NBA 2011-12 Regular Season Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Ockeghem]

I realize that the regular season is completed, and I don't know if this thread will generate any discussion, but I thought it might be a good time to start one.
Walter,
Who would have thought before the playoffs began (and especially the season) that your Sixers might be playing my Celtics in the playoffs? Ahh, the good old days of 1981 (and for you, probably 1983) come to mind right about now. Any chance you could get Philadelphia to play their games in the next round at the Spectrum?

 

[Walter C]

Not unless I can find a way to resurrect the Spectrum rubble. I always hear about those years, but I was too young to remember.

I only learned this past weekend, that the NBA playoffs has already started. Guess the lockout has me tuning out, along with my attention being more on the NHL playoffs, even with the Sixers making the playoffs. Just something seemed really off with the way the lockout happened and ending just like that, though I can't put my finger on it.

 

[Ockeghem]

"Just something seemed really off with the way the lockout happened and ending just like that, though I can't put my finger on it."
Walter,
Agreed. And frankly, this is one of the reasons I hadn't started a thread before today. I have been watching the games regularly throughout the season. However, the lockout definitely had some influence on my posting.
Go Six ... er, I mean, Celtics!

 

[Walter C]

Well, it's actually happening, the Sixers vs the Celtics. The only matchup I remember between the teams, was in the 2002 playoffs, back when the 1st round was a best-of-5.

 

[Ockeghem]

Walter,
These two teams sure do have a storied history. I'm sure Hal Greer rings a bell with you. I remember Doug Collins and his playing days, as well as the Stilt, of course. The Sixers broke the streak of eight consecutive NBA championships that the Celtics had strung together from 1959-1967.
I'm not that confident that Boston will get out of this next round. If Boston holds serve (2-0) at home, they should be fine. When Boston held serve in the 2008 NBA Finals against the Lakers, I was assured that the Celtics would win it all that year. If Boston does not hold serve (Sixers get the split), look for the Sixers to take the series in six games. However, if Boston somehow (at that point) stretched the series to seven games, it would be one heck of a series.

 

[Walter C]

Originally Posted by Ockeghem /t/320596/nba-2011-12-regular-season-discussion-thread#post_3925161
Walter,
These two teams sure do have a storied history. I'm sure Hal Greer rings a bell with you. I remember Doug Collins and his playing days, as well as the Stilt, of course. The Sixers broke the streak of eight consecutive NBA championships that the Celtics had strung together from 1959-1967.
I'm not that confident that Boston will get out of this next round. If Boston holds serve (2-0) at home, they should be fine. When Boston held serve in the 2008 NBA Finals against the Lakers, I was assured that the Celtics would win it all that year. If Boston does not hold serve (Sixers get the split), look for the Sixers to take the series in six games. However, if Boston somehow (at that point) stretched the series to seven games, it would be one heck of a series.

I only knew Doug Collins as a coach, then color commentator for various networks. With the way he sounded last season, I was surprised he went back into coaching. But he still has it, turning around the Sixers quickly.

The series starts tonight, which is the weird thing about the NBA. Starting the 2nd round, even though the 1st round is not completely over. I can see This series going 7 games, though it will depend on how the first 2 games in Boston will turn out. It may be one of those series where each team keep trading off wins. Though, both teams will eventually be marching on to their doom, one of them getting eliminated this round, and the other by the Heat in the next round.

I will be switching between Game 1 of this series and Game 7 of the Rangers-Caps tonight.

 

[Ockeghem]

Walter,
You know, I think Boston -- if they were to get by Philadelphia -- would match up rather well against Miami. The Celtics took three-of-four from them (winning in Boston twice and in Miami once) this year. If the Sixers do defeat the Celtics, I will be pulling for them bigtime to go all the way.
I too will be watching the Caps - Rangers game tonight.

 

[Walter C]

Originally Posted by Ockeghem /t/320596/nba-2011-12-regular-season-discussion-thread#post_3925212
Walter,
You know, I think Boston -- if they were to get by Philadelphia -- would match up rather well against Miami. The Celtics took three-of-four from them (winning in Boston twice and in Miami once) this year. If the Sixers do defeat the Celtics, I will be pulling for them bigtime to go all the way.

I hope so, because nothing would satisfy me more than see the Heat lose in the playoffs. Though, can't always go by regular season, as I remember the Bulls winning all their regular season meetings against the Heat last year, and the Heat just disposed the Bulls rather easily in the postseason.

And should they end up going all the way, I am sure it will be pointed out that it was done on a shortened season.

 

[Ockeghem]

Walter,
Well, it looks like you might get your wish regarding the Heat. I don't see them winning the series against Indiana.
If Boston gets by the Sixers, they will be in for one heck of a battle with the Pacers. I think it's pretty much a must-win for the Sixers tonight.
I'm pleased that the Lakers season is just about over. Watching game two the other night, Kobe really played poorly down the stretch. IMO he played the Lakers out of that game. When your team is leading by seven points with two minutes to go, you really should be able to hang on and win at this level (and especially so in the playoffs).
I really can't call the West, as both Oklahoma and San Antonio have a good shot of going all the way this year.

 

[Walter C]

Originally Posted by Ockeghem /t/320596/nba-2011-12-regular-season-discussion-thread#post_3926968
I'm pleased that the Lakers season is just about over. Watching game two the other night, Kobe really played poorly down the stretch. IMO he played the Lakers out of that game. When your team is leading by seven points with two minutes to go, you really should be able to hang on and win at this level (and especially so in the playoffs).

Very un-Laker like basketball, as they are usually the team that comes back in the final minutes. And I would cry a conspiracy travesty with the NBA and the networks (in this case, the Mickey Mouse networks). Maybe being at home will turn things around for both LA teams, but the Thunder look unstoppable.
It's too early to tell with the Heat, as I'll wait and see how Game 4 turns out. With no hockey game tonight, I will be watching the basketball game.

 

[Ockeghem]

Walter,
Congratulations on a gritty and very hard-fought come-back win by the Sixers tonight to even the series at 2-2. When Boston was up by seventeen or so, I thought we had that one. But Philadelphia played some fine defense in the second half. Game five on Monday should be interesting. Now it reverts to an almost must-win for Boston.

 

[Walter C]

Yeah, I was surprised myself, with the Jekyll and Hyde change that the Sixers had. But in the NBA, double-digit leads are not always safe at the half, as there is still a 2nd half to play. The 1st half was more like a contest of who would play more lousy, with both teams making mistakes. The Sixers were fortunate to not be down by a lot, as they did get a lot of help from the Celtics, by being fouled and going to the free-throw line. I think Game 5 will be the turning point of the series.

And very bad move on Celtics, for having Garnett being the one to foul (twice) in the final minutes of the game. It was as if they were going through the motions, losing track of how many fouls he has.

Also, it has to be a first for 2 playoff games on the same day, in the same arena. Probably done so there is enough time to switch over to ice for the Kings the next day.

And I can't believe I am actually talking some basketball.

 

[Ockeghem]

Yeah, I was surprised myself, with the Jekyll and Hyde change that the Sixers had. But in the NBA, double-digit leads are not always safe at the half, as there is still a 2nd half to play. The 1st half was more like a contest of who would play more lousy, with both teams making mistakes. The Sixers were fortunate to not be down by a lot, as they did get a lot of help from the Celtics, by being fouled and going to the free-throw line. I think Game 5 will be the turning point of the series.
And very bad move on Celtics, for having Garnett being the one to foul (twice) in the final minutes of the game. It was as if they were going through the motions, losing track of how many fouls he has.
Also, it has to be a first for 2 playoff games on the same day, in the same arena. Probably done so there is enough time to switch over to ice for the Kings the next day.
And I can't believe I am actually talking some basketball.

Walter,
Well, the winner of the Celtics-Sixers series is whom I will be rooting for to go all the way this year. I think the Pacers are going to surprise some people. I can see them getting to the finals (they're quite large up front), but I don't see them getting past the western conference finalist.

 

[Ockeghem]

Something eventually had to give in Orlando.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7956244/orlando-magic-part-ways-coach-stan-van-gundy-general-manager-otis-smith

 

[Ockeghem]

Walter,
Well, sorry about your Sixers. But my Celtics may be next. Tonight's game two will be IMO the telling point for the entire series. If Boston wins, we will have quite an interesting series on our hands. If Miami wins, the series will be all but over (Boston down 0-2), since I would have to think that the Heat will win one game in Boston.
On another note, I think Boston would have a slight chance against San Antonio. But I have to believe at this point that the Spurs would dismantle either the Celtics or the Heat regardless of who makes the final. If Miami makes the final, a thorough, systematic dismantling of them by the Spurs would be fun to see, as I'm sure you'd agree.

 

[Walter C]

Yeah, it sucks that the Sixers lost, as they were the only good team left in Philly, as the Phillies are not doing so good this season. And I thought they would win, after Paul Pierce fouled out, with the score being close. But even if they did win, the Sixers would have gotten destroyed and swept by the Heat, who would have just made them look very silly.

In the West, I see the Spurs taking care of business in OKC, as they are still undefeated in the playoffs. It would be strange to see the Spurs win another championship on a shortened season.

 

[Ockeghem]

Well, we're down to the best two-out-of-three in both the east and the west now. The home court is IMO really huge at this point. I have no idea who wins the title this year. As a Boston fan, I would love to see the Celtics get past Miami somehow and then face San Antonio. The Celtics play the Spurs quite well, and I believe that they match up against them better than they do the Thunder.
Go Boston!

 

[Ockeghem]

That was a fun game for me to watch last night. When the Celtics trailed by two at the half (after having been down by fourteen or so points earlier), I felt very good about our chances of taking game five. I do hope they close it out in game six tomorrow night. A most unlikely event would be for Miami to take game six, and for Boston to take game seven.
I guess we're going to see what San Antonio is made of tonight. Game six for the Spurs on the road -- this could be a great game. I would still prefer Boston to face San Antonio, but the Celtics have to get past the Heat first, and that will not be easy.
Go Celtics!

 

[Ockeghem]

Well, tonight's game isn't quite as much fun to watch for me as the one a couple of nights ago. It looks like we've got ourselves a game seven in Miami. Boston looked really flat tonight, and Miami's defense (and LeBron's offense) has been superb.

 

[Ockeghem]

NBA Finals:
Oklahoma City in six games. I think they take the first two at home, win one in Miami, and then close it out at home in game six. I feel that this series is going to be similar to the 2008 Celtics - Lakers NBA Finals. The Thunder could take this series in five games, but I'm more confident it will end in six.