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

[Cedric]

Originally Posted by texasdave

Gasol is very good. I wouldn't stick him in among the great big men in the history of the game. He is a very good player in an era without a lot of outstanding big men. IMO.

He's not anywhere near the best of all time or anything. But in today's game he is dominant. A big man that understands that his spot is underneath the rim. That's rare with all these 7 footers who do nothing but shoot 3's.

[UKFlounder]

Nah - it has to be Kobe. He shot poorly tonight, but at least made his FTs, unlike Gasol, who shot poorly from the floor and the line. Bryant really hit the boards tonight, made key FTs in the 4th quarter and with his scoring in the previous games, he's the MVP of the series.

Artest did make a huge impact these last two games though, and Gasol did a great job on the boards

Originally Posted by Chip R

I'd say either Artest or Gasol for MVP.

[Cedric]

I'm just glad to realize I haven't missed much now that I don't watch the NBA regularly. The league is at it's all time worst. Hopefully there is a work stoppage and the game declines to the point of no return.

[Revering4Blue]

Lamar Odom is clearly the best sixth man in the game. He is the Michael Cooper/Bobby Jones of this era.

[RBA]

"Unlawful Assembly" just declared outside Staples reported on KLAC 570 LA.

[Scrap Irony]

Where's Doug Moe when you need him?

I do have high hopes for this draft class. I'm hoping they herald in a new style of fun and gun play missing for, oh, 25 years. (Since Lambieer and Mahorn were starting and John Salley had knee ligaments.)

[reds44]

Holy crap. I nealy died.

YESSSSSSS

[Razor Shines]

Originally Posted by Cedric

This is why the NBA has lost a ton of fans. I tried to watch this garbage and had to turn it off.

Players that don't have any fundamental skills. Ray Allen is caught reaching in and fouling Kobe on a HUGE 3 pointer. Later he reaches again and misses and gives Kobe a wide open shot.

One good thing about this is Kobe can't be even mentioned with Jordan.
I'm lucky to have grown up with Jordan, Magic, and Isaiah. Kobe isn't in their league. Kobe HAS to have great players around him to win.

I don't think Gasol is better than Pippen, in terms of greatness. I don't think Kobe is better than Jordan but if we're lumping Jordan, Magic and Isaiah together then Kobe is in that group as well. He had a rough series, but he's still an all time great.

[Roy Tucker]

That was one ugly basketball game. I don't know if all the guys were tired or what. Played hard and exciting from a crowd standpoint, but jeez, that was terrible basketball. Looked like a World Cup soccer match with all the grabbing and pulling and hacking.

Not a showcase for the quality of play for the NBA. And really not representative of the series up till then.

[OldRightHander]

I think there has been a huge fundamental shift in the way the game is played since I played in the 80s, and it's changed at all levels. For one, I am sometimes shocked at the amount of contact that is allowed these days, not to mention moving the pivot foot, up and down, (the one shot Gasol made last night where he left his feet, hit the ground, and then put the shot up) and extra steps that guys take these days. I'm disappointed because I really like the game of basketball, but I must be an old stick in the mud or something because I just don't like a lot of what I'm seeing these days. When I play at the gym all the young kids call me things like "that old school white dude" and stuff like that because I'm the guy who moves without the ball and tries to get open for jumpers.

In defense of the NBA, and maybe that depends on the team and the coach, I went to a game in Salt Lake when I was out there over the winter and I really enjoyed the way the Jazz played that game. Maybe that's just the way Jerry Sloane coaches or something, but that was way more enjoyable than what I saw last night.

[Homer Bailey]

Can't believe Kobe took a dump on the Staples Center floor in a Game 7, and the Lakers won. I assume he won MVP. I only saw the last 13 seconds. Has anyone shot a lower percentage and won an MVP award? What a joke.

[RBA]

I

[Scrap Irony]

Originally Posted by Razor Shines

I don't think Gasol is better than Pippen, in terms of greatness. I don't think Kobe is better than Jordan but if we're lumping Jordan, Magic and Isaiah together then Kobe is in that group as well. He had a rough series, but he's still an all time great.

If Kobe is in that group, he's the lowest on the totem pole.

1. Michael Jordan
2. Magic Johnson
3. Larry Bird
4. Wilt Chamberlain
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
6. Karl Malone
7. Moses Malone
8. Oscar Robertson
9. Isiah Thomas
10. Hakeem Olajuwon

I don't think Bryant is anywhere near any of these guys, nor is it really questionable. Kobe's not only not in the top tier, he's not even in that next group down.

Bryant's TO ratio (especially for someone who isn't a point guard) and his remarkably poor shooting (and shot selection) keep him from being top 10.

[Tony Cloninger]

Maybe it was the tenseness of Game 7....but how ..after watching that game....can basketball be the 2nd most popular sport in this country?

Soccer games looked more exciting. I realize those under 30....do not understand how much better basketball was in the 80's and early 90's..but at the risk of sounding like the old man....This brand of basketball sucks.

[Revering4Blue]

1. Michael Jordan
2. Magic Johnson
3. Larry Bird
4. Wilt Chamberlain
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
6. Karl Malone
7. Moses Malone
8. Oscar Robertson
9. Isiah Thomas
10. Hakeem Olajuwon

Julius Erving says hello.