The Official Playoffs Thread

[Nebula1]

That he played out of the flow of the game?

Late in the 4th he went into a double team of Pietrus and Howard. Instead of passing he tossed up an awkward one-legged shot over both of them and missed badly. I would say that's playing out of the flow.

He has to be the one to hit the big shots for the Lakers. He has to prove he's the best (i.e. scoring the most points) and have the Lakers win the Finals so he can boost his ego when everybody says he was the best player on a championship team (i.e. scored the most points) so the media will stop saying how he needs a dominant big to win a championship.

Just my opinion on it.

It's definitely just that.

[Nebula1]

Man, hate away. Don't matter. Great win tonight for the Lakers. Phil is about to get #10.

[Nebula1]

Wow, you've really convinced me.

That photo was about celebration for a great player. Maybe it's your ego needing checking.

[Nebula1]

[WEFFPIM]

[trwi7]

Luckiest. Shot. Ever.

[stellation]

Stop being so loose Luke. You're losing me being so loose like that.

Luke's looser than Jameer's transition D.

[KingCammo]

Now that is manly.

[Stopshere2]

Love the Fish. Kobe not so much. Great to see the unheralded players bring it when it matters. No fanfare, no expectation, no espn lovefest, just job completion.

[Sigra]

Does anyone else think its funny that on what is surely going to be a key Finals moment for Kobe he blasted a guy in the face with an elbow?

And Jordan pushed Bryon Russel? So?

No he didn't

[Rockmaninoff]

I don't know how anyone can really 'like' Kobe Bryant. I respect his game, but I can't stand the rat faced bastard.

He doesn't deserve Finals MVP, but I don't know who else they could give it to. What I mean is, 2 of the Lakers victories were due to Magic pissing away the game. Maybe they could give it to the refs.

Not really jazzed that Phil is going to pass the Basketball God Red Auerbach. Phil has had it too easy. He never had to put these teams together. Just a very lucky guy that didn't mess it up.

The Magic are going to really regret giving Rashard Lewis all that money.

Dwight's got to hit those free throws.

[smauss]

I remember telling my son's junior high team when I coached, "Boys, we need to make our layups and free-throws because games are won or lost there!"

Thank you Orlando for reiterating and confirming that statement for my son and myself!

Orlando should be up 3-1 not stinking LA!

[Scoops]

Man, Kobe is the soul. You just don't get it yet. Kobe had 32 and set the tone. Ariza had a great 2nd half as well and it was those guys who got the Lakers back in, but to imply that Kobe didn't play a huge role is just absurd to the Nth degree. Why can't you just be happy for this man?

Because he's a douche to the Nth degree.

[jerrod]

LukePliska so much hate no matter what u say we won kobe carried the team all game all series all playoff one of the best 5 players in league history u are just bitter u hate kobe and now u are suffering cause we are about to win suck it up and give props be a good looser and stop complaining pathetic looser go lakers

can we just take a minute and admire this monstrosity of a sentence? the near paragraph length, the text message spelling, the stream of consciousness topic changes and the complete lack of any punctuation.

realgm: where amazing happens

[smauss]

This series really is NOT about Kobe, or what the Lakers have done; it's about what the Magic have utterly failed to do!

Sorry had to fix my original post!

[Newz]

LukePliska so much hate no matter what u say we won kobe carried the team all game all series all playoff one of the best 5 players in league history u are just bitter u hate kobe and now u are suffering cause we are about to win suck it up and give props be a good looser and stop complaining pathetic looser go lakers

Ummm... Ok?

[Newz]

Stop being so loose Luke. You're losing me being so loose like that.

Luke's looser than Jameer's transition D.

Haha, burn.

[Newz]

Once again, you guys have no logical arguments as to why Kobe was a productive member of the team. The past two games he has been awful. Is he the Lakers best player? Obviously. Has he been the past two games? No. At least he was the "soul", whatever the hell that means.

Fischer and Ariza carried them. They were the heart or the soul or whatever the hell you want to call it... They won the game for the Lakers, not Kobe Bryant.

And one of the top 5 players in league history? HAHA. I can name five centers who I would rather start a team with than Kobe Bryant... And that isn't to say he isn't an amazing player, I think he is the second best 2-guard to ever play the game of basketball. He is a hall of famer, a superstar, a great player... He's just overrated, especially when it comes to the NBA Finals where he has consistently been a below average performer.

[InsideOut]

It seems like the same people that like Kobe also like Redd. I don't care who wins but I don't care for a premadona.

[jerrod]

It seems like the same people that like Kobe also like Redd. I don't care who wins but I don't care for a premadona.

interesting