This is my own what's new and what to expect for each teams coming into this year's another exciting basketball season.
Atlanta Hawks: Josh Childress is gone to Greece but they got Maurice Evans from Orlando. I hope they continue the exciting playoff run they had last year. I know for sure Boston remembers.
Boston Celtics: World champions baby! They lost a key player in James Posey though.
Charlotte Bobcats: MJ got Larry Brown to coach and will try to make it work this time... if it works.
Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose is the future of the Bulls, or is he?
Cleveland Cavaliers : The Cavs got Mo Williams to help out King James...
Dallas Mavericks: Rick Carlisle is now the new coach of the same old Mavs. Time is closing in.
Denver Nuggets: Camby's loss will be felt on this team's defense... very much.
Detroit Pistons: Flip got fired and new coach Michael Curry is in. Not much change on the competent roster.
Golden State Warriors: The Baron is gone. Monta is hurt. Corey Maggette will be an offensive key but who will lead the point-guard less g-dubs?
Houston Rockets: The Rockets form their own big 3: Yao, TMac and Ron Artest... Warning: Yao and TMac may not stay healthy and Ron Artest is Ron Artest.
Indiana Pacers: Pacers bring in TJ Ford. Finally got rid of Jamaal Tinsley.
LA Lakers: Don't look now, this deep Lakers, with Bynum back on the roster, is the team to beat.
LA Clippers: They lost Elton Brand but they got Baron Davis. Will he stay healthy though?
Memphis Grizzlies: Very young team. Traded Kevin Love to Minnesota to get OJ Mayo.
Miami Heat: Micheal Beasley joins DWade and The Matrix... Sounds exciting for Miami fans.
Milwaukee Bucks: Richard Jefferson joins Michael Redd but will they deliver?
Minnesota Timberwolves: Mike Miller and Kevin Love bring an added talent to this young team.
New Jersey Nets: Yi Jianlian is the new kid on the block.
New Orleans Hornets: The next team to watch out for.
New York Knicks: Mike D'Antoni... will he be able to save the Knicks?
Oklahoma City Thunder: Leaving Seattle... Entering Oklahoma... not the Sonics anymore... it's the OKC Thunder!... but still ... the... same... team. Sorry Kevin Durant. Sorry Seattle fans.
Orlando Magic:The Magic will try to use and maximize their potential because that is what they should have done last year.
Philadelphia 76ers: Welcome Elton Brand! The Atlantic division just got exciting for all the other teams except for New York.
Phoenix Suns: The new Suns under Coach Terry Porter will be different but like Dallas, it looks like time is running out.
Portland TrailBlazers: Greg Oden. Finally. Watch out West, the Blazers will fight for a playoff spot.
Sacramento Kings: Kevin Martin is now the lone star of the team.
San Antonio Spurs: The strong veteran team is showing signs of deterioration and aging...
Toronto Raptors: The other good team in the East... young, talented and full of potential.
Utah Jazz: Led by Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, this team is still a tough contender out West. Tough to beat!
Washington Wizards: It will be a long time til we see Agent Zero to show us his brilliance on court.
...the Golden State Warriors and its die hard fans who resurrected when you came here and carried the Warriors on your shoulders... on your often-hurting body.
Thank you for the 2007 Playoffs. Thank you for beating the life and dignity out of the Dallas Mavericks. Thank you for the unforgettable "DUNK" that rocked the world. Thank you for those three weeks full of fun, excitement and hope.
And now that you've gone home South , there's no where else for us to go but forward. Even if the Clippers and the Warriors are conference rivals, I give you my word that you won't hear a single BOO from me when you come and play against the Warriors here in Oakland. You will always be a Warrior and I still wish that you did not leave. But all good things are never forever.
The Baron, B-Diddy, Boomdizzle, Fear the Beard, Warriors Jersey # 5...
Thanks a lot.
800 and more. Not counting the lives who were on ground and suffered damages from that unexpected storm.
I, from the bottom of my heart, personally send my condolences to ALL the victims of this tragedy. All I could do is close my eyes and include you in my prayers.
At this point, I think that there is no necessity for a blaming game nor an investigation of what really happened to the MV Princess of the Stars. I personally think that the money being spent for those maritime and congress investigations should all be spent on planning a solution on how to get that ship off the sea of Romblon, to keep on searching for those poor victims and to help their families who are still hoping and waiting for a result whether it may be good or bad. Everyone responsible for the ship is at fault for this tragedy which would also include a lot of government agencies. The fishing industry is at its lowest point for fear of contamination from the ship which also contained tons of dangerous pesticide.
Waiting is not an option for this kind of thing. It is an unimaginable feeling to have lost a loved one all of a sudden and not being able to sleep at night because you don't know where he or she is. It is heartless for these people to keep the people waiting and hoping as well as to keep the people of Romblon suffer. Right now, it is very important to take care of this problem. Everything in the Philippines is turning into a disaster; food shortage, the prices of gas and food skyrockets as well as the fare to get to where you want to go is going up. It seems like we do not have a government at all.
Knowing that the Philippines is an archipelago and that we are always hit with tropical storms, our coast guard should be more effective than any law enforcement agency in the country. Our brothers and sisters who travel from Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao and vice versa depend on passenger ships that are affordable and supposedly efficient. If we have an intensified coast guard, then we would also be able to arrest those illegal individuals coming from Indonesia who freely come in to Mindanao whenever they want to. Technology is not an issue. It's the money that we use to buy the technology that mysteriously is either being spent for another project or is just declared as "miscellaneous" because it disappeared in someone else's pocket. Remember, the government should learn to take care of their citizens. It is intolerable to let all the prices go up, while taxing them, and not even being able to create jobs so that these people can come up with the money to buy their necessities and the taxes that come with them. Do not make the people suffer more.
I continuously pray. I pray that we, the Filipinos, wake up and learn to do things the right way. That we may learn to make the right decisions so that when a disaster comes in our way, we will be prepared and equipped to face them. That the politicians may learn to empathize with our less fortunate brothers and sisters and let the politicians see the real life outside their mansions of gold and marble. I pray, that in the silence of our hearts, all the unfortunate people who died in that tragedy and all the loved ones they left behind may eventually find their peace in God's loving heart.
Blink. Close your eyes and hope that tomorrow everyone wakes up with a good common sense and does something right for a change. It's time to change our ways. Seriously.
The Boston Celtics, once again, are the new world champions.
And they are back on top of the world indeed.
Boston clearly did not want the game to go down the wire and played their best basketball game in the series finally getting rid of Kobe Bryant and the weary Los Angeles Lakers, 131-92 and in the process, grabbing their 17th championship title on the 17th of June.
Bryant was quiet and subdued all night scoring 22 points. Pau Gasol scored 11 points while Lamar Odom had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Phil Jackson, who is currently tied with Celtic pioneer hall of fame coach, the late Red Auerbach with 9 NBA titles, failed to overcome and get his 10th title.
Garnett and Ray Allen scored 26 apiece in Game 6 while Paul Pierce, awarded the Finals MVP after the game, had 17 points.
Both Garnett and Allen finally grabbed their first championship ring, after coming from Minnesota and Seattle respectively wherein both teams really did not have any direction back then. Danny Ainge, Boston's general manager was able to pull off some trades during the preseason and eventually brought Garnett and Allen to Boston where, together with Pierce, then formed the formidable big three.
Pierce decided to stay with the Celtics when things got tough. Last season, the Celtics only won 24 games and Coach Doc Rivers was almost taken out of Boston. It was a tough road for Boston during the regular season winning 62 games especially when Rivers lost his father during the course of the season. They entered the playoffs and had to go through fourteen gruelling games, seven against the Hawks in the first round, seven with the Cavaliers in the second round and another six games against the Pistons in the third round before facing the Lakers in the finals.
The Celtics dominated the whole game and obliterated the Lakers as early as the second quarter and had the lead rise up to as much as 31 points. The adoring fans started doing the wave while chanting "Beat LA" and "SE-VEN-TEEN!". Pierce poured red Gatorade on Doc Rivers while the whole TD BankNorth Garden celebrated their seventeenth title on the waning moments of Game 6 regaining the glorious recognition as world champions back to Boston after 21 years.
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
BOSTON – Between the end of the worst season of his life, and the beginning of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, there had been a passage of time when Paul Pierce had word delivered to Danny Ainge: Get me help or get me out.
Pierce had waited for his chance to be one of those generational Boston sports icons, and the Celtics had stopped surrounding him with a fighting chance. It was getting late in his prime, late in his patience. He watched Tom Brady win his Super Bowls and David Ortiz his World Series, and he could take it no more. This town is the best in the world for winners, and just the worst for everyone else.
These forever New England stars are remembered for the most clutch championship performances. Pierce was the forgotten, dismissed talent, a victim of unfair circumstance when the city never had less tolerance for losing causes.
Suddenly now, Pierce returns for Game 6 in these NBA Finals on Tuesday within a victory of a championship, within a whisper of his wildest dreams. Maybe the regular season belonged to Kevin Garnett for the Celtics, but the playoffs belong to Pierce. History is closing fast.
Before the season, Boston debated on whether Pierce’s number would ever dangle in the Garden rafters. Only champions hang in the Garden. The Basketball Hall of Fame hung in doubt, too. Now, his decade in Boston is so close to its validation. One more victory, a Finals MVP over Kobe Bryant, and Pierce, in the minds of most, will have made the improbable thirtysomething NBA journey as a player from good to great.
Whatever is standing in New England, Pierce has transformed his standing in the sport. There was that Game 7 against LeBron James – the Bird-Dominique game – when his 41 points elevated the Celtics into the conference finals. James never acted like losing out to Pierce was shameful, an embarrassment. “I always say, second to Kobe Bryant, he has some of the best footwork I’ve ever seen in a player,” James said. “I love going against the best.”
Perhaps his peers have always appreciated Pierce better than the public. People had stopped paying attention to the Celtics. He was one more player throwing up big numbers on a bad team. Now, Pierce could be remembered as the most explosive offensive player in the Celtics’ history. Larry Bird was a better passer and shooter, but as a pure scorer, Pierce has no peer among the Celtics’ greats.
No one would take him over LeBron and Kobe, but he has outplayed them in this postseason. Yes, he has a superior supporting cast, but let’s face it: Few remembered that Pierce had so much game, with so much capacity for clutch. As much as anyone, Pierce won Game 1 and Game 4 of the Finals, and nearly stole Game 5 with 38 points and eight assists. He’s been fantastic. He has taken this stage and shown it all.
“There’s not a lot of players that have a well-rounded offensive game,” Bryant said. “What I mean by that, he’s got a good mid-range game, long ball, pull-up to the hoop, pull-up left, pull-up right. He has the whole package.
“Paul is one of my favorite players in the league.”
Rest assured, LeBron and Kobe don’t deliver false praise. Around the NBA, Pierce has never been so respected. Pierce has never had such presence, such game. The Celtics captain is on the cusp of a championship and a legacy looms in Boston. He goes in the rafters now, and maybe goes to Springfield, too. He’s been here a decade – longer than Brady and Ortiz – and Pierce creeps closer and closer to taking his place in the pantheon of a clutch champion.
One more night, one more victory and finally it all belongs to Paul Pierce, a forever Celtic.
LOS ANGELES (AP)—This was how the Boston Celtics of yesteryear—Cous and Russell and Bird and Hondo and the Chief—would do it. Digging deep, they fought for every loose ball, scrapping with grit and guts, champions clad in green.
These Celtics are no different.
And they are just one win from another NBA title.
“Yeah,” Kevin Garnett said. “I can taste it.”
In their comeback season, Boston saved its biggest one of all for the finals.
The Celtics rallied from a 24-point deficit and beat the Los Angeles Lakers 97-91 on Thursday night to take a commanding 3-1 lead in this history-rich series and move within one victory of a 17th championship that seemed impossible a year ago.
“I don’t want to get overjoyed,” Paul Pierce said. “I want to go out there to try and win Game 5 on Father’s Day and then I’ll be able to breathe. Right now, I’m waiting to exhale.”
He’s not alone.
A rivalry between the league’s two most storied franchises—with some of the game’s biggest names and biggest moments—now has a rally for the ages.
No team had ever overcome more than a 15-point deficit after the first quarter, and Elias Sports Bureau said it was the largest comeback in the finals since 1971. One thing’s for sure, it will forever be remembered in the annals of Celtics-Lakers lore.
When the final horn sounded, Pierce, an L.A. kid playing in front of family and friends, doubled over in exhaustion and exuberance. The Celtics, the team he stuck with through 10 years, including a 24-win season in 2006-07, had done the impossible.
“It’s definitely a great win, one that you’re going to put up there in the library and break back out one day for your kids to watch,” Pierce said. “But I want nothing more than that ring right now.”
Pierce scored 20 points, Garnett had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Ray Allen had 19 points, two coming on a marvelous reverse layup in the fourth as Boston’s Big Three, thrown together last summer by general manager Danny Ainge to revive a franchise accustomed to hanging banners from the rafters, put the Lakers on the brink of a summer vacation.
It took an epic comeback to do it, and now the Celtics can reclaim their place atop pro basketball with a win in Game 5 on Sunday night in Los Angeles.
No team has ever recovered from a 3-1 deficit in the finals.
Kobe Bryant scored 19 points on 6-of-19 shooting but the league’s MVP couldn’t rescue the Lakers when they needed him most. Lamar Odom had 19 points— 15 in the first half—and Pau Gasol, whose addition in a midseason trade was supposed to give the Lakers their final piece to complement Bryant, had 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Trailing by 18 points at halftime and seemingly done when they fell behind by 20 with 6:04 left in the third quarter, the Celtics outscored the Lakers 31-15 in the third quarter to pull within 73-71 going into the fourth.
The remarkable rally was reminiscent of what Los Angeles did in Game 2, when the Lakers trimmed a 24-point deficit to two in the fourth quarter before the Celtics regrouped to open a 2-0 lead. But Boston had another 12 minutes to finish off theirs, and the green-and-white did.
“Some turnaround in that game. The air went out of the building,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who was asked what he told his club afterward. “Well, it’s not over. This is not over. The series is not over.”
Boston’s comeback included a 21-3 run over the final five minutes, fueled by two 3-pointers from Eddie House, who was getting more playing time because of Rajon Rondo’s tender left ankle. The Celtics were still down by double digits with 2 minutes left in the third but closed the quarter with a 10-1 run, capped by P.J. Brown’s dunk—a slam that could be felt all the way back to Boston’s North End.
The Celtics finally caught the Lakers at 73-all on Leon Powe’s jumper in the lane with 9:05 remaining, tying the score for the first time since it was 2-2 in the first minute.
At that point, the Lakers looked lost, confused, you name it. And when House hit an 18-foot jumper with 4:07 remaining, the Celtics had their first lead, 84-83. Boston’s bench erupted, Lakers fans gasped and it was just a matter of time before they were heading out of Staples Center wondering what went wrong.
Allen, one of the game’s purest shooters, then drove to the basket and made a reverse layup as dramatic as the Celtics’ comeback.
“It was huge,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said. “It was really supposed to be a middle pick-and-roll with Kevin and Ray, and Ray waved Kevin off because he liked the matchup that he had already, so he didn’t want to bring another defender in to help. It was a great call by Ray. The layup was just tremendous.”
Bryant, who except for a 36-point performance in Game 3 has been an ordinary superstar in his try for a fourth championship ring, didn’t score in the first half. He tried to rally the Lakers and got them within 89-87 with one of his patented twisting layups. But James Posey drilled a 3-pointer for Boston to make it 92-87 with 1:13 left. Derek Fisher’s long jumper got the Lakers within three.
But Pierce was fouled and made two free throws, forcing Jackson to call a timeout with 47 seconds to go. As the Lakers headed toward their bench, Pierce pumped his fists, flexed his muscles and let out a yell.
At the other end of the court, Bryant hung his head.
“They were determined not to let me beat them tonight,” he said. “I saw three, four bodies every time I touched the ball.”
Surrounded by Hollywood stars on their own back lot sound stage, the Lakers were seeking their 10th straight win at home in the postseason and were about to drop the “if necessary” tag from Game 6. Now, they have to hope they can force the series back to Boston.
For the third time in this series, commissioner David Stern met with the media before the game. It was an unusual step for the league’s long-tenured leader, who went on the offensive to defend the integrity of NBA officials under fire in the Tim Donaghy scandal.
Maybe the next investigation should focus on what happened to the Celtics in the first quarter.
L.A’s crowd, notorious for arriving late, leaving early and spending more time text messaging and talking on cell phones than clapping, was much more involved than in Game 3. They roared when Lakers Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar presented the game ball to officials and were on their feet when Los Angeles blasted to a 16-6 lead.
By then, Odom had scored eight points, doubling his total from Game 3 and the enigmatic forward finished the first quarter having made all six field goal attempts and scoring 13 points. Moments later, Garnett went out with his second personal, and with the NBA’s best defender on the bench, the Lakers ran wild.
Odom made consecutive jumpers from the top of the key to put Los Angeles ahead 26-7. The Lakers eventually pushed their lead to 45-21 when Sasha Vujacic, whose 20 points sparked his team in Game 3, nailed a 3-pointer and it was the Boston Massacre, West Coast style.
But the Celtics wouldn’t quit.
“Once we got the lead, obviously, we were thrilled to death,” Rivers said. “As far as we were down, nothing was going right for us, and we just hung in there.”
Notes
Some of Hollywood’s brightest stars glimmered, including the usuals: Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington and Dyan Cannon. They were joined by former NFL star Jerry Rice, actress Jennifer Garner with husband Ben Affleck, singer Justin Timberlake and Arizona quarterback Matt Leinart. … The Celtics and Lakers finished with the best records in their respective conferences. It’s the first time teams with the top marks have met in the finals since Indiana and Los Angeles in 2000. The last team to have the league’s top record and win the title was San Antonio in 2003. … Two hours before tipoff, two seats in the lower bowl were going for $3,500 apiece through an on-line ticket brokerage.
Anyway... Games 2 and 3... we all saw what happened...
Game 2. Boston garden... Boston won 108-102. Why? Because of their stiffling defense. Their defense was so intense, I didn't even think that the Lakers would have a single chance of winning that game. The Lakers bench was missing in action but the big thing during that game were the calls made by the referees specifically on the Lakers. If I may quote coach Phil Jackson of the Lakers, this was his reaction when asked regarding that: “I think my players got fouled,” the veteran coach said. “I have no question about the fact that my players got fouled but didn’t get to the line. Specifically, I can enumerate a few things, but I’m not going to get into that. I don’t want to get into dispute with those situations.”
But hey, it's the Finals. It's actually fun and exciting if you just let the game go with the flow... well, if you're Boston and you're up by 24 points which you almost blew on the final minutes of the 4th quarter. Phew...
GAME 3... in L.A.... Lakers finally get one 87-81. But personally, I think Kobe did all the work. Well, Sasha Vujacic was also doing the work who traded jumpshots with Ray Allen and was the only one from the bench who REALLY contributed ( Kobe and Vujacic were the only Lakers who scored double figures ). Gasol and Odom never had an impact on the game except for the final moments of the 4th quarter where they made very important plays and tip-ins. Kobe took the whole team on his back once again and he was unstoppable. I guess they were also kind of lucky; The Lakers missed 13 freethrows in this game ( Kobe missed 7 which obviously pissed him off when asked during the halftime interview ) and Boston, except Ray Allen, couldn't find the basket.
Note: Gilbert Arenas opted out of his contract with the Wizards which will make him an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Again, I personally think that it's all about the money.
By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer
BOSTON (AP)—Big moments have defined the Lakers-Celtics blood feud, and in their first get together in 21 years, a kid from Los Angeles gave Boston one to remember.
Paul Pierce, who used to sneak into Lakers games as a youngster, came bounding out of the tunnel from the locker room after leaving with an injured knee and led the Celtics to a tense 98-88 victory over Los Angeles on Thursday night in Game 1 of these tradition-soaked finals.
Pierce’s dramatic return after being carried from the court and then wheeled down a hallway for treatment will be added to the annals of Celtics-Lakers lore, taking a spot alongside Magic Johnson’s baby sky hook and Kevin McHale’s clothesline of Kurt Rambis.
Kevin Garnett scored 24 points, Pierce finished with 22—11 after getting hurt—and Ray Allen, the third member of Boston’s Big Three, added 19 for the Celtics, who are chasing a 17th NBA championship. The trio was making its first finals appearance, and for a short time it appeared only two of them would finish their long-awaited debut.
In the third quarter, Pierce was deep in the lane when teammate Kendrick Perkins crashed into him from behind, crumpling Boston’s No. 34 to the court. The 10-year veteran, who last summer thought his days with Boston might be nearing an end, had to be carried from the court in extreme pain and was taken to Boston’s locker room in a wheelchair.
“When I came down I thought I felt a pop, I thought I tore it,” Pierce said.
The sight of Pierce leaving drew gasps from some Celtics fans and coach Doc Rivers’ heart sunk.
“I thought the worst,” Rivers said. “When they carried him off, I just though it was the knee.”
However, everyone’s worries were soothed just moments later when Pierce returned to Boston’s bench and checked back in with 5:04 remaining. As Pierce jogged onto the court with a black elastic wrap on his knee, Garnett clinched a fist and screamed, “Yes!”
Soon, more than 18,000 others were screaming as Pierce made two 3-pointers in just 22 seconds to give the Celtics a 75-71 lead.
“When I got in the back I could put some weight on it,” Pierce said. “I knew I needed to be out there for my team.”
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 24 points, but the regular-season MVP was just 9-of-26 from the field as the league’s top defensive team kept close tabs on him. Bryant had numerous shots rattle out and spent most of his 42 minutes in the game searching for a rhythm.
Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol had 15 points apiece and Lamar Odom added 14 for the Lakers, who had won the first two games of their previous three series this postseason. Los Angeles will try to even the series in Game 2 on Sunday night.
This is the 11th meeting in the finals between the Celtics and Lakers, and the first one since 1987 has been treated like the return of a lost friend by basketball fans aching for the days when Magic Johnson and Larry Bird went sneaker to sneaker.
Game 1 lived up to the hype as both teams challenged every shot, sprawling for loose balls and intensely defending their baskets. Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Jerry West and the rest of the greats who made the rivalry special would have been proud.
With their crowd breaking into the familiar “Beat L.A.” chants from the outset, the Celtics led 77-73 after three quarters and quickly pushed their lead to eight in the fourth following a 3-pointer by James Posey. Fisher and Sasha Vujacic scored to get the Lakers within 86-82, but Pierce countered with a jumper and made two free throws to put Boston up 90-82.
The Lakers again got within six, but Garnett, who missed nine shots in a row, followed up a miss with a ferocious dunk to crown Boston’s win.
Unable to find his shooting touch in the first half, Bryant decided to focus on his defense. After 16-year veteran Sam Cassell came off Boston’s bench and scored six quick points at the start of the second quarter, Lakers coach Phil Jackson switched Bryant onto the 38-year-old with the aching back and one of the few Celtics who knows his way around the finals.
Although their superstar wasn’t doing his usual thing, the Lakers stayed close, and when Pierce had to sit down after picking up his third foul with 5:14 left, Los Angeles went on a 14-6 run—Gasol and Odom scored four points apiece — to open a 51-46 halftime lead.
Surprisingly, it was Fisher, not Bryant, who led Los Angeles with 13 points and Gasol had 12.
Despite their collective lack of finals experience, the Celtics didn’t display any nervousness early. Strangely, it was Bryant who appeared to have some jitters, starting 1-for-7 from the field and not getting any clean looks at the basket.
Allen’s 3-pointer from the right wing gave the Celtics a 19-14 lead, but the Lakers got a basket from Jordan Farmar, a 3 by Vujacic and Bryan’t second bucket to pull within 23-21 after one quarter.
As the clock ticked down toward tipoff, Celtics fans, some who weren’t even alive the last time the NBA’s two marquee franchises clashed, scooped up T-shirts and bought other finals souvenirs marking the fierce rivalry’s rebirth.
On a section of Union Street, adjacent to historic Faneuil Hall and not far from statues of patriot Sameul Adams and hoops patriarch Red Auerbach, Bostonians young and old warmed up their voices with chants of “Let’s Go Celtics” and lubricated their throats before walking en masse toward the new “Gah-den,” which had never hosted an event of this magnitude.
Notes
Jackson isn’t a fan of the 9 p.m. tipoff. “I don’t enjoy it at all,” he said. “I think it takes guys out of their rhythm and out of their lifestyle. I know (the NBA) is trying to reach both audiences on the coasts, but there’s another way to do that.” … Fueled by five players from outside the U.S. on the Lakers’ roster, the series has drawn a record 280 international media members from 35 countries and territories. The finals are being televised to 205 countries. When the teams met in the 1987 finals, the games were televised to 28 countries. … This is the Lakers’ 29th finals appearance with the first six coming when the franchise was in Minneapolis. … Among the celebrities in attendance were actor Bruce Willis and New England Patriots stars Randy Moss and Tedy Bruschi.
The moment of truth is here.
Hours from now, the best show in basketball will begin and we will witness the rebirth of the greatest rivalry in NBA history.
It is time.
The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The last time they met was 1987, when players had bad haircuts and short shorts. After 21 years, the dynasties that silenced and went their own different way, will reconnect and face each other for the first time in the ultimate stage.
Will the Big Three from Boston play as ONE and win the trophy?
Or will Kobe and company deserve the respect by showing all of us that they are the better team and that they will be the champions?
You Decide. Take your side. Who will win the 2008 NBA Finals?
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP)—Boston got past an old nemesis to set up a matchup with another rival.
Paul Pierce scored 27 points, Ray Allen had 17 and Kevin Garnett added 16 to lift the Celtics to an 89-81 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Boston, which locked up with Detroit many times in the 1980s, will now rekindle another classic series in the NBA finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Pistons were eliminated on their home court for the first time during a six-year run that included a trip to the conference finals each year and the 2004 title.
Boston entered the series without a road win in the postseason, then beat Detroit on its home court twice to win the grueling series.
After playing two Game 7s, the Celtics will get a needed break before hosting Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on Thursday night.
Chauncey Billups scored a playoff-high 29 points and Richard Hamilton had 21, but the rest of their teammates had lackluster efforts—especially Rasheed Wallace.
Wallace scored just four points on 2-of-12 shooting and had three turnovers in what might’ve been his last game as a Piston and could’ve been Flip Saunders last as Detroit’s coach.
After it was 58-all, Detroit closed the third quarter with a 10-2 run and took its first lead since midway through the opening quarter.
Just when it seemed the Pistons might be in control with a 70-60 lead early in the fourth, the Celtics scored nine points in less than 2 minutes and went on a 19-4 run that put them ahead 79-74.
Billups’ three-point play pulled Detroit to 83-79 with 2:24 left, then the Pistons wasted a chance to get closer.
Tayshaun Prince grabbed a loose ball after a Boston miss and turned the ball over when James Posey surprised him from behind and snatched it away.
Pierce made two free throws on the possession, putting the Celtics up by six with 1 1/2 minutes to go.
The Pistons failed on their 3-pointers down the stretch and couldn’t take advantage of Garnett missing two free throws with 36 seconds left.
The Pistons were eliminated at home for the first time since Pierce helped Boston do it in the second round of the 2002 playoffs. Detroit had won its previous five games this postseason when coming off a loss.
Detroit lost Game 6 of the conference finals for the third straight year and with only one title and two NBA finals appearances during its impressive six-year run, the franchise will draw more comparisons to baseball’s Atlanta Braves.
The Celtics, meanwhile, validated their bold move of adding Garnett and Allen to Pierce to form a Big Three. They played key roles in the decisive fourth quarter, helping Boston outscore Detroit 29-13.
Boston point guard Rajon Rondo scored 11 points and Kendrick Perkins added seven points and seven rebounds.
Unlike early games in the series, neither team jumped out to a big lead in the opening minutes.
Boston led 24-21 after five lead changes—the last coming at the 6:12 mark — and a tie in the first quarter and a negated shot.
Pistons rookie Rodney Stuckey made a jumper late in the quarter, but it was waved off after a video review showed the ball in his hand when the shot clock expired.
Allen and Hamilton, in a matchup of Connecticut greats, had 10 points apiece in the first quarter to lead both teams.
After the Celtics went ahead by seven, Billups made a 3-pointer and later a free throw to pull Detroit within a point.
Garnett then went to the bench with three fouls and 3:11 left in the first half, and seldom-used reserve Leon Powe replaced him and matched the superstar’s point total of four points to help Boston lead 40-37 at halftime.
Garnett opened the game by making his first two shots, then missed his final eight attempts in the first half.
Both teams had two starters making shots and three putting up bricks.
Billups and Hamilton were a combined 11-of-19, while the other three starters were 1-for-12. Wallace and Prince missed all five of their shots.
Allen and Pierce combined to go 9-of-15. The rest of the starters were 5-for-21.
Garnett and Prince both ended their skids by making jumpers early in the second half.
Prince scored nine points in the third to help Detroit score 31 in the quarter after being held to just 37 in the first half.
Antonio McDyess made two free throws with 3 minutes left in the third quarter to put Detroit ahead as part of a 22-6 run that gave it a 10-point cushion early in the fourth.
Notes
Hamilton did not seem to be affected by a sore right elbow, which he injured late in the previous game. “My dad said to spit on it,” Hamilton said. “I guess that’s an old-school thing.” Did he follow the advice? “Yeah,” Hamilton said with a grin. … Both teams were watching replays of Game 5 before Game 6 and were still complaining about the officiating. When Pierce was shown essentially tackling Billups in the previous game, he joked to teammates: “I got him down at the 2.” … Faces in the crowd included Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez, singers Kid Rock and Anita Baker along with Lions linebacker Ernie Sims. … Detroit fell to 4-4 when trailing 3-2 in the playoffs, dating to the 2003 playoffs, when four of their current starters played key roles.
LOS ANGELES (AP)—Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers dispatched the defending champions, and are headed to the NBA finals for the first time in four years.
Bryant scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers rallied from an early 17-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 100-92 on Thursday night and win the Western Conference finals in five games.
The Lakers are 12-3 in the playoffs, including 8-0 at Staples Center, where they haven’t lost in two months. They have won 14 straight home games and 21 of their last 24 postseason games at home.
They get a week off before opening the NBA finals next Thursday night at Boston or Detroit. The Celtics lead the Eastern Conference finals 3-2 with Game 6 on Friday night.
A basket by Lamar Odom gave the Lakers an 83-76 lead with 5:40 remaining, but a 3-pointer by Brent Barry and a basket by Tony Parker drew the Spurs within two points. Manu Ginobili missed a 3-pointer that could have given San Antonio the lead before Bryant’s jumper with 3:33 to play made it 85-81.
A foul shot by Duncan drew the Spurs within three, but two more baskets by Bryant made it 89-82 with 1:47 to play, and the Spurs weren’t closer than five points after that.
Odom added 13 points and eight rebounds, while Pau Gasol had 12 points, a career playoff-high 19 rebounds and five assists for the Lakers.
Parker scored 23 points and Tim Duncan had 19 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for the Spurs. Michael Finley scored 13 points, Barry and Kurt Thomas added 11 each and Ginobili was held to nine, shooting just 3-for-9.
The Lakers clinched their berth in the finals a year to the day after Bryant called the team’s front office “a mess” during a radio interview. A day later, he demanded a trade, ultimately saying he preferred playing on Pluto rather than returning to the team he joined as an 18-year-old in 1996.
The situation calmed down until Lakers owner Jerry Buss told reporters during training camp in October he was listening to offers for Bryant, angering the superstar once again.
But once the season began, Bryant bonded with his teammates, led the Lakers to the No. 1 seed in the rugged West and won his first MVP award.
The Lakers will be playing in the finals for the 23rd time since moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1961 and the 29th time overall. They have won 14 championships—nine in Los Angeles and five in Minneapolis.
The Lakers and the Celtics have met 10 times in the finals, with Boston winning the first eight matchups and Los Angeles the last two—in 1985 and 1987. That’s the last time the Celtics advanced to the championship round.
The Lakers and Pistons have met three times in the finals, most recently in 2004, when Detroit won in five games. Shaquille O’Neal, who teamed with Bryant to lead the Lakers to three straight championships starting in 2000, was traded a month later, and the Lakers hadn’t won a postseason series since until last month.
San Antonio’s elimination might signal the end of its era of dominance. With Duncan leading the way, the Spurs won championships in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007, but with a rotation made up solely of 30-something players except for the 26-year-old Parker, the future seems uncertain.
Meanwhile, starting guard Derek Fisher and seldom-used reserve Ira Newble are the only players on the Los Angeles roster over 30.
Ultimately, it was the Lakers’ youth, quickness and athleticism that determined this series. The turning point occurred in Game 1, when the Spurs took a 20-point third-quarter lead before the Lakers outscored them 44-20 for an 89-85 victory.
San Antonio had a shot in Game 4, but the Lakers held on for a 93-91 victory that put the Spurs on the brink of elimination. And that came Thursday night.
A 3-pointer by Luke Walton and baskets by Jordan Farmar and Bryant gave the Lakers a 74-68 lead with 8 1/2 minutes remaining, and they were on top the rest of the way.
The Spurs led by as many as 10 points early in the third quarter, but the Lakers turned up their defensive intensity during a 19-8 run that gave them a 61-60 lead—their first since the opening minute. Bryant scored nine points during the spurt. Los Angeles led 64-63 entering the final period.
The Spurs got 3-pointers from Finley, Ginobili and Barry during a 15-1 run that gave them a 33-16 lead early in the second quarter. The Lakers went nearly 7 1/2 minutes without a field goal until Farmar scored three straight baskets to trim San Antonio’s lead to 11.
It was 46-31 before the Lakers went on an 11-2 run to finish the second quarter, cutting the Spurs’ lead to 48-42.
The Lakers wound up shooting 38-for-85 while the Spurs went 36-for-74.
Notes
Only eight teams in NBA history have rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series. The Spurs are now 0-7 in such situations. … Phoenix was the last NBA team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven series, accomplishing the feat against the Lakers two years ago in the first round. … Bryant attempted only 11 free throws in this series after attempting 96 against Utah. … Ginobili, who turns 31 in July, and Duncan, who turned 32 last month, can hardly be classified as old in NBA circles. But Robert Horry is almost 38, Bruce Bowen is nearly 37, Barry is 36 and Finley and Thomas are both 35.
BOSTON (AP)—Boston’s three All-Stars finally put it all together to move the Celtics one win away from the NBA finals for the first time since the original Big Three’s heyday.
Ray Allen scored 29, hitting a long 2-pointer with a minute left after Detroit came within one point, then he and Kevin Garnett each made a pair of free throws down the stretch as the Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons 106-102 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night.
Boston will take a 3-2 lead into Game 6 on Friday in Detroit. With a victory there or on Sunday back in Boston, the Celtics would advance to the NBA finals for the first time since Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish took them there in 1987.
Kendrick Perkins had career playoff highs with 18 points and 16 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo added seven points, 13 assists, six rebounds and four steals for Boston. Paul Pierce scored 13 of his 16 points in the first half, when Perkins outrebounded the Pistons 13-11 by himself.
Chauncey Billups scored 26 and Richard Hamilton had 25 points for Detroit, which has reached the conference finals six consecutive years but played for the championship just twice and won once in that span.
The Celtics earned home-court advantage with an NBA-best 66-16 record in the regular season, but the Pistons took it away with a victory in Boston in Game 2. The Celtics swiped it back with a split in Detroit, and now have two chances to clinch—including a potential seventh game at home.
Notes
Rasheed Wallace picked up a technical with 5:18 left in the game. It was his sixth of the postseason, and his next earns him a one-game suspension. He criticized the officials afterward in an expletive-filled tirade, saying, “A lot of those foul calls, cats were flopping and falling all over the floor.” … It was Perkins’ 17th double-double in his career and the third time he has had one in the first half. … The Garden scoreboard operators have figured out how to fire up the crowd: Show Patriots coach Bill Belichick on the scoreboard. … Brian Scalabrine was active for the first time in the playoffs because Tony Allen injured his Achilles’ tendon during practice on Tuesday. … Wallace was 3-for-27 on 3-pointers in his previous eight games. … Detroit’s Game 4 hero, Antonio McDyess, fouled out with five minutes left and scored just four points.
SAN ANTONIO (AP)—Kobe Bryant looked back and found himself all alone. All but guaranteed the basket, he went up and slammed the ball with a little extra oomph, just for good measure.
One more win, and Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers will be all alone in the Western Conference and on their way to the NBA finals.
The Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs 93-91 on Tuesday night—surviving a last-second 3-point attempt that would have given the Spurs the win—for a 3-1 lead in the conference finals.
“It is a big step for us,” said Bryant, who led the Lakers with 28 points and 10 rebounds. “Tonight we came out and did a much, much better job to win in this building in this particular game. It’s big for us.”
The defending champion Spurs lost at home for the first time this postseason and they face elimination when they play Game 5 in Los Angeles on Thursday.
The Lakers were last in the finals in 2004 when they lost to Detroit in five games. Lamar Odom, who was upset with his Game 3 performance, scored 16 points, eight in the fourth quarter, for Los Angeles, while Pau Gasol had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Vladimir Radmanovic added 11 points.
Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 29 points and 17 rebounds, while reserve Brent Barry had 23 points and his last-second 3-point attempt could have given the Spurs the win. Barry and the Spurs brushed off talk that he was fouled on the play by Lakers guard Derek Fisher.Notes
Joe Crawford, who has a history with the Spurs and had an on-court squabble with Popovich during the conference semifinals, officiated the game. … Spurs legend David Robinson sat in the second row courtside. He was surrounded by Lakers fans wearing bright yellow jerseys. … Ginobili got his first points of the game with 1:32 left in the third quarter on two free throws. He finished with seven points, 23 less than he had in Game 3. … The Lakers outrebounded the Spurs 46-37 and finished with a 26-4 advantage on second-chance points. … Bryant didn’t get to the free throw line.
By LARRY LAGE, AP Sports Writer
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP)—The Detroit Pistons provide plenty of fodder for those who want to criticize them for only playing their best when down or doubted.
Antonio McDyess doesn’t.
He often plays with the most energy on a team that traditionally peaks and flops depending on whether its up, even or behind in a series.
Playing his best game playoff game in perhaps a decade, McDyess had 21 points and 16 rebounds to lift Detroit to a 94-75 series-evening win over the Boston Celtics on Monday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Detroit scored the first 10 points of the game and started the second quarter with an 11-2 run, but led just 43-39 at halftime. The Celtics stayed in the game by making 17 of 20 free throws in the first half while Detroit was 5-for-9. Boston had more points from the line (32) than from the field early in the fourth quarter when it pulled within 67-62.
The Celtics desperately need their stars to play better than they did Monday. Boston’s Big Three shot awfully as did most of the Celtics, but the NBA’s top-seeded team stayed competitive for much of the game thanks to a stark disparity in free throws. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined to miss their first seven shots and finished 11-for-38 from the field.Richard Hamilton had 20 points, Rasheed Wallace scored 14 and Billups added 10. Reserve Jason Maxiell filled in well when Wallace was in foul trouble by scoring 14 points and playing tough defense on Garnett, notably on a come-from-behind block on a dunk attempt.Notes
McDyess’ previous high in points this postseason was 17 and his high in rebounds was 14. … While playing for Phoenix against San Antonio in the 1998 playoffs, McDyess had a career-playoff high 26 points in one game, 19 rebounds in another and four blocks in yet another game against the Spurs. … Hamilton played in his 114th postseason game, breaking Bill Laimbeer’s team record. … Allen learned how to sign “NBA Basketball is Fantastic” in American Sign Language before the game as teammate P.J. Brown ate a PBJ sandwich.
By ELIZABETH WHITE, Associated Press Writer
SAN ANTONIO (AP)—The San Antonio Spurs opened another big lead over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. This time, they kept it.
Manu Ginobili broke out of his scoring slump with 30 points off the bench and the Spurs beat the Lakers 103-84 in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
Tim Duncan had 22 points, 21 rebounds and five assists, and Tony Parker added 20 points and five assists for the Spurs, who remained unbeaten at home this postseason and avoided falling into an 0-3 hole, which no NBA team has ever overcome.
The Lakers lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Tuesday in San Antonio.
The Spurs squandered a 20-point lead to lose Game 1 in Los Angeles and the Lakers routed them in Game 2.
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 30 points and Paul Gasol scored 15. Lamar Odom struggled all night, finishing 2-of-11 from the field for seven points. But he had six of the Lakers’ 13 assists and 11 rebounds.
The Spurs last lost at home on April 9 to Phoenix . San Antonio eliminated the Suns in the first round in five games. … Fisher got a technical foul with 4:45 left in the third quarter just after teammate Vladimir Radmanovic hit a layup to bring the Lakers within eight. … In a dig at Bryant, the crowd chanted “M-V-P” when Duncan went to the line late in the fourth quarter. … Ginobili got a standing ovation from the crowd when he went to the bench with 2:56 to play. … Fisher finished with two points on 1-of-4 shooting. … The Spurs hit 10 3s, the Lakers hit six.
Who is it gonna be fellas?
The Lakers have taken and won both home games and are looking very good. So good that they are making the spurs look old. The Lakers came back from behind twenty points behind Kobe's efficiency and proved that the Lakers at this point is the much better team than the spurs. The Spurs spelled the word HELPLESS literally in Game 2. I did not expect them to get beat by 30 points. What the hell happened? The Lakers took the lane away from Parker and they doubled him and Ginobili at every chance they had. The Spurs would need more bench production and follow the Lakers example. If they would double Parker and Ginobili every time, someone else has to step up or make some shots. Tim Duncan is the foundation of this team but he can't do it all by himself. I am looking forward for Game 3 and would expect more from the Spurs because they are the champions after all. For the Lakers to win, all they need is the same consistency both on offense and defense from the starters and the bench players they had in Game 2, take away the crowd from the Spurs and of course, Kobe Bryant.
The Celtics-Pistons finals is heating up. Celtics split the first two games at home, winning the first one and losing the second to the Pistons. Meanwhile, the Pistons let the Celtics take game 3 away from them at home marking the first road game of the Celtics ever since the playoffs began. We all know that both teams are matched up very good. Both teams are filled with the right veterans with experience that can both help them as the series progresses. Allen is still struggling offensively while on the other end, Billups does not look like he's a 100% well and might still be hurting from the injury he sustained against the Magic. Because of that, surprisingly, we have all seen one man rise and step up for the Pistons and his name is Rodney Stuckey. He has been consistent and in Game 3, he was the only one giving an effort on the floor.
check out more of the conference finals on http://www.sports.yahoo.com/nba
meanwhile, here's Jordan Farmar's block on Ime Udoka in Game 2 between the Lakers and the Spurs.
If you can't view it, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhAajoZY
Lakers finally got rid of Utah. Kobe should be able to rest his back while waiting for either New Orleans or San Antonio. San Antonio, historically, are very good in the road and the deciding Game 7 should be a very exciting and physical game to watch. The Hornets should stay together and continue to execute well on their sets at their home floor if they want to win especially now that the Spurs are starting to intensify their defense on Chris Paul.
for more nba news, visit: http://www.sports.yahoo.com/nba
in the meantime, here's lebron's monster dunk which has "no regard for human life" during game 4 against the celtics.
Detroit and Orlando. Orlando's Rashard Lewis scored 33 points in Game 3 and helped his team cruise over the Billups-less pistons.Not much too say about this series except for it got a little exciting. Billups is uncertain for Game 4 at Orlando. His sprained hamstring, a first in his 11 year NBA career, is bothering Mr. Clutch and is not sure if he can gut it out and be able to play on Saturday. Pistons will have to play with their rookie point guard Rodney Stuckey and hope that they can at least win Game 4 and be able to go back to Detroit to nail the series.
Kobe and the Lakers have started their playoff run with a blazing 6-0 record. Utah is down two games and is heading back home to prepare themselves against the red hot Lakers. If you watch the Lakers play right now, the ball movement, the execution, the defense, the spacing and the offense are all clicking. If its impossible to stop Kobe before, it's now a lot harder to stop the whole team! Boozer is struggling. He is the missing key to the Jazz offense and defense. He is a major factor to the Jazz and without him, D-Will will have to will himself and keep themselves in this fight if Boozer does not play like Carlos Boozer is supposed to play.
Hornets failed to win Game 3 at San Antonio because Ginobili was on fire. Duncan finally contributed, Parker was driving and scoring and B-squared (Bruce Bowen) was hitting his famous corner 3's! This is the Spurs that we saw before winning championships in the previous years. The Hornets were lost in the defense at times during the game. They should keep up with Ginobili in Game 4 and do what they did defensively in the first two games so that they could finish the whole series in Game 5 when they come back to New Orleans. As usual, Chris Paul was dishing, flipping, running and flying during the game and has continued to show that he is one of the best players in the league right now. As for the spurs, Game 4 is in their hands and the crowd is right behind them. It's all up to the championship-experienced squad now if they still want to win it or not because they know that the Hornets can take all of this away from them. Seriously.
NOTES: NBA announced the All NBA First Team today with Kobe Bryant unanimously heading everyone on the list (now, his 6th First Team appearance). He was joined by Lebron James, Kevin Garnett and first time First Team players Dwight Howard and Chris Paul... League sources reported that Mike D'Antoni, Suns current head coach, is in talks with the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls for the Head Coaching position of both teams. Obviously, the Knicks are offering D'Antoni BIG MONEY... however, sources also reported that the Knicks are likely to pick former point guard, Mark Jackson to be their next head coach. Jackson has played for seven teams in the league before retiring in 2004. Teams he played included the Pacers, the Jazz and the Knicks to name a few.
( Note: As usual, the spotlight in the Boston-Cleveland series will be trained on James, who averaged 32.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 9.7 assists in three games this season against the Celtics. The teams split their four meetings—both going 2-0 at home—with James missing the Dec. 2 matchup in Boston with a sprained finger.--- Yahoo sports )
Other news around the league: Reportedly, according to the LA times, Kobe will be named this season's MVP. He deserves it. Look at the lakers now and compare it to the last two seasons. The bench greatly improved during the course of the season and the addition of Pau on the mix was the final touch on this new look and very impressive LA lakers team. They won game 1 against the Jazz in LA 109-98.
Hornets on the other hand, stunned the defending champs, San antonio spurs in game 1 in New Orleans after they played much better offensive execution in the second half and eventually beating the champs, 101-82. Amazingly, they held Duncan to only five points on 1 of 9 shooting and only three rebounds. That does not happen everyday so expect the spurs to play MUCH BETTER BBALL on game 2 because they should. right, coach pop?
Detroit outplayed the Magic, 91-72, in game 1 a Detroit last saturday. Finally, the real pistons showed up in game 1 and did not give any signs of letting this game go away. Both teams have already traded words against each other after game 1 and has further spiced up the series leading to game 2 at Detroit tomorrow.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=a
for more nba news, visit www.nba.com or go to www.sports.yahoo.com/nba
obviously the trades didn't work out for both suns and mavs... it was too late to make a change and it didn't adjust quickly so as to make a good playoff push against the tougher spurs and hornets. dallas looked confused a lot of times and phoenix... same old phoenix, just can't keep up with the spurs (parker was amazing in this series). denver showed their immaturity and made you think, what if golden state made the 8th spot instead? wouldn't it have been a better match against the lakers? instead of watching carmelo whine and bad-mouth his whole team including his coach? no good for what ifs at this point though... the hornets look promising, excellent on the hardcourt and well-coached, thanks to the coach of the year, byron scott. chris paul was compared by avery johnson as the new nate archibald for his natural born skill and leadership... can't wait for the next round with the hornets and the spurs... the raptors however, were just not capable of stopping dwight howard in the middle. if he gets a 20-20 game, then better pray for a miracle.
as of today, everything looks good for the lakers, the spurs, the hornets and the magic... they can rest and prepare for the next round.
on the other hand, boston ran out of luck in atlanta (did u see what horford did to pierce in the closing minutes of game 3... man, the guts to trash talk to a star like pierce!)
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the wizards can't stop the KING, (coz u know, deshaun stevenson, u better put up or shut up... wizards still has a good chance of taking the series if they STOP lebron which i think is impossible to do.)
detroit and philly are still going at it back and forth ( now, detroit is playing like DETROIT...) and the rockets are not giving up against the jazz ( at least for now... they beat utah in game 5 by 26 points in houston).
and by the way, i just got news that avery johnson, mavericks' coach, just got fired and mark cuban is plain stupid. he is rich but very stupid.
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