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[bionic77]

Oh man, did I touch a nerve or what? :lol Your team sucks, you're just lashing out. Especially since Shaq winning the championship with/for the Heat doesn't just look bad on Kobe, but the stupid fan-whore/whore-fan organization that let him go. I've been in these threads after losses. I've been posting irregularly pretty much everywhere on this forum, but I've been pretty regular the last two months since I haven't been going out much anymore.

I'm a rational fan. I criticize when appropriate. I've been beefing about the turnovers for the past few months now. I may ocassionally hpye up an opponent like the powerhouse Nets :lol but that's called sportsmanship 'round where I come from. Up next, we have the young and talented Bulls or the dark horse Wwwyyyzzzrrrddds.com. Hopefully the Big Aristotle can get healed up in the meantime and come back ready to roll. 30/20 in the Finals...you'll see. PEACE.

You did touch a nerve. You are assuming that all Laker fans feel the same way about Shaq/Heat as Konex, which is not true, and a big insult to all of us. Konex is just a fan of a player, like DM and a few others in here. He doesn't give a shit about the Lakers just like I don't give a shit about Shaq unless he is playing with/against LA. I think you crossed the line when you made that assumption about my criticism. I really only get irrational about two people, and both of them are fucking dirty evil bastards so that doesn't count anyways.

I actually think the Heat have a good chance to win a championship this year, but I am just calling it like I see it when I say that they played like crap in the 1st round. Of course they are a young team and young teams often play down to their competition, so that could explain that, but regardless it wasn't very impressive to watch for me.

And Shaq ain't getting 30/20 in the Finals unless they are playing Dallas. I could easily see him averaging 30 points for a series, but I don't see him ever returning to those 20 rebound games. Plus I feel his injury has to be a lot more serious than they are letting on. I mean a fucking bruised thigh should not make him so ineffective, it has to be something more serious. Hopefully the week or more off he has will be enough to get him healthy.

 

[Cloudy]

Shaq doesn't even leave his feet for rebounds anymore. 30/20 my ass :lol

 

[AirBrian]

Wow, Bibby just got posterized.

 

[AstroLad]

Thanks Suns, your sweep helped me earn some extra points.

Their next sweep will earn you some extra points too, some extra CRYING points when they sweep the Mavs (actually I have the Suns over the Mavs in 7 in the GA Pool, but let's see who even makes it ).

 

[Cloudy]

Damn, is anyone interested in playing D in this game? :lol

 

[AirBrian]

Their next sweer will earn you some extra points too, some extra CRYING points when they sweep the Mavs (actually I have the Suns over the Mavs in 7 in the GA Pool, but let's see who even makes it ).

:lol :lol :lol

Nice. I actually have the Mavs over the Suns in 7. :lol Believe it or not, that was my hardest pick in the whole tourney. If Nash can hold up (unlike he did in Dallas) stanima-wise and health-wise, the Suns are going to be extremely tough to beat -- even for the Spurs. But I've seen Nash break down year after year in May...

 

[AstroLad]

:lol :lol :lol

Nice. I actually have the Mavs over the Suns in 7. :lol Believe it or not, that was my hardest pick in the whole tourney. If Nash can hold up (unlike he did in Dallas) stanima-wise and health-wise, the Suns are going to be extremely tough to beat -- even for the Spurs. But I've seen Nash break down year after year in May...

I think in my attempt to be objective I am undervaluing the Suns talent, as I had them over the Grizz in 5. Hopefully that's the case and they have a cakewalk to the title.

 

[Cloudy]

The Spurs are gonna bitchslap whoever wins this series....

Nice. I actually have the Mavs over the Suns in 7.

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol


















I do too

 

[AirBrian]

I think in my attempt to be objective I am undervaluing the Suns talent, as I had them over the Grizz in 5. Hopefully that's the case and they have a cakewalk to the title.

Don't feel bad, I did the opposite for the Rockets. I had the Mavs in 5. :lol :lol :-(

(Although Game 2 could've went either way, so I don't feel that bad, right? Right? :-( Damn Bowen.

The Spurs are gonna bitchslap whoever wins this series....

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

I do too

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[Heezzi]

I do too

No, the hell you don't.

 

[AstroLad]

[I have the Mavs over the Suns in 7.]

Awesome.

 

[bionic77]

Awesome.

He frowns at his prediction though, that means the Suns are screwed.

 

[AstroLad]

He frowns at his prediction though, that means the Suns are screwed.

I don't know, this kind of situation requires an advanced Kobexnomical analysis. I think he recognizes the Mavs' impending doom, but is saddened by the fact that there is nothing he can do about it.

He has made the pick. So It Is Written.

 

[Cloudy]

:lol

PS: Ray Allen is ballin' outta control

 

[Loki]

Man, Jerome James is enormous when you see him out there on the court. He has a huge upside. I haven't been watching this game much, but he's played well so far in the series.

P.S.- Peja is an incredibly DUMB offensive player. Earlier in the game, he had James out guarding him at 25 feet and elected to jack up a 3 with a hand in his face rather than drive past the 7'1"/290 pound defender. : /

 

[Cloudy]

He's been in the league for years doing nothing. This is just the usual contract year push and some foolish GM will fall for it :lol

 

[Loki]

He's been in the league for years doing nothing. This is just the usual contract year push and some foolish GM will fall for it :lol

Oh, really? I had no idea. I got the impression that he was a rook or second year player, with how everyone was gushing over what a bright future he has ahead of him and all.

 

[theo]

did anyone just watch that George Mikan piece on sportscenter?

i can't believe that guy only gets 20,000 a year from the league. such bullshit to be treating a pioneer like that.

 

[Cloudy]

Oh, really? I had no idea. I got the impression that he was a rook or second year player, with how everyone was gushing over what a bright future he has ahead of him and all.

This is like his 5th or 6th year :lol

 

[Loki]

did anyone just watch that George Mikan piece on sportscenter?

i can't believe that guy only gets 20,000 a year from the league. such bullshit to be treating a pioneer like that.

Yeah, but with social security that's, like, $28K/year, dude.


I didn't even know that the NBA had pensions, believe it or not, though I guess it should have been obvious. It's just not something you ever hear discussed, unlike the pensions in football or baseball, which I often hear stuff about in the papers etc.

 

[bionic77]

It will be interesting to see how James plays in the next round.

 

[Cloudy]

Kings should have put this game away in the 3rd. Now it's over...

 

[Matrix]

Sweet Konex has the Mavs down for the 2nd round already..thats means CLUTCH CITY 3 IS BACK!

 

[Eminem]

what a totally stupid shot on that long rebound for the kings. yikes.

 

[BatiGOOOOOOL]

:lol @Kenny

Half Man/Half Fisherman

 

[Cloudy]

Kings are getting owned by Allen :lol

 

[Eminem]

ok, that allen shot was beyond ridiculous. christ.

 

[Friend]

knife through the heart for the kings

 

[Cloudy]

NBA All Contract Year Team

1st team:

Larry Hughes
Ray Allen
Bobby Simmons
Sammy Dalembert
Zydrunas Ilgauskas

2nd team:

Brevin Knight
Joe Johnson
Donyell Marshall
Udonis Haslem
Jerome James

3rd team:

Earl Watson
Cuttino Mobely
Vladimir Radmanovic
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Eddy Curry / Tyson Cyhandler


Based on the guys who raised their game and/or team much higher than expected this final year of their contracts...

 

[Incognito]

HAAAAAAAAAAA

What a second half turnaround!! Ray Allen, please stop by room 970 so I can slob that knob, baby. At one point during their comeback, the tech and I yelled so loud that three nurses ran into the room thinking something had happened. :lol :lol

45 pts for Allen and James continued his, if I may borrow a Barkley phrase, his "Bill Russelesque" phase.

From a 41-22 deficit into a 115-102 victory; I'm very proud of these guys. Especially Nick Collinson who took three major charges in the 4th quarter after Danny Fortson was singled out YET again for playing tough defense. Now if only Rashard Lewis would wake the fuck up...

 

[etiolate]

Kings really kicked their own ass in that game.

 

[Matrix]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/02/s...02vangundy.html

Van Gundy Challenges Officials and Says an Owner Is to Blame
By LIZ ROBBINS

Published: May 2, 2005


ALLAS, May 1 - Jeff Van Gundy, the Houston Rockets' coach, said Sunday that officials were calling fouls more readily, and unfairly, on his 7-foot-6 center, Yao Ming.

Van Gundy also suggested that complaints to the league by the Dallas owner, Mark Cuban, had been to blame, something the N.B.A. immediately denied.

"When you review his fouls, you look there and you got to give Mark Cuban credit," Van Gundy said after the Rockets had a meeting at their hotel. "He's been calling and calling about Yao. You got to give the guy credit. He's taken a lot of fines in his time, and he's been on them hard. And he's gotten the benefit."

Van Gundy said that after the Mavericks' 97-93 victory Saturday in Game 2, which tied their playoff series at two games each, he received an unsolicited call from a friend who is a league referee not working the playoffs. The referee, Van Gundy said, told him that referees "were looking at Yao harder because of Mark's complaints."

Van Gundy declined to identify the official, saying, "I don't want to get my man in trouble."

He added, "I didn't think that really worked in the N.B.A., but in this case it has."

Yao fouled out in Game 1 and had five fouls each in Games 3 and 4.

Stu Jackson, the N.B.A's vice president, rejected Van Gundy's comments in a statement Sunday night.

"No such directive was given to the officials regarding Yao Ming or any other player or team in the playoffs," Jackson said.

Van Gundy said, "I think Yao all year has had a target on his back, for whatever reason, whether it's his size, his kindness, whatever, there's many other things it could be, too."

Van Gundy cited what he called an illegal screen that Dallas's Erick Dampier set to spring Michael Finley for a late shot Saturday, saying it was the same movement that Yao had been whistled for."





If this is true...this is beyond fucked up >_<

Even more about this...

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3163505

Im so fucking sick of Mark Cuban.

 

[Bat]

Oh please, all of Yao's fouls has been legitimate. Half of them have been attempted charges where he is clearly moving. You're not getting that call no matter who you are.

 

[DarienA]

:lol @Kenny

Half Man/Half Fisherman

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[Heezzi]

He gets called for Blocking fouls. Why? cuz he doesn't jump to defend the ball. Period. The one time he jumped against Terry to try to block the shot, he didn't get called for a foul. PERIOD.

 

[AstroLad]

Why would the NBA try to cheat Yao and the Rockets to let the Mavs make the next round? First of all, Stern hates Cuban afaik, the guy has been fined more times than Rodman. Second of all, I could see maybe some conspiracy theorists talking about the Lakers getting preferential treatment, but the MAVS? They have been bounced how many times and they're far from a "sexy" team. The whole thing makes no sense to me.

 

[Matrix]

Van Gundy is pretty damn aware that Yao has problems with stupid fouling,he's playing Mark Cubans game..

As someone from the clutch city boards wrote " This is just Politics 101. Cuban raised a public stink and made the refs feel pressure to look closely at Yao. That made them err on the side of calling stuff if they weren't sure. Van Gundy is now raising a public stink so the refs will feel equal pressure not to call stuff on Yao if they aren't sure. With Game 5 in Dallas, it's crucial to make the refs feel that the NBA, the media, and fans as a whole -- not just 20,000 screaming Mavs fans in that arena -- are watching how the refs call Yao. If this spares Yao 2 foul calls and keeps him in the game an extra 10 minutes, it could well make the difference between moving on and going fishing."

As for that "got to give Cuban credit" crap, that's just an artful way of saying Cuban is a whining sleazeball and the refs are servicing him. If a little bit of artful language spares Van Gundy a fine over this, bully for him."

The only thing that disturbed me from the article was what I quoted,none of us here can know if thats the truth or not,despite what any of us write or think.

Also..
"TNT's NBA Insider David Aldridge reported that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has complained to the league several times during this series about what he perceives to be illegal screens from Houston center Yao Ming."

Sorry,but imo Avery Johnson should be bringing this up,not the owner....he should be up in the stands or suite,I really dont get why Stern allows him to sit behind the bench,walk on the court,etc etc.Like Astrolad said Stern really doesent like the guy,so why does he allow this shit.Is Cuban the only owner in sports today that can pull stuff like that?

 

[Blackace]

Ray Allen... 45 points... 6 ast... what a game... James is still playing like a full bodied 7 footer... Loving life right now!

 

[Matrix]

Oh please, all of Yao's fouls has been legitimate. Half of them have been attempted charges where he is clearly moving.You're not getting that call no matter who you are.

MJ would

*cue Loki and the 100,000 word reply*

 

[bionic77]

Van Gundy is pretty damn aware that Yao has problems with stupid fouling,he's playing Mark Cubans game..

As someone from the clutch city boards wrote " This is just Politics 101. Cuban raised a public stink and made the refs feel pressure to look closely at Yao. That made them err on the side of calling stuff if they weren't sure. Van Gundy is now raising a public stink so the refs will feel equal pressure not to call stuff on Yao if they aren't sure. With Game 5 in Dallas, it's crucial to make the refs feel that the NBA, the media, and fans as a whole -- not just 20,000 screaming Mavs fans in that arena -- are watching how the refs call Yao. If this spares Yao 2 foul calls and keeps him in the game an extra 10 minutes, it could well make the difference between moving on and going fishing."

As for that "got to give Cuban credit" crap, that's just an artful way of saying Cuban is a whining sleazeball and the refs are servicing him. If a little bit of artful language spares Van Gundy a fine over this, bully for him."

The only thing that disturbed me from the article was what I quoted,none of us here can know if thats the truth or not,despite what any of us write or think.

Also..
"TNT's NBA Insider David Aldridge reported that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has complained to the league several times during this series about what he perceives to be illegal screens from Houston center Yao Ming."

Sorry,but imo Avery Johnson should be bringing this up,not the owner....he should be up in the stands or suite,I really dont get why Stern allows him to sit behind the bench,walk on the court,etc etc.Like Astrolad said Stern really doesent like the guy,so why does he allow this shit.Is Cuban the only owner in sports today that can pull stuff like that?

Dude, people bitch about the calls every single year in the playoffs after a loss. Cuban was bitching about the moving screens the Rockets were doing and the refs starting calling it, what is the big deal? Yao just needs to get to his spot a second earlier and stop moving. They make that call on everyone.

I really have no pity for Yao because he doesn't adjust his game at all and 90% of his fouls are totally unneccessary. He should never even be in foul trouble, but he lets himself get in the wrong place all the time on defense.

 

[AirBrian]

Is Cuban the only owner in sports today that can pull stuff like that?

The King's brothers and Jerry Jones come to mind.

But you're right. These complaints, which are completely valid, should be coming from Avery, not Cuban. The problem is that Avery is too nice, and I think this is why Cuban is making a stink about. I'm sure Nellie would've had no problem talking about it. :lol

 

[Matrix]

The big deal,the refs should call it cause its happening not cause friggin Mark Cuban is complaining about it,since Yaos big game two,Yao has picked up 5 fouls each in game 3 and 4.I said myself he picks up a lot of stupid fouls himself,but just look at the absurd diff between both the teams ft shooting in the series and tell me Rockets fans have no right to be a little ticked off about Cubans rant to the league..

Will all of you basketball wizards explain to me why Dirk can get away with flopping so much?

"Through the first four games, the Mavericks have made more free throws (106-of-132) than the Rockets (64-of-89) have attempted."

 

[DarienA]

I must have been in another room during the 4th quarter because I didn't see anything about the Wade inbound off of Carter's back then dunk til I was reading a recap this morning and ESPN had it in the video recap of the game... :lol :lol :lol :lol

Carter-own3d

 

[Incognito]

Why do ALL the fans of the Rockets bitch and moan over the refs and perceived injusticies committed against their "fabled" team? The fact of the matter is that the Rockets had games 3 AND 4 locked up until they completed two fourth quarter meltdowns in a row. How do refs force misses shots? How do refs force stupid decisions?

The Sonics had a TAPE of their "illegal actions" sent to the league by Kings coach Rick Adelman and they've still managed to win. Rocket fans need to place blame of their players inconsistency rather than some kooky conspiracy theory. BTW, I wasn't watching very closely after game 4, but did T-Mac walk off the court smiling again after the loss?

:lol

 

[EekTheKat]

He gets called for Blocking fouls. Why? cuz he doesn't jump to defend the ball. Period. The one time he jumped against Terry to try to block the shot, he didn't get called for a foul. PERIOD.

True, he was much more effective the few times he actually well..jumped when attempting a block.

But I wonder if he has the stamina to keep that up for any extended period of time.

 

[AirBrian]

The big deal,the refs should call it cause its happening not cause friggin Mark Cuban is complaining about it,since Yaos big game two,Yao has picked up 5 fouls each in game 3 and 4.I said myself he picks up a lot of stupid fouls himself,but just look at the absurd diff between both the teams ft shooting in the series and tell me Rockets fans have no right to be a little ticked off about Cubans rant to the league..

Will all of you basketball wizards explain to me why Dirk can get away with flopping so much?

"Through the first four games, the Mavericks have made more free throws (106-of-132) than the Rockets (64-of-89) have attempted."

But most of Yao's fouls have been stupid "trying to draw the offensive fouls" instead of trying to block the ball or *gasp* get good position.

As far as the FT differential, Mavs are much more aggressive getting to the basket. The play that the Rockets run 90% of the time is T-Mac drives and dishes it to Yao or kicks it out to an open player for the spot-up jumper. You're not going to get fouled much shooting it from 19ft and beyond. However, T-Mac gets fouled and shoots plenty of free throws too.

Dirk flopping so much? He flops -- along with every other player in the league. But he's also a star and well, it's the NBA. (How many times is T-Mac going to get called for carrying the ball? :lol) Dirk gets fouled plenty of times too with no whistle. Let's not forget he's one of the hardest people in the league to defend against. Plus he's German. German's are not known for their balance.

 

[Incognito]

Looks like Matrix and co. (sans DM -- he's on the bandwagon), are needing some cheese with that whine. :lol

 

[Cloudy]

J-Will is gonna be a Laker next season...

 

[Blackace]

J-Will is gonna be a Laker next season...

you mean the J-will who was in the playoffs?

 

[Cloudy]

Yep....