What do "Playoff Basketball" mean?

[chumdawg]

In honor of the great Darrin Hambrick, what do "playoff basketball" mean?

I hear all year long about how things are going to be different in the playoffs, about how the playoffs are going to be a different ballgame. Six games and two series in now, you could have fooled me.

I've heard that the playoffs are more physical, more favoring of the defense. But these 2006 playoffs certainly do not bear that out. The Mavs and Spurs are playing what might be the conference finals, and if you blink you might miss yet another foul call.

I'm aware of the rule that you can't put an armbar on the perimeter player. Yet I missed the memo that you aren't allowed to stand behind Tim Duncan in the post without consequence.

What happened to "playoff basketball?" What happened to "letting them play?"

I don't know about the rest of you, but when I watch these games I don't see anything AT ALL of substance that differentiates these games from the regular season. Of course the games are more important than regular-season games, but they aren't played any differently.

In fact, they actually appear to be played with MORE foul calls than regular-season games.

The old mantra was that defense won championships. Well, what happens when you don't let the defense play? This league is changing. It started changing when perimeter players were no longer allowed to arm-bar opponents. It continues to change when interior players can't so much as body the opponent without a foul.

What we are witnessing is the development of an era where offense wins championships. It's an era where Kobe Bryant can singlehandedly keep his team in a series. It's an era where a guard who can penetrate is far more valuable than a defender who can attempt to cut off penetration.

The "playoff basketball" of old is but a memory. There is no more "playoff basketball." If that means anything these days, it means three-hour games with 25 fouls called each side.

The Pistons, Celtics, and Lakers of the 80's would laugh at the way these current playoff games are being played. The game is hard to watch, these days.

[WraithXx]

I have a question..

what do voluntary mean?

[Nemesis]

If you were to watch an 80's playoff game then a 06' playoff game (except the Clippers VS Nuggets maybe) back to back, I don't think you would think the same. The ONLY reason why I enjoy watching the 80's playoff games is just to remember how I felt or to remember what that player looked like back then i.e Bird, Mchale, Magic, etc. Other than that, there is no real "enjoyment" comparison. The pace, efficiency, skill sets of the majority of players, ATHLETICISM are in no way the same IMO. Also, I am one of the few who has the 1987-88 Dallas Maverick Highlight Video for season ticket holders (which I have tried to make a DVD but failed) Talk about a keep-sake. But, I just laugh at the games they played against the Laker's in the WCF's. Boring NOW. Yes, back then, it was top-notch. Now, nope. Give me this 06' Mav's team to watch any day.

[sixeightmkw]

It is really kind of odd how they can call all of those fouls, some bad calls, some good, and not call damn near anything on Bowen. Everytime he reaches in he slaps Dirk on the arm. But oh well.

I think the refs are trying to establish that they are in control of the game early and they are just calling every damn thing. They just need to let the play a bit and if things get testy, call some techs.

[101 6 7]

As the series progresses, and the coach's rack up tape and game-plans, the games WILL slow down, and become more of a half-court, grind-it-out style. The refs will then call fewer fouls.

At least it has been that way in the past. Sometimes, things change.

[Murphy3]

Well, they might call a few fewer fouls because of fewer possessions. But, that doesn't change the way the game has been officiated. The game wasn't officiated tightly yesterday because of a faster tempo. Most of the fouling occurred in the half court set.

[aexchange]

this thread and its title are pure genius.

real men of genius, we salute you.