Well - I'm ready! Red t-shirt on - even my red running shoes! ;-)
Off I go to join the Sea of Red at the ACC tonite.

Let's Go Raptors!

It started as a romp, but finished as a squeaker. Good on the Nets for not mailing it in. But despite having both their point guards go down, the Raps live to fight another day.



I think I'll wear my #8 Jose Calderon jersey on Friday (even though I'll be watching the game on TV). Let's go Raptors!

Nice job by Jose. He carried the team, with Bosh MIA once again. Bosh has become the Toronto's post-season version of Nowitzki.

Speaking of which, Dallas hangs on by the skin of its teeth. Dirk has his best game yet, although getting fouled repeatedly in the last minute helped him pad his scoring total. Still, he hit some BIG 3's, and I'm glad he finally came through.

Thomas, I think Avery was right to call out Dirk; he just shouldn't have done it in the media. Dirk was making all sort of defeatist comments to the press. And defeat is still what I predict for him -- I don't like Dallas's chances going into Oakland. But you never know. SJack finally had one of his (typical, for the regular season) 4 for 14 nights. Monta Ellis has been out of sync for most of the playoffs. But the real reason that Dallas won tonight was that Devean George made a basket!! I'm impressed -- I thought I would score for Dallas before that chump would.

Wow! That game had a bit of everything! Have you ever heard the sound of 20,500 people all holding their breath at the same time. Well I know what that sounds like now. When Carter passed to Nachbar for that wide open three point attempt that would have won it for the Nets at the buzzer - all 20,500 of us at the ACC all inhaled - holding out breath - until thankfully the ball bounced harmlessly off the rim and then we all went nuts!

If somebody had told me before the game that we could win in a game that would see our starting point guard off to the hospital in the first quarter, that our lone all-star - Bosh would again be a non-factor - including missing a dunk that would have more or less sealed the game in the last 2 minutes and a game in which we would lose our other point guard with just over a minute to go, or a game in which we were outscored 54-39 in the second half - well let's just say I would have a hard time believing it.

Then again if I had talked to somebody at half time when we were up by almost 20 and had been dominating the game - and they told me that we would need New Jersey to miss a wide open 3 pointer to keep our season alive - I would also have said you were nuts because at that point it looked like we would win in a cake walk. All I can say is thank goodness Nachbar missed - and in fact - thanks Vince for passing - because if you had driven to the basket and tied the game - I think the Nets would have romped in overtime without us having a point guard and MoPete out of the game.

What an emotional roller coaster of a night and what a GREAT game to be at. That was so much fun and the section of fans I was in were just absolutely wild and so much fun - and so into the game. Did I say it was fun? ;-)

Bargnani - simply BRILLIANT in the first half, MoPete - clutch at both ends of the court, Parker - solid again, Bosh - nowhere to be seen - but man - he is getting NO BREAKS from the refs. Two of the foul calls against him were ridiculous. Jose - AMAZING - but now questionable for Friday night because of his rolled ankle in the final minute. TJ Ford - also questionable - Darrick Martin as starting point guard? Thank goodness they don't play the next game until Friday - as both TJ and Jose can use the extra 24 hours I am sure.

If they do lose on Friday - I'm at least glad they showed grit in their last home date. But with all the unlikely things that came up through last night's game - I won't give up hoping that somehow the Raps can pull off a miracle and force a Game 7 back here Sunday.

Let's Go Raptors! VC Sucks! (sorry couldn't resist).

Both point guards - TJ Ford and Calderon till questionable for Friday night. Neither practiced today. Ford is still experiencing tingling in his arms, and Calderon was walking with a noticeable limp on his sprained ankle. Third string guard Darrick Martin was busy in practice in their place.

Well, Pat, if there were ever a time for Bosh to step up, it's now. Dirk did it for the Mavs, so maybe Bosh will follow suit. I wouldn't bet much on it though.

I'm thrilled to see that the Spurs, at least didn't disappoint me. I'm still in shock over Dallas, but San Antonio did exactly what I thought they would -- play smothering defense. Only I didn't expect that their offensive savior would be old man Finley. Ginobli has ranged from mediocre to outright horrible. If he doesn't get religion soon, the Spurs could be in trouble against Phoenix, something I did not previously think.

Larry, letting Dirk get back his confidence will cost GSW dearly in game six. He's shooting over defenders, something he didn't do in games 1-3. If the Warriors lose game six, they lose the series. Warriors made some boneheaded plays down the stretch in game five; jacking up jumpers with 3 minutes to go and up by nine. Not smart at all. The Mavs doubled Biddy, and he foolishly gaveup the ball. He should never do that again. When Biddy's not running the offense, the Warriors offense stalls. Without Biddy at point, his teammates did nto rotate the ball to the open shooter; settled for quick jump shots, and did not attack the basket. And even with Biddy in the game, the Warriors failed to box out on rebounds. Biddy is their best rebounder, so he must stay in the game. Barnes did drive the lane aainst Dirk, but left it on the glass. You can't do that in the closing seconds; you have to attack the defender, force contact, and make the ref use his whistle, even if it goes against you. Also, you can't allow Dirk open looks from three point land; he'll make them. When leading by nine, you defend against threes, and force your opponent to settle for twos. This extends the number of plays your opponent needs to catch up, and forces them to use more clock. Let them have the two points, use up as much clock as possible on your end of the court, and force your opponent to do it all over again. even if you have to double Dirk (the Mavs best three point shooter). There's no way GSW should have allowed Dirk to touch the ball with two minutes remainng in the game. GSW should have forced Terry to beat them; he's not as accurate as Howard and Dirk. Some really dumb plays down the stretch for GSW. Anyway, the Warriors blew it big time. The Mavs believe they can win now. GSW buried them alive with three minutes to go, then dug them back up with ill-advised, long range jumpers, usually with no rebonders under the basket. So, you might just get your wish, buddy. The Mavs were resurrected on Tuesday night, and the Warriors will live to regret doing them this favor.

The Warriors open court fast break style reminds me of the run-and-shoot teams in football. Do you remember the Warren Moon led Houston Oilers? They were thumping the Bills (I think it was the Bills) by 35 in a game, but lost. They knew one style of football; run and shoot, and had no strategy for ramping down the speed of the game to kill the clock. The Oilers left Moon in the shotgun; stuck with their five receiver sets; and kept dinking and dunking short passes. Moon got sacked several times (there's no tight end in a run-and-shoot, so the QB is always exposed); and he threw a bunch of incompletions and interceptions; all of which played right into the Bills desperate hands and helped them off the hook. All the Oilers had to do was run the ball to win the game, bring in a couple tight ends and a fullback, but they didn't even have a tight end on their roster. The Warriors remind me of the run-and-shoot Oilers. If you don't remember Warren Moon and the run-and-shoot, I'll bet you remember the Greatest Show on Turf ( Kurt Warner, Issac Bruce, and Terry Holt). That offense had no brakes either. These pedal-to-the-medal, high-scoring offenses are all high risk; they win only if points keep coming; otherwise, they lose, like GSW did on Tuesday. Because of how the game ended in Dallas, the Mavs definitely have a good chance of winning game six in Oakland.

Looks like you were right about AI. Bowen shut him down completely, never allowed him to find the rhythm on his jumper. AI looked almost embarressed by his play. And the Nuggets couldn't look to JR Smith for relief, because he's a crazy freelancer who doesn't listen to his coaches. Nuggets were spent before halftime. Sorry about your Lakers, but I think both of us knew what would happen in game five. Now, maybe the Lakers will get serious about bringing in an offensive-minded big man and a PG in the off-season. Plus, it might be a good idea to get rid of Phil Jackson. His players aren't listenng to him anymore.

Pat, I watched the Raptors/ Nets game 5. I'm curious. Did you get the impression that Kidd was coasting? I did. I don't mean to minimize the Raptors win; a win is a win no matter what, but it looked to me liked Kidd was not full speed in that game. And Bosh is working hard, but he's thin and lanky, so can't do much against bigger defenders. If the Raptors are going to compete with the Pistons, Blls, Cavs, and Heat next year, they need a space eater in the middle. Neterovic is useless. If the Raptors aspire to become the Suns of the East, they need an Amare clone in the middle and a premeire point guard. There's nothing wrong with Calderon and Ford, but i don't think they are good enough to win you an NBA championship. Don't you agree?

Re: today's Jock Talk about a racial bias in foul calls by refs

I wonder if the study also took into consideration the position played by players and their style of play. If a white player shoots from the perimeter he may not create as many fouls as a black player who is a slasher, for example. An agressive black defender is going to get called for more fouls than a passive white one.

Also, did they compare fouls called against rookies vs. veterans/stars? They might also notice there was a bias where rookies (black or white) get called for more fouls than veterans and star players.

I think if they continue to improve and with the proper support cast that either Calderon or Ford could be the point guard on a championship team. I know they did not appear very often on US TV this year - so you may not have seen many of their games - but there were a number of games where their play was nothing short of brilliant. Keep in mind each has only played less than 2 full seasons in the NBA and Calderon's imrovement from last year to this was exponential and I see no reason why that improvemment will not continue. Look how long it was before Captain Canada - Steve Nash - really developed into the top flight point guard he is now.

As for Kidd - I'm not sure if coasting is the right word. I think part of the difference was that the Raptors from the opening tip were pressuring him like crazy. The guys sitting next - or I should say standing next to me since we almost never sat down - made a comment about that pressure less than a minute into the game. Then when Jose came in after Ford went down - well at times on defence he literally looked like a man pocessed as he was bouncing around frenetically just inches from Kidds face anytime Kidd had the ball.

The latest on the down point guards for the Raptors. Calderon had a very noticeable limp that you could see on footage of him on the news last night. And Ford looked worse in some ways. I think his neck/back must be really bothering him - which is not something you want to take a chance with considering his injury history. As commentators noted he was moving so gingerly yesterday - it looked like he was trying to balance a book on his head as he walked around yesterday.

I'm not holding out much hope for the Raps - but heck - they've surprised me all year - so why not one more surprise.

Thomas, I think the Mavs should keep doubling Baron -- he is singlehandedly killing them. You'd think that with his talent Davis would have established himself as one of the top 10 players in the league by now. Guess he needed Nellie to liberate his talent from his attitude. If he's doubled, BD has to give up the ball. But the Mavs have to hope then that players like Richardson and Jackson don't kill them with open 3's. Looks like GS choked in the last 3 minutes of game 5. They passed up some good shots and ended up taking bad ones. It's hard for me to bet against the Mavs, given my earlier predictions, but I'm skeptical that Dirk can keep his newfound confidence going back to Oakland. Maybe Terry or Stackhouse will finally start making shots and it won't matter. I agree that if it goes back to Dallas, the Mavs will get game 7.

As for the Lakers, they don't need to get rid of Phil Jackson. Kobe loves him now, which is all that matters. Other than Kobe, every Laker is up for sale this summer. There's a lot of talk about trading for J.O. I'm not a big fan of that O'Neal either. And, unlike Shaq (Shaq in his prime, that is), I don't think Jermaine is a first tier superstar. I'd rather have Garnett, although J.O. is younger.

Love that Bruce Bowen. Everyone was talking about him slowing down this year, but if he can stay in front of Iverson (and man, did he), he's still got to be pretty damn fast. Still, Denver has reason to feel good about the future, because of the re-emergence of Nene.

Well, I'm off on a 3 day camping trip. Keep the second round of the playoffs warm for me!

Mark Cuban, your team won 67 games in the regular season and yet failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs. What are you gonna do now?

Larry, I'm done defending Dirk No-win-ski. He was pathetic tonight. No heart; no guts; no fight. That dude rolled over tonight. That was one of the worst performances I've seen from an NBA superstar. At least AI went out swinging. At least Kobe kept swinging til the bell. Even the barely mobile DWade kept fighting until he had nothing left to give. But not Dirk! He mailed it in early in the third....no mas...and ought to be ashamed of himself for going out like that. MVP my ass! I'll bet the Mavs are regretting their decision to rest their players the last few games of the regular season. They could have played their starters against GSW, and had they won, GSW wouldn't even be in the playoffs. Or, they could have rolled over in their last regular season game with the Clippers and handed them the 8th spot. The Mavs would have beat the Clippers like a drum. But I'm not gojng to criticize Avery. I honestly don't know what he could have done differently. The Warriors beat the Mavs in every aspect of the game. I know the conventional wisdom is that the Mavs have the better players, but I don't think that anymore. If you ask me, JRich, SJax, Biddy, Ellis, and Harrington are actually better players than Dirk, Terry, Howard, George, and Dampeir. How the hell do you get beat by 25 points in a game you had to have? The Mavs definitely took a step backwards this post -season, and if they are srioyus about winning an NBA championship, they better go out this off-season and find themselves a premiere big man and/or a low post threat, cause they sure as hell don't have one on their roster.

Also, I would be surprised if all the Lakers are on the trading block this off-season. I know the conventional wisdom is to trade Odom, but if the Lakers succeed in acquiring a quality PG (e.g.; Kidd), they shouldn't trade Odom, because he would shore up the backcourt. If the Lakers succeed in getting a big man (e.g.; O'Neal or Garnett), then Odom, Bynum, and Brown are all expendable. But whatever the Lakers do, whether they get new guys or no guys, they should send Parker packing. Maybe they can turn back time and recall Caron Butler.

Dude, you go camping more than anybody I know. You are one lucky SOB, Larry.



Well, the Raptors didn't double team Kidd in the 4th, he wouldn't allow it. He seemed to be passing the ball off to Carter whenever guys ran at him in the fourth. Carter might be a good shooter, but he's selfish and rarely gives up the ball. The funny things is: when he needed to be his most selfish; e.g., the last play of the game, he went counter to his instincts and passed off to Nachbar, who bricked his three point attempt and lost them the game.

Fine, the Raptors can live Ford and Calderon, I like both of them (they're not championship caliber though), but you still need a big, tough, athletic baller in the middle, or if not that, then a premiere rebounder. I read you guys would try to get Shawn Marion. That would be a step in the right direction. Of course, you could get Bosh to bulk up and put him at center, but I don't think that would work. Plus, adding that much weight would probably be unhealthy for Bosh. But, Pat, I just don't see how the Raptors can ever get past physical teams like the Bulls, Cavs, and Pistons without adding more size and stregnth to their roster. You guys are a finesse team; the Bulls, Cavs, and Pistons are not. Where's that toughness going to come from? And if the Rapstors really want to emulate the Suns, they can't right now becasue they just don't have the horses the Suns have: Raja Bell, Marion; Stoudamire, Barbosa. Nash has some of the most athletic players in the league to work off; those guys can run all day. The Raptors, as is, can't do that.


That study was flawed from the outset. The tested hypothesis was flawed; the experimental protocol was unscientific, the data-gathering was inefficient, so the conclusions are meaningless. It was all just a bunch of stat nerds with no knowledge of the game trying to make a name for themselves. The authors ought to be ashamed of themselves. I don't know if the refs call more fouls against black players than white, or even whether some refs are racist, but I know junk science when I see it, and that report was junk.

P.S. AK47 picked himself up off the floor tonight and found his game. Congratualtions to the Jazz. They won't win game seven, but at least they showed the Rockets (if only the Mavs had emulated the Jazz tonight) what it means to play with heart and determination.

Hey Thomas:
I agree the Raps have to add muscle next year - no doubt. As for how TJ and Calderon progress - we'll see.

Speaking of that dynamic duo - not good news coming out of this morning's shootaround. It is looking more and more line TJ will miss tonight's game. There seemed at first to be good news - his stinger was no longer bothering him this morning - but the bad news - once the stinger was gone and he got normal feeling back in his arms and hands - they discovered he has a sprained left thumb and likely will not play tonight as a result.

And they still do not know whether Calderon will even dress. He practiced lightly this morning - but has still yet to even try to make a hard cut or move side to side on his sprained ankle. That does not sound too promising.

Juan Dixon and Darrick Martin at point? That may be all we have to fill in that role tonight. Yikes! This has the potential to be a rout for the Nets.

Well, I finally have something in common with the Mavs -- we both got blown out! Literally in my case; it was so F-ing windy that I had to pick up stakes and drive back home in the middle of the night. Absolutely agonizing.

But nothing compared to Dirk and the Dallas-ettes. Pathetic pathetic pathetic all around. Dirk, give back that trophy now. But Thomas, I'm sorry, Avery has to share some of the blame too. I don't believe GS is the better team. And they certainly aren't 25 points better. Raspberries all around. And can we redo Coach of the Year and make it Nellie? Boy, I bet Mark Cuban must be burning all the way down to his filthy (rich) toenails. At least I take some small measure of satisfaction in that.

By the way, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I said that Dirk wouldn't have confidence going back to Oakland, that Stackhouse would finally have a good game, and that SJack would make open 3's after a terrible shooting performance in game 5. But no way I could have predicted this meltdown. Baron Davis plays like a hero on one leg, and the entire Dallas team doesn't have a leg to stand on.

Golden State is very under-rated.They certainly gave the Pistons a run for their money during the regular season!

I think a lot of people forget that the Warriors had a lot of injuries during the season, but once everyone was back, they did win 16 of their last 21 going in, including the last game of the season - or they wouldn't have made it into the playoffs. We in the Bay Area are ecstatic, to say the least.

You should be!

Lots of teams had major injury problems this season. There's no way anyone could have foreseen GS playing this well. Especially with Harrington and Ellis -- two of their best players, on paper at least -- contributing virtually nothing.

Larry, sorry about your trip, but here is where you belong anyway. What was Dirk's number? 2-13? I read a lot of stuff today from guys trying to defend Dirk, but they're not going to convince me he couldn't have played better. No friggin way! He got a facial from Barnes, let Biddy throw him to the floor and nail down an off-balance trey, and passed off every opportunity he got. He could definitely use some (not all) of that selfishness that guys like AI, Kobe, and Agent 0 hold in abundance. And he could use some of that mental toughness that Boozer and AK47 hold in abundance. Mavs got out-played and embarressed.

As for Avery, he did try different things, but nothing worked. He tried man-to-man, he tried zone, nothing worked. When they went man, GSW took them to the hole. When they went zone, JRich, SJax, Barnes, and Biddy shot them out of it. Maybe I'm being biased about Avery because he's from Louisiana. But he did run plays for Dirk, but Dirk's head and heart was already in pass mode; he wasn't willing to challenge his defenders. People are saying: the Warriors ran two guy at him on every occassion. That's true, but they also ran guys at DWade last year; they run guys at Kobe all the time. I know Dirk is PF, and I'm being a little unfair, but they also run guys at KG, TD1, Boozer, and Melo, and they still score. Dirk could have got his shots off a lot quicker, before the double-teams arrived, if he wasn't so friggin far away from the basket. I'm not a Dirk hater all of a sudden, I still like and respect the guy, but he's got to get meaner and tougher, become more aggressive, and be willing to mix it up on the block, if he really wants to win an NBA championship. He has to do this because Nellie exposed his weaknesses. Now, every team the Mavs face next season will copy Nellie's defensive tactic and put him out off his game by running guys at him.

Dallas-ettes? Larry, did you really say that? You must be real pissed you had to cut short your camping trip. I don't care about regular season stats; in my mind, Nash is MVP, with Dirk runner-up. I agree with you, but I've seen so much of Avery, it's hard for me to bash him, even if (maybe) he deserves it?



Pat, your boys put up a valiant effort tonight agianst the Nets, especially CB4, Ford, and Calderon. It's a shame the game ended on an errant pass, but that's what you get from inexperienced guards in their first playoff. As Calderon and Ford mature, they will dribble over to their man and hand him the ball in the closing seconds, just to be sure it doesn't get tipped. That's what guys like Kidd and Nash would do. I guarantee those careless passes won't happen in next year's playoff. The Raptors showed a lot of heart and moxie to slug it out in New Jersey the way they did. Unlike the Mavs, who ran from the fight, the Raptors went out like men. You should be proud of them. They earned my respect tonight.


I think Larry probably took notice first, but I didn't really pay much attention to GSW until Nellie arrived. I was glad to have another offensive-minded coach back in the league, so I became an immediate fan of the Warriors. It did take Nellie some time to find the right lineup and chemistry, but when Biddy got healthy and SJax/Harrington came over from the Pacers, Nellie struck pay dirt. I didn't think Nellie would get them this far this fast, but I knew he would shake things up in Oakland, and believe me, that team needed a good shaking to get rid of all the lazy, slow, high-priced stiffs on that team. Now look what you have. One of the most exciting teams in the NBA since Run TMC and magic-led Showtime Lakers. Damn, I wish I lived in Cali right now! GSW fans are celebrating, and SJax and Harrington have a lot to do with that. I wonder how the Pacer fans feel right now? If the Rox win tomorrow, GSW will blow them out in four. But if the Jazz win tomorrow, that series will be a lot longer. Jazz are not as quick as the Warriors, but they play hard, tough basketball; they won't allow uncontested layups like the Mavs did. But I think GSW can beat them, but it will not be easy.



Eddie, get out your hanky. Pistons are going down, baby! Pistons/Bulls is going to be a terrific series. There's not a dime's worth of difference between them. Pick your poison from the backcourt: Billups, Tayshaun, and Hamilton, or, Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, and Nocioni. Or a frontline of Sheed, Cwebb, and Nazr verses Big Ben, P.J. Brown, and Tyrus Thomas. If this was a golf game, I say, All Square. I picked da Bulls to come out of the East, so they better make me look good, unlike the Nuggets and AI, who let me down. The reason I picked da Bulls is because Gordon and Deng are better offensively than Tayshaun (basically a defender) and Hamilton (mostly a slasher); they are younger and more athletic; and da Bulls are stronger and quicker on the block. I say the Bulls win this series 4-2.

We shall see,Thomas,we shall see.

Well - the Raptors did put up a good fight - but that hurts when they are literally inches away from forcing a game 7. A little more air under that pass and Bosh easily wins it for us and this city would be in a frenzy getting ready for a Game 7 tomorrow. Instead - it is wait until next year. But the future does look bright especially when you consider that the young core of this team really did rise to the challenge last night and played hard to the very end against a veteran team on the road. I think that bodes well for the future.

I was really happy to see Bosh step up in the 4th quarter especially. When the Nets opened up the 10 point lead early in the 4th I thought we were toast - but I was really proud of the way the team fought back and hung in there until the last second. I assume that they will re-sign Mitchell as coach. He undoubtedly will get some overtures from teams like Charlotte or the Pacers - but I think with the players on the Raps roster having so obviously bought into his methods as coach this year - and that took a couple of years to happen - I think he would be crazy to leave - asuming he gets a decent offer from Colangelo. This is a team that is on the upswing - in large part because of him. Why leave now?

So many what ifs? I think we win that series IF we had the toughness of Garbajosa for all 7 games. I also think we win that series IF we had the Andrea Bargnani we saw in the last 2 games - back in mid-season form - instead of the Bargnani we saw in the first 4 games - where he was clearly not in top form after being off for a month with the appendicitis. But I guess that is what fans of losing teams always do - wonder 'What if?'

As for roster moves - the Toronto Star reports that the Raptors don't have a ton of financial room - about $5 million that perhaps will land them a swingman. Maurizio Gherardini - the assistant GM - is over in Europe this weekend scouting the EuroLeague final four. Maybe they can tap into Europe again to come up with a big man who can rebound to replace Nestorovic. And with the obvious upside to this team the next few years - I suspect some free agents will be taking a good long look at Toronto when considering where to go. That certainly hasn't happened the last 5 or 6 years.

Nice season Raps! See you in the fall!

I guess now I've got to turn my fan attention to the Jays - who are struggling so far this season - and the Toronto FC - who have yet to score a goal through 4 MLS games! Boy - after a very fun winter/early spring because of the Raptors it could be a tough summer for us Toronto sports fans! Although throw in the Argos who get going in the CFL in a couple of months and with Toronto hosting a lot of the Under 20 World Cup of Soccer this summer - there certainly will be lots to watch until the Raps return after their European pre-season sojourn in Italy and Spain this fall.

We shall see, but I'm reluctantly moving towards Thomas's position. Before the playoffs, I was sure Detroit would come out of the East, unless DWade magically became 100% healthy. I thought Chicago needed another year or two to really hit its stride. But Deng and Gordon have been playing so well, you've got to wonder if even the Pistons can stop them. Still, I think it's ultimately going to come down to by how much the Pistons win the battle of the big men. Webber has been looking tired since the last part of the regular season, and that could be a big problem for Detroit. The good news is that he doesn't have to play any defense on Ben. If McDyess can have a big series, then I still like Detroit. Not sure I'd bet on it though.

Thomas, just as certain players who were great during the regular season get exposed in the playoffs, the same is true for coaches. Avery did do a great job during the season -- he was my #3 for the regular season behind Mitchell and Van Gundy. But I think he's stuck too much in the mindset of the late 90's, back when he still played, and hasn't fully adjusted to today's perimeter game. You saw that in last year's Finals, where he concentrated defensively on a tired old Shaq, and let Wade run riot.

The same is true for Mitchell. As great a job as he did with Toronto, I think he got outcoached in the playoffs. He let Bosh get Sqoshed by Jason Collins. Collins is an under-rated defender, but Mitchell didn't try enough to free Bosh up and rebuild his confidence. Even in game 6, Bosh was 3 for 15 at one point -- he did finally come up big at the end, although too little too late. As erratic as Nesterovic is, he played quite well during a lot of regular season games. Why not try him some to add a little muscle inside (OK, very little, but compared to Bosh, Nesterovic is built like Shaq). Still, no shame in this at all for Sam and the Raptors -- it was their first trip to the playoffs and they're still learning. They're going to be a good team for years to come.

NICE! Pistons 95 Bulls 69! I likey!

Larry, do you think McDyess is better than Nazr? I don't. Nazr is simply a malcontent (McDyess is not) so is probably difficult to work with.

Maybe Avery did get out-coached in this series, but I still don't know what he could have done to change things, given the fact that his team, as versatile as it is, is still basically a finesse team. The Jazz are not. That's why I think the Warriors are in for a tough series against Utah. Those guys will knock the hell out of anybody driving the lane. They're crazy like that. But if the Warriors are knocking down their jumpers, and we know they can, if won't matter what that huge frontline in Utah does, they're not quick enough to shut down the Warriors perimeter offense. SJax, JRich, and Barnes are too quick for them. Do you suppose Deron will guard Biddy? That will be an interesting match up. Biedrins can't handle Boozer, so I'm guessing Nellie will play Harrington a lot more against Utah, since he's stronger than the skinny Biedrins.

Dude, it must be tough to be a Texas sports fan these days. Tony Romeo fumbled away the Cowboys chances to advance in the NFL; Mavs got bounced by the Warriors in the NBA; Rockets got bounced by the Jazz in the NBA; Spurs are about to get bounced by Phoenix in the NBA; Canucks sent the hard-luck Stars packing in the NHL; Rangers are in last place and sorta sucking right now in the MLB; Astros, after spending like crazy, still have a losing record in MLB; Both Texas and Texas A&M proved to be disappointments in NCAA football. And Durant wasn't enough to carry the Longhorns deep into the NCAA basketball tourney. This hasn't been one of Texas' better sports years; that's for sure. Lots of disappointments. Wonder if Texas was secretly annexed by Louisiana this year? Nobody has worse luck than the Saints and Hornets.

Enough. Bring on the Warriors! I'm ready for round two of Nellie Ball. But that Suns/Spurs match should also be fun to watch. Nash is always fun to watch. That dude is a magician with the basketball.



Yeah, Eddie, the Pistons were good. They bottled up Deng and chased Gordon all over the court. And they had the horses to do it. You don't need much offense if you can hold your opponent to 70 points. Yikes! But I'm not ready to concede defeat. A blow out in game one doesn't mean anything. Now if the same thing happens in game two, the Bulls become Dead Men Walking; their season is over. I don't have much pride, and I'm used to being wrong, so I'm not embarressed when my predictions don't pan out, but I'm happy for the Pistons. I love that team. I love those guys. I just can't stand half-court basketball anymore, and the Pistons' offense is too old school for me. Pistons play hard; never give up; and they come to play every night. Except for CWebb, those guys are warriors. They never back away from a fight (take notice Dallas). But I still think the Bulls are playing better right now, and in the end, the Bulls youth and offensive firepower will get the better of the Piston defenders.



Pat, if all you've got is a measely $5Mil to work with, you're not gonna be getting a top notch rebounder, not for $5M/year. If the Raptors are after a premiere rebounder' e.g., Marion, he'll want a lot more than that, so the only way you will get him is via a sign-and-trade. And I think the Suns would accomodate you, given the personal connections between the Raptors and Suns, and the fact that they desperately want to get under that luxury tax threshold. Except for Marion, I wonder who else is available. Rashard Lewis might become available, but he's a ball hog, probably not good fit for the Raptors, and is not a premiere rebounder. Plus, Parker's outside shot is just as good, so that would be a lateral move. I also keep hearing some disturbing rumors that Aldridge, Zabo, and Magliore are being shopped. And, for whatever reason, Maggette is always on the trading block. But none of these guys are an ideal fit for Toronto. But Colangelo has had success with the Eurolague, so maybe he can find you a banger over there.

Do I think McDyess is better than Nazr Mohammed? In a heartbeat. Antonio got a raw deal with his knees, and his tank is only half-full, but he can do way more in 25 minutes than Nazr could do in 45.

Wow, talk about letting your guard down -- Chicago wipes the floor with Miami and then forgets to bring it to the next round. The Bulls' bench goes 3 for 30! Other than Deng and Heinrich, everyone was sleepwalking out there. Wallace gets only 8 rebounds -- 1 more than Webber gets in far fewer minutes. I think Skiles will get them back on track, but guys like Nocioni are going to have to remember how to shoot the ball.

Speaking of being wrong, Thomas we both have egg on our face about the Jazz. At least I wasn't the one predicting they'd get swept. I know you don't like him, but I feel sorry for TMac. Unlike Dirk, he played his heart out in the decisive game, but it wasn't quite enough. You've got to hand it to Jerry Sloan. His team looked lost at the end of the regular season, but they got the ole pick and roll rolling again. Tough for a big guy like Yao to guard against it. Shaq never could either. I think part of Houston's problem is that, because of all their injuries, they used up whatever Deke and Juwan Howard had left during the regular season. Mutombo had been pulling down 10 + rebounds a game like it was nothing, but in the playoffs he was virtually invisible. They also need an upgrade from Rafer Alston. Hey Houston, I think the Lakers might be willing to part with Smush Parker, for the right price.

I wonder what kind of odds you could have gotten on Wade, Shaq, Kobe, Pat Riley, McGrady, Yao Ming, Mark Cuban and Nowitski all being out after the first round of playoffs? And imagine if the Wizards hadn't been depleted by injuries and knocked LeBron out. The NBA's collective head would have exploded.

Shame we have to see the Spurs-Suns square off in the Conference semis. I like the Spurs in this one.

I still think the Bulls will put up a better fight the rest of the way than they did in game one, though I guess they couldn't put up less. The Pistons will still win, but I hope Chicago isn't going to roll over and play dead.

Cavs-Nets is a tough one to handicap. Nets looked pretty impressive, albeit against the overrated Raptors while it's hard to know how well the Cavs are playing given their first round opponent. I think I'm going with New Jersey.

I hope the Warriors don't have a letdown against the Jazz as I think this could be a very entertaining series. If Golden State keeps it up and Utah can get back that early season magic, this one could be great. I'm going with the Warriors.

Reports have Jeff Van Gundy leaving the Rockets. Seems like he really has patterned himself after Pat riley.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2861976

George, I like the Spurs too (and I did even before game 1, since I picked the Spurs to win the championship this year!). Just as the doctor ordered: (1) a huge game from Duncan, despite the usual missed free throws, (2) Parker runs wild since Nash really can't guard him, (3) a big rebounding edge, and (4) one other player steps up. This time it was Finley. The question mark hanging over San Antonio for me is Ginobli -- it looks like he's almost finished, at the hoary old age of 29. If San Antonio had the Ginobli of 2 years ago, they'd win for sure. Speaking of hoary, Robert Horry still seems to have a little bit left, despite a godawful regular season. That bodes well. On the other hand, it's a pity that a Nash bloody nose spoiled the finale.

I like the Jazz over Golden State. I think Nellie's magic was mostly used up for his karmic win over Dallas. Golden State would have had a better chance against older, slower Houston in round 2. They won't be able to guard Boozer and, unlike Yao, Boozer can actually keep up a little with a fast pace.

The Nets, I'm sorry to say as a former home stater, have no chance. Cleveland's defense is too good, and NJ has no one who can keep Gooden off the boards and all the garbage points he picks up.

Finally, Van Gundy supposedly made up his mind to retire weeks ago for family reasons, so I don't think one should really accuse him of Riley-itis. Ironically, Jeff's brother (who still claims Riley didn't force him out but that he stepped down for family reasons) is ready to ditch his family and return to coaching.

Why couldn't they stop Nash's nosebleed? I've seen boxng matches with worse wounds than the one Nash had, and those doctors managed to stop the bleeding. And TP3! First he records a rap album. Then he gives Nash a beatdown. His journey is complete. He's all gangsta now. And TD1 looking to punchout an aging and balding ref three times his age and half his size. He's also all gangsta now. What happened to that goody two shoed image the Spurs spent so many years developing? But I'm still not ready to change my prediciton. I still thnk the Suns will win. They were in the game til the end. If you ask me, the Suns were too nice in this game. Amare had several chances to give TD1 facials, but laid the ball off the glass every time. You'll never find GSW passing up opportunities to embarress their opponent. If the Suns win, Amare will have to get tougher on the block, take it to TD1, get him in foul trouble, and force him to sit the bench. Plus, the Suns should play Barbosa and Nash the entire game to wear down Ginobli, Bowen, and Parker.



Overrated Raptors? Uh oh! Wait til Pat reads that!
The Cavs/Nets series could go either way. Wouldn't surprise me no matter which team wins. But the Nets were in that game the whole time, so they could easily win game two. Lebron loses focus sometimes and jacks up a ton of treys. If he does this in game two, and misses, the Nets will take advantage. The Nets don't have anybody to double LeBron. Carter is lazy on defense. Kidd is too valuable to waste fouls on Lebron. And Jefferson can't be expected to chase Lebron around the perimeter AND score points. But the only way the Nets can win is to double and trap Lebron. They have to get the ball out of his hands as early and as often as possible.



That's real funny, larry. Who'd want Smush? Which reminds me, exactly what will the Lakers be looking to get for those expiring contracts (McKie, Mihm, Parker, Walton, and Shammond Williams)? Correct me of I'm wrong, but didn't Kobe issue a not-so-veiled threat that the Lakers better make some moves to get better NOW? What will Kobe do if the lakers don't do what he asked, or are unable to meet his demands. Kobe obviously can't leave the Lakers. Which team could afford him?

I agree with you about he Bulls. WTF? I can't remember a time when Nocioni jacked up so many air balls. Man, he looked bad! Gordon wasn't much better; he never found any rhythm. I have to wonder why Skiles kept Nocioni on the floor. It was the Pistons defense that stifled the Bulls in the first half. Then the Pistons jumpers found their target in the second half. The Pistons won't hit that many treys ever again in this series; they didn't shoot that well during the reguilar season. So once the Pistons revert to form, and start struggling from beyond the arc, the Bulls will be right back in it.

I re-watched that Utah/Houston game, and I think the Rox lost because they couldn't get any defensive rebounds in last two minutes of the game. Utah (mostly, Boozer) got every offensive rebound off Jazz misses. That what killed the Rockets. They couldn't rebound the ball. And you're right, I don't care for TMac at all; he's full of himself and thinks Stern and the rest of the basketball world needs to consult with and include him in their decision-making. They don't. But that doesn't mean I don't like the Rockets. I do. I feel bad that Tmac was crying in the lockerrom after the game, but he brought some of that on himself. In my opinion, its better to play the game than jaw-jack. I'll bet when the watches game seven on tape he'll feel even worse. He should have taken the ball to the hole the last two times he had the ball in his hands and forced the refs to put him on theline, instead of settling for jumpers (which he missed). That's what Deron and Boozer did. That what LeBron did. Plus, some of it was just bad luck and the law of averages. AK47 and Okur hadn't combined for that many treys in their previous meetings. It was also bad luck that Alston fell and turned the ball over in the waning minute. But mostly, it was just Houston's inability to stop Boozer from scoring and rebounding, and the fact that they were too slow on defense, especailly the pick and roll, as you pointed out. But the pick and roll won't bother GSW as much. Those guys are quicker and faster, so should be able to do a better job containing Deron and Boozer. Also, I expect Nellie to double Boozer, deny him the ball, or if he gets it, force him to give it up, and make AK47, Okur, and Deron beat him. Of course, he can get the same result by trapping and doubling Deron so that he's unable to get Boozer the ball. But Nellie will take one of them out of the game; that's for sure. Utah runs a system offense; the Warriors isolate and freelance, so the Utah/Warriors series is structure verses chaos. And nobody is better at creating chaos than Nellie and his free-wheeling clones.

Thomas, I like your idea of Phoenix trying to keep Nash and Barbosa on the floor together as much as possible. And although I'm betting on San Antonio, it should be a great series, and D'Antoni will keep coming up with innovative ideas to make it a dog fight.

I think Nellie is going to be defensively challenged against Utah. He'll have to do a lot of zone, which might work given how erratic Derek Fisher's jump shot is. But I still think Utah has a huge advantage inside. If you think Houston couldn't stop Boozer from scoring and rebounding, meet the so-called Warriors. Unlike Dirk, Boozer won't be scared of Stephen Jackson. If Nellie has to play Harrington (who was MIA during the Mavs series and, really, most of the season since the trade to Golden State) and Biedrens a lot (or, god forbid, Adonal Foyle), then the Jazz have already won the first battle, since they'll have forced Golden State to adjust to them. And making Nellie adjust to match up with your team is exactly what Avery Johnson and his ridiculous Devean George lineup couldn't/wouldn't do. Also, I think Deron Williams will do a little better job of slowing down Baron Davis than Dallas could. Deron has the size and strength to do it, although of course he doesn't have much experience. Even though entropy rules the world, I still bet on structure over chaos in an NBA playoff series.

As for the East, I'm starting to think that Ben Gordon is going to lose the series for Chicago, because he can't guard anyone on the Pistons. Either Billups and Hamilton will have their way with him, and wear him out so he won't be as much of a factor on offense as the Bulls need him to be.

Cavs/Nets. NJ can (and should) double LeBron, but unlike, say the Lakers with Kobe, the Cavs have other guys who can beat you. Z, Gooden and even Hughes each had at least one huge game against Miami. I don't like the Nets chances at all, even though I'm rooting for them.

Well, now I'm not sure it's just Ben Gordon that's going to lose the series for the Bulls. He had miserable company tonight from Deng and Hinrich (7 for 26, for all three combined). And when Chris Webber is playing on one 34 year old leg and KILLING you, you know you've had it. Another lopsided series in the making -- the East is so boring.

If you had told me before this series started that Billups, Tayshaun, and Hamilton would shut down Gordon and Deng, I wouldn't have believed it. The Pistons and Bulls had some great games during the regular season; some close games, but not any more. The Bulls got owned in the first two games; whupped and punked in every facet of the game. I don't see this changing because the series moves to Chicago. The Pistons won't stop playing stifling defense because the basketball court is located in a different town. I'll be surprised if the Bulls win a game on their home court. Except for Thomas, they have no energy, and worse, they look like losers on the court.



Clever. Good one Larry. So your college studies included thermodynamics I take it?



I wouldn't say that it was GSW's lack of defense that lost them the game tonight. Jazz didn't exactly play stellar defense either. The Warriors lost this game for the same reason the Rox lost game seven against the Jazz; they couldn't rebound the ball in the final minute. Boozer owned the boards in the final minute, just like he did against the Rockets. Al Harrington couldn't box him out, and couldn't get him off his spot. I don't know; some of it was just bad luck too. Richardson had an open look at a trey and missed it. GSW went for three when they didn't need one. The missed clear path call. Jazz mauled SJax every time he drove the lane, as I figured they would, and played the odds; that GSW wouldn't hit enough treys to win the game. The strategy worked, since GSW missed a lot of threes down the stretch. If they h it one or two of them, they win the game with ease, but the shots were missed, with predictable result----a Boozer defensive rebound. It's costly to miss shots in the final minute of agame with Boozer on the floor. The Warriors had to drive the lane in that situation, but that's not who they are. But I give Nellie credit. He sent SJax to the hole multiple times during the game, but he didn't get the calls, so couldn't get the Jazz big men in foul trouble. And even though the Warriors forced Deron to the bench with five fouls, they received no benefit from it because they allowed DBrown to out-play them. Biddy ought to be ashamed of himself for allowing that to happen (unless he's compromised by a hamstring injury). But as I said, the Warriors lost because they couldn't rebound the ball when they needed to. Nellie should have played Biedrins when they were leading by five with three minutes to go, even though he doesn't shoot free throws well. What the Warriors needed at the time was the ball; rebounds; not more points.



Well, you could be right, but unless D"antoni's strategy includes better defense, it won't matter much. I still say Amare has got to challenge TD1 more, get him in foul trouble, and send him to the bench. That will surely shift the advantge towards Phoenix.

I like the sound of that! Deeeeetroit Basketball!

Well, I'll hand you that; even though Utah won, I was impressed with Golden State. If you look at the box score, there were a lot of odd things:

-- Matt Barnes has a tremendous all-around game. Talk about a reclamation project -- Nellie should get Dr. Frankenstein of the Year for having created Barnes out of nowhere. When Barnes came out of UCLA, I was sure he was going to be another of the Bruins recent line of busts (Ed O'Bannon, anyone?), and it sure looked that way for his first 4 years in the league.

-- Al Harrington, who was so bad he was chained to the bench against Dallas, scores 21 points in only 27 minutes.

-- Boozer was only Utah's 4th leading scorer, a testament to Nellie's defensive scheme (although, as you note, GS couldn't keep him off the boards).

-- Deron actually outplays B. Davis and GS still almost wins. I wouldn't have predicted any of those things.

You'll probably laugh at this, but I think Utah may be in trouble if Derek Fisher doesn't return (serioulsy sick kid, apparently). I often belittle Fisher's ability myself, but he's great in a big game situation, as anyone who remembers his miracle shot for the Lakers to beat the Spurs can attest. He also plays pretty tough defense, which is of course in high demand against the Warriors. You'll note that Derek's replacement -- Gordan Giricek -- shot 2 for 10. They need Fish.

Well, Larry, I won't laugh, but I disagree with you. Are you saying that Fish will back Deron, or that Fish stays in the game at SG with Deron at point? It won't matter; the Warriors will eat him up and spit him out. He's too slow and too old to guard any of the Warriors backcourt players. I think his return would only harm the Jazz. And you're right. The Warriors did play well....until they needed to. They took ill-advised treys in the last couple minutes, miised them, and with Boozer patrolling and bulldogging his way under the basket, couldn't rebound the ball. It cost them the game. But we'll see what happens in game two. GSW is a fiesty team, and Nellie is a crafty coach, so there's always a chance.

The Nets appear to have run out of gas. Frankly, I don't think Cleveland stands a chance in New Jeresy, so the Nets will win their games at home. But it won't matter much, becuase neither will bother the Pistons very much. In my mind, Chicago is a better team than Cleveland or New Jersey, and they are getting man-handled right now.

It was good to see the Suns have an easy win, but I think the Spurs were content with their one win, knowing they only need to win their home games to win the series. The Suns can win in San Antonio, but it won't be easy. At least, my Suns/Bulls prediction is still alive right now.



Eddie, if I recall, it was your lack of faith in the Pistons that got you into trouble in the first place. Right? Correct me if I'm wrong, but, as a fan, isn't it your job to keep the faith, in good times and bad? And you'll notice I did NOT use the word, Band Wagon.

Just because I didn't pick them to be in the championship doesn't mean I don't have any faith in them.
I hope they DO prove me wrong!

Fisher knows how to play in a big game; I'd rather have him on the floor than Giricek. As for Boozer's rebounding, when you (Golden State) play midgets, you have to expect to get killed on the boards. They have to make up for it with deadly marksmanship. Of course, it's not out of the question given their newfound inspiration.

Speaking of getting killed on the boards, the Nets have NO chance. I don't think they'll win both games at home. They shot great in game 2, but got off 20(!) fewer shots and something like 6 fewer free throws. No way you can win if you never have the ball.

For the Suns, I was impressed that Marion actually stopped Parker this time. Marion is amazingly versatile, but it's really incredible that the same guy who often has to guard power forwards can guard one of the quickest point guards in the league. Kurt Thomas's shooting 6 for 7 didn't exactly hurt Phoenix either -- pretty good for a guy whose only role is defense. But, even though Ginobli looks completely cooked, I'm sticking with my pick of the Spurs. TD isn't going to let them lose.

I LOVE the AP headline: Fisher's late arrival sparks Jazz to victory.

Go Fish!

Eddie, you're right, it doesn't mean you have no faith in the Pistons, but you picked the Nets to win the East, so that means you thought the Nets were better than your Pistons. But who am I to talk? I never think the Saints are going to win, but unlike the Pistons, who win a lot of games, Saints used to lose routinely, so my lack of faith is understandable. But your Pistons always win.



Fisher did make a big trey down the stretch and nail his freethrows, but he's not the reason the GSW lost.....again. When up by five with a minute and change, you are supposed to win in this league. All you have to do is take care of the ball; don't foul, and make your free throws. The warriors didn't do any of those things. They bricked free throws in the clutch; committed brain-dead fouls, and clanked shots from everywhere on the floor. GSW should have won this game. While I think they will win their home games, I don't think they will overcome this loss. They got out-rebounded 60 to 33, yet were fortunate enough to still have a five point lead with a minute and change left in the game. As a team, they just don't have the maturity and court discipline to win close games. They need a 10-12 pt lead to win.

As I said, Utah wins close games because they own the boards. I don't know how you overcome that, unless, as you say, the Warriors make all their shots. But we know they won't; nobody's perfect, so they are doomed. But Utah has also been lucky in both games to some extent. If the Warriors make their FT and treys down the stretcjh, something they haven't done in this series, they would have won tonight. Of course, I said the same thing about game one, but that doesn't make it any less true. I think many of those missed shots in the waning minutes we saw in Utah will find the bottom of the net once the Warriors are back in Oakland.

I don't know about the Cavs/Nets game. Cavs can't blow anybody out, so the Nets always have a chance. But I can't get that excited about this series because neither has a realistic chance of beating Detroit. Since Lebron has decided to emulate DWade of 2006, and take over the game in the fourth quarter, there's always a chance his shots won't fall. When they don't, Nets can win.

As for the Spurs/Suns, that series is a toss-up. The Suns play a lot like the Warriors, but Nash is smarter than BDiddy, so he'll make sure the Suns win those games where they are up five with a minute left in the game; he won't leave the final outcome to his teammates' ability to grab rebounds. But I do agree with you about Marion. He's a fantastic athlete, so I'm not surpirised he can guard PGs effectively.

Non-NBA News: Ben Maller is reporting that Eva Longorio is refusing to have sex with TP3 until they are married. Any man who marries a woman with no knowledge of her sexual likes and dislikes is a friggin idiot. People say love conquers all, but sexual ncompatibility? I doubt it. Even if she's doing this to improve the Spurs chances of winning a championship, it still makes no sense. The notion that sex the night before a game affects on-court performance was disproved years ago. A man does what he wants; and nobbody has the right to question how he chooses to ocnduct his personal life, so TP3 gets to do whatever he wants. But if were him, I'd find another. This withholding sex stuff, if successful, tends to get used over and over to settle disputes, by both men and women. IMO, all it does is exacerbate the problem.

I still don't think Cleveland is a better team than the Nets but we'll see.

Fisher also forced BD into a huge turnover with 27 seconds left. But I agree with you that the Warriors could have won during regulation. Of course, they've always been a fairly bad free throw shooting team, and if you're uncomfortable at the line to begin with, the rim looks awful small when there's a minute left to play. Also, if the game comes down to a few close rebounds, GS has no chance with its midget lineup.

Despite all that, I remain very impressed with Golden State. If they didn't get atrocious shooting games out of both Jackson (4 for 18, and he had one of those games coming after all his unaccountably good games against Dallas) and Barnes, they could easily have evened up the series. It's going to be tough for Utah to win in Oakland, so the Jazz need to win all their home games.\


I saw that Tony Parker/Eva "news" item. Do you think that means that Eva has never had sex with him, or is she just imposing an embargo now to make sure he has to marry her if he wants to get any ever again? Weird.

Chicago's done, as the East continues to be a snoozefest. Detroit shows its focus and professionalism, even 19 points down, and even with nothing from Webber or McDyess. I guess the Pistons don't need to dominate inside to win after all.

Larry, can you believe that Pistons/Bulls game? Clank...clank....clank....clank. Damn, that thing was hard to watch. I've never seen so many missed shots in my life. One of the worst games I've ever seen, and boring as hell. Both teams had FG% in the thirties, and both teams had FT% in the sixties. You can credit defense if you want, but the truth is these two teams just can't shoot very well. One poster over at realgm.com reported Bulls fans threw white towels on the court after the game. I can't blame them. Yes, the Pistons are good; yes, the Pistons can make their opponents look bad; but, there's no excuse for blowing a 19 point lead....in the playoffs.....and playing on your home court. Bulls ought to be ashamed of themselves. They got whipped. They won't win another game. Whatever hope remained for a comeback disappeared the second that 19 point lead disappeared. The Bulls swept the Heat. Pistons will sweep them. At least, the Nets, Raptors, Warriors, Rockets, and Suns put up fierce resistance. Even the under-manned and over-matched Wizzards gave it all they had. And even though I criticzed the Mavs for lack of effort, they fought as hard as their flawed system would allow. But the Bulls! Chicago basketball has a long history of playoff excellence, pride, fortitude, and courage; as exemplified by MJ, Pippen, Grant, Cartwright, Paxson, etc. What Gordon, Deng, Big Ben, Hinrich, and Nocioni did tonight was a disgrace to that legacy. Every one of them ought to be ashamed of this performance, including Skiles. They owe their fans a huge apology. Having said that, I have to give major props to the Pistons for clawing their way back into the game after being down nineteen. And, even more embarressing for the Bulls, the Pistons made it look easy.

And I'm not picking on the Bulls exclusively. Shaq ought to apologize for his subpar play in the playoffs as well. Riley keeps insisting that Shaq won't be traded. Considering Shaq's $20M/year salary, he's probably right. Adding to that, Shaq would never willingly give up guaranteed money, so he'll probably nix any trade proposal not to his liking. I don't blame any player for insisting that his contract be upheld because both parties agreed to it, but either Shaq should improve his play next season or give up his starting job in favor of mentoring one of the young guns, if the Heat ever get one. And Larry, you know I love the Big Diesel, so saying these things about one of my favorite players isn't easy, but Shaq's play in the 2007 NBA playoffs was awful; pathetically our of line with the $20M/yr he's getting paid. But it looks like Riley and the Heat are stuck with him for three more years. They have no choice in the matter.

With respect to TP3 and Eva, I'm not sure whether they ever did it. That's not really the point. It's inconceivable to me that any human being would marry and chose to spend the rest of his life with someone they've never made love to. This business about saving yourself for marriage is fine for those who believe that; people should do what they deem morally right; but IMO it's a gamble. As I said above, love doesn't always conquer all. Sometimes two people are not sexual compatibility; it's nobody's fault; and no matter how much they love each other, it's not enough to overcome their differences, no matter how hard they try. These differences are not limited solely to sexual incompatibility, and its better to find them out, and, work them out, before making a lifetime committment. That's my point.



I disagree with you, and Larry, who also likes the Nets. I think Cleveland is better. At least they were during the regular season. But as I said, I have no idea who will win the Nets/Cavs series, even with the Cavs up by two. It's still basically a toss-up. Still believing in the Tigers, Eddie?

Of course I'm still believing in the Pistons,Tigers and the Red Wings as well!

Wa..aa..aa.it a minute. I'm rooting for the Nets, because I'm a once-removed homer, but I never said they were good. In fact, I've been talking about how bad they are all season long. I think Cleveland will win easily -- 4 to 1, with NJ getting a game at home. Carter is living down to his reputation. He'll have one huge game at home, which will get NJ a W. But Carter will fold against pressure whenever they need him most.

Thomas, as for the Bulls: I think you summarized their state of despair very well. It's almost like they were shocked that Detroit came out to play so hard in game 1, got petrified right then and there, and just gave up. Most unlike a Scott Skiles team. Where's all that veteran leadership (the $64 million man, Ben Wallace, and also PJ) when you need it? It's really disappointing for all NBA fans, because while the West has had some amazing series, the East has stunk. Absolutely stunk. And I don't think LeBron will do enough against the Pistons in the conference finals to change that, although I hope I'm wrong.

Finally -- the Shaq-hack. Thomas, you've seen the light! There was a blurb on SI's Truth and Rumors, quoting unnamed Heat team sources, that not only did Shaq give up playing defense, he told his teammates to slough off on defense too, so that he (Shaq) wouldn't look so bad! Even I find that hard to believe. Maybe's it apocryphal, but the fact that someone would even invent that story speaks volumes about Shaq's lack of effort this year.

Nothing surprises me in the East, so you could be right. The Nets might get swept. During the Pistons/Bulls game last night, one of the analysts quoted Skiles (I think; but could've been Nellie), who stated that losing teams or teams down in their series got out-rebounded. So, looking at the Cavs rebounding advantage, you're probably right; the Nets will lose the series if they continue getting clobbered on the boards. On the other hand, the Warriors got out-rebounhded tonight but blew out the Jazz by twenty anyway. Why? Because they shot 57%. So if the Nets shoot 60% at home, it won't matter if they get clobbered on the boards. I can understand why you ridiculed the Nets during the reguar season; with Jefferson out, Hughes chunking it every chancehe got, Kidd hobbling, and Carter and Snow being, well, Carter and Snow, they looked real bad for a long time. Only Varejo was constant game to game. But I don't think the Cavs are that much better than the Nets, so I do expect the Nets to win their home games. Cavs are NOT the Pistons.

Back to the heartless Bulls. It's a fact that the Pistons are the better team, but that doesn't excuse or mitigate the Bulls atrocious free throw percentage. They were pathetic, especially historically good free throw shooters like Nocioni and PJ. And Ben Godon had no business driving the lane time after time; he got clobbered more times than he scored, and, he didn't even draw the fouls he drove the lane to get. And all those isolation plays for Gordon! Against Billups, Hamilton, or Tayshaun? I could have told Skiles that wouldn't work. All three of those defenders are quicker, taller, and bigger than Gordon, and Skiles should have scrapped that play early on. It's weird the way the Pistons played defense. They played a 2-3 zone most of the time. In that defense, someone is supposed to be open at some point. True to form, someone was; but it was always Big Ben, Tyrus Thomas, Nocioni, or PJ Brown, players the Pistons knew couldn't hurt them consistently from the outside. The two who could, Hinrich and Gordon, were never left unattended. I wish I had an answer for the Bulls, but I don't. The Pistons defense is just too good. But I did see one thing that might help the Bulls rebounding totals. Nocioni is a big, beefy guy, and needs to get his ass down on the block to help with rebounding instead of tip-toeing around the three point line. Hinrich is a better rebounder than that dude. It's inexcusable that he isn't more physical around the basket. But I don't think the Bulls will win a game now, no matter what they do. The Bulls came into this series with all kinds of confidence and swagger. That's gone now.

Larry, I told you the Warriors' treys would start falling in Oakland, and they did. The Jazz's strategy appears to be to take SJaxc out of the game, and take their chances with JRich, Biddy, and Barnes. But JRich had a big night, so the Jazz strategy didn't work as well as it did in Utah. Big win for the Warriors. And Al Harrington has really hurt his stock. After watching him in the two playoff series, I have to wonder why the Hawks and Pacers fought over him at all. He's been exposed as a mediocre player.

I don't know about seeing the light, since I still think Shaq has one or two good years left, but he's got to get in shape and take the game seriously. He needs to stop doing his Roger Clemens impersonation every year (Yankees made a big mistake too), and play the entire season.

Congratulations to Dirk. he won the MVP, even if it's not official yet. He wasn't my choice (Nash was), but I don't get to vote. I think history will show that the 2007 MVP award went to the second best player in the league this year. So what if Nash wins the award three times? He deserved the first two, and should've won his third this year.



Yes, the Tigers are playing well. Red Wings too, but that series is just getting started, and the Ducks had a very good year, so the Red Wings will not have as easy a time with the Ducks as the Pistons are having with the gutless Bulls. But I couldn't help but notice you didn't even mention the Lions. Considering the year they had last season, the Lions need your support more than the Pistons, Red Wings, and Tigers. The latter three teams are already proven winners. Lions struggled badly last year, and I haven't seen anything they did in the off-season to change things for next year. Calvin Johnson, the Lions 1st rd pick, is a terrific WR, but the Lions don't have a quality QB that can get him the ball, so I don't know how much impact Calvin will have on the Lions' win total.

I would love it if the Lions turned it around! I still watch them om TV but I'm not a masochist.I think the ONLY way something will happen is if there is a true boycott at Ford Field! Anyway....GO PISTONS!!!!

Thomas, I like the way you morphed the Nets and the Cavs into one creature in that analysis. In any event, the "chunker" Hughes has become a lot more effective (god knows, it wouldn't take much) in the playoffs. It was a good call by the generally unimaginative Mike Brown to give Hughes time at the point. Pavlovic's emergence has also been a huge surprise -- I thought he was sort of a joke at the beginning of the season. In short, I do think the Cavs are a lot better than the Nets, but I don't think it will matter much in the next round. The Pistons could even do some damage in the Finals, the way they're playing.

By the way, I suppose I should be rooting for the Ducks against the Red Wings, but the last time I rooted for a hockey team was back in the 70's(!), when I was a Rangers fan. Hard to believe now; the Rangers are sort of the NHL's version of the Knicks. Of course, I was also a Knicks fan back in the 70's. My, how the world has changed.

(P.S. -- congratulations to the Warriors. Biedrens finally has an impact, and it's a big one. I'm wondering if the home team will win every game in this series.)

and why is that?!

"don't have a quality QB that can get him the ball"??!! Jon Kitna ONLY led the NFC in passing last season (check the stats); if there's ANYONE out there that can "get him the ball" it's Kitna!... the Lions' offensive woes have been with the O-line and running game. Injuries took their toll on both last season, as well as some key defensive positions. If you've payed attention at all in the free-agent signing season as well as the REST of the draft, you'd have seen that they've made a few moves to help with those problems as well.

And Eddie!... Ford Field has sold out EVERY home game since its opening; don't hold your breath for a boycott anytime soon. Lions Fans have taken a beating, but they ARE loyal.... plus it's one of the best venues in the League today.