****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

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

I hate Pop. He's a ****stick

[KC native]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Definitely understand pulling the starters when there is no chance to come back. OKC should have done that as well but I think it is ridiculous to suggest that a Head Coach would throw a playoff game especially a team that is looking to make history.

Yea, Pop has a tendency to do that much quicker than a lot of coaches. It's actually been really good for the development of our bench.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla

I hate Pop. He's a ****stick

Pop reminds me of a successful version of Todd Haley.

Just a huge dickbag, all the time, but he gets results.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by Satanic Goat

Pop reminds me of a successful version of Todd Haley.

Just a huge dickbag, all the time, but he gets results.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Never seen a Jazz or Raptors game?

Utah sure, but you don't know much about the diversity and demographics of the city of Toronto, do you?

I've been to many Raptors games in my time and I wouldn't describe the crowd as predominantly white at all. There are tons of visible minorities who go to those games (particularly Asians and Indians), it's completely unlike the crowd demographics of the Leafs or Jays (almost entirely white in my experience).

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Satanic Goat

Pop reminds me of a successful version of Todd Haley.

Just a huge dickbag, all the time, but he gets results.

ummm....no

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Vanilla Thunder

It's not a series until a team wins on the road. Then it's fun time. Until then both teams are just taking care of business with the team that has home court still in the drivers seat.

Oh, I'm not saying the Spurs are in position to lose it or anything. But OKC isn't going to bow out easily in this one, they're a quality team. It should go at least 6.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

I didn't get to see all of the game and certainly don't have any dog in this fight but what I did see from an officiating standpoint was very, very one sided.

One of the benefits of a home crowd like that is the officiating. They let them get away with a lot of things that they wouldn't have been able to get away with in San Antonio. But again, that's just part of the game and further illustrates how important home advantage in a series like this is.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Oh, I'm not saying the Spurs are in position to lose it or anything. But OKC isn't going to bow out easily in this one, they're a quality team. It should go at least 6.

Oh yes. This WCF is pretty much the Finals, IMO. I know the Heat will have something to say about that as you can't count a team with that much star power out until the fat lady sings.

[okcchief]

My key take away tonight is that Brooks FINALLY ****ing figured out more Thabo less Fisher. Thabo has been a ball hawk and the minutes he received in game 2 was a huge **** up.

The Spurs are still in the drivers seat but if we can win Saturday the pressure is back on.

On a side note, I counted it up and I'm 14-0 when I attend games this year. I had to go to less games because we have a 4th month old. If we win game 4 my ass may be going to San Antonio. I just happen to be off next week anyway and I'm superstitious as **** lol.

It was cool to see the TNT guys tonight.

I have a feeling Saturday will be a hell of a game. Can't wait.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

I didn't get to see all of the game and certainly don't have any dog in this fight but what I did see from an officiating standpoint was very, very one sided.

I thought the Spurs got a couple of calls early on. Pretty much all that shit usually evens out. I think the thing I hate most about basketball is people bitching about every ****ing call. NBA officiating is inconsistent and blows in general. The best team that night will usually prevail either way.

[Hammock Parties]

Kinda got the feeling this is going at least 6 games now.

Hope the Thunder make it because I'd like to do a Heat/Thunder NBA Finals promo video.

[okcchief]

Thabo on Parker made a difference tonight, but I'm sure Pop will pull some shit out.

The odds are still against us but you have to start somewhere. I think tonight was a big mental hurdle because SA has been the only team that has dominated OKC. However, the Spurs can feed that shit sandwich right back to us.

The series will go 6 or 7 games.

Looking back at the end of game 1 and Brooks lineup choices still piss me off.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by okcchief

Thabo on Parker made a difference tonight, but I'm sure Pop will pull some shit out.

The odds are still against us but you have to start somewhere. I think tonight was a big mental hurdle because SA has been the only team that has dominated OKC. However, the Spurs can feed that shit sandwich right back to us.

The series will go 6 or 7 games.

Looking back at the end of game 1 and Brooks lineup choices still piss me off.

Hopefully 7.

[DaKCMan AP]

Does Calling Timeout Actually Help?

In the NBA, calling a timeout to slow the opposition's momentum is such a fundamental tactic that even the woeful Charlotte Bobcats managed not to get it wrong this season. But here's the thing about timeouts: New research is challenging the notion that they have a significant effect on the final outcome of games.

In a recent study, three Northwestern University researchers analyzed the time and score scenarios of every timeout called by all 30 NBA teams over the last three seasons. They started with the hypothesis that timeouts do, in fact, change games. From there they focused on the score differential between timeouts and compared it to the expected score differential if timeouts were randomized.

What they found surprised them: Timeouts had no significant effect in 68 of the 90 cases. Over a full game, their research shows, the better team still usually won.

Granted, no one is expecting Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and the other remaining coaches in the NBA playoffs to stop trying to use timeouts strategically. Not only are timeouts practical and potentially inspiring—"I need a little bit more dose of nasty," Popovich urged the Spurs during their Game 1 win over the Thunder this week—but the Heat, Thunder and Spurs are also exceptions to the rule. The study found that the handful of teams for whom timeouts were significant were often the best and worst in the NBA.

The only team that used timeouts better than those three? That would be the Indiana Pacers, who lost to the Heat last round.

—Ben Cohen

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...?mod=djemITP_h