Basketball: 2005-06 NBA Playoffs

The Heat came out strong scoring 33 points in the first quarter and having a 48-44 lead at Halftime. But thew Pistons have come back in the 3rd to take a 56-54 lead. Looks like it'll be a close game the whole way through from here.

The Heat finished the 3rd Quarter strong, after being outscored greatly at the beginning of the quarter. The Heat currently lead by 5, 66-61, with Shaq and Wade with 15 and 14 points. Billups leads the Pistons with 16.

The Heat fended off the defending EC Champions with a 91-85 win. Wade had 25 points and 5 assists to lead the Heat to a game 1 victory. The Pistons were playing at home, so they have basically lost their home court advantage. RIP Hamilton scored 22 points to lead the Pistons. Game 2 tips off Wednesday.

Looks like I was wrong on those calls about the Spurs and the Clippers.

I really thought the Spurs were going to win that one. When Michael Finley hit that three to put them up 104-101, I thought San Antonio had pulled it off. Then Nowitzki made that great play to tie it up, but SA still had plenty of time. Why didn't they go to Duncan? The man had 41 points in the game! They should have gotten him the ball. My bet is that he could at least have gotten to the line.

So, let's see. I say the Pistons in seven and the Mavericks in seven. That Suns-Mavs series is going to be really fun.

I've got the Heat and Macs both in 6... but both series will be interesting.

Well, the Mavs have our votes, but we're split in the East here, I'm sticking to the Pistons in 7, though, they have kept that core group together for a while now. That is the edge in the series, the (current) talent levels are about equal.

So what hapened to the Mavericks last night

I don't know, but I'm pulling for them to go all the way. As you probably already know, owner Mark Cuban is an Indiana University alum.
:party-smiley-018:

The Mavs were up much of the 4th quarter, but they just failed to close it out, much like the loss they had to the Spurs. I don't think that kind of thing will happen again. Diaw was the big player in the 4th, and I don't think he can have but maybe 1 more performance like that.

The Heat are getting worked right now. They had only 12 points in the first quarter compared to 33 in Game 1. I picked the Pistons in this game, and looks like that's going to happen so far.

The Pistons look bad. They let an 18 point lead dwindle down to two in the fourth quarter and only got three points from their bence. Someone needs to step up or the starters are going to get fatigued. They still have no answer for Dwyane Wade.

I just like watching two teams like Dallas and Phoenix play. It's fun basketball, and reminds me a lot of the 1980's style. By the way, for you younger people out there, this point production is nuthin'. The Denver Nuggets in the early 1980's went an entire season where they were NEVER held under 100 points. Another season they averaged 126 points a game. Three players with 20+ points a game: Alex English, Kiki Vandeweghe, and Dan Issel. They were the ultimate run-and-gun team.

I was hiding out in the woods over the weekend, what were the big events in the NBA playoffs? I see that Detroit is on the verge of being eliminated (they've been there before) and that the Mavs/Suns are tied up at 2 each. Anythign worthwhile that I have missed?

I haven't been able to watch but 2 games , as I've been busy with Basketball. So that's why I haven't posted anything. So I guess one of the other guys can come fill you in. I think Detroit wns tonight, and the Mavs win their next two.

[Edited on 5/31/2006 by GiantsFan]

The Pistons were finally able to control Wade last night. They need to stick with that zone defense for sure. After seeing some of this series, I'm convinced that the Pistons are not the team they were last year or even two years ago. That defense is just not as impressive. Perhaps Larry Brown made that team great--or should I say, greater. I'll say one good thing about the Pistons, though. Tayshaun Prince is becoming the best player on that team. He is their go-to guy.

For the finals, I think Phoenix can beat Detroit, but not Miami. Shaq would decimate them. As for Dallas, they could handle Miami better, but not so much Detroit. The matchups will be interesting regardless.

Don't count the Pistons out just yet, the Heat may be a talented team with a lot of all-stars, but they are old (excepting Wade), and the Pistons have more rings than the Heat...

Look for the Mavs to rebound and take control of the series this evening. I'm gonna try to go out and catch the game on TV somewhere...

I got to see the end of the Mavs game tonight. I tuned in with 6 minutes left, and Dirk only having 41 points. He ended up setting a career high, and a season-playoff high 50 points. So in response to the Suns bashing of the Mavs, the Mavs responded to beat them 117-101.

So Miami wins tomorrow night, foloowed by the mavs finishing the series. Wow, this might actualy be the first Championship series I get right It seems like every year the team I pick, besides the Pistons, always falls.

Finally getting to watch a game. Miami is us 22-16 at the moment...

With a 95-78 win over the Detroit Pistons, the Heat will be making a trip to the finals. Shaq played extremely well, having 28 points and 16 rebounds. Wade had 14 points and 10 assists. For the Pistons, RIP Hamilton led the team with 33 points. The heat advance to face the winner of the Mavs and Suns series.

If only the Mavs can win tomorrow it'll be the first time in history I get both series right, and in the correct amount of games. After the Suns embarrassed the Mavs, I wondered how they would respond. I expected a win, and got a 50 point game out of Dirk. i think the Mavs confidence will pus them into the Finals tomorrow night.

Another cool thing if the Mavs win, both teams would be in the finals for the first time in thier respective histories. I wonder how long it has been since that has happened...research time!

OK, according to the list of previous NBA champions on NBA.com, after the 1974-1975 season, the Golden State Warriors met the Washington Bullets in the Finals. Both teams had previously been to the Finals, but at the time were located in different cities (San Francisco and Philadelphia for the Warriors, and Baltimore for the Bullets). So that kinda counts.

Prior to that, there was the 1950-1951 season, in which the Rochester Royals beat the New York Knicks. Also, after the 1948-49 season, the Minneapolis Lakers beat the Washinton Capitols. And of course the first season in NBA history, 1946-1947, when the Philadelphia Warriors beat the Chicago Stags.

So, there you have it, only 3 times in the past have both teams in the Finals been there for the first time ever.

Go Dallas!

So my predictions came through, and the mavs won tonight in Game 6 to advance to the NBA finals. The Mavs scored 40 points in the 4th quarter to lead them to a 102-93 win, after the Suns opened stron leading 29-14. The Mavs advance to face the heat in the NBA Finals. As Gibbs, pointed out, neither team has reached the NBA finals in their franchise histories.