****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

[dramachild11]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

I hope for LeBrons sake that the refs don't become the asterisk that the media puts on this series if the heat win out... I felt sure that if he played to his potential an his team won then there would be some excuse made for it... I am surprised to see that nobody has mentioned how well Miami has played defense in this series, the thunder really are an exceptional team that was riding high after the spurs series but they look dumbstruck at times an the disappearance of harden is a really good example of this I think or am I completely full of it?

[ZB9]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

LeBron didn't look like he was in that series though either. That makes a difference.

yea right the Mavs defense had nothing to do with that

lol im just wondering on what planet is the team that loses 6 out of 8 the superior team

[RA30]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

Did the refs make OKC shoot 18% from the 3 point line?
Durant 1-5
Harden 1-5
Westbrook 0-3

Stop blaming the refs for OKC's loss.
If OKC had made more of their 3 point shots, they would have sealed the game.

Any team shooting sub 20% from the 3 point line is asking for a loss.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

It's not about Dallas though. The starting lineup they want to run out there doesn't match up well in man to man. Plus, they've been playing each other for 4 games now... they may be running different people at James et al but it's the same defense over and over. You have to switch it up, give them different looks. There are places for you to do that in man D but switching to a zone would be good for them every now and then. You can't stick with it forever. James did chop up their zone in game 2 if I'm not mistaken. But I want to see James make the adjustment of being doubled, not being doubled, played tight/not, dealing with a zone, etc. He's good enough to succeed in each situation but make him prove that he can analyze each situation and make the proper adjustments each time with you mixing it up.

And finally, as horrible as their help defense has been recently, you'd think they'd at least try a little zone to manufacture some help for all the players penetrating for the Heat. Maybe you turn them into a jump shooting team which triggers your transition break more... wouldn't be the first time the Heat stars started falling in love with the jump shot if you give it to them.

They've ran 2-3 Zone and even some Man Defense disguised as a 2-3 and what have the Heat done in each game that they didn't do last year? They adjusted, which was why I said there were different factors in why Dallas' zone was more effective than OKC's currently is.

Not to mention, Dallas also had the personnel(Kidd, Marion and Stevenson were good man defenders and then they also had Chandler/Haywood to protect the paint for them whereas the Thunder just have Sefolosha as their best defender in this series) where they could mix up some Man Defense and some Zone Defense and as we saw, the Heat looked like that was the first time they ever saw a zone defense.

Shoot, we heard from Rick Carlisle that he noticed them not making any adjustments at ALL, which basically made his job ALOT easier because he didn't have to really worry about the Heat making too many, if any adjustments at all.

[SteelersFreak]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

Dallas beat Miami 4 out of the 6 times they played last season...the only two losses being by 2 and 6 points

In what alternate universe were the Mavs "an inferior team" to Miami

Don't worry about it ZB. Just let them keep thinking that it wasn't the Mavs that won the series, the Heat just gave it away.

[BringTheHeat]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

Why are we even talking about last year? The Mavs won, lost the centerpiece, and got swept in the first round.

Moving on..

Can't wait for tomorrow, hopefully to see LeBron hoist those trophies.

I predict a blowout tomorrow, and at one point LeBron will go ape--- and scream at the crowd.

[The 24th Letter]

Lol, y'all Mavs fans have to understand NO ONE can take your trophy away man.....

As for Game 5:

I've been ridiculously wrong this whole series, but for some reason I think this goes back to OKC..

Can't wait for tonight...

[I Djm]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

as much as i want the thuder to win they won't. the heat will close them out

[Jasong7777]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

If the league wanted Lebron to win, he would have won last season. But guess what, Dirk and the Mavs stepped on the Heat's throat and beat them. Something that Durant and OKC has not done. Thats why Lebron is one win away from his first ring.

[kayfngee]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

yea right the Mavs defense had nothing to do with that

lol im just wondering on what planet is the team that loses 6 out of 8 the superior team

I wasn't trying to imply the Mavs defense had nothing to do with it, but LeBron clearly didn't want the ball either. Regardless, the Mavs won that series and deserved the championship last season.

[zanner]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

Okc took 28 shots at the rim last night, Miami took 23. Westbrook himself took 12. With that, he got 3 fta. Did you watch the game last night? Without westbrook getting to the rim and finishing in traffic, okc wouldn't have been in the game until the last minute.

Also, there's only been one game where Miami took more shots at the rim than okc.

Big difference between a Shot at the rim and Taking it to the rim.
I stated Westbrook is playing, but watch his drives, The Heat don't take stupid fouls on him - some uncontested because he just beat his man and got the lane or put back.

Other than that, I don't remember anyone but Collison beating Bosh off the dribble and to the basket and maybe a dunk from Durant where he got the lane.

My Point, as I did watch the game, is that a shot at the rim is not attacking the rim. Wade and Lebron are getting there from beyond the arc.. Bosh is moving towards the rim, chalmers gets an attack in... Durant hasn't shook ANYONE or took them to the hole and the only one that is, is Westbrook. When he does he's usually really beaten them where there's no need to foul because he's at the rim... So to answer your question, Yes I did watch the game and the numbers you're throwing out are empty stats that on paper you want to tell a story that wasn't fact of the matter. And quite frankly I don't know where you're numbers come from

Here's a shot chart - Go player by player on each team; the game I watched coincided with the 2d shot chart...

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/shotchart?gameId=320619014

[stlpimpmonsta]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

Smh the cavs forum is a Sad place right now

[kayfngee]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

Smh the cavs forum is a Sad place right now

As a Cavs fan, I can't go to any Cavs forums. In general Cleveland sports fans drive me crazy.

[BlueNGold]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

Smh the cavs forum is a Sad place right now

And you can't blame them.

I'm sure I'd feel a different way about LeBron being on his way to winning his first ring if I actually lived in Cleveland and been through everything they've gone through, but I don't.

It's still going to be bittersweet as hell when he does get that championship in a Heat uniform. I'm just glad that he's redeemed himself after last year's disappearing act in the Finals, and basically **** on every negative word that's been spoken/typed about him throughout this entire playoff run.

When you really look at it, this has to be one of the more all-time remarkable seasons in league history. Actually not even league history, but just in sports as a whole. When you factor in all the missteps, the failure, the criticism, and now the response to all of that in these playoffs, it's pretty incredible. I think the only thing that could currently come close to matching this is Tiger winning The Masters after everything he's been through the past few years and his failure to return to the "old Tiger".

[jeebs9]

Re: ****2012 NBA FINALS DISCUSSION THREAD****

And you can't blame them.

I'm sure I'd feel a different way about LeBron being on his way to winning his first ring if I actually lived in Cleveland and been through everything they've gone through, but I don't.

It's still going to be bittersweet as hell when he does get that championship in a Heat uniform. I'm just glad that he's redeemed himself after last year's disappearing act in the Finals, and basically **** on every negative word that's been spoken/typed about him throughout this entire playoff run.

When you really look at it, this has to be one of the more all-time remarkable seasons in league history. Actually not even league history, but just in sports as a whole. When you factor in all the missteps, the failure, the criticism, and now the response to all of that in these playoffs, it's pretty incredible. I think the only thing that could currently come close to matching this is Tiger winning The Masters after everything he's been through the past few years and his failure to return to the "old Tiger".

Totally agree! But until he wins. I'll hold my comments back.

On that note.. I might have said this already. But I was pretty blown away that not only has any team come back from a 3-1. But no team has even forced a game 7. I would think at least one team could of forced a game 7.

I really hope The Thunder change something tonight.