Playoff Around The Rim: April 25
By Eric Karabell
ESPN.com
Minnesota just about beat the Blazers in Game 1 of their series over the weekend, and with Game 2 looming on Wednesday, Wolves coach Flip Saunders is thinking about a few changes. For one, after watching Scottie Pippen have his way with rookie Wally Szczerbiak, look for Malik Sealy to cover the Hall of Famer.
Pippen blitzed the Wolves for 13 first-quarter points and two spectacular dunks
-- one over Szczerbiak with an outstretched hand and the other over
the rookie and center Radoslav Nesterovic. Sealy is more of a two-guard, but quicker and more experienced.
Portland's past playoff failures -- and there have been many -- necessitated the big six-for-one trade to get Pippen, who has a few rings of his own. The Blazers lost six straight years in the first round before going to the conference finals last season and falling to San Antonio. In that six-year nightmare span, they lost to five different teams.
"This is what the season is made for," said Pippen. "You use all 82
games to prepare yourself for this part of the season. I decided to step
up my game and put all my energy into coming out and being aggressive
and doing whatever it takes for us to win, by any means necessary. I
want to be aggressive on the offensive end, aggressive on the defensive
end, but mostly just feed energy into my teammates, let them know
what it's about."
Pippen might be exactly what the Blazers need to get over the top. Many observers picked the Wolves, who have never won a playoff series and have won a total of three games in their three postseasons, to upset the Blazers. But if Pippen, who has experience not just making the playoffs, but winning, has anything to say about it Portland will advance. Anything short of a trip to the Finals for this team would be a disappointment.
Sure, the Bucks are down in their series to the Pacers 1-0. But as George Karl will surely tell you, they didn't get blown out. If Glenn Robinson has a little better shooting night, maybe the Bucks win.
"I think they have to make an adjustment," Robinson said. "I think we played them
well. I think we have them more on their heels than they
have us on ours."
Now that might be overstating it a bit, but one thing is for sure: The Bucks do not lack confidence. They may lack defense and good shooting, but that also has something to do with the opponent.
"There was a lot of good stuff in the game," Karl said. "We played a
great defensive game against a team that (averages) 100
points. We didn't shoot as well as we could, but I don't
think Glenn, Ray (Allen) and Sam (Cassell) are going to
shoot that bad for the rest of the series.
Karl stopped short of ripping his opponent, as he did before Game 1 and with good effect before the Orlando game that basically earned the playoff spot. But give him time.
Game of the night: Suns at Spurs
By this point, the Spurs are treating Tim Duncan's injury the same way they did Sean Elliott and his return to the floor. You can't rush things, even if tonight is a must-win game for San Antonio. Only once has a team lost its first two at home but still won a five-game series (Suns vs. Lakers).
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VIEW FROM THE ROAD
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By Frank Hughes
SALT LAKE CITY -- From everyone we've talked to here, the Jazz look pretty good, but wait. It's the Sonics, after all. The fans are saying the Sonics aren't any good and they don't think the Jazz are even that good, no matter what they look like now. The fans in Salt Lake still love Karl Malone, and they were stoked when he got 50, but they don't think the Sonics are that good.
The scalpers couldn't get rid of the tickets for these two games. One lady had a sign offering tickets for $25, then crossed it out and wrote $20, and still couldn't get rid of the tickets.
The bottom line is fans don't think the Jazz can beat the Lakers or Blazers. They think the team had its window of opportunity close when they lost twice to the Bulls in the Finals. Right now they are not anywhere near good enough to get past the Lakers and probably not the Blazers. I think they look pretty good, but you have to take into account it's a Sonics team that is messed up.
The Jazz are being professional about it, they blow Sonics out and then they say look at what they did wrong, not Seattle. It's a little annoying. Last night they were cracking on the subs for blowing a 30-point lead and letting them get to within 17.
From the Sonics viewpoint, things aren't looking real good. They've pretty much given up. Gary Payton's angry that Shammond Williams is controlling the ball, Ruben Patterson is angry that he isn't getting time, it's an extension of the entire season.
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VIEW FROM THE FANS
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I've got to say that the Pacers are freakin' me out a little. When they're playing well they can beat anyone, but lately it seems that they keep finding ways to make easy wins into nail-biters. They could have a 20-point lead going into the fourth quarter and still make it a close game at the end. Come on, Pacers, let's play hard for 48 minutes!
Josh
Noblesville, Ind.
Talk about Jekyll and Hyde. The Sixers are fun to watch
when Iverson is on, but oh so painful when he's not. This
team is very capable of doing something good in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, this team is also capable of a quick exit. Whatever
happens, at least it will be interesting to watch.
Glen Segal
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Do you want to make your feelings on these playoffs known? Just click here and tell us what you think of our Playoff Around The Rim or anything NBA playoffs.
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HEROES AND GOATS (two of each)
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Derrick Coleman
Sixers might've won in OT but DC, a former 76er, wasn't missing. How many former teams wish he'd play like this every night? |
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Jeff Hornacek
Not only did he have a great game and school the Sonics, but he made a circus-like no-look shot. That has to count for something. |
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Allen Iverson
Live by The Answer, die by The Answer. Despite his brutal shooting game, Philly sent it to OT and blew a late lead in regulation. |
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Vin Baker
Just because. Someone needs to be blamed for two straight days of barely showing up. |
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