Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 10:00 am  |  181 responses

Post Up: Coast To Coast

The Celtics and Sixers steal games on the road while the Lakers take a 2-0 lead on Denver.

Celtics 87, Hawks 80 (Series tied 1-1)

I want to slap Hinrich’s glasses off his face SO BAD. –Chris Mintz-Plasse on Twitter

For those in the dark, Mintz-Plasse is the dorky cool actor who played McLovin’ in Superbad. He’s a big-time Celtics fan too. You could kinda see where the young man’s hostility was stemming from. His beloved team had lost Game 1. His squad was without the suspended Rajon Rondo for Game 2. And the aforementioned Hinrich was, in fact, hitting just about every shot he put up.

As a team, the Hawks kept McLovin and the Cs faithful relatively quiet for the first two quarters. Yeah, Paul Pierce did his thing (16 points in the first half), but overall, Atlanta had just enough to hold Boston back. Aside from Hinrich’s steady work, Jeff Teague was amazing, Joe Johnson was adequate and Josh Smith was all over the stat sheet as usual. 44-41 Hawks at the break.

Hard to believe how the Hawks have collapsed in the halfcourt. –David Aldridge on Twitter

The TNT reporter’s tweet came somewhere in the third quarter. But to be completely honest, both sides were pretty shabby in the frame. Boston shot a putrid 26% while Atlanta’s 33% wasn’t much better. However, when the fourth came, the home team’s futility hit new lows. Unlike in Game 1, the Hawks looked like a frazzled flock here. Poor play executions. Awful clock management. Terrible shot selections. And worst of all, zero answers for Pierce (36 points, 14 rebounds). By the time the Celts had a 79-72 lead, Paul was strutting around with vintage swag. Final score: 87-80, Boston.

44 mins tonite to old for this I need a bed right now!!! –Paul Pierce on Twitter

Now the series moves to New England for Game 3 on Friday. The Hawks blew their chance to take a 2-0 lead on the short-handed Celts. The team knows it’ll now have to steal one at fired-up TD Garden. What it doesn’t know just yet is how bad Josh Smith’s ankle is after tweaking it on Tuesday. JSmoove didn’t talk to reporters after the game, but the buzz was that he was able to walk around under his own power—albeit gingerly.  —DeMarco Williams (@demarcowill)

Sixers 109, Bulls 92 (Series tied 1-1)

It was a game, and then it wasn’t. That’s about the best way to sum up Game 2 of the Chicago Bulls-Philadelphia Sixers first round Playoff series Tuesday night at the United Center.

After losing Derrick Rose to a torn ACL in the final minute and change of Game 1 last Saturday, the biggest question for Chicago was how would the team’s mindset be without their leader to guide them. Of course, the team said all the right things in terms of how they’d respond without DRose, but talk is cheap and Philly put them to the test, as you’d expect them to.

The first 24 minutes of action was a tight affair that saw 8 ties and 12 lead changes between the two clubs. Philly led by no more than 3 points and the Bulls were up by as many as 10.

But then the 3rd quarter happened.

The Sixers shot lights out, outscoring the Bulls 36-14. Philly shot 15-22 from the field in the quarter compared to Chicago’s paltry 5-20. It’s not very often the outcome of an NBA game is decided in a single quarter, but that’s what happened to the Bulls. After playing on emotion and adrenaline in the first two quarters, when it was time to actually play basketball, Chicago just wasn’t ready.

The postgame locker room felt just like it did on Saturday afternoon when DRose got hurt. Like someone had just died.

Most people gave Chicago a shot to win this series even without Rose, but Philly did what they were supposed to do in the Playoffs and got a split on the road. More importantly, they have momentum going back home for Game 3. The Bulls could’ve psychologically taken Philly completely out of the series by winning Game 2.

But after Tuesday night’s bad loss, the worry now is if Chicago’s been taken out psychologically instead.

The Bulls won’t have a whole lot of time to get themselves together mentally or emotionally, either. The team will only get one practice in on Thursday before they have to leave for Philly to face the Sixers at home on Friday. —Bryan Crawford (@_BryanCrawford)

Lakers 104, Nuggets 100 (LAL leads 2-0)

Tim Grover leaned back against the wall and watched him go to work. Kobe Bryant—fitted in a perfect gray italian suit, was still full of energy. He left the media room following his press conference and took a few photos with fans lucky enough to have access to the back hallways of Staples Center, giving out a few hugs along the way as well. Grover, the renowned trainer who built his name in the business through his work with Michael Jordan and countless other NBA players, trailed behind Kobe. Dressed in a designer sweater and carrying a briefcase, Grover was very pleased. “As long as Kobe’s healthy, I’m happy,” he explained.

Bryant was sensational on Tuesday night against the Nuggets in Game 2, playing with remarkable speed and intensity—running breaks and pump-faking defenders into and-ones. It was a lovely sight, 38 points on 15-29 shooting, leading the Lakers to a 104-100 victory and 2-0 series lead. The point total was Bryant’s highest in the Playoffs since game five of the 2010 NBA Finals—the rest he received over the past few weeks has come into play. “It’s helped tremendously,” he said. Bryant posted up on each elbow of the key throughout the game, taking full advantage of smaller defenders like Corey Brewer. During one sequence, Bryant bounced Brewer off him before knocking down another bucket over him. “Look man, I’m just stronger than him,” Bryant joked. “I’m bigger.”

The Nuggets have not held a lead at any point during the first two games, struggling again during the first quarter on Tuesday, and falling behind 12-3 in the early minutes. Ty Lawson helped Denver stay in the game with much better play in Game 2, finishing with 25 points and 7 assists. Denver cut the Laker lead to 95-91 with a little over 2 minutes left in the fourth quarter. After Kenneth Faried lost the ball on the offensive end, Kobe led a break down court and with defenders draped over him near the bucket, he dished it to Andrew Bynum for a three-point play that killed Denver’s momentum. Bynum finished with a career Playoff-high of 27 points and added 9 rebounds and two blocks. He was consistently double-teamed in the post, opening up space for Bryant and Pau Gasol.

Despite the Lakers coasting at times, Denver fought back with their rapid pace, converting quick baskets and making it a competitive contest. If they’re going to have any shot at turning the series around, Lawson believes it’s going to happen on the defensive end.

“We have to get stops,” Lawson said. “You can’t run after they get a dunk or hit a three. It’s easy to run when you get rebounds.” Game 3 is Friday night in Denver. —Nima Zarrabi (@NZbeFree)

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  • http://Roosterteeth.com Caboose

    Lake, if that’s what you interpret that to mean, then I think we’d all disagree with Allen on that one. As long as Bron takes all the accolades in Miami, Wade isn’t going to be surpassing Kobe any time soon. An interesting debate 10 years from now will be Pippen vs Wade.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    I never said “Kobe doesn’t pass”, I said he has problems trusting his teammates. He fought with Shaq over touches and he’s now doing the same with Gasol/Bynum. You watch Kobe as much as anyone on here and even you can’t deny that’s true. It’s not necessarily a bad thing but to say that he’s just as good a passer as Wade is false. Before the arrival of Bron/Bosh, Wade consistenly put up 7+apg seasons.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Gasol and Bynum have never once said anything to that nature. Maybe a hint that he should have trusted them more, but you act like they are talking to the media daily about how selfish Kobe is and blah blah blah. Nope. That doesn’t happen. Do you know why? Because they trust Kobe. That’s what is important here. I’m not saying we should ignore that Kobe has had selfish moments and that he was as good a team mate as anyone. No, he wasn’t/isn’t. But if his style of play was so awful he would not have 5 chips looking for 6. He would not have great players wanting to play by his side. Has he been selfish in the first two games of the playoffs? He took over 24 shots both times. That’s above hhis season average which you all thought was staggering. Was he selfish in those two easy wins? Was it because Gasol and Bynum dominated so it over shadowed his selfish, terrible play? No, it wasn’t Kobe plays how Kobe plays. Often times it results in a win or a playoff birth. Sometimes it results in a big fat nasty 3-25 shooting L.
    Wade played PG or a play making shooting guard. He is also a slasher first, not an iso scorer. Slashers have a much easier time racking up assists. We act like if someone passes the ball once more a game and the person scores that all the sudden this person is a phenomenal passer. Kobe has out assisted Wade the last two seasons. It’s not a substantial fact that if you average more assists you are a better passer.

  • http://Roosterteeth.com Caboose

    I think Kobe has the passing ability of Wade, easily, just nothing close to the mentality. If MJ came to Kobe and DEMANDED he pass next season, Kobe could get 7+ assists a game, no problem. It would require a lot of mental work on Kobe’s part, but the physical tools are there.

  • http://slamonline.com datkid

    I’m bout to do a caboose like post. 1. Kobe is not better than wade. and hasn’t been since about 06-07. I give him 07 bc he had those 50+ games and the 81. and even then he was only arguably better offensively. I wouldn’t give him the nod in any other area. But I will say that I feel like Kobe’s peak > Wade’s peak. 2. Kobe probably has a better offensive arsenal than wade, and that hasn’t changed but wade is still WAY more effective right now/for a while. 3. Kobe is lucky wade get’s injured so much.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    How wade goes about getting his assists doesn’t change the fact that he’s still a better passer than Kobe.

  • http://slamonline.com datkid

    I will say though that I’m not sure Wade will be as effective as Kobe is when he’s Kobe’s age. Wade has an Ok post-game right now, but it’s nothing compared to Kobe’s. plus kobe’s is more effective bc he’s taller.

    I like Jrue holiday… but Jru> Ty lawson??? I don’t know. ya’ll know I love Ty tho so somebody explain that to me.

    Brandon Jennings has not reached his ceiling yet IMO. I think he’ll get a lot better soon.

    and lakeshow we don’t know exactly what would happen in the playoffs, but we have watched them play before yes? I think in general I’m right here.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Define “better passer.” Do you mean more willing passer? Or do you mean he was able to pass the ball better? Kobe is one of the best passers I have seen from the SG position. He finds guys when I don’t see them, he squeezes passes into places I can’t imagine. He can toss perfectly executed behind the back passes. He is has great ability to pass the ball. The question for me was always is he going to. Not is he able to.
    IYO nbk: Was Jason Williams a better passer than Wade? I’m just trying to get a feel what you think a “good” passer is.
    Kid, IMO, 100% beyond a shadow of a doubt Kobe will have the better career. It’s absolutely no question in my mind. I can’t think of a possible scenario where that would change.
    I don’t understand how Wade has been better than Kobe for years. Like it makes no sense to me. He has been as good at moments, but not obviously better at any point(except last year, maybe). Last year Kobe lost a step, but he is better this year than last year. I can only logically take last year for Wade being better than KB. This year it has very obviously been Kobe to me. Mostly because he has been there. I can’t stand how fragile Wade is in conjunction with his relentless style of play. It seems so stupid to me. He needs to be smart with his career and start copying Kobe with his style of play(yes his FG% will lower. That’s not the worse thing in the world) because his body WILL NOT take the abuse he gives it for much longer.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Uhm yes Jason Williams was a better passer than Wade. I also don’t understand how that gives you a better feel? When he was at his best he averaged over 8 a game. The turnovers weren’t over a lack of passing ability as much as a lack of discipline. So what does that prove, is Williams Wade or Kobe in this comparison?

  • http://slamonline.com datkid

    Kobe probably understands the game as well as wade but wade is a better passer. not even just a more willing passer but overall a better one.

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    co-sign Tarzan Cooper 6:31 pm.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Umm…Wade’s post game is one of the best if not the best at the 2 spot. It may not be as flashy as Kobe’s but he’s more efficent on the low bock.
    Lake, just curious. Who are those great players that clamored to play alongside Kobe in his career?

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Lake, how do you figure that Kobe had a better season this year than last when he shot better from the field, from 3, less TOs, and a higher PER? The only thing he did significantly better this season was score (direct result of taking 3 more shots).

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    What dumb comment section. To insist that Wade is better than Kobe ever is fundamentally dumb. Wade is acting like, Bron is his master and lost all of his killer mentality. I take Kobe all day. Wade skill is not even close to Kobe. Wade is an one dimensional player. Watch him play, Player play Wade straight up now. Wade is not known for his defense or his passing. Wade has no post players on his team, thats why he has a higher fg%. Kobe with Gasol last year had over 50%. Kobe is killing at 33 and is still consider top 5 player, some SPORTS writers have him as the MVP. If you based it off his bench, new coach, being only All Star on his team and his injuries. Can’t believe people have faith in Wade when he doesn’t feel he is the best player on his own team anymore. BOOK IT!!

  • Bola

    @ datkid, so what of Kobe and his injuries? Kobe is a better player. You can’t argue about that. This same cat(wade) got lock-down by Kobe. IF you forgotten check on YouTube. Dude doesn’t play defence but when he does you aint going nowhere. Plus the post move kobe does, i bet you wade will probably kill to have that type of arsenal at his fingertip. And passing? wade might have more assist, but Kobe can also pass as well.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    ASSSSSKKKK MJ about KOBE. THIS SHOULD STOP THIS CRAP ABOUT WADE, IF LEBRON WAS HONEST, HE WOULD PLAY WITH KOBE OVER WADE. WATCH THE INTERVIEW ABOUT PLAYING WITH KOBE. BIRD EVEN SAID THIS AND OTHERS. LEGENDS HAVE KOBE TOP 7 EVER AND SOME DUMB WANNABE BALL PLAYERS STATING WADE HAS BETTER SKILL IS LIKE SAYING SHAQ HAS BASKETBALL INSIGHT!!

  • blakos

    Kobe is not on par with Wade passing wise. Lakeshow you make some valid points especially about playoff consistency.

    1. Wade has greater passing skill. Meaning he can pass the ball to the correct location more often.

    2. He has greater court vision. Meaning he has greater spatial awareness and can throw better lead passes etc.

    3. He is a more willing passer. To quote, “Kobe is not a facilitator. Rarely has he ever been. You don’t ask one of the greatest scorers ever to be a facilitator. He absolutely has the ability, but it is just an abuse of his natural ability”.

    Great players adapt. If you have shaq/bynum/Gasol in the middle you should be facilitating to compliment your amazing scoring ability. There have been countless times in his career when he won games with scoring. But lets not kid ourselves it is clear to see many a time that bigs on his teams get frustrated with his shot jacking. His stubborness often means that his passing game is not where it should be.

    Regarding passing its a no brainer. Sorry.

  • http://slamonline.com datkid

    I already said that kobe’s post game >> wade’s bola. Taylor probably has some sort of stat to back his statement up. but I’d be surprised if that were true. and wade has also locked kobe down. wade right now is better at basically all areas of the game, even offensively. and we’ve already talked about the passing thing a million times. cosign blakos..

  • Niyasofresh

    When Kobe is playing well and is still a threat it always brings out the most hateful individuals, rehashing the same tired arguments. If Kobe were any player not named Kobe they’d already be talking Hall of Fame with him before he turned 25. When he’s playing like crap and isn’t a factor the same hateful people are nowhere insight because they’re satisfied. People love to see him fail and hate to see him succeed, I can’t lie I enjoy seeing people like this cringe I’m sure Kobe does too. 16 seasons and the man still can’t get respect as a player.

  • Justin G.

    Before I get into it, let me just say I’m a huge fan of both Kobe and Wade. I love both of their games. Now, for those that are saying Wade was better this year are you really saying that, if given the choice, you would take Wade on the Heat over Kobe? Really? I think LakeShow maks some good points, especially about asking would the Heat have lost last year with Kobe on the team instead of Wade. I’ll say no chance as well. Also Lake, thank you for abusing that ridiculous comment from AllenP about losing with 40 year old Malone and 35 year old Payton. I guess only Kobe takes the heat for that one and not Shaq. lol Hilarious! Why wouldn’t Wade get the same kind of flack for losing with Lebron and a top 5 PF in Bosh? People, you can’t have it both ways.

  • everything

    Kobe is a better free throw shooter. you gotta give him that.

  • everything

    Justin, would the lakers get swept by the mavs if they had wade instead of Kobe? i say no. but no point in arguing about hypotheticals

  • eyal

    just FYI, wade and kobe have shared a lot of teammates. wade won with an even older payton and just out of his prime Shaq.

  • Chris S.

    I can’t believe some of the stuff I’m reading. Wade has never been on the same level as Kobe, and even if it might be debatable these days, it is only because Kobe is on the decline and is in his 16th year. Don’t even start with comparing their prime, it’s laughable.

    It’s incredible how some people will forever hold up Jordan as the golden standard, yet totally goes into denial when it comes to the fact that Jordan considers Kobe the only wing player to ever come close to his level. Go figure.

  • http://www.google.com/search?q=It%E2%80%99s+extremely+hard+when+a+6-8+guy+can+easily+defend+you&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a Allenp

    I don’t care how injured Gary Payton and Karl Malone were. They were still better than Antoine Walker and the Gary Payton that played for Miami.
    And let’s not even compare the two versions of Shaq, ok?
    I’m not writing a lengthy response. Kobe fans make lots of excuses for why he doesn’t do things he should be doing.
    Oh well.

  • http://www.google.com/search?q=It%E2%80%99s+extremely+hard+when+a+6-8+guy+can+easily+defend+you&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a Allenp

    And didn’t I say Kobe had the better career? I have argued against a cat who has Wade OVER KOBE for his career because I believe that Kobe doing what Kobe has done for so long is more impressive than Wade’s career.
    But Wade is the better player now and has been since 2008.
    Again, what has Kobe done so different from Wade?
    Without talent, he loses games and puts up less efficient numbers.
    With talent he wins.
    That’s exactly what Wade has done his entire career.
    Not sure if you all have been paying attention.

  • http://www.google.com/search?q=It%E2%80%99s+extremely+hard+when+a+6-8+guy+can+easily+defend+you&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a Allenp

    If the argument was “Kobe would have won with Lebron.”
    How can you make that argument when
    1. Kobe has already lost with Shaq multiple times.
    2. Kobe lost to the same Dallas team and got swept.
    3. Kobe has lost with great talent on other occasions.
    If you can’t follow this logic, you suck at thinking. I am completely serious. You’re saying that LeBron right now is better than a prime Shaq.
    THAT IS EFFING RIDICULOUS. EFFING RIDICULOUS. YOU SHOULD SHUT THE EFF UP FOREVER IF YOU BELIEVE THAT.

  • everynowhere

    kobe would have lost with lebron as well. kobe was playing sub-par last year from the bad knee and i don’t see how switching wade out for him would help. Plus lebron was playing like a little b**ch. Too tall a task for either kobe or wade

  • Justin G.

    Allen, that is YOUR OPINION! Your opinion is not the be all end all of this damn forum. You’re so quick to say “Kobe got swept by the same team that Miami won two games against”. It’s a TEAM GAME! Kobe was not the main reason the Lakers lost that series. Pau didn’t show up either and Bynum was not the same player he is this year. Let’s not pretend this was a 100% healthy Kobe either. Kobe, as we have found out over the past year, was in great amounts of pain with his knee being the way it was (everynowhere, I meant a healthy Kobe on the Heat vs. Wade). Can’t you make the same argument that Shaq lost with Kobe as well? Shaq is supposed to be the most dominant player ever but he supposedly couldn’t get it done with Kobe on his team? If you can’t follow this logic, you suck at thinking. I am completely serious

  • Justin G.

    Also, you can’t say you don’t care about how injured Malone was since I don’t think he even played the last two games. Antoine Walker>Karl Malone in a suit.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Nah, you’re a joke.
    It’s not my opinion.
    I’ve made the same argument that Shaq lost with Kobe and other top tier shooting guards so that impacts his position in all time rankings. In fact, I made that argument about Slam’s listing of the greatest players of all time when they had Shaq at number 4.
    If you make the purely speculative argument that Kobe is better than Wade because if you put him on Miami’s team last year they win the championship, there are several logical problems.
    First, it’s pure speculation. No one can prove or disprove it because it is an argument that is not based on facts.
    Second, even as a speculative argument it ignores certain salient facts like the fact that Kobe lost to the exact same team as Miami, only his team got swept. And, that he lost in the Finals with an even more dominant player than LeBron, so why would having LeBron and Kobe together be an unstoppable duo.
    That’s the logic people can’t seem to follow.

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