The start of the NBA season is right around the corner, which seems about right, because the Finals just ended. And here’s an image of Doc Rivers putting his team through its paces, and I think it’s obvious to everyone that he likes what he sees. I don’t know what it is about sports that inspires so much passion within people, but one thing is certain: black guys have enormous wangs. via, Thanks, KOGOD.
Both teams from last year’s NBA Finals couldn’t close the book on their respective conference semifinal opponents. The Lakers, fresh off of drubbing the Rockets by 40 points on Tuesday night, found themselves trailing the Rockets for most of the game behind more clutch shooting from Aaron Brooks and a fine defensive effort from Shane Battier, limiting Kobe to 11-for-27 shooting from the field. If you don’t like Aaron Brooks right now, you have no soul. The Rockets prevailed, 95-80, to tie their series at 3-3.
“They all have the same mentality, they all fight for everything that they get,” Bryant said of the Rockets. “That’s why we’re in the position that we’re in right now. They don’t quit. So Game 7 is going to be exciting.”
The winner will play the Denver Nuggets, who finished off Dallas on Wednesday night and now have a few extra days to rest.
Also forcing a Game 7: the Orlando Magic, who managed to put aside their differences long enough to beat Boston last night, 83-75. Dwight Howard finished with 23 points and 22 rebounds and Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy still resembles a popular adult film star.
Leave it to Boston to complain about having both of their winter teams in the playoffs. Turns out that the Celtics and Bruins will be playing their games on the same nights. Yeah, that’s a shame, especially since you can only get one radio station at a time in that Celtics bandwagon.
Starting Wednesday, the Celtics and Bruins will play on the same night for the final five games (if necessary) of the Bruins’ series with the Carolina Hurricanes. That means Boston fans looking to watch their boys of winter on ice and on the parquet will have to do some channel surfing.
Amazingly, the Bruins and Celtics will not play at TD Banknorth Garden on same day at any point during this stretch. This reminds me of the 12-hour shifts that people worked in the stockyards in the early 1900s. Two guys would share a bed, and one would work while the other slept. That’s part of the reason I don’t understand why people get worked up when some 8-year-old kid from Pakistan wants to make me a soccer ball. It’s not like he has anything better to do…
|The Herald’s Celtics Blog, via GameOn|
If you happened to wander back into the NBA Playoffs for Game 2 of Boston’s first-round series with Chicago, you picked a good night. An epic battle ensued (a metaphorical battle, anyway; it’s my understanding that no one was killed, wounded or captured), culminating with a mighty three point shot from Ray Allen with two seconds left, giving the Celtics the win and evening the series at one game apiece.
Also, San Antonio got their act together and evened their series with Dallas last night. Tony Parker had 38 points in that game. Isn’t he married to Eva Longoria Parker? Kinda weird that they have the same last name, isn’t it? Eh, he’s French. Incest is probably another day at the office for that guy.
Tonight we’ll get one game closer to that Kobe-LeBron final when Cleveland plays Detroit in their Game 2 (8 PM, TNT) and the Lakers do same with Utah (10:30 PM, TNT). Oh, and I guess Houston and Portland are playing tonight, too. And then I’m probably gonna play with myself. Yeah, you might think that’s sick, but at least if my left hand gets pregnant, I’ll know who the father is.
There’s a video of highlights from that Celtics game after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »
Not that anyone should be surprised at upsets within a 16-team playoff structure, but how sick was it watching the Bulls put the wood to the 2nd-seeded Celtics? Oh, you didn’t watch it? But everyone’s actually trying now! Especially Derrick Rose; the rookie scored 36 in his playoff debut to give Chicago a 1-0 edge in their series, beating Beantown at home in OT. Philly and Dallas also came through with wins over higher-seeded Orlando and San Antonio, respectively.
ASYLUM POLL: Which NBA Playoffs Underdog Will Pull Off The Upset?
I don’t know why the NBA seems to hate first-round upsets (see 2003), but it’s good attention for the league at a time when they need it most. But as long as the Lakers and Cavs take care of business, I have a feeling they won’t mind. They know where their bread is buttered, and if the league has their way, everything will fold neatly into a Lakers-Cavs finals. And a Kobe-LeBron showdown might be the only matchup that gets any of us to tune in.
When Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge realized that his prized center Kevin Garnett might miss the entire playoffs, he had a totally subdued reaction and took the news in stride. Just kidding–he had a heart attack. From Y! News:
“Danny Ainge is recovering at Massachusetts General Hospital after having a minor heart attack. He is recovering nicely,” the team said. “Mr. Ainge is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days.”
A spokeswoman for Massachusetts General Hospital referred comment to the team
Ainge is 50 years old if anyone cares. Garnett’s knee injury has limited his action in games over the past several weeks, but only recently was an announcement made about his status for the postseason. My dad had a heart attack once, but that’s because he’s grossly overweight and hates everything. I’m struggling to see how that’s Kevin Garnett’s fault.
