Official 2011 NBA Playoffs thread

[dayman]

He isn't saying Lebron will be traded...he is predicting that Lebron will get his ring next year, with whatever team he is with wherever he is playing...which will obviously be Miami. If Lebron were still in Cleveland, crayonz would be saying that the Cavs would win it all next year. His theory is that the NBA has been scripted sounds a little absurd, but, I have been having the same argument as you, with him since 2007-08 season, and he has been pretty much right, all along. If you believe it (and you don't, I understand), it seems that the NBA isn't necessarily always scripted so certain teams win in a given year, but so that certain players, and certain rivalries are highlighted, as it is good for the game, in the business sense.

 

Certain dynamics have been good for the league. The Celtics return to relevance, after taking almost 20 years off, was very good for the NBA. Having the Lakers and Celtics face off twice was good for the leauge...I was more shocked by the Celtics second finals appearence (the one they lost last year) than I was the first one...anyways, I am not saying I buy it all either, but more than any other sport, there have been times when I have wondered what the hell I am watching during the NBA playoffs. I still believe, whether it was a self-imposed "sit down", or league mandated, that Lebron James tanked the ECF finals against the Celtics last year. It just didn't seem natural.

 

LOL c'mon not only is it totally absurd on it's face it's not even stated specifically enough to ever shut him up. It's all the most stupid crap posted on this board in history.

[Buftex]

Buff what do you think of Mike Brown coming to LA

 

I gotta say that was a suprise to me....thought for sure that it would be Adlemen

 

 

Yes, I was very surprised.

 

I don't really know what to make of him. I know that Buss was sort of publicaly apologizing for hiring Brown, without talking to Kobe first, but, from all reports I have heard, Kobe is happy with the pick. Bryant was on record as saying he wanted a defensive minded coach...so, you got that in Brown. I don't know how they come to the conclusions all of the time, but the trendy thing to say about him was that he was "outcoached" when he was in Cleveland.

 

It will be very interesting to see what happens with the Lakers next year...the hire, and the long deal (I think Brown would only agree to a 5 year deal, cuz he didn't want to viewed as a stop-gap/lame duck guy)suggest that the Lakers are kind of re-signing themselves that this is a transitional period, rather than a re-tooling.

 

I gotta say, Finals start tonight, and I am already sick to death of hearing about the Heat...I think they will win, pretty easily...but I am just not excited about this series at all...unless Dallas wins!

[Buftex]

LOL c'mon not only is it totally absurd on it's face it's not even stated specifically enough to ever shut him up. It's all the most stupid crap posted on this board in history.

 

I am not saying I buy it, necessarily...but I also find it absurd that you can dismiss the notion so easily. You really think Tim Donaghy is completely full of crap? He may be, but I have been watching this game a long time, and more than any other sport, there have been more than a time or two, when I found it hard to believe what I was seeing...just go back and watch that Cleveland/Boston series last year...I was pleased with the result, but I am not sure there wasn't something nefarious going on there...whether it was Lebron imposed, or leauge imposed, that wasn't right...and then there was the (now) infamous Lakers/Kings series back in 2002...Donaghy claimed it was rigged, and it sure looked that way to most viewers...just saying...there is a legit shadow of doubt out there.

[ieatcrayonz]

LOL c'mon not only is it totally absurd on it's face it's not even stated specifically enough to ever shut him up. It's all the most stupid crap posted on this board in history.

You sound just like Buftex sounded in 2009. What is not specific enough when I said in Feb 2009:

 

Lakers over Magic or Hawks in 5 after a Celtic receives a faked injury. See Kevin Garnett. See Finals results. How was that not specific?

 

Also in Feb 2009 I said the Lakers and Celtics would meet in in the 2010 Finals and it would go 7. Was that not specific enough 18 months ahead of time?

 

In Feb 2009 I stated that in 2011 an unusual team would win. This means not the C's Lakers, Spurs, or other teams usually allowed to win but a consistent also ran. The Mavericks fit that mold perfectly. They have been fighting an uphill battle for years, sort of like the Malone/Stockton Jazz who were not allowed to win. It is true that I only picked them as the top candidate at the beginning of these playoffs, but I picked a "team like them" 30 months ahead.

 

I then said Lebron James team would win in 2012 which was 42 months ahead. You can wait 12 months for this to come true if you'd like.

 

How is this not specific again? It can all be looked up with the search function. Most posts are in threads with "NBA" in the title.

 

Don't believe me? Too lazy to look? Ask Buftex if what I typed above is 100% accurate.

[dayman]

The only thing remotely surprising there is having allegedly predicted the Magic would make the finals, which you didn't do outright. Saying the Garnet injury is fake (and Buffex saying Lebron "laid down") expands the typical "ref conspiracy" to include players? That's insane. They have absolutely NO interest in doing anything but trying to win for themselves. Saying "an unusual team" for this year is completely bogus. And the Mavs will lose anyway! Oh Lebron wins in 2012? Really going out on a limb there.

 

There is no script. The games are not fixed. The stars win, b/c there's only 5 players on the court. If the damn league was fixed why the hell would the Spurs have won anything? Nobody cared about their boring team from their nowhere town.

 

Donaghey is a lying, cheating, mob-involved, parole violating repeat offender. If what he said was true, it would have exploded. If the league fixed playoffs for ratings, the Spurs would not have won so much. The Celtics got a good team together that's why they came back. The Lakers had Kobe and took years to recoup after the first team fell apart. The Heat have good players that play great D and 3 potentially great offensive players. The Mavs have Dirk one of the best ever and probably the most difficult to match up with ever from a defensive stand-point (and as I said they'll lose).

 

I'm not fixing anything...I just look at the teams. I'm not even bragging and I didn't get it exactly right but look at my team to team predictions this year. Fairly accurate. It's not that hard. It's basketball. It's 5 on 5. It's not that complex. Who is good? Who is old? Who is hot? It's that simple.

 

IF they were fixing btw...there would be no "script" that planned out years of drama. It would simply fix things in the short term. It would make NO sense to do fix things in the long term. The idea there's an exec in some office saying "in 2011 we need an unusual team, then give it to LeBron the next year" is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. And as evidenced by the new CBA rumors for NBA the players moving like they do to join up isn't liked by the NBA anyway! They're likely going to drastically increase the amount a team can pay to keep a player. And the FA trends CLEARLY (Celtics...Heat) are determining the championships NOT SOME SCRIPT!

 

Stupid. I rest my case.

Edited May 31, 2011 by dayman

[Buftex]

Like I said, Dayman, I am not sure I completely buy that there is some sort of plan in the NBA offices, about who wins...but I have been going back and forth with Crayons on this for 4 NBA playoff seasons now...and he has been right at pretty much every turn. If the Mavericks win this series, which I want to happen, but don't for a second believe will, I will be even more convinced.

 

I am not sure it is wise to write of Donahgy either. Sure, he is a scum bag, but some of the stuff he alleges seemed pretty plausible. The biggest issue I have with the NBA, and I think it holds true for most, for decades now, is the officiating plays far too much of a factor in the outcomes of games. I find it very unlikely that Donaghy is the first/only NBA official who was paid off.

 

Like you, the part of Crayons conspiracy theory that I have the most trouble with, is individual players being in on it. I don't for a second believe that Kevin Garnett faked an injury. But, I also don't have a problem believing that Lebron, independent of everything, simply tanked the Boston series. He was dominating Boston in that series, and then, inexplicably, just stopped trying...I think he already had his mind up he was out of Cleveland, knew there would be hard feelings, and thought, by losing, it would vindicate his decision, because he "can never win in Cleveland". I was always a big Lebron supporter before that...I always thought he got way too much crap, like, for instance in his "no-handshake" thing the year before. I have watched those Celtics/Cavs games more than once, and you just have to marvel at Lebrons' amazing apathy, after he had already established his will on the Celtics. That is why I can never root for the guy again.

[dayman]

Sometimes in basketball (and football and any other sport) if you start getting D'd up you can lose your will.

 

Anyway like I said it's ridiculous even if accurate. It's not hard to be accurate. Wow the big 3 won w/ the Celtics, Kobe got another, LeBron gets one eventually...real groundbreaking stuff. I can't see how it could have happened w/ out cheating...

[ieatcrayonz]

Like I said, Dayman, I am not sure I completely buy that there is some sort of plan in the NBA offices, about who wins...but I have been going back and forth with Crayons on this for 4 NBA playoff seasons now...and he has been right at pretty much every turn. If the Mavericks win this series, which I want to happen, but don't for a second believe will, I will be even more convinced.

 

I am not sure it is wise to write of Donahgy either. Sure, he is a scum bag, but some of the stuff he alleges seemed pretty plausible. The biggest issue I have with the NBA, and I think it holds true for most, for decades now, is the officiating plays far too much of a factor in the outcomes of games. I find it very unlikely that Donaghy is the first/only NBA official who was paid off.

 

Like you, the part of Crayons conspiracy theory that I have the most trouble with, is individual players being in on it. I don't for a second believe that Kevin Garnett faked an injury. But, I also don't have a problem believing that Lebron, independent of everything, simply tanked the Boston series. He was dominating Boston in that series, and then, inexplicably, just stopped trying...I think he already had his mind up he was out of Cleveland, knew there would be hard feelings, and thought, by losing, it would vindicate his decision, because he "can never win in Cleveland". I was always a big Lebron supporter before that...I always thought he got way too much crap, like, for instance in his "no-handshake" thing the year before. I have watched those Celtics/Cavs games more than once, and you just have to marvel at Lebrons' amazing apathy, after he had already established his will on the Celtics. That is why I can never root for the guy again.

Can you confirm for Dayman that I said a prominent Celtic would suffer an injury that killed their chances and that I said it before Garnett was hurt. I'm not asking you to agree it was fake, just confirm my prediction.

 

And Dayman how is a prediction in Feb 09 that the 2010 Finals would be a 7 game series between Boston and LA non-specific?

[dayman]

Look props for nailing it. Fact remains it wasn't that far out there, and it doesn't prove a conspiracy. This entire exercise, even if less likely and 100% correct, wouldn't prove anything. And that's my overall point. Also, I was much more specific and fairly accurate in this very thread about this year...lol...and I don't allege it's b/c of conspiracy just b/c basketball is predictable more so. Less moving parts.

 

Anyway, I'm not here to convince you all basketball isn't fixed. Conspiracy theorists will be conspiracy theorists. I don't agree. As you can see...for reasons stated throughout and summed up decently in the one post w/ the emboldened text a few posts above this.

[Buftex]

Can you confirm for Dayman that I said a prominent Celtic would suffer an injury that killed their chances and that I said it before Garnett was hurt. I'm not asking you to agree it was fake, just confirm my prediction.

 

And Dayman how is a prediction in Feb 09 that the 2010 Finals would be a 7 game series between Boston and LA non-specific?

 

 

Yes, I can confirm...after the Celtics won in 2008, being a Celtics fan, I was predicting another title in 2009, but Crayonz assured me it wouldn't happen, because a prominent Celtic would be injured (Pierce/Allen/Garnett)...as it turned out, Garnett missed a significant portion of the season, as was not effective in the playoffs, as he was never healthy the second half of that season... but that is where I diverge...I just can't imagine a player, like Garnett, being in on some sort of leauge wide conspiracy. Also, the Celtics being an "old" Big Three, it wasn't completely out of the realm that one would be injured...but I have to admitt, the shear volume of correct "guesses" on Crayonz part was pretty impressive...

 

Prior to last season, Crayonz said that the Celtics and Lakers would meet again, in the finals, and they did...not completely unpredictable (though I thought the Celtics wouldn't ever make it that far), but it was assured by Lebron's proverbial kneeling on the ball in the ECF that year, his final in Cleveland. Also, Crayonz said it would be a 7 game series, the final outcome wasn't predicted, just the assurance that it would be 7 games.

Edited June 1, 2011 by Buftex

[dayman]

Buftex you are crayonz

[Buftex]

Buftex you are crayonz

 

I am somewhere in between you and Crayonz on this topic...I do think there are questionable things in the NBA, but I don't think it is as scripted as Crayonz (rather convincingly) portrays...but if Dallas somehow beats Miami, Crayonz is golden as far as I am concerned...

Edited June 3, 2011 by Buftex

[Albany,n.y.]

How can Dallas expect to beat Miami with Jim Carrey as their head coach?

 

http://www.google.com/search?q=rick+carlisle+jim+carrey&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADFA_enUS394US394&prmd=ivnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=M4PnTdThNKri0QH2qLnnCg&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1375&bih=672

[Buftex]

I am somewhere in between you and Crayonz on this topic...I do think there are questionable things in the NBA, but I don't think it is as scripted as Crayonz (rather convincingly) portrays...but if Dallas somehow beats Miami, Crayonz is golden as far as I am concerned...

 

 

[CowgirlsFan]

How can Dallas expect to beat Miami with Jim Carrey as their head coach?

 

http://www.google.com/search?q=rick+carlisle+jim+carrey&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADFA_enUS394US394&prmd=ivnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=M4PnTdThNKri0QH2qLnnCg&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1375&bih=672

 

A very funny point and he is my head coach!! He found at least one way last night.

[KD in CA]

Buftex you are crayonz

 

 

Notice how you never see them online at the same time. Also, their politics are just a little too similar.

[John from Riverside]

Yes, I was very surprised.

 

I don't really know what to make of him. I know that Buss was sort of publicaly apologizing for hiring Brown, without talking to Kobe first, but, from all reports I have heard, Kobe is happy with the pick. Bryant was on record as saying he wanted a defensive minded coach...so, you got that in Brown. I don't know how they come to the conclusions all of the time, but the trendy thing to say about him was that he was "outcoached" when he was in Cleveland.

 

It will be very interesting to see what happens with the Lakers next year...the hire, and the long deal (I think Brown would only agree to a 5 year deal, cuz he didn't want to viewed as a stop-gap/lame duck guy)suggest that the Lakers are kind of re-signing themselves that this is a transitional period, rather than a re-tooling.

 

I gotta say, Finals start tonight, and I am already sick to death of hearing about the Heat...I think they will win, pretty easily...but I am just not excited about this series at all...unless Dallas wins!

 

 

If you notice Brown always seem to have our number when the they played.

 

You cant question Phil Jackson and his success but the truth is I think this team was in trouble when he started all the "This is def my last year" because he almost lost this team LAST year and said as much. I think he regretted coming back this year and it showed. Defensively.....the team tuned him out......his mind games were not working on them and it showed. Players got fat and happy......legs got tired from too many all the way to the Championship runs.....etc etc.

 

What I want to see is how Brown handles it when Derek Fisher gets torched on defense then feels he has to shoot the next trip down....or when Lamar makes a lazy defensive rotation that frees up a 3 point shooter........will he bench players that do that in games? Will he have the clout to bench Kobe when he starts making boneheaded plays? This is the stuff I am waiting to see.

 

Personally I am ready to dump ALL the old guys and get young legs....loved what Brown did with that Cav team defensively.

[Beerball]

In February 2009 I disclosed that the Lakers would beat either the Magic or Hawks in 5 in 2009; and also noted that they would beat the Celtics in 7 in 2010 and that LeBron James team would win in 2012. Congrats to the Lakers and Heat on their pre-ordained victories.

 

2011 is tricky as I have mentioned. It will be managed by Stern to be certain, but just how is another matter. I have stated that it will be a "feel good" story. This can be pretty open ended as is not as specific as my previous/future declarations. I would like to be as specific as I can so here are the teams that I think are candidates. Remember, it is not about basketball but about what makes the best story.

 

Strong candidates in no particular order. I have bolded the strongest:

 

New York Knicks - Listed in this category just because they are the only real good story line from the East

OK City - Small market, budding stars, young team makes a run all the way and cements the new market

Dallas - Cuban's recent statements and stint on Stern influenced ABC makes me think something is in the works

Denver - Crazy I know but the George Karl story and lack of Melo would be heartwarming

Lakers - Phil Jackson's last year? Barf. Still a good story line but does not open things up for an unusual team.

 

 

Moderate candidates:

 

Chicago - Tie in to Jordan years? I'm not sure I see the story line but the east is short on them and Chicago coming back would be interesting. Maybe Stern is cuddling up to Obama.

 

Portland - Tie in to Bill Walton?

 

 

Almost no chance but not zero:

 

New Orleans - If the Saints hadn't already won the Super Bowl Stern might do this.

 

Indiana- Just wishful thinking on my part really but an 8 seed would make a story.

 

 

No chance at all:

 

San Antonio, Memphis, Orlando, Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Philly. Sorry Buftex; it just isn't there.

 

That's my summary. If I had to pick one team it would be difficult but I think I would lean Dallas only slightly. My gut tells me the Lakers because of Jackson, but a miss could be used to sell story lines down the road and the Lakers are hardly an unusual team. The circumstance is unusual though and it could be set up as a passing of the torch from the Lakers to Miami next year. OK City is another real possibility. Those three to me make the most sense.

 

Feel free to use this thread for discussion, not just predictions. Have fun following the "competition".

Please let us know Stern's thinking regarding game 5. Does he want the Mavs to lose and go into Miami to take games 6 & 7, or will they head to Miami with the series lead? I think that he'll end it in 6 if the Mavs take game 5.

[Buftex]

Charles Barkley on the Miami Heat:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=6642006

[Booster4324]

Charles Barkley on the Miami Heat:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=6642006

 

Damn, that was harsh. Go Dallas! Full disclosure, rooting against Miami and for Crayonz's prediction.