Most fearless prediction in OTR history

[Multi-Billionaire]

Celtics over Lakers in 5...

 

Trust Snake's crystal ball...

 

 

Who's with me?

[Clutch]

even more fearless predictions from me:

 

lakers sweep celtics

[Check my Stats]

Celtics will win but not in 5.

[Sun Tzu]

Even more fearless preduction in OTR History:

 

Suns sweep Magic in NBA finals

[Multi-Billionaire]

This is not because I hate Lakers, although thesedays nothing tops Jazz fans in that department.

 

C's defense is getting better every game. JVG and Mark Jackson kept questioning Magic's heart and effort... it's like they're befuddled by what could cause it. To me, it's very clear... it's the C's defense that simply locks down basically EVERY single thing they try to do on offense. When a team like Magic who have been dominating and doing so much from outside (three pt shooters) to inside (Dwight) and having both taken away, players are gonna be frustrated... what are you supposed to do when you CAN'T do ANYthing? It's not like the Magic have been great and in ECF all of a sudden they threw the towel in and gave up. The Celtics made them give up.

 

We've seen Celtics do this basically to 2 teams on a mission this year 2 in a row... it's impressive.

 

 

Throw Phil Jackson, throw Kobe, throw Gasol, throw in Odom's rebounding, throw in their length, clutch plays...

 

I'll take C's defense over all those any day. I remember T-Mac (who once scored 13 pts in 35 secs on Spurs, which were still great defensively then) said he had never seen defense like C's... that speaks volume.

[Multi-Billionaire]

This will feel a lot like Detroit in 2004... Kobe will say, "damn I have a DejaVu" =D

 

Kobe will jack up perimeter shots after perimeter shots because none of them can't throw the ball in to Gasol or Bynum... similar to what happened in 2004 when they couldn't throw in to Shaq, and now the Magic can't throw in to Dwight.

 

Basically C's are leaving teams to score off scraps (defensive breakdowns, which are rare), which is just badass.

[SRT Spidey]

Celtics will win the title by shocking the Lakers with some wins in their building, Celtics been playing incredible on the road and even better at home.

[Check my Stats]

Didn't watch the game today very closely since it was over in the first Q, but I saw them comparing their playoff stats to the first 27 games when they were 22-5. The Celtics we saw for the regular season are not the team we are seeing these playoffs, these Celtics are not a 50 win team, these Celtics are a championship team, and there isn't a PG left in these playoffs that is going to be able to contain Rondo the way he is playing. It will be interesting to see if Kobe can step up in the finals and shut him down.

[Multi-Billionaire]

^Exactly...

 

Just saying the Laker fans (cough kingfish cough) who say Lakers beat Celtics at home in regular season, it was the regular season. These Celtics could be even better than the 2008 version, mostly because Rondo is more creative on offense and they still maintain an elite level of defense.

[Guru]

Lakers in 5, go ahead and quote me

[Poe]

It was obvious to me who would win the ECF and WCF. The NBA Finals will be more interesting, however. I'm still too unsure to make a prediction.

Edited May 23, 2010 by Poe

[Check my Stats]

It was obvious to me who would win the ECF and WCF. The NBA Finals will be more interesting, however. I'm still too unsure to make a prediction.

 

Lol? It was obvious the Celtics would smash the Magic? Ok.....

[Poe]

Lol? It was obvious the Celtics would smash the Magic? Ok.....

I didn't say that, don't put words in my mouth. I knew who would win, though I never predicted a possible sweep.

[Real Deal]

Boston shuts down teams that rely heavily on the jumpshot. They are holding teams to .319 shooting from downtown.

 

Cleveland is a three-point shooting team, and so is Orlando. The Heat weren't contenders, so they were going to lose to Boston to begin with.

 

1) Los Angeles isn't a three-point shooting team. They get a ton of points in the paint using screen and rolls and simply dropping the ball down low and letting the bigs do work, something Cleveland and Orlando don't practice.

 

2) They have a perimeter player in Kobe that won't have to drive through Perkins and Garnett to get his points. It's Ray and Tony, or Kobe gets 30+ a game.

 

3) Instead of Vladimir Radmanovic defending Perkins and standing in the paint, it will be Andrew Bynum.

 

4) Instead of Luke Walton defending Paul Pierce, it will be Ron Artest.

 

This team is a much different squad than the 2008 Lakers. You can remember 2008 all you want, but the fact is, if Kobe shuts down Rondo, the Celtics' offense is busted. He can do it.

[YugoRocketsFan]

^Exactly...

 

Just saying the Laker fans (cough kingfish cough) who say Lakers beat Celtics at home in regular season, it was the regular season. These Celtics could be even better than the 2008 version, mostly because Rondo is more creative on offense and they still maintain an elite level of defense.

 

Meh, dont even say Laker fans, Kingfish uses the dumbest reasons to justify an opinion, the more intelligent Laker fans will know that they arent facing the same Celtics team.

[YugoRocketsFan]

Boston shuts down teams that rely heavily on the jumpshot. They are holding teams to .319 shooting from downtown.

 

Cleveland is a three-point shooting team, and so is Orlando. The Heat weren't contenders, so they were going to lose to Boston to begin with.

 

1) Los Angeles isn't a three-point shooting team. They get a ton of points in the paint using screen and rolls and simply dropping the ball down low and letting the bigs do work, something Cleveland and Orlando don't practice.

 

2) They have a perimeter player in Kobe that won't have to drive through Perkins and Garnett to get his points. It's Ray and Tony, or Kobe gets 30+ a game.

 

3) Instead of Vladimir Radmanovic defending Perkins and standing in the paint, it will be Andrew Bynum.

 

4) Instead of Luke Walton defending Paul Pierce, it will be Ron Artest.

 

This team is a much different squad than the 2008 Lakers. You can remember 2008 all you want, but the fact is, if Kobe shuts down Rondo, the Celtics' offense is busted. He can do it.

 

Well you cannot automatically assume that just because Kobe shut down Westbrook, that means he will automatically shut down Rondo, Rondo is much better player than Westbrook, and will still be able to pass regardless of who defends him.

 

The Lakers arent a 3 point shooting team, but its where the Lakers get a decent percentage of their points, if you take away the 3 point shot from Artest or Fisher, they will be useless, the Laker bench also consists of 3 point shooters (your favorite player Sasha Vujacic ), 3 point shooting is the difference between the Lakers bench performing well. I know you will bring up Odom, but that is just one player and you need more than one person off your bench to score.

 

Andrew Bynum in the post instead of Radmanovic? Sure that is an improvement but if you look at what the Celtics are doing to the Magic who have Dwight Howard, I personally wouldn't be too confident about the Celtics not scoring in the post.

 

While Ron Artest also will defend Pierce, you seem to forget that the Celtics team has just way too many options, anyone on that team can consistently score, even Perkins has his nights, you are definitely right, if Artest does a good job on Pierce defensively, same with Kobe on Rondo then yes the Lakers will win, but I really wouldn't count on it because the Celtics just have too many options.

Edited May 23, 2010 by YugoRocketsFan

[Warren2ThaG]

Can't wait for it all to happen, this board will be popping with suspensions after the finals. Popping like pop pop.

 

Someone change your username to PopPoP!

[Real Deal]

I'm not worried about our post scoring, mainly because the Magic have a guy who has maybe one or two total post moves in Dwight Howard (not much of an offensive game other than forcing his way to the rim and dunking). And...well, that's it.

 

LA has Bynum, who is a much, much better offensive player in the post, and Gasol, who is easily one of the best in the NBA (both left and right-handed, excellent footwork, high IQ player). Sticking both in the post is different than having Howard and...?

 

In their two meetings this year, Perkins vs. Bynum, Drew has scored 19 points, 11 boards in 33 minutes (first game) and 14 points, 9 boards in 27 minutes (second game). I'm not worried about Perkins on Drew.

 

On the other hand, in the game where Gasol wasn't in foul trouble (Bynum's 14/9 game), he dropped 22 points and 7 boards.

 

You say Boston has way too many scoring options. Pierce, Allen, Rondo, Garnett. The other two, Perkins and Wallace, aren't going to be threats throughout the entire series. They won't even get the opportunities like those others. The Lakers have Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Odom...and by the way he was playing last series, it could be Ron (since his hand is healed).

 

Basically, here's the key: Boston will eventually have to double Bryant. We won't need to double anyone. Where LeBron and Wade didn't have the extra scoring options, Kobe does...by about 3-4 teammates. That's a massive difference.

[KurbyFX]

So, if Kobe is on Rondo and Artest is on Pierce... going to put Fish on Ray? Lol. The mis-matches favor the Cs right now.

 

You definitely can't use previous games to gauge this playoff matchup. The Cs haven't played like this caliber of a team in a LONG LONG time. They're actually KEEPING the lead and continuing to push it. Didn't the Cs blow the most double digit leads in the regular season (I'm not sure about this one)

[Real Deal]

So, if Kobe is on Rondo and Artest is on Pierce... going to put Fish on Ray? Lol. The mis-matches favor the Cs right now.

 

You definitely can't use previous games to gauge this playoff matchup. The Cs haven't played like this caliber of a team in a LONG LONG time. They're actually KEEPING the lead and continuing to push it. Didn't the Cs blow the most double digit leads in the regular season (I'm not sure about this one)

Ray Allen and Derek Fisher have the same knees. I guess you haven't seen what Fisher is doing to Nash. He's forcing him into turnovers (9 total in two games), limiting him to 13 and 11 points in the first two games, and also just five total free throw attempts.

 

Nash is a better player than Ray...faster, smarter, and possibly a better shooter. Allen has also shot under 43% in the last two rounds he's played in (this current one, and Cleveland), so I'm not going to worry at all.

[Big Penny]

The Lakers arent a 3 point shooting team, but its where the Lakers get a decent percentage of their points, if you take away the 3 point shot from Artest or Fisher, they will be useless, the Laker bench also consists of 3 point shooters (your favorite player Sasha Vujacic ), 3 point shooting is the difference between the Lakers bench performing well. I know you will bring up Odom, but that is just one player and you need more than one person off your bench to score.

???

 

Fisher and Artest brick 3s regularly... there's been plenty of games where they've both gone 0-5 or 1-6. sure, we're much better when they're hitting their shots, but we still win those games. and the bench doesn't exactly consist of 3 point shooters... Shannon and Farmar are hardly sharpshooters, Odom is a very incosistent 3pt shooter and those 3 are the only ones who get consistent PT.

Edited May 23, 2010 by UnoCinco

[Check my Stats]

Lol I will love to see Fisher try and chase Allen around multiple screens. Both teams will have mismatches on both ends of the floor so it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

[YugoRocketsFan]

I'm not worried about our post scoring, mainly because the Magic have a guy who has maybe one or two total post moves in Dwight Howard (not much of an offensive game other than forcing his way to the rim and dunking). And...well, that's it.

 

LA has Bynum, who is a much, much better offensive player in the post, and Gasol, who is easily one of the best in the NBA (both left and right-handed, excellent footwork, high IQ player). Sticking both in the post is different than having Howard and...?

 

In their two meetings this year, Perkins vs. Bynum, Drew has scored 19 points, 11 boards in 33 minutes (first game) and 14 points, 9 boards in 27 minutes (second game). I'm not worried about Perkins on Drew.

 

On the other hand, in the game where Gasol wasn't in foul trouble (Bynum's 14/9 game), he dropped 22 points and 7 boards.

 

You say Boston has way too many scoring options. Pierce, Allen, Rondo, Garnett. The other two, Perkins and Wallace, aren't going to be threats throughout the entire series. They won't even get the opportunities like those others. The Lakers have Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Odom...and by the way he was playing last series, it could be Ron (since his hand is healed).

 

Basically, here's the key: Boston will eventually have to double Bryant. We won't need to double anyone. Where LeBron and Wade didn't have the extra scoring options, Kobe does...by about 3-4 teammates. That's a massive difference.

 

I do not see Ron doing well at all vs the Celtics, he might be doing good vs the Suns right now, but remember its the Suns, anyone can have good games against them.

[YugoRocketsFan]

???

 

Fisher and Artest brick 3s regularly... there's been plenty of games where they've both gone 0-5 or 1-6. sure, we're much better when they're hitting their shots, but we still win those games. and the bench doesn't exactly consist of 3 point shooters... Shannon and Farmar are hardly sharpshooters, Odom is a very incosistent 3pt shooter and those 3 are the only ones who get consistent PT.

 

I dont think I ever called them sharpshooters, I said they relied on their 3 point shot which is true, both Farmar and Brown get a lot of their points from 3 pointers (Farmar has 24 field goals made in the playoffs, 14 of them 3 pointers, Brown has 29 field goals, 8 of them 3 pointers, which isnt as much, but you will definitely see Brown with more 3 point attempts in the final. I also did mention that Odom isnt the only one who relies on 3 pointers.

[Real Deal]

I do not see Ron doing well at all vs the Celtics, he might be doing good vs the Suns right now, but remember its the Suns, anyone can have good games against them.

Depends on who is guarding Ron, and how much pressure the Celtics put on Bryant. If they leave Ron open, there's a chance he'll light them up.

 

I will admit I was somewhat wrong (because it was through that injury) when I said Ron wasn't able to hit wide-open shots. He does miss a few, but he was shooting 40% from three before he was injured, if I remember right, and he showed he could do it the other night as well.