1st Round Playoff Thread Day 2

by Seth Pollack on Apr 19, 2009 7:53 AM MST in Phoenix Suns: Game Coverage

Day 1 - Recap where 3 road teams won

Bulls over C's: Derrick Rose. Wow. I mean wow. And against Rajon Rondo and the Celtics in Boston. Wow. I don't see how one kid can be so manly and leadershipy on the court and so quiet and humble off. The key to this game though was Tyrus and Noah out playing Perkins, Powe and Davis. Without KG, the Celtics and short and slow up front and it really showed against the atheltic, mobile and long front line of the Bulls. Miller dribbling the ball should be an immediate fine and suspension.

Cavs over the Pistons: If any Suns fan suggest getting Rasheed Wallace or Tyshaun Prince in free agency you will be immediately banned from this site forever.

Mavs over Spurs: This one was hard to watch since I really don't like either team. I ended up rooting for individual players like JJ Barea and Roger Mason Jr. The Spurs just don't have enough fire power right now to score with the Mavs when they are hot from outside. Fortunately for the Spurs, the Mavs are dependent on outside shooting which will eventually fail them. This one could easily go 7.

Rockets over Blazers: Yao was unstoppable early going like 7-7 in the 1st quarter and the Rockets just bullied the young Blazers all over the court. Scola was a beast in this game on both ends of the floor. I wonder if the Spurs regret letting him go?

Here's what's on tap for today...

Game 1

Utah Jazz SLC Dunk
@ Los Angeles Lakers Silver Screen and Roll

Sunday, Apr 19, 2009, 12:00 PM PDT
STAPLES Center - TNT

I would normally root for the Jazz in this game even though they have no chance but I am so sick of the Jazz and their inability to do anything consistent. Please, can we stop talking about Jerry Sloan as coach of the year? When a team under performs as much as the Jazz we should be talking about replacing him.

Game 2

Philadelphia 76ers Liberty Ballers
@ Orlando Magic Third Quarter Collapse

Sunday, Apr 19, 2009, 2:30 PM PDT
Amway Arena - TNT

I don't care about this game in the slightest. This is probably the one playoff match up in this round that I won't pay even the slightest attention to.

Game 3

Miami Heat Peninsula is Mightier
@ Atlanta Hawks Peachtree Hoops

Sunday, Apr 19, 2009, 8:00 PM EDT
Philips Arena - TNT

OTOH, I am looking forward to this one. Wade and Johnson. Hordord and Smith vs Beasley and...??... It should be fun and a potential train wreck as well.

Game 4

New Orleans Hornets At The Hive
@ Denver Nuggets Pickaxe And Roll

Sunday, Apr 19, 2009, 8:30 PM MDT
The Pepsi Center - TNT

Speaking of train wrecks...The Nuggets despite playing better team ball under Billups and showing that you can take the same sucky defensive players and play good defense if those players decide it's important enough always have the potential for a melt down. The CP3 led Hornets meanwhile and thin and hurt but still dangerous. Could be a good game. Could be crap. You just never know with Denver.

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Comments

I wouldn't mind Sheed.

He pretty much quit on Detroit last year, but I think a change of venue would do wonders for him. He’s still a fine player, and he’d be perfect next to Amare.

Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."

by rsavaj on Apr 19, 2009 9:02 AM MST reply actions

+ 1 I'm a Sheed Fan

We also need his fire and mental toughness on the court.

And he will have a lot of shooters to teach him how to shoot better 3s “hopefully”

by magenta on Apr 19, 2009 5:35 PM MST up reply actions

Fire? Mental toughness?

Sure if Sheed brought it more than half a season I would agree.

"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee."

Drew Gooden.

by Diosnomeama on Apr 20, 2009 1:30 AM MST up reply actions

The Iverson trade and the fans clamouring for change affected him

as did every other member…

But Sheed and another young defensive big will really help our interior defense and rebounding.

And we may get him cheap…

by magenta on Apr 20, 2009 1:40 AM MST up reply actions

He does have fire

Gotta give him that

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Apr 20, 2009 11:32 AM MST up reply actions

Orlando with a choke job of epic proportions.

by rsavaj on Apr 19, 2009 6:08 PM MST reply actions

no doubt

that was awful…

Blogging Suns Basketball

by Seth Pollack on Apr 19, 2009 6:28 PM MST up reply actions

Ughhh...

How messed is it that the Spurs are 1/3 short and the Suns are not even in the playoffs. No clue why I am going over this again but it just keeps hitting me in the face.

On a side note, Rose was just A freakin mazing.

by Gorilla Game on Apr 19, 2009 11:45 PM MST reply actions

Yep, it is a young PG league these days

but Kidd may still make me eat my words if he bear Tony Parker’s Spurs “I’m sorry TD but u are too old and injured to be a key factor these days”

Derrick Rose was amazing. Rajon Rhondo too.

by magenta on Apr 20, 2009 1:43 AM MST up reply actions

Magenta you get another Ughhhh...

You also had to mention Rhondo, the woulda coulda shoulda. If the Suns organization can do one thing from now on, let it be this. Do not sell any picks or trade any players for 3 mill cash.

by Gorilla Game on Apr 20, 2009 7:32 AM MST up reply actions

I can't believe the Suns let Rondo get away...

Rondo’s stats for the second game:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_ylt=AtNGNH1eFxyrmM9NW34h1DiQvLYF?gid=2009042002

R. Rondo G 40:03 7-18 0-1 5-8 +17 7off rebound 12total rebound 16assists 2TOs 5 steals 0 5BA 1PF 19 points

The Bulls-Celtics match is really the must-see in the first round becos of Rondo and “whoever decides to show up” Pierce and Allen vs Ben Gordon’s hot shooting and Derrick Rose’s clutch play

I was also laughing at Portland getting screwed by Houston because I’ve not forgotten how Roy had his career night against us when we played poor defense. Now the shoe’s on the other foot and I can laugh at them instead.

Houston scares the living shit of teams with their defence and the funny thing is that the player with the best performance is the one that shot the worst i.e. Battier with plus 34 as the most outstanding defensive floor general I’ve seen so far. Yao was brilliant as usual:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;ylt=AnXjHwbaOLXUp9f22OG.eqQvLYF?gid=2009041822

As for better defence comes from a youth movement, Maverick’s D in the second half of the first game shows how a young athletic big i.e. Brandon Bass and a hardworking yoing guard denied Parker’s easy lay-ups and penetration and he got stone cold in the 4th quarter.

Damper “the vet” also provided a great defensive presence with his iron screens and muscle players. I have seldom seen Duncan get 27 points from 24 shots by taking bank shots one after another.

If Dallas can do this, why can’t we?

by magenta on Apr 20, 2009 7:45 PM MST up reply actions

Hawks are a legit 4 in East and a 5 or 6 in West

This guy puts it best:

“This isn’t the coming-out party of the Hawks of the 2008 playoffs. It can’t be. They were unproven and unknown a year ago, just before nearly changing history by pushing the Celtics to a Game 7 in the opening round.

But there was still a shining announcement off the ’09 postseason opener. The Hawks — this time the proven Hawks of 47 wins, the Hawks of home-court advantage — went from 21st in the league in shooting defense last season to 10th and from 15th in scoring defense to 10th and used the spotlight Sunday (RECAP | BOX) to show off the improvements."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/scott_howard-cooper/04/19/Sunday.playoffs/index.html

by magenta on Apr 20, 2009 9:00 PM MST reply actions