Each of the defending conference champions won critical game 5’s on Tuesday putting them both in position to advance to their respective Conference Semis and were impressive for their own reasons. The Celtics were impressive in showing the intestinal fortitude of a champion being down 11 points inside five minutes and coming back to win the game. It wasn’t just the come back but the way it was done, with key defensive stops when they needed them, shutting down the oppositions best player, and their key guys hitting clutch shots, because that’s what champions do. Outplayed for 3.5 quarters the C’s ‘manned up’ an took care of biz-nis leaving the Magic in a must win situation and in inter-team turmoil. The topic on the minds of the Magic faithful is it disarray over the fact that Superman only took 10 shots in the game 5 loss and now Van Gundy, coach of the candidate, is on the hot seat after Howard channeled some of the blame his way. Meanwhile the Celtic nemesis also looked impressive but in a totally different way as the Lakers sent a serious message to the Rockets with a 40-point blowout. There was also an Andrew Bynum sighting among the stars present at Staples Center, as Bynum scored the Lakers’ first six points of the game and finished 5/6 for 14 points and 6 boards in only 19 minutes. This may have been the most positive news among all of the favorable print in Los Angeles this morning, after being ripped to shreds the two previous days. Now the question remains, what Laker team will show up for Game 5? Have they finally realized that with no Yao down low that Gasol and Bynum will have free ‘reign’ or will this be a repeat of the 04’ finals? However, in both cases, does either club have what it takes to reach the Finals this year? Let us know here and on the Team pages and chat rooms.
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Celtics and Lakers both impressive, but for different reasons
Labels: boston celtics, cleveland cavaliers, la lakers, NBA, nba playoffs
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21 comments:
Sorry Lakers, but last nights blowout win can be attributed as much to the Rockets beating themselves as it can to you putting a beatdown on them. The Rockets couldnt buy a basket or complete a pass, despite their getting open shots and penetrating into the lane.
Th shooting was downright abysmal. What were they? Like 3 for 30 from the 3 point line?! Watch out, because I am guessing that will not be the case come Thursday. Though I will admit that playing Brian Cook on Pau Gasol certainly helps your case also. Personally I would much rather see Dorsey in there, at least if someone is going to get owned it can be a young player in need of some experience.
I have to say I was like a proud poppa sitting on my couch (dozing off cuz of these darn late starts) watching the Lakers do what they NEEDED to do. However I do feel that Houston still got a lot of open shots and our defensive rotation is really bad, it has to be stronger & quicker. we switch off a lot and in game 4 that killed up, but last night they missed a lot of open shots in the 1st run of the game. if they hit those it's different game. none the less I'm happy for the win.
I dont know where to start...so I will engage in the smack talking going on. The lakers, if they play like they did last night or even 3/4 of that they will finish both Houston and Denver. I know that there are match up issues the Lakers have with Denver, but Denver has match up issue with the Lakers too...it goes both ways and I think cancel each other out.
But its all about effort with the Lake Show. If they put forth the effort they win big and even maintain the leads they build. If they dont put forth the effort (game 4) then they lose and look like fools. People can talk all they want about the great D Houston put on LA in game 4 but I dont think that was the case. The Lakers just didnt care. They didnt drive the lane and settled for outside jumpshots and played no D at all. No effort or care.
hats off to the lakers for playing their best game of the playoffs and defending their home court. The Rockets were trounced. My team did nopt show up to play, and the lakers finally realized that they can out muscle our small team. If, as it seems, the lakers go on to win the series, I give much respect to the lakers for taking it on the chin and fighting back. The Rockets should have earned national praise as well in thuis series. I am tired of the Rockets being dismissed as just T-Mac's team, or Yao's team. They are a T-E-A-M team in every respect. Let's hope that we can show up at home and take this to 7 games.
I love my Rockets. They have made me proud, even in that asswhuppin last night.
next year, once we drop Deke, and trade T-Mac away, and hopefully get a quality back up for Yao and another top scorer, the Rockets, if healthy, will make a deep playoff run.
I think the Jazz have a WAY better team than the Rockets... but look... the Lakers struggle. I understand Laker Nation... and you're going to defend your squad... but they're not playing well... not well enough to win a title. You can't tell me that before this series started... you thought it would be this difficult to beat the Rockets. I for one didn't think they'd make it out of the first round.
I dont' hate the Lakers... but they're not that good... that's the FACT. They should have run through the Rockets... run through them. And they're not. If they were playing good basketball... there would be nothing I could say. Before the playoffs I expected the Lakers to cruise and see a Lakers/CAVS finals... but not now... not after watching them play well in stretches and look terrible at times... they dont' have it. Period.
did the celtics sweep the number 8 seed atlanta last year?....did they cruise to the championship...this is why i say you hate the lakers...you cant remember what happened past round 1 of these playoffs! were you sayin the same about the celtics last year??
Denver is a good team but they always for some reason blow it at the end so dont write the lakers off. Lakers are a way better team then denver is and i thought denver beat LA once this season. like always i think the lakers are gonna pull it off on denver BUT denver will come to play hard all games. this will be a great series to watch. Lakers in 6 or 7
The Lakers won't make the Finals player... sorry to say... but that's how it's shaping up.
BOFADZNUTS003 ...dude...when you came in here n talkin bout bein a unbiased fan, i had respect for your comments, and thought ok well someone who is unbiased good...well from EVERY post you have left, you are biased...maybe your not a fan of any of the teams we are,or may play,(which i doubt,you just created the profile, so im sure you just didnt want us knowing who you were a fan of) but you are biased! you hate the lakers! i come to you with real facts! that EVERY "expert"was calling them the best 8 seed in nba history! thats a long time!and they were also sayin they were the second best team in the west 3 weeks before the playoffs, but yet all you can come back with is "it's a 8 seed son" come on now, thats real soft man! you really are showing your hate for the lakers!
Magic melted with 6 mins. left on the clock. Magic fans you can blame the refs, the coach, the NBA but what it came down to is your team does not have a legit go to guy. Rafer not the answer, Hedo hahaha, Rashard maybe but did he even touch the ball the last 3-4 mins of the game?? aslong as you keep Howard outside of 5 feet from the rim I'll let him shoot all day.
I don't make predictions. I was saying it doesn't happen overnite. Todays predictions leads to tomorrows excuses. I do know that the C's will show and get contributions from everyone. But they will show up, I guess that is a prediction.
No they blew a 14 pt lead. They didn't hit a field goal in the last 7 minutes. They only scored on intentional fouls. Howard was so busy whining about not getting to take fall away left handed hook shots that he forgot to play D, Rebound, Block shots... When Rondo out rebounds you and then throws the ball off you to steal a possession... You are not playing like the best big man in the league.
It is fair to say the refs weren't doing much of a job last night. But they were consistent. At half time they even told both coaches to save their breath complaining. Right from the first play they made it clear don't expect to hear a lot of whistles. Both teams were killing each other inside but very few whistles blown. The Magic started settling for outside shots so you won't get too many FTs that way but I have to think that Hedo probably was owed a couple shots on his late drive into Perk. I am pretty sure that Rondo's shot did touch the rim but I'm sure no Magic fans will agree. Howard complaining about not touching the ball? He should be complaining that he didn't touch it on the other end either! He had ZERO blocks. He needs to grow up before he will really matter in this league. Steph! Welcome to Boston. When he missed his first shot in the first half I turned to my brother and said he is due for a big game. He is too good to go all season without one big game. After that performance lets just hope its a sign of things to come. If Ray can get his shots to drop we may still have a shot at this.
It still isn't over. I just read another article in the Sentinel. They broke down the missed opportunities in the last 8 mins. So I guess they aren't all blaming the coach. The C's didn't get here overnite. A few yrs. back I was at the Garden for the Pacers / Games. I am not sure, maybe 4-5yrs ago. The C's weren't even competitive. It takes time to build up the composure and get every guy you put on the flr. to contribute. A whole lot of little pieces make up the complete picture.
wow, magic fans what is it like knowing your team is a bunch of chokers?
I am a huge Orlando fan, and I completely confused. I think Orlando is the better team. I know Boston is short handed, but come on. Orlando had game 3 and 4. The "defending champs" are sneaking by. Both Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith said Orlando is the better team. I was at game 4 in Orlando and I watched all of game 5. You would think Boston would have won game 5 by 20-25 at home. Look what the Lakers did.
Boston is not a championship team. Yes, they beat Orlando, but they just don't show me anything. I think Orlando had a better chance against Cleveland than Boston.
Red Storm.......And you think that Orlando is a championship team? The C's are 10 times more championship caliber than the Orlando Chokers. Just think if KG was playing. This series woulda been done in 4-5 games. Just be lucky that you have some sort of chance to maybe win this series.
first of all, I wouldn't base anything off of what Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith says. Secondly, the Celtics took advantage of the opportunities the magic gave them. The Celtics came back, but its just a true to say the Magic gave it away. There is no way the Magic have a better chance against the Cavs. They only way you are going to upset the cavs is by not making any mistakes. And Orlando is terrible in that department. No bennsavannah, My money on an upset would come from a team that has proven to win close games, over and over again. And thats the Celtics.
Here is the real view of most real Cavaliers fans. We understand and respect that the Celtics are the champions until someone knocks them off. We also know that what the Celtics have done so far is show the heart of a champion We know the Celtics are winning on clutch play in the 4th qtr and being more poised and smarter than the Bulls or Magic. We want to see the Cavaliers and Celtics in the ECF. We know that to be the champions you have to beat the champions. We know that the Celtics will not go easily. We do however believe that the Cavaliers will win in a 6-7 game series based on the circumstances, intelligence, poise, talent, and great team play not based on stupid regular season stats or the emotions of children.
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