Poll: NBA Finals 2001: Lakers and Sixers

[djb]

Who's going to win it all? Vote in the poll [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[Mavinator]

Maybe this poll should be, "Will the Sixers manage to take a game?"

[djb]

Sixers are gonna punk the Lakers tonight..mark my words!

[Flying Tiger]

DJ...I no longer value your sports opinions. You've got to be joking!

[djb]

Blame Cleo if I'm wrong.

[Flying Tiger]

I just want to point out that Madape picked the Pacers over the 76er in the fantasy pick and roll.

[Mavinator]

Don't get me started on that Pacers/Sixers series... the Pacers would have won it if Isiah Thomas could stick to a consistent rotation and coaching scheme.

[Fidel]

So far it looks pretty good for the Sixers. Up by Six at the half. Got to give them credit so far (Iverson 30 pts). But the Lakers and especially Kobe are pretty much out of sync. Nowhere near the Spurs series. Also I think they go inside to Shaq too often. I think it will be an interesting second half.

[Fidel]

No matter who wins today: the Lakers will win it all. Maximum 6 games.

[LonestarROB]

You nailed it DJ. Philly wins game 1. 107-101

[Mavinator]

dj, I owe you a coke. Go Sixers! Wooooo! Sixers forever! Iverson MVP! I'm even temporarily a Mutumbo fan, just for this series. Sixers 2001!

Isn't it strange how the lakers mounted a big comeback when they started going inside to Shaq every single possession? You'd think Dominant Offensive Force kobe would be offended....

[Fidel]

I hate Phillie, but I got to give them credit for todays game (especially Iverson). Had Mutombo not sat out the third quarter, the game would not even have been close.
The Lakers really didn´t look good today, and Kobe really wasn´t there at all. Now game 2 will be real interesting, if Phillie steals that one too they have a shot at the title.

[Fidel]

Mavinator,
that was because Mutombo wasn´t around in the third.

[djb]

I really thought the Sixers were going to piss the game away late in the fourth, especially when they fumbled the last possession. I missed the o/t but can't wait for the ESPN highlights!

Even if they steal Game 2, I'm still sure the Lakers will pull it off though [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] I hope I'm wrong.

[Fidel]

I predict Kobe to have a big game 2.

[djb]

Anyone else think Luu was damn impressive tonight?!

[Fidel]

Dj the Lakers were up by 5 in OT with 2 min to play I think.
But Bell, and two times Iverson came up big for the Sixers.
There was also a key possesion when the Lakers had the ball 5 up with 2 min. to go and Horry was called for an offensive foul. They didn´t show any replays of that.

[Fidel]

He was incredible, especially defending the passing lane.

[Fidel]

Lue, I mean.

[djb]

Wow thx for the info Fidel! Bell has really surprised me the last couple weeks.

[Mavinator]

Lue's one asset is his quickness, and it was showing tonight. It was also showing more because Iverson's teammates weren't stepping up offensively tonight as much as they usually do... where was Aaron McKie??

I always know Horry's going to commit a key turnover or foul in the clutch time. You can set your watch to it. If you're playing the lakers, and you're down late in the game, be confident- Robert Horry is going to get you some points...

[Fidel]

The Sixers really surprised me tonight, although I expected the Lakers to be rusty. But I think tonight Brown outcoached Jackson. I also wonder what it was with Kobe. Was he overconfident? (We all know that he likes his game...)

[djb]

I was only able to catch part of the second half. How was Kobe tonight?

[Mavinator]

The Sixers just played consistently good defense on kobe and made him take jumpshots... after a five-turnover first half, they seemed to be in his head, and he missed some of those crazy turnarounds that he normally makes. It was all downhill from there...

[Fidel]

Awful.
He had alot of To´s and shot 5-20. He also was guarding Iverson for most of the first half were Iverson had 30 pts. Kobe also had a key TO with 30 sec. to go in regulation.

[Fidel]

But I also think the refs didn´t give Kobe any respect at all. Like Mavinator said, the Sixers made him take jumpers but when he penetrated he was fould a couple times, and didn´t get any calls at all. He had one technical FT. That´s it. Kind of fits into the NBC pregame show where they had a clash of "the imovable force" against the "answer". Also when they were showing highlights of the Spurs-Lakers series they didn´t have a single basket of Kobe. And he was just huge in that series.

[djb]

NBC and the NBA probably want the Sixers to win a couple..NBC has been losing mucho bucks because of the Laker sweeps, and the Playoffs in general. That's why they're resorting to those halftime concerts or whatever. The NBA conspiracy theory lives on [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[Fidel]

Other than Shaq the Lakers had 5 FTA today. So yeah I smell the conspiracy [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
I don´t know if there´s something to it but the Sixers definitely deserved to win tonight. They were the better team.

[Fidel]

Another thing: it should be clear that I´m hugely in favor of the Lakers. But nevertheless I kind of like the fact the Sixers won tonight. Perhaps now we`ll have a real series in the Finals (I still doubt it though).

[TheKid]

I want Philly to win the series, but even watching lastnight, it won't happen. Kobe was off, but don't expect him to be off like that AGAIN in the series. (Did I tell you all I hate Kobe?) Also, the game is different if Shaq shoots a better percentage from the free throw line. Although you can't beef too much with him because he played GREAT lastnight other than the free throw line!

[Hales233]

ummm I'm glad I'm not Flying Tiger right now [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[Mavinator]

MUTUMBO SMASH! MUTUMBO IS STRONGEST ONE THERE IS!

[djb]

Anyone else think the Sixers should've put Shaq on the line late in the fourth? I know Brown is against Hack-a-Shaq, but c'mon..this was a chance to go up 2-0!

[Fidel]

What was that Bullshit with Iverson?
Before the game he was talkin shit about Lue, in the game he kept whining and complaining, and that show he was putting up at the end of the game, well that was just rediculus. The game was actually called Sixers way. Shaq had his fitht foul pretty early, the Sixers had 16 FTA in the 4th to 2 FTA for the Lakers (if you take away the intentional ones given up by the Sixers at the end). Those FT´s kept the Sixers in the game in the 4th, even if they only made half of them. Iverson just had a bad game, and instead of just takin it that way he starts to talk shit with Kobe and acts like the Sixers was cheated.
That was no good sport of Iverson, and I hope the refs won´t be intimidated by that in Phillie. They already call the game´s in favor of the Sixers.

[Fidel]

And I really don´t understand why everyone thinks Iverson is so honest and pure. Actually Iverson was a much bigger whiner than Kobe today.
Go down Sixers! Three more, let´s go Lakers!

[MFFL]

Well that sucked. It looks like the damn Lakers are going to win the title again.

[Fidel]

OK I know you all hate the Lakers.
But didn´t you think Iversons reaction after the game was just rediculous?

[djb]

After the game, yes I agree with your assessment. This is no excuse, but up until the fourth quarter, he was constantly getting hammered and not getting any calls.

[Fidel]

Besides that: I don´t think the series will be over soon. The Sixers have hart, I give them that. I think they will find a way to win a game, maybe even two in Phillie.

[djb]

I hate the Lakers as much as anyone here, but the Sixers really sealed their fate tonight by missing those free throws. Shaq just played a monster game so you can't help but give the guy his props.