I gotta hand it to your team, plawrence. The Nets are looking really strong, and they should come out of the east. Hopefully they won't be TOO rested after the Philly-Detroit series ends after 6 or 7 games. I was watching highlights of Jason Kidd last night, and I can't believe how good his court vision is. He might not have a great shot, but he is an outstanding rebounder for his size and he is the best passer I've ever seen this side of Magic Johnson. I don't think he'll ever come close to Stockton's assist mark, but I am more amazed by Kidd's passing than I am with Stockton's.

We may get our chance to see how good Kobe is, since Shaq will almost definitely retire before Kobe does (barring any kind of career-shortening injury to Bryant). Once Shaq is gone, the offense will be redesigned to have Kobe as the focus (if he isn't already), and I think his game will open up. I think that many of the great ones have had a sidekick (MJ and Pip, Magic and Kareem, Larry and McHale, West and Baylor), and I don't think Kobe will be any different.

Kobe is quite cocky, but he can back it up. There are a lot of guys out there who do a lot of talking but no one hates on them because they're not in the spotlight all the time. You see guys like Antoine Walker doing a lot of talking, but no one hates on him. I think with Kobe it might just be plain old jealousy. He's young, handsome, rich, has a hot wife, plays for the NBA's glamour team, and he's probably the one guy who has been able to live up to the dreaded "next Jordan" label. Success breeds contempt.

Hey DC, isn't Karl Malone available next year? Sign him up and the power forward questions go away.

I can't wait to see Kobe, Iverson, and McGrady on the same team for the Olympics. You're right, the "next Jordan" tag was hung on him, but he has proven himself. Now that the attention is going to focus on LeBron James as the next "next Jordan" maybe Kobe will win over a few fans that didn't care for him earlier.

As much as I hate Karl Malone, I think he would be a perfect fit for the Lakers. Next year may be Phil's last season as coach, and Malone would be perfect to help deliver another title as a going away present. But that would solve our PF problems next year, not this year. I remember when Shaq first came to the team, I thought that Elden Campbell would be awesome at the 4, but I was wrong.

LeBron is coming in to the league with more hype than anyone I've ever seen. Shaq came in to the league with tons of hype, but because he had dominated the college level, his hype was warranted. But LeBron has been feasting on 17 year old kids that next year will be doing keg stands and pledging fraternities at the local state university. Although he also has done well in the high school all star games, there is still the chance that he could be a bust.

I really hope that he does well, though. He seems like a good kid and hopefully he'll start his career looking to learn from some of the veterans that will be around. It is quite possible that people will see Kobe in a new light once that LeBron is in town as the new hotshot. But what if Kobe takes him to school? Then the Kobe haters are going to hate on him for picking on the new guy. He just can't win...unless we're talking NBA titles.

Well I'm a semi-Celtic fan. A little mad that they got swept, but really, I didn't expect doing as good as last year when the management makes a trade bringing in damn Vin Baker.

And YES! I hate the Lakers!

Damn man
I can't believe Horry missed that shit

IT WAS 99% down & came out

...so used to horry hittin that shot i guess im takin him fo granted

Well DC, gonna have 2 take 2 straight now to keep the streak goin- I know pp'll be jumpin off the bandwagon but i don't think Kobe'll let em lose...

...DAMN that was IN

Fuckin' Detroit Pistons, they piss me off so much. It seems like they can never win a road game or hit the big shots when they need to. Cliff Robinson is the biggest blow job hack Ive ever seen!. Hes shooting like 30% from the field. I swear we better win tonight or Im gonna bang my head agianst the fuckin' wall!

It won't matter what the Pistons do against Philly, DonP. Whoever wins that series is goin' down to the Nets, anyway.

We will just have to wait and see, Plawrence.

I am no way a Hoops fan; what are Hoops? Hula Hoops? I just entered here to say hi to DonP: where have you been man? Haven't seen you for ages! You posted those Sopranos pics yet man? Please do.

Mick

Hey Capo, how you doin' pal?, Yeah I've been pretty busy lately. Bein' a manager is a major pain in the ass!. And about those Soprano Pics, I probaly wont have time tonight because I gotta go back to work like in 15 minutes. Soo maybe tomorrow.

Well, my guys are out.

Whoever comes out of the East, I am now rooting for, whether it be Jersey, Philly, or Motown.

Now hopefully the Laker hating will stop...until next year

You seem to be taking it rather well, DC. A lot better than I would if it were the Nets. My sympathies.

He is probably drinking himself sick. :p Actually the Lakers got smoked tonight, I was surprised I thought they would get this win. I am glad they are gone though - time for some new blood, plus I am tired of hearing about damn Phil Jackson. Let him take a team with sh!t players and make them a championship team instead of teams that already have great players.

Anyway I am watching the Dallas - Sac game now - great game, only a 2 point game with 10 minutes to go - not a lot of defense in this game. If my Sixers don't make it, I am rooting for Dallas the rest of the way, assuming they get out of this round.

PL - no matter what with Detroit and 76'ers, I can't see your Nets losing to either one though in a series, but I also can't see them beating whoever comes from the West though.

But like they say, that is why they play the games.

I think the fact that they've won the last 3 championships helps a bit...I reacted similarly when they got swept by Detroit in 1989. They had won 5 of the previous 9 championships, and I figured that they'd win more within a year or so. Little did I know that they would have a 12 year championship drought. If Mitch Kupchak would get off his ass and sign some decent players, then the Lake Show should be back next year in good health and with something to prove.

I would love to see either AI or Kidd win a ring, especially at the expense of San Antonio.

What? Not watching baseball?

I'm roooting for the Sixers big time. Home court ad for the Nets, plus a possible road trip or two for me.

Last year my then-almost-13 year old son and I went up to Boston for game 6, when the Nets won the Eastern Conference championship. Man, that building was rocking. There were literally hundreds of Celtics fans in New Jersey for the games here, but I don't think there were ten Nets fans in the whole place that night. We drove up there, and listening to NY sports radio the whole way, all they were talking about were the Boston fans and their taunting of Jason Kidd and his wife. When we hit Hartford, we lost the NY station, but picked one up from Boston, and they were all talking about the same thing.

I had a sign in my rear window, "Nets in 6", and you'd be amazed how many times I got the middle finger from other drivers as we got closer to Boston. I explained to my son that perhaps it wasn't a good idea for him to wear his Jason Kidd jersey, but he insisted, and I'm glad he did. The Boston fans were really great--plenty of good natured taunting, but nothing too obnoxious or malicious--and my boy, who thought their accents were hilarious, responded to most of it by telling the taunters that people from "Bah-ston" were "re-tahds".

I know he'll remember that trip and that game, and that whole dream season for the Nets long after I'm gone.

Like I said before, DC. I think Karl Malone and Scottie Pippen have enough in the tank to join the Lakers and bring home another title. Scottie could do his "point forward" thing and would have Shaq, Malone, and Bryant to dish off to. I'd love to see that. They would probably be affordable since no one is going to pay their current rate next year.

They were probably just letting your know that they felt the Celtics were number 1.

Regarding your son wearing his Jersey - he could do that at a Sixer game, maybe even get away with it at a Phillies game. But you do NOT wear the opposing jersey to either a Flyers or worse yet an Eagles game. It is a shame but for Eagles games things get very ugly with stuff like that.

Glad that things went well for your son at the game - if you wear the opposing Jersey you got to expect to take some abuse - as long as it doesn't get out of control especially with a child. Now of course if I see you wearing a Nets jersey anywhere near me - well

This must be my week for offering condolonces. Sorry about the Sixers, BDD. Actually, more sorry for myself than for you. No road trips to Detroit, no home court for the Nets.

DonPalentino: Let's get ready to rummmmble.

Its going to be one a hell of a series Plawrence. I just hope none of the games go to OT, cause I cant take the suspense! Last night I thought I was going to have a heart attack!

Good Luck

Nets in 6. They'll get one of the first two in Detroit, win games 3 & 4 at home, lose game 5, and win game 6 in front of the home fans.

Good luck to the Pistons, DP. They'll need all the help they can get

I think ya might be underestimating the Pistons a little bit, they have a great bench and awesome defence. They aren't the Boston Celtics

By the way do watch the Devils alot?

I live 5 minutes from the Continental Arena and Giants Stadium, so I've been to a few games over the years, but I'm really not a hockey fan at all.

Looks like it could be 4.

Any hoops fans left out there still in the playoffs besides me and Don P?

PL - I'm going to a conference next month, staying at the Sheraton June 20th - you should come over for a drink with me

I haven't read any of this thread, cuz it's too long, and I'm not a huge b-ball fan, tho I do like the Nets, and do play the fantasy games on ESPN (somehow I'm doing better at that than at the baseball games, my true love! )

This is one time in my life I didn't mind being wrong.

The Nets are playing unbelievable D, and have a real chance to win it all. A better one against SA, I think. SA is a lot like Detroit--a good defensive team, with only one really reliable scorer. I see close games, and anything can happen at the end of a close one.

I'm rooting for those Nets, plawrence. Best of luck to your team.

Thanks, DC. Next year, Nets vs. Lakers. (revenge is a dish best tasted cold )

Well Dallas choked big time tonight. I thought the Spurs would win the series especially when Dirk went down but I thought it was going to a game 7. And where did SA dig Steve Kerr up from - what was that 4 3 pointers off the bench - wow.

So now it is the Nets and Spurs. So PL how do you think the Nets will fare? I think the Spurs will win - probably in 6. Funny though I think the Spurs are the better team - but the Nets seem to be playing better right now so it should be interesting.

The Nets in 6 or 7.

The key is getting one of the first two in SA. Not an unreasonable expectation. Then two out of three at home, a liklihood, IMO. Then go back to Texas up 3-2, and get one more.

I still believe the Spurs will win in 6 only because I think they are the better team. But I will admit the Nets are playing well right now - sweeping any team is difficult and not that I felt the Pistons was a great team but they were good and were swept sooooo ... Hopefully the games are competitive but they don't start till next Wednesday - what is that about - they probably just want to ensure they get at least two games next weekend - the $$$ games in regards to ads.

Plus the Devils are up 2-0 in the NHL playoffs so NJ must be the place to be in sports - go figure huh ?