Official NBA Playoffs Thread

[jivelikenice]

Couldn't agree more. If you strapped Lebron to a polygraph, I'm 99.9% certain the machine would go crazy if he tried to say his time in Miami was more fun. He looked like he enjoyed himself in Cleveland. In Miami you can see the pressure he's under wearing him down.

[closg00]

So so happy, that is all.

[hands11]

How big was Pietrus ?

And this isn't the first time I recall him showing up big in the playoffs.

Those late rebounds late game.

The shots from 3 this game.

HUGE.

[FAH1223]

Man, the Celtics just want it more. They dug down, showed heart, and found a way to win with only a couple guys playing well.

Rondo impacted the game and shot 3-15... the controlled tip to Pietrus for the 3 after Bass got blocked by D-Wade was a HUGE momentum shifter. Paul Peirce showing why he's the truth with the cold blooded 3 over LeBron.

Man, what a series.

Check out the stats of who's the most clutch shooting in these playoffs.

[Ruzious]

Yeah, I think the folks that enjoyed it just because Miami and Lebron lost really missed out. That was great basketball played with great intensity. Rondo and KG were phenominal at both ends despite Rondo's shooting percentage - and like KG or not, nobody plays with more passion and leads better than he does. He played a near flawless game. Pierce's shot was swagtastic. Boston took advantage of the fact that - with KG at center - everyone on the team was a shooting threat - and everyone was trusted to take shots. Gotta question the decision to not have Bosh in there in the last few minutes. Even if Bosh didn't touch the ball, his presence alone makes it so KG has to guard him - making things so much easier for Lebron and Wade.

[tontoz]

These have really been two great series so far. Wow

[closg00]

Yeah, I think the folks that enjoyed it just because Miami and Lebron lost really missed out. That was great basketball played with great intensity. Rondo and KG were phenominal at both ends despite Rondo's shooting percentage - and like KG or not, nobody plays with more passion and leads better than he does. He played a near flawless game. Pierce's shot was swagtastic. Boston took advantage of the fact that - with KG at center - everyone on the team was a shooting threat - and everyone was trusted to take shots. Gotta question the decision to not have Bosh in there in the last few minutes. Even if Bosh didn't touch the ball, his presence alone makes it so KG has to guard him - making things so much easier for Lebron and Wade.

If they were watching the game most-likely it's because they are hoops-fans, so last night was a double-bonus

[queridiculo]

What an amazing game! Section 124, row 22, still buzzing.

Only my third playoff game ever, but my second Boston vs. Heat game.

Sitting in the arena and hearing the crowd roar when the Heat are doing well sort of gives you an appreciation for the mental toughness of the Celtics. Those guys don't doubt themselves for a second.

Battling back from 13 points down, battling back from 9 points down in the third when seemingly everything went the Heats way - performing in the clutch, the Celtics championship pedigree was on full display.

Maybe it's just the Lebron hater in me, but watching the Heat play you can almost sense the entitlement those guys bring to the court. It almost seemed as if Miami expected Boston to just lay down when they started flexing, and then when those counter punches landed the Heat looked stunned like an exposed bully.

Best entertainment dollars spent in a long time, what a game. Go Celtics!

[GhostsOfGil]

What an amazing game! Section 124, row 22, still buzzing.

Only my third playoff game ever, but my second Boston vs. Heat game.

Sitting in the arena and hearing the crowd roar when the Heat are doing well sort of gives you an appreciation for the mental toughness of the Celtics. Those guys don't doubt themselves for a second.

Battling back from 13 points down, battling back from 9 points down in the third when seemingly everything went the Heats way - performing in the clutch, the Celtics championship pedigree was on full display.

Maybe it's just the Lebron hater in me, but watching the Heat play you can almost sense the entitlement those guys bring to the court. It almost seemed as if Miami expected Boston to just lay down when they started flexing, and then when those counter punches landed the Heat looked stunned like an exposed bully.

Best entertainment dollars spent in a long time, what a game. Go Celtics!

Herm do you live in Miami? That must be brutal for a wizards fan.

[Higga]

Can't believe Miami is on the verge of choking, but I got a feeling this is gunna go 7 games.

[jivelikenice]

I agree...Boston has to focus and finish the Heat off early in game 6. They might fold if Boston gets up early. But this series could easily go 7 and the Heat can still come out of this w/ a win. That being said, a lot of flaws are being exposed and I could see the western conference winner just running right through them if they make it to the Finals.

[FAH1223]

[TheKingOfVa360]

I expect the Boston to blow out the Heat in game 6. The Heat are mentally soft while the Celtics are very mentally strong. Boston didn't even play a good game and still stole game 5 in Miami.

[queridiculo]

Herm do you live in Miami? That must be brutal for a wizards fan.

Not quite, but close.

Made that track down to Miami to catch the Wizards once, and that was during Wade's rookie season. Both teams were awful at the time, but wouldn't you know it, the Wizards got blown out.

Haven't made it for a Wizards game since, but both of the Celtics vs. Heat playoff games I've seen at the arena were wins for the good guys..

[Ruzious]

Can't believe Miami is on the verge of choking, but I got a feeling this is gunna go 7 games.

Why do you call it choking instead of giving Boston credit for playing great against a worthy opponent?

Having said that - Wade's behavior continues to turn me off. He definitely deserved a technical for his continuous whining in the first quarter over a call correctly made against him when he obviously hit Pierce's arm as Pierce was shooting. They showed him sitting on the bench still yelling/cussing at the ref several minutes after the call.

[Higga]

Can't believe Miami is on the verge of choking, but I got a feeling this is gunna go 7 games.

Why do you call it choking instead of giving Boston credit for playing great against a worthy opponent?

Having said that - Wade's behavior continues to turn me off. He definitely deserved a technical for his continuous whining in the first quarter over a call correctly made against him when he obviously hit Pierce's arm as Pierce was shooting. They showed him sitting on the bench still yelling/cussing at the ref several minutes after the call.

No doubt Boston deserved the win. But when you're up 2-0 and then lose 3 straight games, there is a little bit of choke involved.

And yeah, Wade is annoying. I don't remember him being so bitchy before. I guess some of Lebron is rubbing off on him.

[Nivek]

I dunno about choking. Series go 7 games for a reason. Winning 2 at home and then losing doesn't equate to choking in my book.

Honestly, I think there's way too much passing of moral judgments and the character of guys based on the outcomes of games. Someone has to win, someone has to lose. It's not necessarily a matter of who's the most clutch or who wants it most.

In this particular series, I think a big part of it is about the absence of Chris Bosh. The Heat are Lebron, Wade and Bosh, and not damn much else. A healthy Bosh changes this series tremendously.

[Ironpanthr]

:lol:

I could watch this over and over again.

[DallasShalDune]

While Bosh is very important to the Heat. . .

The C's have also dealt with their own plague of injuries. Pierce and Allen are gimpy. Their defensive specialist and energy guy Bradley is out. Pietrus has stepped up and filled in for Bradley nicely, but their not as deep as they could be, much like in 2010 when they lost Perkins.

[Nivek]

Celtics have some depth to withstand injuries -- the Heat don't. In my statistical system, 7 Celtics players rated average or better this season in 500 minutes or more; for the Heat: 3. Plus, Allen and Pierce are on the floor so they still have to be accounted for. Bosh was out completely.