SB Nation User Blog: Hash

OPEN THREAD: WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS - Game 6

Hash — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:57:00 -0000

Whoa whoa whoa tiger! It ain't over yet in the East. And why?!

"Cuz I say it ain't over, baby!"

That's right. Last night, in the face of elimination in the 5th game of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavs huddled together and decided to run the one play that was more effective than anything else in their playbook.

Give the ball to LeBron James.

And work it did. With 17 of his 37 points coming in the fourth quarter alone, King James also nailed a triple double; grabbing 14 boards and netted 12 dimes along the way.

But they have their work cut out for them as they head to Game 6 in Orlando. The Cavs are going to have to really beat the odds if we have any chance of seeing more Kobe-LeBron puppet commercials over the next few weeks.

Which brings us to tonight's game.

JUMP!

Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets

Lakers lead the series - 3-2

Tip-Off: 6:00pm PDT

TV: ESPN

Can this be it for the Denver McNuggets?! I'll tell you one thing, if it is, they're not going down without a fight. Actually with the way they've been racking up technicals, they might not get out of there without a brawl!

Either way, the Lakers are going to have a hell of a time dispatching Denver on their home floor. This really has turned into an exciting series that I would love to see go to a Game 7. That being said...

Put a fork in this one tonight. Lakers by 5. (And it brings me no pleasure to make that prediction.)

OPEN THREAD: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS - Game 2

Hash — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:34:00 -0000

Now before we get into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, certainly we should do last night's matchup a little credit with a few words. Namely:

HOW 'BOUT THEM NUGGETS?!

Denver's starting five with 'Melo takin it to the hole...

Well okay, it wasn't exactly a blowout - but one thing is for sure, Melo v Bryant is a fun thing to watch. I, for one, wouldn't mind watching this series go to game 7.

But let's not forget the action on the other side of the basketball universe. Tonight the Cavs and the Magic meet up again in Cleveland in the 2nd game of the Eastern Finals. And after last game, you better believe LeBron is pissed.

JUMP!!

Orlando Magic @ Cleveland Cavaliers

Tip-Off: 5:30 PDT

TV: TNT

Las Vegas Say: Cavs favored by 9

What can I say? I really believe that the Cavs are not going to let Orlando sneak another one away from them in Cleveland. If Game 1 taught us anything, however, it's that the Magic are not to be trifled with. Their ability to consistently hit the long bomb makes them a very tough team to stop offensively.

In the endCavs have the right components to dispatch with the Magic with the exception of one, thanks to Wednesday's game. That is, of course, confidence.

Tonight they take that back.

OPEN THREAD: WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS - Game 1

Hash — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:59:58 -0000

Originally Posted: May 19, 2009 2:59 PM PDT

Aaaaaaaand here we go. After almost getting nixed from their postseason run by the Houston Rockets, the #1 seeded Lakers, on the back of Pau Gasol, fulfilled their destiny in order to face off against the scrappy Nuggets tonight.

" 'Scuse me Melo' Have YOU seen my three rings?..."

While initially it might be easy to bill this series as David versus Goliath, the question still looms in my mind, "Have the Lakers really shaken their inconsistency from the Rockets series?"

If not, this series really can go either way. Despite the Lakers' dominance over Denver in recent years, the Nuggets have shown that they are a forced to be reckoned with. I would be surprised to see this series end in less than 6 games.

JUMP

Western Conference Finals - Game 1

Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Lakers

Series Tied 0-0

TV: ESPN

Tip Off: 6:00pm PDT

Interesting tidbits:

Hasn't been that long since these teams have seen each other in the postseason. Last year the Lakers swept the Nuggets in the first round.
The Nuggets have never been to an NBA Finals.
Including last years' first round matchup, the Nuggets have gone 1-10 against Los Angeles in the last 2 years.
Vegas line currently favors Los Angeles by 6.5 points for tonight.
Hash predicts - Denver steals this one. You heard it here first.

Day 19 of the NBA 2K9 Playoffs

Hash — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:38:05 -0000

Two for Two for R-Dizzle! Although Cleveland was a gimme, Denver/Dallas really could have gone either way. But one thing is for sure - no one, including myself, is doubting the Nuggets now! The Mavs have their work cut out for them...

Kmart: "Yo Dirk! At least you're still raking it in from those Geico commercials!"

Meanwhile, on the other coast, LeBron James is doing exactly what he is expected to do. Destroying the Hawks. Last night Mr. MVP dropped 34 points, grabbed 10 boards, earned 3 dimes, and 4 steals and effectively showed the Hawks that, right now, they are merely boys in a man's game. I'll give you one guess on who that man is...

"You four stand over there. I'm going to take this thing to the hole."

But what of tonight as the Upset series' head to their second games? Will the dream last for both Houston and the Magic?

JUMP!

Orlando @ Boston

Orlando Leads - 1-0

Time: 5:00 PDT

TV: TNT

Man. Nothing comes easy for Boston, does it?! Granted, after that wild series with Chicago, an opening win by Orlando (including at one point a 28 point lead) ccouldn't have come as an absolute shocker. But for the sake of excitement, I'm calling for Boston to even it up tonight.

Blog Battle: Third Quarter Collapse v CelticsBlog

Houston @ Los Angeles

Houston Leads - 1-0

Time: 7:30 PDT

TV: TNT

...now this one was a bit of a surprise, I must admit. I did not expect Houston to come out of the gates so strong, but behind Yao's impressive 28-10, the Rockets managed to steal one away at Staples? Can they actually do it again tonight to take a 2-0 lead in this series? Kobe says no. I do too. Lakers by 5 tonight.

Blog Battle: The Dream Shake vs Silver Screen and Roll

Leave your thoughts and predictions in the comments. Who is going to take today's games?

Day 11 of the NBA 2K9 Playoffs

Hash — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:26:10 -0000

Ding dong - the Jazz are dead! Which ol' Jazz? The Utah Jazz!...

They may have snuck on through to avoid the broom from L.A., but in the end it was nothing more than a moral victory. The Lakers are movin' on up to play the winner of the Portland/Houston series.

Fantasy Junkie Picks- FTW!! 1 correct pick.

On the slightly more exciting end, looks like Atlanta really stepped it up in Miami to grab their first playoff road win in 12 years! With the series now tied at 2-2, the series that no one initially cared about is... um... still a series that no one really cares about. The eventual winner gets to move on to a mollywhopping by Lebron James and those other guys that wear the same outfit as him every game.

Fantasy Junkie Pick - Swing and a miss.

And then there was Denver versus New Orleans. Holy crap that was brutal.

"That's it. I'm going to the Warriors."

121 to 63?!!! Chalk it up in the record books as the greatest postseason beatdown. Ever. With this stomping, New Orleans has their back up against the wall, facing elimination in this now 3-1 series.

Fantasy Junkie Pick - Swing and a miss.

Hit the Jump to check the action on today's matchups!!

Chicago v Boston

Series: Tied at 2-2

Location: Boston

Time: 4:00 PDT

TV: TNT

I'll tell you one thing - you can't really ask for more of an exciting series than this one. After their last double overtime matchup - it's fair to say that anything is possible here. In the end, I still think Boston is going to pull this series out - but clearly it isn't going to be without a fight!

Hash's Pick: Boston

Blog Battle: Blog A Bull v Celtics Blog

Philly v Orlando

Series: Tied at 2-2

Location: Orlando

Time: 4:30 PDT

TV: NBA

Major props to Philly here. They're really giving the Magic a run for their money here. Unfortunately, tonight they go back to Orlando to try to take a lead in this series. I'm picking home court advantage on this matchup tonight,

Hash's Pick: Orlando

Blog Battle: Liberty Ballers v Third Quarter Collapse

Dallas v San Antonio

Series: 3-1 - Dallas

Location: San Antonio

Time: 6:30 PDT

TV: TNT

As much as it pleases me that San Antonio is backed up against a wall, I don't see them going home from this series with just 1 win under their belt. Tonight TonyP fights back.

Hash's Pick: San Antonio

Blog Battle: Mavs Moneyball v Pounding the Rock

Houston v Portland

Series: 3-1 - Houston

Location: Portland

Time: 7:00 PDT

TV: NBA

Is Houston going to close this one out and get some rest before getting trounced by the Lakers? I say no - purely because I think the NBA is going to want at least one more playoff game to sell ads for. Look for some crappy officiating here tonight!

Hash's Pick: Portland

Blog Battle: The Dream Shake v Blazers Edge

GAME ON!!

Day 5 of the NBA 2K9 Playoffs

Hash — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:21:12 -0000

BOOM! 3 for 3 on my picks. I AM AN NBA GOD!!!!

Okay fine - yesterdays games were about as predictable as they come (call it a coin toss on the Portland-Houston matchup). The only real question with the Lakers/Jazz and Cavs/Pistons series' are whether or not these two powerful 1 seeds are going to break out their brooms and sweep their opponents under the rug.

Anyone else smelling sweep?

Today's matchups, however, may better host a bit more of that oh-so-cherished often seen characteristic that we have come to know and love in the NBA Playoffs.

Volatility.

JUMP!!

Hawks v Heat

Series: 1-0 - Hawks

Location: Atlanta

Time: 5:00 PDT

TV: TNT

After Miami's horrid performance in Game 1 of this series (64 points), it's really tough to call a win for them in Game 2. Especially with them still on the Hawks' home court. So I won't. I'm thinking after this the Heat headed back to Florida down 2. Check out the experts at Peninsula is Mightier and Peachtree Hoops for their take on the action!

Nuggets v Hornets

Series: 1-0 - Nuggets

Location: Denver

Time: 7:30 PDT

TV: TNT

Just to shake things up, I'm calling upset over here. Granted Denver has a ton of weapons, but I think that CP3 and West can sneak at least one away from them on their home floor. Let's roll the dice - after today, series tied 1-1. Out friends at At The Hive would love this call. Pickaxe and Roll, however, not so much.

Magic v 76ers

Series: 1-0 - 76ers

Location: Orlando

Time: 4:00 PDT

TV: NBA

Speaking of upset, can the 76ers pull out another shocker against the Magic to take this series back to Philly up 2-0?! No! No they can't! My bet is the dream ends tonight for Philly. And it's not going to be pretty. Check out the thoughts of Liberty Ballers and Third Quarter Collapse to see their take on Game 2.

GAME ON!!

Day 4 of the NBA 2K9 Playoffs

Hash — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:19:10 -0000

Beantown basketball fighting for a breath of air?! Even without KG, it was tough to see this coming. So far the Bulls have had a hero in each game; last night their man in a cape was Ben Gordon with a whopping 41.

In the end, it just wasn't enough for Chicago as Ray Ray plunked a 3 point shaped nail in the coffin with two seconds left to tie the series at 1-1.

But Boston has got to be worried...

Speaking of splitting up the series, Parker lit up the scene with 38 (27 if it in the first half!) in San Antonio to ensure that Dallas did not take the series back 2-0. I feel for Dallas on that one. As Atma said, as much as we've had our run-ins with them in the past, the Mavs are far more entertaining to watch than the Spurs.

Case in point - Mark Cuban socking a water cooler following the loss last night. Now THAT'S entertainment!

Look at that crazy millionare go!

But enough of that nonsense. Let's talk playoffs - DAY 4!

Cavaliers v Pistons

Series: 1-0 - Cavs

Location: Cleveland

Time: 5:00 PDT

TV: TNT

Let the beatdown continue! My humble opinion is that the LeBron Cavaliers will continue stepping over the Pistons for their valid bid at the ring. But don't take my word for it. head over to Fear the Sword and Motown String Music to get the experts' take on tonight's festivities.

Lakers v Jazz

Series: 1-0 - Lakers

Location: Los Angeles

Time: 7:30 PDT

TV: TNT

Speaking of beatdown, it's tough to see this 1-8 seed matchup going any differently that Cleveland/Detroit. The toughest part about this series is deciding which lesser of two evils you want to win. I chooooooose: Don't watch. For more detailed opnions, check out our friends at Silver Screen and Roll and SLC Dunk.

Trailblazers v Rockets

Series: 1-0 - Rockets

Location: Portland

Time: 7:00 PDT

TV: NBA

Ah the battle for mediocrity. While the 5th seed Houston has managed to jump out to an early lead in this battle (convingly I might add), I don't think they'll be able to take this back to Texas with a 2-0 series lead. Tonight "Roy to Oden" awakens. At least, that's what our old friends at Blazer's Edge are hoping. Meanwhile, The Dream Shake might have a few other hopes...

Poll

Pick your three!

Cleveland, LA, Portland

142 votes

Cleveland, Utah, Portland

23 votes

Cleveland, LA, Houston

123 votes

Cleveland, Utah, Houston

5 votes

Detroit, LA, Houston

6 votes

Detroit, Utah, Houston

4 votes

Detroit, Utah, Portland

1 votes

Detroit, LA, Portland

5 votes

309 votes | Poll has closed

Recap: Warriors 72, Spurs 101 - Yeeeeeeeesh!

Hash — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:11:59 -0000

Oh man. That was just FUGLY. Let me just start by saying that I have the utmost respect for those of you who fought through regular Warriors traffic as well as A's/Red Sox traffic only to witness that abomination of a game.

It was a real pity to see the Dubs put up a display like that in their final homestand of the 2008-2009 season, but in the end, the game was oddly symbolic of the entire season. Overall a dismal display, blown chances to take control, and in the end we're left at the bottom of the league with nothing but a glimmer of hope to grab hold of.

Tonight, that glimmer was none other than Anthony Randolph. Yup. The future is bright.

Boxscore | Open Thread

Shining Star.

I'd love to gush about the other positives of tonight, but short of CJ Watson, there isn't really much to say. This was just a really really bad game. Every team catches then from time to time (granted we may come across a few more than your average squad) and they just plain suck.

Making it our closing game at home just added insult to injury.

JUMP!

The start of the game was promising. Although our open looks weren't going down, the Warriors were showing some pretty good hustle on both ends of the floor. Offensively they were moving the ball and creating decent plays. The only problem was, they were simply missing their open looks.

On the other end of the floor, they did a fair job of keeping the Spurs at bay while they attempted to figure out why they couldn't score. Unfortunately, the Spurs cured their offensive woes before we did. And they never looked back.

For the next two quarters of basketball, we watched the San Antonio Spurs take on C.J. Watson, Anthony Randolph, and some other guys wearing the same color uniform. Surpisingly, C.J. Watson and Anthony Randolph in their best form are NOT better than the Spurs in good form. Seriously who saw that coming?!

There really isn't a ton to say about a game like this. I jotted down a few points worth noting, but any attempt at solid in-game analysis on a 34% shooting night resulting in a 29 point loss is fruitless. We were the exact opposite of ourselves against Utah in a game that ended up getting us another ping pong ball. So it wasn't a total loss, eh?

CJ through the third. I think you could have chopped off CJ's armed halfway through the second quarter and he would have started kicking in swishes. He was HOT for a while.
Quick hands from A.R. I knew he could score and I knew he could board (although tonight he did both to the extreme) but watching him pick those passes was a new one for me. This guy is turning into the complete package.
That one play. Randolph got fouled. Pull it together ref - the fans at the A's/Red Sox game next door heard that wrist slap.
Randolph's crazy 3 point play lay in in the 4th quarter? Barnett called it a Dipsy Doodle. Consequently, I laughed for the next 10 minutes. Straight.
Mason didn't just travel before his buzzer beater three at the half. He straight up moonwalked.

End of the day, none of the missed calls made a difference. We didn't lose to the Spurs tonight, we lost to ourselves. The Warriors just didn't have the fire in them and the Spurs feasted on their docile enemy. But I will tell you one thing.

They're definitely wondering who that Randolph kid is.

Can it be anyone else? 24 points, 16 boards, 4 steals, 4 dimes, a blocked shot and a partridge in a pear tree. Ladies and gentleman, Anthony Randolph!

Let's just hope he stays away from mopeds this offseason...

OPEN THREAD: Warriors vs Spurs - Battle of the Crutches

Hash — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:46:33 -0000

Traffic Advisory: Going to the game? Leave early. The A's are taking on the Red Sox next door to the Oracle. First pitch at 7:05 PM.

Hot off the heels of a thrilling D-League inspired victory in Utah, the Warriors look to take on the Spurs in the Oracle tonight for another chance to do (apparently) what they do best.

Scare the hell out of the other team.

This isn't to say that the Warriors always pull out a W; certainly we have plenty of sample data from this season to show that we're hardly ever in control of our destiny on a game by game basis. As of late, however, the Warriors have been doing an excellent job as loose cannons, knocking better teams around as they vy for better seeding in the fast approaching postseason.

Utah knows what I'm talking about, don't they? Damn right.

Hobbling Dubs versus Hobbling Spurs? This should be fun to watch...

Warriors (W-L): 29-51

Spurs (W-L): 52-28 (tied with Houston AND Portland)

Tip-Off: 7:30 PST

TV: CSN, CSN HD

Radio: KNBR

As the Spurs have been working hard to stay ahead of Houston in the Western Conference standings, they've been forced to work within a delicate balance of chalking up wins and resting Tim Duncan.

With Manu riding pine for the rest of the year, Duncan's sore knees are a liability that they can not afford right now, especially as they find themselves neck and neck with Houston and Portland with only 2 games (including this one) left in their season. If the Spurs lose out - they can potentially end up in 5th - losing them home court advantage in the playoffs.

Enter the Warriors.

I need say no more about tonight than, "We are more than capable of beating this team." Look no further than our recent performances against the Hornets and the Jazz for the reasoning behind this. The Spurs know this too. My bet is we'll be seeing Duncan on the court tonight despite his need for rest. They can't afford another overtime battle like we gave them last time in Oakland.

Two games left! LET THE SPOILING CONTINUE!

Predictions:

Kurz does NOT score 21 points.
CJ scores over 20.
Roger Mason starts nailing threes from half-court.
Spurs have too much to lose here. Spurs by 8.

Recap: Warriors 143, Kings 141 - Let 'em score! We'll get the ball back!

Hash — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 04:46:25 -0000

Whoooooaaaa Nelly (pun intended)!

That was a barnburner! Honestly, with the horrid defense we played, we really didn't deserve to beat the Kings last night, but hey, sometime your offense goes into overdrive, right? And when the shootin' is good, the Oracle is alive and fans get treated to some pretty amazing stuff!

Since we've had so little good to cling onto recently, I think it's only fair to mention our awful defense one last time before I go on to bring up some of the positive aspects of the game. Despite the fact that this battle could have really gone either way, there were certainly a lot of contributing factors that allowed us to be sitting in the only available chair when the music stopped playing.

So without further ado...

Our defense blew.

Ahhhhh. Now let's break this scorefest down, shall we?

Boxscore | Open Thread

"Join us Kevin.... Join the Dark Side. Something something something complete...."

Yea okay, before we begin on the Dubs, let me just take a second and gush over Kevin Martin for a second. This guy is seriously a starter on 1st team All Underrated. He's ridiculous, and last night he showed us 50 reasons why. If the Kings ever get this guy the supporting staff he needs (or if he gets traded to a team with a better cast), he can do some really big things.

But speaking of big things.... JUMP!

Well hello there Anthony Randolph! Every game you look better and better and last night was no exception! Right from the opening bucket (incidentally, I was impressed with that shooting range) to the time you picked up his 5th foul in the third, Randolph was pillaging on all ends of the court. It's a damn shame that he ran into 5 fouls so early, because with his 17 points and 10 boards in less than 20 minutes of play, chances are if he was able to continue we would have never seen overtime. The Kings simply didn't have an answer for him.

Well, except for Kevin Martin...

Oh and as for Randolph's dunk from damn near the free throw line in the 2nd? Keep an eye on your mailbox kid. There's a cape on the way c/o Dwight Howard. You earned it.

All growed up!

Speaking of solid performances, it was great to see Buike coming out with such an aggressive showing. Sometimes Kelenna steps on the court with a serious fire burning beneath him, and last night was one of those instances. Starting off with his two three point plays, Kabuki bulldozed his way into the paint and earned himself 27 with 13 boards, a nice little double double to call his own as well.

Not to be outdone, Ronny came out to play as well with 13 boards, 12 points and 2 blocked shots - including one that they are still trying to pry out of a hole in the floor of the Oracle Arena. It really is incredible to see Ronny and Randolph down low, two towering options for our boys to dish into that result in close range lay-ins. With Biedrins on the bench, our game in the paint hasn't missed a beat.

Where our game in the paint failed, there lay Morrow, ending in 6-10 shooting and, for a good part of the game, the sole owner of our only long distance bucket.

Yea, as long as we're on the topic of he three, we might as well say it. We stunk it up from beyond. Three for thirteen is absolutely dismal. And the only thing worse than tanking from beyond is watching our opponents drill them in our faces, over and over again. Despite our grand showing on offense, when the other guys drain threes like that, there's no way you're widening the gap.

As long as we're talking about not being able to widen the gap, we might as well touch on the 76 points that the Kings scored in the first half. I know - I'm getting dangerously close to talking about that thing I swore I wouldn't bring up at the start of this recap. But damn man... 76 points?! Fine, I'll stay true to my word... let's move on to something more positive...

...like MONTA ELLIS. Holy crap. His performance last night was borderline epic. Netting a season high 42 points, Monta also brought in 9 dimes (some of them truly memorable), and 9 boards. He looked like.. well.. he looked like...

...a point guard. And a damn good one! Hell, a REALLY damn good one.

Gave us a little scare at the end there with his ankle though. I'll admit I was surprised to see him get up and get back into the game after that display. Well, at least he didn't get carried off of the court only to walk back into the game 10 minutes later. *cough* PAUL PIERCE! Sorry. That was uncalled for.

Overall, we pulled it off in an overtime that we should have never been in if only we had played a little defe- what's that? I said I wouldn't bring that up? Hang on let me read back a little bit...

Damn. Well let's just say OT could have been avoided.

But it was nice to get a win, wasn't it?

How can I not give this to Monta Ellis? He was a premiere point guard out there tonight, contributing in virtually every facet. Don't let this take away, however from the incredible game that Kelenna had last night. But Ellis takes the prize.