The Official Redszone NBA Playoff Thread, now with more accuracy!

[Patrick Bateman]

Kingspoint continues to prove that no matter how confidently you speak about a subject, you still actually need some kind of facts or, at minimum, a hint of sane logic in order for anyone to actually care.

[reds44]

Originally Posted by texasdave

I agree that when the Lakers come out motivated that OKC has almost no chance at all to win the game. But why not sweep The Thunder and get a week off as opposed to dragging things out for six or seven games? How exactly does that keep the troops fresh? And you keep letting other teams hang around for a game seven and you might find yourself flukishly out of the playoffs earlier than expected. Phil Jackson may want to rethink that strategy. This is analgous to all those track runners in the Olympics who don't advance through the heats because they were trying to save something for the finals. You can't do anything in the finals if you don't make it there.

I'm not saying I disagree with you, but everybody was up in arms last year about how the Lakers played early in the playoffs last year (specifically the Rockets series), and they ended up winning it all.

And I don't think it's a matter of not trying in Oklahoma City. I knew before the series started it was going to be hard to win there.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by texasdave

I agree that when the Lakers come out motivated that OKC has almost no chance at all to win the game. But why not sweep The Thunder and get a week off as opposed to dragging things out for six or seven games? How exactly does that keep the troops fresh? And you keep letting other teams hang around for a game seven and you might find yourself flukishly out of the playoffs earlier than expected. Phil Jackson may want to rethink that strategy. This is analgous to all those track runners in the Olympics who don't advance through the heats because they were trying to save something for the finals. You can't do anything in the finals if you don't make it there.

Well it's worked 10 times so maybe I'll trust his judgement.
I think the best analogy is to a tennis player who's down 4-1 in the 2nd set of a 5 set match. Sure he can put all his effort into winning the next 5 games before his opponent can win two. But even putting out full effort, there's a good chance he may still lose and because tennis of course resets itself every set(sorry no pun intended) he would gain nothing.
The smarter play is to do what you can to make the other player work hard to win the 2 games without working as hard yourself.

That said it can certainly come back to bite the Lakers and has on a few occasions.

[Scrap Irony]

Originally Posted by Hoosier Red

Well it's worked 10 times so maybe I'll trust his judgement.

It's not like Phil Jackson has planned this. If asked, I'm pretty certain Jackson (and any other coach worth his whistle) will want to win every game, home or away. There are a ton of advantages to it and very little downside.

1) You can rest. Aching knees, shoulders, and wrists get better. Backs get stronger. Starters can play more minutes, rather than exposing a weak-ish bench.
2) You can prepare better for the next team, rather than having to game-plan for the current one.
3) Did I mention rest?
4) More games mean a much better chance of injury, both nagging and serious. Half-speed generally gets you hurt. Full speed may. No speed won't.
5) Less games mean less of a chance of mental fatigue. Players get overwhelmed sometimes and the pressure to win can be difficult. (One of the reasons, IMO, Jackson held out Bynam last year was to allow him to recharge his batteries for the big push late in the playoffs.) A sharper team is often the difference between winning and losing, especially in a conference as tough as the West, where best team and "worst" team is a roll of the dice each night.

[reds44]

Bynum blew out his knee (again) last year, it had nothing to do with recharging his batteries. He was also invisible in the playoffs last year.

I'm not sure if I buy the mental fatigure argument. The Lakers went 12-3 in the first three rounds two years ago, only to lose to the Celtics in the finals. Last year they were tested by both Houston and Denver, and ended up winning the title.

When you consider how banged up Kobe is, the Lakers need as much rest as possible. I just don't think you can take the Lakers struggling with OKC as any idea of what may happen in later rounds.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

It's not like Phil Jackson has planned this. If asked, I'm pretty certain Jackson (and any other coach worth his whistle) will want to win every game, home or away. There are a ton of advantages to it and very little downside.

1) You can rest. Aching knees, shoulders, and wrists get better. Backs get stronger. Starters can play more minutes, rather than exposing a weak-ish bench.
2) You can prepare better for the next team, rather than having to game-plan for the current one.
3) Did I mention rest?
4) More games mean a much better chance of injury, both nagging and serious. Half-speed generally gets you hurt. Full speed may. No speed won't.
5) Less games mean less of a chance of mental fatigue. Players get overwhelmed sometimes and the pressure to win can be difficult. (One of the reasons, IMO, Jackson held out Bynam last year was to allow him to recharge his batteries for the big push late in the playoffs.) A sharper team is often the difference between winning and losing, especially in a conference as tough as the West, where best team and "worst" team is a roll of the dice each night.

Yes, if you could guarantee that by being laser sharp and getting everyone to give 100% effort they'd win every series 4-0 I'm sure Phil would rather do that. But again, there have been a number of games while Phil's been with the Lakers and the Bulls before hand, where they have come to an opposing stadium, and for lack of a better term packed it in.

As I said, I think this is Phil playing the percentages and understanding that even if everyone plays with 100% focus and intensity, we're still less than a 50/50 shot to win. In cases like those, he allows the team a "mental health" day. Knowing that a) the team will come out the next game with that much more of an edge, and b)he believes the opposing team has little to no shot to win a series.

Actually looking back on it, I was surprised to see it didn't happen as often as I had thought. There does seem to be a few consistent themes to some of the situations where I've felt that it has happened.

1) It seems to happen in Game 4 on the road. This is an absolute must have for the opponents and not for the Lakers. The Lakers know they're coming home with at worst a 2-2 split.

2) It seems to come against teams the Lakers are confident they can beat at home. Phil doesn't mess around with tough teams like the Spurs. He knows there is no gimmee back at Staples Center, as opposed to say the Thunder who he knows worst comes to worst, he'll win game 7 at home.

[KoryMac5]

Spurs and Mavs tonight at 8pm should not disappoint NBA fans. San Antonio better close them out in game 6 tonight at home. Should be tough physical basketball!

[15fan]

I think the Spurs came to play tonight.

I don't think the Mavs came to play tonight.

[Revering4Blue]

Originally Posted by 15fan

I think the Spurs came to play tonight.

I don't think the Mavs came to play tonight.

No doubt.

Perhaps everyone proceeded to throw dirt on the Celtics and Spurs prematurely.

What's up with the Hawks blowing a large lead at home against a crippled Bucks team?

I guess it doesn't matter..The winner of the that series is likely to get smashed by the Magic, anyway.

[KoryMac5]

Dirk with 4 fouls in the first half. I don't think he has had 4 fouls in a game all year. Spurs with a 13 point lead at the half as the Mavs did trim it down in the last 3 mins. Can't see San Antonio blowing this lead, too many players on that team with testicular fortitude.

[Razor Shines]

Mavs come right out and cut it to 5. They look like they have the momentum but one foul by Dirk and I think that goes away.

[15fan]

Hawks?

From Mark Bradley in my morning fishwrap:

http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/

"This was the Falcons blowing the lead against Danny White and Dallas in January 1981. This was Mark Wohlers hanging the slider to Jim Leyritz in October 1996. Only it wasn’t. It was worse."

Meanwhile, Mavs - Spurs is shaping up to be a great finish tonight.

[KoryMac5]

Spurs and Mavs continue to trade baskets. This kid Beaubois for the Mavs looks like he is going to be a good one for them. Gave them a definite lift off the bench.

[KoryMac5]

Spurs up there lead to 9 after Dallas missed a few easy ones under the basket. 9 mins left in the game. Spurs look to be in the driver seat.

[texasdave]

NEXT!