The NBA Thread

[Samu]

I was lucky enough to be in Memphis on holiday a couple of weeks ago when they were playing the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the first round. I managed to get tickets for just $15 each and can honestly say it was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. The atmosphere was electric and Z-Bo was on fire! Afterwards we went out on Beale Street which was incredible. I'd go back to the city in a second!

[Ozwin]

Jealous or what!

This Heat/Bulls game has been amazing.

Luol Deng

[Samu]

The Heat/Bulls series is going to be immense. I reckon it will go to Game 7 and I'm leaning towards a Heat win even though they lost tonight. My money for the finals is on Dallas though...they demolished the Lakers in the last round. Jason Kidd is great and Dirk is pretty much impossible to guard!

[MC Prussian]

Glad the Thunder won their series against Memphis. Now all I need is a Chicago vs. Oklahoma final, can't stand Miami.

[Ozwin]

Chicagos defence was fantastic last night, lets hope it's as good for the rest of the series. Joakim Noah, what a player!

Edited 16 May 2011 by Ozwin

[MC Prussian]

There goes the 2011 title. Well done, Mavericks. Simply the best all-around performance over the course of this 6-game series.

4-2 in the end, 105-95 in the last game. Dirk, the league's MVP, earns himself and the Dallas franchise its first NBA trophy ever.

And the Heat... well, three expensive players don't buy success.

[MC Prussian]

It's a lockout!

[Jordan]

****ing asshole owners.

It's tough to guess what will happen 12 years later but those douches were so pleased with themselves when they crushed the players in the last lockout. Now, they view their great victory as the reason why they are supposedly "losing money?"

I hope the players embarrass Stern and Co.

[Ozwin]

So weird how they've removed all knowledge of players from the NBA website.

Also where the hell is lildave these days?

[Samilktray]

Anybody watch the first round of games on Christmas day?

Carmelo Anthony looked shit hot for the Knicks, and Rose for the Bulls too.

[martyn]

Clippers will be very interesting this year. Should be some major highlight reel stuff with cp3 feeding griffin and jordan. Can't see past the heat, lebron looked beastly first game.

[Samilktray]

Lakers havent looked that great in there 2 games so far.

[Joe.]

Celtics are having a nightmare without Paul Pierce so far, it's quite amusing. Will be gutted if Dwight leaves the Magic, he's what led me to follow them in the first place. Easy win over the Nets last night, who were pony from the floor for most of the night.

[stix]

Thought i'd give this a bump.

Knicks @ Celtics tonight on ESPN from 1am.

ESPN is free this weekend.

[stix]

Just watching Lakers @ Knicks from lastnight. Jeremy Lin is on fire! 38pts & 7 assists.

[Cruss5]

The Knicks are my team. Watched them at MSG and fell in love with them since. Lin has been amazing, i just hope its not just a passing thing and he really is as good as he has been playing.

I once emailed Michael Jordan to come and play for my local league team but he never replied

[Jordan]

LINSANITY!

[SOCCERROO FOX]

Lin is all you can read about at the moment and the Knicks are milking it for all it's worth.

[stix]

They're playing well too though to be fair. Won again tonight. Just hope Lin can prove his critics wrong and keep these performances up.

[Guest]

Any NBA followers here?

I've followed the Miami Heat since their first season (when I was over in the states following the Marino and his Dolphins) and thanks to the internet have had the opportunity to follow every game for the last few years through the NBA ILP subscription - sidenote I can't understand why english football hasn't got this type of thing available especially for foreign audiences - Amazing athletes, amazing games.

Playoffs are not far away , Heat, Bulls, Celtics, Thunder, Spurs, Clippers, Lakers all fancied.

Who do you reckon?

[stix]

But anyway, Im going either Heat or Thunder for the play-offs. I follow the Knicks personally, have Sky+'d lastnights game @ Milwaukee so please dont tell me the result. Massive game for both teams. The Bulls are in with a big shout aswell, even the Spurs are a tough side to beat. Alot of experience on this years roster for them. Play-offs will be great this year cant wait.

[Guest]

page 28 no wonder I never found it .

Being a life long Heat fan you will understand that I hate the Knicks but I do like the fact they have moved from cellar dweller to Heat fodder.

I Watched sunday's Knicks win against the bulls before watching the Heat hammer the Pistons. Melo was on fire and the knicks played the best defense I've seen from them in years. I was disappointed with their return game against the Rose-less bulls and as you asked I won't say a word about the Bucks game (which I haven't watched in full and won't) as that is a big game for the Knicks.

Potentially the Knicks have a great team (I was never taken in by linsanity as the loss to th heat confirmed) and they will be a difficult matchup for anyone in the first round. i'd much prefer the 6ers. the Heat are in a malaise at the moment. Bosh is playing poorly, Wade is playing tiredly, bron is playing well but we all know he'll need Wade in the playoffs when it matters. I think we're stumbling to the playoffs. Then if we're healthy and focussed I think we can beat anyone. in the East the Bulls are obviously the biggest threat (best record etc...) but I'd like to think we can handle them when it matters. I fear the Celtics more but as long as we don't meet them in the first two rounds they'll be tired even if they are still there.

The spurs are looking awesome in the West and I would expect them to come through but they do have matchup problems with teams with big centers like Bynum (LA) or Gasol (Grizz). if they have to play them or if their old guys are not sufficiently rested Oklahoma should come through.

It's been a great but crazy season though.

Maybe we'll meet in the first round.

[stix]

Just out of interest how much is your subscription for NBA.tv? Am getting rid of sky as of June as all i watch is espn.

Heat v Bulls tonight will no doubt be another great match up. Is Rose out for the season or back or what? The Celtics win over your lot the other night was a great ball game. Even though the heat lost they still dominated the plays of the night. Wade/James combos unreal. Although if Rondo can sort out his free throwing under pressure then his game will be complete imo.

[Guest]

_{I paid for the whole season and the playoffs in the pre-season. can't remember the price but it was a little more expensive than in the UK because we have no blackout games whatsoever.}

_{Just checked if I want to pay for every game from now to the end of the finals it costs 53 euros. that's nothing as you can watch live or anytime later. so in theory you can watch every single game in its entirety. I'm guessing that means it'll be about 40 quid in England.}

_{I've watched every Heat game for the last few years and on days with no heat game I may watch a choice game in full or just skim through all the games or watch the end of lcose games etc... Playoffs is heaven.}

_{Heat have a real mental problem at the moment and can't seem to get fcussed for games. Rose was out last night but is day to day.}

[welck12]

Just out of interest how much is your subscription for NBA.tv? Am getting rid of sky as of June as all i watch is espn.

Heat v Bulls tonight will no doubt be another great match up. Is Rose out for the season or back or what? The Celtics win over your lot the other night was a great ball game. Even though the heat lost they still dominated the plays of the night. Wade/James combos unreal. Although if Rondo can sort out his free throwing under pressure then his game will be complete imo.

Dont forget his jump shot, and his ability to only bother playing properly when he's either a) pissed off or b) playing on national tv.

If Thib has any sense he'll rest Rose for the next week, then give him 20 mins per game for the last week or so that he can play his way back into game shape and still rest his toe more. Added bonus if the bulls beat the heat without Rose tonight, the impact it could have on the heat would be huge