The NBA Playoffs 2006

[Guitar Shark]

I like Zo too... he had a few great plays last night (although one of his blocks was almost certainly a goaltend) and was obviously very fired up. He's had an amazing career, and you're right, he's pretty humble.

[DlocRoth]

Yeah, he's pretty classy.

[POJO_Risin]

I followed him throughout his career in college...

had the Pat Ewing, out of high school hype...

and did very well at G'Town...of course...Dikembe Mutombo stole a lot of his thunder...because he came outta nowhere...

anyways...

Next year will be a curious one...

you have the Pistons...who many will count out...me included...but could be back...

you have the Heat...old...but my guess is wanting to create a legacy for Wade...and Shaq...and Riley for that matter...

you have San Antonio...who I think are on the downside...as good as Parker and what's his name are...I don't think they have a goto guy there...

Phoenix?...well...Amare's back...and that may make them the team to beat...if he stays healthy (of course...we all know that if Amare does well...it's all because of Nash)...

Cleveland...will make some moves...will it be enough to take the next step?

Lakers? Who will they end up with? It's been awhile since they grabbed a name...will they this time around?

Let the games begin...it should be fun...

[DlocRoth]

Shaq already said the Heat are gonna repeat...

So this is all moot.

[POJO_Risin]

They'll need to make a move or two?

Is Payton going to retire?

And IMO...if they start using Antoine Walker as the #2 option...and force the defense to force their attention away from Shaq...

wow...

Walker can still score 20 a game...

[Brett]

He can score 20 taking 20 3-pointers and shooting 30%. I really can't stand that guy or his game.

[Brett]

LOL I got that Sir Lard Barkley agreeing with me now, now I know I'm wrong. He said on EPSN Radio today that if Shaq would have accepted the secondary role with Kobe as he did with Wade, he'd still be a Laker and won the title this year.

He also wasn't as complimentary about Wade as I thought he'd be, said he's the third best player in the league behind Kobe and Lebron, and he was surprised at some of the calls he was getting.

[POJO_Risin]

I won't disagree with the third behind Lebron and Kobe...

although Wade nabbing the title...irregardless of how...will put him at the top of that list in many eyes...at least this year...

As I've said from the beginning...I think the Laker situation...handled in a specific way...would have worked itself out...

I think lots of things happened...which led to Shaq leaving...yes...Shaq being a bitch about it was a large piece of it...

as well as Kobe-bitchdom...

so on and so forth...

I wonder what would have happened had Phil never left the team...

[Brett]

Too many bitches. Phil leaving was bad.

[POJO_Risin]

10 days and counting until King James can sign his maximum extension...5 years...75 million dollars...

He says he's going to sign it...

I won't rest easy until he signs it...lmfao...

man...and to think...he'll only be fucking 26 at the end of that deal...

[POJO_Risin]

Yeah...many...many bitches...

in hindsight...you see one side of it...but I think over time...you can see that there was a "Perfect Storm" of sorts...

perhaps starting with the "feud" over the years...

amplified by the "bending over the chair..."

and an exclamation point on the "contract snub..."

and phrasing on team direction...

and Phil...really didn't help the situation out with his public "feuding" with Bryant...

ultimately...LA had to get rid of someone...and perhaps it worked out the best of all possible ways in the long run...

I was exceedingly disappointed in Kobe's final half of the year...and hope that it was wear and tear...and not what many think was just giving up...

The Lakers do have a chance to take a mammoth leap next year...

and really...REALLY hoping that we get what everyone really wants...

Lebron/Kobe in the next couple of years...

[Brett]

Phil said today on the radio...

Did LA make the right decision trading Shaq?
Yes.

Do you feel good about the direction the team is going?
Yes, and if we get the kind of progress we expect from Lamar and Kwame, we think we're close.

Is Wade the next Jordan?
He's a great player, but his game is not as similiar to Jordan as people think. I've never coached him, but I've coached Kobe and Michael, and they're much more compatible to each other with how they think the game, and how they attack. Wade is a reactionary player, Kobe and Michael are surgeons.

I know of course, what else is he going to say, but I think Phil is a pretty stand up guy and says how he feels.

[Unchainme]

The Huge reason why I didn't want the fucking heat to win, Because they'll get into the whole fucking DWAYNE WADE IS THE NEXT MJ AND IS BETTER THAN LEBRON Bullshit the media will push. Fuck Did Jordan have players like Payton, Mourning and yes even Shaq to help him win fucking championships?, FUCK NO!

The media jumps on it, Though they fail to realize that without Lebron and the cavs to wear down the pistons, The heat would be watching the finals from their fucking sofas.

Wade is NOT the next jordan, Though their is a man in Cleveland, Ohio that is a Genetic Hybred of Jordan and Magic, and a man in LA with #8 who also deserves the title.

[POJO_Risin]

I don't think Lebron's game resembles Michaels in the least...

I don't understand why people need to label a player as, "The next..."

there will be no other Jordan...

there are people that are just born with it...

I think Phil says what he needs to say...and is an at the moment...stand up kinda guy...

I'd take his word over most...but don't think at this stage...he'd say, We should have kept Shaq...lmfao...probably not smart...

although...I could see him say it...

[POJO_Risin]

As far as Wade being the next?...

who cares what the media says...there's truth...and there's embellisment in that statement...

I think Jordan spent some years being reactionary...but who the fuck am I to say...