The Official Playoffs Thread

Rockmaninoff · Post #321 » by **Rockmaninoff** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 2:54 pm

lawrybeard wrote:
Rockmaninoff wrote:Anybody else think that Atlanta is the darkhorse Eastern Conference Finals team? They play some excellent defense, when they are motivated. They're kind of like the new Detroit.

Atlanta will play the Cavs in the next round should they beat Miami. There is a lot to like about the Hawks, but I can't see them beating the Cavs...

Yeah, I didn't really think about them playing the Cavs in the next round. Oh boy. Now, that will be a good series. I might still have to take Atlanta in 7. I'm a little crazy. I'd have to be to think that the officiating won't play a role. I guess I just think that Atlanta matches up well with them.

Speaking of officiating, I think the refs are going to hand the Lakers the Finals. From what I saw of Lakers vs. Jazz, the refs are calling copious tick-tack fouls, which works for the finesse Lakers, and against the power Jazz. I thought in the playoffs, they were suppossed to just let them play.

They better not do that stuff in the Finals. The NBA is running out of hard core fans in which to allinate.

REDDzone · Post #322 » by **REDDzone** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:21 pm

The Billups trade is still incomplete. They obviously are a lot worse without him. If they use the cap space to sign a player or players that end up being better than Billups was, then the trade was a success.

If they can't sign a player of Billups calibur, and the signing doesn't get them back to where they were with Billups, it was a failure IMO.

jerrod · Post #323 » by **jerrod** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:25 pm

billups is getting up there in age too

you don't wait until a player starts to decline, you move him for something just before he does so you get the maximum value. how billups plays next year and the year after will have a big effect on the "outcome" of the trade

europa · Post #324 » by **europa** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:28 pm

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid is a firm believer in the idea of trading a player one year too soon than one year too late. It's possible Dumars believed that to be the case with Billups.

That said, when you have a standout PG I think you do everything you can to maximize his value for as long as you can. And Billups is obviously still a standout PG. I think the primary mistake Dumars made was not trading another of his pieces (specifically Rip) if he wanted to break his team apart. Billups would have been the last of his core pieces I would've been looking to trade. But that's just my opinion.

REDDzone · Post #325 » by **REDDzone** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:31 pm

Declines don't happen overnight, and Billups is obviously playing at a very high level right now. I would expect that this level of play from this year would carry over until at least next year and probably the next.

If he has declined by the 2010-2011 season, then he has a 13 million dollar expiring contract, which would have value. So unless one thinks that his play will decline drastically NEXT season, either the player or the contract will have value for the remainder of his contract (he has a team option after that 10-11 season).

Newz · Post #326 » by **Newz** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:52 pm

jerrod wrote:billups is getting up there in age too

you don't wait until a player starts to decline, you move him for something just before he does so you get the maximum value. how billups plays next year and the year after will have a big effect on the "outcome" of the trade

In a couple years when his game has declined a bit and he is still a very good veteran PG... You don't think a team competing for a title would be willing to give up a similar sized expiring contract to get him? :lol:

Ask the Nets about that as they got their replacement PG who looks like he is going to be a very good player in Devin Harris in a similar deal for Jason Kidd.

And for everyone saying "it is incomplete, they are going to sign players". Who are they going to sign next offseason? Can you name one player that is as good as Billups? Can you name a combination of players that they can get using his salary that will be as valuable as Billups was to that team? The answer is no.

In the following offseason there are guys like Wade, LeBron and Bosh who would be worth getting rid of Billups for if you want to rebuild... But the problem is that two of those guys will not go there (Wade, LeBron) and it is highly doubtful that Bosh would go there either, but at least they have a little chance with him.

If Joe Dumars turns it around and has the Pistons competing again within the next three to four years I will eat my crow and say he made a good move... But I just do not see it happening.

Newz · Post #327 » by **Newz** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:00 pm

Let's go Derrick Rose!!!

lawrybeard · Post #328 » by **lawrybeard** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:14 pm

LukePliska wrote:Let's go Derrick Rose!!!

Time to see how good this kid is. No doubt the Celts are going to make it a focus to shut him down. Will be interesting to see how he adjusts.

worthlessBucks · Post #329 » by **worthlessBucks** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:15 pm

Those fouls on Rose are going to hurt in the short run.

Newz · Post #330 » by **Newz** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:15 pm

That sucks for Chicago.

lawrybeard · Post #331 » by **lawrybeard** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:18 pm

Yep. That's one way to contain him.

Newz · Post #332 » by **Newz** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:23 pm

Noah has really developed into a solid player. He isn't great, but he is a good role player at the C/PF position.

Newz · Post #333 » by **Newz** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:32 pm

Big Baby > KG

lawrybeard · Post #334 » by **lawrybeard** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:40 pm

Bulls did a nice job to come back into this game. 7 blocks in the first quarter helps that...

Rondo is playing solid with 9/5/6 in the first. Hard to believe he wasn't an all star this year.

jerrod · Post #335 » by **jerrod** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:41 pm

LukePliska wrote:Noah has really developed into a solid player. He isn't great, but he is a good role player at the C/PF position.

a big man rotation of cv/bogut/lopez/noah would be sweet

REDDzone · Post #336 » by **REDDzone** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:03 am

jerrod wrote:a big man rotation of cv/bogut/lopez/noah would be sweet

Ayt · Post #337 » by **Ayt** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:07 am

LukePliska wrote:Noah has really developed into a solid player. He isn't great, but he is a good role player at the C/PF position.

He's extremely active, and despite what most people say about him, he's a pretty damn smart player overall. He and Thomas have been very good the last two months, especially defensively. They also fit really well next to Rose, especially with Thomas' jumper coming around.

lawrybeard · Post #338 » by **lawrybeard** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:14 am

Celts need Rondo to play the full 2nd half if they are to have a chance. Marbury just isn't working.

aboveAverage · Post #339 » by **aboveAverage** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:16 am

Bulls are surprising me. They are playing very well. And Noah seems to have finally figured it out.

Newz · Post #340 » by **Newz** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:16 am

Ayt wrote:
LukePliska wrote:Noah has really developed into a solid player. He isn't great, but he is a good role player at the C/PF position.

He's extremely active, and despite what most people say about him, he's a pretty damn smart player overall. He and Thomas have been very good the last two months, especially defensively. They also fit really well next to Rose, especially with Thomas' jumper coming around.

I agree.

If they could get a big man who can score around the basket, even a guy like Boozer, they would have an excellent big man rotation.