2011 NBA playoffs thread: no dunking over motor vehicles here

Just preparing a comfortable space, putting beer in the fridge, setting out the cushions. All that's left now is arranging the final seedings and then... let the games begin.

As a warmup, we could predict the Conference Finals matchups that we either expect or would love to see happen, along with any upsets along the way.

rip robert traylor

traded 4 dirk

i just want to say that i fully support bill simmons' idea for dan gilbert to open up the q for "miami hate" viewing parties.

Round One.

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Indiana Pacers.
(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers
(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) New York Knicks
(4) Orlando Magic vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies
(2) L.A. Lakers vs. (7) N.O. Hornets
(3) Dallas Mavericks vs. (6) Portland Trailblazers
(4) OKC Thunder vs. (5) Denver Nuggets

who ya got?

In the East I'd have to go strictly by seed.

In the west:

Spurs over Grizz
Lakers over Hornets
Blazers over Mavs
Nugs over Thunder

would love to see a 76ers upset but that ain't gonna happen
would REALLY love to see a Knicks upset but that REALLY ain't gonna happen

bulls in 4.
heat in 4.
celtics in 6.
magic in 6.

spurs in 5.
lakers in 4.
blazers in 6.
okc in 7.

who in the east has the biggest chance of seeing a game 7? celtics/knicks right?

hawks could maybe maybe catch fire and magic could fall apart but that's unlikely.

celtics seem to like those 7 game series.

it's a shame that okc/denver drew each other

sucks for them treat for the rest of humanity

we'll need the cooling properties of magic/hawks more than ever

would rly love to see sixers win the series (and by "the series" i mean "two games")

chicago in 4
miami in 5
boston in 5
orlando in 6

san antonio in 5
los angeles in 6
portland in 6
okc in 5

basically, knicks not actually going to trouble boston; "team x" could theoretically challenge orlando but the hawks are like team X-minus-100; san antonio is going to snuff out memphis with or without manu; lakers will give away the first game in new orleans and make a run at the second but not really push themselves and take care of biz after it's even 2-2; dallas sux and lamarcus is going to be a nat'l star after these playoffs; okc-denver will all be close games but okc will send westbrook or durant to the hoop to break ties and denver's magic run will end quickly

kinda bummed that both okc and denver can't go deep in this but that series could be the best of the year

bulls in 4
heat in 6
celtics in 6
magic in 5

spurs in 5
lakers in 4
mavs in 7
thunder in 6

lol all higher seeds

Bulls in 16.

^^ love is blind

That's why I don't gamble.

http://i27.tinypic.com/30vcb3n.jpghttp://i27.tinypic.com/30vcb3n.jpghttp://i27.tinypic.com/30vcb3n.jpghttp://i27.tinypic.com/30vcb3n.jpghttp://i27.tinypic.com/30vcb3n.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/30vcb3n.jpghttp://i27.tinypic.com/30vcb3n.jpghttp://i27.tinypic.com/30vcb3n.jpghttp://i27.tinypic.com/30vcb3n.jpghttp://i27.tinypic.com/30vcb3n.jpg

would make a good stamp, get on it USPS

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/0415/nba_u_nuggetsmascot_576.jpg

does anyone anywhere else get to see rocky do shit like that? i don't know how he is now, but like 10 yrs ago he was pretty amazing

I, too, will predict that the first round in the East goes according to seeding, straight down the line, 1-4 surviving and 5-8 eliminated.

In the West, my heart says Blazers over the Mavs, but someone besides Gerald Wallace will have to get down and gritty for that to happen. Should be a fine series.

Lakers will take N.O., but I would like to see them have to grind it out in six or seven games.

Spurs over Memphis.

In the sweet match between OKC and Denver, I think I will go with OKC in seven, with the home team taking every game in the series. (I could easily be wrong, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp or what's a prediction for?)

mike miller should be pretty effective in the playoffs

Shandel_HeatNBA
Mike Miller will wear braces on both thumbs during playoffs. Said left thumb is giving him similar pain the right did earlier this season

i always like it when an nfl lineman plays wearing a giant hand cast, but, uh, this is completely different.

both of my thumbs are fucked up from playing basketball too! my right one has a pretty crazy bruise, it sucks

ayo based mod, playoffs start tomorrow, might be time for some motivational yellow cards.

so how's the streaming situation? trying to figure out how many of these I can watch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6Gq9Uw0Nkw

clay, ur wish is my kazaam.

all other requests must be done in writing. please allow up to 48 hrs for response as I am out of town for my sis in law's wedding.

wait what is a "sister in law's wedding?"

my wifes sister...getting married...to a dude

oh lol little drunk - i thought it would have had to be your brother's wife...getting married to your brother

carry on

lol wtf

haha thank u based mod!

blazers over mavs
griz over spurs (sry bise!{lol wont really happen anyway[yet, maybe]})

anticipate that you will get a yellow card for that

i totally apologized parenthetically tho

btw i hope the magic win it all that would be hilar

I'm goin

spurs, lakers, dallas, nuggs

chicago, miami, knicks, orlando

wld like yellowcard!

*gong*

hit me

*bong*

Card me!

*deals with it*

yo

YAOOOOOOOOOO

yeah idk -- it depends on if the mavs can hold up, if the lakers can regroup, if the nuggets can keep it going, if memphis isn't a flash in the pan... i think it's really, really open for OKC to take it

memphis seems legit if they can keep their core together

yeah i agree, but you never know -- i really hope they don't trade oj mayo

well they dont totally need him if they have gay back

don't forget guys greg oden's gonna be healthy next year lol

*OR lottery symbol*

http://thebanklied.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/oregon_lottery_logo.jpg

Dallas has 10 to 1 odds of a repeat according to Vegas

Can't remember the last time an NBA champ was such a longshot to repeat

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/global/swapper/201106/110615.04.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQGhLFzHMow

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1XtaTu/i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/global/swapper/201106/110615.05.jpg

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/global/swapper/201106/110615.05.jpg

welp lol

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nba/news/story?id=6664021

http://a.espncdn.com/espnradiostations/i/espndallas/images/deshawn_400.jpg

Goin ham

field sobriety test
"now touch your finger to your nose"
"i can't feel my face!"

the perfect end to a perfect bender

btw can someone explain to me the significance of the 5s framing honest abe

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/New_five_dollar_bill.jpg/250px-New_five_dollar_bill.jpg

lol omg haha

*slap forehead*

*thinks abt life*

*puts lincoln on neck*

my god has stevenson ever shared an explanation of that tatty

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4EnXQmNb4gY/TdXsPZXO_QI/AAAAAAAAApg/Ck4Aw7z5_XI/s400/vlcsnap-3907721.png

i believe at some point he discussed that he got abe as a tribute to the great emancipator, but now im not sure he's that aware of facts

i kinda think the 5-abe-5 is dope (and maybe the little crack he's got on his skull too) but the little neck piercing right below makes me gag a bit

i mean, a piercing there basically means "im working my entire adult life in a scoop neck jersey and once im retired i really have to opt for large-neck tees or a deep v"

well they dont totally need him if they have gay back

― ice cr?m, Wednesday, June 15, 2011 1:31 AM (12 hours ago)

http://mrshamilton.wikispaces.com/file/view/pause.jpg/31599025/pause.jpg

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/.element/img/4.0/global/swapper/201106/110615.04.jpg

― ice cr?m, Wednesday, June 15, 2011 10:36 AM (3 hours ago) Bookmark

if ilx had avatars, i'd crop the dirkface and make it mine

http://grab.by/cBtY xp

lol @ ice cream btw

http://deadspin.com/5805082/stay-soft-dirk-nowitzki

just gonna post that

field sobriety test
"now touch your finger to your nose"
"i can't feel my face!"

^ Underrated post

He "slept in youth hostels ... dozed on the beach reading German novels ... let his hair and beard grow long ... drifted out at sea for days ... slept in a car for a week."

XD

http://www.slate.com/id/2296869/pagenum/all

cool deadspin article

http://vvoice.vo.llnwd.net/e14//crocodile-nowitzki.1648522.40.jpg

*dunks over motor vehicle*

Deadspin article was great, thx

would watch a boring 3 hour documentary on dirk reflecting in the outback

lololol @ dirk's spirit journey

I'm just picturing homer finding his spirit animal

guys: STREAKIN RICAN

haha i never heard the gatorade quote and just looked at youtubes of post-games:

dirk- kicked back mic in hand, nothing on the table (except champion hats after game 6)

lebron and wade- gatorade cup AND bottle carefully placed within reach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76rZyVbM7YI

cutoff sleeves :)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2011/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=greatestseries-1-5

this is fuckin awesome - hollinger ranks the top 50 best playoff series of all time

related question - is there a way to buy (or "buy") DVDs of some of these classic series? i would loooove that omg

oh man that 06 mavs/spurs, the west was so classic all through the 2000s with mavs/suns/spurs in some fashion basically every year

^

That stretch is what got me BACK into the NBA after about 5 years of indifference towards it.

I feel bad for TOUGH JUICE, has a ring but didn't contribute at all