That wasn’t even a flagrant foul in my opinion. But since it was Artest (who played terribly for most of the game, by the way), they threw him out.
I get it, Stern. You want Cleveland and the Lakers in the finals. Me too. They’re the two best teams and by all accounts, will likely see each other in a few weeks’ time. I’d just like it to feel legitimate.
:rolleyes: Yeah, if only Artest had stayed in the game, Houston would’ve scored 12 points in the last 45 seconds. The perfect way to rig a game - eject a player who’s had a terrible shooting night after his team is already behind by an insurmountable total.
Artest’s foul was downgraded, by the way, so there is no chance he’ll be suspended for game four and little chance he’ll get suspended later in the series.
I’m not saying that foul call changed the outcome of that particular game. I’m saying the NBA has a history of illegitimate officiating and double-standards. (Kings/Lakers, game 6, 2001 for example). The downgrading of that foul proves my point: Artest is on a short leash and is never given the benefit of the doubt. He’s been ejected twice for what? A hard foul on a basketball play, and yapping at someone who elbowed his neck. I just want the appearance of fairness. This series does not have that right now.
Yao Ming done for the season with a fractured foot. Denver vs. LA for the West. I was hoping that the Lakers would be beaten up by Houston for seven games.
Me too. If someone could please take Kobe out of the picture before my Nuggets get to L.A., I’d donate every cent I own to the city of Houston.
Not sure what they would do with $42.15 exactly but still, the offer stands. I’ll even throw in my extensive porn collection. That right there is worth the potential jail sentence.
Well. Settle for six? Rockets got their clobber on.
Ya think? 
What a hell of a game.
Go Rockets!!!
Also—we need a moratorium on NBA announcers strange, illegitimate love of Andrew Bynum. You can’t openly suggest giving his minute to DJ “Jazzy” Mbenga and then say he was a “on his way to an all-star type season.” It makes no sense to me.
And that was a great, great win. They’ve lost both their 7 footers in the playoffs, Knee-Man mid-year (no big deal, in my book), and started a 6’6" guy at center. And they won. After years of grudging acceptance, I want a seat on the Rocket’s bandwagon (for at least two more games, that is). They remind me of the Spurs in this series.
Score one for the Ewing theory, or whatever Simmons is calling it now. I could imagine Houston pulling it all together for one game, but not like that. I stil don’t see them winning the series, but that was some performance.
Wow. Go Rockets!
Yeah, I didn’t expect that. I am loving it though. It looks more and more that the Nuggets are peaking at the right time, and they have definite advantages at the center spot over every team left in the playoffs.
Big Baby at the buzzer!
I think the whole arena shook when he landed. He showed some hops on that jumper.
I have a feeling the Magic and Celtics are going to Game 7, and the winner won’t have anything left for Cleveland… though that may be a moot point anyway.
I can’t tell if Cleveland is unstoppable or if they’re just demolishing also-ran playoff teams lustily. I think it’s a little from column A, little from column B.
Cavs definitely have the easiest route to the finals, but they haven’t taken a single game for granted. They’ve won every game by double digits. You can’t say the same about the Lakers right now.
Detroit was definitely an also-ran, and Atlanta was very inconsistent against Miami. I’m not impressed by either of the teams they’ve beaten, but they really are the class of the conference. As much as I like Dwight Howard, I don’t see Orlando putting up much of a struggle against Cleveland.
the all NBA first team has been announced:
http://www.nba.com/2009/news/05/12/allnba.team.release/?cid=playoff1
I have to say: I think the Nuggets are going to upset the Lakers next series. They’ve looked like the second best team in the playoffs to date (behind the Pistons, of course).
(All assuming that Houston doesn’t pull off a stunning upset. I’m pulling for it, but the brain says “unlikely”)
The Nuggs are more physical than the Lakers (a well-chronicled LA weakness), they’re more athletic (somehow), and they have the right bigs to match up with Pau and Odom and the barely legal corpse of Andrew Bynum. Much better point guards, similarly talented but more consistent bench, and they’ve got Melo who, while he doesn’t cancel out Kobe in any way, can score just as easily. Plus, if anyone can score with the Lakers, it’s the Nuggets.
I’ll take them in 6.
Cavs are on a mission.
What the hell was that? They opened with one of the most dominant quarters in playoff history, LeBron sets his career high playoff scoring game, and… they lose.
Through the second half of the game they weren’t moving the ball at all, it seemed like they were trying to slow down the pace of the game… and their plan was that was to hold it for 21 seconds with everyone standing still and then attempt to put an offensive play together in 3 seconds before the buzzer went off.