I hate it in all sports when they say no team has done this or that. The come from behind, or been down 2 games then win it all. The NBA especially, they keep changing the format and adding games, so history has no bearing on the present. TV annalist all use the same talking points. It’s junk.

I always forget how physical the playoffs are, until I see a few games. LeBron James is getting hit way more than Chris Paul. Roy will get pounded for sure.

I thought the hornets would beat the spurs BEFORE they won a single game, and I sticking to that, although Parker and Ginobli came out with that fast paced game that I haven’t really seen since they out ran the Suns (dang that was an awesome play-off series).

The Spurs are a funny team. They really don’t play full out until the play-offs and then they just turn it up a few more notches. They also have the ability to move players around and throw off the game plan of other coaches (see ginobli off the bench or starting and the slow game vs the running game), so it’s easy to believe they’re old and slow and then they obliterate the opponent.

I also believe the Jazz is a weak team and not consistent enough to deserve to be in it. I still say last year was a fluke because golden state beat dallas.

I may regret the NO over Spurs, but not LA over Jazz. Kobe has too much desire to let it slip away (assuming the back injury doesn’t kill him).

And i have more thoughts that I’m going to copy and past into the oden post because I rambled onto the Oden topic.

I find it laughable at the amount of flagrants called in the playoffs – half of those weren’t even flagrants.

It’s disgusting and there is a very great derogative term I use when describing what David Stern has done with all these flagrants and no-contact play that is happening.

Michael Jordan got hit a lot harder when going to the rim than Lebron James ever has or ever will be, but noooo, we gotta protect the would be “savior” of the NBA.

our whole team is.. outside of joel…i keep hearing how much of a beast greg will be in the post… have you been watching the same kid ive been watching..he is all about respect , awe and humility..can he turn into a monster that will take no smack… doubt it..we do need maybe one thug in the paint beside the thrilla

Some blazersedgers are probably tired of hearing me harp on this issue. If you check out my past posts, my mantra all season has been the need for the Blazers to be tougher. It’s easy to forget just how physical the playoffs are. It truly is a different sport altogether-a kind of cross between regular season basketball and rugby. My concern is that KP-a former point guard—has constructed the Blazers’ roster without sufficient concern for this reality. No, you don’t need a bench full of “thugs.” But you need a team that is tough from top to bottom, including a few guys that absolutely no one wants to mess with.

I don’t share the concern of some blazersedgers about Greg Oden. I suspect he’ll prove to be plenty tough. And some others-e.g., LMA-I expect to grow tougher with age. Having said that, some of these guys may need to go before this team is ready for the rough test of the playoffs. It’s a jungle out there.

Here is a great John Hollinger piece about the likelyhood of the Cav,Jazz, and Spurs winning their respective series (all being tied 2-2, home team winning all games). 17.5% chance (based on the past performance in th esame scenario). Good read

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=SpursHornets_080513