any other NBA fans? playoff thread!

[Chris Padilla]

Yes, call Carmelo Anthony: Mr. Clutch! I nearly threw my chips 'n salsa 'n beer all over the living room (LOML would NOT have been amused) when Melo sank the 3 but was quickly reeled in as they reviewed it. I was sure they would call the foul because, well, it was obvious to everyone on the planet except the ref standing there but, fortunately for Denver (maybe), his opinion was the only one that mattered. No foul, 3 good, Denver up 3-0...it is all but over.

Glen Davis sunk a buzzer beater as well...good stuff in the playoffs.

Hats off to Houston beating LA: no Mutombo, no Yao, TMac long gone...and they are still fighting...gotta love it.

[Chris Padilla]

Well the Mavs showed some heart! Dirk and Melo were monsters in the 4th but Dallas pulled ahead and hung on for the win.

I still don't understand how JJB can get what looks like easy lay-ups in the paint! Blows me away. Seems that Denver should just squash him when he goes to the iron.

Game 5 Wednesday...IN DENVER...I feel good...Nuggets will close it out at home for their first trip to the WCF since 1985!!

[Jim O'Dell]

Mavs won? In fact I just looked at the news online and saw that about 10 minutes ago. I was too tired to try to stay up last night. I hate these late games. (Started just before 9:00 our time)
Wednesday it is. Can I say it should be 2-2???? Jim.

[Chris Padilla]

You and every other Mavs' fan wants it to be 2-2.

Let's just put it this way: assuming the foul was called, there would have been about 3 s left on the clock. Still plenty of time to inbound the ball and jack up a prayer. Melo has hit several prayers in his career...odds are decent he would've nailed it again! HOWEVER, we won't ever know so at least be intelligent about requesting the 2-2 series and realize that the non-called foul was not necessarily the game decider.

[Jim O'Dell]

I agree, Chris....that's why the 3 smileys. Dallas didn't deserve to win the game with the chances they had in the last minute. Hit one of them and things change...they didn't. Period. I still say that game 3 was a very fun game to watch. From a fan's perspective, it couldn't have been a better game. At least with team loyalties out of the way.
I haven't looked yet. Wonder what time game 5 is? Don't have to mess with the Cavs/Hawks game so maybe this one will move up in the time slot so I can watch it. Jim.

[Jim O'Dell]

Here's wishing the Nuggets luck in the the finals. Keep playing the way you have been and this could be your year. Jim.

[Chris Padilla]

It is exciting to be Nuggets fan this season. Chauncey Billups has been something special for Denver...such an exciting story.

Check out a piece ESPN did on Chauncey:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/etick...090511/billups

The Lakers are likely the next obstacle in the path to the finals and it will be tough losing home court advantage because the Nuggets basically STINK when they play in LA but if they can steal one there, I like their chances.

[Neal Clayton]

i would go so far as to say denver might even be the favorite.

melo will be a real problem for lamar odom, he isn't quick enough to keep up.

kmart will be able to handle gasol much better than houston has, imo.

what's the status on birdman though? if birdman is in, bynum is nullified.

[Jim O'Dell]

GO ROCKETS!!! No, I haven't changed loyalties. I just don't like the Lakers. Jim.

[Chris Padilla]

WOW for Houston. Houston is playing outside of themselves and really showing some serious heart. I would love for them to win (and not because it would give Denver HCA) but because I think we match up better to Houston AND because LA takes games off and I don't really like LA anyway. The whole Kobe/LeBron marketing plug also makes me ill so it would be cool if LA was run out of the playoffs.

Melo, like Kobe, is tough to guard and if you double Melo, he has become a much better passer out of those situations or he'll use his quickness to avert it.

Gasol is no Dirk but Gasol is better in the paint. They are still both 7 footers and so have the height advantage over K-Mart but I agree...I think K-Mart can guard Gasol's style better than Dirk's style.

Birdman is ready to fly...he did play in Game 5 against the Mavs.... He just had some bad Taco Bell, I think.

Denver a favorite...it is just weird to hear, think, and believe that!

[Neal Clayton]

i think dirk is better than gasol overall, he's the lesser of denver's worries.

[Neal Clayton]

so the lakers decided to show up today.

so far boston hasn't.

always fun to see starbury come in for 3 minutes, 2 points, and 2 turnovers though (both of which were just him dropping the ball or tripping over his own feet with no one near him). i sense isiah's teachings in you still, young padawan! (ok not so young...)

[Chris Padilla]

Okay, WCF and ECF are all set! I thought for sure Boston would take Game 7 but it wasn't meant to be.

So, Sir Charles is picking a Denver/Orlando finals...hahaha.

Well, regardless, I think Cleveland will finally get a series they won't need to sleepwalk through and I feel pretty good my Nuggets will make the Lakers EARN their berth. However, if the Lakers take any games off, forget about it...Denver will take them out.

[Neal Clayton]

i'm pulling for ya. i'm even starting to like melo a bit, which i never thought i would do.

[Chris Padilla]

Melo was one of those young, rich, athletic, popular basketball PUNKS...no doubt about it. He has matured quite a bit but is still a young 24. The Olympics helped him see the light and Billups has further ushered him along so he is definately on a better path of enlightenment and it is paying dividends on and off the court. He is also married and has a son now so that is bound to refocus any man. Yeah, I'm liking him more as well.