The mid-season thread seems to have magically closed itself, so here's the new one...

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Lakers go hard! That game was awesome. I'll say it again, NOBODY is playing like that right now. NOBODY. Most teams, even the good ones, are looking tired and slow, ready to be done with the regular season. The Lakers are just killin' everybody and lookin' relaxed while doin' it.

Y'alls a bunch of HAAAAATERRRRRRS!

Go bulls................I love 2 see Phil Jackson go out with his 4th 3-peat.

I hated this season of b-ball. The Raptors sucked so bad we couldn't stand to watch the last 20 games or more.

I'm now rooting to Miami or Boston to take it all

And, thank god baseball starts tonight.

Effa baseball!

I just want the Knicks to give a consistent effort on the defensive end.

uPtoWnNY said:

I just want the Knicks to give a consistent effort on the defensive end.

And they aren't, they're just scoring enough points to win. If they miss a few more shots they'll be back to losing.

Chicago won their 11th straight.

Lakers won their ninth and are 17-1 since the All-Star break.

Man, I would LOVE to see them meet in the finals. Not gonna get too excited about it yet. But I'd love to see it.

Is anyone gonna be able to stop the Lakers?

SonOfSoul said:

Is anyone gonna be able to stop the Lakers?

I don't think so, not the way they're playing right now. Admittedly, I'm a big Laker fan, but I watch A LOT of basketball (any two teams, really) and I think the Lakers are playing better right now than they were this time either of the previous two seasons.

Cerebus said:

SonOfSoul said:

Is anyone gonna be able to stop the Lakers?

I don't think so, not the way they're playing right now. Admittedly, I'm a big Laker fan, but I watch A LOT of basketball (any two teams, really) and I think the Lakers are playing better right now than they were this time either of the previous two seasons.

The Lakers looked like they were going through the motions just before the All Star break, but since then they got down to business and took their game to another level. The Spurs got off to that huge start, but it seems like fatigue (and maybe age) is catching up to them. Unless Dallas or Oklahoma City get on a huge roll in the playoffs, I don't see anybody beating the Lakers out of the Western Conference.

Cerebus said:

Chicago won their 11th straight.

Actually, the Bulls lost earlier this week to the 76ers. They won a huge game against Atlanta and beat Memphis and Milwaukee shortly afterward before having a huge mental letdown agaist Philly. But at any rate, they have a fairly easy schedule down the stretch when it comes to holding on the top spot in the Eastern Conference. They have only three games remaining against playoff and potential playoff teams, which are against the Celtics, Magic, and Knicks. They get the Celtics at home next Thursday night but have to play Orlando and the Knicks on the road the following Sunday and Tuesday before ending the regular season at home against New Jersey.

In the West, I only see the new look Thunder really putting a challenge to the Lakers.

I'm happy the Sixers are in the post season and they at least look

like a professional basketball team this season. A lot of good young

talent but no real elite superstar. Doug Collins has done an excellent

job with this team where Eddie Jordan failed miserably last season.

My bad, Bull won their 11th straight VS THE PISTONS. I thought it was odd that I hadn't heard a win streak mentioned while watching their games.

If Boston plays to their full potential I think they'll come out of the East this season. If they don't I think it will be Chicago. Orlando is not a solid team right now. Good in the East, but not really that good. But I'm not making any predictions for the East yet because teams are either young and untested or old and tired.

West, its the Lakers unless another team takes it up a couple of notches real quick like. I really dig OKC, too, but they're not as a good a team from top to bottom as the Lakers. Dallas, please, the Lakers just punked them. Portland might be a good challange for the Lakers, though.

Cerebus said:

My bad, Bull won their 11th straight VS THE PISTONS. I thought it was odd that I hadn't heard a win streak mentioned while watching their games.

If Boston plays to their full potential I think they'll come out of the East this season. If they don't I think it will be Chicago. Orlando is not a solid team right now. Good in the East, but not really that good. But I'm not making any predictions for the East yet because teams are either young and untested or old and tired.

West, its the Lakers unless another team takes it up a couple of notches real quick like. I really dig OKC, too, but they're not as a good a team from top to bottom as the Lakers. Dallas, please, the Lakers just punked them. Portland might be a good challange for the Lakers, though.

Dallas has been historically a good regular season team with post season failures

with the exception being their lone Finals appearance against the Miami Heat a few

years back.

phunkdaddy said:

Cerebus said:

My bad, Bull won their 11th straight VS THE PISTONS. I thought it was odd that I hadn't heard a win streak mentioned while watching their games.

If Boston plays to their full potential I think they'll come out of the East this season. If they don't I think it will be Chicago. Orlando is not a solid team right now. Good in the East, but not really that good. But I'm not making any predictions for the East yet because teams are either young and untested or old and tired.

West, its the Lakers unless another team takes it up a couple of notches real quick like. I really dig OKC, too, but they're not as a good a team from top to bottom as the Lakers. Dallas, please, the Lakers just punked them. Portland might be a good challange for the Lakers, though.

Dallas has been historically a good regular season team with post season failures

with the exception being their lone Finals appearance against the Miami Heat a few

years back.

Hey, I'm a Warriors fan, you don't have to remind me! Best time I've had watching the Warriors in the last decade, at least!

Phili just lost to the Bucks. That's not sexy.

How are they gonna not have ANY games scheduled tonight. The Lakers lose AND I have to wait a day to watch more basketball. razzafrazzgrumblegrumble

Cerebus said:

How are they gonna not have ANY games scheduled tonight. The Lakers lose AND I have to wait a day to watch more basketball. razzafrazzgrumblegrumble

They never schedule games on Championship Monday.

SonOfSoul said:

Cerebus said:

How are they gonna not have ANY games scheduled tonight. The Lakers lose AND I have to wait a day to watch more basketball. razzafrazzgrumblegrumble

They never schedule games on Championship Monday.

Ooooooh! Wow. That makes sense. I have friends coming over tonight and they were like, "No basketball! Really? (excitedly ) Why is that?" And I didn't know. I watch absolutely NO college sports. In fact, I do a damn fine job of completely ignoring everything about them.

The Knicks are back in the playoffs since 2004(those Marbury/Isiah Knicks were a disaster). I know they're not getting out of the first round, but at least make Boston or Miami sweat.

Virgo92 said:

I hope my Chicago Bulls can win it all. And Derrick is gonna win the MVP.

I love the Bulls but a team where the point guard leads the team is EVERY thing except rebounding is NOT going 2 win a title. They might have a hard time getting out of the 1st round.

Graycap23 said:

Virgo92 said:

I hope my Chicago Bulls can win it all. And Derrick is gonna win the MVP.

I love the Bulls but a team where the point guard leads the team is EVERY thing except rebounding is NOT going 2 win a title. They might have a hard time getting out of the 1st round.

You think so? About the first round I mean. They beat everybody in the East already. I'm expecting them to go pretty far and won't be surprised if they make it out of the East.

I mean, they ain't the Knicks for sure. Sorry uptown. I'm happy they're in the playoffs, though.

Sad about Shaq. I didn't want to see dude go out like this. I always expecting him to be around forever, but he's 39 now and seems to be built of porcelain. I'm actually hoping he retires this off season.

Cerebus said:

Graycap23 said:

I love the Bulls but a team where the point guard leads the team is EVERY thing except rebounding is NOT going 2 win a title. They might have a hard time getting out of the 1st round.

You think so? About the first round I mean. They beat everybody in the East already. I'm expecting them to go pretty far and won't be surprised if they make it out of the East.

I mean, they ain't the Knicks for sure. Sorry uptown. I'm happy they're in the playoffs, though.

Sad about Shaq. I didn't want to see dude go out like this. I always expecting him to be around forever, but he's 39 now and seems to be built of porcelain. I'm actually hoping he retires this off season.

Re Graycap and the Bulls theory, you obviously may very well be right, but I think they are the team to beat. They're young, energetic, well coached, and they play extremely well together. They are definitely a team I can get behind if mine doesn't make it. (I fear my Celtics are a bit too old for them. But we'll see)....

Cerebus, re- Shaq retiring why do you want to see that? Is it just because he keeps getting banged up? I have no idea why but I actually love seeing him around the Celts and hope he stays.

Cerebus said:

Graycap23 said:

I love the Bulls but a team where the point guard leads the team is EVERY thing except rebounding is NOT going 2 win a title. They might have a hard time getting out of the 1st round.

You think so? About the first round I mean. They beat everybody in the East already. I'm expecting them to go pretty far and won't be surprised if they make it out of the East.

I mean, they ain't the Knicks for sure. Sorry uptown. I'm happy they're in the playoffs, though.

Sad about Shaq. I didn't want to see dude go out like this. I always expecting him to be around forever, but he's 39 now and seems to be built of porcelain. I'm actually hoping he retires this off season.

All teams have 2 do is double team Rose at the end of close games, get the ball out of his hands, and the rest of the team will FOLD like a cheap lawn chair.

Graycap23 said:

All teams have 2 do is double team Rose at the end of close games, get the ball out of his hands, and the rest of the team will FOLD like a cheap lawn chair.

Well, I certainly hope you're right about that! But the Bulls have played the Celtics a lot tougher in the previous few years with what I think was a much thinner team than the one they have now.

Fenwick said:

Graycap23 said:

All teams have 2 do is double team Rose at the end of close games, get the ball out of his hands, and the rest of the team will FOLD like a cheap lawn chair.

Well, I certainly hope you're right about that! But the Bulls have played the Celtics a lot tougher in the previous few years with what I think was a much thinner team than the one they have now.

Lol.......I certainly hope I'm WRONG but my $$$ says otherwise.

Graycap23 said:

Cerebus said:

You think so? About the first round I mean. They beat everybody in the East already. I'm expecting them to go pretty far and won't be surprised if they make it out of the East.

I mean, they ain't the Knicks for sure. Sorry uptown. I'm happy they're in the playoffs, though.

Sad about Shaq. I didn't want to see dude go out like this. I always expecting him to be around forever, but he's 39 now and seems to be built of porcelain. I'm actually hoping he retires this off season.

All teams have 2 do is double team Rose at the end of close games, get the ball out of his hands, and the rest of the team will FOLD like a cheap lawn chair.

Dude, all WHAT teams? They're in first place. They've won 56 out of 76 games. I believe they've already beat every team in the East and most of 'em in the West. That theory doesn't hold water.

Fenwick said:

Cerebus said:

You think so? About the first round I mean. They beat everybody in the East already. I'm expecting them to go pretty far and won't be surprised if they make it out of the East.

I mean, they ain't the Knicks for sure. Sorry uptown. I'm happy they're in the playoffs, though.

Sad about Shaq. I didn't want to see dude go out like this. I always expecting him to be around forever, but he's 39 now and seems to be built of porcelain. I'm actually hoping he retires this off season.

Re Graycap and the Bulls theory, you obviously may very well be right, but I think they are the team to beat. They're young, energetic, well coached, and they play extremely well together. They are definitely a team I can get behind if mine doesn't make it. (I fear my Celtics are a bit too old for them. But we'll see)....

Cerebus, re- Shaq retiring why do you want to see that? Is it just because he keeps getting banged up? I have no idea why but I actually love seeing him around the Celts and hope he stays.

Yeah, Shaq WAS Superman. Now he's not even worthy of sidekick status. I hate watching great players play too long and Shaq is definitely there. I never expected to see him ride the bench. Contstantly being hurt AND riding the bench is even worse.

Cerebus said:

Graycap23 said:

All teams have 2 do is double team Rose at the end of close games, get the ball out of his hands, and the rest of the team will FOLD like a cheap lawn chair.

Dude, all WHAT teams? They're in first place. They've won 56 out of 76 games. I believe they've already beat every team in the East and most of 'em in the West. That theory doesn't hold water.

I'm talking about the playoffs.