NBA playoffs thread

[MexSoxFan#1]

extended garbage time

[chisoxfan09]

Yeah, totally fell apart and I lost interest. I said 5 games, this is the one they'll lose in Chicago, barring an epic comeback, and they'll lose in Cleveland too.

 

Yup pretty much done, just cannot keep up and the need a great max FA to offset what s missing down low. I hope they try and lure LBJ for all his stupidity he is still the best player in the league.

[WHarris1]

The fact that Lebron said Joakim Noah seeks out attention is one of the most mind blowingly ironic things of all time

[ChiSox]

mike tirico is an atrocious announcer

[lostfan]

The fact that Lebron said Joakim Noah seeks out attention is one of the most mind blowingly ironic things of all time

lol... yeah... seriously. Like LeBron is soooo camera-shy. Right.

[WHarris1]

lol... yeah... seriously. Like LeBron is soooo camera-shy. Right.

Pretty sure his primary focus is entertaining, followed by playing basketball

[knightni]

Pretty sure his primary focus is entertaining, followed by playing basketball

What's next, a bucket of confetti and a basketball with a rubber band on it for free throws?

[MurcieOne]

What's next, a bucket of confetti and a basketball with a rubber band on it for free throws?

 

 

he's going to pull down Luol Deng's pants and then steal the ball from him.

[knightni]

he's going to pull down Luol Deng's pants and then steal the ball from him.

That sounds like something that Garnett would do.

[SoxFan1]

mike tirico is an atrocious announcer

I think he orgasmed live on television.

[chw42]

"OH YESSSS LEBRON JAMES I WANT YOU!" - Mike Tirico

[southsider2k5]

I couldn't tell if the Bulls got satisified with a victory or the Cavs finally decided to play some defense.

[Brian]

A guy I know on facebook is trying to convince everyone that the Bulls have been a bigger disappointment this post season than the Lakers. Too funny.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I couldn't tell if the Bulls got satisified with a victory or the Cavs finally decided to play some defense.

 

Just a case of a superior team laying the smackdown on an 8th seed.

[Jordan4life_2007]

not that this should shock anyone. . . but Shaq is f***ing done.

 

He's looked awful since the first half of game 1. They obviously don't need him to beat us. They probably won't need him against Boston. But they'll definitely need him for Orlando. And if this is all they're gonna get from him, Orlando might just wax they ass again.

Edited April 26, 2010 by Jordan4life

[LittleHurt05]

The Thunder are absolutely destroying the Lakers right now. Looks like we have a series.

 

That OKC crowd is something else too, reminds me of a college crowd.

[chisoxfan09]

He's looked awful since the first half of game 1. They obviously don't need him to beat us. They probably won't need him against Boston. But they'll definitely need him for Orlando. And if this is all they're gonna get from him, Orlando might just wax they ass again.

 

That's my hope to make LBJ realize he can't win it with that circus and needs our young core more.

 

[Jordan4life_2007]

That's my hope to make LBJ realize he can't win it with that circus and needs our young core more.

 

 

I so hope the Thunder (doubtful) or the winner of the Jazz/Nuggets can knock LA out. I'd love to see Lebron's punk ass go home early again. But I'd rather see Cleveland win it all over LA. And that's the only east team that can beat them, IMO.

[DBAHO]

Interesting read from Steve Kyler of Hoopsworld on VDN;

 

The End Is Near: The odds that Chicago's Vinny Del Negro returns as head coach of the Bulls next year is almost as astronomical as the 14th place Houston Rockets winning the NBA Draft Lottery on May 18th – right around a 0.5% chance.

 

Some of that is Vinny's fault. Some of it is management's fault and there is just some bad luck with injuries tossed in for good measure.

 

Two years ago when the Chicago Bulls shocked the world in hiring the unproven and inexperienced Del Negro, the belief being spun from Chicago was instead of hiring another re-tread coach, the Bulls would try and see if they could capture the next Doc Rivers – former player, turned coach, turned champion.

 

The idea was to surround Del Negro with proven experienced assistants in Del Harris and Bernie Bickerstaff, but as the Bulls learned quickly, Vinny doesn't like to share authority and the veteran assistants found their advice and counsel falling on deaf ears.

 

Harris bolted after just once season on the bench and Bickerstaff simply resigned himself to whatever role he was allowed to play with Vinny. Like a petulant child, the veteran coaches simply ley Vinny have it his way and checked out.

 

The Bulls' players soured on Vinny quickly, when his temper and propensity to single guys out with profanity laced tirades became too much for even the nicest of Bulls' players.

 

There was talk last year that then GM John Paxson wanted Vinny fired last year before the All-Star break, however ownership felt they owed Vinny more time and he pulled off a miraculous turn around powered by Rookie of the Year, Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon and logged one of the more impressive Playoff showings in recent history.

 

Vinny was convincing enough in the post-season to save his job, especially when John Paxson moved himself out of the GM role and handed the duties off to Gar Forman.

 

Expectations in Chicago were lower this year when management let Ben Gordon walk for no compensation and added several rookies to Del Negro's rotation as the Bulls positioned themselves for the Summer of 2010.

 

Much like last year, Del Negro's job status came into question this season after several dreadful games early in the year and there was talk at Christmas that John Paxson again urged ownership to green light Vinny's replacement.

 

When ownership refused to take on another coaching salary – the Bulls are still paying Scott Skiles as part of a settlement, and would then be paying Vinny and whomever they hired or promoted and Paxson refused to take over the team.

 

Del Negro was again given enough time to improve and again got the Bulls into the playoffs.

 

There likely isn't a coach in the league that has gotten a team to the playoffs in two consecutive seasons with as much criticism and internal strife as Del Negro has had to deal with. Again, some of it was brought on by himself.

 

League sources say that given the situation within the Bulls, it will be almost impossible for Del Negro to be brought back despite his success.

 

The biggest reason for a change may not have anything to do with wins and losses or how others inside the organization view him; it may have everything to do with the Bulls' pending free agency.

 

One player agent, who has several players hitting the market in July, said recently that he'd be hard pressed to consider the Bulls unless they were really overpaying. Saying with how disconnected things are right now, the only way he'd change his mind is if a genuine and proven NBA coach were hired and given the kind of control Del Negro never really had.

 

This is not an uncommon theme, and it may be the biggest reason why Del Negro is shown the door. Which is almost amusing considering that Del Negro's 81-81 (.500) record as the Bulls' head coach is the 12th best record of any team's coach in the league.

 

Furthermore, coaches with less success than Del Negro have been rewarded with contract extensions and even consideration for Coach of The Year awards.

 

League sources say that Del Negro's success in Chicago is likely going to get him an audience for a second job – maybe not this year, but likely next year for sure.

 

While Vinny's coaching style and "system" are very rough around the edges, there could be a case made that had Vinny gotten the full support of his team and been able to hand pick his own assistant coaches that he might have done better than .500.

 

Some Insiders that are critical of Vinny wonder what an "experienced coach" could have done with those Bulls teams, but remind that the Bulls put themselves in this position when the opted to sign the untested Del Negro.

 

It is inevitable that Vinny Del Negro is let go this summer, and some of that is his fault – but it's hard to imagine any coach having true success with the turmoil Vinny has had to endure in Chicago, fortunately it's almost to the end.

[Balta1701]

Some Insiders that are critical of Vinny wonder what an "experienced coach" could have done with those Bulls teams, but remind that the Bulls put themselves in this position when the opted to sign the untested Del Negro.

They make it sound like the Bulls had a choice. VDN's hiring was symptomatic of everything else that has gone wrong...basically since the year Wallace was signed and Thomas was drafted, I'd say.

[nitetrain8601]

They make it sound like the Bulls had a choice. VDN's hiring was symptomatic of everything else that has gone wrong...basically since the year Wallace was signed and Thomas was drafted, I'd say.

 

They did. D'Antoni's first choice was Chicago. JR didn't want him. Doug Collins wanted to come along, JR didn't want to have to fire him again. Everyone else out there were okay options, but none really stood out.

 

As far as VDN alienating players, I'd say the author is wrong. This team played hard for VDN, even when it was known he was a lameduck coach. When management quit on him, his players still kept playing. Derrick and Joakim seem to like him a lot. The only player VDN had problems with is Tyrus. You may be able to add Jannero in there, but he sucks and was mad about PT when he deserves none. Right now, the only player with a bone to pick is Acie Law.

 

If the Bulls did have Ben Gordon this year, I have no doubt they would've been nothing lower than a 5th seed. They missed his dynamic and consistent scoring. Bulls basically win when Deng and Hinrich are hitting shots. If not, they are toast and they still give up a lot of points because the defense doesn't have to work hard, nor do they have to respect them. Management is who set VDN up to fail, and I'd say he's still done a damn good job considering he made the playoffs both years.

[DBAHO]

And we're thru to the 2nd round, that was pretty damn easy.

 

Dwight Howard fouled out again in 25 mins though, so there's a lot of upside in terms of he's nowhere near his best right now, but can he get in going in time for Cleveland.

[Quin]

They did. D'Antoni's first choice was Chicago. JR didn't want him. Doug Collins wanted to come along, JR didn't want to have to fire him again. Everyone else out there were okay options, but none really stood out.

 

As far as VDN alienating players, I'd say the author is wrong. This team played hard for VDN, even when it was known he was a lameduck coach. When management quit on him, his players still kept playing. Derrick and Joakim seem to like him a lot. The only player VDN had problems with is Tyrus. You may be able to add Jannero in there, but he sucks and was mad about PT when he deserves none. Right now, the only player with a bone to pick is Acie Law.

 

If the Bulls did have Ben Gordon this year, I have no doubt they would've been nothing lower than a 5th seed. They missed his dynamic and consistent scoring. Bulls basically win when Deng and Hinrich are hitting shots. If not, they are toast and they still give up a lot of points because the defense doesn't have to work hard, nor do they have to respect them. Management is who set VDN up to fail, and I'd say he's still done a damn good job considering he made the playoffs both years.

 

I agree with this.

 

Only Tyrus reallly had issues with him, though Gordon got mad at him, they made up.

 

And if Rose had anyone who could score alongside Rose, they'd probably be 'upsetting' the Celtics.

 

I wish that Vinny were kept, but he won't and we'll end up with another inexperienced coach who goes through growing pains.

[Palehosefan]

Looks like Larry Brown is on the move again to coach Philadelphia.

 

Can't believe people still hire this clown for a year at a time.

[Balta1701]

They did. D'Antoni's first choice was Chicago. JR didn't want him. Doug Collins wanted to come along, JR didn't want to have to fire him again. Everyone else out there were okay options, but none really stood out.

I certainly didn't get the impression that either of those were true. I got the impression that JR didn't want to get into a bidding war against the Knicks for D'Antoni, because he was going to lose that bidding war, and I got the impression that Doug Collins had the job if he'd wanted it and he decided he didn't want it.