Inside The Nba Brough To You By Colonah Not Hyundai

[Joe G]

PISTONS GO UP 3-0 on BULLS.....
Detroit played terribly almost 3/4 of this game, and were behind by as much as 16, but rallied to pull out this one 81-74. This shows what a veteran team will do....and what inexperience will also do. The BULLS showed great defensive intensity early at home, and looked to be on their way, but the games last 4 quarters, and the PISTONS have been down this road way too often to panic....and have superior talent at almost all 5 positions. Memo to CWebb....ZERO points!!!! and 3 rebounds in 23 minutes!!!! a dead person scores that many!!!!! C'mon fab 5 guy, get with the program this won't do in the playoffs...
GS Warriors down 0-2 to the Jazz....In many years of watching countless NBA games, and playoff games, I have never seen such a HUGE disparity in rebounds and 2nd chance points....UTAH has looked like all 5 guys are Wilt Chamberlain/Bill Russell on the glass....and this is killing the Warriors....whose helter skelter up-tempo long range shots are leading to long rebounds.....when missed, and the Jazz are getting almost all of them....This MUST stop, or the Warriors will be swept....and Dallas and Mark Cuban and Dirk will go crazy wondering how they lost to these guys. Deron Williams has tuned out to be one of the fine new point guards...w/ 14 assists last game, and this was an area where the Jazz were weak since John Stockton left. If he plays consistently, they are a much beter team...and he has size and strength to defend the superb Baron Davis better than the MAVS guards could do....I underestimated the Jazz...so live and learn....but hey, since you left New Orleans LONG ago....why not change the team name? UTAH JAZZ?????? makes NO sense....I know, I know, the Lakers kept their name from the (long ago) Minneapolis days....but that's no better

[NorthofAda]

Good Luck, Eastern Conference...

NEW YORK - Steve Nash was a unanimous selection to the All-NBA team Thursday and was joined by Phoenix Suns teammate Amare Stoudemire on a squad made up entirely of Western Conference players.

Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki, San Antonio forward Tim Duncan and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, the league’s leading scorer, rounded out the first team.

“It’s a tough conference,” Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said.

[Joe G]

NEW YORK - Steve Nash was a unanimous selection to the All-NBA team Thursday and was joined by Phoenix Suns teammate Amare Stoudemire on a squad made up entirely of Western Conference players.

Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki, San Antonio forward Tim Duncan and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, the league’s leading scorer, rounded out the first team.

“It’s a tough conference,” Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said.

These selections are absolutely ludicrous to not include any Eastern Conference players....though NONE of the Pistons ever seem to get any recognition...this team has a funny habit of showing up around championship/playoff time!!
Also, there's these guys named Dwayne Wade, and LeBron James who are reasonably good....hell, LeBron is on track to being the next 'big thing' in the NBA....
I can't really dis on any of the guys picked individually, but would like to know what the criteria was.....it sure wasn't defense....or team play... Basketball is a TEAM game...and too often, people base their picks on individual stats....especially scoring.

[Ndnsoldierboy]

Dang, the Bulls were good for the 1st half, after that it was over. They definitely need more experience thats for sure. Well, I would rather have the Bulls lose to the Pistons than the Heat. Even before the season started I felt that the Pistons they were the team to beat in the NBA.

I don't know whats up with the Warriors...????

...I seen the NBA MVP will be ole Dirk from Dallas...and where are they now? It should have been Nash.
He is a way better player....and his team is still in the playoffs.





Hopefully the Bulls will get some good picks in the off season.

[NorthofAda]

You make some good points, Joe and NSB.

On the all-NBA team...yes it's a team, and there is a lot of focus (maybe too much?) on individual players. I think back over the years and note that, from a fan perspective, it was combinations of players working together that really make a game interesting. Case in point would be the classic frontcourt of Karl Malone and John Stockton. Those 2 were nearly telepathic the way the could coordinate plays. They may not have been on a "championship" team, but they were sure fun to watch. I see that LeBron James made the 2nd team all NBA and Dwayne Wade made 3rd team, so there were some Eastern Conference players, just not on the 1st team.

I agree that Nowitski shouldn't be MVP, but I guess the hold the balloting toward the end of the regular season, before the playoffs, and Dallas was certainly expected to go much farther than they did in the postseason.

I watched some of the Bulls-Detroit game last night, picking up early in the 3rd quarter. I thought the Bulls were going to win this one. I had to run downstairs and work on some laundry, and when I came back up, the Pistons were on top all of sudden. Not sure what happened there, but disappointing to say the least.

On another note...there have been some allegations made by Amare Stoudemire that Bruce Bowen of the Spurs has actually kicked him in his preivously injured leg, seemingly trying to purposely cause injury. What do you guys think of that? Are the Spurs a "dirty" team as they are being called, or just physical?

[Joe G]

I saw the video....of the Stoudemire/Bowen play, and it looks bad, but it is REAL tough to gauge 'intent' by a video. Only Bowen knows what he meant to do. I would give the benefit of the doubt on that one...
Over the years, the game has gotten a LOT less physical, and David Stern has deliberately tried to downplay contact...to 'sell' the game better w/ todays' more liberal mass media...but once, the game was such that when you drove the lane (regardless of WHO and how big a star) you KNEW!! you were gonna get knocked on your azz....and only the brave did those drives to the hoop. In addition, most teams had an 'enforcer' who would go after anybody who got outta hand. Fist fights did occur, and there was some intimidation in the league. The Detroit Piston 'bad boy' teams were the last in that mold....w/ Laimbeer a REALLY dirty player, and Rick Mahorn to fight if needed. After their reign, the league changed to far less contact. Detroit used to mug Michael Jordan...w/ 3 or more defenders....but it didn't deter him. But todays' NBA is MUCH softer than it used to be...
The MVP vote is before the playoffs.....so it is totally based on the regular season. IT usually seems to go to the best statistical player on the best team... when really, it should be the guy who does the MOST for his team...picture this, Nash stops playing.....ok the SUNS are not as good, but would be nearly as good, now...take LeBron off of the Cavs....and what's left? a college level team....or picture the Championship Bulls w/o MJ...they would be a sub .500 team...but it's always gonna be a subjective pick.
Stockton and Malone....ahhh the memories...they ran the old 'pick and roll' 30,000 times...everybody KNEW it was coming....and still couldn't stop it. John was one of the top point guards ever...great passer, clutch player....and Malone was one of VERY few power forward/center types who could run the open floor and get fast break points, but play tough 1/2 court games too...

[Ndnsoldierboy]

I am out in the field this whole week, so won't get to watch any of the games, but do have my laptop to check the scores. Technology has come a long way...at least I don't have to wait for the newspaper like the old days...

[NorthofAda]

Stay safe out there, NSB...

Watched the Suns/Spurs game last night - awful!. I really don't think that the Spurs' defense was especially stelllar, but Nash wasn't getting any good shots, that's for sure. They had to bring Amare out for quite a while due to foul trouble, and by the time they put him back in, and he got crankin', it was too little, too late.

Neither team played very well, and the Suns blew a healthy lead in the 1st half as they have done in other key games. I hope they come out with a bit more determination in game 4, or this series will end earlier than I expected (7 games).

[Ndnsoldierboy]

I heard the Suns lost...too bad...they should be able to get back in the series though...

At least the Bulls won a game finally.. about time...but a little too late it looks like...

[Joe G]

Bulls win...avoid a sweep.
Detroit played maybe their worst game all season, with only T Prince shooting .500...and everybody else WAAY below .500. It looked like the PISTONS were shooting at a carnival hoop where the rim is JUST big enough for a ball to go through...and they sure didn't win any stuffed animals!! They also shot WAY too many 3's and shot those poorly too. C Webb goes scoreless again!! zero points!!! daaaayuummm c'mon Chris this isn't how to finish a good career. But do not fear, the PISTONS will win this series....maybe this will remind them that showing up isn't enough during the playoffs....you have to want it, and out work your opponents...
The Suns/Spurs is now 2-1 Spurs, and the difference in game 3 was Tim Duncan...33 pts 19 rebounds....he's the best low post player in the NBA today...and the reason San Antonio wins. When he goes well, the wing men such as Parker and Ginobili and Horry are not being defended as closely...I also think Amare Stoudamire's comments helped the Spurs....much more than his own team. Even if true (and there is no positive proof either way) complaints during the playoffs are seen as 'whining' and a lack of determination....but more of an attempt to soften up the refs....but usually, has the opposite effect, and fires up the other team. He should have saved those for AFTER the series.
BUt the Suns have a LOT of talent and will come back and make this a close series still....
JAZZ UP 3-1 on GS Warriors....
well, Cinderella, I see midnight is approaching...It's over for the Warriors....being killed on the glass, and in the paint by Carlos Boozer...
They are a fun team to watch with helter skelter play...but give a whole new meaning to 'DOUGHNUT' team.....w/ a GIANT hole in the middle...and not as much depth as Utah has shown....so call them the
Pyrite State Warriors these days...all that glittered wasn't gold.

[Ndnsoldierboy]

@ Pyrite Warriors...

[NorthofAda]

@ Pyrite Warriors...

Pretty funny! I remember back when Golden State was a very worthy opponent in the West, back when Run-TMC was in action - Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. Another one of those classic combinations of players where 1+1+1 equalled more than 3...

Last night's game, Suns vs. Spurs, well, I'd almost given up on them when they were down by 11 with like 5 minutes to go. Spurs had been playing good defense, then the Suns started throwing up those Hail Mary shots that had no prayer of a chance going in...I thought this game was in the "ol' deep freeze" as Suns commentator Al McCoy likes to call it. Then, they caught fire with some tougher defense, better rebounding and a couple of back-to-back, behind-the-back passes from Nash that were just beautiful to watch.

Then...the dirty play by SA (again! sigh). I don't have a problem with playoff games being physical, but Horry's clotheslining of Nash into the scorers table with 18 sec. left was really uncalled for. He needed to foul him and could have done so with infinitely less physical contact. Horry was ejected, hopefully he'll be suspended for game 5 and give those other guys a wake-up call for SA. There is such a thing as too much "D." I just hope that Stoudemaire and Diaw don't get suspended for leaving the bench. They never actually engaged any of the SA players, threw punches, or anything like that, and if Bowen's groin hit to Nash can be a Flagrant 1 foul without a suspension, then the league shouldn't punish the Suns players for a reaction that was totally understandable. You can only push guys' buttons so many times before they snap back at you.

And Manu Ginobili -when he retires from the NBA - he could have a new career in the WWE - that guy's theatrics are almost laughable...

[Ndnsoldierboy]

Followed the game online and it did look a bit bleak for the Suns...but it never over until its over. So, go Bulls!!!
Had to throw that one in there Joe...

[Ndnsoldierboy]

Thank You Chicago Bulls for not throwing in the towel...

[Joe G]

HEY! congratulations NSB....the Bulls showed HEART and now we have a series.....kudos to Scott Skiles for out-adjusting Flip, and exposing the zone defense. Gordon, Deng, and Hinrich shot the damned lights out.....ummmm maybe man to man would be better lol. Chauncey's foul trouble hurt too...he's the KEY to the Pistons , much more than any other player, as he goes, they go. Detroit sports teams can't usually stand prosperity, and always seem to find ways to lose, if they are the favorites...but I still think they wil prevail in the end. But we may be seeing a REAL rise from the BULLS who will certainly add a low post player and Tyrus Thomas will improve too. They seem to be set now to be a solid team and a contender for the next several years.
How about the 'check' on Steve Nash by Robert Horry? I didn't see a better one all year in the HOCKEY playoffs!!! That was totally a hatchet job....and somebody should knock him on his azz and soon. But what's David 'crack down on violence' Stern's answer? Punish the frikkin' SUNS!!! They lose Amare and Diaw, and SA only loses Horry....so a premium star, and bench depth is traded for a bench/role player!!!! geez maybe SA should hip check Marion too!!! What the hell sense does this make? The aggressor team is rewarded? yeah, that's fair David Stern!! I know you aren't supposed to leave the bench during a scuffle....but that Horry play should have gotten him punched out...it was playground bush league stuff....and definitely designed to hurt/intimidate Nash...not coincidentally, one of the smallest guys out there...very brave 'Big Shot' Bob!!! try that crap on someone bigger, or at least someone looking....
San Antonio has the very classy Tim Duncan, along with Manu Ginobili, and Parker, and I don't think of them as a dirty team...but with this stuff....maybe I'm wrong...
Yeah drama classes are almost as important these days as learning to dribble N of Ada...and Manu plays on the refs w/ his drives to the hoop and flopping...but he is a wonderfully skilled player too, with both hands, as well as a hustler. Flopping was actually perfected though, by Mr. Bill Laimbeer, former Pistons Center, who was 6'11' and about 270 lbs....and every time somebody from the other team brushed him...he flew across the arena like the human cannonball at the circus!! Manu is a beginner compared to Bill. And Danny Ainge, former Celtic guard, was another whose acting skills rivaled Richard Burton or John Barrymore...he whined so much at NBA refs, there should be a 'wailing wall' constructed in his honor at the Boston arena.