Official NBA Finals Thread!

Alright, wow what a blow out the Lakers put on tonight, they held the Magic to just 75 points but more importantly, 29% shooting and limiting the Magic and in their three-pointers, will win you the game. Lakers had a great offensive show from that man in the 24 jersey, Kobe Bryant who posted a career-high in the Finals in scoring 40 points.

What did you guys think in the win?

SVbeagador:

Great win! The magic missed a lot of open shots. I'm sure they will come back and those shots will go in. So the Lakers have to keep up their D and play hard. The key for them always seems to be playing hard for 48 minutes. Game 2 is huge. The Lakers need it.

I definitely agree. Just becuase the Lakers blew out the Magic this game, doesn't mean that the series is over completely. The Magic are a very talented team, and should not under any circumstances be underestimated. But, I think the real reason why the Lakers won is their defense on Dwight Howard and they contested the three pointers very well. I would like the Lakers to win this in 6 so that they can win here in L.A. Just my thought.

This game had a better basketball element, it was a lot closer than last game and from a basketball perspective, a WAY better of a basketball game than the Game 1, but at least the Lakers take a 2-0 series lead.

I say the Lakers will lose Game 3, will win Game 4, lose Game 5 and then win the 6th game here in front of the home crowd.

Throwdeuce:

Doesn't the NBA do the finals 2-2-1-1-1? If that's case game 5 and 7 would be in LA, and games 3,4 and 6 in Orlando. I'm not a big follower of the NBA, but I thought they did they same as the NHL (and I think this is how the MLB should also do 7 game series).

It is 2-3-2 this year. I figure the Lakers will take one in Orlando, so they will likely win it in six, at home.

For some inexplicable reason, the finals are always 2-3-2. How that is a "home court advantage" to the team that has the best record I'll never understand.

ocmike24:

For some inexplicable reason, the finals are always 2-3-2. How that is a "home court advantage" to the team that has the best record I'll never understand.

Yea, I actually think that this somehow favors the Magic in some way, but at least we know that the Lakers were, if I'm not mistaken, the best road team in the NBA. For some reason, I feel as though they play better on the road. I have no reason why.

grabarkewitz:

It is 2-3-2 this year. I figure the Lakers will take one in Orlando, so they will likely win it in six, at home.

Which one do you think the Lakers will win? I have a feeling its going to be a repeat of what the Boston Celtics did to the Lakers last year. The Lakers won Game 3 and 5 but lost Game 4, with of course, the Boston Celtics winning that Game 6 in dominating fashion.

Throwdeuce:

Which makes my point even more so, the team with HCA (or HFA), practically needs to win the first two at home, or they are screwed. The away team almost needs to split the first two, or they are screwed as well. The NHL has it the best. Current finals have had the home team winning every game, going back to Pittsburgh for game 6, and if the Pens win that one, it will be a all or nothing game 7 back in Detroit. If the Lakers just win one of the 3 in Orlando, they SHOULD wrap it up in game 6 at home, wouldn't the league rather have the series go as long as possible?

Well, if the Lakers split games 3 and 4, it seems that the Magic would have a better chance to extend the series if Game 5 was at Orlando rather than in LA.

Throwdeuce:

But the Lakers (or any team with HC/HFA) should have the chance to win the championship at home in game 5 if they play that well on the road in games 3 or 4.

I think the 2, 2, 1, 1, 1 format is better, but I'm not sure it will necessarily extend the series. The Lakers have won on the road in each round. I think and hope they can take either game 3 or 4. If so, then I'm not sure the series would have been extended to 7 games no matter where game 5 and 6 were/are played.

What the format does is really put pressure on the home team to win the first two at home because then you can be out of it without a return trip home if you get swept on the road.

I guess the 2-3-2 format is not horrible. That is what they use in baseball. I just find it silly that for all prior rounds the NBA uses a 2-2-1-1-1 format and then changes it in the finals.

I also find it silly that they needed two days off b/n games 1 and 2 when both teams had 5 or 6 days off before game 1. Dumb networks.

Babe Herman:

Isn't 2-3-2 what MLB does for the World Series? I guess it comes down to how much home court advantage the team with the best record should have.

The Lakers played their 1st two games at home. That gave them an opportunity to gain momentum going into the 3 away games, and they've taken advantage of that opportunity. If they lose ALL 3 games in Orlando, it's because they sucked, not just because of home court advantage.

No short series is going to play out with an ideal scenario in all cases. No matter the game split, there will be cases where the champion wins on the visiting field/court/rink.

Yes MLB does it that way, and I don't like it. Take '88 for example, the Dodgers won in 5, if it had been a 2-2-1-1-1 schedule, game 5 would have been in LA not in Oakland. And you could even go back to '81, when the Dodgers won in 6, game 6 would have been in LA.

Babe Herman:

So how do you think a best of 7 series should be played?

I think I've said it plenty of times 2-2-1-1-1. And I proved a point if you look at the NHL finals, it's going to a game 7, but I seriously doubt it would have if it was 2-3-2, as the home team has won every game so far.

SVbeagador:

If the home team wins every game, then regardless of its 2-2-1-1-1 or 2-3-2 the series still goes 7 games.

True, however I doubt the Red Wings would have lost 3 in a row (much like I can't see the Lakers losing 3 in a row) on the road, that's the point I've been trying to make.However a 2-2-1-1-1 makes it much easier for there to be a game 7 IMo, which all the leagues have to like.

Sorry, LA folks, but it seems like every night the Lakers win, the Dodgers lose. Go Magic.

SamAdams:

Sorry, LA folks, but it seems like every night the Lakers win, the Dodgers lose. Go Magic.

It'll be over in three games. I'm sure no one will catch up to the Dodgers in that time.

Matthew:

The corpse of Derek Fisher comes alive! Lakers win 99-91 in OT to go up 3-1!

What a game and I lose another 5 years of my life.

The Fish that Saved LA!!!!!!

I am in the hospital after suffering a heart attack.