Inside The Nba Brough To You By Colonah Not Hyundai

[NorthofAda]

I'd forgotten about Danny Ainge. He had a mean outside jumper, but that guy was a real whiner and actor when he was on the floor.

I am really ticked about the way the suspensions were handled. What about when Duncan and Bowen were off the bench and toward the court with that Elson foul in the 2nd quarter? It's sad to see that after all these years the Suns still don't get any respect. If that kind of crap had happened to the Lakers, for example, you know that wouldn't have gone down this way. I was reading a commentary on Fox Sports and the writer was saying that the message sent by the NBA is if you're going to come off the bench, you might as well come out swingnig and take some guys down because the punishment isn't any different.



I'm hoping (praying) though that this will actually work in the Suns' favor. They've played without Stoudemire before (not as well, perhaps) so this wouldn't be something entirely foreign to them, and maybe, just maybe, it will fire the team and the fans up (MAJOR 6th MAN in PHX) and get them over this hump. It's just 1 game, and they have to win 2 out of the next 3, preferably in the Suns' house.

Joe G, thanks for starting this thread. In this land of Packers and brats, good B-ball talk is hard to come by as the Bucks tend to be nonfactors in the playoff second season.

And, NSB, your Bulls are tuff! Anybody writing them off is surely eating crow right now. It's a new series ... and I wish them the best.

[Joe G]

Yeah....I LOVE hoops and have followed the NBA for years.....so I always like to talk a little trash..and am kinda the poor man's answer to Charles Barkley... 'cept he get a LOT more money. O yeah BTW, I deer hunt in Menominee county Mich right on the Wisconsin border....so yeah, I know about Packer mania....but the Bucks were champs once, back in the day, with Kareem and also the 'Big O' Oscar Robertson...so they have a tradition...and one of my favorite players ever, Marques Johnson...also starred there for several years....
but yeah Packer insanity is hard to take for me too....they are on TV every damned night...going over and over frikkin' LAST weeks game!!! as if anybody In Wisconsin missed it!!!! better they should miss their own weddings/funerals, NOBODY skips a Packers game!!

[Ndnsoldierboy]

I didn't get to see the Jazz game but know the Jazz won though....too bad for the Warriors. At least they made sports history.

[NorthofAda]

Yeah....I LOVE hoops and have followed the NBA for years.....so I always like to talk a little trash..and am kinda the poor man's answer to Charles Barkley... 'cept he get a LOT more money. O yeah BTW, I deer hunt in Menominee county Mich right on the Wisconsin border....so yeah, I know about Packer mania....but the Bucks were champs once, back in the day, with Kareem and also the 'Big O' Oscar Robertson...so they have a tradition...and one of my favorite players ever, Marques Johnson...also starred there for several years....
but yeah Packer insanity is hard to take for me too....they are on TV every damned night...going over and over frikkin' LAST weeks game!!! as if anybody In Wisconsin missed it!!!! better they should miss their own weddings/funerals, NOBODY skips a Packers game!!

Packer-mania - arrgh! I remember my first year here and seeing the top story on the front page of the paper being about some 60-year-old couple who had waiting for like 35 years to get season tickets and finally got them. I don't know what else was going on in the world that day, but something else should have deserved the banner headline.

I actually got to meet Charles Barkley when he was with the Suns. I was flying back from a trip to Calgary to go skiing with a friend, and had to fly through Salt Lake City on the way home. It happened to be the day of the All-Star game when it was held in SLC in 1993. We got onto our America West airlines plane and anybody who was anybody in the Suns organization was on that plane. Barkely and Dan Majerle were up in first class and I had Jerry Colangelo, then the owner/GM sitting behind me (in coach, no less). Paul Westphal, then coach was a couple of rows up, the mayor of Phoenix was on the plane - it was pretty wild! When we landed, my folks were there to pick us up. Needless to say they were a little surprised to see who all we'd flown in with. We went to pick up our luggage, and my dad actually wound up helping Charles find his. He had 7 bags for a weekend trip - I was gone for 5 days skiing and had 1 garment bag and a carry-on, so it's not always us womenfolk who travel heavy. Anyway, after we found the luggage, Charles posed for a picture with me. I still have that photo on my desk - my only real brush with fame, but a darn good one, don't you think?

Let's hope that the Ultimate Justice is done for game 5, and that the Suns have the strength and mental toughness to beat SA, in spite of the league's awful handling of the Nash/Horry encounter.

Go SUNS!

[Ndnsoldierboy]

watched the game "online" tonite...wanted to the Suns to win. It was getting old hitting the refresh button on my laptop... and the Cavs lost too...oh well...next game...

[NorthofAda]

[Furiously-Fancy]

Suns would have won by 20 + w/ Amare Stoudemire!!!

[Joe G]

Inside The Nba... Bulls Corraled!!

Pistons 95....Bulls 85.....Detroit takes series 4-2.
This turned out to be an entertaining series, with the Bulls rallying from 3-0....and blowing out the Pistons IN DETROIT!!! But as we know, the Pistons are a great road team, and had far and away the best road record in the eastern conference. They turned this one around with an old Piston staple....playing defense, and rebounding. They had a +13 rebound advantage....and shot the free throws (after intentional fouls to try to get the ball back by Chicago) VERY well....but then Chauncey is exceptional at free throws, and has sealed countless games by doing that..and Rip is good from the line too. So where does that leave the Bulls for the future....well hoopsters, remember they have a LOTTERY pick in the next draft that was donated to them by the KNICKS!!! so unless they have lost their minds...they will get an actual low post scorer...and then WATCH out...the other parts are there for a serious title shot.
Memo to Andres Nocioni.....GREAT take down on that non foul you got called on McDyess...but really, wrapping an arm around an opponent and pulling him down is really a WWF move, and most NBA refs who still have their eyesight AIN'T gonna miss that one!!! You got the call...but the national audience saw the play for what it was....
So, we see Detroit move on to the conference finals for the fifth time...in a row....where they will face the LeBrons, or the NETS, who both look inferior to Detroit in depth, as well as talent. Most everybody thinks the west will cakewalk to the championship....with (going in to the Playoffs) Phoenix/San Antonio/Dallas tearing up the NBA in the regular season....
BUT....the East has won 2 of the last 3 championships....and these PISTONS shouldn't be ruled out...they are balanced, experienced, and present matchup problems for ALL of the Western conference teams...I'm not guaranteeing they will win (Eh Rasheed?) but they are not pushovers...

[NorthofAda]

Suns would have won by 20 + w/ Amare Stoudemire!!!

Got that right! David Stern should be impeached...

[Ndnsoldierboy]

The game was good up to the 1st half...for the Bulls...Then they let the Pistons take over. Watching the game, the Bulls need better rebounding and LEARN HOW TO SHOOT GAWDAMN FREETHROWS!!!! I was pissed at all the missed shots on the line. It would have been way closer if my team made their shots.

Another thing that irked me was Hinrich doing all that uncessary dribbling and there was way too many passes...it seemed like no one wanted to shoot a jump shot.

At least my boys showed class at the end though...they are a good team but need a few more players to challenge the Pistons...so again the road to the championship goes thru Detriot again. Just like back in the 80's -90's.

[Ndnsoldierboy]

And now the Suns are done...I'm not sure on the Jazz and Spurs. It might turn out to be a decent series.

And the Cavs took care of business....Pistons vs Cavs.

[Furiously-Fancy]

And now the Suns are done...I'm not sure on the Jazz and Spurs. It might turn out to be a decent series.

And the Cavs took care of business....Pistons vs Cavs.

I was purdy upset at first......then I started looking forward to the next series----at least I won't have to pick between my favorite 2 western teams. Maybe the Suns couldn't get'er done ....but the JAZZ will!!They better play some Defense or else we're gonna need a new TV when I put my frik'n boot thru it!!!Hey.....that's not a bad idea. I can pretend like I get all out of control-upset and bust my TV so I can get a new 32" LCD for Father's Day ; )

[Joe G]

Inside The Nba--conference Finals Are Set

So, it boils down to the Pistons/Cavaliers in the East, and the Spurs/Jazz in the West....
How'd Phoenix lose to the Spurs....well, it boils down to defense, and the styles of play. The Spurs are a far better defensive team, because they funnel everything in the direction of Tim Duncan, who is a superb low post defender. HE was the chief reason the Spurs are moving on...The SUNS are exciting to watch....and have that nuclear offense, but notice how the guys who drive to the hoop such as Barabosa were slowed down by Duncan in the paint. The Spurs (esp. Horry and Bowen) play a physical defense that borders on muggings...but this time of year, it's a man's game...and being pounded is the price you pay...if you wish to be champion. The officiating and the David Stern imbecility reward physical contact, they way things are in the NBA these days.
But remember during all that 'MVP' talk...it was all Nash/Nowitzke....and nothing about Duncan, because it's all about offense w/ most people...but defense matters more when it comes time to bring home trophies....and this guy is as good as it gets in low post defense, as well as back to the basket true center/post type play. He isn't at all flashy...but when healthy, never count out this team.
In the East, Detroit was more experienced than the Bulls, and much more solid on defense, where they locked down the Bulls in Chicago in game 6...so now, they face the LeBrons....and will defeat them in 5 or 6...because they have a better player at every position, except LeBron....and they will smother him....
In the West.....San Antonio will win in 6...since nobody on the Jazz can match the inside/outside game of Duncan/Ginobili....or the penetration and speed of Parker....this will be a tougher series than most expect though, the Jazz are a LOT better than the last couple years.....
So, we then end up w/ Deja Vu......PISTON/SPURS.....and this is a good match up....but nobody in a PISTONS uniform can defend Duncan....and the Spurs will win in 6 or 7 games.....Detroit will deal w/ the SPURS outside game and Parker will get pounded (remember when Chauncey elbowed him in the chops last time?) but unless Rasheed Wallace plays the series of his life, Duncan will be the difference....

[Ndnsoldierboy]

Yup, the Pistons and the Spurs it may well turnout to be. I think though, with the few changes the Pistons did make, might turn the tide in their favor in the Finals. But first they gotta stop King James. I don't think the Pistons will apply the "Jordan" Rules though...These Pistons aren't like the Pistons of old.

The Spurs look pretty good on the floor as well...We'll see if they can stop the ole pick n roll.

[NorthofAda]

I'm just going to sit back and root for whoever's playing SA, whether they win, or not. Jazz, Pistons... just so they play him hard and physical.