The Playoffs are set in stone
And slamonline will be ready
Finally, we know. Rather than dig through last night’s 14 game-28 team garbage time festival, let’s look to the future. Russ has game notes from Nets-Bulls, the Eastern Conference game on which everything was dependent. Out West the Warriors took care of business behind 31 from Stephen Jackson, and the Clippers lost anyway. GOLDEN STATE is back after 13 years.
Slamonline’s coverage of this year’s NBA playoffs is going to be thorough. I am using the powers of delegation to manage our way through the real NBA season, much like a corrupt CEO. Or I could say I’m putting the team first. I will explain more in a few hours once everything on our end is finalized.
Still can’t believe there’s going to be a Nets-Raptors series.
62 Responses to “The Playoffs are set in stone”
Apr.19 at 8:10 am
Billy Blanks says:
First!!! Nuggets upset Spurs in 1st Round!!!
Apr.19 at 8:20 am
Chief says:
I agree, Nuggets go all the way this year.
Apr.19 at 8:47 am
h-wag says:
Wow, what was that…
“The D.A.Y. everything played out like it should” or something like that.
When was the last time with that many great match-ups from the first round on…
Apr.19 at 8:50 am
alfy says:
bulls all the way!!
Apr.19 at 9:00 am
solly what says:
Spurs sweep nuggets (while Joey Crawfor breaks his TV)… the real championship will be Spurs/Mavs.
Apr.19 at 9:06 am
James says:
All the West conference ones should be good series!! Thank God theres no Grizzlies this year. I couldnt handle any more sweeps. Plus the matchups in the East aren’t too shabby either. Anyone else thinking this may be one hell of a good season (after all)??
Apr.19 at 9:17 am
Milan says:
Bulls blew it big time.
Apr.19 at 9:24 am
dez says:
I think David Stern knows that the lapse in good basketball that we’ve seen over the last week is necessary bc it gets everybody hyped for the playoffs (good teams).
Can’t appreciate light without dark, or something
Apr.19 at 9:25 am
Ryan Jones says:
What are the odds Warrior Nation actually sobers up in time for their first game?
Apr.19 at 9:35 am
deestarbuckz a.k.a The Notorious H.A.T.E. says:
We got the second seed out in the East!
It us B(#*@es! Go Cavs…
Apr.19 at 9:38 am
Rod Strickland says:
Playoffs aren’t the same without Gil. I’m a saaaddd Wizard fan.
Apr.19 at 9:44 am
Elvis says:
Bulls did blow it for an easy road to the conference finals but they are better than the heat, they just have to play like it.
Apr.19 at 10:03 am
white hot eboy says:
Heat easy, in five! Bit#h boys PJ Brown and Kirk Hinrich dug their own graves by opening their mouths. “We feel very confident we can beat this team” & “Dwyane should never complain about calls because refs made his career” We’ll see. Don’t piss off a sleeping dog! Same thing with the Warriors. There will be brooms out in force for that series. Even though Mavs will get put out by the Spurs later.
Apr.19 at 10:03 am
Cub Buenning says:
Ryan, by the Warrior Nation sobering up, do you mean their GM?
Western Conference Playoff Preview to be posted soon!
Apr.19 at 10:07 am
Billy Blanks says:
My Nugs may not win the series, but they are DEFINITELY not getting swept. AI would never allow that
Apr.19 at 10:16 am
Sam Rubenstein says:
Me and Lang played a Nugs-Spurs game on NBA Live yesterday. The Nuggets won big, but that’s cause I was using them. It got ugly.
Apr.19 at 10:16 am
white hot eboy says:
Billy Blanks, I wish the Nuggets could have drawn the Suns instead because I think they could have pulled that series out. The Spuurs are just too polished and will adjust to each matchup problem they have. Parker and Poison Ivy will be sweet and (fast) to watch and Bowen and Melo will be classic. Nugs should get one game (at least)
Apr.19 at 10:38 am
nic says:
elvis my man, i bleed the red and black, but the bulls season was over on Feb 12 (or whenever the trade deadline was). last night was a perfect example - if you cant slow the game down, you cant win a championship. it was an interesting feeling - yesterday afternoon i finally started sipping on the kool aid, and it was odd to feel the total “basketball heartbreak” at the top of the 4th quarter, as they continued to jump-shoot the season to an end. sam smith mentioned something interesting this morning - the bulls pursuing drew gooden this summer. i feel kind of terrible that im already thinking postseason, but i cant help it…
Apr.19 at 10:41 am
francis says:
I don’t get it…chicago has 4 less wins then detroit, 1 less than cleveland, 2 more than toronto, and 5 more than miama but their a fith seat. Talk about foggy math, they should have been a three. That being said, I still think they handle the heat without much trouble.
Apr.19 at 10:51 am
francis says:
white hot, The bulls beat the heat three out of the last four games this season. I don’t see that changing unless joey crawford show’s up and ejects big ben…or worse ben gorden.
Apr.19 at 10:56 am
white hot eboy says:
Francis, the Bulls are 5 games better than the Heat and that was with the Heat missing Shaq for 40 games, Wade for 31 AND Riley leaving for a quarter of the season. And that’s all the Bulls are better than them by. Plus the Heat openly said all year that they really don’t start to play until the playoffs start. Calculate those numbers and the fact the their HUGE off-season move to get Big Ben has pretty much been a BIG BUST! Heat in 5! Believe it.
Apr.19 at 10:59 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Big Ben hasn’t been THAT much of a bust. Consider that he doesn’t really start to play until the playoffs start, either. Wade is still mighty banged up, and Shaq ain’t what he used to be. Bulls in seven. P.S. I also find it quite funny that Al Harrington had to go from the Pacers to the Warriors to make the playoffs.
Apr.19 at 11:00 am
white hot eboy says:
Francis, also motivation is a huge factor in basketball more so than any other sport because one player can change a game or a series in this sport and the Bulls have NO ONE that can win a game on their own. Sorry, I ain’t hearin’ Ben Gordon. HE can take over a quarter or a good five minute run. But the Bulls two big problems are, no big man/post player and no exclusive go-to-guy. Anyone else on this board who is not a Bulls fan will say the same thing.
Apr.19 at 11:01 am
Keith says:
Guys, can you start playing the NBA PlLayoffs on NBA 2K7 or NBA live and letting us know how you get on? They could be scraily accurate in predicting the outcome of the playoffs.
Although, if what you say is right Sam, the Spurs will get a whupping.
Apr.19 at 11:06 am
Sam Rubenstein says:
We also played Lakers-Suns. I was the Suns and it was another smackdown, although to be fair this Suns team is built for NBA Live. Actually D’Antoni’s whole philosophy is a rip-off of how NBA Live is played.
Apr.19 at 11:10 am
Cub Buenning says:
Or like in NBA Live ‘95 when Spreewell was unstoppable from downtown? Sam, are you just better at the game than Lang?
Apr.19 at 11:12 am
francis says:
white hot: Plus the Heat openly said all year that they really don’t start to play until the playoffs start. Uh, you talk as though the heat have ten years of playoff experience. They don’t have much. What they do have is a coach w/ experience and one two toothless veterans, that’s it. if the mavs hadn’t choked we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Apr.19 at 11:20 am
Keith says:
I thought it was just me that always resorts to Suns fun’n'gun style ball on basketball computer games…apparently D’Antoni is the secret mastermind behind getting a whole new generation following his tactics.
Apr.19 at 11:44 am
deestarbuckz a.k.a The Notorious H.A.T.E. says:
I was hoping the Nuggs would get the Suns just because the Pepsi Center would be rockin’ from start to stop and the action would be up and down! Now it will still be loud, but mostly from the constant booing of Mannnnuuuuuuu!
Apr.19 at 11:45 am
deestarbuckz a.k.a The Notorious H.A.T.E. says:
And it is nice to see a healthy “Too Easy” in the playoffs. No Mavs/Warriors game will end will less than a total of 225 points scored!
Apr.19 at 11:48 am
Slick Nick Da Ruler says:
Rockets get live. T-Mac finally comes out of the first round, and he’s gonna slap around Dallas and Dirk’s ill-conceived MVP when he does so.
Apr.19 at 11:59 am
Dblizzy! says:
Big Ben has been a big bust. He’s smart though. He’s the worst free throw shooter in NBA history, never averaged double figure points for a season in his career, rebounds and blocks have declined each year for the last 5 years and he still managed to get 60 million out of the Bulls! Chandlers numbers are better and on the rise and he’s eight years younger.
Apr.19 at 12:12 pm
Reggie Evans says:
Last night, I had a dream I was watching the playoffs on TV. That’s it. There’s no punchline.
Apr.19 at 12:49 pm
Chris says:
dammit Chicago! The one game I wanted you to win all season you lost, so instead of Toronto getting cupcake Washington we have to face Vince “Now I’m playing hard” Carter, and as a reward you get the heat in the first round and the pistons in the seconds, instead of the 2nd seed playing the nets in the first round and toronto in the second. Congratulations, I hope the heat knock you out in 5.
Apr.19 at 1:07 pm
Vitor says:
So…Don Nelson for coach of the year?
Apr.19 at 1:10 pm
Vitor says:
Sam, have you always owned Lang like that? I remember the old Slam Bowl columns and as far as I can tell, you used to win most of them…so, shouldn’t you be the one hanging out with Duncan and giving him flagged video game magazines?
Apr.19 at 1:14 pm
Mike says:
Excuse me but are you guys actually talking about every other series except for Nets-Raps? This is easily going to be the most intense crazy playoff series of all the first rounders. VC is going to absolutley go off on his old team. Its gonna be insaaaaannnee!!!
Apr.19 at 1:16 pm
Bozaframa says:
I was just saying last night how the warriors starting squad (Baron, Monta, JRich, SJax, Big Al) was like something I would use on NBA Live. So, Al Harrington (who looks like a Ninja Turtle, by the way) as a Center on next year’s all star ballot?
Apr.19 at 1:33 pm
Dallas J. says:
Warriors.. come out and playyyyyy-ee-ayyy!
Mavs in 5. Go Raps and dare I say… GO LAKERS?
Apr.19 at 1:47 pm
1hush D says:
Yo White Hot, I think that heat is getting to your brain. The Mavs sweeping the Warriors? Not a chance. I just wish you were on my private wagering list/thread. But the most important question is…..WHAT GIVES? I thought Nelly swilled PBR in the locker room but I swear he is holding a bud light…we must address this. PBR is a “virtual brewery” but still independent. Budweiser sucks ass.
Apr.19 at 1:49 pm
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
Big Ben doesn’t start playing until the playoffs? What does that even mean? That he will frown extra hard? Clang one shot more off the rim? “Intimidate” harder? Wallace has never had any success defending Shaq, in spite of his alleged defensive prowess - unless you call flopping on every play success. I hate to quote Simmons, but here goes anyway: “• Tyson Chandler: 9.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 0.5 steals per game; 62.4 FG% and 52.7 FT%; $9.5 million cap figure; 24 years old. • Ben Wallace: 6.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 steals per game; 45.3 FG% and 41.0 FT%; $16 million cap figure; 32 years old.”
Apr.19 at 1:54 pm
Zee says:
Is that a Bud Light in Nellie’s hand?
Apr.19 at 1:56 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
Nah, I’m just on a hot streak right now. I haven’t been playing video games lately, and for some reason the less I play, the better I get. Lang tries to treat basketball video games like they are actually based on basketball reality. I just drive and kick, shoot threes, dunk and get into fast paced games. I can do that with Phoenix and Denver. We’ll see how the rest of the games go.
Apr.19 at 1:56 pm
Matt says:
heat in six. raps in 6. vince is gonna choooke.
Apr.19 at 1:58 pm
Reggie Evans says:
I have a solution for the tanking of games that happens to increase a team’s lottery chances: get rid of the draft… Make all rookies free agents, with the same rules for free agents … One caveat - rookies MUST sign with the team that offers them the most money/largest contract … This would reward teams for good management, instead of poor performance … Instead of the other way around, for example, the Knicks …Also, teams wouldn’t be FORCED to pay for a rookie if they didn’t really want him … This would work out great, and give teams an incentive to pay smart money, so that they would have a chance and room to sign a good rookie prospect the next year …
Apr.19 at 1:58 pm
Darksaber says:
That matchup is going to be ENTERTAINING. Mavs against da warriors. Great stuff. Can’t wait
Apr.19 at 2:13 pm
1hush D says:
I guess PBR has too many calories for Nellie….Bud light is water with some fermentation thrown in for flavor. This series is going to be great. Most people realize it but I want to make sure that everyone knows that the “Golden State” Warriors play ball in Oakland not the Bay Area. That’s right, Oakland, where if you are drinking and barbequeing in the lot and throwing a football around, rather than getting lectured and hassled by security (like say, I don’t know, yuppie-laden Portland) the authorities come over and congratulate you on your established party atmosphere. Then you stroll inside to the funk bank and DJ scratchin and a city full of basketball lovers that aren’t all stockbrokers and CEO’s. …………………..GO OAKLAND!
Apr.19 at 2:32 pm
ALX8725 says:
Look for the Warriors to make some noise against the Mavs in the playoffs. Not necessarily an upset, just noise. Go Warrriors!!!
Apr.19 at 2:36 pm
albie1kenobi says:
so instead of a draft we have ebay? it kinda doesn’t make sense but does at the same time. not sure how.
loving the fact that the warriors are in the playoff. nellie worked his magic and GSW won the last 16 of 21 games to squeeze into the playoff, beating all the top teams along the way not named spurs. where’s the golden state of mind crew?
loved the nets/bulls game yesterday too. who doesn’t want to watch vince playing for his contract and back in toronto? that’s like the ex-girlfriend coming back to take your job or something. where are the raptor fans on this board? why are you scared? have faith in yourself and your team! me i’m rooting for jersey though coz i lived in jersey and kidd (his shooting was so atrocious last night, well his whole career) is one of my fav player.
and no one mentioned that before mavs, heat almost choked themselves outta first round versus the bulls. they were having all kinds of problem until shaq and wade came through in the 4th quarter of game 5, when they coulda lost that pivotal game. in playoffs, it’s all about the matchup. anyone remember that “statement game” when bulls destroyed the heat after they get their rings? more subplots than you can think of.
the only main thing i can complain about is that i too was hoping for the suns/nuggets score-fest. lakers are gonna get sweeped. well, maybe they will get a game. they won’t be able to control the tempo like they did last year because they have no bigs this time around. dunzo.
and here’s another shout out to yao mac. please get out of first round. you have home court, so no excuse.
Apr.19 at 2:59 pm
James says:
Vince hardly chokes. He’s either interested or he’s not. When he’s intersted, he fights through the pain, dunks on people, and destroys teams. When he’d rather take a night off, he takes 23 footers, fades away with 4 seconds on the shot clock, or hits the showers after hitting the deck on a foul. Its all motivation. when he sets goals, he fails. when he gets pissed, he plays with purpose, and drops 40 on you. When I used to go to raptors games all the time, you could tell when he was going to be on. He would get his angry scowl on, and come out and kill the other team. when he was off, he’d make a prediction first that he’d be focused, then he’d go out and choke, then he’d get his bitch face on when things went sour. Itsabout the angle of his eyebrows. Bitch face eyebrows to a point above his nose, angry carter, eybrows in a straight line with a frown on, and his eyes clenched.
Apr.19 at 3:00 pm
James says:
See, i have more interests then politics
Apr.19 at 3:25 pm
Vince says:
N.E.T.S
NETS NETS NETS!!!!!!
New Jersey is hot and is gonna take Toronto in 5 and then beat the Cavs. NJ is my sleeper and could do damage in the East with it open and with the way theyve been playing.
Apr.19 at 3:34 pm
deestarbuckz a.k.a The Notorious H.A.T.E. says:
Tango and Al Harrington… Seperated at birth!
Apr.19 at 3:51 pm
Darksaber says:
Bitch face eyebrows! Classic
Apr.19 at 3:53 pm
Mike says:
Im predicting a 50 spot from VC in game one
Apr.19 at 4:03 pm
Vince says:
Damn right Mike!!
Apr.19 at 4:26 pm
Bozaframa says:
Michaelangelo and Al Harrington… Seperated at Birth! Now all Al needs is some nunchucks…
Apr.19 at 6:20 pm
wassup says:
vince is to big of pussy to carry the nets through their series with the raps. I say raps win in 6 becuz they got the home court advantage and thats gunna be huge for them this series
Apr.19 at 6:39 pm
Chris says:
“Itsabout the angle of his eyebrows. Bitch face eyebrows to a point above his nose, angry carter, eybrows in a straight line with a frown on, and his eyes clenched.” ROTFLMAO. That’s funny because it’s true
Apr.19 at 7:41 pm
albie1kenobi says:
James, another round of applauds for you sir. that’s some classic shit there. haha.
and Sam and Lang, why are you guys playing Live? isn’t it established that 2k7 is the game to play for basketball? i tried Live recently and used suns. all i need to do is lop the pass towards the rim and it’s a dunk/layup every time. i didn’t even have to use the shoot button.
Apr.19 at 9:16 pm
Steve Nash says:
The Pheonix suns are going to beat every team with a shut out no competeters for the pheonix suns
Apr.20 at 8:50 pm
2G40 says:
Fifty’s the new thirty, and fourty’s the new twenty…Kaiser Permanente. Can you change your tag, I just did. 2G40 because I’m the best over fourty baller in So Cal, at least in my neck of the woods. I’m s dusting guy’s my age, and still dropp’n it on guy’s much younger. What can I say…GAME RECOGNIZE GAME!