Mantis Toboggan M.D Posted May 20, 2008 Posted May 20, 2008 I like the Detroit Pistons. I'm a fan of Chauncy Billups, and Rip Hamilton was a great player while he was at Uconn. I can see why people don't like the Pistons, but I don't agree with that they are a dirty team.
Buftex Posted May 20, 2008 Posted May 20, 2008 Celtics-Lakers. The NBA (currently) allows the refs the most influence over the games of any sport. Somehow, magically, it will be Boston - LA. Go Celts!!!! I am not super confident that it will happen, but nothing would be sweeter for a Celtics fan than beating the Pistons, for the chance to pummel the Lakers in the finals...that would be EPIC!!!! Like I said, though, I am not making any predictions, only hoping at this point...Pistons/Celtics should be a great series. Of course, I thought the Cavs/Celtics would be a better series than it turned out to be, save game 7. I think the Celtics match up very well with the Pistons, I just hope the Celtics have something left, after back to back 7 game series. The Pistons are well rested, and should be in prime position to steal home court advantage away from Boston, this is a big game tonight. Can't wait!
Bmwolf21 Posted May 20, 2008 Posted May 20, 2008 I am not super confident that it will happen, but nothing would be sweeter for a Celtics fan than beating the Pistons, for the chance to pummel the Lakers in the finals...that would be EPIC!!!! Like I said, though, I am not making any predictions, only hoping at this point...Pistons/Celtics should be a great series. Of course, I thought the Cavs/Celtics would be a better series than it turned out to be, save game 7. I think the Celtics match up very well with the Pistons, I just hope the Celtics have something left, after back to back 7 game series. The Pistons are well rested, and should be in prime position to steal home court advantage away from Boston, this is a big game tonight. Can't wait! You would think that at some point the Celts will have to win a game on the road, and they have looked awful away from Bah-stan so far...
Buftex Posted May 21, 2008 Posted May 21, 2008 You would think that at some point the Celts will have to win a game on the road, and they have looked awful away from Bah-stan so far... They look like an old team on the road...Doc Rivers has to give more minutes to some of the younger bench players...I agree though, they ain't gonna win a thing, if they can't win in Dertroit...
Alaska Darin Posted May 21, 2008 Posted May 21, 2008 Celtics-Lakers. The NBA (currently) allows the refs the most influence over the games of any sport. Somehow, magically, it will be Boston - LA. Go Celts!!!! You'd think Stern would learn from the current situation with the referees and betting - but he hasn't.
buckeyemike Posted May 21, 2008 Posted May 21, 2008 You'd think Stern would learn from the current situation with the referees and betting - but he hasn't. He hasn't, and that may ultimately be the downfall of the NBA. If Donaghy is right (and I'm not saying he is), the problem with the referees is much more widespread than the NBA wants it to be known. It wouldn't surprise me, but I'm not given to believing in conspiracy theories. Even the impression that the NBA refs are not impartial is very damaging to the league.
Special K Posted May 21, 2008 Author Posted May 21, 2008 I like the Detroit Pistons. I'm a fan of Chauncy Billups, and Rip Hamilton was a great player while he was at Uconn. I can see why people don't like the Pistons, but I don't agree with that they are a dirty team. Rip Hamilton delivered the punk move of the night with that attempted elbow to KG's head. I wasn't surprised to see him do something like that. I'm just glad the ref's actually called the foul. Hamilton got away with a couple of those elbows in the series against the Magic.
stevewin Posted May 21, 2008 Posted May 21, 2008 I hate hate hate the fuggin' Celtics - hate them - any self-respecting Buffalo Braves fan who grew up hating them would. I hate the fuggin' Lakers too - "Showtime" - phloooo
BillsFan Trapped in Pats Land Posted May 21, 2008 Posted May 21, 2008 Rip Hamilton delivered the punk move of the night with that attempted elbow to KG's head. I wasn't surprised to see him do something like that. I'm just glad the ref's actually called the foul. Hamilton got away with a couple of those elbows in the series against the Magic. The 3rd Detroit-Celtics game this season Hamilton punched Ray Allen square in the balls. It's probably on YouTube. Hamilton is a punk.
Bmwolf21 Posted May 21, 2008 Posted May 21, 2008 Rip Hamilton delivered the punk move of the night with that attempted elbow to KG's head. I wasn't surprised to see him do something like that. I'm just glad the ref's actually called the foul. Hamilton got away with a couple of those elbows in the series against the Magic. You're not kidding. Rip is also as accomplished a flopper as anyone in the league, but he is more selective about when he does it than guys like Ginobli and Varejao, so he doesn't seem to get the same recognition as those other guys..
The Plastic Cup Posted May 21, 2008 Posted May 21, 2008 The 3rd Detroit-Celtics game this season Hamilton punched Ray Allen square in the balls. It's probably on YouTube. Hamilton is a punk. That was just payback for Allen hazing Rip as a frosh at UCONN.
Buftex Posted May 21, 2008 Posted May 21, 2008 I hate hate hate the fuggin' Celtics - hate them - any self-respecting Buffalo Braves fan who grew up hating them would. I hate the fuggin' Lakers too - "Showtime" - phloooo As a huge Braves fan growing up, and a Celtics fan, I resent that! I loved the Braves as a kid, maybe more than even the Bills. When they left town, I was crushed. I tried, in vain, to follow them in San Diego. They were awful, so they were never on national tv. There was no ESPN...when my family got cable, we had the Boston Super Station. They showed every Celtics game. They were great, so they became my team. I was too young to appreciate all the behind the scenes stuff in sports, and, frankly, didn't care. I just really loved basketball back then. The Celtics and Lakers were the two easist teams to follow....I loved Bird. Still, my all time favorite athlete, in any sport. So, fug you, and fug the Pistons!
Nervous Guy Posted May 21, 2008 Posted May 21, 2008 The 3rd Detroit-Celtics game this season Hamilton punched Ray Allen square in the balls. It's probably on YouTube. Hamilton is a punk. Go Pistons!
Buftex Posted May 23, 2008 Posted May 23, 2008 Anybody who has convinced themselves that the NBA/David Stern is setting the table for a Lakers/Celtics finals, has not been watching these games. The Celtics are not getting any breaks, anywhere, from the officials. The Pistons shot great tonight, and I give them credit, but the they were aided, big time, by shoddy officiating, for the second game in a row. To be sure, the Celtics had some defensive lapses tonight, but there were at least three horrendous no-calls, and a very questionable goal-tending call against Garnett, late in the game, that helped to seal the victory for the Pistons. As poor as the Celtics played at times, this game was won, by the Pistons, at the foul line. And that Stuckey kid is looking like a young "superstar"... So what grand conspiracy is it, by the NBA, that requires the Pistons to end up in the finals? Do you think they want to see a re-match of that thrilling (not) Pistons-Spurs final? Or is it Pistons/Lakers? Celtics got to win one in Detroit...
Pete Posted May 23, 2008 Posted May 23, 2008 I thought this thread would go away. This Buffalo Braves fan likes the Pistons. They play as a team and I love UConn players- Rip! Ben Wallace was one of my favorite players- not the same Pistons, but I still like the way they play
muggins Posted May 23, 2008 Posted May 23, 2008 I'm rooting for the Pistons. Experience and teamplay vs the Kobes any day.
Mantis Toboggan M.D Posted May 23, 2008 Posted May 23, 2008 Alright well i guess i don't follow the NBA enough to know how dirty of a player Rip is. I have seen Bruce Bowen jumpkick players, never seen Rip punch someone in the balls. Is billups a dirty player?
muggins Posted May 23, 2008 Posted May 23, 2008 Alright well i guess i don't follow the NBA enough to know how dirty of a player Rip is. I have seen Bruce Bowen jumpkick players, never seen Rip punch someone in the balls. Is billups a dirty player? Yeah I've never heard of someone saying Rip is dirty. He had one dirty elbow in game 1, but that isn't really indicative of anything Billups isn't really dirty either
bartshan-83 Posted May 23, 2008 Posted May 23, 2008 Alright well i guess i don't follow the NBA enough to know how dirty of a player Rip is. I have seen Bruce Bowen jumpkick players, never seen Rip punch someone in the balls. Is billups a dirty player? Billups is not as far as I have ever seen. Rip is a different story. He's a very "active" defender and a lot of the stuff he does would have been par for the course 10-15 years ago when the NBA allowed contact. But since they changed the hand check rule several years ago, the stuff he does (grabbing, chopping, swiping, etc.) is considered "dirty play" now. I don't think it's really dirty, but I'd like to see it called on him, which is very rare. Rip escaped the label of dirty defender for most of his career because he is/was such an incredible athlete. The guy had a motor that matched Iverson and the ability to stay in front of most people without fouling. He still did his stuff, but as his athleticism has declined in the last few years, he has had to step up the karate chops more and more and it is becoming more noticeable. Finally, he has had the benefit of playing on what it is considered a great defensive team. Now he is a big contributor to that, but once a team gets that rep, it is easier for individual indiscretions to go unnoticed. It's like once you establish to the league that you are a 24 PPG scorer, traveling no longer applies. I love Rip, but he is becoming a bit more irritating as he gets older. He flops A LOT but doesn't get called on it like some of the foreign players and he is becoming increasingly chippy in his older age. I wouldn't put him at Bowen status, but he could get there.
Special K Posted May 23, 2008 Author Posted May 23, 2008 Finally, he has had the benefit of playing on what it is considered a great defensive team. Now he is a big contributor to that, but once a team gets that rep, it is easier for individual indiscretions to go unnoticed. It's like once you establish to the league that you are a 24 PPG scorer, traveling no longer applies. I love Rip, but he is becoming a bit more irritating as he gets older. He flops A LOT but doesn't get called on it like some of the foreign players and he is becoming increasingly chippy in his older age. I wouldn't put him at Bowen status, but he could get there. Well put. The Pistons get all the calls, wether at home or on the road. It seems as though they have earned the respect of the officials because of their hard-nosed throwback style of play. I mean, if they are going to let you get away with it, why not do it. However, when the opponent(the Magic, Celtics, etc.) adapt a "if you can't beat 'em join 'em" philosophy, and try to match the physicality of the Pistons, they are immediately called for fouls for the same "tough play" the Pistons are constantly getting away with. That said, the only player on the Pistons I consider a dirty player is Rip. The other players just push the envelope up to a point where the refs just let it go.
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