Win or bust for the Celtics tonight. Trading around 4.1 is attractive enough a price in a game they obviously must win, might be better to wait and see how the game develops before getting involved though. Rondo would be out for weeks with the elbow dislocation in any other sport but no such luxeries in playoff basketball. Miami are looking more and more like the real deal in these playoffs. Lebron, Wade and co will want to kill it tonight on their home turf rather than risk Boston any chink of light here.
Took triple OT to seperate Oklahoma and Memphis the last night, their series is tied 2-2, their game on after Celtics/Heat could well be epic. Winners of that series will play Dallas for the West. Bulls should wrap it up against Hawks tomorrow to face the winners of Celtics/Heat in Eastern Conference.
Celtics taking a 73-71 lead into the 4th quarter in Miami. Heat look more likely here though. Rondos crocked, Garnett started well but tailed off. Paul Peirce is one foul away from an early shower. Ray Allen is doing the business though. Heat might have been saving a bit for this quarter though, they bhave the younger legs. Wades on fire and Lebron picking it up now too. Link here for anyone interested
Celtics turn a 7 point lead with less than 5 minutes to go into a 10 point defeat. They are finished.
Dwayne Wade started it for Heat but Lebron James well and truly finished it tonight. Bulls are the only team I can see having any hope against them.
Who’s whining now, bitch?
So you waited til the Celtics went out to come on :lol: :lol: :lol:
Shame to see the Celtics fall, but given the injuries they were carrying it was astonishing they even got this far. A superhuman effort by Rondo to play on given his dislocated elbow but its not right that it was expected of him but inevitable given the situation I guess. Losing both O Neils was also a blow and after that you’re depending on KG, Pierce and Allen to carry you, and all three have a fair amount of miles on the clock now. Serious rebuilding to be done on that squad, and its a shame Shaq couldnt get on the court to go out with his boots on, but I guess not everyone gets to go out on their own terms.
So from here, its anyones. Boston, Lakers, Orlando and Phoenix all gone from last years Conference Finals. I’m throwing my lot behind Dirk and the Mav’s.
MVP lets cat out of the bag?
Derrick Rose refutes ESPN Mag quote
Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose denied Sunday an ESPN The Magazine report quoting him as saying performance enhancing drugs are a “huge” problem in the NBA.
Rose was one of several professional athletes asked the following question by ESPN the Magazine for its May 16 issue: “If 1 equals ‘What are PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs)’? and 10 equals ‘Everybody’s Juicing’ … How big of an issue is illegal enhancing in your sport?”
ESPNChicago.com Bulls blog
In response, Rose said, “Seven. It’s huge, and I think we need a level playing field, where nobody has that advantage over the next person.”
Rose issued a statement through the team on Sunday afternoon denying the quote.
“Regarding the quote attributed to me in ESPN The Magazine, I do not recall making the statement nor do I recall the question being asked,” Rose said. "If that was my response to any question, I clearly misunderstood what was asked of me.
“But, let me be clear, I do not believe there is a performance enhancing drug problem in the NBA.”
Rose added later: “If there was [a drug problem] … we get tested four times so it would definitely show up or something. There’s definitely not a drug problem in the NBA.”
Rose, the NBA’s MVP this season, helped the Bulls take on the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday. The series is tied 1-1.
He claimed the comments wouldn’t be a distraction Sunday night.
“I’m fine. I’m fine,” Rose said. “Of course you definitely don’t want to go through this, but things like this happen and I clarified things. Now I’m just worried about the game.”
Bulls lost that game to go 2-1 down in the East Final. Tomorrow nights game is crucial, you feel Chicago must win to hold out any hope in the series.
Dallas play at Oklahoma tonight in game 4 of West Final, Mavs currently 2-1 to the good, they have the best away record in NBA and odds of 7/4 look tempting but OKC are a young side and very unpredictable, never know what to expect with them from one quarter to the next, let alone game to game. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have the potential to destroy anyone on their day but both have been made look clueless at times by this very experienced Dirk Nowitski led Dallas team. Can see this matchup going all the way to game 7.
He was anonymous in last nights game by all accounts. The introduction of Haslam has turned the series on it’s head. I was in the states for the Mavs/Lakers series, great atmosphere in some of the bars during the games, delighted to see the laker bitches get handed their asses like that. The celtics are finished as a force in their present guise also imo, serious rebuilding needed there if they are to compete with the heat in the next 3/4 years.
Shaq has hung up his size 23’s today. What a beast he truly was, unmarkable in his day. Shame he couldnt have gone out with his boots on but what a career. The 61 points against the Clippers is a pretty astonishing haul.
Career highlights and awards
4× NBA Champion (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)
3× NBA Finals MVP (2000–2002)
NBA Most Valuable Player (2000)
NBA Rookie of the Year (1993)
15× NBA All-Star (1993–1998, 2000–2007, 2009)
2× NBA scoring champion (1995, 2000)
8× All-NBA First Team (1998, 2000–2006)
2× All-NBA Second Team (1995, 1999)
4× All-NBA Third Team (1994, 1996–1997, 2009)
3× All-Defensive Second Team (2000–2001, 2003)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (1993)
3× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000, 2004, 2009)
1994 FIBA World Championship MVP
Season Highs/Career Highs
Points 25 vs. New Jersey 11/24/10 61 @ L.A. Clippers 03/06/00
Field Goals Made 10 vs. Charlotte 01/14/11 24 @ L.A. Clippers 03/06/00
Field Goals Attempted 12 vs. Charlotte 01/14/11 40 @ Washington 03/22/96
Three Point Field Goals Made None 1 vs. Milwaukee 02/16/96
Three Point Field Goals Attempted None 1 22 Times
Free Throws Made 7 vs. New Jersey 11/24/10 19 vs. Chicago 11/19/99
Free Throws Attempted 13 vs. New Jersey 11/24/10 31 vs. Chicago 11/19/99
Offensive Rebounds 5 vs. Detroit 01/19/11 14 3 Times
Defensive Rebounds 8 2 Times 25 vs. Milwaukee 03/21/04
Total Rebounds 12 vs. Detroit 01/19/11 28 @ New Jersey 11/20/93
Assists 3 @ Cleveland 10/27/10 10 vs. Toronto 04/11/06
Steals 3 vs. Detroit 01/19/11 5 3 Times
Blocks 5 vs. Charlotte 01/14/11 15 @ New Jersey 11/20/93
Minutes Played 35 vs. Charlotte 01/14/11 55 @ Utah 01/24/00