NBA FastBreak 05.5.08: Weekend Playoff Coverage as Celtics eliminate Hawks; Hornets, Lakers, Pistons All Take Game 1
Posted by BL Anderson on 05.05.2008
The Second Round has begun! And so sorry fairweather Hawks fans...your team didn't get in. ***Sad Clown Face***
NBA BeatDown FastBreak 05.05.08
Hello everyone I'm BL Anderson and this is the BeatDown FastBreak, where we'll cover the weekend's playoff action.
So no column last night. Was putting the finishing touches on the roundtable, in addition to getting my ass handed to me. For those of you who don't know, I work in Louisville's MetroSafe emergency communications center. Derby was this week, and is what we like to call in the public service realm as a 'Pain in the Ass' and a 'Logistical Nightmare'. The Derby isn't the worst part; the cruising down the main drag of town after the Derby is. Let's just say that if I died tomorrow, and woke in in Hell...my hell would be this shit sandwich that was handed to me when I walked to through the door at 1900 hrs on Saturday, and didn't leave until 0730 on Sunsay morning. Ugh...
BL's Take: It looks like the Pistons did what they should've done in Round 1, and that is play to their capabilities. They forced 13 total turnovers and only commited 6 themselves, playing good defense and taking care of the ball themselves. I've always believed that, by playing to their potential, they would be able to beat nearly anyone in the league.
The Magic, I think, have some jitters they need to work out. I think they can and will overcome Detroit's defensive intensity with their stellar frontcourt, but I also feel like they'll need some additional help from the Jameer Nelson. He'll have to have at least two decent games in this series, and this game wasn't one of them. Expect something a little different in game two, as I think the Magic will overcome some of the ball denial the Pistons have been doing on Dwight Howard. Game two in the Palace tomorrow (I believe).
San Antonio Spurs -- 82
New Orleans Hornets -- 101
BL's Take: Spurs won't stay down for long, but this was a great showing by the Hornets. They came out and knew exactly how to proceed, and I think that you can credit Chris Paul's confidence and Byron Scott's superior coaching for that. David West had a great game, and dominated Vs. Duncan. West is a verifiable all-star, showing a wide array of skills in this contest. Peja Stojakovic did what he does, which is make shots and get open, and all of the sudden you have New Orleans taking their first home game. I don't expect them to take game two.
The Spurs will come out of the gates very upset at their play, and how they allowed New Orleans to get just about whatever they wanted. Tradtionally, the Spurs lose bad, and then come back and pound on their opponent, and I certainly expect that to occur in game 2. With almost any other team, I might look at a game like this as a sign of things to come, but the experience and determination of the Spurs changes the viewpoint.
BL's Take: No matter the outcome of this series, by this game the Hawks had earned the respect of just about every team in the NBA when they weren't getting any all season long. I think that, by the showing that the Hawks put up in this series, coach Mike Woodson should definitely be able to return next season. The Hawks should be proud that, when they came into this series outgunned and outmatched by the Celtics, they fought back and took the Celtics to the limit.
The Celtics will actually have a much easier time with the Cavaliers than they did with the Hawks. The Cavaliers aren't as dangerous offensively because, while they have ok role players, they do not have the guns that Boston does. Offensively, the Hawks had three guys on the perimeter that could go off at any time in Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and Mike Bibby, while the Cavs have merely King James. This will be a much different series than the 1st round match-up. To say that the Cavaliers are overmatched is a severe understatement.
BL's Take: the game was kept pretty close; I think that Deron Williams will need to come through more scoring-wise, as well as Carlos Boozer, if the Jazz want to take game 2 in LA. Mehmet Okur did everything he possibly could in this one to try to get the win, but it just wasn't enough.
The Lakers are too fluid, and are on a mission after Kobe was announced this year's MVP, which I absolutely agree with. The Lakers will find ways to get stops, and their big three will carry them through this series regardless. Lakers Big Three > Jazz Big Three. If we were playing NBA Jam, and I had even Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, and the CPU had Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, I still have a chance of winning based on the match-up alone. Ahh...fond memories of NBA Jam, when the Bulls had Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, but no Michael Jordan. I thought that was a bunch of bullshit, by the way.
That's all for me tonight. Be on the look out of for my NBA BeatDown column, with an all-new BeatDown Q & A, due out sometime this week. I mean...I turn in a column just about every night, so I know that I'll get to it this week, I just don't know what day...!
I love feedback! Write in just to tell me what a scumbag I am! I don't care! Don't like the way I feel about LeBron? Send in LeHate! I'll answer it! I'm cool like that!
dude are u serious??? cavs don't have people that can light it up from 3? gibson is a better shooter than anyone on the hawks. wally can be great when he gets hot. same for lebron but he hits the big 3's when it matters. hell even delonte west can hit the 3. 3's are DEFINITLY not the cavs biggest weakness. and to say hawks are harder to beat than the cavs? whatever.
Posted By: Ryan...who lives in Cleveland (Guest) on May 05, 2008 at 08:36 PM
Yeah, Kobe shoulda been MVP... two years ago when he posted 35 points, 4 assists, and 5 boards a game with far less talent than he has now. Chris Paul led the league in assists and steals and was the first guy to average a 20/10 since '93 and was what one game behind the Lakers for the West's top spot?
Posted By: Jordan (Guest) on May 06, 2008 at 12:56 AM
Hawks were much more of a match-up problem because they got lots of folks who can score for the mid-range and perimeter. I thought I cleared that up inside the column. Sorry about the Cavs losing this series, and everything, though. My apologies for the 23 cent pizzas that you crybaby LeBron fans are enjoying, too.
And Kobe shouldn't have won the MVP too years ago, as he wasn't having the right type of impact on his team. This year, he certainly is!
Posted By: BL Anderson (Registered) on May 06, 2008 at 06:02 AM
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