Yeah, Shaq certainly was no prize, but man...it was crazy watching Steve Nash become instantly washed up. Not just a liability on D anymore, but a turnover machine in crunch time. Blech.

Chris Paul versus Tony Parker. This could be great.
The Hack-a-Shaq thing really hurt the Suns. I'd like to see the rule changed. It's so humiliating. Phoenix was sad to behold, but Dallas? The sight of Mark Cuban wincing never gets old.
The most depressing team of the playoffs so far: Denver. Oh my God, what an immature punk Carmelo turned out to be.
New Orleans against San Antonio should be legendary.

I hope it doesn't come down to the Spurs vs. the Lakers. I wouldn't be able to root for anyone.

The Jason Kidd infatuation I could nevere figure out, Kobe was crying to get him (which even made LeBron want him also) and Jason Kidd is just plain past his prime and a cancer in the locker room.

I just wonder what Cuban is going to do (he will do something, that's just his personality.) I mean he tinkers with this team and it doesn't do it in the playoffs - Compare to Sam ansd his projects to attract jobs - Discuss.

The Shaq trade was also one for the ages - Phoenix always was an up tempo team and Shaq barely makes up the court on transition half the time any more. I know Shawn Marion wasn't happy, but get someone young or draft picks. Now they're screwed for 5 years.

Shaq was Willie Mays playing for the Mets.
Sad to see, I had to keep telling my 8 year old how good he was.

I wouldn't mind a Spurs v. Lakers Western Conference Championship series. I certainly don't like the Lakers, but they're well coached and they consistently play good offensive basketball. That's more than you can say for most teams in the league.

As for the Spurs, while I don't enjoy the whining, flopping and eye-bulging, there's something coldly efficient about the whole enterprise that appeals to me. I've also never thought Tim Duncan's game was "boring;" I'd love it if Greg Oden could aspire to the kind of dullness that results in four championships.

I keep hearing people say that the NBA should change the rules to preclude the Hack-A-Shaq strategy. Well, I might be more sympathetic if Shaq were serious about making the free throws he gets. But he's too macho to try the Rick Barry underhand style. So at the end of the day, I can't help but conclude that missing free throws isn't that big a deal to him.

If I were Mike D'Antoni, I would've hacked Bruce Bowen every time he was on the floor. Then Stern would've had to change the rules to avoid the Hack contests.

I wouldn't count New Orleans out yet...Chris Paul is amazing, but the rest of that team has really stepped it up too.

Well Mark Cuban has struck again. Avery Johnson has been fired. If ever there was a franchise where the problem is the owner and not the coach Dallas is it.

Greg C