NBA 2003/04

[Jeff]

I saw Mad-Dog (the ex-LAker Dance Machine) turn it over THREE times under the basket at key stretches in the 3rd when Sacto went on a run to close the gap.  Not cool for the next round.

I also agree., a gimpy Sammy C = no good  Hope he gets a chance to rest that back.

Jeff

[JediMAC]

So....

Wolves win Colman changes his user name to I Love KG for the rest of the Playoffs

Lakers win I change my user name to I Love Kobe Bryant

Shake???

Deal.

But that's not so tough for me, 'cause I actually really do like KG.  Hell, Patty loves the guy.  This was a win-win situation for me tonight.  We get the team who I think is a far easier matchup for us, plus, on the bizarro chance that Shaq and Kobe both get injured and we actually lose, we get the only other team that I wouldn't mind see winning going to the Finals in our place.  Not that it's going to happen of course, but it'd be a helluva lot better than seeing the dreaded Kings somehow miraculously make the Finals.

See the TNT postgame show?  The commentators (Barkley, Kenny, Kerr, etc.) are not feeling too good about the Wolves chances, to put it mildly...  

Gimpy #19, or not - you're toast.    Now if Laker-killer Troy Hudson was actually healthy, then you might actually be able to win a couple games, instead of just one.  Unfortunately, it looks like you'll just get one.  I predict it'll be Game 2.  Enjoy.  

[Brian]

Looks like I'm a little late to the party here, but whew.  What a game.  KG is un-freaking-believable.  Played HUGE once again tonight, and I'm glad that the Wolves were able to pull it out.  I think my heart stopped when Webber's three went up, and to be honest, if I feel bad for anyone...I feel bad for him a little bit.  But, I'm over it now, because I'm happy the Wolves have moved on.  They are such a fun team to watch, I've always been a big KG fan, but it is nice to see other guys like Spree and Cassell play with all that heart.  Much of the team (outside of Garnett and some quality minutes from Cassell/Szczerbiak) didn't really play all that well, so its good to get away with that win.

Now, on to the Lakers.  Should definitely be some intersting chatter around here.  I will admit, its going to be a tough matchup for Minny, but I hope we can have a good, clean, competitive series.  On the East side of things, another game 7 tonight...tough one to call, depending on how the game is played.  I will go with Detroit, simple to have someone different representing the East this year.  Indy/Detroit could be a heck of a conf. finals, for the East.  I'll join Scott in the howling now......aaawwwoooooo.  Tune in Friday

[Scott]

Need I post the results from this years head to head matchups again

So, is the Lakers rustiness from having 6 days off going to offset the Wolves fatigue from having to play again tomorrow?  I hope so, how stupid is it that there were stretches in the first round where there was 1 game in 6 days and then the Wolves have to play 3 games in 6 while the Lakers got a week off to rest and suntan

PG

Cassell vs Payton

Push, Cassell's gimpiness makes this an even matchup IMO, Payton is nowhere near the player he once was and hopefully with some treatment Cassell can have a hot first half like he did last night

SG

Hassell vs Kobe

Kobe, not even close, but...Hassell did a wonderful job shutting down Peja, I think he'll be better than the overrated Bruce Bowen in doing the same with Kobe

SF

Sprewell vs George or Fox

Sprewell...again not even close.  This is the biggest matchup the Wolves need to exploit.  Spree plays like he did in games 5 and 6 the Wolves will win almost every time

PF

Garnett vs Grandpa

 

C

Shaq vs 4 Headed Monster of Johnson, Miller, Kandi Man and Madsen

 

Although I will say that the Haq a Shaq has been working for the most part since Shaq has been atrocious from the line...hopefully Kandi makes a reappearance this series, he will almost have to with Haq a Shaq

Bench

Wolves, I'll take Hoiberg, Wally and Trent over Medvedenko and Fisher anyday.  This is another key in the series.  The way to beat the Lakers is with Depth, they have that at Center and they have scorers who can give Cassell and Sprewell rests.  Having Payton and Fisher on the floor at the same time might pose some match up problems but so will having Wally and Sprewell and Cassell

Coach

Jackson vs Saunders

Lakers, I think Jackson is the most overrated coach in history.  Sure he's got the rings but he's also had the best player of all time in Chicago and 2 of the best ever in Shaq and CryBaby Raper.  The Wolves Turnoversa and 4th Quarter collapses shows me that Saunders isn't that great of a coach either.  He did make some moves against the Kings to turn things around but I don't think he's better than Jackson.

So, my prediction...Lakers in 6  I just don't see how they are going to be able to stop both Shaq and Kobe and the Lakers will be able to stop KG but that means Sprewell and Cassell need to step up for 4 huge games.  I can see it happening 2-3 times but not the 4 needed to win.  I also think the Lakers will steal one here take both in LA, Wolves will win Game 5 and then the Lakers win in Game 6.

I hope to all hopes that I am wrong, there would be nothing greater in my lifetime than to see this team win this series and have a shot at the Championship, the Lakers are jsut playing so well and the Wolves are tired and banged up that its going to be really hard for them to keep the energy and intensity up there to make it to the Finals.

For now though...Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwoooooooooooo

[C]

Bah. That image says it all for me. Quite fitting that the last Sacto possesion of the year goes to C-Webb and it misses by a fraction, considering the weight placed on him these last few months (and the anticpation of his return the whole season). That game was what I thought it would be, minus the Sacto loss.

People are already up in arms about the offseason in Sacramento, but I don't think any huge roster changes will take place. I think the media is trying to make a big deal out of "Webber wants out" and trying to pit the Kings against themselves. In the first place, no one would take Webber with his contract $$$ and his still healing knee. Beyond that, there's no call for Sacto to ditch Webber when it was players like Peja who fell through the cracks at the end. I just don't see any kind of crazy offseason changeups like so many people are rallying around now.

KG was awesome, but you're looking at a troubled Minnesota, with Cassell in robot mode. I'll pull for them to beat LA, but I don't know... I just pray that LA doesn't get through with another championship. Good lord, that's the last thing basketball needs.

And I'm not saying Lakers fans are crazy (not that Nicholson is the sanest guy) but you folks have one weird-ass team down there.

Anyway, Sacramento in 2005, yo. Watch out. Or something.

[Scott]

Healthy Webber would have meant 2004 Champions, no doubt in my mind

Agreed on Peja too, 8 points for the third place vote getter for MVP?  Come on

[JediMAC]

Detroit manhandles the Nets, holding Kidd completely scoreless for the entire game.    I love the poetic justice that Kidd, the player who booted my boy Byron Scott out of the head coaching gig, is the one who's most at fault for them getting spanked and booted from the Playoffs.  Nice job there JKidd.  

Should be a great series between Detriot and Indy.  Hopefully Detroit pulls it out in the end though.  I dig Ben Wallace.  That guy's a stud.  I generally despise most of the Pacers players though.  So GO PISTONS!

As for the Kings, I agree with Carpeteria.  There's no major need for wholesale changes here.  This is still a great team, just one that constantly falls just short (Game 7's) come playoff time.  Webber's not to blame, and is a great player who gets undeservedly blamed for a lot of Sacto's problems.  The bigger scapegoat should be Peja, who keeps disappearing on them.  For a player of his caliber, that's a big problem in such a crucial game.  But considering he's one of the leagues best shooters, if not THE best, I wouldn't dare dump him.  The bench is pretty week too there, so that's one spot they could use a serious boost, especially when Peeler's suspended and Jackson's injured.  There's talk that the Kings are one of the 4 teams that T-Mac's considering going to, so that could definitely stir things up over there, big time.  We'll see.

Healthy Webber would have meant 2004 Champions, no doubt in my mind

   Dumbass.    He's been perfectly healthy in the past, and they haven't done it.  Wouldn't have happened this year either.  

[Scott]

National media is treating this series much like Colman here, the Lakers are already basically the Champions and the next 14 games are just a formality

Wolves little more than speed bump to L.A.
Lakers confident, rested and ready for Wolves

Sure I think the Lakers are a better team but that's only because of injuries right now, if the Wolves were healthy, they could definitely take them

I'll be really keyed in on Hassell vs Kobe.  Hassell has shut down Carmelo and Peja almost completely, he's going to pester Kobe something fierce.  It will be Shaq vs our 4 Big guys to see what will happen

I predict a Game 1 Wolves win...Game 2 is the toughie

[Nicklab]

The Nets definitely had heart, but tonight they got their asses handed to them.  They should've won this series at home on Sunday, but they just didn't capitalize on the momentum of last Friday's Triple OT game.  They really need a legitimate big man, and as long as they keep winning, they're not going to get one unless they want to shell out some serious bank.

I wouldn't say that Kidd was completely responsible for the loss.  Everyone in the NBA knows that the Nets live by the fastbreak, and they got shutdown that way.  Plus, they're shooting percentages need to improve.

Byron Scott definitely wasn't adding to the team.  With the Nets success of the past couple of years, it's been the assistant coaches who have carried Byron the entire time.  In the 2002-03 season, it was Eddie Jordan who was pretty much running the team.  This season, it was still the assistants who were running the team.  Kidd ran the team on the floor, and Frank ran the practices.  It took firing Byron Scott for people to realize this.

[Scott]

I didn't watch much of the Nets/Pistons game last night but Kidd had 0 points???  Holy crap is that awful

[Scott]

Good First Half, I can tell the Wolves just played Wednesday and the Lakers have had a rest, the Wolves look flat while the Lakers look energized.  Bad Turnovers...again  Only down by two...and the bext part of the game.  The rebirth of the Kandi Man!!!

[Scott]

Aaaaaaaa hack gack hack

Good game, about what I expected, Wolves hit some shots and had fewer turnovers and a healthy #19 it would have been different. Damn the NBA and their stupid ass schedule

[Scott]

And I better not hear a peep outta anyone west of Las Vegas on this game tonight or I'll have Chris Berry send them a Cease and Desist

[JediMAC]

National media is treating this series much like Colman here, the Lakers are already basically the Champions and the next 14 games are just a formality...

I think you meant 8 games, right?  

[C]

Peep. My heart's not in it anymore. I hope they both lose. But especially LA.