NBA

[RoosterMarty]

Fantastic win by Chicago in Charlotte today, sealed a trip back to the playoffs. Unfortunately we meet the Cavs but I think we will put up a fight in all matches even if we don't win any.

Derrick Rose is a wonderful player and how much difference does a fit Joakim Noah make?

[brod]

Playoff positions all sorted:

East

Cle (1) v Chi (8)
Orl (2) v Cha (7)
Atl (3) v Mil (6)
Bos (4) v Mia (5)


West

Lal (1) v Ok (8)
Dall (2) v Sa (7)
Phx (3) v Por (6)
Den (4) v Uta (5)

Guess the 3 sides going into the playoff with losing record in their last 10???
- Boston 3-7
- Cleveland 4-6
- LA Lakers 4-6

And at the other end, both Miami and Orlando have won 9 of their last 10

[brod]

The most important games won by Portland and San Antonio this year???

Against Oklahoma City

All three sides finished with 50-32 records, but the Thunder (seed will face the Lakers in the first round

[saintal]

Spot on as usual Brod. Not often would a team finish 8th with a 50-32 record Will make for a very competitive first round of matches (hopefully).

Might as well put some tips together:

Cle 4-1
Orl 4-2
Atl 4-1
Mia 4-3

Lal 4-2
Dall 4-3
Por 4-3 (bit biased. Haven't won a PO series since the melt-down v LAL in 2000!)
Den 4-2

[Gozu]

Cavs 4-1
Celtics 4-1

Hawks 4-1
Magic 4-2

Lakers 4-1
Jazz 4-3

Suns 4-1
Mavs 4-2

[brod]

What Im seeing in the NBA-

A few interesting stats leading into the playoffs

- Magic have a league best 21-5 record since All-Star break, just shading the Suns (21-6)
- LA Lakers since All-Star break are 15-11 and a surprising 5-9 for the season against other divisional winners
- Utah Jazz are one of only three teams to lose to the TWolves more than once..so potentially costing them the No 2 seed
- Spurs tied for second best in the West for in average point margin, while setting a record for winning road record for the 13th straight season
- Hawks notched 50 wins in a season for the first time since 97-98, but are 2-6 against the Easts top two

[brod]

My picks for the first round

Cleveland v Chicago (4-1) Bulls have a good chance in Game 1 with the potentially out of synch James and O'Neal coming back, but the Bulls have no chance in the series
Orlando v Charlotte(4-1) Bobcats need a 1999 circa MJ to even get close in this series, but they will win one, and this will help the Magic deeper into the playoffs, as they aim for the top.
Atlanta v Milwaukee (4-0) Every starter for the Hawks wins their position, no Bogut---No Bucks (6-7 finish to the season is an insight to a swift death of a season that had so much promise pre-Amare)
Boston v Miami (2-4) Boston swept the season series, but Wade did average 34ppg, 9rpg and 5apg and his support now is playing FAR better and as more of a team than the Celtics...Heat WIN
LA Lakers v Oklahoma City (4-0) The Thunder and Lakers have both stumbled into the playoff, but the veteren Lakers will now turn on and show everyone why they are the defending champs
Dallas v San Antonio (2-4) The Spurs havent beaten the Mavs since the first week of the season, but are primed to win an all-Texas battle, thanks to the return of their full rotation in the series that WILL provide the Western Conference Champion
Phoenix v Portland(4-0) The Suns are dealing with one injury (Lopez), the Blzers one after another, with Brandon Roy to miss the first round match up against the white hot Suns. He wouldnt make a differnece to the series result, but they might have won a game.
Denver v Utah (4-2) Players health will go a long way to determine the winner of this series..no Kiralenko, Martin and Boozer coming back, questions over Okur and Graham, but Jazz just wont win at the Pepsi Centre, so wont win the series

[brod]

Game One scores

Cleveland 96
Chicago 83

Atlanta 102
Milwaukee 92

Boston 85
Miami 76

Denver 126
Utah 113

[the big bang]

if you havnt seen "More Than A Game" yet, i strongly recommend you watch it.

It's a doco style about LeBron James going through high school, with a heap of actual footage and interviews with him and his team. awesome veiwing.

[brod]

Game One scores

LA Lakers 87
Okalhoma City 79

Orlando 98
Charlotte 89

Dallas 100
San Antonio 94

Portland 105
Phoenix 100

[saintal]

Huge effort from Andre Miller and the Blazers yesterday. Almost tried to lose it in the final moments with missed dunks and free throws, but held on.

[White Line Fever]

http://shop.ebay.com.au/i.html?_nkw=ult ... t=0&bkBtn=

For any Micheal Jordan fans this DVD is worth it's weight in gold.

5 of his best games in FULL.
Then all his documentries.
10 best dunks, moves etc etc.
5 disc collection.

Cheap.

[brod]

Game Two scores

Cleveland 112
Chicago 102

Utah 114
Denver 111

[brod]

What Im seein the in NBA

- Dwight Howard scored only 5 points in 28 minutes in Game 1 v Charlotte..not much of a game, but 9 BLOCKED SHOTS (tying the record for most blocks in a playoff game in the past twenty season)
- LeBron James lead the Cavs in points (40), rebounds (8), assists (8), steals (1), blocks (2) in game 2 v Chicago
- You can forgive a player who has 7 turnovers if they combine that with 33 points (7-14FG, 16-18FT) and 14 assitst as Deron Williams did in Game 2 as the Jazz shot 53% to the Nuggets 47%. Williams become only the secnd Jazz player, Stockton did it twice to have 30-10 in the playoffs
- Carmello needed 25 FGA (made 9) to get his 32 points
- Korver and Milsap came of the bench to contribute 31 points (10-16FG) while entire Nuggets reserves combined for 20 points an 6-14FG shooting

[Gozu]

What Im seein the in NBA

- Dwight Howard scored only 5 points in 28 minutes in Game 1 v Charlotte..not much of a game, but 9 BLOCKED SHOTS (tying the record for most blocks in a game in the past twenty season)

Playoff game perhaps but it's not even the most blocks in a game by a Magic player in the past 20 seasons.

[the big bang]

a photographer took our pic, and we were in the newspaper!

[RoosterMarty]

Nice work mate, we now have a US celebrity on our forums.

Lebron dominated the last quarter of Game 2, some of his shots were pretty ridiculous. Hopefully we can jag at least one win at United Center as I don't really want to get swept!

[Swooper16]

Looks like Richard Jefferson has finally decided to earn his money. Hopefully its not a one off. Also i think Mcdyess may have just coasted through the regular season (like Robert Horry used to do) and has saved himself for now. Hopefully the spurs can go on and take the series from here.

[brod]

What Im seein the in NBA

- Dwight Howard scored only 5 points in 28 minutes in Game 1 v Charlotte..not much of a game, but 9 BLOCKED SHOTS (tying the record for most blocks in a game in the past twenty season)

Playoff game perhaps but it's not even the most blocks in a game by a Magic player in the past 20 seasons.

Yes playoff game

[RoosterMarty]

No sweep for the Cavs! Bulls win Game 3 in a thriller, we tried so hard to lose as well.