Playoff Matchup Round 2: Lakers (2) vs Mavericks (3)

Hmmm.

This. I believe no team has ever done it but I agree this is the closest, albeit remotely, to the Yankees-Red Sox series, Mavs are that kind of chokers, but I digress, I'm a Mavs hater but I'm an antiLaker so I hope they'll see Nick Van Excel pretty soon.

 

i'm not saying he's not. i pointed out several series where he simply were ghosts. obviously he is not joe johnson; he has had many series where he was dominant and this wasn't his first dominant one.

but that miami series, he seriously wasn't getting it done.
and don't forget the series vs us in 04-05 where he was shut down.

but this series will go a long way towards rebuilding his image. and if he wins a ring, all will be forgotten.

 

I predict a Mavs vs Heat finals, rematch

 

kobe is what? 32-33? michael jordan won his 6th ring around the same age.

kobe in his prime lost to the suns. and the celtics in the finals.

 

Now that would make me conflicted.

 

So you completely missed Dirk carrying his team into the Finals in 2006? It was his performance against the Suns that year that starting turning my opinion about him around.

 

I must be sick, I actually kind of feel bad for Pau.
His wife is reportedly leaving him, Phil verbally destroyed him, he lets Kobe treat him like his btch.

All kidding aside, if one team could come back from being down 0-3, this LA team can.
Plus, if one team can choke like no other...Dallas can.

 

I still think whoever wins this series is coming out of the West.

Miami v Chicago is a interesting match-up, especially since Chicago swept Miami in the regular season and are strong where Miami is weak at (PG and Center) plus I think Chicago is a deeper team than Miami

 

Thunder vs Heat will be more fun. Of course, the Heat will win but I wonder what will happen if the Thunder win and what the media will put out.

 

If you are rooting for the mavs right now what would make you stop rooting for them in the finals vs Miami?

 

I would hate that, out of the remaining teams those are the ones I dislike the most (yeah, I'm discounting the Lakers)

Grizzlies are your 2011 NBA champions! :grin:
(It doesn't seem too far fetched when there's emptied throne)

 

Different situation.

Kobe has played through numerous injuries, has done the international thing, and came out of highschool. Kobe is pretty much always playing on an injury, this is not the same Kobe that lost to the Suns.

The Kobe that lost to the Suns was surrounded by Smush Parker and Kwame Brown. Odom was the 2nd best player on that team and now he's just a role-player coming off the bench. That Kobe was a MVP candidate and that Kobe almost willed his team to beat what was the 2nd seed or 1st seeded Suns.

The Kobe against the Celtics, well the Celtics were a great team.

 

Wonderful. So instead of the Mavs choking the series away, they'll never even be in it.

Memphis vs Chicago, Finals, heard it here first :grin:

 

Will Jalen Rose STFU. Goddamnit.

 

I dunno... a Mavs/Bulls final doesn't sound fasinating to me, but it probably will happen.

Dirk is not the best player in the playoff. Its Durant or Wade.

Wow, what a game, but I still don't count out the Lakers just yet. If they can win 3 in a roll then the 4th game is up for grab.

 

At least Phil, after a bad loss, is generally nice in his post game press.
Pop is always an A-hole.

 

Only one dude can shut Jalen up...

 

Turn on NBA TV and listen to the post-game conferences. Forget the studio guys.

 

how he is on tv is amazing. He is turrible

 

People have to remember, these aren't the same Mavericks. For one, they have a great veteran, HOF bound point guard in Jason Kidd, who is an excellent leader. Followed by the strong inside play of Chandler and Haywood, both good defenders. The young, plucky J.J. Barrea with the old, past their prime all-stars in Marion and Peja. Lastly of course you have Dirk. There are too many veterans on this team for them to have such a meltdown, they would have to lose the next 4 games in row. I know everyone thinks the Lakers are the icing of the cake, but they look done right now. They are not winning with Kobe carrying the load on his shoulders or instead feeding the big men. This team just has not look like a championship team for most of the year, they've look beatable at times, like San Antonio did, especially against the younger teams or the teams with good depth.