2011 NBA Playoffs

[Argosh]

2011.05.02
Chicago Bulls vs Atlanta Hawks 95:103 (0:1)
Los Angeles Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks 94:96 (0:1)

[Phantasee]

Early in the series, but fuck. At least the Lakers game was close.

[Argosh]

2011.05.03
Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics 102:91 (2:0)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies 111:102 (1:1)

[Argosh]

2011.05.04
Chicago Bulls vs Atlanta Hawks 86:73 (1:1)
Los Angeles Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks 81:93 (0:2)

[Phantasee]

Goddammit LA...

I haven't been able to watch any games this week due to evening classes, but hopefully I have time this weekend. Hopefully LA doesn't let me down, either.

[Argosh]

2011.05.06
Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls 82:99 (1:2)
Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers 98:92 (3:0)

[une]

Unless the Mavs choke something awful, this is it for the Lakers.

I have to say, this playoffs has really been amazing for me. We have seen the end of the Tim Duncan era and will soon see the end of the Kobe era in LA. The times are definitely changing in the NBA.

[Argosh]

2011.05.07
Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat 97:81 (1:2)
Memphis Grizzlies vs Oklahoma City Thunder 101:93 (2:1)

Start of a Grizzlies era?

[Argosh]

2011.05.08
Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls 100:88 (2:2)
Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers 122:86 (4:0)

Dallas Mavericks advance to the Western Conference Finals.

[Bellosh101]

That Mav/Laker game was a complete disaster for the Lakers; the least they could have done was not have two of their players ejected for flagrant fouls in the 4th Quarter.

[Havok]

What. The. Fuck. Happened to the Lakers?

I hadn't even watched this series and didn't find out they were down 3-0 until yesterday. (Without football, I lose interest in other sports) I just figured they would get past Dallas. 122-86?!? For reals?

Explanations?

[Argosh]

Bad matchups on Dirk probably, he's too mobile for Gasol & Bynum and too big for others to cover + there's that weird "on one foot fadeaway" he's pretty much perfected. So when he's double-teamed someone is free to try three-pointers.
In Game 4, Mavs shot 73.3 percent (11-for-15) from behind the arc in the first half, 62.5 percent (20-for-32) for the game and 46.2 percent (49-for-106) in the series. Also, look at the game stats, Mavs bench outscored the Lakers by themselves.

[Elfdart]

Judging from the reaction here in DFW, you'd think the Mavs had already won the title. Thirty years of getting sand kicked in their faces by the Lakers will do that. I was vacationing in SoCal last week* and it was funny listening to Lakers fans assuming "But of course going down 2-0 against Dallas was a fluke" and they were going to win out.

* By the way, how is it that the region of the country with the largest number of Mexicans has such terrible Mexican food?

[Civil War Man]

As someone who doesn't pay attention to basketball, but lives in New England, I caught a clip of Rajon Rondo's injury during the last Celtics clip. It's not the most insane playing while injured story (that would probably go to a soccer goaltender I read about who played with a broken neck back in the 50s), but it is certainly a painful one to watch. Rondo dislocates his elbow, sits out a few minutes to get it popped back in, and then plays the rest of the game with one arm flopping around while the other one does all the work.

Some people are just crazy, I guess.

[Darth Fanboy]

Judging from the reaction here in DFW, you'd think the Mavs had already won the title. Thirty years of getting sand kicked in their faces by the Lakers will do that. I was vacationing in SoCal last week* and it was funny listening to Lakers fans assuming "But of course going down 2-0 against Dallas was a fluke" and they were going to win out.

Which is why even though I like the Lakers, I am amused and happy at the end result. The undeserved sense of entitlement has been obnoxious ever since the Gasol trade and it gets ramped up with each postseason appearance. A dose of humble pie will be good for the fanbase. I wonder if the Lakers would have gotten such a sweet deal for their own TV network if they had to negotiate it following this season as opposed to last.

* By the way, how is it that the region of the country with the largest number of Mexicans has such terrible Mexican food?

Depends on where you are eating at, because you need to make sure you're going somewhere where the owners are willing to spend a little extra for good ingredients. Example, there is a little place near me with great burritos but their guacamole is absolutely horrible because the owners don't spend for fresh avocado. Another place I know of uses the same cut rate cheese sauce crap like what Taco Hell uses.

[Argosh]

2011.05.09
Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat 90:98 OT (1:3)
Memphis Grizzlies vs Oklahoma City Thunder 123:133 3OT (2:2)

Total of 4 overtimes today.

[Phantasee]

Ughh I wish I could have watched the Oklahoma game! Everyone says it was entertaining.

[Argosh]

2011.05.10
Chicago Bulls vs Atlanta Hawks 95:83 (3:2)

[Argosh]

2011.05.11
Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics 97:87 (4:1)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies 99:72 (3:2)

Miami Heat advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

[Argosh]

2011.05.12
Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls 73:93 (2:4)

Chicago Bulls advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, for the first time since 1998.

[Argosh]

2011.05.13
Memphis Grizzlies vs Oklahoma City Thunder 95:83 (3:3)

[Argosh]

2011.05.15
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies 105:90 (4:3)
Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat 103:82 (1:0)

Oklahoma City Thunder advances to the Western Conference Finals.

[Phantasee]

Wade laughs about it

[Argosh]

2011.05.17
Dallas Mavericks vs Oklahoma City Thunder 121:112 (1:0)

[Argosh]

2011.05.18
Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat 75:85 (1:1)