Where Dirk Getting "Deebo'd" Happens

Waldini:

It's been a minute since I have sat down and dedicated time to watch other 1st round playoff games besides the ones my boys play in BUT this wknd produced more sizzle than fizzle.

- Wiz-Cavs - a near fight before halftime, Lebron mocking Deshawn's I can't feel my face gesture, Gilbert going OFF in the 1st qtr. This series lived up to the hype in Game 1. I can only hope it continues in the other games (and goes more than 4 or 5 games

- Suns-Spurs - double OT thriller, All Stars fouling out (STAT, Mrs Longoria), Manu Manu being clutch in the 2nd OT, Duncan Stix with the unlikely 3 in the 1st OT, Shaq accusing the Spurs of flopping. Again, same comments as above for hope (and please Pop no Hack a Shaq next time, be a man)

- Mavs-Hornets - Hornets looking like they were going to prove their critics right, Peja looking like Mr March again, Kidd looking like a triple double waiting to happen...and BAM Chris Paul goes apes*** in the 3rd. And you have the ultimate b***h move in Dirk Diggler backing down to David West in the 4th. I'm not saying he should have swung on him but geez slap his hand away

- Jazz-Rockets - the only ho-hum game of the day.

- Magic-Raps - another ho-hum game, this time Sun's kickoff

- Lakers-Nuggets - not spectacular but not ho-hum either. I mean you had a tale of two halves or really 4th qtrs, Lakers up big in the 3rd, AI getting ejected in the 4th, lots of healthy conversation (as Kobe called it).

- Sixers-Pistons - Appeared to be ho-hum (I stopped watching to play NBA Live) and I come back in the 4th and the Sixers are leading. They go on to win which makes no sense. The Pistons are supposedly serious about getting back to the Finals but someone quoted them as goofing around with Flip Murray during timeout. I'm starting to believe that 2004 title was a fluke

- Celtics-Hawks - the ho-hum series of the 1st round meaning it was over before it began

I'm telling ya Realist, the quality of the games has been good, you really need to check it out if you haven't already. You actually see games where all 5 players on offense are moving instead of standing around and watching 1 or 2 players trying to either do an iso or pick and roll play

Gangsta D:

I doubt that Detroit is in trouble, but they're not good enough to turn it on and off. If they keep playing around, they're gonna be fishing with Kenny sooner than they thought.

As far as Spurs-Suns go, I hope they go 7 games and go into OT 3-4 more times. Tire them legs out! Lol

Denver isn't beating LA, as long as Kobe STOPS TAKING BAD SHOTS! lol

Da Realist:

I saw the 2 overtimes of the suns/spurs. Nice game. Saw Ginobli waltz in for a game-winning layup and had to check my watch to make sure it's April and not December. Had a nice conversation with someone who said Ginobli is the greatest clutch performer since Larry Bird. Well, not much of a conversation...more like he said it, and I started laughing uncontrollably LOL...

Those other games...are you serious? I don't care what the Wiz do, win or lose. The mavs are soft. I don't need to see Gasol hit 15 uncontested layups while Kobe clank shots against a bad defensive team. And you said yourself the other games were ho-hum. So i didn't exactly miss anything.

Waldini:

Ginobli? since Larry Bird? Does he have cable? I'm curious what did he base his argument on? I'll give him Ginobli's a beast but greatest clutch since 33 hung them up....um

Da Realist:

Man, that young guy... I work with him and he called me yesterday spouting that garbage. 25 year old punk. lol... I don't know what he based his argument on. I didn't give him a chance to defend it. Probably never even seen Larry Bird, even on tape. lol... Read more!

Who Ya Got?: NBA Playoffs Edition (Western Conference)

LA vs Denver

Gangsta D: Denver can score, obviously, but can't[won't] play a lick of defense. If the Lakers shoot 30 threes a game, instead of pounding inside, Denver will hang around. If they handle their business, it's a wrap, and not even close. Lakeshow in 5

Waldini: Denver's got the offense but no defense. Lakers' defense isn't the greatest but for this series, it doesn't have to be. I'll give Denver a game for AI's heart. Lakers in 5

Da Realist: [How do you say Kobe eats a fat one Serbian?] *


NOLA vs Mavs

Gangsta D: This one I'm torn on. CP3 will DESTROY Kidd. The Hornets are on a mystical magical carpet ride, but is the ride about to come to a crashing halt? Dallas has been playing well of late, and Dirk has hit some big shots. The Hornets have some playoff experience, but are they gonna lean on Bonzi and Peja for guidance? Didn't think so. The Hornets will be a threat for years to come, but they bow out early this year. Mavs in 7

Waldini: One of the 2 WC 1st rd series I want to see. True, NO does have players with playoff experience but one of them is Mr April himself, Peja. It would be easy to pick Dallas b/c of this but I'm still not sold on Dirk being courageous for playing on a sprained ankle. Bottom line, he curled up big time in '06 and '07. Interesting series. Hornets in 7

Da Realist: [I'd rather watch "The Birdman" smoke a bowl, while Flavor Flav clips his toenails, then watch this travesty]


Suns vs Spurs

Gangsta D: Wow. Either Shaq or Duncan will be fishing before Memorial Day this year. Marinate on that one:) There's still plenty of enmity between these two teams, and it may be the most hard fought 1st round series. It's really a toss up for me. I have no idea who wins. If Manu is healthy, maybe the Spurs have the edge. On the other hand, the Spurs have no answer for STAT. Suns in 7

Waldini: The other WC 1st rd series I want to see. Shaq vs Duncan, Nash vs Parker, I expect a physical series again. Doubt there will be any hip check incidents like last year. Steve Kerr is about to find out if he is indeed an idiot or a genius. I tend to go with the former. Spurs in 6.

Realist: [I'm running out of ways of intimating that this shit sucks. How about...this shit sucks.]


Houston vs Utah

Gangsta D: Utah does NOT have homecourt advantage, even though they're the higher seed. They are physically incapable of beating good teams on the road. Houston plays tough defense and McGrady does enough to finally get past the first round. Rockets in 7

Waldini: The Jazz need HC advantage in every series but this one to have a chance. Who starts for Alston since he's out the first 2 games? Who's going to pick up the offensive slack besides T-Mac? This same matchup happened in the first round last year with Houston also having HC (and a healthy Yao). And Houston still lost in 7 at home. Utah wins, just can't figure out if it's 6 or 7 games. What the hell, Jazz in 7

Da Realist: [Do I have to say how much you suck when your season depends on Skip To My Lou being healthy? Didn't think so.]

*Realist continues his boycott against this bullshit we call the NBA playoffs.

Read more!

You Kidding, Right?

Gangsta D:

What hath Kupchak wrought? I have no idea if Kidd improves Dallas'chances. All I know is that the Western Conference Playoffs might be the most entertaining postseason in sports history.

Sources told ESPN.com that talks between the Mavericks
and Nets, which had seemingly stalled, grew serious after the teams played
Sunday night in New Jersey and have moved them to the brink of completing the
NBA's third blockbuster deal of the month.

Da Realist:

Everytime I try to get out, the game keeps pulling me back in -- somebody from The Wire

I guess I will start paying attention. Too much is going on. I haven't seen one complete dallas game yet.

Gangsta D:

You haven't missed anything. If Dallas gets Kidd, then you will be forced to:)

Waldini:

Dallas today is like Phoenix was 2 weeks ago. The team they have is not going to win a title so why not go ahead and gamble. The West playoffs this year was already a gauntlet but adding Kidd will make things much more interesting. Homecourt has indeed become important.

Questionable call on giving up Stack. I am not a big fan of his game but during the '06 Finals he was the only one on the Mavs that had any heart.

Gangsta D:

Like I said, I don't know that this really pushes Dallas over the top. They sacrifice depth and inside muscle for more transition buckets, more open perimeter shots, and decent perimeter defense. Is that enough? Who knows? I will be watching, that's for sure.

Da Realist:

Stack is dead weight. Dallas showing in the playoffs says more about the rest of the team than it does about him.

The more i think about it, the more i think jason may make a pretty good difference. Who does dallas have at the point right now? Jason Terry is not a true point guard. Who's that other guy? Devin somebody??? That's an upgrade on one of their big weaknesses.

The only question is this (and the same goes for phoenix)...how long do you have? jason and shaq are old. They almost HAVE to win in the next couple of years to get any return on their investment. Their time is NOW. Read more!

Big Trouble In Big D?

Gangsta D:

Are the Mavs done? Is Dirk no longer the best player on that team? Should Cubes have traded Dirk for Kobe?

It just seems odd that the Mavs are wallowing in the bottom 4 with the Lakers, Warriors, Nuggets, and Rockets. Did the Warriors crush their spirit? Is Dirk doing a John Starks impersonation, without the lisp?

Waldini:

The championship window has closed on Dallas. They followed up their 2006 meltdown with an embarrassing first round exit in 2007. They are still a playoff team and one of the top 4 teams in the West. But they are mentally done. That loss to the Nuggets was a good illustration. Denver just blew an all world performance against the Lakers the night before AND the Mavs had not played in 2 days. Dallas should have crushed them.

I don't care if it's 2006, 2007, or now, no one in their right mind would rather have Dirk Diggler over Bean Bryant. Kobe is selfish but at least he has heart. Put him on this Dallas team and they become a true title contender.

Cuban is a genius when it comes to making money and putting people in his seats. But basketball knowledge wise, he's a novice.

Gangsta D:

They still have 60 or so games to right the ship, but losing to the Hawks on opening night did not get the year off to a rousing start. Josh Howard no longer think Dirk is the team's MVP:)

Da Realist:

I hadn't seen one Mavericks game this year. But I've said all along that Dirk and the Mavs were soft. I'm not surprised. In fact the only thing I was surprised about was Dallas beating San Antonio a couple years ago. Even with Duncan hurt, that surprised me.

Waldini:

Before that series, I thought the mavs were soft and then they showed me something. Prblm was they believed the hype that they had already won the title and didn't close out. And after Crazy Action Jackson went bonkers on Dirk, I sold my stock. Read more!

C'mon Jake. It's Oakland...

Gangsta D:

OK, I was wrong. I thought the Mavs would take control of the series after almost blowing it in Game 5. I didn't respect the power of the beard. I should've known better. But the Mavs should've played better. How do you get served by 25 in Game 6 by the #8 seed? That MVP press conference is gonna be REAL interesting now. How can Stern say that Dirk is the best in the NBA this year when he scored 8 points in an elimination game? What is Dirk gonna say? If he had any balls, he'd refuse the award. I would have more respect for him.

Of course, you do realize the Warriors are going to the conference finals? Unless B-Diddy stays hurt, I can't see either Houston or Utah beating them. A Warriors/Suns final might break the scoreboard. Absolutely NO defense would be played, and at least 4 players would average 30/game. Crazy....

Da Realist:

i agree with D. (read that again ;-)

i would have more respect for him if he refused it.

Gangsta D:

What if the Warriors got to the Finals? Didn't they win it 30 or so years ago? If they won, would that be the biggest story of the last 5 years?

Da Realist:

no way they're getting to the finals. how? with stephen jackson knocking down 7 threes every game? no way. they'll lose to either the suns or the spurs.

Waldini:

I echo Realist's comments a few days on drinking the Warrior Kool-Aid. First team to ever win 67 games and lose in the first round. First 1 seed in the new 1st rd 7 game format to lose to an 8 seed. Home court advantage throughout the playoffs...Gone. I watched the first half and the only Mavs' players who played with any urgency was Stackhouse and Howard.

Dirk basically pulled a Malone. Although no one was whispering in his ear "the Mailman doesnt deliver on Sundays"

Da Realist:

to compare dirk to karl malone is doing karl a disservice. the mailman wasn't "clutch" but he couldn't have been THIS bad in clutch situations, could he? he didn't do too well against us except for a couple of games, but he couldn't have been this bad. i'll have to review the dvds...

Waldini:

You'll need to review more than just your Bulls tapes amigo. This goes back to the early 90s, while in his prime, his teams routinely flamed out (see '95 1st rd exit vs Hou, 60 win team, lose in 5, Malone chokes BIG time in game 5). It wasnt until the Sonics and Rockets either got older or broken up when the Jazz finally broke through.

Mailman is a great player. So is Dirk. I just wouldnt have them on the floor if the game's on the line.

Da Realist:

i just can't put dirk on karl's level. i just can't.

Waldini:

ok in terms of ability, Mailman is superior. I am only comparing their playoff failures....is that fair?

Gangsta D:

It's more than fair. I still can't believe he only got 8 points. That's crazy...

Da Realist:

it ain't just that he scored only 8 points. his team QUIT last night. you can't say malone quit at any point. Read more!

Anybody Need A Howitzer With a Busted Barrel?

Da Realist:

does the maverick ride end tonight? i'm this close to drinking the warriors kool-aid. as much as i assumed the rowdy dallas fans would light a fire in them, i can't help but remember how miami beat them 4 straight times last year, including game 6 in dallas.

that shows a lack of ability to make adjustments, but more importantly, a lack of heart. i guess we'll see tonight.

Gangsta D:

As far as Dirk is concerned, the series is already over:) Can you imagine if Kobe had said what Dirk said before Game 4? You wanna talk about vilified. For some reason, Dirk gets credit for his "candor." He needs to start dominating the Warriors, cause they have no answer for him. I'm usually on Dirk's side because I think he's a good player, but if they screw the pooch on this one, he'll have a long way to go to get respect.

Da Realist:

dirk is soft. i told you that last year. when the most fearless member of your team is your coach, you have a problem.

Gangsta D:

True. When your coach is the most ride-or-die member of your organization, you might need a transplant of some sort.

I know people are calling out Avery, but this is only his third year as a coach. I'm willing to cut him more slack than Dirk. Dirk is not upper echelon. Everyone wants him to be Larry Bird, but he isn't. If the Warriors get up early, will they wilt? If Dirk doesn't put his big boy pants on, they'll be fishing this weekend.

Da Realist:

also note...i think everyone forgot how good baron davis used to be. i guess he's showing us something now that he's out of the backwoods of charlotte.

there's a real chance the 2 nba finalists from last year will not make it out of the first round. does this say something about the strength of the league, parity or both?

Gangsta D:

I just think every team has players capable of taking over games and winning series. You really didn't have that in the past, but the players today are so much more talented. Maybe not better overall players, but the individual skill levels are off the charts. I don't think it's a bad thing necessarily. It's definitely interesting. if the Warriors win, they'll be the toast of the league. Merch sales will go through the roof, and they will be on nat'l tv several times next year.

Da Realist:

i actually think the opposite. i'm actually quite shocked at how little buzz the golden state/dallas series is creating. compared to 1994 when denver beat seattle, basketball nation is snoozing. dirk will probably win MVP! when was the last time an impending mvp lost in the first round without being hurt? a year after getting to the finals?

i think this should be talked about more, but i don't hear much dallas chatter at the water cooler.

Gangsta D:

If they beat the mavs tonight, trust me NBA nation will be buzzing. Read more!

You Close Or You Hit The Bricks!

Gangsta D:

Before the playoffs started I said the Warriors reminded me of the Lakers last year. Well, here we are. They're up 3-1 going back to Dallas. Do they have enough to win 1 out of the next 3 games? The crowd was acting like they won the series, but it ain't over yet. I know that better than anyone:) If they come out hungry and focused, they can close it out in 5. If they lose game 5, then the Mavs will win the series. You can't give a good team any room to breathe. Look at the Bulls.

Speaking of which, I guess we should congratulate Realist on his 1st series win since graduation! A double thanks for eliminating the Heat in 4:)

Da Realist:

a backhanded congratulations if i ever heard one...but i'll take it!

i think the warriors could lose game 5 and still conceivably win game 6 at home. but they have to win it there. similar to this quote -- "the titanic was built to withstand water in 4 compartments, not five...not five."

this series is built for the warriors to win in six games, not seven....not seven.

Gangsta D:

On the face of it, maybe it seems like they can recover. But they only have one player that's gone deep in the playoffs, and you CAN'T count on Stephen Jackson for stability in a pinch:) I'll put it like this, if they lose by double digits in game 5, then they'll lose the seires. If it's a close loss, they may have chance.

Da Realist:

if there was ever a game for dallas to breathe fire and win by 20, game 5 is it. everybody is going to make shots, the crowd will be nuts, and the refs will probably favor the home team a bit. i'd be surprised if GS wins this game. in fact, i'll be surprised if GS comes within 10 points.

not to say they shouldn't try, but if they are smart they wouldn't get too bent out of shape over game 5. dallas will have everything working for them. i think it's make or break for GS in game 6.

if GS somehow someway wins game 5, dirk can forget about the MVP award -- even if it is a regular season award. and wouldn't dallas now become the biggest joke in nba history? 67 wins? and you flop in the first round? if this was best of 5, dallas would have already lost.

Gangsta D:

I don't know. Aren't the votes already tabulated? It would be hilarious for him to get his trophy at a press conference instead before a game. Would you even show up? And yes, that would make the Mavs the biggest flops in NBA history. The '94 Sonics weren't nearly this heralded. Read more!

Laker Hate And The P-Word

Da Realist:

just like when i feel the first nip in the air that signafies the beginning of college football season, spring means we are nearing the end of the boring regular season and preparing for playoff basketball.

it is 75 and sunny outside and i kept having flashbacks of my dad making me mow the yard KNOWING the bulls were playing the cavs in the first round on tbs. (i turned my mom's tv on the game and lifted the window so i could stop and "peek" in to catch the score until i finished the yard)

or watching game 5 of the lakers/suns in 1993 at our annual mother's day family reunion in mississippi. (the lakers choked the series and the game)

or watching magic johnson heave the ball up the court to run out the clock in game 6 against portland and then going to the gym later that night and doing the same thing that night (even though there was no clock)

or the night kilgore erupted when rex chapman hit that off balance 3pointer to tie the game against the sonics at around midnight. (they even let us stay in there until the game ended!)

playoff basketball. will you be watching?

Gangsta D:

I'm gonna table your Lakers comment until April 1st, when I will respond in kind:)

Of course I'll be watching. How much I watch depends on a certain team's performance, but I digress. If Miami keeps winning, I'll keep watching, and sending bad juju their way. Hopefully, it'll work eventually. On that note, has anyone made a big deal about how great the Heat are playing without Wade as opposed to how they were under .500 with him? Just curious.

I think the Mavs are a lock, unless the Spurs somehow beat the Suns and Duncan decides to avg 30/20 in the WCF.

The East? Who knows? I'd say Detroit, but then again Flip Saunders is the coach. I wouldn't be shocked if it was Washington. Gil gets hot and averages 40 a game for a series or two. Hey, it's possible. Toronto may be the real sleeper, even though they lost Bargnani. Chris Bosh is ridiculous.

Da Realist:

my comment was about 1993. surely even you can admit they choked up 2 games to none and up in the 4th of game 5. even you.

you think the mavs are a lock? i'm not sure. it will be intriguing how they handle the "favorite" tag. the spurs might just be the team that goes in and steals game 5 or something. i wouldn't put that past the suns either at this point.

having dwyane unavailable may be a hidden blessing for miami. they're playing together nicely and shaq has come up big because he feels needed. they will get out of the east. can't see detroit going that far and no one else will even challenge when things count. of course, this depends on having wade back HEALTHY. if he's gimpy, then detroit might just steal a spot in the finals.

warnings:

gilbert arenas will not lead washington to the finals. they rely mostly on iso's and i expect teams to cut that sh*t out in the playoffs.

don't believe the houston rockets hype. yao is still soft and mcgrady still hasn't been out of the first round. they'll be a tough out, but they won't be a factor in the playoffs.

i don't expect the lakers to get to the finals but they still have kobe and phil jackson. they will make anyone that plays them earn 4 wins. y'all should do what we wouldn't -- give that man a lifetime contract to coach until he retires. he and that coaching staff is that good.

we'll see just how good lebron is this year. this his 4th year right? most great superstars show some playoff promise by this point. no more meek losses. we should see some kind of killer instinct that will foretell things to come in the next few years.

Gangsta D:

I will temporarily lift my Lakers embargo.

An 8th seed CAN'T choke. They played out of their minds and completely over their heads those first two games. Phoenix was a MUCH better team. They went to the Finals remember? Therefore, I can't say the Lakers choked because they weren't supposed to even get that close.

I think the Mavs are a lock as long as Dirk doesn't gag-I mean get "nervous" in crunch time. They're battle tested. Avery is a good coach. They play defense and can dominate offensively from three positions on the floor.

With Chauncey hurt and Flip as the coach, don't know about the Pistons. Chauncey could always come back healthy and do his thing.

Now is the time for Bron to live up to the hype. he's got to get them DEEP in the playoffs this year. Otherwise, he starts looking more and more like 'Nique. No disrespect. Nique was a great player, but he couldn't get the hawks past the celtics.

Waldini:

The lakers didnt choke in '93 the refs gave them that series :-)

I'm with realist on the Mavs. Dirk has too much Mailman in him right now for me to believe he's ready to take them to the promised land (score a bunch of pts in the first 3 qtrs, then fade in the 4th). Until he proves me wrong, I think the West is up for grabs btw the Suns, Mavs, and Spurs.

I am shocked by what Miami is doing without Wade. I have ZERO confidence in Flip as pressure coach but the East right now only has two teams that I think can make the East Finals. And I just mentioned both of them :-). Yea I know everyone is hoping Bron turns it up exponentially and goes off in the playoffs but right now who else on that team scares you

In the West, I think Utah's inexperience will do them in by the 2nd round but yo that team is straight slept on. They got a frontline from hell (Okur, Booze, AK-47, although he's playing down this yr), great PG play and some nice veterans. Their biggest hole is the SG position and that will prbly stop them from really advancing

Da Realist:

half the chokes in history has involved the "underdog" choking. up 2 games to none with 2 games on your home floor? c'mon... can you say "rose-colored glasses"?

Gangsta D:

They were an 8 seed! The reason they were an 8 seed is because they weren't very good. New York choked that year. Seattle choked the next year. Sedale Threat was the leader of that team. Yes, THE Sedale Threat. Obviously, we should've swept the Suns.

Da Realist:

ok, ok.. calm down. wouldn't colin cowherd call you myopic right about now? i see that STILL pains you. :-)

anyway, here's the sun's perspective Read more!

Pretenders To The Throne?

Da Realist:

uh oh... i officially care about the nba regular season now... check this out.

BEAT DA-LLAS BEAT DA-LLAS BEAT DA-LLAS! :-)

Gangsta D:

Somebody's encroaching on his turf. Now he has to hope somebody pulls a JR Henderson on Dirk, JT, and Josh Howard...preferably in the same game. Actually, where's Juwan howard when you need him. I don't think Derek Anderson ever recovered from that shoulder:)

Waldini:

LMAO...yea he was never the same player after that 'injury'.

Realist only cares b/c they might become the 2nd team to win 70 games :-)

Da Realist:

Actually i don't care. when dallas is creeping on "6 of 8", THEN i'm in full hater mode.

And damnit, i STILL think we should have won a few more. we should have at least been in the finals in '94 if it wasn't for that horrible call on pip in game 7 against the knicks. and this was WITHOUT jordan. we definitely would have won the title that year. i also like my chances in '95. and we would have killed the '99 spurs team. don't know about the '00 lakers, cause best case scenario we would have won 9 straight titles going in. usually the weakness is complacency against a young, healthy athletic team like the 00 lakers. BUT (big ass BUT) you wouldn't have had phil jackson. that might be the difference.

We would have eventually lost, probably to one of those laker teams, but we would have as many rings as bill russell. but it wasn't meant to be. so i'll be happy with "6 of 8".

Gangsta D:

You definitely would've beaten Houston? Huh? Exactly who was gonna match up against Hakeem. You went to 7 against Ewing, and if you won it would've been by the slimmest of margins. I'm not saying the Bulls wouldn't have, but you can't say "definitely," unless you mean with Jordan.

Da Realist:

Yeah, i meant if jordan had never retired those 2 years.

Of course, i just thought of a counterpoint. those 2 years off gave him a break. they would have probably lost sooner because of burnout with all the games, traveling and complacency. so we probably wouldn't have won 9. but at least 7 or 8....

Gangsta D:

How were you gonna stop Sam I Am and Kenny The Jet? Houston in 5....WITH Jordan!!!!

Da Realist:

Now you just talking crazy.

In my view, we would have beaten houston both times to win 5 straight. there's a good chance seattle would have bitten us in the ass in 96. then we would have beaten utah (twice), san antonio, then the lakers. the run would have been over by then. the lakers would have beaten the champs in 01 and taken over the league from that point. the lakers would have still won 3 straight because they wouldn't have been as complacent in 04 and would have beaten the pistons that year.

But this is the "rose colored glasses" view of a old time bulls fan. ;-)

Waldini:

Actually D sounds like the crazy Houstonians whenever I talked about the paper years (94-95). I told one Rockets fan the Rockets were paper champions and he went ballistic (verbally) on me. Said that Mad Max owned Jordan in the regular season, no one could stop Hakeem, yada yada yada....I was like the Raptors beat the Bulls in the regular season during their record setting season. Dont remember it mattering when it counted....

Anyway, I wasnt a Bulls fan but after they beat the Suns, I said to myself, aint NOBODY effin with Jordan and crew, not while he is still in his prime. They were considered underdogs to both the Knicks and Suns that year. this was before I started realizing that when teams have that "it" factor, doesnt matter if they have homecourt or not That's why I (and D) were so confident about the Lakers. After they came back to win Game 7 in 2000, I knew it was a wrap. Mentally they obtained "it" and no one was gonna fuck with them when it mattered. It's why the 2001 Conf Semis and 2002 Conf Finals were so satisfying. I just knew they were gonna win.

Da Realist:

(sigh)... yeah, i knew it too. that's why i was hating so much. all the champions had the "it" factor except for the '99 spurs. but a title is a title. even the rockets had it for those 2 years.

Gangsta D:

I'm glad you put that caveat on at the end. I think Jordan's tires would be slowly deflating by '00. Of course I thought the '98 Lakers would beat the Bulls. i piss on you Del Harris.

BTW I was kidding about Houston. I'm not criminally insane.

Da Realist:

'00 is iffy. i could see the wheels falling off in '98. this is why i was glad he retired and hoped he stayed that way. but i know we would have beaten the '99 spurs.

Now the '00 lakers... on one hand the bulls would have been old at all the skill positions that year. the lakers young and hungry.

But WE would have had the best coach in history. you guys would have had del harris or some other retread. we may have had just enough to beat you guys in 7. and hopefully mike would have been smart enough to "leave the building" after that game.

Waldini:

Remember hombre Del was fired mid-way thru the strike season. I think Jeannie would have seduced Phil and gotten him to switch over to the dark side of the force for the '00 season. Read more!