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

[BlastX21]

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

Would it even matter at this point though? Not like you or anyone else think he's done even a decent or a good coaching job anyway and Lebron or anyone else on the team going off isn't going anybody's thoughts on him either way.

It's one thing to ask him to play 48 minutes but it's another thing to ask him to play 48 minutes AND give me a Game 6 encore. There's a difference between the two and while there's nothing wrong with the former, there is something wrong with the latter.

There's something wrong with BOTH of those....

Edit: LeBron should have been playing 40 minutes a game through the playoffs at most. Any more and you get into long term fatigue territory. In the Finals, then you can play him 43, maybe 44 minutes. But if Spo wanted him to actually be fresh for the finals he should have managed his minutes much more efficiently.

[ProfessaPackMan]

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

If I'm a Coach, especially in the Finals, the absolute last thing I'm thinking about is watching a player's minutes just so he can have an extra 3-4 years to play in the future.

If playing him 48 minutes gives me the best chance RIGHT NOW to win 4 more games THIS year, then you gotta do that. Plus, he's 27 freaking years old, not 34 y/o with Kobe Bryant-esq miles on his body.

[23]

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

If I'm a Coach, especially in the Finals, the absolute last thing I'm thinking about is watching a player's minutes just so he can have an extra 3-4 years to play in the future.

If playing him 48 minutes gives me the best chance RIGHT NOW to win 4 more games THIS year, then you gotta do that. Plus, he's 27 freaking years old, not 34 y/o with Kobe Bryant-esq miles on his body.

Oh we know Spo aint thinking about anybody but himself

..and yeah you keep making him play all game every game he will end up like Kobe, especially since he has a larger frame and breaks alot more as well as jumps and rebounds alot more

...but hey thats just me

[jeebs9]

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

I just can't to see the small line-ups. Who do you guys think play better small ball?

Jones is good. But they haven't had good results when he is out there in my opinion.

[BlastX21]

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

If I'm a Coach, especially in the Finals, the absolute last thing I'm thinking about is watching a player's minutes just so he can have an extra 3-4 years to play in the future.

If playing him 48 minutes gives me the best chance RIGHT NOW to win 4 more games THIS year, then you gotta do that. Plus, he's 27 freaking years old, not 34 y/o with Kobe Bryant-esq miles on his body.

Fatigue affects the present just as much as the future.

[Hotobu]

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

I just can't to see the small line-ups. Who do you guys think play better small ball?

This isn't even a question. Of course it's Miami. The Thunder have a pretty good selection of big guys. What's interesting though is that when OKC "goes small" Miami can still match up pretty well with them with their traditional starting lineup with Joel Anthony at center.

I'll be interested to see how Miami will perform if and when they go with a lineup of Chalmers, Wade, Lebron, Battier and Bosh against OKC's starters. Ibaka is bigger and stronger than Battier, but if Battier can handle David West then surely he can handle Ibaka as he's less offensively talented. Also Bosh on Perkins shouldn't be a problem. A lineup like this can create problems for OKC defensively as their big guys will have to respect Miami's shooters. The obvious issue with this lineup is Miami's interior defense and rebounding though. I'd like to see how this matchup plays out.

[ProfessaPackMan]

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

Oh we know Spo aint thinking about anybody but himself

..and yeah you keep making him play all game every game he will end up like Kobe, especially since he has a larger frame and breaks alot more as well as jumps and rebounds alot more

...but hey thats just me

Kobe got at least 1 ring partly because of what I described so I'm almost certain Lebron wouldn't mind ending up like Kobe in that regard, especially if it means just getting ONE ring.

[23]

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

Kobe got at least 1 ring partly because of what I described so I'm almost certain Lebron wouldn't mind ending up like Kobe in that regard, especially if it means just getting ONE ring.

I dont see a dominant big man on LeBron's team

Im not bashing him for the minutes either, but its definitely not good long term to

A. Continue to heavily run the guy without rest

B. Ride off of him being the hero for 48 minutes to win games

[ex carrabba fan]

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

Miami is 8-0 in this playoff when they score 100 or more

There's something wrong with BOTH of those....

Edit: LeBron should have been playing 40 minutes a game through the playoffs at most. Any more and you get into long term fatigue territory. In the Finals, then you can play him 43, maybe 44 minutes. But if Spo wanted him to actually be fresh for the finals he should have managed his minutes much more efficiently.

Seems like you're just throwing arbitrary numbers out there

Look at Shaq on his run with Los Angeles, dude was playing just as many minutes as LeBron is now if not more. He didn't just do it for a year either, fyi.

These guys need to play heavy minutes regardless of their size. LeBron is not an some old veteran either...

[ex carrabba fan]

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

Just to look at, James' playoff minutes over the recent years

2005-2006 CLE 46.5
2006-2007 CLE 44.7
2010-2011 MIA 43.9
2007-2008 CLE 42.5

This playoff 2011-2012 MIA 42.2

.....

[jeremym480]

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

OKC in 4

#basketballreasons

[23]

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

Just to look at, James' playoff minutes over the recent years

2005-2006 CLE 46.5
2006-2007 CLE 44.7
2010-2011 MIA 43.9
2007-2008 CLE 42.5

This playoff 2011-2012 MIA 42.2

.....

... and he's criticized til this day for either running out of gas or not showing up in the 4th qtr

Go figure

Again, Bron is not on a stacked team...he's being asked to do it all on both ends of the floor including play superhero

[ex carrabba fan]

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

... and he's criticized til this day for either running out of gas or not showing up in the 4th qtr

Go figure

I don't know, he's had a few moments where he's deserved criticism for not showing up in the late stages of the game, as with any other athlete.

I don't think those moments had to do with running out of gas either. More like he's just made questionable decisions and/or just not even bothering to try [against Boston and then last year seemed to be disconnected against Dallas]. Those two moments really to me was more like he wasn't there mentally.

These primetime players, hell, professional athletes in general, they should be pushing these kinds of minutes. Not saying they should play 46 minutes every game but they should be pushing the limits.. especially at a young age. When I see guys like Shaq playing 42+ minutes in consecutive deep playoff runs in the later stages of his career then I can't really say anyone should limit minutes...

[23]

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

Shaq is different than almost any other player in the nba right now you see out there

While yes they should be trying to be productive on the floor... even Shaq wasnt asked to play those heavy minutes and do everything

[Kashanova]

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

So Did I just hear that Mike Miller is going to retire after the season ends?