# The Never-ending NBA Playoffs **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 16, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295 "2009-04-16T15:45:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/201 "2009-05-27T17:17:14Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Good point. The Magic were #2 in FT attempts in the regular season… only it’s not such a good point, since the Cavaliers were #5. Exactly what point are you trying to make? Because I’m not getting it. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/202 "2009-05-27T17:21:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Not when the Magic get whistled after LeBron trips over his own feet. > > I have nothing against James, really, but I think it’s hilarious that The Shot That Saved Cleveland - which ABC and ESPN couldn’t stop orgasming over on Sunday, saying it canceled The Shot, The Drive, and every other bad Cleveland sports moment all at once - is a game away from being rendered irrelevant. It was a great play, but the fuss the networks made over a shot in Game 2 was the height of stupidity. I could not agree more with this. It almost ruined it for me. Yes, it was a great shot, indeed one of the better basketball plays I’ve ever seen, and yes, it came at a very important moment. But just let the viewer enjoy it. ABC had LBJ on during halftime of the Nuggets came solely for the purpose of slobbering on LeBron and his inhuman awesomeness. It honestly made me a little uncomfortable. It was like 4 Ahmad Rashads. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/203 "2009-05-27T17:23:40Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Exactly what point are you trying to make? Because I’m not getting it. The point is that, despite the Magic’s rep as a three-point shooting team, they get to the line a lot. Howard led the league in attempts, if I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/204 "2009-05-27T17:28:32Z")
> [@Birdmonster](#): > > The point is that, despite the Magic’s rep as a three-point shooting team, they get to the line a lot. Howard led the league in attempts, if I recall. Actually, my point was that Cleveland is a three-point-shooting team too, so it doesn’t matter if the Magic are one. That’s a good point too, though. Dwight led the league in FT attempts by a long way… 849 to Dwayne Wade’s 771 and LeBron’s 762 (huge dropoff after that to Chris Bosh at 617). FTR, he also led the league in blocks and rebounding. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/205 "2009-05-27T17:29:22Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Yeah, okay guys. I’m sure the Cavs are just fouling the crap out of the outside shooting Magic and it’s not getting called. The fact that a team like Orlando, who lives and dies by their outside shooting, has more FT attempts should really foreclose any arguments about the officiating they’re getting. The magic are shooting more free throws because the cavs are fouling howards ON PURPOSE. They are not an “outside shooting team” they are a team that gets outside shots because they have a dominant big man that can only be stopped BY FOULING HIM ON PURPOSE. Of course they are going to shoot more free throws, thats the cavs freaking game plan, it has absolutely nothing to do with the blatantly obvious ref favoritism the cavs are getting. When even the lebron loving media is commenting on how badly the magic have been getting screwed in this series you know theres a huge problem. Its simply ridiculous that you can ignore something thats so completely obvious to anyone who even casually watches basketball. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/206 "2009-05-27T17:37:01Z")
Ref favoritism that is so blatantly obvious that the Cavs have gotten less calls. Jesus Christ bananas. Are all Orlando fans this insufferable? This is what happens when a city with absolutely no character gets a good team handed to them, all the pink hat wearers come out of the woodwork and start running their mouths. Exactly what are you bitching about? The Magic are up 3-1. Are you mad because they won by 1 instead of 5? You’re winning, stop being a putz. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/207 "2009-05-27T17:43:21Z")
Tranquilo. I don’t give a damn about Orlando _or_ Cleveland. Just want to see some good, legitimate games. And while I’m not as frothy about the refs as some here, it’s the NBA: LeBron gets more calls that Hedo, Kobe gets more calls than K-Mart, Wade got more calls than Dirk. You’re rewarded for being a face of the league and for taking the ball to the cup. It’s been that way since Jordan, if not before (I was too young to notice pre-Jordan). But I’ll reiterate: LeBron is definitely getting the benefit of the doubt in this series, to put it mildly. Howard, for whatever reason, isn’t. I’m not saying the refs are blatantly anti-Dwight, but the technical last night was laughable; ditto the clean block on LBJ’s three pointer that fouled him out the game before. It’s hardly arguable. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/208 "2009-05-27T17:43:38Z")
Is it really that hard to understand that the magic are shooting more free throws because they are being fouled on purpose? i mean… its not a hard concept to comprehend, teams have been doing the same since shaq came into the league. Yes the favoritism is blatantly obvious, every single sports website and commentator has pointed it out by now, something they never ever do and they are the ones who would most love a lebron/kobe finals. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/209 "2009-05-27T17:48:59Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Exactly what are you bitching about? The Magic are up 3-1. Are you mad because they won by 1 instead of 5? You’re winning, stop being a putz. Who was bitching, exactly? **Marley**? He’s not even a Magic fan. As far as bitching goes, “city with no character”, eh? Do you _really_ want to get into an argument about who’s got a better town? ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/210 "2009-05-27T18:23:24Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Ref favoritism that is so blatantly obvious that the Cavs have gotten less calls. > > Jesus Christ bananas. Are all Orlando fans this insufferable? This is what happens when a city with absolutely no character gets a good team handed to them, all the pink hat wearers come out of the woodwork and start running their mouths. > > Exactly what are you bitching about? The Magic are up 3-1. Are you mad because they won by 1 instead of 5? You’re winning, stop being a putz. Are you under the impression that I’m a fan of the Magic, or that I am rooting for them somehow? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/211 "2009-05-27T18:36:20Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > If you’re not with LeBron, you’re against him. That was some ridiculous crap at the end of the game, anyway: LeBron stumbles without being touched and shoots two free throws, Varejao undercuts Howard and tries a wrestling move and it’s a no call. He was touched. The guy blocking him made contact with his knee. I don’t know basketball very well but I’m told when a guy is making a full steam run towards the basket and you come in from the side and hit his knee that’s the very essence of a blocking foul. FWIW, I think Howard fouled Varejao at the end there - held his arm and took him down - but given the situation a no call was probably fine. I think the officiating has favored the Cavs (and I say this as a Cavs fan) but probably not as much as it has appeared. All the egregious, obvious phantom calls have gone the Cavs way which makes the refs seem extremely biased, but the more mundane stuff has been better balanced. The magic are also running moving screens left and right and never getting called for them. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/212 "2009-05-27T19:29:32Z")
Dwight Howards phantom technically was just recinded by the league, just like Anthony Johnsons phantom fragrant foul was. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/213 "2009-05-27T19:58:41Z")
I haven’t really watched the Nuggets-Lakers series (just not interested), but I have watched the ECF… What a sorry ass team Cleveland is and they are so poorly coached. I can’t believe how bad they are. Does Mike Brown actually run any plays for any of these guys, or is the general play “dribble till there’s 7 seconds left on the clock, then either take a wild three, make a really ill-advised drive, or give it to LeBron?” And why hasn’t Wally Szczerbiak or Boobie Gibson played much at all in this series? At the very least, they’re good outside threats to set up decoys. Does Brown actually know how to coach a team? I’m thinking that without LeBron, this is a 25-win team. And don’t get me started on the defense. It’s just deplorable. Just think, Cleveland’s a miracle shot away from being swept in series where they were heavily favored. I don’t think Orlando will beat Denver, but they might be LA. The hamstrung Celtics couldn’t cover Orlando’s perimeter, and apparently neither can Cleveland… (can you believe how many of Orlando’s 3’s have been wide open in both series?). LA will also get eaten up here. And just once, I’d like to watch an NBA game where the referees call it consistently. This postseason has had way too many phantom calls, technicals and flagrant fouls. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/214 "2009-05-27T20:02:31Z")
Cleveland’s offense actually featured a decent amount of ball movement until they played Orlando. Then the strategy became “dribbed for 20 seconds, try to drive to the hoop with 4 seconds left, settle for a fall back jumper”. Why? I have no idea. Mike Brown is incompetent on offense. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/215 "2009-05-27T20:14:57Z")
Basketball-related, but not playoffs-related: a good friend of mine and I were golfing this weekend and we were talking about current players. He said he’d rather have Amare Stoudemire on his team than Dwight Howard. I disagreed with that. His reasons pretty much boiled down to free throw shooting percentage. Mine boiled down to knee surgery and because Amare depends on a point guard getting him the ball more. If it gets more traction, I’ll move it to its own thread, but I figured I’d start it here. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/216 "2009-05-27T20:20:43Z")
Dwight Howard actually plays defense, and he’s 3 years younger. He’s better than Amare now, and he’ll be even better when he gets some reliable post moves. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/217 "2009-05-27T20:32:39Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > As far as bitching goes, “city with no character”, eh? Do you _really_ want to get into an argument about who’s got a better town? Orlando - Disney + snow = Salt Lake City ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/218 "2009-05-27T20:35:05Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Orlando - Disney + snow = Salt Lake City Oh you’re [on!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmLA5TqbIY) ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/219 "2009-05-27T20:50:10Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Basketball-related, but not playoffs-related: a good friend of mine and I were golfing this weekend and we were talking about current players. He said he’d rather have Amare Stoudemire on his team than Dwight Howard. I disagreed with that. > > His reasons pretty much boiled down to free throw shooting percentage. Mine boiled down to knee surgery and because Amare depends on a point guard getting him the ball more. If it gets more traction, I’ll move it to its own thread, but I figured I’d start it here. I’d agree with you absolutely. Amare seems a little petulant and seems to give a crap when it’s convenient. Offensively, Amare is way more gifted but Dwight alters every drive to the cup, crashes the boards, and is an absolute nightmare, matchup-wise. Plus, the offensive game is easier to learn. Dwight just needs a couple reliable post moves and a better eight foot jumper. I think that’s doable. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295/220 "2009-05-27T20:52:16Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Oh you’re [on!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmLA5TqbIY) Those videos are great. Orlando? More like BORELANDO [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-never-ending-nba-playoffs/493295.md?page=12)