****OFFICIAL 2012 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD****

[dirk digler]

Great sports weekend with the draft and now the NBA Playoffs starting today

First Round Matchups Today:

76ers vs Bulls
Knicks vs Heat
Magic vs Pacers
Mavs vs Thunder

Sunday:

Jazz vs Spurs
Celtics vs Hawks
Clippers vs Grizzlies
Nuggets vs Lakers

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

So it's your position that Lebron could have shut down Durant, but the Heat chose to have him guard someone else?

Who said that?

[okcchief]

Each game in the playoffs is its own story. Tuesday means nothing now.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Fine Uncut Meat

By the way, here's what Kevin Durant does to Lebron.

1. Lebron didn't even try, look how scared he is to ball against that beast!



2. Lebron takes a horrible contested jumper, yielding to the superior, godlike athletic ability of Durantula. Just awful.

Post a gif from this: http://www.nba.com/video/channels/pl...okc_play11.nba

[okcchief]

Sefalosha did a better job on LeBron than Durant.

I'd rather see Thabo on LeBron and Westbrook on Wade. Durant can hold his own but why waste energy when you have an elite defender that can do it?

This is OKC vs Miami not LeBron vs Durant.

[mikey23545]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Forget about the whole game, then. Why didn't Lebron shut him down in the fourth quarter? Lebron wasn't in danger of fouling out, and Durant was doing to the Heat what Delonte West did to Lebrons mom.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Post a gif from this: http://www.nba.com/video/channels/pl...okc_play11.nba

Sorry, rings not found.

Sorry, Page Not Found

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I misread his quote. Thought he said that Jordan had a great team around him for 7-8 years before he won a championship.

When Jordan had even a good team, he won the title.

Cool. I agree.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by okcchief

Sefalosha did a better job on LeBron than Durant.

I'd rather see Thabo on LeBron and Westbrook on Wade. Durant can hold his own but why waste energy when you have an elite defender that can do it?

This is OKC vs Miami not LeBron vs Durant.

I figured Thabo would be on Lebron from the get go since he is OKC's best defender.

The Thunder need to come up with a rotation to keep Ibaka in the middle to stop the drives to the lane.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Fine Uncut Meat

Sorry, rings not found.

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/pl...okc_play11.nba

[Bambi]

Party at the Stage tonight in Miami fellas

[BIG_DADDY]

The Heat fans in this thread should put some money on it if they are so confident. There is a lot of money to be made.

[okcchief]

If they can't make the salaries work this wouldn't be a bad option. I hope they can make it work though.

Former Thunder assistant general manager and current Bobcats GM Rich Cho is trying to get back one of the picks he helped out on. Via Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com, Charlotte is targeting James Harden and dangling the No. 2 pick as bait.

The Charlotte Bobcats are eyeing the possibility of dealing the No. 2 overall pick in a trade that would bring a more established player, multiple sources told CBSSports.com.

Rod Higgins and Rich Cho understand that the Bobcats need more than just a talented rookie, whether it be Bradley Beal, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson or even Andre Drummond — to make the Bobcats competitive from their laughingstock of a season.

One source said that Oklahoma City’s James Harden could be in play due to the Thunder’s salary situation following next season. GM Sam Presti already has Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on the books for more than $29 million next season — and both Harden and Serge Ibaka will command huge contracts after the 2012-13 campaign.

[notorious]

If the Heat can't drive to the basket and need to make jump shots they are going to get swept.


OKC shut down San Antonio's drive and dish game, so the Heat has their work cut out for them.

[Urc Burry]

The Charlotte Bobcats are eyeing the possibility of dealing the No. 2 overall pick in a trade that would bring a more established player, multiple sources told CBSSports.com.

Rod Higgins and Rich Cho understand that the Bobcats need more than just a talented rookie, whether it be Bradley Beal, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson or even Andre Drummond -- to make the Bobcats competitive from their laughingstock of a season.

One source said that Oklahoma City's James Harden could be in play due to the Thunder's salary situation following next season. GM Sam Presti already has Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on the books for more than $29 million next season -- and both Harden and Serge Ibaka will command huge contracts after the 2012-13 campaign.

Charlotte was an NBA-worst 7-59 this past season and there is no clear-cut second overall pick behind Anthony Davis, who will be taken by New Orleans with the No. 1 selection on June 28.

Beal and Barnes can both help Charlotte on the offensive end while Kidd-Gilchrist and Robinson would bring a toughness, especially on the defensive end. Drummond is a high-risk choice despite his physical tools.

None of these players is considered a franchise-changer -- and that's why the Bobcats would prefer to deal the pick and land an established player such as Harden who could come in immediately and make an impact.

I found this very interesting. At first glance I thought it was insane, but there is no way you are going to be able to keep Durant-Westbrook-Harden-Ibaka together. They could go Beal or MKG with the 2nd pick and save a lot of $$$ while not losing Harden for nothing

[DaKCMan AP]

Adding Beal to Westbrook-KD-Ibaka would be sick.