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Post by IamQuailman on Nov 6, 2013 13:34:28 GMT -6
PLEASE REFRAIN FROM COMMENTING UNTIL COMPLETED... THANKS! ENJOY!
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Cari Champion: And we're back with another episode of First Take: NBA Playoff Edition, where we embrace debate. I'm Cari Champion - the referee, facilitator, buffer - and as usual I am joined by our two hosts, Skip Bayless.
Skip Bayless: The one and only. Cari Champion: ...and Stephen A. Smith. Stephen A. Smith: Good morning, good morning. Cari Champion: Today we are going to dive into some failed picks for the last round of our playoffs; everyone loves a little crow for breakfast. Skip Bayless: Especially Stephen A. He didn't eat his Frosted Flakes before coming in... wanted to save room for the words from last week.
Stephen A. Smith: Oh, please. As if you were 100% on your 2nd round picks. Cari Champion: After Skip and Stephen reflect on their non-clairvoyance, we will shift our focus to the Conference Finals and our predictions for that as well. Lastly we'll close the show out with a quick draft preview. Stephen, since you seem so fired up, how about you lead us off? Skip Bayless: Yes, Stephen A., please. I'm waiting for you to start this conversation. Because we all know I like to end you--- I mean it. Stephen A. Smith: Always have to have the last word... disrespectful. But yeah. Okay, I may have made a couple bad picks last episode. One being the team formerly known as the Bucks losing. They, despite home field advantage, could not take care of business in the Coliseum of Gay. In fact, sources have informed me that they are undertaking a massive-scale reconstruction of their arena to limit seating to only 7. Thoughts behind this is to keep the fans on their feet the whole game. It's a unique strategy to get those fans involved in the game, especially with the new market research being done with regards to the win-to-stadium-capacity ratio. All that said, the Bucks just couldn't capitalize in Game 7. They scored relatively efficiently shooting 48% from the field as a team, despite shooting 0-for-9 from beyond the arc. However, those misses really helped them screw the pooch -- and a chance at a title. I'm curious to see how this GM, who is rumored to be pro-active in making moves, will handle this off-season after so much regular season success yet little to show in the post-season.
Stephen A. Smith: The other pick that I misfired on was not very far off from being right. I had the Pacers coming back and upsetting the Hawks. And they were pretty damn close. The series went to 7 games, with the Pacers just running out of gas at the very end. However, the Pacers organization as a whole has nothing to be ashamed of; if anything, they have a lot to look forward to in the future. Their team has a very bright future ahead.
Cari Champion: Alright, Skip. Your turn. Ready to eat some crow?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 14:37:34 GMT -6
Skip Bayless: Cari, I for one would be willing to eat Crow if I were wrong, but the Kings did win this series.
Stephen A. Smith: Ok here we go..
Skip Bayless: The referees were terrible in this game and Karl Malone was getting hacked all night, as we saw from him low FG%. Mark West from the Mavs got into early foul trouble and I think the mavs, who's owner we ALL KNOW has strong ties to the league office, got a pass from the refs in the second half. I think the league office gave the refs a ring at halftime and said they didn't want foul trouble to determine the outcome of this game. So instead of calling the game fair, they let the Mnavs cheat their way into the conference Finals.
Stephen A. Smith: So you're saying the league fixed this game?
Skip Bayless: No, but I think the Mavericks had a heavy advantage. And Stephen A., don't believe me? The proofs in the pudding, and you can ask your best friend Bill Cosby about it. The only other team with a strong affliation to the league office, the Knicks are now tied up 2-2 with the Hawks who have been donkey blasting through opponets all season.
Stephen A. Smith: Nonsense, absolute nonsense. This is what you come up with instead of eating Crow? Instead of saying "I was Wrong", you bloviate a consipracy theory. I hear they're creating a new show called the X files coming out next year, maybe you should audition for the lead role.
Skip Bayless: Maybe I will.
Cari Champion: And Leave us? No way.
Skip Bayless: First Take folks, this mug could be coming to a theatre near you soon!
Stephen A. Smith: It's a TV show you fool.
Cari Champion: Alllright now that we have taken care of the "crow eating" we'll move to our first matchup of the playoffs. The Hawks versus the Knicks, right now the series is tied 2-2. Skip who do you have in this one?
Skip Bayless: {{{sighs}}} You know, when I saw game 1 and 2 of this series I immediately thought, well, that Wake up call really woke up the Atlanta Hawks. No one stands a chance. Then I watched games 3 and 4 and saw a team with a chip on their shoulder big enough to crush this fowl bird.
Stephen A. Smith: Fowl bird? Cute...
Skip Bayless: Let me continue. I'm watching this series watching know all the Hawks have to do is win 1 out of 2 and this thing is pretty much wrapped up. Game 3 the Hawks came out flat and the Knicks played like a team possessed. Game 4, both teams came to play and the Knicks still won. And I think the Knicks have figured out Magic, who will still fill out a state sheet and these Atlanta Hawks. they're forcing Magic outside of the paint with the Admiral David Robinson protecting the paint and daring the Hawks to shoot the 3, and through this series, it's paid off. The Hawks are a combined 2-18 from the 3 point line in 4 games. A putrid 11%.
Skip Bayless: I think this is a classic case of prove a titan can bleed and people will believe he can be killed. The Pacers did the hard work and showed they can be beaten, now the Knicks have to actually knock down this Goliath. I think they can and I think they will do it in 7 games.
Cari Champion: wow, a very bold prediction. Stephen A., your response? |
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Post by IamQuailman on Nov 6, 2013 14:41:17 GMT -6
Stephen A. Smith: The Hawks may bleed, but they haven't bled out. And I know while you like your Knicks, Skip, I'm going to go with the guaranteed-winner. No more surprise upset specials from me. Not when it comes to the Hawks anyway. I picked against the Hawks once, shame on me. Pick against them twice, shame on my family. That's how the old Asian proverb goes, right?
Skip Bayless: Have you ever met an Asian?
Stephen A. Smith: {{{shakes my head}}} The Hawks are toying around with the Knicks, letting them get back up just to tear them down again. Just like their front court, they like to exude their dominance over their opponents, completely demoralizing them down low.
Skip Bayless: You're ridiculous. Tarpley and Robinson completely dominated in games 3 and 4. You're more off-the-rocker than Betty Crocker.
Stephen A. Smith: What? No. Just. The Hawks shot uncharacteristically bad in Game 3. When was the last time you saw them shoot 38% as a team? And despite the 64 point performance from Tarpley and Robinson, the Hawks lost by 1 point in Game 4. Each game this gets dragged out, the closer it comes to Detlef's comeback. Regardless, it's hard to discredit what the Knicks have done this post-season... and the Admiral has had an admirable playoff run thus far, but the Knicks's ship has sailed. And I'm not talking about a championSHIP either. Their a tug boat battling a battleship, and the Admiral is about to go down with it.
Cari Champion: Pretty safe pick, Stephen. How about the Western Conference Finals? What's your pick?
Stephen A. Smith:Cari, it's pretty apparent who I've been rooting for in the West all offseason. I try to be unbiased but it's hard for me to contain my excitement about one team. I'm going to ride or die with the Mavs. And my main reason for this is that the series is tied at 2-2 and the Mavs have weathered the Jordan storm. Meanwhile, back in the infirmary, Eddie Johnson's unconscious body awakens from a coma. However, he is not just Eddie Johnson. He is Eddie Johnson possessed by the spirit of Julius Irving, and he will bring it to Michael Jordan night in and night out.
Skip Bayless: You do know that Julius Irving isn't dead, right? He had lunch with me last week.
Stephen A. Smith: Beside the point. Earlier in the week, rumors emerged that the Jazz coaching staff hasn't really made many adjustments throughout the playoffs this post-season, but with a comeback of a player of Eddie Johnson's caliber, that strategy of "Ride Jordan 'til his wheels fall off" may not cut the mustard. If they want to survive, they'll need to take Eddie's return into consideration. All that said, the Mavs have made this a series, but they are about to make this a massacre since they are finally at full strength. The lack of depth around Jordan will finally become apparent when the Mavs finish off the Jazz in Game 6, advancing to the NBA Finals. Cari Champion: Skip, how about you? Your pick? |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 15:12:46 GMT -6
Skip Bayless: Well, I must say, once again, my friend and trustworth sidekick Stephin A. Robin is dead wrong again. And i'm going to tell you why. Two words: Firepower
Stephen A. Smith: Firepower is one word, Skip.
Skip Bayless: How do you spell it?
Stephen A. Smith: F-I-R-E-P-O-W-E-R
Skip Bayless: Wrong, It's M--I-C-H-A-E-L <SPACE> J-O-R-D-A-N, the greatest player in the game today. Michael jordan in this series: 36, 29, 32, and 42 points. He is by far the greatest player in this series abd great players matter in series that go 7 games, which is what I think this one goes to.
Skip Bayless: Now i know you've got a soft spot ,,, your whole body, for Eddie Johnson, but I think he messes up what the Mavs do well which is distribute the ball evenly through the team. The Mavs are only here because of their balanced team attck and now they'll be more Iso-Eddie down the stretch taking away from the Brilliance that is John Stockton. The real key to these games are the boards. If the Mavs win the battle of the boards by over 5, then they can win any of these games.
Cari Champion: Well there you have it. Someone will be eating Crow for our next show and it might be a double serving. So from one gear to the next, we move from the teams that will make the finals to the teams that are preparing for the NBA draft and now that we have all of our draft entries the guys at First Take are going to give you a little preview. Skip who would you take as the first pick in the NBA draft?
Skip Bayless: This is a tough one because in the top tier there are 3 guys I like a lot. When I think of the number 1 pick and the responsibility that comes with that pick. There's a couple of guys who can control the game on one side of the floor and there's a couple of guys with solid overall games. If i'm a GM with this crop, i'm looking for a homerun type of guy and I think that guy is Larry Johnson.
Skip Bayless: He's a little undersized for his position, but he's the only guy who jumps off the screen to me with Superstar potential. I never see him being a defensive presence because of his size but I could absolutely see LJ average 22-11 and make a few All Star games. As he continues to develop his outside shot, he's going to become a more dangerous offensive player. I really compare him to a carbon copy of Charles Barkley. not exactly like the real thing, but pretty damn close. Cari Champion: How about you Stephen A. , who would be your top choice? |
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Post by IamQuailman on Nov 6, 2013 15:46:16 GMT -6
Stephen A. Smith: Skip, have you even watched basketball this year? Because if you did you would know that in this league, a league with very few premier big men, any rebuilding team would want to go big or go home. And whoever lands that top pick will go home with a big named Dikembe Mutombo, not Larry Johnson. While he may not be able to create his own shot or be a dominant force on offense, this young fella will dominate the paint for years to come, not only in offensive and defensive boards, but also blocks and defense on a whole. With big men like David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, and the like owning the league in this post-season, whoever scores the top pick could turn around and ask these playoff contenders "Who's the Boss". Spoiler Alert: it isn't Tony Danza. It's Dikembe Mutombo.
Skip Bayless: Are you done?
Stephen A. Smith: No, I'm not.
Cari Champion: Actually, Stephen, how about giving us your Top 5 picks in order?
Stephen A. Smith: Well, obviously, I think I've made it known who the #1 overall will be. And obviously the team and their needs will determine the order. But if we are going off best player available, with the #2 pick, I would take Steve Smith. I'm a fan of high octane offense and Smith would bring just that to any bottom-feeding lottery team. With the #3 pick, I would take Larry Johnson for all the reasons that Skip had mentioned; he will be an offensive force down low to be reckoned with from Day 1. With #4 pick, I would have to go with raw potential, and that means Terrell Brandon. This young man has a lot of room to improve offensively, but he could be a premier defensive point guard in the NBA under the right tutelage. And lastly, with my #5 pick, I would say Dale Davis. He's not an offensive threat by any means, but this big man can get it done on the boards and bring the heat defensively. He could be the 2nd best defensive big in this draft, behind the obvious Dikembe.
Cari Champion: Ok, Skip. Round us out!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 17:21:30 GMT -6
Skip Bayless: Well Stephen A., shockingly my top five is rounded out a little different than yours.
Skip Bayless: We all know I think LJ is the guy who's most ready now and in the future to lead a team, but i've got Steve Smith as my number 2 overall pick. When you talk about versatility from a big guard, Smith is that guy, and he's more "ready" now than the guy I have on 4 on the list. Steve Smith can shoot, dribble, pass and take the ball inside. Another guy when he hits his prime will be downright scary to try and guard.
Skip Bayless: At Number 3 I have to say Mutumbo is the guy. You compare him to Ewing, Robinson and such but he's just not the offensive guy they are. I think this guy caps out as a DPOY candidate a couple of years and can stay solid for a good 15 year do to not much of his game relying on athetic ability. Mutumbo will be Hakeem on offense and at the end of the day and roman on offense. I'm not trying to put the kid down at all because I think he's going to be fantastic at the things he's fantastic at. He's just going to have to find a team that's not hurting for scoring to ever have a shot at becoming a superstar; otherwise he's just going to be buried by first round exits.
Skip Bayless: At Number 4, I think the draft drops off a little. You have guys that can be solid starters in the league and maybe make an All Star game or two, but no one with that talent to really make All-NBA teams like the first 3 guys listed. So the next guy I have is Bobby Phills who's game reminds me an awful lot like of what Steve Smith's could be and that's a well rounded guard. The reason I have him lower than Smith is, he's not as polished and is going to take a lot of time to develop. Also because he's not quite as big as Smith. He's a big guard at 6'5" 217 but when being compared you have to be judged against your population.
Skip Bayless: Last and not least I have Terrell Brandon. Terrell will be an absolute terror on defense. He has a knack for getting turnovers and can be trusted to run an offense. He's got the Defense of Greg Anthony and the offense of a guy like Kenny Anderson. I think he's the real deal.
Cari Champion: Well there we have it, the First Take top 5. Thank you everyone for joining us and have a great week!
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Post by IamQuailman on Nov 6, 2013 17:32:04 GMT -6
Feel free to comment, critique or bash us.
As for Mutombo, when I was listing other bigsI was saying that he would handle them defensively, not be offensive equivalents. Just wanted to clear that up
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Post by beeballoversohard on Nov 6, 2013 18:04:28 GMT -6
Is balls going to be editing the draft file...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 18:05:55 GMT -6
Is balls going to be editing the draft file... Mostly done.. A few smaller edits to finish up |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 18:07:00 GMT -6
thank you skip for the confidence in the Knicks. I hope I don't make him wrong
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Post by DarthVegito on Nov 6, 2013 18:11:03 GMT -6
Is balls going to be editing the draft file... Mostly done.. A few smaller edits to finish up Small edits done. Draft file completed and final...unless Balls says "one more thing" again. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 18:12:39 GMT -6
screw you skip,you jinxed me. i hope a dog bites your balls off skip
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 18:16:30 GMT -6
screw you skip,you jinxed me. i hope a dog bites your balls off skip Don't blame skip for the inability to finish. They make pills for that. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2013 18:38:13 GMT -6
screw you skip,you jinxed me. i hope a dog bites your balls off skip Don't blame skip for the inability to finish. They make pills for that. i lost the prescription for them, i tried to get some more off the street but i think i got ripped off cuz they didnt work and my nipples are sore |
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Post by IamQuailman on Dec 10, 2013 22:18:33 GMT -6
(via Darth PM) AWARDED 0 POINTS DUE TO HITTING POINT CAP! CONGRATS ON BEING AWESOME! KEEP IT UP BRO!
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