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Playoff Perceptions: How have your opinions changed?

Star-divide

Let's face it, the offseason is boring. Joakim hasn't taken the tabloids by storm in a while, and Derrick is probably eating a PB&J sandwich with his mom right now. So, let's have a thread to discuss the most intriguing aspects of the playoffs. IMO, it's always fun to see how fans' perceptions of players can alter drastically due to one or two playoff series.

Out of the remaining 4 teams, which players have really jumped a notch in your opinion? To me, it's good to see talented role players like Mikael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat, Birdman, and Ariza coming up big for their teams. Also, seeing an established star like Carmelo really taking iniative on defense and rebounding is great to see just so we might have another guy to talk about instead of the season-long LeBron/Kobe/Wade slopfest. 

On the other hand, which guys have taken a step down, or do you just plain not like anymore? Naturally, a lot of us probably still immensly dislike Rondo, Perkins, and Big Baby. I'm beginning to loathe Lamar Odom and Mo Williams, simply because they are so vital to their team's success, yet haven't played well at all in the playoffs. It's also been fun seeing Vujajic suck at life, because frankly, no one on this planet likes Sasha Vujajic.

Poll
Which role player has impressed you the most in the playoffs?
Mikael Pietrus
19 votes
Birdman Anderson
31 votes
Trevor Ariza
7 votes
Marcin Gortat
15 votes
Mo Williams
0 votes
Other
4 votes

76 votes | Poll has closed

FanPosts are user-created posts from the BlogABull community, and are to be treated as the opinions and views of that particular user, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.

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Voted for Ariza...

He’s done a great job defensively on Carmelo and coming up with those two huge steals at the end of games 2 & 3 (I think). Also, I never knew that he was any kind of shooter but he’s hit quite a few clutch three pointers in the series.

And btw I wouldn’t be too sure of Noah staying out of the news if I were you. After the Bulls lost to the Celtics I stumbled upon some pics of Noah and some (naked) girl on a beach and some pics of them indulging in some illegal herb. I would post the site with the pics but it could definitely be considered NSFW.

"One time I went to a social gathering, I brought a bottle of Tanqueray and a shotgun and showed those motherf&#@ers the best time they ever had!"- Kenny Powers (Eastbound and Down)

"Why give 100% when 35 can still get you paid and laid."- Kenny Powers

by gridiron_assassin on May 26, 2009 3:58 PM CDT reply actions  

Would love Ariza in Bulls Uni

dont understand why all our big trades are with the knicks

"Talent wins games, but team work and intelligence wins championships." 23

by Belize on May 26, 2009 4:17 PM CDT reply actions  

I voted Gortat

But I haven’t really watched the Lakers much this post-season. They don’t really entice me all that often to watch in all honesty.

Gortat has provided a nice lift and presence for the Magic whenever Howard is out of the game. There has been plenty of instances in the past where a team suffers because it’s major player up front is out of the game, and the Magic haven’t hardly at all. That’s a storyline that will be repeated a ton this summer when Gortat gets a ton of Free Agent offers like he’s un-restricted. (The Magic won’t match.)

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 26, 2009 4:23 PM CDT reply actions  

Birdman reminds me of Tyrus when Tyris is

playing well. Tyrus has a better shot though. Birdman is a better rebounder.

by SoulEater7 on May 26, 2009 5:09 PM CDT reply actions  

definately

but Birdman is more consistent

:::sigh::

"Talent wins games, but team work and intelligence wins championships." 23

by Belize on May 26, 2009 5:25 PM CDT up reply actions  

Orlando has the best TEAM.

Not player but TEAM. I could see them winning the title and I would be content with them winning it all. They look pretty stacked with Lewis,Turk, Lee, Gortat, Alston, Pietrus Howard. The Magic are likable, at least to me.

Personally I think the Lakers are too soft inside and just overall inconsistent. Cleveland is Lebron surrounded with hot garbage and Denver is too lax and turns the ball over too much.

I’d be happy with a Denver and Orlando series and I could see Orlando in 5 or 6.

by SoulEater7 on May 26, 2009 6:02 PM CDT reply actions  

Yeah I've liked this Magic team

But I stepped back a bit once Jameer got injured I thought they were loaded. And matchups were pretty good for just about any team.
Now they say Jameer might get back into it. But I’d be very surprised if the Magic beat the Nuggets in 5…I could kinda see the Lakers getting beat in 5. I didn’t think the Nuggets would beat them handily I still think the Lakers will win that series but they are the most talented team.

This is pretty much the ultimate test for Kobe I was surprised he was able to will his team in those games. I thought he wouldn’t have to do it for the lot of that series either. With all the physical play though I didn’t think he’d have enough. Its also one for Lebron though if he can get past the Magic then I wouldn’t second guess whos the best in the league.

by Camry on May 26, 2009 6:12 PM CDT up reply actions  

I'm going with Courtney Lee

Pietrus was the guy I was harping about early in the season. ESPN kept saying the Magic had no bench but he was injured for much of it. I didn’t know if he was going to come back to form but we’ve seen what he could do in GS.

Gortat I think had a career game agianst us and seeing a lot of Magic games when Dwight gets in foul trouble. You see they can move the ball just as well and hes pretty competent. (but his mid range shot surprised me)

Ariza said he was going to work on his shot last year so that wasn’t too surprising he was already a good defender. And Birdman is a character.

But Courtney Lee is really like a complete player in a way. The guy kind of came out of nowhere for me I knew he was good but I didn’t expect him to be this steady.

by Camry on May 26, 2009 6:05 PM CDT reply actions  

Has to be Birdman

Williams was an all star
Gortat hasn’t made too much of an impact IMO
Pietrus and Ariza were both pretty solid contributers on great teams this year.

Birdman has been Noah-esque this series in particular. He was alright this year but just really stepped it up this time of year.

Something about these pot smokers I guess

by Option27 on May 26, 2009 6:09 PM CDT reply actions  

Cleveland has proven their crapness sans LBJ.

Birdman’s been awesome, but I dunno … have to give it to Lee, who was playing really well before Howard injured him. :P
Ariza DID get two game-winning plays for the Lakers. Those steals … so … really, I don’t know. I guess Lee? Ariza’s been pretty awesome though … as has Birdman.

Three things you must know:
-"Ben Gordon is a bundle of muscle and clutch. That's all he's made of. Drink BG7 energy drink, you'll grow a pair of balls on your balls."
-Pau Gasol: The defense of a seven foot ladder paired with the post presence of Manute Bol.
-Joakim Noah is better than you.

by Prevenge on May 26, 2009 11:30 PM CDT reply actions  

To be real

Cleveland has a decent squad. But their bench is pretty weak

Mo hasn’t been on point, but he was pretty damn good in the reg. season
I’ve always liked Delonte West’s game…very similar to Hinrich, scrappy combo guard who can guard 3 positions and score a little bit
Big Z is slowing down rapidly but is still one of the best shooting centers in the game
Varejao brings energy and rebounding.

The disappointments on the Cavs are Daniel Gibson who hasn’t done shit all season. Dude must be one of the smallest dudes in the league besides Barea.
Szcerbiak is a total waste on offense and one of the worst defenders…dude should not be on a NBA roster next year.
Joe Smith hasn’t contributed much in this series. And Ben Wallace is still “Big Bum”

by C Smoove on May 27, 2009 12:49 AM CDT reply actions  

Haha

I like that Barea is in his own class of Tiny.

by YaoPau on May 27, 2009 3:58 PM CDT up reply actions  

Don't even mention Ben Wallace.

And Szcerbiak’s name is just awesome. That by itself warrants a shot with a team.

Things could be worse. We could have kept Boylan.

by stupidgenius on May 27, 2009 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions  

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