Boston Strangled

[Van]

Boston's down 17, with three minutes left. Stick a fork in this one. This, following the Boston Bruins' loss at home in a Game 7, only a few days ago.

This made me wonder something...

Has any city ever lost two Game 7s at home, in the same week? As rarely as basketball teams lose Game 7s at home, I really have to imagine this is a first in American sport...

[Smackie Chan]

Boston Strangled

The judges would've also accepted "Beantown Bashed."

[Van]

Boston Tea Bagged Party?

[Van]

Charles Barkley has. He picked them to win the Boston series, and then when it went to Game 7 he stuck with them to win Game 7 in Boston. He also just picked them to beat Cleveland, based on match-ups and more top to bottom talent.

Also, Chris Webber just said Orlando is the best team in the NBA, at least in terms of talent. He doesn't think they're "basketball smart" enough or mature enough to beat Cleveland, but he does think they're "better" than Cleveland, or any team in the West.

[Smackie Chan]

The Lakers swept Cleveland in the regular season, and Orlando swept the Lakers. Wonder who PhilJax would rather face in the finals.

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

I would think that Jackson would rather face Orlando in the Finals. The regular season (all two games) means shit.

Too bad he'll be watching Denver play Cleveland in the Finals.

[Smackie Chan]

Too bad he'll be watching Denver play Cleveland in the Finals.

Even though I'm Laker fan, I think you might be right. I know the regular season doesn't mean squat (LA beat Denver 3-1 this year), the Nugs are lookin' tough, and Bynum is gonna have to seriously man up to handle Nene and and help Gasol and Odom out w/ Kenyon Martin and Birdman. If they play as inconsistently as they did against Houston, Denver may not even need seven games.

[indyfrisco]

Charles Barkley has. He picked them to win the Boston series, and then when it went to Game 7 he stuck with them to win Game 7 in Boston. He also just picked them to beat Cleveland, based on match-ups and more top to bottom talent.

Also, Chris Webber just said Orlando is the best team in the NBA, at least in terms of talent. He doesn't think they're "basketball smart" enough or mature enough to beat Cleveland, but he does think they're "better" than Cleveland, or any team in the West.

And pray tell...what did Ernie Johnson have to say about all this?!?!?

The Lakers swept Cleveland in the regular season, and Orlando swept the Lakers. Wonder who PhilJax would rather face in the finals.

The Lakers swept Houston with McGrady (for a couple games) and Yao during the regular season and just got taken to the wire. Regular season don't mean shit in the playoffs. PhilJax won't even make it to the Finals unless Stern makes it happen. The Nuggz are a better team.

[Smackie Chan]

PhilJax won't even make it to the Finals unless Stern makes it happen. The Nuggz are a better team.

I admit it's nice having Stern as a sixth man. Didn't seem to help Boston out yesterday, though.

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

Didn't seem to help Boston out yesterday, though.

Without Powe and Garnett, Boston is not a very marketable team. I am surprised they made it as far as they did. Orlando may actually win a game against Cleveland. Boston would love lost all four games by 20+ pts... even with the Commissioner's help. Stern is no idiot. That's not good TV. Furthermore, he must really step up his game to ensure the Lakers move on. I dunno. This whole Kobe vs Lebron dealio could be tough for him to pull off.

[Diogenes]

I would think that Jackson would rather face Orlando in the Finals. The regular season (all two games) means shit.

Too bad he'll be watching Denver play Cleveland in the Finals.

He'd probably rather take his chances with whichever team had it's leading scorer and both centers out of commission.

Fuck the Rapers. Absolutely no heart.

[BSmack]

Somebody please let me know when they reinstate the traveling rule in the NBA?

TIA

[Smackie Chan]

Somebody please let me know when they reinstate the traveling rule in the NBA?

Not down w/ the crab dribble?

[BSmack]

Somebody please let me know when they reinstate the traveling rule in the NBA?

Not down w/ the crab dribble?

If that means walking when holding a basketball, then no. And LeBron James is the worst of the lot. I am beginning to think he is not physically able to dunk a basketball without taking 2 or more steps.

[Smackie Chan]

LeBron James is the worst of the lot. I am beginning to think he is not physically able to dunk a basketball without taking 2 or more steps.

I used to shake my head ruefully when Shaq would receive a pass on the low block, take two steps, jump toward the hoop, land, then go up for the dunk w/o being called. If that's not traveling, nothing is.

[Van]

Smackie, yeah, and he also charged, which was also rarely called. He commited multiple fouls and multiple traveling violations, most every time he got the ball in the paint.

He was...The Big Protected

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

And LeBron James is the worst of the lot. I am beginning to think he is not physically able to dunk a basketball without taking 2 or more steps.

Do you have a problem with the 2 steps? If so, please eject from this thread immediately.

[Diogenes]

LeBron James is the worst of the lot. I am beginning to think he is not physically able to dunk a basketball without taking 2 or more steps.

I used to shake my head ruefully when Shaq would receive a pass on the low block, take two steps, jump toward the hoop, land, then go up for the dunk w/o being called. If that's not traveling, nothing is.

That was back when he was in L.A. Dude never traveled or committed fouls back then, just like The Rapist never really shoves his elbows in defenders' mugs now. It's all an optical illusion.

[Smackie Chan]

That was back when he was in L.A. Dude never traveled or committed fouls back then, just like The Rapist never really shoves his elbows in defenders' mugs now. It's all an optical illusion.

Yeah, it was when he was in LA, so I was glad he wasn't getting whistled even though I knew he was getting away w/ murder. As for Kobe, I watched ESPN's Spike Lee joint (the only one of those I've ever seen) on him over the weekend, and he admitted firing elbows into Bruce Bowen and others. Hey, it's the NBA (or pro sports in general) - you do what you can get away with as as often as you can. As far as the no-call fouls he committed, that cut both ways. Probably only between a third and half the fouls committed against him were called.

I wouldn't wanna be an NBA ref. If they were to call everything they should, most post players would foul out before the end of the third quarter.

[Diogenes]

That was back when he was in L.A. Dude never traveled or committed fouls back then, just like The Rapist never really shoves his elbows in defenders' mugs now. It's all an optical illusion.

Yeah, it was when he was in LA, so I was glad he wasn't getting whistled even though I knew he was getting away w/ murder. As for Kobe, I watched ESPN's Spike Lee joint (the only one of those I've ever seen) on him over the weekend, and he admitted firing elbows into Bruce Bowen and others. Hey, it's the NBA (or pro sports in general) - you do what you can get away with as as often as you can.

It's a Hollywood thing. The local refs are so tingly up the leg about talking to Jack Nickleson and the rest between quarters they rend not to see shit they would with any other team. And no, I don't think it's deliberate, just more of a subconscious proclivity.

[indyfrisco]

As for Kobe, I watched ESPN's Spike Lee joint (the only one of those I've ever seen) on him over the weekend, and he admitted firing elbows into Bruce Bowen and others. Hey, it's the NBA (or pro sports in general) - you do what you can get away with as as often as you can.

I think that's what pisses people like me off more than anything. The "star treatment" so to speak. Most fans of the people/teams getting the exceptions think we are just "haters" when all we hate is the fact YOU know you are getting the calls, your player/team (Kobe/Lakers) knows they are going to get the calls and the fact he knows it he exploits it.

And it is easy to say "Wouldn't you?" However, when you're on the ass end of the calls, it fucking sucks and it breeds contempt.

That's why I laugh when Van says I hate on U$C because they are U$C. I hate that they get away with crap. I hate that they know it, and still get away with it. If it were any other program, I would feel the same way. I never thought twice about U$C until all the Reggie Bush crap. In fact, they were an afterthought to me until that.

[Left Seater]

I wouldn't wanna be an NBA ref. If they were to call everything they should, most post players would foul out before the end of the third quarter.

No, the players would adjust their game to play the way the rules were being enforced. Not an issue. The bigger issue is how one night something is called a foul and the next night the exact same thing is not a foul.

[Diogenes]

I wouldn't wanna be an NBA ref. If they were to call everything they should, most post players would foul out before the end of the third quarter.

No, the players would adjust their game to play the way the rules were being enforced. Not an issue. The bigger issue is how one night something is called a foul and the next night the exact same thing is not a foul.

Even more so when the calls change from quarter to quarter.

[indyfrisco]

I wouldn't wanna be an NBA ref. If they were to call everything they should, most post players would foul out before the end of the third quarter.

No, the players would adjust their game to play the way the rules were being enforced. Not an issue. The bigger issue is how one night something is called a foul and the next night the exact same thing is not a foul.

Exactly. Or why in the first 44 minutes something is a flagrant foul and in the last 4 it isn't. Or vice versa.

I think every player who makes the "who farted?" face after a foul is called or not called should be given a technical. The NBA is a bunch of whiny fucking pussies whose acting makes soccer players look like the local drama club at the community college.

[Smackie Chan]

I don't think it's deliberate, just more of a subconscious proclivity.

I got my awakening to the world of encouraged cheating in high school. I played water polo, and our coach would teach us during practice how to cheat (as did every other coach in the sport). Since all the refs can see is what goes on above the surface of the water, anything below the surface is fair game, even if it's illegal, like grabbing the back of the waistband of your opponent's Speedo to keep him from swimming away on a fast break. Of course, you're also taught to do water polo's version of flopping by exaggerating the drowning action when someone grabs the back of yourSpeedo. Mind you, this is a minor, non-revenue generating sport at the high school level. I can only imagine what goes on when you're dealing with a sport in which winning translates into megabucks.

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

I don't think it's deliberate, just more of a subconscious proclivity.

I got my awakening to the world of encouraged cheating in high school. I played water polo, and our coach would teach us during practice how to cheat (as did every other coach in the sport). Since all the refs can see is what goes on above the surface of the water, anything below the surface is fair game, even if it's illegal, like grabbing the back of the waistband of your opponent's Speedo to keep him from swimming away on a fast break. Of course, you're also taught to do water polo's version of flopping by exaggerating the drowning action when someone grabs the back of yourSpeedo. Mind you, this is a minor, non-revenue generating sport at the high school level. I can only imagine what goes on when you're dealing with a sport in which winning translates into megabucks.

I dunno Smackie... a lot of Speedo grabbing...

Is this your audition for The Alliance or something?

[Smackie Chan]

I got my awakening to the world of encouraged cheating in high school. I played water polo, and our coach would teach us during practice how to cheat (as did every other coach in the sport). Since all the refs can see is what goes on above the surface of the water, anything below the surface is fair game, even if it's illegal, like grabbing the back of the waistband of your opponent's Speedo to keep him from swimming away on a fast break. Of course, you're also taught to do water polo's version of flopping by exaggerating the drowning action when someone grabs the back of yourSpeedo. Mind you, this is a minor, non-revenue generating sport at the high school level. I can only imagine what goes on when you're dealing with a sport in which winning translates into megabucks.

I dunno Smackie... a lot of Speedo grabbing...

Sad but true. Another ritual of the game is the pre-game fingernail check. Nails must be kept short and trimmed, and for good reason. I took a thumb to the eye in practice once, lacerating the cornea. Pretty disconcerting to have blood flowing from your eyeball. A little boric acid and a pirate patch over the eye for a few days, and I was good as new.

Is this your audition for The Alliance or something?

There's an opening? Wait...maybe I should rephrase.