Official 2007-08 NBA Thread

[Humphrey Bogart]

A few notwithstanding, the calls the Celtics got were calls that aggressive teams normally get. When you attack the basket and force the issue the refs will give you the benefit of the doubt. The Lakers, by nature, are not that kind of team. Thats gonna be a real problem going forward.

 

[omid17]

edit

 

[Mister J]

That's the thing. People look at free throw disparities just on its face. You need to attack the basket to go to the line; either by way of dribble penetration or strongly feeding the post. That's not really what the Lakers have done.

 

[Raiden]

That's the thing. People look at free throw disparities just on its face. You need to attack the basket to go to the line; either by way of dribble penetration or strongly feeding the post. That's not really what the Lakers have done.

I've seen Lakers driving to the hoop but didn't get called. Conversely, Leon Powe keeps getting calls left and right. Sorry, I just don't buy the fact that refs were fair and accurate. But that's the story of this playoff: home teams get calls, visitors do not.

 

[omid17]

I've seen Lakers driving to the hoop but didn't get called. Conversely, Leon Powe keeps getting calls left and right. Sorry, I just don't buy the fact that refs were fair and accurate. But that's the story of this playoff: home teams get calls, visitors do not.

agreed

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Whenever a Celtic decided to drive the lane, he was always able to blow by the initial Laker defender. What resulted was guys trying to reach in and contest shots from behind, that combined with late help rotations will always get you in the penalty in a hurry.

The lasting image I took from that game was Leone Powe getting a pass from Rondo 20 feet from the basket, squaring up and going straight to the basket with Luke Walton not even being able to stay at his hip. All Luke could do was try to reach in from behind and swat at the Powe's layup attempt. Thats what the Celtics were able to do most of the night, and not surprisingly they found themselves at the line.

Notice, when the Lakers made that run at the end of the game, they became a whole lot more aggressive on the defensive end. They were able to stifle the Celtics in the paint and force turnovers. Guess how many times they were called for fouls during that run.

Aggression almost always wins out.

 

[omid17]

damn Leo and very hot super model girlfriend in game 2

more pics of her
[YT]

[/YT]

 

[BlackLantern]

...and who gives 2 ****s about Leo and his current skank of the moment....it has **** all to do with the NBA or the Finals....You Fail

 

[omid17]

...and who gives 2 ****s about Leo and his current skank of the moment....it has **** all to do with the NBA or the Finals....You Fail

calm down buddy, it's just him and her at game 2

 

[NewYorkSpider]

Looks like Leo is watching the Lakers sink.

 

[omid17]

Looks like Leo is watching the Lakers sink.

Hey he'll never let go, Lakers are his team

 

[Nightmare]

Expect the refs to be even worse in LA because of all the complaining. It never stops.

 

[LastSunrise1981]

Umm ...this is kinda what I'm talking about.

Donaghy refereed 20 playoffs games; none in the 2006 Finals and, IIRC, none ever past the second round. You can go to the box scores from the 2006 Finals site and see who the refs were for each game. Since Boogeyman Stern could easily have that site altered, feel free to run a few general searches and see if you can find him reffing the Miami/Dallas series. Then again, Godfather Stern is the King of All Media; he could simply wipe any incriminating evidence away. Hmm, this is a toughie. However, good ol' ESPN has to happen to have his game logs (playoffs included) for 05 - 06 and 06 - 07. Donaghy wasn't anywhere near that series. You made it up, but don't let a little thing like facts get in the way of fiction.

Also, and once again, Dirty Donaghy trying to cover the spread for Fat Tony and the mob is nowhere near a Commissioner-issued directive to favor a particular team ...or is $tern the head of the Five Families and collecting on that end too? Lastly, if the league is so obviously crooked why hasn't the FBI investigation yielded jack since it went into overdrive last summer, when Donaghy was put on blast?

There's a difference between poor officiating and Big Bad Stern huffing and puffing and blowing someone's house down.

I still don't really know how that comeback happened.

Mamba needs more consistent help. Boston's team defense has held up better than I imagined (largely because I figured Rivers to screw it up at some point ). They're doing the smart things and running different people at him on the perimeter and leaving the Defensive Player of the Year and guys like Perkins and Brown underneath to challenge. One guy isn't getting worn down chasing him around.

Fisher and Gasol went into the tank in the second half of Game 1 and nobody was doing anything worthwhile in the second half of Game 2 until LA erupted. Someone besides the Viper is going to need to spark them. Even if he does go off in Game 3 for 40+, that's not what's going to beat the Celtics. It's how the supporting cast plays off it. #24 ain't winning this by himself.

Actually I did make anything up. Tim Donaghy was actually officiating the game where Wade went to the line due to the questionable call. Why would I spend time typing a post to make something up? That doesn't make sense at all.

Edit: My mistake. I found out that someone else got one of the officials confused with Tim Donaghy. I was watching the video and someone pointed out that Tim Donaghy was the one who called the timeout. Unlike a lot of people I can admit when I'm wrong and I just happened to be wrong on this one.

As for why the FBI didn't investigate the possibility of fixing games? The same reason why the WWE hasn't met up with Congress to prove that their drug testing is legitimate. Things like this can be swept under the rug and forgotten about because money talks.

 

[LastSunrise1981]

I've seen Lakers driving to the hoop but didn't get called. Conversely, Leon Powe keeps getting calls left and right. Sorry, I just don't buy the fact that refs were fair and accurate. But that's the story of this playoff: home teams get calls, visitors do not.

How come Mister J you're not ragging on him? He's complaining about officiating and the conspiracy of home teams. Once again hypocrisy rears its ugly head.

 

[Docker2.0]

To be honest, I think that kind of thing should get called more often....

Agreed! How many times have players been called for techs just for pumping their fists in the air but I've seen Kobe screaming at refs and they completely ignore it.

 

[Mister J]

Actually I did make anything up. Tim Donaghy was actually officiating the game where Wade went to the line due to the questionable call. Why would I spend time typing a post to make something up? That doesn't make sense at all.

Perhaps you should spend a little time looking over those links I listed in that last post. Let the J Man break it down for you.

Game 1: OFFICIALS: #17 Joe Crawford , #14 Joe DeRosa , #15 Bennett Salvatore
Game 2: OFFICIALS: #26 Bob Delaney , #29 Steve Javie , #32 Eddie F. Rush
Game 3: OFFICIALS: #43 Dan Crawford , #41 Ken Mauer , #35 Jack Nies
Game 4: OFFICIALS: #27 Dick Bavetta , #24 Mike Callahan , #7 Bernie Fryer
Game 5: OFFICIALS: #17 Joe Crawford , #14 Joe DeRosa , #15 Bennett Salvatore
Game 6: OFFICIALS: #43 Dan Crawford , #29 Steve Javie , #32 Eddie F. Rush

Donaghy officiated playoff games in 2006:
LAL vs. PHX 4/28/06
SAC vs. SAS 4/30/06
MIA vs. NJN 5/10/06

Where exactly are you reading that "Tim Donaghy was actually officiating the game where Wade went to the line due to the questionable call."? I assume you're referring to Game 5.

And no, what you wrote doesn't make sense at all.

 

[Mister J]

How come Mister J you're not ragging on him? He's complaining about officiating and the conspiracy of home teams. Once again hypocrisy rears its ugly head.

Because there's a grand chasm of difference between believing that the officiating was shoddy and believing that the Mustache-Twirling Commissioner is the source of all evil?

Agreed! How many times have players been called for techs just for pumping their fists in the air but I've seen Kobe screaming at refs and they completely ignore it.

Honestly, I wish they'd do away with techs, except in extreme circumstances. If players want to cry about calls and be demonstrative, then let the penalty be their lack of concentration of the true matter at hand. The NBA is the only sports league where an official's ego can have a direct impact on the game. I don't really give a damn if Steve Javie feels 'shown up'. Let him get over it.

 

[LastSunrise1981]

Perhaps you should spend a little time looking over those links I listed in that last post. Let the J Man break it down for you.

Where exactly are you reading that "Tim Donaghy was actually officiating the game where Wade went to the line due to the questionable call."? I assume you're referring to Game 5.

And no, what you wrote doesn't make sense at all.

If you had been reading my post you would see where I admitted my mistake and saw that Tim Donaghy wasn't officiating. I was watching the video on Youtube and someone pointed out that Donaghy was officiating, so again, it was my mistake and I admit it.

I remember when a certain poster said he wished Derek Fisher's child would die when he was playing with the Jazz. No one gave him a hard time about it and they still talk basketball with him, yet I have spoken about the sport intelligently, provided analysis, and talk about it in a serious fashion only to be ridiculed by the likes of you and several others who rather talk down to someone who doesn't agree with them.

 

[omid17]

Funny how it was a 2 on 1 and Vlad passed it to Sasha, and the whole Celtics bench got up and scream right when Sasha shot it, i was like wtf, but he did swish the 3

 

[Docker2.0]

J I agree they should do away with it or at least put the refs in check becuase they have to much power. Only in the NBA are the calls this questionable.

 

[LastSunrise1981]

If the Lakers lose Game 3 they're done. It's over for them.

 

[Mister J]

J I agree they should do away with it or at least put the refs in check becuase they have to much power. Only in the NBA are the calls this questionable.

I don't like it. Unless there's some physical imposition or something truly outrageous (kicking the ball into the stands or spiking it like you just scored the GW touchdown), just let it ride. Somebody flings their arms and it's a T? **** that.

If the Lakers lose Game 3 they're done. It's over for them.

Game 3 or 4, honestly. The vet experience just isn't there to deal with the C's going up 3-0 or 3-1.

 

[omid17]

it's good that the Lakers have a perfect home record in the playoffs 8-0

 

[NewYorkSpider]

Bennett Salvatore called the foul on Dirk in game 5. When I watch the video, I see Wade going up for a lay-up and getting fouled by Dirk.

 

[LastSunrise1981]

I don't like it. Unless there's some physical imposition or something truly outrageous (kicking the ball into the stands or spiking it like you just scored the GW touchdown), just let it ride. Somebody flings their arms and it's a T? **** that.


Game 3 or 4, honestly. The vet experience just isn't there to deal with the C's going up 3-0 or 3-1.

You could very well be right. But if the Celtics go up 3-0 it's over for the Lakers and while miracles have happened, as you said, there isn't enough experience on the Laker squad to handle this Celtics team. Many have made the prediction stating the Lakers will win all four games now.

I just don't see that happening at all. Pierce, Allen, and Garnett are playing with a hunger and it's showing in their offense, defense, and how they rebound the ball and show faith in their teammates when it comes to finding the open man and them hitting the shots. Paul Pierce is the key and I feel as long as he's playing good, the Celtics will continue to roll through the Lakers and win the championship.

I told my boss, who is a Boston fan, that for old times sake it would be nice to see Boston win the championship on their homecourt. But that would mean they would have to lose two of the games for that happen and they can't afford to give the Lakers any life.