NBA playoffs thread

[southsider2k5]

Wow Atlanta with a huge choke tonight blowing a solid late and what once was a 2-0 Atlanta series lead is now 3-2 Milwaukee. And it made me a little happy to see Jamal Crawford play a huge role in Atlanta losing tonight.

 

I love Scott Skiles. Too bad he can't keep a teams attention for more than a couple of years. In reality the guy is a college coach, he just doesn't want to admit it.

[LittleHurt05]

Wow Atlanta with a huge choke tonight blowing a solid late and what once was a 2-0 Atlanta series lead is now 3-2 Milwaukee. And it made me a little happy to see Jamal Crawford play a huge role in Atlanta losing tonight.

 

I only watched the last 90 seconds or so, but I saw Crawford put up at least 4 horrible shots. Looked familiar from his Chicago days.

 

Atlanta was supposed to have a chance to upset one of the top 3, now they can't beat Bogut-less Milwaukee. Fear the Deer!!!!

[DBAHO]

I only watched the last 90 seconds or so, but I saw Crawford put up at least 4 horrible shots. Looked familiar from his Chicago days.

 

Atlanta was supposed to have a chance to upset one of the top 3, now they can't beat Bogut-less Milwaukee. Fear the Deer!!!!

They just haven't been anywhere close to the team they were since they were 17-3 or so in the 1st 20 games.

 

Mike Woodson could bolt to Philly also if Larry Brown becomes president of operations there also.

[DBAHO]

Uhh dream coach scenario here Bulls fans?

 

Lakers vice-president and longtime girlfriend of coach Phil Jackson, Jeanie Buss, said that Jackson would coach "somewhere" next year, indicating that it might not be with the Lakers.

 

What an odd web this is. Her dad, owner Jerry Buss, has publicly stated he doesn't want to pay Phil $12 million next year, and here his daughter goes stirring the pot by publicly expressing his leverage. She goes on to say that he's not mentally ready to stop coaching, and that's the real takeaway here.

[Jordan4life_2007]

They just haven't been anywhere close to the team they were since they were 17-3 or so in the 1st 20 games.

 

Mike Woodson could bolt to Philly also if Larry Brown becomes president of operations there also.

 

Atlanta's half-court offense is terrible.

[fathom]

J.R. Smith is one of the most entertaining players in the NBA. He might be crazy, but he's a fantastic shooter with amazing athletic ability.

[Balta1701]

I love Scott Skiles. Too bad he can't keep a teams attention for more than a couple of years. In reality the guy is a college coach, he just doesn't want to admit it.

I wonder if that would have been true if the Bulls hadn't done the double-mistake-whammy of drafting Tyrus Thomas and signing Ben Wallace.

[DBAHO]

I think the success he's had with the Bucks also showed how much he needs a dominant C / low post threat if you will, which the Bulls never really had (although they could have been a lot closer if they drafted Aldridge instead of Thomas as you said Balta).

[Balta1701]

I think the success he's had with the Bucks also showed how much he needs a dominant C / low post threat if you will, which the Bulls never really had (although they could have been a lot closer if they drafted Aldridge instead of Thomas as you said Balta).

Did he have that in Phoenix?

 

I think Skiles is pretty much good for a couple extra wins per year, as long as you have players he can fit with. I just think, in hindsight, Wallace was a player that he couldn't fit with.

[DBAHO]

Did he have that in Phoenix?

 

I think Skiles is pretty much good for a couple extra wins per year, as long as you have players he can fit with. I just think, in hindsight, Wallace was a player that he couldn't fit with.

Probably not, but with the players they had (Jason Kidd IIRC), he had to go with a fast break system, which he hasn't replicated in Chicago or Milwaukee.

 

Charles Rosen wrote a really good write-up of last night's game. Atlanta's team is so much more talented than the Bucks, and Brandon Jennings didn't even play well, but the Bucks won because of heart and hustle, Skiles simply has his guys playing very hard. Whether or not they can keep that up for a few seasons or they'll burn out like Chicago, we'll have to wait and see.

[southsider2k5]

Probably not, but with the players they had (Jason Kidd IIRC), he had to go with a fast break system, which he hasn't replicated in Chicago or Milwaukee.

 

Charles Rosen wrote a really good write-up of last night's game. Atlanta's team is so much more talented than the Bucks, and Brandon Jennings didn't even play well, but the Bucks won because of heart and hustle, Skiles simply has his guys playing very hard. Whether or not they can keep that up for a few seasons or they'll burn out like Chicago, we'll have to wait and see.

 

talent wise this shouldn't even be a series.

[Kyyle23]

Uhh dream coach scenario here Bulls fans?

 

There is no f-ing way that Reinsdorf ponies up the money for Phil Jackson.

[MurcieOne]

There is no f-ing way that Reinsdorf ponies up the money for Phil Jackson.

 

my thoughts exactly, and he wouldn't come here because we don't have LeBron, Kobe, Durant, Wade etc . . .

[DBAHO]

I wonder if there's a chance Mark Cuban fires Rick Carlisle in the next few days after they got knocked out by the Spurs tonight.

 

And would that be a good coach for the Bulls to go after?

[GoodAsGould]

I wonder if there's a chance Mark Cuban fires Rick Carlisle in the next few days after they got knocked out by the Spurs tonight.

 

And would that be a good coach for the Bulls to go after?

 

I dont think he would really be an upgrade, I have no idea why he sat the Mavs best player for the first 3 quarters for almost the entire 4th, Beaubois

[whitesoxfan99]

Spurs v. Suns in Round 2. That should be a fun series and those teams have a long history of bad blood between them.

[daa84]

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/...ency-class.html

 

obviously the other free agents would have to be more attractive if for no other reason than age, but Dirk would be a perfect fit for us as well

[DBAHO]

Couple of interesting pieces from a chat wrap by Steve Kyler of Hoopsworld (main rumors guy over there) that is Bulls related;

 

Hey Steve, Have you heard any specific upcoming major free agent second guessing Chicago because of what happen between Paxson and Del Negro.

 

This time of year I talk to a lot of agents, and the ones with real players hitting free agency have openly questioned Chicago's front office for a while... the Paxson/Vinny thing just re-enforced what others have said.

 

The really good teams don't fight each other - that said, this is also a macho, guy driven business full of overpriced and over inflated egos - squabbles and disagreements happen everywhere - this one got press because its a symptom of a bigger problem.

 

The Bulls win dispite their situation, not because of it... and until the Bulls change that, players will look past Chicago unless they open the vault - cash rules everything, and with $20 million to spend Chicago will get someone, but will it be a Wade-Joe Johnson-Amare Stoudemire type player? Not unless they are paying more than others offer.

 

But not because of the Vinny/Pax thing, but because they have a history of bad decision making

 

Will the Bulls get someone this summer who will help them more than Ben Gordon would have?

 

 

I don't think it was a question of Ben helping them, it was a question of Ben being worth $60 million... and if the question is will the Bulls be better next year using that $60 million elsewhere - absolutely.

 

The Bulls have roughly $22 million for free agents... here is my shopping list:

 

- A front court monster that can score.

- (2) three-point shooters, guys that hit over 40% from the 3-point line.

- A coach that can reach the players everyday with a focus on defense

 

I have the following guys on speed dial for Midnight July 1st...

 

David Lee, Brendan Haywood, Luis Scola, Kyle Korver, Mike Miller, Channing Frye, J.J. Redick...

 

Get me three guys on that list and a coach who knows what he's doing and we're a contender.

 

Last week you said Del Negro was one of the worst coaches in the league. He lost Gordon, Salmons,and Thomas since last year, and ended up with the same record despite injuries. Why is he so bad?

 

Its how he treats people... especially his players... as I have said before the Bulls won despite their issues, not because of them... I am fairly close with a number of Bulls' players and I can't tell you one guy that thinks Vinny is a good coach.

 

Some of that is Vinny's fault... Some of that is situational - he was set up to fail from day 1 because he was the last guy on the list, not the first guy.

 

But at this level guys know who is there to help them, who genuinely want to them to be successful and they sniff out frauds or hidden agendas pretty quickly.

 

Vinny has learned a lot, and I am sure he'd say that... I think he has a chance in his next job to learn from his mistakes in Chicago and maybe his people skills improve.

[LittleHurt05]

New article by Bill Simmons: 2010 NBA Playoffs Human Power Rankings

 

6. Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah (tie)

Their 2010 playoff performances were a co-written love letter to LeBron and Wade. Here's what the letter said:

 

Dear LeBron and Dwyane,

 

We are wired correctly. We give a crap. We want to win. We are really really good. We are warriors. We could absolutely be the second-best and third-best guys on a team that wins multiple titles. Sadly, this can't happen without one of you. Please think about Chicago. It's cold during the winter, but during the spring and summer, there's no better place. It's the No. 3 TV market. It's the city that once had the greatest player ever. We're firing our coach and GM this summer; if you want, you can pick the next two guys. We want to win titles. Not title ... titles. By the way, Joakim wants you to know that he isn't nearly as annoying if he's your teammate.

 

Much respect,

Joakim and Derrick

 

 

[ZoomSlowik]

I have the following guys on speed dial for Midnight July 1st...

 

David Lee, Brendan Haywood, Luis Scola, Kyle Korver, Mike Miller, Channing Frye, J.J. Redick...

 

Good god, I really hope that's not who they end up with...

 

[DBAHO]

I actually think David Lee would be a pretty good get for the Bulls, especially if they can't get Bosh or Wade. Some people may prefer him to Amare for instance.

 

He's prob gonna be asking for max money though.

[ZoomSlowik]

I actually think David Lee would be a pretty good get for the Bulls, especially if they can't get Bosh or Wade. Some people may prefer him to Amare for instance.

 

He's prob gonna be asking for max money though.

 

Lee is a tier above the rest of those options, but I'm still not a fan for a few reasons...

 

1) As you mentioned, someone is going to overpay him. I think if you give him more than $12 mil a year that can easily be a Deng-like albatross.

 

2) He's not really a difference-making scorer that can consistently create quality shots, he's a guy that gets his points off pick and rolls. He averaged 20 a game this year, but a lot of that is because the Knicks are awful and they play at a pretty good pace (he also shot well above his career norm on long jumpers). I realize Amare is somewhat similar, but he's more explosive, has a history of being a dangerous mid-range shooter, and has put up big numbers for more competitive teams.

 

3) A lot of his value comes from rebounding, which is something the Bulls already do pretty well with Noah.

 

 

I really worry that if Lee is the big signing of the Bulls' off-season that they're going to be paying him 15 mil a year to put up 14-9 on a team that actually has some decent scoring options and another big man that already does the dirty work. Having that much money tied up in two good-but-not great players like Lee and Deng is just asking for trouble.

Edited April 30, 2010 by ZoomSlowik

[Gregory Pratt]

love the Spurs so much

[Palehosefan]

Only Scoop Jackson would write this article about Jamal Crawford at this point.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/...=jackson/100430

 

...somehow it made it's way onto the front of ESPN.com as well.

[MurcieOne]

Only Scoop Jackson would write this article about Jamal Crawford at this point.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/...=jackson/100430

 

...somehow it made it's way onto the front of ESPN.com as well.

 

When Jamal was drafted in 2000, he was ridiculously skinny. I am actually pretty impressed with the progression of his career, he's a legit player right now and seems to have learned the value of defense.