Official 2010 NBA Playoffs Discussion

Should be interesting to see if Pierce tries to pull something again.

He's going to hit the ground and pretend like he's shot. He does that even when its not the finals.

But he's also gonna drop 35 on the Lakers and the lead the Celtics

You take the good with the bad and the drama

Just like Kobe, you really cant stop Pierce, and even if you slow him down...you free up Ray Allen to go nuts, or even Rondo.

For all of Pierces nonsense and dramatics, he really isnt a soft player, he is one of the tougher Celtics, he just uses the drama too much which I dont understand. The guy is a warrior, unless something is dangling from the bone, you know he's gonna go out there

And the fact they can offer him more money and he is essentially in charge of personnel decisions in Cleveland.

He can make a ridiculous amount more playing in NY.... and anywhere he goes he'll have a great say in personnel decisions... and a hell of a lot more options and resources in NY.

But yea, the part that LeBron said about Cleveland, is worth noting.

I think LeBron will have more control at 12:01 AM, July 1st than most owners will over themselves.

I think the Lakers need to be more worried than Boston does in some ways and vice versa.

Boston just took out Cleveland and Orlando and actually had to already play as the underdog.

The Lakers are what they are, but they've beaten up on nobody in the West. Dallas and Denver were the biggest contenders a month ago and they never saw them... or the Spurs either.

The Lakers matched up against the Suns for a field day and did struggle at times. That Suns team is good but the Lakers are still so much better on paper it's not even funny.

Gasol is hurting. Bynum is hurting. Minutes/responsibility are going to fall onto Odom and DJ N'Benga. Even if N'Benga only plays 3 minutes all series, those 3 minutes could be at the end of the 3rd quarter or half and could be the 8-2 swing Boston needs.

Who is going to stay in front of Rondo? Derek Fisher? I'd like to see him try at this stage of his career (not clowning him, serious). Shannon Brown has a shot in the dark.... in the dark. Farmar, Vuja-chick? I won't even entertain that.

The lane unclogs every time KG or Rasheed are near the ball and outside the lane. That's more pivot and pressure on Gasol and Bynum's legs. This isn't double boxing out Amare so Odom can get rebounds.

Quite simply, the Lakers feathers haven't been ruffled this year, yet. Boston's certainly have been. When the Lakers face a little adversity, they usually buckle for a bit.

But I wouldn't take them lightly obviously. Ron Artest should be taken seriously and he could change the entire series with rebounding and just completely taking away one of those freelance options to Rondo.

I think the play of both teams will be defined by the rebounding battle. Artest and Odom, most notably Odom, need to keep hitting them on the boards. I dunno if they can handle Bynum, Gasol and Odom/Artest on the boards AND hit all of those shots for 4 games... without home court.

And I'm as impressed with Rondo as anyone. But all it's going to take is one bad game in the Finals when it's a match up like this to mess the series up.

Rondo still is an X-factor... but for both outcomes. If the Lakers can lock down Pierce and Allen off the ball, Rondo is going to be in for a challenge. The Lakers have size to take away his vision, they have Odom and Artest who both certainly aren't going to make it easy to fling a freelance pass out of the lane and around Bynum and Gasol.

There's a lot of interesting ways to look at it. If Boston puts Nate and Rondo in at the same time I think it's something worth while if they are struggling. The Lakers will get run around and just literally put more effort and fatigue on their bodies. But if Nate is missing 3 in a row it's time to go.

You're allowed to move your feet AS you dribble, but he moved his feet while holding the ball. Travel by the letter or the NBA rulebook. Doesn't matter and again, nobody is going to acknowledge it, but it's 100% traveling.

Still never saw it.



He doesn't hold the ball once. He dribbles.

Not to mention if you are going directly toward the basket, even after picking up the ball, you don't need to dribble to take a step as long as you go up for a shot.

Everyone travels. Lebron and Dwight Howard dont travel less than they travel.

I understand it sucks to see, but EVERYONE does it.