NBA Playoffs 2012 Running thread

Kid tossed the extra $50 after a quick three-pointer cut the margin to 24.

Like the guy in Vegas who won a zillion on the Cardinals last fall when he bet them to win it all at peak price on JUST the right day, and the right time . . .

The Cardinal situation was especially ripe for any historian with a smidge of inside info (no, it wasn't me), but you need brass ones, and you need to pay attention at crunch time.

 

In nongambling news, if Bynum keeps playing how he's playing, the Lakers could well win this damn thing.

 

So you're saying to put $75 on the Lakers to win the title?

 

As great as the Lakers looked at home last night through 2.5 qtrs., Ty Lawson still made the Lakers look horrible against any speed plus the Lakers looked so nonchalant when they got up 19 midway through the 3rd. Sessions is a bad defender as is Blake. Westbrook and Parker will smoke them. Only matchup in the Lakers' favor is the Heat who have no real PG.

 

In case you wanted more reason to root against the skeeves who took the Sonics out of Seattle:

http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/reuters_uncovers_chesapeake_ce.php?utm_term=journalism,+media,+new+media,+social+media&utm_content=journalism,+media,+new+media,+social+media&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

Ha! Although the way the Pacers are dominating the Dwight Howard-less Magic now, that tape should be on the extinguisher by the other locker room.

If you can't find anything funny on, turn on Pacers-Magic and try to watch Ryan Anderson guard David West or Roy Hibbert one-on-one. If there's any one player really hammered by Howard's absence it's him. He's getting smoked defensively, and he has no energy left to hit threes on the other end.

 

But I like the Lakers' length inside. Remember, this is playoff basketball. There's better chance of the game tempo off-setting the strength of Westbrook and Parker than there is of those teams being able to deal with the Lakers' length.

Having said that, the Lakers aren't quite as strong inside as they were last year with Odom. But Dallas was long enough with Chandler to offset that length. Dallas isn't as good inside this year either.

 

LeBron James on the potential for Chris Bosh to play tonight against the Knicks after Bosh's son was born this morning at 3 a.m.:

Ladies and gentleman, your 2012 Father of the Year!

 

Way back in the day, the 1984 Finals to be precise, the Celtics used to handle the media hotel arrangements, and by some mischance on their part yours truly was on the same floor of the LA Airport Marriott as some of the players. Coming back very late one night on an off day, I was able to see Kevin McHale out in the hall, walking back and forth with his very young infant (couple months) no more, as the latter cried its head off.
McHale went the full 48 the very next night. Greatest performance in playoff history IMO.

 

LeBron was 4-for-16 with 14 points and seven rebounds in 44 minutes in that Game 1, FWIW.

 

Laughable, unless it included the clothesline.

 

As much as I despise Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, I would never bet real money against them winning an NBA title in any given season.

As long as Kobe is reasonably healthy, they've always got a chance.