The Bobcat Nation

NBA Playoffs are no where near as exciting at the NCAA tourny! However, due to a lack of other of quality options for sporting events on TV, I am forced to watch a game or two.
Early Predictions Anyone?
I do like Miami in the East. I hated Shaq as a Laker, but the new & slimmer shaq that plays for the heat is a little more likeable.
I am very excited to have the Bulls back in the post season, I think they can win the series against Wizards.
From the West, I am going to go with San Antonio. I think Phoenix is real strong too, but I am pulling for the spurs. Duncan will need to stay healthy if they want to get 'er done.

I actually find this year's NHL playoffs more intriguing.

I just can't get excited about the NBA, unless there is a team to root against (Lakers and Utah, mostly).

I can understand cheering against the lakers, but utah???

BleedsBlue&Gold wrote:I can understand cheering against the lakers, but utah???

Spoken like a true Mormon…

BleedsBlue&Gold wrote:I can understand cheering against the lakers, but utah???

Utah = most whiny cheap players and most obnoxious myopic biased fans (as in, it's not even conceivable that the refs weren't cheating against them). Of course this all changed when little cheap player retired and big cheap shot artist/flopper/whiner/truck driver went to the Lakers. Then it just made the Lakers that much more fun to dislike.

And it didn't help my disposition towards Utah when I had to find a "club member" to sign me in to every bar (thankfully my cousin is hot and she made finding sponsors easy) and then had to pay full price for watered down beer. I blame the Jazz for that as well -- I just as well concentrate my angst in one place. Those whiners....

I have to agree on the anti-utah thing. I never liked either Stockton or Malone and because of them will never like Utah. You kind of had to feel pity for Mark Eaton, but that was always overshadowed by dislike of the other two clowns.

In general I don't like the NBA, but the playoffs are fun to watch. I don't know if it is the true lack of me, me, me play or if I just think it is, but this is the closest thing to college basketball all year. If Pippen hadn't retired, I would definately be pulling for the Bulls. But since he did, I don't care who wins as long as it isn't Shaq or AI. Practice? Seatle would be a nice change.

I'm not a huge NBA fan, but my team is definately the Suns, since I went to see them play when I was young (lived in Phoenix). They are my team, and they have a shot this year.

DCC2MSU wrote:I have to agree on the anti-utah thing. I never liked either Stockton or Malone and because of them will never like Utah. You kind of had to feel pity for Mark Eaton, but that was always overshadowed by dislike of the other two clowns.

In general I don't like the NBA, but the playoffs are fun to watch. I don't know if it is the true lack of me, me, me play or if I just think it is, but this is the closest thing to college basketball all year. If Pippen hadn't retired, I would definately be pulling for the Bulls. But since he did, I don't care who wins as long as it isn't Shaq or AI. Practice? Seatle would be a nice change.

where do i begin hehehehehe

first of all about the watered down beer comment by bac the state of Utah outlaws the sale of alcoholic beverages that are over 4 percent alcohol. secondly I am wondering why you dislike stockton and malone, especially stockton. Stock is one of the most professional players the nba has ever had. Malone is...well...malone.

Finally about winey utah fans i bet if Criswell or Martin pushed off on Durham/Jefferson/Dissley and made a jumper at the brick y'all would on the reffs for that miss call.

can you tell i am a rabid fan of the jazz??

Bay Area Cat wrote:I actually find this year's NHL playoffs more intriguing.

hehehehe you must not be a fan of hockey

Spurs looked good last night.

Hell's Bells wrote: secondly I am wondering why you dislike stockton and malone, especially stockton. Stock is one of the most professional players the nba has ever had. Malone is...well...malone.

I'll take this one...

I for one never cared for Stockton because, as BAC said, he was a somewhat dirty player. To me, it always seemed that he took unfair advantage of his lack of size -- I don't know how many times I saw him set an illegal moving screen, get run over by a much larger defender, and get the opponent whistled for a foul that should have been called on him instead. No matter whose fault the contact was, Stockton almost never got called for anything because he was small, and it was always he who got knocked down. He knew this, and he took advantage.

It's all a matter of perspective, of course -- his fans look at that and talk about what a smart player he was. I was always a Laker fan, so I hated watching Stockton in the same way that I hated watching Vlade Divac flop every single time Shaq came anywhere near him...

Grizlaw wrote:

Hell's Bells wrote: secondly I am wondering why you dislike stockton and malone, especially stockton. Stock is one of the most professional players the nba has ever had. Malone is...well...malone.

I'll take this one...

I for one never cared for Stockton because, as BAC said, he was a somewhat dirty player. To me, it always seemed that he took unfair advantage of his lack of size -- I don't know how many times I saw him set an illegal moving screen, get run over by a much larger defender, and get the opponent whistled for a foul that should have been called on him instead. No matter whose fault the contact was, Stockton almost never got called for anything because he was small, and it was always he who got knocked down. He knew this, and he took advantage.

It's all a matter of perspective, of course -- his fans look at that and talk about what a smart player he was. I was always a Laker fan, so I hated watching Stockton in the same way that I hated watching Vlade Divac flop every single time Shaq came anywhere near him...

And to just jump right into the netherworld of sports talk, when people did refer to Stockton as a "smart" player for utilizing his dirty play to his advantage, it smacked me of, well, something similar to announcers referring to a black player as "articulate" simply because he could speak English proficiently. That whole euphemism game gets under my skin. I think the fact that he was in Utah just exacerbated that phenomenon.

I hate the NBA. I prefer to watch real basketball (I'm sure mslacat will appreciate that!).

I am still going with Spurs and Heat in the finals

BleedsBlue&Gold wrote:I am still going with Spurs and Heat in the finals

I am hoping for the Suns and Heat. It just sounds right.

BTW this is the first time in about ten years that I have been even the slight bit interested in the Finals. Not as much Brawlball and clearout and more passing and team work! Well a little more any way.

Yeah, that even looks right. Doug Moe would be so proud.

Hell's Bells wrote:

Bay Area Cat wrote:I actually find this year's NHL playoffs more intriguing.

hehehehe you must not be a fan of hockey

I think he was being a tad bit sarcastic - did you not catch that? I for one miss hockey - can't see my Avs beat the pulp out of the Redwings anymore...

The only part of the season worth watching on t.v. in the NBA, the NHL and MLB are the conference finals and the finals.

That said, I think the 2 best NBA teams are Detroit and Phoenix.

Grizlaw wrote: It's all a matter of perspective, of course -- his fans look at that and talk about what a smart player he was. I was always a Laker fan, so I hated watching Stockton in the same way that I hated watching Vlade Divac flop every single time Shaq came anywhere near him...

stockton was a very smart player - to last 19 years in the league - miss only a handfull of games because of injury and then retire you would have to have a smart head on you...not to mention he went to gonzaga.

speaking pf perspective and people taking advantage of their body in sports i wonder if shaq is doin so....wouldnt blame him to be honest with ya