of actually being able to get in a rhythm without Kome making sure you don't take some of his spotlight? Kome with another great shooting game: 8-21. A real hero.

In any event, this series should be over tonight and we can then start listening to all the Kome apologists complaining that the losses had everything to do with his teammates and nothing to do with his consistently deplorable shooting and ball hoggery.

You really have no idea what you're talking about. "Garnett will not have 4 crap games in a row"??? "Kome apologists"??? ....In the Finals, no franchise type player should be having '4 crap games in a row'. Seriously... Insisting Kobe is selfish isn't even an argument anymore. Franchise players need to have the ball. The best player on the team needs to have the ball. Your arguments are moot.

[StrayBullet]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

or people don't have time to run onto the site every five minutes like you do. Nice try though.

I just recall how quickly people, like yourself, posted as soon as the Celtics won on Thursday, but after they lost, had nothing to say. It's all good - Only when their winning, right? Nice try.

[OzSome]

I am not a big fan of either LA Lakers or Boston Celtics but I still watch the game because I am curious on who will win. So far from what I've seen Celtics might end up winning this series next game (Game 6). After watching the fake injury by Pierce, I tend to cheer a little bit more for LA. Sorry Pierce that type of acting should only stay in soccer games.

Kobe plays better early every game I guess then sort of falters due to Pierce and the Celtics defense. So far Doc Rivers is outcoaching Jackson as Celtics can adapt a lot faster than the Lakers. Defensively Lakers don't have any match defensively against Ray Allen and Pierce. On the other side of the ball, looks like old Fisher is doing better job against either House or Rondo. Gasol is a little better offensively than defensively. Just don't understand how Kevin Garnett doesn't take advantage of it. I think in order for the Lakers to win players such as Lamarr Odom, Radmanovich, Farmar or any other role players should play better and don't rely too much on Kobe and Gasol.

[fredr123]

Kobe could probably save some orphans from a shark attack right now and it wouldn't change the way I feel about the guy.

There are players out there that make those around him better. They inspire a higher level of play. Teammates bust their balls to not let them down. Even if Kobe scores 70 points tonight, he's never going to be the kind of player that teammates will run through walls for. Not going to happen.

He's not the biggest jerk to ever play the game and I'm sure many others will follow after him. Kobe's going to be stuck with that rap pretty much no matter what happens from here on out. All that he can change is how people will remember him as a player. Unless and until he puts a team on his back and carries them to a championship Kobe will always be the phenomenal talent who got into trouble in Colorado, yells at his teammates and ruined a sure-thing dynasty in LA.

[killer_carlson]

GIVE ME A BREAK!

You guys just can't hack that Kome is a terrible team player. He is the most talented player in the NBA for sure, but he isn't going to lead a team for victory. In fact that 3 pointer he made over Ray Allen in the first half is a shot that precious few players in the past 10 years would have been able to pull off (given the unreal defence on the play). Still, Kome will uninspire his teammates so that the team loses. Fredr has it right - no one is going to go through the trenches for Kome and his ego ruined a sure dynasty in LA.

Tonight's game is a perfect example: Both he and Pierce are having poor shooting nights. Kome is sulking and doing NOTHING else on the floor. Pierce is setting screens, passing the ball, playing unreal defence, and leading his team to victory. He is finding other ways to contribute positively to the outcome. Kome......was he even on the floor in the second quarter?

If you don't like Kome getting called out for what he is - a ball hogging rapist who cant lead his team to victory - then I suggest you find another thread where the facts are unimportant.

[newts]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

GIVE ME A BREAK!

You guys just can't hack that Kome is a terrible team player. He is the most talented player in the NBA for sure, but he isn't going to lead a team for victory. In fact that 3 pointer he made over Ray Allen in the first half is a shot that precious few players in the past 10 years would have been able to pull off (given the unreal defence on the play). Still, Kome will uninspire his teammates so that the team loses. Fredr has it right - no one is going to go through the trenches for Kome and his ego ruined a sure dynasty in LA.

Tonight's game is a perfect example: Both he and Pierce are having poor shooting nights. Kome is sulking and doing NOTHING else on the floor. Pierce is setting screens, passing the ball, playing unreal defence, and leading his team to victory. He is finding other ways to contribute positively to the outcome. Kome......was he even on the floor in the second quarter?

If you don't like Kome getting called out for what he is - a ball hogging rapist who cant lead his team to victory - then I suggest you find another thread where the facts are unimportant.

If only Kome would emulate some of the behaviour and skills that I exhibited as I carried you through community basketball.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Kobe needs to lead (read: Yell at) his teammates some more... getting absolutely DESTROYED tonight.

Kobe is a talented player, but an awful teammate - seriously, as the leader and go-to guy on the team, his only way to "motivate" his teammates is to yell at them???

Who wants to bet he pouts and asks for a trade again this offseason?? He will probably go after Phil Jackson again as well and say how terrible a coach he is...

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

Kobe needs to lead (read: Yell at) his teammates some more... getting absolutely DESTROYED tonight.

Kobe is a talented player, but an awful teammate - seriously, as the leader and go-to guy on the team, his only way to "motivate" his teammates is to yell at them???

Who wants to bet he pouts and asks for a trade again this offseason?? He will probably go after Phil Jackson again as well and say how terrible a coach he is...

Who wants to bet he walks off the court in the 4th quarter?

[arloiginla]

na na na na
na na na na
hey hey hey
goodbye!!!!!!!!!!!


Stupid Lakers!!!!!!!!!

[I_H8_Crawford]

Congrats to the Celtics!!!!

This game is OVER.

Nice to see a good TEAM like the Celtics win it all.

Also nice to see Kobe prove he is still a loser and needs a player of younger Shaq's caliber to carry him.

[Machiavelli]

Poor showing by the Lakers, but that was absolute domination by the Celtics.

No huge surprises in either the NBA or NHL playoffs and ultimately championships.

Nice to see Allen, Pierce, and Garnett win it. They are awesome team players and you can tell they have amazing chemistry together off the court as well as on it.

[StrayBullet]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

GIVE ME A BREAK!

You guys just can't hack that Kome is a terrible team player. He is the most talented player in the NBA for sure, but he isn't going to lead a team for victory. In fact that 3 pointer he made over Ray Allen in the first half is a shot that precious few players in the past 10 years would have been able to pull off (given the unreal defence on the play). Still, Kome will uninspire his teammates so that the team loses. Fredr has it right - no one is going to go through the trenches for Kome and his ego ruined a sure dynasty in LA.

Tonight's game is a perfect example: Both he and Pierce are having poor shooting nights. Kome is sulking and doing NOTHING else on the floor. Pierce is setting screens, passing the ball, playing unreal defence, and leading his team to victory. He is finding other ways to contribute positively to the outcome. Kome......was he even on the floor in the second quarter?

If you don't like Kome getting called out for what he is - a ball hogging rapist who cant lead his team to victory - then I suggest you find another thread where the facts are unimportant.

The fact is, you continue insist that Kobe has grown into a better player. A better player on the court and in the dressing room. It's actually called, growth. Progression. I'm pretty sure I'm in the right thread because it was talking about the playoffs and I'm positive that the most selfish player in the league, the "ball-hogging" rapist (That you insist on calling him), sulked his team and carried them to first place in the Western Conference, to the NBA Finals and an MVP title, which he had said that he wouldn't of been able to win without his teammates who banded behind him and played their hearts out so that he could win - In return each teammate, even Ira Newble got a $10,00 watch. ...Not that it matters.

Being close-minded when watching sports must be difficult. It's gotta be tough being able to decipher between an athlete's improvement or their decline. Perhaps you're too involved with the same Kobe arguments you've probably been making for the last 10 years; "He's too selfish", "LA coulda, shoulda, woulda, had a dynasty", "He's a bad teammate"... blah, blah, blah. I'm not proud of the things he's done, (like the phone call last summer) but as a fan and with the team, I got past it and looked at the road ahead - Trying to win. They're not gonna win, but hey, this team wasn't supposed to get past the second round. The point is, whatever negative comments you have about Kobe are redundant and stale and I really don't believe you would change it, based on your posts, even if they did come back to win in Game 7. They're also old and boring because it's the same argument people who don't really watch basketball, spit out when talking about it because it was what the media insisted on for the 2 years after Shaq was traded. Get with it - It's 2008. The Lakers, with Kobe have accomplished so much since then.




As for the game....
I'll be the first to say that Boston, outplayed, out-hustled, suffocated LA's offence and hit almost every 3-pointer they shot. I'm all about giving credit, when credit is due. Sure, I'm a Lakers fan, a Kobe fan and they got worked tonight since the second quarter, but he was still the one guy driving to the hole, looking for a big stop and attempting at making plays. I think Boston just had too much from their bench and the Boston role players did exactly what they had to do to Pau and LA's point guards to prevent them from setting up the half-court O.
It's embarrassing as a Kobe/Laker fan and it almost feels like Game 6 in this years Flames playoff; Uninspired play, no sense of urgency and no feeling after the Celtics started running away that they could recover. Up to this point, there is no such thing as anyone, deserving of a title... After this game the Celtics will.


GO LAKERS! ...and GO KNICKS! (even though you suck)

[Antithesis]

Well, congrats to the Celtics for a huge win.

Is anyone else tired of stupid, pointless interviews by reporters butting in on moments where it is clearly inappropriate to do so?

Was anyone else saying, "Shut up Tafoya, you stupid cow" when she was 'interviewing' Garnett? Geeeeeeeeeeez. Some moments do not need your so-called brilliant commentary.

[killer_carlson]

wow - sure called that one:

Celtics have a decent first quarter and win in a walk.

What were Bryant's stats in the finals? Did he even shoot 33% from the field? I bet he had to average 20 shots from the field each game as well. The Kome apologists will come in and lay the blame everywhere except where it should and we'll hear excuses all summer long as per usual.

Ray Allen was awesome. Just awesome. Role players from Boston also held the fort too.

I actually thought Odom was decent tonight. Gasol was brutal on the defensive end. Radmonovic - terrible.

Good for Doc Rivers. Good for Danny Ainge.

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by newts

If only Kome would emulate some of the behaviour and skills that I exhibited as I carried you through community basketball.

If only eh?

I actually thought of JK watching the game tonight when Ray Allen would shoot and then start running back on defence because he knew it was going to go in.

[arloiginla]

The best part about this Lakers loss - is that Kobe Bryant will not hoist the trophy

[flip]

It's funny I heard Kobe won the League MVP this year because he's a better team player and less selfish. I really thought the only way the Lakers had a chance in this series is if he was selfish and scored 50pts a game.

BTW I hate the Lakers and won $40 because the Celtics won tonight.

[troutman]

Boston could hold the NBA, MLB and NFL titles at the same time. (I don't see the Bruins making it four titles).

[OILFAN #81]

Complete domination!

Big congrats to the Celtics on winning the championship and especially to "The Big 3" for all winning their 1st championship. Boston was clearly the better team then the Lakers all series and that started with their defense. Great job on Kobe by not letting him get good shots after the 1st quarter.

KG's interview was awesome at the end of the game (by Michelle Tafoya) LOL.

So sweet seeing Bryant walking off the court so sad at the end of the game when in the 1st quarter he was trash talking the fan saying "Not tonight". Sorry fakeshow, not this time.

HAHA STUPID LAKERS! Last congrats to Pierce for winning the MVP!