NBA Playoffs?

[Edskin]

Ah, BOTH teams were hacking away last night. Utah was mugging Parker every time he drove the lane, and he had a hard time getting calls.

It was a very physical game and the Jazz fans wanted some extra home cooking. They didn't get it, that's all.

[Unassisted]

Wow the refs in that Jazz/Spurs game were awful. I am very hard on officials anyways and am definately rooting for the Jazz in this one but that was too much to take. Ginobli flops. Everybody knows this. He is a dirty player and will continue to be because refs like the ones in Game 4 allow him to pull that crap. And instead of just getting the game under control they start giving Ts to players on the home team which does nothing but get the crowd even more rowdy and you end up with that result. Awful. They should not be allowed to do anymore playoff games.

Steve Javie was the senior ref for that game. He's notorious for favoring the visiting team according to a local columnist. It looked like he didn't do Utah any favors last night.

The fact that he did Game 4 in Utah makes it unlikely he'll get do his number on the Spurs for Game 5 in San Antonio.

[Razor Shines]

Wow the refs in that Jazz/Spurs game were awful. I am very hard on officials anyways and am definately rooting for the Jazz in this one but that was too much to take. Ginobli flops. Everybody knows this. He is a dirty player and will continue to be because refs like the ones in Game 4 allow him to pull that crap. And instead of just getting the game under control they start giving Ts to players on the home team which does nothing but get the crowd even more rowdy and you end up with that result. Awful. They should not be allowed to do anymore playoff games.

I'm not sure how you say Ginobili is a dirty player because he flops. I don't think flopping makes you dirty. D Will flopped several times in that game also, he just didn't get the calls. Almost every good NBA player flops, get used to it, it's become part of the game.

[Puffy]

It has become part of the game. I wish they would tighten it up, but who knows what Stern is thinking anymore.

Boy, did I miss the boat on Deron Williams. I thought he was great for the Illini during their tourney run, but I thought Felton would be 10 times better as a pro and I thought all those who considered taking him before Felton would regret it. I was dead wrong. Felton has turned into a good pro. He'll be solid but not all-star caliber. Deron Williams is not only all-star caliber, but he's Olympic, go for the gold caliber.

Real good player.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Flopping shouldn't be part of the game and because he does it ON EVERY PLAY I would classify him as dirty. I don't think he's dirty in the same way to Horry or Bowen are, but I don't think he plays the game the right way.

I'll give this to the Spurs they are very good at abusing the system, but I'm not sure if the NBA put in some rule changes if they would be so "dominant".

[Razor Shines]

Flopping shouldn't be part of the game and because he does it ON EVERY PLAY I would classify him as dirty. I don't think he's dirty in the same way to Horry or Bowen are, but I don't think he plays the game the right way.

I'll give this to the Spurs they are very good at abusing the system, but I'm not sure if the NBA put in some rule changes if they would be so "dominant".

Sounds like the same criticisms I heard of the Bulls while they were dominant. The Jazz didn't lose that game because of the refs. The Spurs are a better team.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Sounds like the same criticisms I heard of the Bulls while they were dominant. The Jazz didn't lose that game because of the refs. The Spurs are a better team.

The Spurs will win this series because they are a better team. I think the Jazz would have won that game if the calls would have at least been balanced.

[Roy Tucker]

Some announcer the other night mentioned that with more European players in the NBA, flopping is becoming more common. Americans don't make very good floppers.

I wouldn't call Ginobli a dirty player. Bowen is a dirty player.

Spurs are the better team so far. Someone besides Williams and Boozer have to show up for Utah.

I can't say I'm looking forward to the Finals. Spurs-Pistons will be a grind-it-out series.

[Unassisted]

Sounds like the same criticisms I heard of the Bulls while they were dominant. The Jazz didn't lose that game because of the refs. The Spurs are a better team.

Even the local sportswriters who cover the Spurs were saying that the refs were a factor in the outcome of this one.

I think the depth of the thrashing the Spurs took in Game 3 was a huge motivating factor.

I look forward to seeing the Spurs close it out in Game 5 tomorrow. Hopefully, the SA fans will be more of a factor than they were in Games 1 and 2.

[reds44]

LeBron and the Cavs send it back to Detroit tied at 2.

[Edskin]

1. The Cavs are an excellent defensive team. People are railing on the Detroit offense right now, and kind of ignoring the fact that Cleveland has ranked near the top in all defensive categories all season long. Mike Brown earned his chops as a defensive assistant, and the Cavs have really bought in. I do think his obsession with defense sometimes hurts them on the other end of the floor, but they are a clamp-down defensive unit. The Nets were on fire prior to the Cavs series, and then they got stopped in their tracks-- especially VC, who is a wuss by the way. Watch how even Gibson plays the post-- perfect form. Clearly, he's paid attention to Eric Snow.

2. The Cavs have Chauncy's number. For two years now, he's struggled against the Cavs-- again, goes back to defense. But I also wonder if Billups MIGHT be regressing and aging a tad? I'd be wary if I was a team to sign him to a huge deal this off-season.

3. Gibson, Gooden, and others have played very well the past two games, but it still all stems from LBJ. He was unreal in game three, and he was outstanding in the 4th quarter last night. Tayshaun is a brilliant defender, and he clearly bothers LBJ at times, but when Lebron gets cooking, not even Price can stop him.

4. The Cavs have looked like the better team overall in this series. They've looked more energetic, more talented, and in the past two games, more poised.

5. If Rasheed wanted to, he could be a DOMINANT low post player. I mean, unstoppable. That guy is a killer. Those fadeway baseline jumpers are unstoppable, and he was abusing Gooden in the post. But once Gooden gave him the hard foul/technical, I thought Sheed sort of "backed away." He is by far the player I fear the most in these next three games, but I'm hoping his head continues to get in his way.

6. Having said ALL that, I still believe in the Detroit "mystique" to a certain extent. They DID win those first two games which gave them a cushion going to back to Cleveland. The Cavs STILL have to win in the Palace, where things just always seem to fall in place for the Pistons. So even as a Cavs fan, and even though I truly believe they've been the better team, I'm STILL forced to pick the Pistons in 7. No matter what, they are still very tough, and for the most part, every time Cleveland has tried to pull away in this series, the Pistons have answered with big shots. There also seems to be a natural progression for stars like Jordan, Lebron, etc... and it just seems like losing this series is the most natural evolution for his career. Plus, I still respect Detroit, especially if it comes down to a one-game situation.

7. It hasn't always been pretty, especially the games in Detroit, but this has been a VERY entertaining series. Although the offense has been spotty, both teams have made some pretty big shots down the stretch in games. And although I'm biased, Lebron truly is a fun player to watch.

8. Stern has to be pulling for the Cavs just a bit. Det-SA would be a solid series, but I actually think Cleveland is more dangerous for the Spurs than Detroit. Obviously, I'd picked SA either way, but the Cavs did sweep them this year and they've actually done quite well against them in the past few years. LBJ really bothers Bowen for some reason-- maybe the size? And Duncan is actually the kind of post player that Z can bother a bit. Duncan doesn't kill you with speed and quickness-- so Z's size tends to give him a few problems. Throw in Varejao and I don't think Duncan would dominant quite like he has dominated the Suns and Jazz.

But in the end, I do think it will be the Pistons. I will pick SA to win in 6 either way, but I think Cleveland and LBJ would provide a much more interesting, compelling series.

[WMR]

I think Det-SA would be a snoozer.

I wish LeBron would take Tayshaun down into the post more often. He's so much stronger than Tayshaun, it's not even funny.

C'MON CAVS.

[HumnHilghtFreel]

I wish LeBron would take Tayshaun down into the post more often. He's so much stronger than Tayshaun, it's not even funny.

If he developed even a semi-consistent post-up game, it would be a wrap for the rest of the league. That and work on that FT %

[Unassisted]

I'd like to see a Spurs-Cavs final, because we've already seen a Spurs-Pistons final. Even more importantly, it would eliminate the need to hear that PA announcer in Detroit say "Deeeetroit Basketballlll" during the Finals.

[WMR]

OMG, Una, I never thought anyone could unseat Grande as the most annoying announcer ever, but that guy might just do it.