2008 NBA Playoffs: What to look out for in the west

[chmilo24]

^You obviously don't know how long, we kings fans, waited for that year, and we have every right to complain about it. It seems that all the teams you follow are, "spoiled" and win all the time. And your right, we did play like crap in Game 7, thats because the kings were the clear victors of Game 6, and the Lakers deserve to lose, thats why the series was "fixed". But that is your opinion and I have to respect that.

[Mechanic]

I actually do know just exactly how long Kings fans waited for that year. I went in with 5 other friends and/or co-workers on a pair of season tickets for about 10 years, starting with the first year the Kings moved to Sacramento. Eventually, for several reasons, I decided to no longer go in on the season ticket deal, but I did still attend at least 2 or 3 games a season. I almost always go to at least 1 Kings/Lakers game at Arco, although I didn't this season.

 

Yes, I'm a Lakers fan first, and was long before the Kings ever came to Sacramento, but over the years I've done more than my fair share to support the local team as well. Some small part of me may have actually even wanted to see the Kings win that series and go the finals, but deep down I knew it probably wouldn't happen. It didn't. And like I said before, the Kings had plenty of chances to win that series. If they really want to find who's to blame, they only need to look in a mirror. Or, they can just come to grips with the fact that destiny has chosen them to be perennial also-rans.

[chmilo24]

One of the things that really bugs me is that the NBA "very suspiciously" wanted the Lakers to win. Now even if I wasn't a Kings fan, Id rather want to see the little guys take down the big guys. I mean, look at the last years world series. The only people who really wanted the Sox to win were Sox fans. While everyone else, who's team didn't make it, they were cheering for the underdogs, the Rockies.

 

One last comment: The only thing that sent a red flag up for me while watching that game in 2002 was when Kobe elbowed Bibby so hard, it knocked Bibby to the floor with a bloody lip, and Bibby was given a foul. That should have been an automatic flagrent to Kobe.

[Jew]

I'm jumping on the NBA is rigged bandwagon after this game. The league obviously wants Boston to win the title.

 

I really don't know how the Lakers recover from that. That was BRUTAL.

[Mechanic]

Incomprehensible.

[chmilo24]

HaHa!!! They almost got what they deserve. Now if the great Lakers can't hold onto a 24 point lead, then they don't deserve to take home a title.

[MagicMountainMan]

How did that happen... Down 3-1. All odds are against them.

[Jew]

^^It's all part of the NBA conspiracy. Now the inevitable game 7 will have more hype because something has got to give: either the Lakers become the first team to come back from 3-1, or the Celtics finally win another title. Duh.

 

The Lakers got lazy and the Celtics are just too good to stop attacking. Absolutely horrendous.

 

But hey, it could be worse: we could be Kings fans. Then all we would have to root for is the lakers losing because our team is absolutely hopeless. Being a Kings fan is probably only a little less depressing than being a Lakers fan after tonights game.

 

Is it time for USC football yet?

[chmilo24]

^Well I am a Kings fan. And I do not see how being a Kings fan is depressing. I mean yea they can be horrendous some games, but they can be playoff worthy other times. I belive that they will be fairly good this year.

 

P.S. I am glad Im a Kings fan after tonite.

[BeemerBoy]

It can be worse than being a Kings fan, can't it? The Clippers still play in California don't they?

[chmilo24]

^That is so true

[Scaparri]

HaHa!!! They almost got what they deserve. Now if the great Lakers can't hold onto a 24 point lead, then they don't deserve to take home a title.

 

Oh, I know dude! The Celtics would never do something like get a 24 point lead, say maybe in the 4th quarter, and blow it by getting outscored by something like 31-9 and nearly lose a game at home. Never!

[Wes]

That game was terrible to watch play out, but Joey is right... at least I'm not a Kings fan! Though I guess you get consistency from the Kings... always sucking. The Lakers, you never know if they're going to rock or blow a gigantic lead.

 

Beemer Scott, I'll be prepping my avatar soon. I'm going to lose this bet like a man.

 

(though I'll hold out an ounce of hope for the first 3 game comeback, haha)

[kraken613]

I turned it on when the Celtics where down by 24.....

 

Go Celtics!

[stingrock23]

Wow, what a game. To come from behind like that at home is one thing, but on the road, it's just absurd.

 

It just illustrated why Kobe is no Jordan. The Kobe-MJ thing ... done. Over. Jordan never would have let that happen in the Finals. Ever. Under any circumstances. Nobody is ever allowed to bring this up again.

[BeemerBoy]

^ Agreed.

 

Also, slightly off topic, but still concerning Kobe. Did anyone catch his postgame comments when asked how he'd deal with the defeat? To paraphrase Kobe, he said something along the lines of, "a lot of beer, a lot of wine, a couple shots...maybe 20."

 

Really? Seriously? Okay, as an adult, I can clearly understand his frustration and even laugh a little on the inside, knowing what he was getting at. But, as the MVP, the game's biggest face right now, and someone who is still recovering from a huge shot to his crystal clean reputation, is suggesting that washing your sorrows in alcohol the best way to go?

 

Honestly, I'm a bit surprised that no one else in the mainstream media has brought this up yet. Do parents of kids who idolize Kobe want him telling their kids on ESPN, " Hey kids, don't worry about a big loss....just get drunk, then move on?"

 

I don't know, it just struck me as a bit irresponsible for someone in his position.

[Wes]

It just illustrated why Kobe is no Jordan. The Kobe-MJ thing ... done. Over. Jordan never would have let that happen in the Finals. Ever. Under any circumstances. Nobody is ever allowed to bring this up again.

 

Good job copying and pasting from a Bill Simmons blog.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080613 (near the bottom...number 5 on his list)

]The Kobe-MJ thing ... done. Over. Jordan never would have let that happen in the Finals. Ever. Under any circumstances. Nobody is ever allowed to bring this up again.

[ginzo]

^ Agreed.

 

Also, slightly off topic, but still concerning Kobe. Did anyone catch his postgame comments when asked how he'd deal with the defeat? To paraphrase Kobe, he said something along the lines of, "a lot of beer, a lot of wine, a couple shots...maybe 20."

 

Really? Seriously? Okay, as an adult, I can clearly understand his frustration and even laugh a little on the inside, knowing what he was getting at. But, as the MVP, the game's biggest face right now, and someone who is still recovering from a huge shot to his crystal clean reputation, is suggesting that washing your sorrows in alcohol the best way to go?

 

Honestly, I'm a bit surprised that no one else in the mainstream media has brought this up yet. Do parents of kids who idolize Kobe want him telling their kids on ESPN, " Hey kids, don't worry about a big loss....just get drunk, then move on?"

 

I don't know, it just struck me as a bit irresponsible for someone in his position.

 

Honestly, the bar is so low with athletes any more that sort of thing could be considered saintly behavior in comparison.

 

Showing up to practice, not running dog fights = a role model today.

[chmilo24]

The Lakers, you never know if they're going to rock or blow a gigantic lead.

 

They Kings are kind of the same. Except either they lose from the start of blow a 4th quarter lead by missing all their free-throws. I can't tell you how many times that happened to them.

 

 

^^^I can't belive he said that. So he is telling all the kids in America who worship him that a lose isn't so bad, you still get drunk. For Kobe to say something like that is unheard of. Now even though I'm a Kings fan, I still remember him having respect and dignity after a lose to someone like the Kings, while Shaq would just cuss out the press. And I always respected Kobe for that, untill now.

[BeemerBoy]

^^ How do you know there wasn't any dog fighting after his 20th shot though? I'm just trying to save him from another $2 million dollar apology ring after something stupid he did.

[ginzo]

Considering all he's done for her (see below) I think she'd find it in her heart to forgive him. According to Wiki, she also got a Lambo out of the deal. Not bad.

[Jew]

It just illustrated why Kobe is no Jordan. The Kobe-MJ thing ... done. Over. Jordan never would have let that happen in the Finals. Ever. Under any circumstances. Nobody is ever allowed to bring this up again.

 

You're right. MJ just "retired" twice when his supporting cast didn't look as good.

 

There's never going to be another MJ. But there is also never going to be another Kobe. FWIW, at age 29, MJ only had 3 title as well to his name. And that was after 6 years of not even making it to the finals before the 3peat.

 

Although it appears to be EXTREMELY unlikely, what if Kobe dominates the next 3 games and the Lakers somehow pull it off? Or with Bynum back, what if the Lakers go on another run of titles? Will you also quote the 5,000,000 inevitable articles that will once again compare Kobe favorably to MJ?

 

But hey...I guess Chris Paul isn't the second coming of (insert name of great PG here) either. No great PG would let their team blow a series like he did.

[Wes]

The funny thing is the *only* time I hear the "Kobe is the next MJ" argument is when it's people saying "I can't stand when people say Kobe is the next MJ". Seriously, the only ones who constantly bring it up are the people who are trying to refute it. It's just silly.

[BeemerBoy]

Nobody ever says "who's the next Scottie Pippen?" Truth be told, he's what made the Bulls click. Without him, Jordan would not have had as many rings as he does.

 

If Kobe had someone else who demanded as much serious attention, this series might look a little different at this point. Shaq, anyone?

[mcjaco]

Showing up to practice, not running dog fights = a role model today.

 

Practice? Practice?! Not a game. Not a game. But practice?!

 

 

Pip was the man. He obviously showed that in '94 when he had to go it alone. He should of been MVP that year. No one thought the Bulls would be on the brink of the Finals without MJ. That was by far, one of my favorite years to watch them.