2008 NBA Playoffs

Kobe takes Melo to the rack

Image details: Los Angeles Lakers v Denver Nuggets – Game Three served by picapp.com

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers make you think of offense with Kobe and his jumpers raining down from up high.

Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs make you think of offense with Tim facing up and playing like a power forward and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker slicing through the defense.

Truth be told, both teams are very efficient on offense, but even more efficient of defense.

More truth to be told, the Suns and Nuggets do not play a lot of defense. In fact, one of the main factors in getting Shaq for the Suns was to guard Tim Duncan. Maybe they should guard the other four guys on the court too.

As for the Nuggets, they don’t guard much of anyone.

Phil Jackson

Like all good coaches; Phil Jackson was not satisfied with the Lakers latest effort.

Anthony and A.I. shot a combined 10-for-38 and finished with 16 and 15 points, respectively.

No thanks to the Lakers, either, suggested coach Phil Jackson.

“I thought our defense packed it in on them, but they missed some easy shots,” Jackson said. “I told the team at halftime, ‘They’re not going to shoot like this for the whole game. They missed some close shots, some shots they usually make. We’ll have to play better defense in the second half.’

“But they never showed up. They never got it going.”

source

Spurs

Tony Parker was on fire for the Spurs in game 3.

The Spurs led from opening tip to final buzzer, playing what Manu Ginobili later called “almost a perfect game.” Parker never has been better, scoring a career-best 41 points, distributing 12 assists and peppering the Suns with jump shot after jump shot for the 40 minutes he spent on the floor.

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You wonder how many points Tony Parker would have had if any of the Suns had bothered to guard him?

Teams like Denver and Phoenix can cruise through the regular season winning on all offense, looking great, placing players on the All Star team, but it all becomes a joke when they try to win playoff games against good defensive teams.

NBA Basketball special comment You must have a balance between offense and defense to win big games.

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Dwight Howard has tremendous upside

Normally the All Star game is not a big ticket with your intrepid author.

A game with little or no defense has a hard time holding my interest.

In fact, today’s basketball with all the rule changes towards offense has really bothered me in recent years.

But this year may be an exception. The league is just so filled with exceptional talent.

One starter in particular could become a dominant force in the NBA sooner than we think. That man would be Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic.

Hmm, may just have to tune in after all. Here are your vote getters.

The leaders of both the Eastern and Western Conference players for the second returns of the 2008 NBA All-Star voting program are attached:

2008 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING EASTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: Kevin Garnett (Bos) 1,186,690; LeBron James (Clev) 1,005,733; Chris Bosh (Tor) 313,983; Paul Pierce (Bos) 268,926; Yi Jianlian (Mil) 192,828; Caron Butler (Was) 150,042; Hedo Turkoglu (Orl) 121,991; Tayshaun Prince (Det) 120,783; Rashard Lewis (Orl) 116,168; Antawn Jamison (Was) 106,370.

Guards: Dwyane Wade (Mia) 777,764; Jason Kidd (NJ) 559,333; Vince Carter (NJ) 468,051; Ray Allen (Bos) 464,810; Gilbert Arenas (Was) 422,463; Chauncey Billups (Det) 238,125; Michael Redd (Mil) 183,309; Richard Hamilton (Det) 121,663; Joe Johnson (Atl) 109,443; Andre Iguodala (Phi) 109,345.

Centers: Dwight Howard (Orl) 970,778; Shaquille O’Neal (Mia) 466,292; Rasheed Wallace (Det) 124,348; Ben Wallace (Chi) 114,245; Andrew Bogut (Mil) 100,622; Jermaine O’Neal (Ind) 89,900; Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Clev) 55,217; Emeka Okafor (Cha) 51,490; Zaza Pachulia (Atl) 43,036; Eddy Curry (NY) 37,252.

2008 NBA ALL-STAR BALLOTING WESTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards: Carmelo Anthony (Den) 767,722; Tim Duncan (SA) 722,059; Dirk Nowitzki (Dal) 686,853; Carlos Boozer (Utah) 281,299; Josh Howard (Dal) 251,756; Shawn Marion (Pho) 240,752; Shane Battier (Hou) 227,112; Luis Scola (Hou) 222,896; Kevin Durant (Sea) 191,542; Grant Hill (Pho) 152,898.

Guards: Kobe Bryant (LAL) 941,716; Tracy McGrady (Hou) 663,141; Steve Nash (Pho) 526,493; Allen Iverson (Den) 514,291; Manu Ginobili (SA) 220,620; Jason Terry (Dal) 200,693; Baron Davis (GS) 194,048; Chris Paul (NO) 189,646; Tony Parker (SA) 183,173; Jerry Stackhouse (Dal) 178,152.

Centers: Yao Ming (Hou) 813,305;Amaré Stoudemire (Pho) 463,916; Erick Dampier (Dal) 171,386; Marcus Camby (Den) 161,807; Pau Gasol (Mem) 118,759; Mehmet Okur (Utah) 85,715; LaMarcus Aldridge (Por) 69,691; Tyson Chandler (NO) 69,083; Andris Biedrins (GS) 67,862; Chris Kaman (LAC) 66,315.  source

NBA Basketball Fan Question Did your favorite player make the cut?

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Chris Paul has the Hornets buzzing

Boston has been winning like there is no tomorrow.

Except this week had a lot of tomorrows. They lost 3 out of 4.

So when Johnny Ludden, Yahoo! Sports came out with his rankings of all NBA teams, there was no way to put the Boston Celtics of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen fame at the top.

At least Johnny admits that the Lakers stay may be short.

Here are the top 10 of the rankings and your intrepid author’s comments in italics.

1. Los Angeles Lakers – This could be one-and-done for the Lakers at the top spot. Seven-game winning streak doesn’t say as much about team’s future as one 20-minute MRI did.

An injured Andrew Bynum means a sure drop in the rankings. Should be interesting to see how Kobe’s game responds.

2. Boston Celtics

No doubt, Boston will hover near the number 1 spot all year. 3 stars with great defense is a winning formula.

3. Detroit Pistons– Yes, getting routed by the Knicks was embarrassing – but also slightly understandable given the Pistons’ four-games-in-five-nights stretch. Having two opportunities in five days to make up a game on Boston and taking advantage of neither? Now that’s hard to stomach.

Rock solid defense with a lineup of 4 lower level all stars plus mismatch player Tayshaun Prince make the Pistons a contender for the number 1 spot.

4. Dallas Mavericks

Live by the Dirk, die by the Dirk. Can an all offensive system win it all?

5. Phoenix Suns– Who had 34 games in the “Grant’s First Injury” pool?

Poor Grant Hill, a true gentleman of the sport. Something always seems to derailing his career. Steve Nash keeps this team on top.

6. San Antonio Spurs– Gregg Popovich, after loss to Detroit: “Timmy and Jacque needed help tonight and they didn’t get it.” Translation: “Tony sucked.”

Can the Spurs really be at the 6 spot? Does anyone believe they will stay that low?

7. New Orleans Hornets– Any correlation between Hornets’ seven consecutive road victories and the out clause in their New Orleans Arena lease?

Chris Paul is a dynamic young player. Look out for this team.

8. Portland Trail Blazers– Portland has won 19 of its past 21 games, a remarkable accomplishment that has left the team with a record that is the conference’s…sixth-best. Welcome to the West, young Blazers.

Whew, have to admit, thought they would be fighting for the number one pick in the draft after losing Oden.

9. Denver Nuggets

Camby, AI, and Carmelo, can this trio win?

10. Golden State Warriors– Who else wants to see Captain Jack in the All-Star Three-point Shootout? Prediction: He misfires his first nine shots, slings his mouthpiece into the bench, curses Craig Sager then closes with 16 consecutive makes.

A wild team with a wild offensive philosophy and one of my favorite players to watch in Baron Davis.

source

Team to most likely move up in this set of rankings is the Orlando Magic with Dwight Howard.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Did your favorite team make the rankings?

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John Shuhmann of NBA.com presents his power rankings.

Let’s take a stroll through his top ten.

1. Boston is on top even though they lost to Detroit snapping their home winning streak. The Detroit game came after the rankings came out. Kevin Garnett is the leader in the clubhouse for MVP of the National Basketball Association.

2. San Antonio is Tim Duncan.

3. Detroit is on a crazy roll led by Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups.

4. Dallas is fourth and after the rankings went out and beat Phoenix with a strong game from Dirk Nowitski.

5. Phoenix is struggling a little and Steve Nash almost helped pull out that game against Dallas.

6. Lakers? Led by Andrew Bynum? His name is not Kobe?

7. Orlando with possible MVP Dwight Howard a monster in the middle.

8. New Orleans with Chris Paul.

9. Denver has Carmelo and AI and not enough basketballs.

10. Toronto continues to surprise and maybe you should get used to it.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Is your team missing from the Top 10?

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