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

[Teddy_Long]

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

the heat can't beat the thunder scoring in the 90s

[ZooM z00m]

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

Love the Heat hopefuls but.. cmon...

Durant and Westbrook will not struggle early again. Harden will not have 5 points. I really hate to say it, but... we may get blown out in 2. Our only hope is to wake up at home and win those 3, and then have a chance to win the final 2 in OKC. Other than that? We blew our biggest chance of the series tonight.

We will probably keep it close next game because Battier has found his stroke, Chalmers is stepping up, Haslem and Miller may do a little extra..but OKC smells blood. Did you see the way they ended the half / opened the second? Holy ****... they'll more than likely open game 2 in that manner.

The only way we win the next game is if LeBron shares his Game 6 bath salts vs Boston with Wade and Bosh and they have one of those combine for 75+ points games... other than that.. forget it.

[BlastX21]

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

the heat can't beat the thunder scoring in the 90s

I agree. I would have disagreed before game 1, but seeing Harden only score 5 points and them still hitting 100...I dont know what to say.

[ex carrabba fan]

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

Well I'm talking more about LeBron/Wade/Bosh moving off the ball moreso than the role players. Those guys its ok for them to just stand and wait for the ball to come to them, because thats their job. Imo, the Heat would be better if Chalmers handled the ball more and they ran more off-ball screens with Wade/LeBron so that Mario could pass it to them. The Thunder do that with Durant, and he gets plenty of open looks. as it is though, its generally LeBron/Wade holding the ball 90% of the time, and running a pick and roll/isolation. Not much diversity in the offense.

Except the difference is, when Westbrook can't get the ball to Durant, it's Westbrook who has the ball. That's a lot better than when Chalmers or someone else is stuck with the ball with the shot clock winding down.

In the 4th, there were several possessions where Wade and LeBron played off the ball and neither of them could get open.. forcing bad shots and forced shots..

I don't think it takes a coach to figure out how to get LeBron James and Dwayne Wade open. Taking them both off the ball is dangerous because defenses can really key on them and force other guys to handle the ball instead.

Either way, terrible offense from Miami. I'd blame the coach for that but the point is, they did play off the ball and it didn't work out too well.

What you suggest is a bit broad, Miami's offense needs a lot more added than that.

[BringTheHeat]

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

We blew our biggest chance of the series tonight.

We will probably keep it close next game because Battier has found his stroke, Chalmers is stepping up, Haslem and Miller may do a little extra..but OKC smells blood. Did you see the way they ended the half / opened the second? Holy ****... they'll more than likely open game 2 in that manner.

The only way we win the next game is if LeBron shares his Game 6 bath salts vs Boston with Wade and Bosh and they have one of those combine for 75+ points games... other than that.. forget it.

Alright headed to bed everyone, cheers.

[BlastX21]

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

Except the difference is, when Westbrook can't get the ball to Durant, it's Westbrook who has the ball. That's a lot better than when Chalmers or someone else is stuck with the ball with the shot clock winding down.

In the 4th, there were several possessions where Wade and LeBron played off the ball and neither of them could get open.. forcing bad shots and forced shots..

I don't think it takes a coach to figure out how to get LeBron James and Dwayne Wade open. Taking them both off the ball is dangerous because defenses can really key on them and force other guys to handle the ball instead.

Either way, terrible offense from Miami. I'd blame the coach for that but the point is, they did play off the ball and it didn't work out too well.

What you suggest is a bit broad, Miami's offense needs a lot more added than that.

They definently need more than that, its just one piece of the puzzle.

In the event that neither LeBron or Wade can get open off a screen/cut, the ball should go to Bosh. Its unlikely that OKC can guard all three of them off the ball at once. If they can, then Miami wans't going to win anyway.

Chalmers also doesn't necessarilly have to be the primary ballhandler, but he does need it more often. It would not only diversify the offense, but also help him progress as a player. If Miami has another role player step up in the next couple years, it would be him.

[ex carrabba fan]

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

Bosh just aint even close to himself...

Anything he adds at this point is just a bonus. Nobody should depend on him to do much. A little pick me up off the bench and that's about it.

What it comes down to is LeBron and Dwayne simply haven't found a great chemistry yet. They're individually so great that they can carry the team, 2 on 5 even, through multiple series. It happened last year and it happened again this year. I'd love to see another coach get a crack so everyone can finally see how much better they'll be without Spo.

Wade through 19 games this playoff: 430 points 47%
Wade through 19 games last playoff: 475 points 48%

Wade does look different, possibly injured, but the extent people go to criticize him seem a bit much.

[Sportsforever]

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

Did I hear Stephen A. Smith say after the game that "Lebron has no help"? Does he need the 1992 Dream Team to show up?

[ex carrabba fan]

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

Unfortunately for LeBron he's just had some of the worst luck ever.

Bosh is playing hurt and everyone else is schitzo...

I won't go and say it's similar to Cleveland, but if you really think about it, players/coach etc. etc.... well I guess I'll just leave it at that.

I won't sit here and make a single excuse for anyone, but their depth is lacking to say the least. If Bosh was 100% healthy it would be a different story..

[Hotobu]

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

Actually I wonder if Lebron wouldn't have just been better off staying in Cleveland at this point. I don't have a problem with the way Lebron played at all. Yeah he was taking jumpers early, but they were leaving him open. Just because that's what OKC wanted didn't make it a bad thing. I had no issue with him testing the waters to see if he had his jumper because later on he did start attacking the basket. If a couple of more of them fell then he'd have been getting praised. Lebron's not a great shooter, but he shoots a better percentage than most people realize, and the looks he was getting were quality shots.

As for Westbrook he played great... in the second half. I saw a few people commenting on how he didn't play well and others that he did, but the truth is that there were two different Westrooks out there. If he never shoots another 3 in this series he'd be doing the Thunder a favor... seriously it's like he's playing to the crowd when he shoots those shots. He needs to stop.

I'd like to see Bosh on Durant for a few possessions here and there. At least that's someone Durant is at eye level with.

[BlastX21]

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

Actually I wonder if Lebron wouldn't have just been better off staying in Cleveland at this point. I don't have a problem with the way Lebron played at all. Yeah he was taking jumpers early, but they were leaving him open. Just because that's what OKC wanted didn't make it a bad thing. I had no issue with him testing the waters to see if he had his jumper because later on he did start attacking the basket. If a couple of more of them fell then he'd have been getting praised. Lebron's not a great shooter, but he shoots a better percentage than most people realize, and the looks he was getting were quality shots.

As for Westbrook he played great... in the second half. I saw a few people commenting on how he didn't play well and others that he did, but the truth is that there were two different Westrooks out there. If he never shoots another 3 in this series he'd be doing the Thunder a favor... seriously it's like he's playing to the crowd when he shoots those shots. He needs to stop.

I'd like to see Bosh on Durant for a few possessions here and there. At least that's someone Durant is at eye level with.

Cleveland was the NBA's worst team last year and would have still been around there this year without the #1 pick. So I doubt thats a good place for him. You could make a better argument that he should have gone to Chicago. Imagine a starting lineup of Rose-Hamilton-LeBron-Boozer-Noah. And you have Luol Deng as a sixth man. Scary.

Of course, it seems we're talking about stuff like this early on in every Heat series. then they win. Maybe they'll come out and win game 2, and make us all look stupid for talking about this, lol.

[Hotobu]

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

Cleveland also dismantled that team, and didn't sign any free agents. I think Chris Bosh in Cleveland could've worked, but we'll never know.

Also I said it a while ago and will mirror what many others are saying. Wade is hurt, and not just "it's late in the season and everyone's hurt," type of hurt either. No one ages that badly that quickly.


...Except Ladainian Tomlinson.

[BlastX21]

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

With Chris Bosh, maybe. Still, I have a hard time saying that that Cleveland team could have made the Finals 2 years in a row like the Heat have. They couldnt even get out of the ECF.

The weird thing is, I seem to remember Cleveland somehow having a top 5 bench in scoring when he was there, but can't remember any of the players. Maybe I'm just wrong on that.

[JerzeyReign]

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

Only catching the tailend of this but I think someone probably mentioned what I've been saying ever since the game ended: Lebron needs help! Seriously, whats the point of coming to Miami if he needs to do everything for them to win? He should of stayed in Cleveland, nothing has changed. I'm feelin' for Lebron right now -- I'm not saying it was not his fault but this is just crazy and more proof that teams win, not players. Only 1 game though so I won't hit the panic button but if they lose the blame will once again be placed on Lebron and the Heat h@ters will come out in full force screaming he sucks. Man... I'm rooting for this dude so bad, it hurts.

Its still #JamesGang tho!

[Kashanova]

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

it's only game one, if the heat can adjust and take game 2 their still in good shape.