Why so silent.....

[Hsaru]

I'm pulling a MarkGrace and I posted here first btw.

[DrumNFeather]

I didn't like the tech on Dwight Howard. While I don't think you should be allowed to openly taunt people, you should be able to react if someone is mugging you and you get frustrated. Happens to LeBron and others all the time with no consequence.

[Surfah]

Man these playoffs have been awesome despite all of the calls. Seriously, the techs, the FTs all make the game very difficult to watch. I thought the refs tried to give it to the Cavs at the end. The foul by Pietrus on Lebron that sent him to the line with 0.5 was questionable. If there's a no call on the other end on Varejao then that should have been a no call as well. Either way, the Magic are the better team.

I think the Eastern Conference has been exposed again. I think that between Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando you probably have 3 of the best 6 teams in the NBA. But the gap between those three and the rest of their conference is huge. If the Lakers played in the East this year they could have made a run at the Bulls' mark.

Still these playoffs have been really fun to watch. The last play of the game deciding the outcome in nearly every one.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

One thing that has become apparent in this series is that Boston still has the capability to make a serious title run next year. They almost closed out Orlando in six games in a very tight series when Brian Scalabrine was their first big man coming off the bench. If Leon Powe doesn't get injured in the Chicago series, Boston could have taken out Orlando. And given the fact that Cleveland is apparently a paper tiger, Boston could have made it to the Finals again.

Boston defended Orlando significantly better than Cleveland has. Turkoglu, Lewis, Lee and Pietrus are all effective three point shooters and I just don't remember Orlando getting a ton of open shots against Boston. I think Rondo just caused a lot of problems for Orlando along the perimeter. Redick got significant minutes against Boston in the hopes that he could hit some outside shots because Boston was controling the perimeter so well.

I can see Orlando choking out Cleveland in the next game. The real rivalry over the next couple years in the Eastern Conference will be Orlando v. Boston. Orlando is going to continue getting better (especially when Jameer Nelson is back) and Boston was gutted with injuries this postseason. Cleveland has probably hit their ceiling.

[Surfah]

One thing that has become apparent in this series is that Boston still has the capability to make a serious title run next year. They almost closed out Orlando in six games in a very tight series when Brian Scalabrine was their first big man coming off the bench. If Leon Powe doesn't get injured in the Chicago series, Boston could have taken out Orlando. And given the fact that Cleveland is apparently a paper tiger, Boston could have made it to the Finals again.

Boston defended Orlando significantly better than Cleveland has. Turkoglu, Lewis, Lee and Pietrus are all effective three point shooters and I just don't remember Orlando getting a ton of open shots against Boston. I think Rondo just caused a lot of problems for Orlando along the perimeter. Redick got significant minutes against Boston in the hopes that he could hit some outside shots because Boston was controling the perimeter so well.

I can see Orlando choking out Cleveland in the next game. The real rivalry over the next couple years in the Eastern Conference will be Orlando v. Boston. Orlando is going to continue getting better (especially when Jameer Nelson is back) and Boston was gutted with injuries this postseason. Cleveland has probably hit their ceiling.

You're probably right, thought the Celtics only have another year or two, maybe three.

[Donuthole]

So one of the basketball threads had a thing about second bananas. Who is the second banana in Orlando? They might be the best team in the NBA right now. Howard is the star, is it Turkeyglue or Lewis or And1 Mix Tape?

I think Lewis is a solid second-banana. Dude averaged nearly 18 ppg this season, and has stepped it up to 20 while hitting some big shots this post season. This postseason he is constantly surprising me with his ability to score in creative ways. He certainly doesn't produce enough to merit his salary (few do, really) but it's not his fault someone was stupid enough to pay superstar money to a second banana.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I think Lewis is a solid second-banana. Dude averaged nearly 20ppg this season, and has hit some big shots this post season. This postseason he is constantly surprising me with his ability to score in creative ways. He certainly doesn't produce enough to merit his salary (few do, really) but it's not his fault someone was stupid enough to pay superstar money to a second banana.

Lewis has gone from really good third banana to a second banana during this postseason. He's hitting 40% from the three point line during the postseason, including 57.9% in the conference finals alone.

Turkoglu is a great third banana. And Orlando's bench is very solid with Pietrus, Lee, and Gortat.

[Surfah]

I didn't like the tech on Dwight Howard. While I don't think you should be allowed to openly taunt people, you should be able to react if someone is mugging you and you get frustrated. Happens to LeBron and others all the time with no consequence.

Now that tech has been rescinded. This is ridiculous. The league and the refs are looking foolish.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4210088

[smokymountainrain]

Lewis has gone from really good third banana to a second banana during this postseason. He's hitting 40% from the three point line during the postseason, including 57.9% in the conference finals alone.

Turkoglu is a great third banana. And Orlando's bench is very solid with Pietrus, Lee, and Gortat.

You could make an argument that Hedo is another second banana type player on that team. He had a bit of a down year this year (17, 5 and 5), but just last year he got 20 6 and 5 on 46% FGs. Plus, he's proven to be a go to guy down the stretch.