[smilie=bigshot.gif]

I'd like to pick the Nuggets, but they haven't been tested really yet. They were light years better than NO and Dallas (in games they didn't sleep walk through). I really hope they keep playing hard.

:stein:


As a bonus for you devotees of point differential, here's some fun info from our friends at the Elias Sports Bureau that tells how impressive Denver was in the first two rounds of the playoffs, no matter how you're tempted to discount the Nuggets' 8-2 record so far because of New Orleans' many injuries and Dallas' lack of weaponry around the deadly Nowitzki.

The following lists the highest per-game scoring margin, through 10 playoff games, in league history:

SEASON TEAM AVERAGE MARGIN SEASON RESULT
2008-09 Nuggets +16.0 TBD
1970-71 Bucks +15.4 Won NBA title
1986-87 Lakers +14.8 Won NBA title
1995-96 Bulls +14.3 Won NBA title
2000-01 Lakers +14.1 Won NBA title
1985-86 Lakers +13.7 Lost in the conference finals
1985-86 Celtics +13.2 Won NBA title

PER Diem: Who will win, Lakers or Nuggets? (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2009/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-090518)

:hollinger: says Nuggs in 6.

I may have to reconsider my pick now.

Lakers in 6. I love the nuggets storyline this season but the lakers are just the better team.

I hope Chauncey can knock out Kobe and then take Lebron but I seriously doubt it can happen.

Imagine if it did though...

Fuck yeah!

Would any of you party?

P, do like how much Vince is enjoying this scheduling snafu? Did you see him whip out that Kobe jersey and say that he's going to present it to Kroenke?

As far as the series, I hope that I'm not just getting drunk on NuggetMania, but they seem to have the physical bigs, the superstar scorer, the floor leader and the competent coach to get to the finals. Much improved D and many different sources of O. I like their chances.

Apparently they fucked up and booked the WWE (long ago) during the playoffs and now it interferes with game 4:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4176082

It's Memorial Day, they should be fine.

Vince is definitely milking this though, he couldn't have scripted this any better. Seriously.

denver's got the birdman!!! brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrp......fuck vodka seriously

Would any of you party?

...like it was 2004.

I an guarantee you all that

a) Vince is pissed he likely isn't gonna get the arena
b) Vince will milk this for all he can get

For a start he's got some real media coverage on his company and he didn't have to beg for it. WWE could use all the publicity that doesn't involve steroids or deaths or murder/suicides they can get.

And don't be shocked if Vince does hold Monday Night Raw in a parking lot somewhere near the Pepsi Centre.

Also don't be shocked if certain talent appear courtside for some of Game 4. We're talking major names too. Vince could have Triple H and Shawn Michaels appear since neither is involved in storylines.

OR (brace for it, cause this is gonna get long)

This is how you open Raw from the Car Park (as close to the Pepsi Centre as possible):

Have Randy Orton, Ric Flair and a few WWE security guys get tickets to Game 4. The security guys could have hidden cameras that could transmit a live feed (is that even possible?) of what is about to happen.

This would all have to be co-ordinated with the WWE production trucks to bring it together to begin Raw, 5 minutes EARLY! (their network gives them the extra time for reasons about to be made obvious)

Anyway...

5 minutes before Raw actually begins (so really 10 minutes early) Orton and Flair stand up in their seats during Game 4 and start brawling!!! They don't fuck around though - the brawl is designed to cause chaos, not a riot lol

They would brawl towards the nearest exit, fighting the whole time. Obviously television cameras would have caught (parts of) the brawl and aired it during the NBA broadcast. Flair and Orton flanked by WWE security brawl down the street from the Pepsi Centre as Raw begins LIVE (5 minutes early). The cameras pick them up before they enter the parking lot.

THIS

WOULD

BE

HUGE!

For a start you just fucked with the NBA Western Conference Finals.

Secondly you just had 2 guys brawling down the streets of Denver, filmed and being sent out live to millions ... and millions of WWE Fans (they get an audience of nearly 6 million people every Monday night)

Thirdly you just drew a huge crowd to your car park (so make the entry FREE), as people would have followed the brawl from the Pepsi Centre to the parking lot.

Fourthly, Flair is retired and this is not a match, so you haven't fucked that retirement stipulation up either.

When Flair and Orton get to the ring at the parking lot Vince can grab the mic and cut a promo (like few wrestlers can!) and end the brawl and begin the real show.

Trust me, if this was done right this would be the biggest fucking thing since Stone Cold Steve Austin or the Montreal Screwjob.

It won't happen though, cause WWE is now gripped by the corporate mentality and any "out there" idea is shot down to protect the company interest.

^ I didn't read any of that because I came in here to talk about real sports, not some ballerina bullshit, and am pissed no one seems to have watched or cared about the game last night.

LMAO - Vince will be pissed you aren't interested in his 1 man battle against Denver and the NBA, who are teaming up to put him out of the Pepsi Centre!

I couldn't believe they blew that game in the end. Nuggets should have won that thing. Several guys didn't have great nights for them and they were still in a position to win. Better get game 2.

The Lakers aren't that good.

And they don't have Mr Big Shot.

That shot in the corner right at the end there was sick and classic clutch Chauncey.

Still, overall, Chauncey shot relatively poorly. He biffed FTs. He didn't clearly outplay Derek Fisher. I like Chauncey, but the Nugs aren't winning the series if he plays like he has.

I was also pissed that they lost.

Between screwing up and not holding for the last shot at the half (when Fisher nailed a 3 at the horn) to the horrible free throw shooting, they should have won comfortably.

They were who I thought they were, and they let 'em off the hook.

The Lakers aren't that good.
This is true.

The biggest mistake was Carter throwing away the inbounds. That guy is terrible, I don't care what the nuggets announcers say. Sure, he's a pretty good passer (except for that play), but he shoots like complete shit. I have no idea why they didn't have Jones in there instead or even JR. It was tied and you needed a basket, why have the worst scorer on the team out there?

watched the game but was too lazy to post here

melo didnt get many touches in the last quarter, he wasn't missing anything in the first 3 quarters.

but this team lost because of free throws. make em fuck.

i dont know who to root for. the nuggets won't beat the cavs, but i like them more. i hate the cavs, but the lakers can beat them in a series of 7.

also, d jones has no offensive game...

well according to the announcer, they had anthony carter in to play chauncey as the 2 guard, but why would that matter for the last possession?

I'm pumped that they got game 2, but it kinda makes me wish they had gotten game 1 even more. They could have been heading home to sweep.

I really think they have a good shot at going up 3-1 now, and winning it in 6 at home.

Yeah, they need to win the next two. Not must wins, but very important. You let them win one of these games and you take the pressure off them completely.

Not worried. The Lakers aren't that good.

If Denver could have boxed out in the first half they might have blown the Lakers out.

Quite simply, ARIZA

How much you willing to pay your boy GD?

$4-5m, maybe?

How about "a little more than anyone else"?

Or how about a S&T for Amir?

I was just coming here to post something positive about Ariza. Its already been taken care of.

Another great shooting night for Chauncey...NOT!

Fuck Ariza.

Remember Jud the Stud?

Beware Of Signing Role Players Who Excel In The Triangle

He isn't defending like a mofo and making game deciding steals because of the triangle. Just curious, but have you seen h im play this series?

Also, tied 2-2 now, hells yeah.

And then there is this...


Lakers F Trevor Ariza, playing with a hip pointer and strained groin he aggravated in Game 3 finished with three points and five fouls.

Yes, I have seen him play.

He's a great hustle/energy guy and can play good D. I have serious doubts about his offensive ability outside the triangle.

What did he do at every other stop in his career before he got to LA? Not a lot, right? There must be a reason for that... or is Phil Jackson that fucking good that he got inside Ariza's head with his Zen stuff and discovered the player deep down in the darkest corners of Ariza's mind, body and soul?

What did Chauncey do at every stop before Minnesota?

He fits the Joe D mold, IMO.

Oh hell yeah he fits.

He's EXACTLY the type of player Joe would chase.

Im just not sold on his O cause of the triangle, that's all.

The winner of game 5 most likely wins the series, IMO.

If the Nuggs go home with a chance to close it out, I think they will.

If they go home 3-2, then I doubt they can win 2 straight.

I watched some of the game last night. I was happy watching Chauncey. 7 straight conf finals for him? Makes me think that, as much as I'm sure Joe respected Chauncey, he didn't realize the difference between CB and AI is as huge as it is. Literally swap 1 player, and swap entire team performance with it. Cap room, I know... but still.

Looking forward to the game tonight.

So much so that I'll probably fall asleep around halftime.

9 pm starts are better than 10:30 pm, but it's still too late for this Dad guy.

I watched some of the game last night. I was happy watching Chauncey. 7 straight conf finals for him? Makes me think that, as much as I'm sure Joe respected Chauncey, he didn't realize the difference between CB and AI is as huge as it is. Literally swap 1 player, and swap entire team performance with it. Cap room, I know... but still.

I think Joe counted on the rest of the team to still play defense given they were almost all here during the title run when they were the best defense. Also, they had a "defensive" coach as well.

Joe was wrong on both of those.

Looking forward to the game tonight.

So much so that I'll probably fall asleep around halftime.

9 pm starts are better than 10:30 pm, but it's still too late for this Dad guy.

Tonight is perfect out here. 5:30 for Wings (when I get home from work). When that is over it will probably be around the end of the first quarter of the Nuggets game.

Hopefully I get a solid 5 hours of Wings/Nuggets applying beatings.

terrible officiating... shocking

Gl'enn, I'm currently viewing the Wings game but Tivoing the Lakers, so would you please let me know when something good happens?

Thanks in advance!

some terrible officiating happened

How did they foul Nene out when Gasol fell down on his own power while pushing off? Horrible call there. I only saw the second half (after the Wings game), but Billups played bad. Terrible passes left and right, left Brown open for a dunk. He looked bad in that half for sure.

And why no post up for Melo the entire half?

Chauncey once said "If it ain't rough it ain't right"

Don't know if he was talking about the boardroom, the bedroom or the basketball court but he's in a rough situation now.

Show 'em who we are, Chauncey. Show 'em who we are.

if you scream Denver loud enough and long enough it naturally becomes Detroit

I wish we would have gotten this Chauncey the last couple, 3 years.

I think his message had faded on a lot of these players. Why would Sheed bust his ass because Billups told him to? Sheed has the same rings. He probably felt like he knew how to win also.

Billups goes to a team without winners and they all fall in line because Billups is the only guy that knows how to win.

I think players here just got too cocky.

He said in an interview that looking back, he prolly didn't appreciate what he had here. He said something about taking things for granted.

So I think he was as much of the problem, as far as complacency goes, as the rest of the guys. Sheed aside.

Chauncey, Sheed and Rip as a group became uncoachable after 2004. Even the 2005 finals trip had a big component of the "let's show the world that LB got too much credit for the 'ship" chip on the shoulder. They could still win with that attitude until the coach in reality became the useless appendage they always considered him to be. Under Curry there's no way that Chauncey was going to find any humility or tap the leadership he's show in Denver while that entitlement-driven core was still intact.

Fun stat:

20 quarters have been played.

Denver has been ahead at the end of 16 of them.

3 of the 4 that the Lakers have had the lead after have been 4th quarters (obviously).

The nuggets don't have anything to hang their heads over, really. They had a great playoff and just ran into a better team.

Wow... imagine, Chauncey making it to a 6-game conference finals!
Whoda thunk!?

The all-important distinction being underachievers vs overachievers.

The nuggets don't have anything to hang their heads over, really. They had a great playoff and just ran into a better team.

Good call.

I think the Nuggets finally just ran out of steam. I'm still not sold on the Lakers as a "great team" (not that you are calling them that).

Not worried, the Lakers aren't that good.

Chauncey didn't have a great WCF overall -- put up mediocre numbers against Fisher. He's hardly the big reason that they lost ("my kingdom for an inbounds pass"), but I suspect we'd be lighting him on fire if he were still a Piston and it went down like that.

No smiles at post game presser at least. He said he wants more than just he CFs. Thats an improvement to says those things and it appeared he meant them.

They were aksing him why he didn't try to score more. He said they were doubling him on the high p&r, so he always passed the ball.