The 2014 Playoffs thread

[Who]

Wow, Dunleavy went for 35 points!

I love seeing him do well. Shame injuries have held him back just after he broke out in Indiana.

[SHAQATTACK]

Yuk.

I hated me some Rockets

Go Portland.

[hpantazo]

Asik and Howard starting tonight seems to have slowed down Aldridge a bit.

[HomerSapien]

I love the way Portland plays. They have such a nice flow to their game.

Lillard is nasty. So poised.

[hpantazo]

Asik really shut down Aldridge last night. No one is talking about this? There were plenty of posts to criticize him incorrectly when Aldridge killed the Rockets, even though it wasn't Asik guarding him in those games. McHale finally smartened up and put Asik in with Howard, and Asik shut down Aldridge.

"PORTLAND, Ore. -- James Harden snapped out of his slump. Omer Asik stopped LaMarcus Aldridge."

"Aldridge had more than 40 points in each of Portland's victories in the first two games in Houston. But Asik did a good job of shutting him down in Game 3, holding the All-Star forward to 23 points."

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400553101

[fairweatherfan]

I like Asik but I think a lot of Aldridge's drop in numbers was regression to the mean.  He was getting a lot of the same looks he was draining in the first two games, but they weren't falling as much.

I think the team's ball denial was a little better on Aldridge, though, and Asik helped with that.

[Mr October]

Asik really shut down Aldridge last night. No one is talking about this? There were plenty of posts to criticize him incorrectly when Aldridge killed the Rockets, even though it wasn't Asik guarding him in those games. McHale finally smartened up and put Asik in with Howard, and Asik shut down Aldridge.

"PORTLAND, Ore. -- James Harden snapped out of his slump. Omer Asik stopped LaMarcus Aldridge."

"Aldridge had more than 40 points in each of Portland's victories in the first two games in Houston. But Asik did a good job of shutting him down in Game 3, holding the All-Star forward to 23 points."

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400553101

TP for bringing this up. I didn't watch the Portland game last night, but as others said about the Asik Aldridge matchup, sometimes superstars have superstar nights. All those crazy Dirk like fall always aren't going to fall every night.

Asik might not be the next coming of Hakeem Olajuwon on defense, but he is still one of the better ones.

[hpantazo]

Asik really shut down Aldridge last night. No one is talking about this? There were plenty of posts to criticize him incorrectly when Aldridge killed the Rockets, even though it wasn't Asik guarding him in those games. McHale finally smartened up and put Asik in with Howard, and Asik shut down Aldridge.

"PORTLAND, Ore. -- James Harden snapped out of his slump. Omer Asik stopped LaMarcus Aldridge."

"Aldridge had more than 40 points in each of Portland's victories in the first two games in Houston. But Asik did a good job of shutting him down in Game 3, holding the All-Star forward to 23 points."

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400553101

TP for bringing this up. I didn't watch the Portland game last night, but as others said about the Asik Aldridge matchup, sometimes superstars have superstar nights. All those crazy Dirk like fall always aren't going to fall every night.

Asik might not be the next coming of Hakeem Olajuwon on defense, but he is still one of the better ones.

If the Rockets end up getting past the Blazers in this series, then not trading Asik will look like a brilliant move for Morey.

[Mr October]

Asik really shut down Aldridge last night. No one is talking about this? There were plenty of posts to criticize him incorrectly when Aldridge killed the Rockets, even though it wasn't Asik guarding him in those games. McHale finally smartened up and put Asik in with Howard, and Asik shut down Aldridge.

"PORTLAND, Ore. -- James Harden snapped out of his slump. Omer Asik stopped LaMarcus Aldridge."

"Aldridge had more than 40 points in each of Portland's victories in the first two games in Houston. But Asik did a good job of shutting him down in Game 3, holding the All-Star forward to 23 points."

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400553101

TP for bringing this up. I didn't watch the Portland game last night, but as others said about the Asik Aldridge matchup, sometimes superstars have superstar nights. All those crazy Dirk like fall always aren't going to fall every night.

Asik might not be the next coming of Hakeem Olajuwon on defense, but he is still one of the better ones.

If the Rockets end up getting past the Blazers in this series, then not trading Asik will look like a brilliant move for Morey.

It was probably a good move to keep Asik for the rest of this season regardless. He gave them Dwight insurance in case Dwight got injured or had a big foul trouble night.

And the Rockets supposedly were only getting low ball offers anyway. It's not like Brandon Bass was gonna come in and shut down Aldridge.

You are right, the perception of keeping Asik would go from a good move to a brilliant move if Houston advances.

[Vox_Populi]

Asik really shut down Aldridge last night. No one is talking about this? There were plenty of posts to criticize him incorrectly when Aldridge killed the Rockets, even though it wasn't Asik guarding him in those games. McHale finally smartened up and put Asik in with Howard, and Asik shut down Aldridge.

"PORTLAND, Ore. -- James Harden snapped out of his slump. Omer Asik stopped LaMarcus Aldridge."

"Aldridge had more than 40 points in each of Portland's victories in the first two games in Houston. But Asik did a good job of shutting him down in Game 3, holding the All-Star forward to 23 points."

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400553101

Harden snaps out of slump? He was 13-35 and 3-11 on 3s. Houston got bailed out by a miracle 3, other wise I imagine that article title would be very different.

[Birdman]

Best first round of playoffs ever!!!

[fairweatherfan]

Best first round of playoffs ever!!!

2009 will be tough to beat (remember our Bulls series?  There were about 3-4 others that were nearly as close), but so far so good.

[Birdman]

seems like Miami gets about 3 or 4 days off between games

[Birdman]

I think Washington has to win game 4 or Chicago will win that series

[Ogaju]

don't see that happening without Nene.