The NBA Playoffs 2006

[POJO_Risin]

Originally posted by DavidFlamma
If players don't show up no player can make the difference, especially in the tight competition of the playoffs.

Look at the first game of the Suns Clips. Could the Clippers play any better?

Nash made the Suns look like that. Penetrated, gave himself and everyone on his team fucking layups.

LAYUPS in a playoff game. WTF. Oh but it is all Marion.

You must be joking. Nash was there for game two and some Suns were ignoring all basketball fundamentals...blocking out. I saw House just watch his player walk in front of him after a Clips shot only to watch him gather the rebound and score.

The fact that the team rebounded like a motherfucker has everything to do with the respect they have for Nash and the knowlege that they let a guy down who would do anything to make them look good. Say what you will, but every championship team needs this committment and teamwork; mutual respect.

Nash has instilled this culture and character...that is why they came back from 3-1 down to the Lakers.

BTW, didn't you almost call that Pojo...maybe you are a genius

I never said it's all Marion...never...not once...you did...don't put words into my mouth to suit you. They share that team...equally...which doesn't lock out Nash as MVP...but certainly puts a dent in the media's horseshit assumption that Phoenix is all Nash...

I've seen plenty of other players in this league...this year...score bunches of inside shots...

hell...how many layups did Shaq get his MVP year because of Kobe? That alone gets you an MVP?

And he does that every game? Nope...and don't tell me he does. Marion creates shots as much or more than Nash...like I said...they share the load...Nash just gets credit for it...

and now you are telling me THEY REBOUND BECAUSE OF THEIR RESPECT OF NASH...

dude...that sounds flat out foolish now...and if you are insinuating that Nash blocks out now...and...heaven forbid...plays D of any sort...that's just not true...

Nash is not the only one that creates that team's mutual respect...it's the fucking respect you gain as a team that feels like an underdog...period...does Nash...have something to do with it? Yep...does Marion...are you saying no? You think those suns don't respect him JUST AS MUCH? YOU DON'T THINK THAT THE QUIET LEADER FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS JUST...STEPS ASIDE? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA...nope...

Dude...I AM a genius...believe it...

and I may have said that Phoenix would come back and win...but I think there were a lot of people that could see LA not hold onto that momentum...

and yeah...he was MVP in their poll...

Here...I interviewed Dan Marino once for my local newspaper...on the phone...I asked him who he thought was the best cornerback in the league...and he said, "Off the record, Lester Hayes...but don't say that because I don't want to fire him up in any way...On the record...they are all good."

My point...they never pick who they really think...in case it will hurt them down the road...

[Romeo Delight]

Just saw that MVP shot by Nash. Nice.

A push-off though

[POJO_Risin]

I don't think there was a selfless bone in ANYONE'S body on those Laker's teams that won 3 in a row...I think Kobe and Shaq both had their own agendas...

I think selfless is fine...as long as you have great players being selfless...

In Phoenix...if you think they are good just because they are selfless...and will do whatever it takes...well...duh...

again...so is Detroit...

so Billups should have won...right?

and he has every bit as much intangibles as Nash...

[POJO_Risin]

DWade finally shows up in the final 4 1/2 minutes of the game...

scoring 15 freakin' points...and carrying the Heat to a 2-1 advantage...and they reclaim home court...

this is an interesting series...but both of these teams will get run by the Pistons...

[POJO_Risin]

Larry Hughes 20 year old brother died...apparently had a weak heart and had a lifetime of problems...sad...

He may not return for the series...

it wouldn't matter either way...

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
As for GM's...their agendas are as clouded as anyones...

they'll pick Nash...lmfao...but he wouldn't be the first pick of any of them if they wanted to build a team...

LMFAO

Explain this one

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2443137

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James doesn't believe in second place. In at least one MVP race, he tied for first.

James, who finished a distant runner-up to Steve Nash for NBA Most Valuable Player, has been named the league's co-MVP along with the Phoenix guard by the Sporting News, which has been giving out the award since 1958.

The magazine sent a ballot to every team, instructing them to have their coach, general manager, assistant GM or player personnel director pick the league's top player for the 2005-06 season.

Of the 28 ballots cast, James and Nash each received eight first-place votes. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Dirk Nowitzki got six apiece.

"We usually break the tie," said Stan McNeal, managing editor of The Sporting News. "But this year it seemed like a tie was the way to go because the voting was close."

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown was pleased to hear that James was selected by those closest to the game.

"That's fantastic," Brown said. "It's deserving and it says a lot to be voted for by the guys you are facing in the league, and by the guys who are trying to game plan for you on a daily basis."

In addition, Dallas' Avery Johnson was voted coach of the year; New Orleans guard Chris Paul was selected as the top rookie and San Antonio center Tim Duncan joined James, Nash, Nowitzki and Bryant on the Sporting News first-team All-NBA selections.

Paul received 27 of 28-first place votes. Teams were not permitted to vote for their own player.

Nash won the NBA's MVP award by a much larger margin than was expected.

The Suns playmaker got 57 first-place votes and 924 points overall from a panel of 125 sports writers and broadcasters in the United States and Canada. James had 16 first-place votes and 688 points overall.

Nash averaged 18.8 points, 10.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds while shooting 51 percent from the field and 92 percent from the foul line for the Suns, who went 54-28 despite being without injured star Amare Stoudemire and after trading Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson.

James averaged 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists -- only the fourth player in history to reach those numbers -- during the regular season while leading the Cavs to 50 wins and their first playoff appearance since 1998.

James wasn't miffed at losing to Nash, but he didn't find any satisfaction in being runner-up, either.

"I don't believe in second," he said. "I don't like second."

The magazine will formally announce the award winners on Tuesday.

[POJO_Risin]

I'd like to see who the coaches picked...

[Romeo Delight]

If I could pick one player to start my team it would be Lebron.

I have said he was the best player in the last month or so of the season.

Still, I like Nash's season.

[Brett]

You can have Nash and his "selfless" play, I'll take all the titles.

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by Brett
You can have Nash and his "selfless" play, I'll take all the titles.

Only title that matters is this year's and the Suns are still in the running last time I checked.

Let me guess, your a Yankees fan too. Oh wait that's Warham.

I just like sports to be played the right way.

This year I find myself rooting for US teams in the NHL because they are deserving and hard-working. My friends don't agree, but I am not going to blindly follow teams because of location.

[POJO_Risin]

I can tell you this...the Suns support players around Nash are better or worse than Clevelands?

and how many more games did Phoenix win than Cleveland?

Do you think Zydrunas Ilgauskis won more games for his team than Marion?

and if you say Z...and you won't...but if you did...wouldn't you not than have to agree that he scored most of his buckets because Lebron found him...or had a big man pinch over...leaving Z open?

My point?

You can't say that Nash has more impact on his team as a positive role model than Lebron (who has come out and said many times that he played like a 10 pound bag of dog crap)...or as a positive impact on others...

You could say the same about a bunch of guys...

so if you have a bunch that make their team better...then you have to goto the stats...

Nash' role on that team is important...huge even...

but in the same respect...he gets a lot of credit for being a 6' 3" guard in a giant's game...being more than effective...

IMO...that's horseshit...

rare is the day that Nash can "control" a game if he can't get others to play well...generally speaking...if the Suns are struggling as a team...Nash can't grab ahold of the team and win a game...

and there are many that can...who also make others around them better...

[POJO_Risin]

I do agree that when you look at pure skill...Kobe and Lebron are probably the 2 best skilled players in the league...

Kobe is better for a few reasons....

1. His defense is more sound...

2. He's been around longer...and gets a lot more of the nuances of the game a bit more...

3. He wins more games AT THE BUZZER...although Lebron has a penchant for just putting games away with bursts of domination before the fourth...

I will agree with Flamma that the best player doesn't always win the MVP...

But what I don't like about the Nash pick is what I've said before...

people keep saying that they lost Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson and Amare Staudimire...

but they fail to mention that Johnson and Richardsons shoes have been more than filled...and the people that fill those shoes...Bell, Diaw and Barbosa...haven't exactly improved their stats...just their minutes...which has in turn...improved their stats along similar lines to what they scored in their lesser minutes in the past...or lesser offenses in the past...

I'm not trying to say Nash has nothing to do with it...but much like I say Phil Jackson will control how good the Lakers get...and in turn...how much Kobe listens to Phil...I say the same about Nash...he's only as good as the system that allows him to skirt, penetrate...and run a wide open offense...

Kobe can play in any offense...and control a game...

Lebron...same deal...

and they also improve their teams...

I do think Kobe has some issues...and I know if I sat down with Brett...some beers...and we had a real hoop talk...face to face...he'd admit in some form or fashion...that Kobe has some personal quirks on the court that are a bit troublesome at times...in the same way that I'd admit that Kobe has 3 titles...and Lebron doesn't...and that Lebron's d right now is all reactionary as opposed to taking it to his defender...

My point?

Not sure...

[Unchainme]

HOLY SHIT! MO'FO'S! CAVS JUST HAVE TO WIN WON MORE GAME AND THEY'RE BACK IN IT!

[POJO_Risin]

they are back in it now...but don't be surprised if they really aren't...

They played well defensively...but Detroit looked about as in to that game as well...not into it...

Cleveland played good defensively...

and Lebron went off in the fourth...

so we'll see...

[Unchainme]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
they are back in it now...but don't be surprised if they really aren't...

They played well defensively...but Detroit looked about as in to that game as well...not into it...

Cleveland played good defensively...

and Lebron went off in the fourth...

so we'll see...

I personally think a huge part was the amount of rest given to them, I mean they only gave them one day of resting after advancing to the next round. The way I look at it, At the very least we saved ourselves the embarassment of being Swept.

This Will sound stupid, But doesn't it appear the Cavs have the best Home-Court Advantage (Fan Wise, etc.) in the league?