Finals Watch

[russnumber3]

I realize that the interest might be down on this board, but I'm just wondering else who is watching. I thought I would pull for the Lakers to sweep b/c it would make the Jazz look good, but I'm loving the way Boston is beating up on them right now. I think I'll start pulling for Boston, esp. if they finish up game 1. I hope our team is taking notes on Boston's defensive intensity!

[carrottop12]

Boston for sure. I love everyone on Boston.

I love KG's heart, I love that Paul Pierce is finally getting some reward for sticking it out in Boston, and I love that Ray Allen is one of two people (Shaq) who is willing to call out Kobe for being a pussy.

I hope the Celtics sweep the Lakers, I hate the idea that it's best to lose to the eventual champion... Why so 5 year later when you are looking up random stats you can tell it to someone who doesn't give a damn. BFD, trounce their asses.

[fivas14]

Boston for sure. I love everyone on Boston.

I love KG's heart, I love that Paul Pierce is finally getting some reward for sticking it out in Boston, and I love that Ray Allen is one of two people (Shaq) who is willing to call out Kobe for being a pussy.

I hope the Celtics sweep the Lakers, I hate the idea that it's best to lose to the eventual champion... Why so 5 year later when you are looking up random stats you can tell it to someone who doesn't give a damn. BFD, trounce their asses.

I agree with everything you said. Go Celtics!! (only in Finals)

[troy]

Let's go Celts !


Russ you're right , Boston's defense should really be taken as an example.
Only problem is the Jazz player's already said that defense was priority number one after last year's playoffs. In the end we didn't see much improvement.
I know i'm repeating myself , but i don't think the Jazz has the personel to be a good defensive team. Certainly not an elite one like the Celtics.

Kevin Garnett : The DPOY. Utah has no one that has DPOY potential.

James Posey : did you see what he did to Kobe ? To Lebron before ? The majority of Jazz fans are amazed by Brewer's athletic ability and overall quickness but it's a mistake to think that quickness makes good defenders.
Strenght and toughness makes good defensive player : Is Posey quick ? Is Shane Battier quick ? Is Ron Artest quick ? Is Pierce quick ?
Brewer is neither quick nor tough. And that's a problem. I'm not sure he will ever be able to stop the Kobe Bryants or Lebron James without giving them 20 free throws a game....

Those two guys are two great defensive talents that this team definitely doesn't have .
Of course if our team displayed the intensity the whole celtic team showed tonight , we could become a better than average defensive team (if cassell can draw a charge as a 38 years old player , i'm sure Boozer and Okur can become at least decent) but i'm not sure it would be enough to beat a team like LA and win a championship.
We need to get some real defensive talent.

[Pappyman]

James Posey : did you see what he did to Kobe ? To Lebron before ? The majority of Jazz fans are amazed by Brewer's athletic ability and overall quickness but it's a mistake to think that quickness makes good defenders.
Strenght and toughness makes good defensive player : Is Posey quick ? Is Shane Battier quick ? Is Ron Artest quick ? Is Pierce quick ?
Brewer is neither quick nor tough. And that's a problem. I'm not sure he will ever be able to stop the Kobe Bryants or Lebron James without giving them 20 free throws a game....

How can you say that? You forget, Ronnie Brewer was in his SECOND NBA season. James Posey, Shane Battier, and Ron Artest have many years of experience under their belts, especially with guarding players like Kobe Bryant. Wait for a few years. Brewer will be right up there with these players. Also, having a player like Kevin Garnett on your team brings up the level of intensity, fire, and determination on defense. That is where I agree with you. The Jazz need a dominant defensive player on their team that can inspire the ones around him to play to the highest level of their defensive capabilities. Defense is more than just ability. It is the drive to actually play it.

[jazzarenumber1]

Go Celtics beat LA

[HammerDunk]

Great job tonight Celts, now win 3 more...

[FJS]

I said it before, I was expecting East to win it all. I don't want to see Kobe winning another ring more.

[MeestR]

im pulling for anybody BUT lakers, even if it is a team from boston. besides, i like more people on the celtics than i like from the lakers. i like rondo, i like posey, i like garnett, so i found it a bit easier cheering for green last night than purple.

on a side note, i was a bit indifferent on my opinion of pierce coming into the series. watching him more closely last night my opinion has somewhat dropped. he seems a bit of a drama queen to me. i wont even talk about the "season ending injury" he had, only to come back and play in 10 minutes. but mainly the scratch he got from odom. he was rubbing it the whole time and wincing like it was a huge gash. and the replay showed that what odom did was a reaction to pierce grabbing HIS jersey.

oh well, he's not on my team, and my team is not playing him. but he is getting on my nerves just a little. still an entertaining game.

[Farsider322]

In response to the way the physical players vs. the quicker players play defense, I think that the reason they are successful is that they have a shot blocking seven footer behind them that allows them to play tighter to their man. If they get beat, he is there to swat away any attempts. That is why I want the Jazz to go after a 7 foot shot blocker (with a little bit of nasty in him), because the Jazz keep getting beat off the dribble. The Jazz have to play off their man on defense which allows the outside players to shoot clearly.

[bleu]

Boston really looked hot the other night. I really underestimated Boston.

[HammerDunk]

I said it before, I was expecting East to win it all. I don't want to see Kobe winning another ring more.

Oddly enough, I still have a sick feeling in my stomach that LA is going to win this title. They have the ability to win 4, and I wouldn't be surprised if Boston doesn't get another win... I think I'll go puke now...

[russnumber3]

Interesting how much ref bashing is going on now that the C's are up 2-0. I guess you can't really blame Lakers fans for complaining when Powe had more FT's than the whole Lakers squad.

As far as the Jazz's defensive intensity I'm going to say it goes back to the coach. I know that has been argued about countless times here. I think that what Doc Rivers has done in Boston is almost impossible to accomplish with today's players, but nonetheless he has managed it. I don't think Sloan can get our guys to play with that kind of defensive intensity and passion. It's hard to blame him, because I know that he preaches defense so much. It's obviously not working, though. I don't think it is as simple as just saying over and over again.

[loserX]

^I think Boston's defensive turnaround can be attributed more to the veteran players they added (especially Garnett and Posey) and the hiring of assistant Tom Thibodeau, who is setting himself up pretty nicely for a head coaching job very soon.

Doc had the Celtics all last year, and they were ATROCIOUS defensively...no intensity or effort whatsoever. I don't give him much credit, if any at all, for what is happening there this year.

[The Sheik]

The problem with blaming Sloan is that we dont have the personal to run his defensive philosophy. Now that we are in the post hand check era we are just to slow to guard people man to man. Sloan wont adjust by making players take jumpers, or even flirting with the idea of having AK guard the quicker more athletic 4s and having Boozer guard the less offensive or one minded 3's. Until we get the personal or Sloan budges then I dont see the Jazz being a very good defensive team anytime soon.

As for the whole Doc thing, I completely agree with LX, I think Doc has the least to do with it.

[russnumber3]

Okay then, coaching in general is to me the biggest factor. We have AK, who is a top caliber defender, Brewer is good and so is Dwill, and yet collectively we are terrible. Yes we lack good defensive bigs, but KG is not so different from AK physically. There is definetely a mindset in Boston that goes far beyond any individual players - keep in mind that Pierce and Allen have never been good defensively either.

Anyway, point taken, perhaps it is mostly Thibodeau - we need someone like him

[Pai Gow]

Okay then, coaching in general is to me the biggest factor. We have AK, who is a top caliber defender, Brewer is good and so is Dwill, and yet collectively we are terrible. Yes we lack good defensive bigs, but KG is not so different from AK physically. There is definetely a mindset in Boston that goes far beyond any individual players - keep in mind that Pierce and Allen have never been good defensively either.

Anyway, point taken, perhaps it is mostly Thibodeau - we need someone like him

Yes, KG is very different from AK. Ak is just not strong enough to be what we need in the paint. Doesn't matter how decent your perimeter defense is, if you don't have bigs that can back you up (*cough* Tyson Chandler, KG, Duncan, Wallace, Howard) You will always be exposed, doesn't matter what kind of coaching you got. I wonder how many times Coach K and Sloan have tried to teach Boozer to move his feet and rotate..

[carrottop12]

Lakers are garbage, they blew a 24 point lead IN THE FINALS AT HOME!!!

Pretty ridiculous. And what happened to this Kobe guy, I thought he was supposed to be the best in the NBA and the best thing since Jordan...

LeBron took this Celtics team to a 7th game by himself, he doesn't have anything close to Gasol, Odom, or that loser Fisher.

[stevebozell]

I loved watching Allen put the nail in the coffin by driving right by Vujabitch...I HATE that guy!

[The Sheik]

That last play that Ray scored on was classic...everyone froze and he gets an uncontested wide open lay up.

Love that "intense" D by Vujacic.

Its all the refs fault...NBA is fixed.