The 2006 NBA Playoffs thread

[Fusion]

I think Spurs will do fine without Duncan. They are a team of very talented players. Horry, Mohammad, Ginobli, Parker, Finley, Bowen are all fantastic players. Duncans is definately a big help, but IMO Spurs can still make Western Conf finals easily without Duncan's help.

Yes the Spurs are obviously a more complete team than the Lakers and hence they can still be force to reckon with without Duncan. However, would you consider them to be the favorites to win the West (as I do) without Duncan? The point I was trying to make is that if you take the best player away from ANY team, their chances to succeed will obviously take a big dent. Therefore, just because the Lakers would be rubbish without Kobe doesn't necessarily make him the MVP. Every team with an MVP contendor would suffer without him.

 

[Sanz]

Well I didn't really say that Spurs can win Western Conf without TD, but I wont be surprised if they did. Western Conf. looks like the eastern conf of post bulls era.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Where would the Spurs be without Duncan? The Mavs without Dirk? The Suns without Nash? What happened to Houston this year without T-Mac? Great players usually have a tremendous impact on their teams. Just because Kobe is the Most Valuable Player on HIS TEAM doesn't make him MVP of the league.

The Spurs and the Mavericks would still be playoff teams or at least better than the Lakers - even with Kobe playing. The fact that Tracy McGrady didn't play this year means that he has absolutely no bearing on the discussion. Kobe Bryant was the difference between the Lakers being crap and being a playoff team. That makes him valuable enough to his team to be the most valuable in the league. It's not about just having an impact. It's about the scale of impact.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Unfortunately that wont win them another Championships. Teams, not individuals, win championships. Kobe is a match winner, so is Gilbert Arenas, so are Lebron James, Chris Paul, Dwade etc etc.

Yes, but MVP is an individual award, not a team award. Lebron James, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade did not carry their teams to the playoffs. Kobe Bryant did. Love him or hate him, he made the biggest impact in the grand scheme.

Odam is a fantastic player and if handled properly he could be world class. Look @ Chauncy Billups, who knew Billups will be such a lethal player, He was practically useless in his first 4-5 years and played for 4 teams. Today he is the top PG in the league.

That's beside the point. A Lakers team minus Kobe and plus Odom would most likely still have had a losing record.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Where would the Wizards be without Gilbert Arenas ? Kobe may be the MVP of lakers, but not of NBA.

Gilbert Arenas is your MVP then?

Because otherwise you're wasting your time making that point, because it's entirely irrelevant. If, however, your pick is Arenas, that's fair enough.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Yes the Spurs are obviously a more complete team than the Lakers and hence they can still be force to reckon with without Duncan. However, would you consider them to be the favorites to win the West (as I do) without Duncan? The point I was trying to make is that if you take the best player away from ANY team, their chances to succeed will obviously take a big dent. Therefore, just because the Lakers would be rubbish without Kobe doesn't necessarily make him the MVP. Every team with an MVP contendor would suffer without him.

It's not merely suffering.

Spurs minus Duncan is still waaaaaaay more than Lakers minus Kobe. Kobe Bryant is the difference between a team being crap and being competitive. If that's not great value, I don't know what is. There's no way that Duncan is more valuable TO THE SPURS, than Kobe is to the Lakers. Had Duncan played for the Lakers and Kobe for the Spurs, Duncan might be my pick. That's because I'm looking at the big picture, and if a player can carry a team to the extent that Kobe did, that's my MVP.

It's like a fit Barry Bonds for the San Fransisco Giants.

 

[Sanz]

Yes, but MVP is an individual award, not a team award. Lebron James, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade did not carry their teams to the playoffs. Kobe Bryant did. Love him or hate him, he made the biggest impact in the grand scheme.

Are you kidding me ? You think Cavs would have made Playoffs without Lebron and heat without Wade ? I dont think so. Lebron had more assists, more rebs, better FGP than Kobe. When was the last time Cavs made the play off ?

And no I dont think I hate Kobe, but I dont think he deserves the MVP just because Lakers made to the playoff.

That's beside the point. A Lakers team minus Kobe and plus Odom would most likely still have had a losing record.

And a cavs team without Lebron wont ?

 

[Sanz]

Gilbert Arenas is your MVP then?

Because otherwise you're wasting your time making that point, because it's entirely irrelevant. If, however, your pick is Arenas, that's fair enough.

No Gilbert Arenas isn't but he is probably as imortant (if not more) to the Wizards than Kobe is to lakers.Making it to the playoff's is not enough, You team has to have better record as well ( like Suns,Mavs have ).

 

[Anil]

wow the lakers take a 2-1 lead....in talking about kobe's dominance, i for one underestimated the effect of phil jackson....despite kobe scoring just 17 and shooting just 33% from the field, it was a dominant performance from the team as a whole even though the victory margin was only 7, they were clearly the better team last night, a lot of credit to jackson for that...tough defense really suffocating the high octane suns offense, great ball distribution on offense...it was a pleasant surprise...whether they will be able to sustain this level remains to be seen but i never even thought they could be this competitive as a team...

king james turns in another exceptional performance and another record....highest first-time score on the road in the playoffs - 41 points in a 97-96 heart-breaker of a victory over the wizards!

 

[Fusion]

Mavs go up 3-0. What a clutch 3 by Dirk at the end to send the game into overtime! And then he takes over in overtime to secure the win. I hope the Mavs sweep on Monday so they can rest up for the Spurs. Can't wait for that series!

 

[Dravid]

Tyson Chandler just went down with 26.3 left in the game. This is not good news for Chicago for the rest of the games. But as far as this game goes Bulls are leading 88 85 iwth 26.3 left to go in the game and they have the ball. Looks like its all over for miami

 

[Dravid]

And Chicago make it 2-2 93-87

 

[Anil]

lakers go up 3-1....clippers go up 3-1....the bulls tie it 2-2 and definitely look like they have the momentum now against miami, nets and pacers are tied 2-2 and that could go either way....looks like some upsets/unexpected results are in the offing...quite different from last year's first round when there were a lot of sweeps and all the favourites went through easily....

 

[Dravid]

Lakers are going into the second round for sure...Suns can't comeback from 3-1...I'm so happy I really wanted them to advance. So it's going to be the Clippers and Lakers right?

 

[Sanz]

This was a crazy week. Lakers are 3-1 over Suns Kings 2-2 with Spurs, Bulls beating up Heat and Bucks pounding the pistons.

I am loving it.

 

[Fusion]

Lakers are going into the second round for sure...Suns can't comeback from 3-1...I'm so happy I really wanted them to advance. So it's going to be the Clippers and Lakers right?

I think that's right. And isn't that so ridiculous? If the Spurs win, then the Mavs and Spurs meet in the second round. So number one and four meet in the second round. While the lower seeds meet in the other matchup. So idiotic!

 

[Sanz]

Are you afraid that your Mavs might lose to Spurs in the second round of Playoffs ?

 

[Dravid]

They probably will...thats IF Spurs make it past Sacramento...this is going to be a really interesting series now that its 2-2

 

[Fusion]

Are you afraid that your Mavs might lose to Spurs in the second round of Playoffs ?

You got that right! I may be a Mavs fan, but reality is the Spurs are better. Don't get me wrong, I'd be pulling for the upset, but I won't be shocked if the Spurs beat the Mavs. But that's besides the point. What's the Spurs reward for being the best team in the West? They get to play the Mavs in the 2nd round, instead of the Clippers or Lakers (or Suns if they pull out a miracle). Also, the NBA is doing a bad job of marketing when the two best teams meet in the 2nd round. The best teams should meet in the Conference Finals.

 

[Sanz]

How do you know who are the two best teams, by their overall records ? Suns were suppsoed to be the top 3 teams in the west and now getting beaten by a Lakers team that barely made the playoff and add to that Kobe isn't even playing @ his best. And NBA placed the Suns as the no. 2 see in the west and the way they had devised the schedule, Suns and Spurs/Mavs were going to meet in the Western Conf Finals, although Phil Jackson being hte genius he is , has clearly pulled off an upset by almost beating the suns.

The way Spurs are playing right now, Mavs look the better team and I wont be surprised if they beat the spurs. Clippers are pretty good as well and I pick them over the Lakers easily.