May 05, 2006

Suns still in it despite the league-wide conspiracy to put the Lakers in the Super Bowl.

posted by DrJohnEvans at 04:04 PM on May 05, 2006

Damn do I hate the Wizards go Lebron and the rest of the Cavaliers

posted by luther70 at 04:18 PM on May 05, 2006

Such a great series... Tim Thomas is the new favorite guy for everyone except for Laker fans (who in my experience are usually also Yankee fans... go figure).

posted by everett at 04:34 PM on May 05, 2006

Suns still in it despite the league-wide conspiracy to put the Lakers in the Super Bowl. I think the love you Canadians show for your countryman Nash is so cute! Kidding aside, I think the idea that the league wants certain teams to win their respective playoff series is most certainly correct (and so long as the Lakers and Knicks are in the two biggest media markets in the U.S., they will likely always be favored teams). That said, I'm not sure how the league can go about ensuring that one team or the other wins. The most obvious place to look would be at FT numbers, but the breakdown from the LA-PHX series is as follows:

LakersSunsWinning Team
Game 12731Suns
Game 21819Lakers
Game 32317Lakers
Game 43115Lakers
Game 52426Suns
Game 62229Suns
Looking at those numbers, the only real egregious imbalance is in Game 4 (and the Lakers needed, literally, every one of their made FTs in that game -- so it's no little matter). Otherwise, though, it's pretty close, with the Suns getting to the line more often than the Lakers in 4 of the 6 games. I haven't been watching the series, so I can't really tell whether the officiating or any other aspect of the game (e.g., moving hoop or topless cheerleaders at the Suns' offensive end) has appeared to slant things towards the Lakers, but (with the big exception of Game 4) the FT numbers do not seem to show a favoritism. And PS I know DJE wrote what he did tongue in cheek.

posted by holden at 04:41 PM on May 05, 2006

Go Kings! They come in as the ultimate underdog agaianst the second best team in the league, but their not going away quietly.

posted by d-fence at 05:12 PM on May 05, 2006

Tim Thomas is the new favorite guy for everyone except for Laker fans (who in my experience are usually also Yankee fans... go figure). Tim Thomas has made some HUGE shots in this series. The suns would have been sunk long ago without him. I wonder if the bulls are missing him now? Does anyone know what his contract situation is? He's got a long history of having a great game then disappearing, but he's looking consistently good in the playoffs. Is he the next in a line of Jerome James-es and Erick Dampiers to get paid ridiculously unmerited jack for one, great playoff series? game 7 momentum seems to be heavily in the suns' favor. even if the lakers lose, i'll be pleased with their improvement. kobe has showed up in every game, as have lamar, kwame, and walton to a lesser extent. what's been brutally exposed is that smush is not a starting PG; he's a scoring punch off the bench at best and this should be priority 1 for the lakers in the offseason. ...And yes, every single lakers fan has a rooting interest in an east coast baseball team that wins regularly because both have a long history of winning. I wish we had our own team in Los Angeles we could blindly and tragically support in spite of how awful they are. Oh well. Hooray for teh Yankeez! I <3 Jeetur! go figure.

posted by ninjavshippo at 05:45 PM on May 05, 2006

Thomas' contract with the Suns is for the veteran's minimum (pro-rated for the end of the season). He should re-up with the Suns but I doubt he will. He'll most likely sign with a team who can offer him more than Phoenix even though their system (all offense, no D) is perfect for him. That team will have a coach who preaches D who thinks he can get through to him and fail (just like Karl, Brown, and Skiles did), and he will go back to being the underachiever he's always been.

posted by lilnemo at 06:17 PM on May 05, 2006

agreed lilnemo. the worst part is since NBA contracts are guaranteed to the bitter end (see Brian Grant), that team is going to regret that signing for years to come. it would be pretty funny if he reunited with brown via isiah's free agent signing lunacy. i'm still angry with myself for typing that kobe "has showed up." stupid brain.

posted by ninjavshippo at 06:21 PM on May 05, 2006

it would be pretty funny if he reunited with brown via isiah's free agent signing lunacy. Hey, remember in the initial talks between the Knicks and Bulls Thomas's name was involved. Because we all know that worked out so well the first time.

posted by lilnemo at 06:28 PM on May 05, 2006

Is he the next in a line of Jerome James-es and Erick Dampiers to get paid ridiculously unmerited jack for one, great playoff series? I might be mistaken, but I think Dampier got the big contract coming off of a contract year in which he averaged 12 and 12 for Golden State, but Golden State never made the playoffs during his time there.

posted by holden at 07:12 PM on May 05, 2006

True, but Dampier's last season in GS (a contract year) was the last and only season in his career that he averaged a double-double, or shot over 50%. I don't think there was any realistic expectation that Dampier would become a back to the basket presence for the Mavs. He was signed to defend in the post and REBOUND THE DAMN BALL, something he has done unevenly throughout his career. Basically the Mavs paid Dampier for production they are now getting out of Diop.

posted by lilnemo at 07:46 PM on May 05, 2006

Anyone else catch the ending to the Cavs-Wizards game? I'm not a fan of either club, but, wow, a really great game. Nothing substantial to add, but it's nice that these early games have been so exciting.

posted by uglatto at 10:20 PM on May 05, 2006

Kardiac Cavs! It was a great series! I am happy being a Cavs fan! but I do understand how disappointed the Wizzards fans are! We have been there when Michael Jordon done us in like James done in the Wizzards! We have felt thier pain and know sure well what they are going through... I just hope they don't belittle the series by whinning! The series has to be the most exciting opening series in the NBA playoffs in a long time. The Wizzards gave it thier all and there is no shame in that!

posted by The Tribster at 06:40 AM on May 06, 2006

Tribstar Wizards has one z and does anyone have an update on larry bird's promise to blow up the pacer's roster if they diddnt make the second round, which they diddnt, im a pacers fan and i would fully support him because although this roster always puts up a fight in the playoffs, theres no way they can win a championship with peja instead of artest which sucks but o well someday well get there

posted by gmactothemax91 at 08:41 AM on May 06, 2006

Ninja, I was mostly talking about Laker fans outside of LA. No shame in rooting for the home tea, or any team for that matter, but the Lakers have a tendency to attract that pseudo fan that says "my teams are the Yankees the Lakers, the Patriots, and the Avalanche." So... no disrespect to the actual Laker fans.

posted by everett at 02:27 PM on May 06, 2006

yay!! the suns win!!!! go canada go.lol!

posted by ktown at 08:19 AM on May 07, 2006

No shame in rooting for the home tea Go darjeeling!!!! Beat Earl Grey!!!!

posted by holden at 09:59 AM on May 07, 2006

yay!!! stevie nash wins the MVP by a landslide...yeah baby,go canada go...lol!!!

posted by ktown at 08:06 AM on May 08, 2006

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