NBA Finals are set: Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers VS Kevin Garnett Boston Celtics..Lakers in 7

2008 NBA Finals

VERSUS

Los Angeles Lakers 14 champions Boston Celtics 16 champions

Coach Phil Jackson 9 rings Coach Doc Rivers 0 rings

PG Derek Fisher 11.7 ppg 2.1 rbs 2.9 asts PG Rajon Rondo 10.5 ppg 4.2 rbs 5.3 asts

SG Kobe Bryant 28.3 ppg 6.3 rbs 5.4 asts SG Ray Allen 17.3 ppg 3.7 rbs 3.1 asts

SF Lamar Odom 14.5 ppg 10.5 rbs 3.5 asts SF Paul Pierce 19.6 ppg 5.1 rbs 4.5 asts

PF Vladamir Radmonovic 8.5 ppg 3.3 rbs 1.9 asts PF Kevin Garnett 18.8 ppg 9.1 rbs 3.5 ats

C Pau Gasol 18.9 ppg 8.4 rbs 3.5 asts C Kendrick Perkins 6.9 ppg 6.1 rbs 1.3 asts

This NBA finals is so much deeper than these match-ups or these stats, this is about the strength, skill, and in-sync basketball game play by the two best teams in the league. This is about Kobe Bryant and his mastery of the game of basketball, and the game of life, being a leader and inspirer to his teammates, on his way to becoming one of the greatest basketball players of all time. This is about Derek Fisher, proving he was every bit as important and Shaq and Kobe in the Lakers three-peat at the point guard position, he is in his prime at 33 years old and he will direct the triangle offense with great leadership and precision. This is about Lamar Odom who was traded for Shaq in 2004 and spent all of these years trying to use his versatile play to live up to his potential and this is about Pau Gasol, after the Spanish National Team won the World Championship in the Olympics when his foot was injured, he said he only wanted to play for an NBA Championship. NOW is the time.

This is also about Kevin Garnett, the 2004 MVP and 10 time all-star versatile power forward, he wants to be known as one of the best PF's of our time, and he knows he must win a championship to do that. Paul Pierce has spent his entire career with the Boston Celtics, if he wins a championship, it will vindicate all the years of good and bad, and he will prove himself as a franchise player and a winner. This is for Ray Allen, one of the greatest shooters of our time has proved otherwise so far in these playoffs, if the Celtics win, it won't matter what shots he missed, he will be a top-tier Shooting Guard in this leauge for a few more years to come.

No matter what happens, this is going to be an epic series, but we the playoffshawks predict the Lakers in 7 games. Now, see what happens when the Hawks and the Lakers meet in the finals...HA!

We have a GM Winner! Rick Sund! Huh?

Rick Sund? Who is this guy, whydid we hire him, and do we feel he can take the Atlanta Hawks from mediocre to good to eastern conference great? I mean we know he's an old-school guy, he knows alot about the game of basketball, and he has done alot, but for all his 30 years of experience in the NBA, has he ever been a part of a championship team? In all his 15 years from 1979-1994 as a director of player personnel and vice predident of basketball operations at the Dallas Mavericks Organization, did they ever have playoffs success? They had one year, the 1987-1988 season where the Mavericks led my Mark Aquirre got to game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, but were defeated by the dynasty and eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers. Even when he served as a consultant to the General Manager of the Seattle Supersonics in 1995, it was after he left in 1996 when they went to the finals and got beat by Micheal Jordan's Bulls.

The real history of this guy we can and will evaluate this guy is by his General Manager position of the Seattle Supersonics from 2001-2007.




My question is why couldn't we stay within the organization to bring in a GM? No one outside our circle knows this team's roster better than the people who have been here beyond Billy Knight and Mike Woodson, therefore, why couldn't we make STEVE SMITH the General Manager of the Hawks? I'm not sure about this RICK SUND guy for the hawks, probably a little because he's a 67 years old white man, and the Hawks are the youngest team in the league consisting of mostly black players, really, actually ALL black players exept for ZaZa, who needs to stay, because he's a good role player.

To me, this man can change the Atlanta Hawks culture for the positive if he hires the head coach with the highest winning percentage in the NBA, and keeps the head coach with the lowest winning percentage in the NBA as an assistant, meaning this:

HIRE AVERY JOHNSON AS HEAD COACH

KEEP MIKE WOODSON AS ASSISTANT COACH

This way the Hawks get a new look, a new,powerful, respectable voice in the locker room and Mike Woodson gets to stay to some extent, even he has to recognize Avery as the better coach and follow his lead with the young Hawks. Also, for RICK SUND to make himself credible he must do the following:

RE-SIGN JOSH SMITH - that must be top priority, our big three consists of HORFORD, JOHNSON, and SMITH and if SMith lives up to his potential, he might be the biggest of the three, he is surely a future all-star, but he needs to continue to improve to get there

RE-SIGN JOSH CHILDRESS - he is our 6th man,our most productive bench player, and an afro that is just as important as the ben wallace fro was to detriot, exept we can't let him leave, sign him at mid-level and he'll stay

SIGN-AND-TRADE MARVIN WILLIAMS - everybody knows Marvin Williams is/was a mistake, he is not a starter in this leauge, he is not a impact role player on this team, and he is hindering the statistical growth of Josh Smith, and he is the person-symbolism of the foolishness of Billy Knight, we already traded Shelden Williams, let's package him with Bibby and get a Great Point Guard like Baron Davis or Allen Iverson or Monta Ellis or Gilbert Arenas or SOMETHING

As long as we keep our core together; Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Joe Johnson, and Al Horford we can be eastern conference contenders for the next few years, if we get a great PG on that level, and a shot-blocking center (DESANGA DIOP!) we will possibly be title contenders.

NBA in the news today - LeBron James, Boston Celtics, Playoffs

PLAYOFF PERFORMANCES

Monday, May 12, 2008 8:30 PM EST

Cleveland Cavaliers VS Boston Celtics - Game 4

LeBron James and the CAVS grinded for a defensive-minded win at Quicken Loans arena to make the series tied at 2-2. LeBron James proved yet again how he as an full-circle skilled player does not need to score 30 for his team to win, hell he doesn't even have to hit 30% of hit shots for the Cavs to win, but he does need to have a very ball efficient game (45%+ FGs, 2-4 3s, 80%+ FTs) at least once for his team to have a chance to win the series, it would be best for him to go off in Boston, to really prove that his superstar status TRUMPS the "Big Three Superstars" of the Boston Celtics.

This game tonight also proved again that the Cavs are a much better team this year than last year. Their backcourt tandum of Daniel Gibson and Delonte West proves to be very efffective, with "Boobie" being the shooter-scorer/assist man and West being the starter scorer-assist man. It's been said that Gibson should start, considering what he has done for this team and his efficiency on the floor, but West actually plays better as a starter, and Gibson appreciates his "game-changer" role off the bench. JOE SMITH is really a great role player, if he started instead of Ben Wallace, Joe would surely be a double-double guy, he's consistent, reliable, good a basketball-mind.

STAT LINES:

CAVS

LeBron James 21 pts (7/20 FGs, 2/5 3s 5/8 Fs) 13 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Daniel "Boobie" Gibson 14 pts (5/9 FGs, 2/4 3s, 2/4 FTs) 6 rebounds, 4 assists **CLUTCH**
Anderson Varajao 12 pts (6/8 FGs) 6 rebounds
Joe Smith 8 pts (4/6 FGs) 6 rebounds

CELTICS

Kevin Garnett 15 pts (6/13 FGs, 3/3 FTs) 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block
Paul Pierce 13 pts (6/17 FGs, 0/3 3s) 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Ray Allen 15 pts (4/10 FGs, 2/4 3s, 5/5 FTs) 5 rebounds, 3 assists
Rajon Rondo 15 pts (7/14 FGs, 1/3 3s, 0/2 FTs) 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals

FOR GAME 5, I PREDICT A CAVS WIN, then Boston finally wins a road game, then LeBron puts on an amazing performance to steal game 7 in Boston.

Hawks GM Billy Knight FIRES HIMSELF (or just resigns) effective July 1, this is good

Billy Knight is gone from the Atlanta Hawks franchise. He has done alot for this franchise as the GM, and as much as we thank him for bringing us Joe Johnson, Al Horford, and Mike Bibby, we HATE this man for passing on CHRIS PAUL (Marvin Williams?!? Marvin WILLIAMS!?) and BRANDON ROY (Shelden Williams....SHELDEN Williams!??). But, those are not the only things Knight has done for this franchise and moreso for the NBA. Let's Summarize Knights moves from the time he started (2002-2003) to where we are now(2007-2008).

season 02-03:

• signed mikki moore to 10 day contract
• signed mikki moore for the rest of the season

season 03-04

• tendered a qualify offer Jason Terry
• selected boris diaw(21st overall pick, 1st round), selected travis hansen(37th overall pick, 1st round)
• signed Boris Diaw and Travis Hansen
• traded forward Glenn Robinson to Philadelphia Sixers for guard Terrel Brandon and the rights to Randy Holcomb, a first round pick and cash.
• matched the offer from the Utah Jazz to keep Jason Terry
• resigned Dion Glover
• signed Stephen Jackson
• traded Dan Dickau, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and Theo Ratliff to Portland Trailblazers for Rasheed Wallace and guard Wesley Person
• traded Nazr Mohammed for center Joel Przybilla from the Milwalkee Bucks and center Micheal Doleac and a 2005 first round pick from the New York Knicks
• Signed Jason Collier (R.I.P. 10/15/05)

season 04-05

• fired Head Coach terry Stotts
• Selected forward Josh Childress (6th overall pick, 1st round) and forward Josh Smith (17th overall pick, 1st round)
• names Mike Woodson head coach
• Signed forward Josh Childress and Josh Smith
• re-signed Stephen Jackson, traded him to Indiana Pacers for Al Harrington
• traded Jason Terry to Dallas Mavericks for forward Antoine Walker and guard Tony Delk
• Signed center Kevin Willis (Big SHOUT OUT to Kevin WILLIS!)
• signed guard Jon Barry and Kenny Anderson
• traded guard Jon Barry to Houston Rockets for Tyronne Lue
• traded Antoine Walker to Boston Celtics for guard Gary Payton, center Tom Guliotta, and center Micheal Stewart and a first round pick
• waived guard Gary Payton

season 05-06

• selected forward MARVIN WILLIAMS with the 2nd overall pick in the draft (passed on CHRIS PAUL, Deron Williams, Raymond felton, Andrew Bynum, Nate Robinson), selected Salim Stoudamire (31st overall pick, 2nd round)
• signed Marvin Williams and Salim Stoudemire
• signed center ZaZa Pachulia
• traded Boris Diaw, 2 conditional first round picks, and cash for Joe Johnson
• re-signed tyronne lue, salim stoudamire

season 06-07

• selected forward SHELDEN WILLIAMS with the 5th overall pick in the draft (passed on Brandon ROY)
• signed Shelden Williams
• signed guard Speedy Claxton(4 years, $25 million - never EVER played well for us)
• re-signed Al Harrington and traded him back to Indiana Pacers for 1st round pick and cash
• exercised contract options on Josh Smith and Josh Childress
• signed center Lorenzen Wright
• traded a second round pick to Dallas Mavericks for guard Anthony Johnson

season 07-08

• selected center AL HORFORD with the 3rd overall pick in the draft (best pick ever), selected Acie Law IV (11th overall pick)
• signed Al Horford and Acie Law IV
• signed Mario West
• traded centers Shelden Williams, Lorenzen Wright and guards Tyronne Lue, Anthony Johnson to Sacramento Kings for guard Mike Bibby
• signed Jeremy Richardson

Now, let's evaluate the good moves he made:

Now, let's evaluate the very bad moves he made:

the World ain't ready to be Shocked, and our Hawks aren't ready to shock them on the road - Game 7

Game 7

On the Basketball world's biggest stage, against the NBA's best team, with history and numbers all favoring the home team, the young Hawks had a chance to completely destroy and dissemble the order of the power of a team. The young, inexperienced #8 seed Atlanta Hawks(37-45) whom the national media was not familar with, versus the in-prime, wise #1 seed Boston Celtics(66-16) with the best record in the NBA, and the Atlanta Hawks wanted to "shock the world"

In Hawks world, the youth and inexperience liability becomes as asset as raw skill and determination to prove you are on the level of your opponent makes plays for you. Wild shots fall, lay-ups and dunks find you, the teamwork ball-movement is crisp, and the shots are falling through the net with natural ease. But unfortunately, that's about the way the Celtics played at home this sunday.

In Celtics world, the age and experience speaks for itself, natural basketball instincts are acute and aware increasingly on a situation-by-situation basis. Passes are whipped around as each player is constantly looking to assist, and receive an assist. The order of power is established, and doesn't need to be reiterated, everybody knows their role and plays it to the best of his ability, if not better.

Everybody knows in the playoffs, every possession counts, and every play is magnified. Strengths are shown, weaknesses are exploited, and the journey through the playoffs whether it goes games 4 or game 7, is to adjust and PLAY UP to the circumstances which your team is in, game-by-game, and so in a GAME SEVEN (7), your team should play to the MAXIMUM ability, yes? the most basketball-intelligent shot selection, the most suffocating defense, the designated leader should lead his team in play and in confidence, and EVERYBODY should play well, yes?

Well, the Boston Celtics did just that, they played great like the great team with great players they are and they not only deserved to win, it was their RIGHT to win. But the Atlanta Hawks are really killing themselves right now, showing our deep-rooted bad habits and poor play that has plagued this franchise for the past 4 years. I mean even beyond that, but we have got to remember, 4 years ago the Atlanta Hawks were the worst team in the leauge(13-69) and we have made steady progress since then.

the Atlanta Hawks SHoCK the WOrLD aGaiN at Phillips arena, Hawks actually DOMINATED the Celtics at home, here's how

the Atlanta Hawks are the best young, improving, and soon be history making(with a win in boston on Sunday) team in the NBA. I mean, people have got to really start looking at this team in the eastern conference.

seriously though the atlanta hawks completely outplayed the great big celtics and their "big three" without even using our big three like that! the Hawks won that game by better offense, defense, and situation handling tonight at Phillips Arena. Are we talking about a great home team now?

Game 6 was the most impressive win of the three in these playoffs. and the celtics played even better in this game than in game 4, except ray allen missing all his shots (1/8 3pt), its so cool because we won this game playing hawks basketball, they heard kg say celtics basketball in game 5 well game 6 was a BETTER showing of hawks basketball to them at home.

No Atlanta starter scored in double figures, but our sixth man was our second leading scorer

THIS IS THE ONLY GAME SEVEN (7) OF THE 2007-2008 NBA PLAYOFFS.

big shout out to mike vick (7)

i like to see the espn guys, the so called expert analysts lol they might say, "who would have thunk it?" but i say WE the fans of the youth KNOW BETTA ya dig? this is so coincidence funny, let us count the ways:

• the 07-08 atlanta hawks (37-45) have the lowest winning percentage of any playoff team of all time
• the atlanta hawks are the youngest team by average age (25 years 193 days) in the playoffs and in the NBA
• the atlanta hawks have made the biggest improvement progress from the bottom up in recent years : 04/05 worst in leauge 13-69, 26-56 in 05/06, 30-52 in 06/07, and 37-45 in 07/08.
• the atlanta hawks would make the biggest upset in basketball and really all sports history if they could win in boston on sunday, may 4, 2008.

seriously thought, lets recap and look at how this series has gone:

game 1: Celtics 104 Hawks 81
game 2: Celtics 96 Hawks 77
game 3: Hawks 102 Celtics 93
game 4: Hawks 97 Celtics 92
game 5: Celtics 110 Hawks 85
game 6: Hawks 103 Celtics 100

game SEVEN?

INTERESTING GAME 6 STATISTICS:

pts 103 pts 100
fg made/att 38/82 33/69
fg pct 46.3% 47.8%
3pt made/att 4/13 1/7
fts made/att 20/25 36/47
ft pct 80% 76.6%
fast break pts 11 9
assists 25 25
biggest lead 12 7

• hawks balanced scoring makes difference in the clutch, first home game of series with no starter with 20
• this is the first time a #8 seed took #1 in the eastern conference since atlanta hawks vs boston celtics in 1988

and this could have been a MUCH better game for Atlanta! Josh Smith was in foul trouble, had 11 pts 6 rebs 3 blks, still good, but this was a team game tonight

PLAYER(S) OF THE GAME:

Mike Bibby:
17 pts 7 assists 6 rebounds (even though he was a dismal) 6/17 fgs 0/4 3pts and 5/8 fts - mike came through in the clutch, a little, but enough to win


MARVIN WILLIAMS!


18 pts 4 rebs 2 asts 6/9 fgs 6/6 fts - yes, yes, this was a good game by the kid, this is good for him for now, this is probably about the best he can do, he came through in replacement of Smith, so we appreciate him.






and of course, JOE JOHNSON -


15 pts 4 reb, 5 asts 4/13 fgs 1/2 3pts 6/7 fts - that one three, the one and only three of the game to make it 100-95...yes.











Yes, the Hawks are going to win game 7 in Boston soo...

BRING ON LEBRON!!

2009

1

Home Court Advantage, Celtics win by 25

Alright so the Celtics won at home, no problem with that right? It would have been great and fun to REALLY upset the series and have us win in their arena, but the NBA sent Dick Bavetta to officiate the game to make sure the Celtics take it. No matter, the home team was supposed to win, and they did, but it wasn't a blowout at all like the first two games, the Hawks just never really got a run, they didn't lead in the game at all after the first quarter.

It's no question that the Celtics are the better team, because they are older, wiser, whatever. We got youth on our side, and you can ALWAYS counter the know-how, wisdom, and experience of a veteran with the passion for learning, will to win, and skill and 'athleticism' of the youth. Why exactly do the Hawks keep being classified as a good 'athletic' team. ARE WE NOT ALL ATHLETES?! They say, oh, the Hawks are good when they run the ball and make plays above the rim, but they dont do well in a half-court offensive set. Yes, it is the Hawks brand of basketball to run, run, run like the suns (the old suns, the joe johnson era), or we can play like the spurs with al horford as our big fundamental.

aiight but lets discuss the game last night, the good things and the bad:

JOSH SMITH - 18 pts 5 rebs 1 blk 4/13 fgs 10/10 fts

Josh was okay in this game, it was frustrating to see him throw so many jump shots instead of driving to the hole like he did in game 3 and 4. But he did get to the foul line often and he made all his free throws.

JOE JOHNSON - 21 pts 3 rebs 2 asts 6/11 fgs 2/4 3pt 7/7 fts

They double-teamed Joe every time he touched the ball, from the opening tip, all throughout the game, that SHOULD have resulted in at least 6 assists. The Hawks KNEW he would be doubled in this game and did not have a backup plan, oh yeah, apparently Woodson asked Marvin WILLIAMS to step up.....Marvin Williams.....Yeah. *garbage*

AL HORFORD - 14 pts 10 rebs 5 asts 7/11 fgs 0/2 fts

the Leagues REAL Rookie of the Year was pretty good in his 5th game of the NBA playoffs. He recorded his 3rd double-double of this series, and the only game he didn't have a double-double was the game 4 win when he had 4 pts 13 rebs, a playoff career-high. Not bad. My only problem with Al Horford is when he stepped to the free throw line and...*sigh*

MIKE BIBBY - 6pts 1 asts 2/5 3pts

I don't understand why this man, this veteran cannot put together a good game in this building. We know he is hated by the Celtics fans, but doesn't that motivate a man to do well? Bibby is not playing like the floor co-leader he could be. forget Bibby, the Atlanta Hawks BIG THREE is Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, and Al Horford.

the Atlanta Hawks have been a good team from 06-07, but in 07-08 they have become a very good team. Now, if we can get a 7 footer and a great (instead of good, er, lucky) coach, we will be a playoff team in the east for years to come.

Oh, but yes, this series is definetly going seven games, i, myself will be at Phillips Arena for game 6 and its going DOWN!