Re: SI.com's Burns: EC Playoff Race a Joke SI.com's Burns: EC Playoff Race a JokeOne step up, two steps backEast contenders play hot potato with last playoff spotsPosted: Monday April 10, 2006 12:03PM; Updated: Monday April 10, 2006 11:43PMSixers guard Allen Iverson sat down in front of his locker stall and carefully wrapped a towel around his neck and shoulders before meeting the media Saturday night after his team's victory at Chicago."It's fun just knowing that we['ve] still got a chance to get in the playoffs," said Iverson, who was either trying to keep warm or attempting to hide his chest and neck tattoos from the TV cameras. "When you're a basketball player, or a competitor, that's what you want.... If you had a wish, you wouldn't want it to come down to this situation, but it's the way it is."Too bad the NBA can't throw a towel over this Eastern Conference playoff race.Between the Sixers, the Bulls, the Bucks and the Pacers, the bottom half of the playoff bracket is starting to take on a rather grotesque appearance.The Sixers (36-41) have lost 13 of 19.The Pacers (37-40) have lost seven of nine.The Bucks (37-40) have lost four in a row, and five of six.Even the Bulls (35-41), the "hot" team in the group, are only 6-6 in their last 12 games.It's beginning to look as though three Eastern teams -- maybe four, if the Wizards stumble -- could make the playoffs with losing records. Not since 1985-86, when six sub-.500 teams reached the postseason (New Jersey, Washington, Chicago, Sacramento, San Antonio and Portland), has the NBA had a more lackluster playoff crop, according to the Elias Stats Bureau. One has to go back to 1996-97 to find the last time three losing teams made the playoffs (Minnesota, Phoenix, L.A. Clippers)."We are embarrassing ourselves each and every night," Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal said after his team's 25-point loss Sunday. "There are talkers and there are doers. All we are is a talking team. I don't know if we are tanking the season or if we just don't want to go to the playoffs, but we're getting murdered every night on the defensive end."If O'Neal thought his Pacers team was bad, he should have seen the Bulls on Saturday night. In its biggest game of the season, with a full house at the United Center and a chance to all but lock up the No. 8 spot, Chicago got run out of its own gym. The Bulls managed to score just 75 points (including 16 points and 12 points, respectively, in the second and third quarters) and shot a season-low 32.6 percent against a Sixers defense that came in ranked No. 26 in the league. Philadelphia, playing without Chris Webber, shot just 39 percent -- and still won the game.It was a big game for both teams," Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich said. "Everybody knew it. I'm embarrassed and disappointed [with] the way we played."It's not as if the Sixers weren't practically begging for the knockout punch, either. The Sixers have been in disarray for weeks. On Friday night they lost by 10 at home to the Celtics, prompting Iverson to openly question his teammates."I'm not going to point fingers at anybody, but as a group we aren't playing hard enough to win basketball games," Iverson said. "We don't seem hungry. We don't seem like we want to make the playoffs."Maybe that's the problem. Maybe deep down inside the Bucks, Pacers, Sixers and Bulls know that even if they reach the postseason, they are going to be dispatched quickly by the likes of the Pistons, Heat or Nets.Maybe David Stern should just do them all a favor and skip right to the second round.Who's UpJamal Crawford, KnicksSince entering the starting lineup for the injured Stephon Marbury, Crawford has been on a tear. He scored 31 points and tied a career high with 11 rebounds Sunday as the Knicks rallied at Boston to run their win streak to three games, their longest since January. The 6-foot-5 guard, who hit game-winning shots at the end of wins over Cleveland and Indiana last week, scored 11 of his points in the fourth quarter Sunday as New York overcame a 76-70 deficit. In his previous five games before Sunday (four starts), Crawford averaged 23.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Even Larry Brown can't find anything to complain about when it comes to Crawford's game of late.Who's DownJamaal Tinsley, PacersTinsley has lost his starting job to Anthony Johnson, and his days in Indiana appear to be numbered. The 6-foot-3 point guard has been in and out of the lineup all season with various nagging injuries and has not played well when healthy. The Pacers are 1-8 in their last nine games with Tinsley as a starter, and 13-14 on the season. In his last start, April 4 versus Chicago, he finished with just three points on 1-of-7 shooting. He then sat out the next two games with an Achilles' heel injury before getting a DNP-CD in Sunday's loss at Detroit. In his 27 starts this season, Tinsley is averaging just 10.3 points and 5.4 assists while shooting 42 percent from the floor.Rumor MillThomas joining Aldridge in heading to the NBA?LSU forward Tyrus Thomas is expected to declare for the NBA draft. At least that was the word going around the annual Portsmouth Invitational last week. Meanwhile, Texas' LaMarcus Aldridge told reporters Monday night that he would enter the draft. Thomas, a 6-9 freshman, has seen his stock rise since leading LSU to the Final Four. Though still raw offensively, he is considered by many to be the most explosive post player in college hoops with the potential to be a dominant shot blocker and rebounder. Aldridge, a 6-11 sophomore, is seen as the top big man available. While GMs and scouts are not allowed to comment on underclassmen, the consensus at the PIT was that Thomas and Aldridge would be likely top five picks.Grudge Match of the WeekFriday, April 14: Clippers at SonicsClippers forward Vladimir Radmanovic and Sonics forward Chris Wilcox square off against their former teams for the first time. The two have thrived in their new cities since being traded for each other on Feb. 14, but some lingering bitterness remains. Radmanovic, a starter on last year's 50-win Sonics club, was upset with his role coming off the bench this season in Seattle. Now he's starting in L.A., and headed to the playoffs. Wilcox, a former No. 8 pick overall, got stuck behind Elton Brand and Chris Kaman in L.A. and was getting extensive pine time under Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy. Both players, free agents this summer, will be looking for a chance to show their former bosses that they made a mistake by letting them go.Three Seconds The Pistons' decision not to punish Ben Wallace for refusing to re-enter Friday night's loss to the Magic was the smart thing to do. The incident was out of character for Big Ben, and he has earned the right for a second chance. Plus, Wallace is a free agent after the season and there is no point in making him mad now. The Grizzlies gave the Manu Ginobili-less Spurs all they could handle Sunday night, but they couldn't generate enough offense down the stretch. Tim Duncan's length around the basket gave Memphis fits, especially on the final play when Pau Gasol tried to drive baseline. San Antonio's D is why they're the team to beat again in the West. Heat guard Dwyane Wade has been sensational all season, but he still has room for growth. In the Miami-Detroit game last Thursday, Wade stopped playing to complain to the refs about a non-call and allowed his man, Rip Hamilton, to get down court for a layup. For a guy who's supposed to be an MVP candidate, that was inexcusable.Around the RimNuggets rookie guard Julius Hodge, who was shot three times in the leg early Saturday morning while riding in a car on a Denver highway, is expected to make a full recovery. Hodge, 22, used to be best known as the guy Chris Paul slugged in the groin during an N.C. State-Wake Forest game a couple years ago.... How bad a season has it been for Kevin Garnett? He had to sit out Sunday's game with the Hawks because of knee tendinitis, ending his league-leading streak of 351 games started.... One day after ripping NBA VP Stu Jackson and the refs, Shaquille O'Neal was named a candidate for the Sportsmanship Award.... Bulls forward Luol Deng and guard Eric Piatkowski sat out Saturday's game with the Sixers after they were injured in a freak accident during shootaround. Apparently they collided while running a drill, leaving Deng with a concussion and Piatkowski with 15-20 stitches in his noggin.... Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko didn't mind a fan running from the stands and dancing on the Delta Center floor during Tuesday's loss to the Spurs. "In Europe, it usually happens," the Russian forward said. "At soccer games they're naked. He was not naked. That's good."
Re: SI.com's Burns: EC Playoff Race a Joke This is why they should go 1-16 in the entire league, cause you'll have teams like Sacramento or the Hornets missing out, while crappy teams out east get blown out in the first round.
Re: SI.com's Burns: EC Playoff Race a Joke entire league? thats quite aq bit of a change, i say top 8 in each conference
