This Rockets team is better as well though. That team 5 years ago still had Steve Francis playing at point guard, with Yao only in his second year, and nobody at the small forward comparing to the Artest/Battier combo. I think a likely result is they put a scare at Lakers in one of the first two games, win game 3 and 5, and loses game 6 probably by double digits.

LA in 7. Think it will be tough

Actually both games at Houston were close, and the one game where they got blown out was in Nov and had TMac in the lineup.

Two steps from the 3 point line

Bulls-Celtics is excellent but still doesn't beat Warriors-Mavericks 2 years ago for me. Game 7 may make the difference if it doesn't result in a blowout.

Great game luved seeing that punk bitch Rondo get his shot blocked.
Bulls will take the next game and it won't even go to OT.

What's not to love about the Bulls-Celtics series? Wow, great stuff. Greatest 1st round series ever? I would have to say for me yes. Even though there was nothing better than watching the Nuggets beat the Sonics when no one thought we would, the reason this series is so epic for a 1st round is that only recently the number of games in the 1st round was changed from 5 to 7 (and to think it used to be 3!). The longer series make it possible to have more epic games.

Pierce.

Oh Pierce. What were you thinking? If you let Noah go what's the worst that happens, the Bulls go up by two? Instead you want to make him earn them from the line and sacrifice yourself? Heads up play there Pierce.

This has been a very good series, but sweet fuckin' christ no one wants it. That's what's keeping this from being a great series in my book. Yes there have been seven overtimes in six games and that makes for great theater, but the quality of basketball going on here is verging on pathetic. The Bulls blow a 10+ lead in Boston. The Celtics return the favor two nights later. No one knows how to play a full 48.

The Celtics could've easily have won this series in a sweep, and just as easily the Bulls could've won in five. No one wants it. Someone's going to have to take it on Saturday and I really like the Celtics chances. They're at home, they'll get the calls, Pierce will redeem himself, Allen's going to have another good night (20+), and Rondo is going to take the ball to the hoop.

Let's hope Rondo doesn't get suspended because that sure as shit isn't going to happen. When he came over to the Celtics he bought into the concept of being a team player way too much. He's so focused on keeping the ball moving that whenever he has the chance to take the shot he shits his pants and keeps the ball moving. He needs to be a little more selfish when he's on the court.

Starbury streaky as hell; he'd find his shot at some point.

If Im Doc, I have a HUGE sign at practice today that just sayd: WHEN RAY IS HOT, GET HIM THE BALL!

Ray ray honestly shoulda had 70 pointys last night; his shot was on literally ALL NIGHT and rthose 3 ots.

Do you think I actually believe no one wants it?

Rondo throws elbow at Hinrich

so any word on Rondo yet? Considering how fast Stern made a statement about Howard, it seems to be a joke that the NBA isn't making a statement one way or the other. Especially since Rondo was involved in incidents now 2 games in a row.

Basically I bet this means, as the Celts are playing tommorrow, Rondo won't be suspended.

and Stern shows he is a joke with no early statement!!!!

yup, as expected.......

No additional penalty for Rondo for skirmish
28 minutes ago

since the announcement came out at 630 PM on the eve of game 7, you knew there would be no suspension.

so just like the joke NBA refs, Stern!

No, just repeating what most internet stories I have read have said...

and this is just a reason why the NBA is a joke and is like the 4 highest sport that I care about.

anyway, just like we talked about in the past, the NBA doesn't even want to call all the right fouls during the game.

NBA, turning into the joke that other fake sports used to be.

So I don't have to read anything past this line because it's not a genuine opinion? Gotcha, thanks!

sure whatever but that is why the story is being reported BY SO MANY NEWS OUTLETS!!!!!!

AND EVEN IF YOU GET BY GAME 7, GOOD LUCK AGAINIST THE MAGIC, CLEVELAND AND THE LAKERS PROBERLY.

Yes, I'm sure many of the news outlets are proberly saying the NBA is a joke for not suspending Rondo.

And as I mentioned much earlier in the thread, I didn't expect the Celtics to go far without Garnett. Before I predicted that they could still beat the Magic without Garnett, but I just can't see that happening considering how this series is panned out. I predicted it to go to six so I thought it would be kind of long. I didn't expect most of the games to have multiple overtimes.

So thanks for the luck, but we're proberly screwed.

I think Boston will still make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. I also think the league is rigged sometimes, like say with this Rondo thing. It wasn't as bad as what Howard did, but even if it was he still would not have been suspended. He's Boston's new sexy superstar. So if they make it past this better than expected Bulls team I don't think Orlando will prove all that much of a problem. Orlando has Dwight Howard, who isn't allowed to score more than 30 a game I guess (good job Stan!), and a bunch of jump shooters. Two out of their top 3 shooters are hurt too. Is that so scary?

Just saw a ESPN headline story where they were discussing > Is Rondo a dirty player!!!!

and watching the tape, he threw a guy towards the table so if a elbow is a suspension, you would think that doing something that could hurt someone, would be a suspension.

but the NBA just remains a joke.

HULK HOGAN WHERE ARE YOU.

MICHAEL JORDAN COME BACK AND PLAY - AND SINCE YOU ARE OLDER, YOU NEVER EVER HAVE TO DRIBBLE THE BALL WHEN DUNKING THE BALL!

I find it strange that Perkins is magically losing fouls.

Bulls forgot how to score. Celts could pull away big here.

Thats whats up.

Good game, but from the run the Celtics did in the 2nd quarter it seemed the Bulls could never get back into it.

This game showed me that Rose can make great defensive plays (that block on Scalabrini was insane), but his intangibles are very lacking especially his help defense.

Round 2 predictions

Cleveland over Atlanta in 5 (Miami in 5)
Orlando over Boston in 6

LA over Houston in 7
Denver over Dallas in 7

Has there ever been a playoff series in which all seven games have been routes? If Atlanta's lead holds up every game will have been decided by double digits.