NBA Playoffs Thread

[Guest Hit Man 3120]

Why don't the Lakers play hack-a-Ben Wallace??? He's even worse than Shaq.

It's been a shoddy seies, but energetic, which makes up for the poor play. I can't believe the Lakers are crumbling, and I'm quite confident when I say that the Pistons take game 5.

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I think cuz the Pistons are such a good free throw shooting team. Their ability to get to the line kept them in the game in the 2nd quarter

Funny moment, Sheed was wearing massive headphones at the post-game presser

[sahyder1]

Minnesota was never a threat and I think that derailed them. Had they met the T'Wolves first, then the Spurs and finally the Pistons, I think they probably would have played with more fire.

you mean to tell me Payton and Malone can't get motivated to win the title they signed with LA for? You mean to tell me that a team that was supposed to win 70 games can't get motivated?

Why don't the Lakers play hack-a-Ben Wallace??? He's even worse than Shaq.

Maybe because the Lakers have a short bench and can barely get enough guys on the court to play.

[Guest batsman]

I recon Lakers will win. IF they get through game 5 they got the last 2 at the Slaples centre.

[sahyder1]

I recon Lakers will win. IF they get through game 5 they got the last 2 at the Slaples centre.

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you reckon based on what? What makes you think it'll even get back to the Staples Center? At this point what makes you think the Lakers can win 3 straight?

Edited June 14, 2004 by sahyder1

[naiwf]

If that isn't one of the single most crappiest excuses I've heard. How can you tell me a team of professionals cannot play with fire at the biggest stage of their profession?

If the Lakers can't get motivated to play for the NBA Championship, then they shouldn't even be here. But they are. They've been here before and they know what it takes to win. Although the Pistons win someone always has to say LA didn't bring it all, just face up to it and admit the Pistons are great. Hell I've done it, and I rooted against the Pistons in all of their previous series. It wasn't until after Game 1 that I realized how good a team this was.

I guess it will just take a championship for people to realize this team is great.

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Have you seen LA play a game with any kind of energy in the Finals? I sure as hell haven't. They thought they had the series won because they're "The Lakers". Malone's injury aside they have played with no passion or vigor and that's why they're on the verge of getting beat.

Would *I* be busting my ass if I was on that team? Absolutely. But the Lakers are a team that don't give 100% when they choose not to, and for reasons I do not understand they are not playing at 100% now. That's not even up for debate. The only time in the series they played hard was the OT in game 2, the other 192 minutes their heart has been AWOL.

[SeanDMan]

Pistons in 6, just to piss of Naiwf

[DMN in the House]

Didn't see Game 4 because I was sleeping off drunkenness, but I have to say is that if the Lakers somehow win the next two, they'll win Game 7. I know it hasn't been done, but I think that if LA decides to actually fucking show up, they can do it.

[SeanB]

I know it hasn't been done, but I think that if LA decides to actually fucking show up, they can do it.

Here we go again. The only game the Lakers didn't "show up" in was Game 3. No one wants to admit that Detroit is shutting the Lakers down on a consistent basis.

Have you seen LA play a game with any kind of energy in the Finals? I sure as hell haven't.

Well what about Game 4? Shaq scores 36 and grabs 20 rebounds, and he probably would have had 50 if his team would have given him the ball more. Like Stephen A. Smith said on ESPN, it was like his teammates didn't want to see him succeed. Shaq shot 16 for 21, and he only touched the ball once in the final 7 minutes?

The only point worth noting is Detroit is the much better basketball team. That right there is why LA is losing. It has nothing to do with showing up, and playing with effort. As I've said Game 3 was the only true game that the Lakers didn't bring it all. Every other game including Game 2(except for 5 and half minutes) they were shut-down.

[DMN in the House]

No, Shaq and at times Kobe are the only Lakers showing up. Detroit is a better Team but do not have better players. To think that is idiotic.

If one more player shows up for LA, they win, if that dosen't happen, they lose. Detroit is not better then LA, LA is playing like shit while Detroit is playing like their in the Finals.

I'm getting tired of the 'no one respects us' shit, because everyone knows that if the Lakers play like they can, which they've only done during the overtime of Game 2, Detroit gets run out of the building.

[SeanB]

I'm getting tired of the Laker Marks coming up with all of these excuses to as why LA is losing this series. The fact of the matter is Detroit is the better basketball team. And no one said Detroit has the better players, but they play TEAM basketball.

I'm getting tired of the 'no one respects us' shit, because everyone knows that if the Lakers play like they can, which they've only done during the overtime of Game 2, Detroit gets run out of the building.

I'd just like to know how good you think this Lakers team is? And for you to believe they aren't showing up in the NBA Finals is idiotic. Just face it, Detroit is the much better basketball team and after this season the Lakers will be dismantled. I'm willing to bet that out of Shaq, Kobe, GP, Mailman and Phil that Shaq will be the only remaining Laker next season.

[DMN in the House]

I'd just like to know how good you think this Lakers team is?

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I think that, when they play to their ability, there isn't a team in the league this year that can beat them, INCLUDING Detroit.

[sahyder1]

C'mon people give the Pistons their due. They're letting Shaq do his thing and forcing Kobe to settle for terrible shots. Malone is done. Payton is done. Expect nothing from the rest of the bunch. Does someone know if this is the first time ever that a team hasn't had a 3rd guy with atleast 10 points in even one of the games. It's not that the Lakers are no-showing.......it's the Pistons shutting them down. I've never liked the Pistons one bit, but you gotta give them their due here.

[Scarface]

Lakers are still playing like shit, and Detroit is going to win the Finals. Face reality, sycodmn. Facts remain Lakers arn't showing up, because they can't work as a team. It's not what Los Angeles is not doing right, it's what Detroit is doing right. They're stopping Los Angeles and scoring points. No need to make excuses, LA is getting stopped by Detroit.

Edited June 14, 2004 by The Scarface

[Mishmow]

I think that, when they play to their ability, there isn't a team in the league this year that can beat them, INCLUDING Detroit.

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There's this thing called stamina....No "if"'s in this situation.

[Sabu]

Well, Lakers are up 3-1, and quite frankly, the Lakers are screwed. First of all, no Team has EVER won the NBA Title after falling behind 3 Games to 1. Second of all, they have been outplayed in every Game of the series, even when they won Game 2. If it hadn't been for Kobe Bryant's 3 in Game 2 with 2 seconds left, the Pistons would have won, and they would be the champions now. But the Lakers backs are against the wall, and they know they're in trouble and the Pistons know they can win this series now. All they have to do is play the way they have been playing, and it doesn't matter how good Kobe Bryant and Shaq do, because in Game 1 I think it was, they combined for like 58 Points and they still lost the Game.

The rest of the Lakers have to step up, especially Malone and Payton. Malone is injured though, which is gonna hurt the Lakers even more.

[DMN in the House]

There's this thing called stamina....No "if"'s in this situation.

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What the fuck does that mean? It has nothing to do with stamina, and everything to do with the fact that besides Shaq and at times Kobe, the rest of the Lakers are acting like the seasons already over.

[Drezdon]

Lakers will lose by 10 tonight in a game which will be dominated by Rasheed Wallace, I can just see it now. If I'm proved wrong, and the Lakers somehow pull though and win the game tonight in Detroit, they will probably win 4-3, as it will get the ball rolling that has been stuck in cement thus far in the series. I'm so glad that the lakers are getting a whoopin, I just can't stand them.

[Mishmow]

What the fuck does that mean? It has nothing to do with stamina, and everything to do with the fact that besides Shaq and at times Kobe, the rest of the Lakers are acting like the seasons already over.

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Just pointing out that there's no point in saying that the Lakers can beat anyone, because they don't have the stamina to do so.

It has everything to do with stamina. Payton can't keep up with anyone, and Shaq can't get back in transition. Malone is useless on the pick and roll. Yes, the Lakers seem to have given up, but that isn't everything. They hadn't given up by game 1....

[EWRFan]

Stop making excuses!!! If the Lakers where winning and we where making excuses about the Pistons losing, all you Laker fans would be getting in our faces about it, but since it is your team , you always complain instead of giving credit to the better team, which has clearly been the Pistons. You are lucky Kobe hit that shot in Game 2, otherwise, the title would have been in MOTown by now.

Hit Man, tonight is the night baby...that trophy is going to Detroit!!!

Man, weird....I havent cared about the NBA since the Lakers won their first title, but now I am apeshit for the Pistons...for the first time since I think 2000 I havent missed a single game in the finals and I even went as far as to watch the game instead of studying for a test...I got an F...but what the hell..the Pistons won!

I already got myself a Hamilton and a Ben Wallace jersey last night and I am waiting for tonight's eventual title win, so I can wear them to college tomorrow and piss off all the Laker fans in the student center. I just want to see the look on their faces

[DMN in the House]

The Pistons won't win tonight.