NBA FINALS

[FUDU]

Why is Wade so defensive in a post win interview?

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Because he's a douchebag?

Where's JB? He's probably all pumped his boy is up 2-1.

[leadpipe]

Bottom line - The Mavericks need to get into the nineties in four out of these seven games. In order for this to happen someone other than Dirk is going to have to step up and consistently make some shots.

[FUDU]

Bottom line - The Mavericks need to get into the nineties in four out of these seven games. In order for this to happen someone other than Dirk is going to have to step up and consistently make some shots.

So you watched the post game show too?

Just kidding, but yeah I think it is obvious, the Mavs need someone else to step up for more than a 3 minute run. Bottom line is their sets were set up for too many long looks, a few open lanes but no cutters.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

Bottom line - The Mavericks need to get into the nineties in four out of these seven games. In order for this to happen someone other than Dirk is going to have to step up and consistently make some shots.

In other words, not bloody likely?

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

Where's JB? He's probably all pumped his boy is up 2-1.

I'm waiting on Lee to show how the Mavs still have a chance, and how multiple Miami championships is still a good thing for the NBA.

[Orenthal]

Maybe not going down by 15+ points would help. More offensive consistency and forget about rotating in Peja unless you're up huge and can afford to let him find his stroke.

They missed lots of good looks from deep. Like wide open looks.

What about that Chamlers 3 when his foot was on the half-court line. At first the ABC crew agreed with the call that it was a good basket, then late in the game they quickly showed it again and Breen said it should have been no good? I stopped watching at the buzzer was this talked about in post game? BTW not going to get all up in arms about a play that early in the game, just curious...

[FUDU]

Madre, Dallas still has more than a legit chance, like OJ siad just don't get down by double digits and your runs are that much more effective. Dallas wins game 4 and it all tied up and still in Dallas.

Magic might have had the worst post game comments of anyone. Saying how Dirk has no help (which he is right), but then saying how Dallas played as well as they can play. Totally contradicting. If Dallas does get help for Dirk from the other 4 AND they don't fall behind big early that would be called playing better. Right now Miami is playing very well, you would expect that cannot happen every game either.

[Rat_Tail]

I'm really trying not to care at all anymore.

Even if the Heat don't win it this year they are more than likely going to get 1 in the next couple years.

Maybe Cleveland needs the Heat to win to truly move on.

[fundamentals]

Why is Wade so defensive in a post win interview?

His demeanor last night was definitely in the screw you mode.
Granted, this collection of talent has been asking for scrutiny and criticism from Day one of joining forces, but it's clear Wade is amped up for this. It's clear that they have an us vs. the world mentality and that's pretty accurate.

I had a guy call me last night once again harping on LBJ's disappearance in the fourth quarter. I asked him who won the game. For the haters of the Moheatos (credit Bill Simmons), wins are what matter not style points. I don't want them to win but it just looks like TCE, again.

[pup]

Why is Wade so defensive in a post win interview?

His demeanor last night was definitely in the screw you mode.
Granted, this collection of talent has been asking for scrutiny and criticism from Day one of joining forces, but it's clear Wade is amped up for this. It's clear that they have an us vs. the world mentality and that's pretty accurate.

I had a guy call me last night once again harping on LBJ's disappearance in the fourth quarter. I asked him who won the game. For the haters of the Moheatos (credit Bill Simmons), wins are what matter not style points. I don't want them to win but it just looks like TCE, again.

You know, both of you guys can be right in ^^.

LBJ did disappear, two days after trying to be the closer. And failing miserably. At which point the obvious decision has been made. Wade closes out games with the ball in his hands.

[Orenthal]

...and while I hate LeBron he did perform the closing role in the previous (2) series, with Wade having some down games. Blah blah, those weren't the Finals. Blah Jason Kidd vs Shawn Marion.

[pup]

...and while I hate LeBron he did perform the closing role in the previous (2) series, with Wade having some down games. Blah blah, those weren't the Finals. Blah Jason Kidd vs Shawn Marion.

Yes he did.

[fundamentals]

For me, with each game, you can see the media spinning in different directions.
First, its LBJ's upcoming coronation, then it's Dirk's culminating effort in a storied career, now it's Wade is the man again and LBJ is Huckleberry.

People want to see stats from MeBron but if you watch the game, he actually cares about defending which is scary. On the surface, it would appear he doesn't care about being "the man". I guess time will tell or the media will.

[e0y2e3]

That was the series. 98-2 now for Dallas to win this thing.

1) Madre the Heat winning multiple titles is not written in stone anywhere. Again, the league will be built differently entirely next year and you keep ignoring that things change. Ratings are still way up, people are still way interested and everyone in freaking Cleveland is still watching. Stop worrying about the league, it’s fine. Even if they do win multiple titles, hasn’t really hurt the league ever before and the model under which they were built will be damn near impossible to replicate. Fuck it was “not likely” before. The Heat are a perfect storm.

2) As for basketball, it’s really effin simple. Barea and Terry make the wide open three point looks they have been making all season and post season and the Mavs are up 2-1. I cannot for the life of me figure out why J.J. Barea cannot hit the blind side of a barn right now. And spare me the Heat D remarks. The Heat D is great. Very great. But Dallas is still getting the same wide open looks they have all playoffs, just at a lesser rate. That shouldn’t be an issue since The Heat offense is a train wreck but when your 3PT% drops off at the same time as your wide open looks% drops, well……

3) I don’t really care about the going down 14 early thing. I mean you really don’t want to do that but in the playoffs early leads like that are more common than not this year. And their disappearance is equally common.

4) I thought game 3 was for the series. If Dallas withstood that Wade blood bath and closed that game out (fuck that Dirk TO with 36 seconds left hurts too) The Heat melt in the wake of the 17-3 collapse the prior game. The Heat win the Mavs all the sudden have to win 2 in a row (not impossible) then take a game seven in Miami (uhm….). Dallas also has been sloppier with the ball than prior series. This I’ll give some credit to the Heat’s active hands and passing lane crushing, but some of these turnovers are “dribble off of foot, pass out of bounds” brutal. I’m pretty much rooting for a game 7 at this point. It’s the only chance and it’s the smallest of chances. I knew this Mavs team could and can beat this Heat team (Shawn Marion, rock on brother). They just had to execute as well as they had all playoffs long, which they are not doing (I’M LOOKING AT YOU BAREA, I DON’T EXPECT YOU TO BE ABLE TO PENETRATE ON THIS D, BUT HIT YOUR FUCKING WIDE OPEN SHOTS AT A LEAGUE AVERAGE CLIP AT LEAST). Fact is this is the first time all playoffs Dallas desperately misses Roddy Beaubois and Caron Butler.

5) Wade failing to take Peja off the dribble on that switch/iso made my head explode. I’m pretty sure that was the rumored rapture.

6) LBJ played a real nice Scotty role last night, no doubt. I wouldn’t care but he probably shouldn’t have gone to the press before the game and declared how he was going to be aggressive and attack the rim. Because he looked disinterested in attacking anything last night. Made the right pass every play and was his usual witch self on D, won’t hold that against him. But as usual he set himself up for failure by opening his mouth.

[FUDU]

For me, with each game, you can see the media spinning in different directions.
First, its LBJ's upcoming coronation, then it's Dirk's culminating effort in a storied career, now it's Wade is the man again and LBJ is Huckleberry.

People want to see stats from MeBron but if you watch the game, he actually cares about defending which is scary. On the surface, it would appear he doesn't care about being "the man". I guess time will tell or the media will.

With the media it is all about covering their asses so they can appear to have been correct in some shape or form, regardless of who wins and b/c of which player.

Wade mentioned how in game 2 his team didn't get him the ball near the end, he mentioned he shot a lot and then said he passed a lot. Sounded like a preemptive answer to media that would attempt to criticize how the game went down, or a way to take heat off LeBron for not looking like the man at the end of games this series.

Funny how a guy is deemed a closer or not based upon 1 shot falling or not in any given game.

[pup]

That was the series. 98-2 now for Dallas to win this thing.



2) As for basketball, it’s really effin simple. Barea and Terry make the wide open three point looks they have been making all season and post season and the Mavs are up 2-1. I cannot for the life of me figure out why J.J. Barea cannot hit the blind side of a barn right now. And spare me the Heat D remarks. The Heat D is great. Very great. But Dallas is still getting the same wide open looks they have all playoffs, just at a lesser rate. That shouldn’t be an issue since The Heat offense is a train wreck but when your 3PT% drops off at the same time as your wide open looks% drops, well……

You won't, but you have to see the simple fact that these same looks are not going down because of the Heat defense...is because of the Heat defense.

You know they are closing. You expect them to close. It takes you off your spot and rhythm. When you can be comfortable hanging out behind the arc and know the poor defensive, soft Western Conference teams are never getting there it makes it like shooting an open jumper. When it is Miami, you are open, but you are not sure if you will be open when you get off your feet.

I give Dallas credit. They are playing better than I thought. But save for 7 minutes when the Heat shut it down early and tried to get LBJ some bonus love, they have no chance at winning the series. Still.

[fundamentals]

LeBron's declaration that "nobody can guard me one on one" just makes him look even more goofy. Ummm, hey LeBron, where does it say teams have to defend you one on one? It's team defense not the And1 tour, so shut your piehole and play ball. Problem is if you hate him, might be the best passer in the game today and he doesn't need to do much at times as opposed to the dribble dribble dribble dribble option. If he makes that three at the end of the game, the media would have been licking his face repeatedly because he closed the game. It's still incredulous to me that the Heat can trot out Abe Vigoda (courtesy of Peeker, which by the way made me spit soda onto keyboard when he described Mike Bibby) and some other misfit toys and win.

[e0y2e3]

Pup, what you just said is why I said the % of wide open looks has dropped.

It has because of the closing and speed.

The problem is that when they get those looks they have to (and had been) hit them. They have not shit aside from Dirk this series.

And this isn't "you know they are closing" shit because I am talking about wide effing open looks.

You just explained why they are less frequent (this is also why this isn't a 110-115 series like the OKC series), not why they have completely lost their ability to shoot.

[e0y2e3]

I mean you are trying to parlay this into "Miami scared them into to not being able to shoot!!@#$!"

Bullshit.

[pup]

I mean you are trying to parlay this into "Miami scared them into to not being able to shoot!!@#$!"

Bullshit.

Dude.

You played football. Say you are a defensive end and you play a few games and each week the pulling guard is a bitch and real slow. You can pretty much make your moves without concerning yourself with him.

Now, you are playing the biggest, baddest, quickest guard in the world. And you know he is coming. You will take a look before making your moves, so even when he doesn't show up you are a little off your rhythm.

I am simply saying. Great defensive teams usually catch more breaks from other teams missing open looks. Because those great defensive teams keep you from being comfortable. This isn't OKC defense anymore, and it is bothering all of the Dallas shooters. Open or not.

Or, your boys are chokers. You decide.

[e0y2e3]

They are choking.

Catch and shoot is catch and shoot. Period. When Dirk is kicking the ball out and you are wide open you know damn well no one is getting there. And again, I fully credit Miami for cutting those looks. OKC is a pretty good defensive team and they couldn't. The Heat are doing an elite job in cutting htem down, which is what great defensive teams do.

This isn't getting hit by a pulling guard in any way. Barea is choking and Terry has been alive for roughly 2 quarters total this series.

[Orenthal]

Peja 0-4 with matador defense needs take out of the rotation. At this point "You can't see me" is shooting better from long range, and can actually D up. Shouldn't be an issue for him to grab those 8-9 minutes.

*ETA - Look at his +/- its -11. Pffft Wade almost cost them the game at -1...

Kidd needs to slow down on the turnovers. Dallas gave up 19 self inflicted point off TOs compared to getting 15 of Miami's TOs.

Like has been said Dallas has to win the next 2 games.

On the Chalmers shot...
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba-wp4412

[FUDU]

Not enough credit is being given to Chalmers 3's in the second half either.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

1) Madre the Heat winning multiple titles is not written in stone anywhere. Again, the league will be built differently entirely next year and you keep ignoring that things change.

Just like things changed between 1991 and 1998.

Ratings are still way up, people are still way interested and everyone in freaking Cleveland is still watching.

Waiting on schadenfreude to kick in will have that effect. I'm not sure this will repeat when the Heat make the Finals next year.

Stop worrying about the league, it’s fine. Even if they do win multiple titles, hasn’t really hurt the league ever before and the model under which they were built will be damn near impossible to replicate. Fuck it was “not likely” before. The Heat are a perfect storm.

Maybe. But you're underestimating just how revolutionary the Heat are. Two superstars and a tagalong All-Star and you five-five-five-probably-five-at-this-rate a title in one of the better talented periods of the Association? The other guys are taking notes.

2) As for basketball, it’s really effin simple. Barea and Terry make the wide open three point looks they have been making all season and post season and the Mavs are up 2-1. I cannot for the life of me figure out why J.J. Barea cannot hit the blind side of a barn right now. And spare me the Heat D remarks. The Heat D is great. Very great. But Dallas is still getting the same wide open looks they have all playoffs, just at a lesser rate. That shouldn’t be an issue since The Heat offense is a train wreck but when your 3PT% drops off at the same time as your wide open looks% drops, well……

I'm with pup. I don't believe its coincidence that borderline guys like Boozer and Terry suddenly folded like cheap tents against the Heat.

[e0y2e3]

Boozer was terrible against Indy for Christ sake.

TERRIBLE.

[Orenthal]

Not enough credit is being given to Chalmers 3's in the second half either.

I hit the old rewind button on the DVR several times on one of those where Terry pulled another Rip Van Winkle.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

Boozer was terrible against Indy for Christ sake.

TERRIBLE.

He still showed up more often against Atlanta than he ever did against Miami.

[fundamentals]

Not enough credit is being given to Chalmers 3's in the second half either.

I hit the old rewind button on the DVR several times on one of those where Terry pulled another Rip Van Winkle.

I am actually waiting for either Chalmers or D Wade to do "the Jet" after making a three and full knowing the series is coming to an end. Terry's defense or lack thereof is amusing, one of those cats whose scoring has overshadowed his matador tendencies. I do like what appears to be the genuine hate these teams seem to have for each other.

[e0y2e3]

Boozer was terrible against Indy for Christ sake.

TERRIBLE.

He still showed up more often against Atlanta than he ever did against Miami.

Sure, because Josh Smith decided to get stoned during that entire series.

Aside from two wow plays a game Josh Smith checked the fuck out. You probably could have scored on him with the effort he was exerting there.

[fundamentals]

Dirk waxing poetic and giving Jason Terry some grief:

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nba/ne ... id=6632035

[Larvell Blanks]

^ Similar to Bird calling his teammates "sissies" in '84 after getting blown out in game 3.

Dirk must like all these Bird comparisons.

[pup]

They are choking.

Catch and shoot is catch and shoot. Period. When Dirk is kicking the ball out and you are wide open you know damn well no one is getting there. And again, I fully credit Miami for cutting those looks. OKC is a pretty good defensive team and they couldn't. The Heat are doing an elite job in cutting htem down, which is what great defensive teams do.

This isn't getting hit by a pulling guard in any way. Barea is choking and Terry has been alive for roughly 2 quarters total this series.

Is what I would say as well if I was the guy disregarding the ability of the Heat's defense to shut down the vaunted Maverick's offense. No way could you have been wrong, they have to be choking.

[e0y2e3]

I told you point blank the Heat's D is playing very well. I am talking about 5-6 specific plays a game.

Instead you are telling me that Barea can't make 3 pointers because he is being taken out of his rhythm by great defenders like Mike Bibby

Stop spinning

[leadpipe]

Dirk waxing poetic and giving Jason Terry some grief:

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nba/ne ... id=6632035

Terry's just the type of moron that gives me bad feelings about Dallas' chances. Imbeciles usually find themselves with the short end of the stick.

Thus far he has prematurally tattoed the trophy on his body, ran his yap while failing to play any D - including falling asleep during arguably the biggest defensive series in the history of the team and now called out the guy who is bigger, stronger, faster, smarter and way more talented, who has shut him out of the series thus far.

It ain't hard to find really, really dumb guys in the sports world.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

Instead you are telling me that Barea can't make 3 pointers because he is being taken out of his rhythm by great defenders like Mike Bibby

And you're telling us that the other four guys don't matter at all?

[pup]

I told you point blank the Heat's D is playing very well. I am talking about 5-6 specific plays a game.

Instead you are telling me that Barea can't make 3 pointers because he is being taken out of his rhythm by great defenders like Mike Bibby

Stop spinning

I am spinning? Really?

No. Bibby is not great and is not taking anyone out of there rhythm.

You not willing to believe the other 80 plays a game play a role in those 5-6 specific plays is pretty stupid for someone who has been an athlete.

[e0y2e3]

Ah yes, a bench scorer that plays ~20Min a game and plays half of those against Bibby is certainly not capable of making a wide open three now because rhythym.

You are spinning by pretending like I am not saying the Heat D is playing very well. Dirk has point blank called our Barea in press conferences twice now. There is a reason for that.

Terry I can let slide because of LBJ guarding him a lot.

Peja has played how many minutes a game? Peja has been a come off the bench stand there and shoot specialist for how long? Peja hasn't been a rhythm player for how long?

[pup]

Ah yes, a bench scorer that plays ~20Min a game and plays half of those against Bibby is certainly not capable of making a wide open three now because rhythym.

You are spinning by pretending like I am not saying the Heat D is playing very well. Dirk has point blank called our Barea in press conferences twice now. There is a reason for that.

Terry I can let slide because of LBJ guarding him a lot.

Peja has played how many minutes a game? Peja has been a come off the bench stand there and shoot specialist for how long? Peja hasn't been a rhythm player for how long?

Christ.

Is he sitting on the bench blindfolded? We are not talking flow of the game rhythm. We are talking rhythm of your own jumpshot. We are talking about being comfortable in that "open" look. If you do not think expecting someone to be running at you makes an open look harder than knowing Russ Westbrook or James Harden are going to be chilling instead of coming, then I have no idea how you come off as so knowledgeable about the rest of the game.

I bet some stathead out there could show that great defensive teams also have a higher amount of missed open jumpers against them. Not because players choke against them either.

[e0y2e3]

Whatever, agree to disagree.

I think it.

Dirk has said it.

You just are taking a great defensive team and turning them into some monster that makes guys sitting on the bench quake in their boots and miss an open shot four seconds after they get off the bench because even a wide open player off of a kick out from Dirk is terrified of Chris Bosh magically appearing in front of them.

The bench scorers are shitting the bed.

Portland is a great defensive team too. Guess what? They made open threes against them.

[e0y2e3]

And I actually feel better about Stevenson taking wide open threes right now than anyone out of him, Peja and Barea. And he is hitting them at a fairly consistent clip.

He must be some huge outlier.

[pup]

e0 cannot be wrong, therefore others must be fucking up his perfect pre-series analysis.

[e0y2e3]

Yep - that's just it.

The best scoring bench in the league has it's three studs shoot 35% for 21 points in game three including 2-9 (of which at least four misses were wide open, probably closer to six) from three and I'm trying to find the middle ground between certain players are choking and certain players are being eliminated by great D. I don't expect insane numbers like they were putting up on OKC.

In your world there is no middle ground. No one can score on the Heat ever!!!!!!

[pup]

Yep - that's just it.

The best scoring bench in the league has it's three studs shoot 35% for 21 points in game three including 2-9 (of which at least four misses were wide open, probably closer to six) from three and I'm trying to find the middle ground between certain players are choking and certain players are being eliminated by great D. I don't expect insane numbers like they were putting up on OKC.

In your world there is no middle ground. No one can score on the Heat ever!!!!!!

Nope. But like I said, the combination of the Heat defense being so much better than what Dallas has seen, and the Dallas defense not being as good as what Miami has seen more than makes up for Dallas' overall offensive advantage and results in the Heat winning in 6.

[e0y2e3]

I agree at this point.

And it came down to a two point loss in Game 3.

That was the series.

Dallas could have had it, but came up just short for a few key reasons. Two players died and couldn't even make a damn shot. Carlisle had no timeouts (the last play was designed to go to Terry in the corner, not Dirk at the top of the key and LBJ recognized that, Kidd would have called a time out if he could have), TOs (some forced, some ludicrous), etc. Dallas cooked their own asses as much as The Heat took the game, there is a middle ground. Against a great defensive team you have to execute perfectly and EOD Dallas made just a few to many errors against a very fast defensive team and lost a game they were a back of the rim fade-away from taking to OT.

Marion and Chandler's scoring dropped way down in game three as well and that is frankly because The Heat were not all that concerned with the bench shooters outside of Terry.

And you need to be careful on that D thing. Again, Portland was a really really good defensive team.

[HoodooMan]

The Mavericks from 3 against Portland in these playoffs:

Game 1: 10-19 (52.6%)
Game 2: 8-19 (42.1%)
Game 3: 9-22 (40.9%)
Game 4: 10-26 (38.5)
Game 5: 3-17 (17.6%)
Game 6: 6-18 (33.3%)

Overall: 46-121 (38.0%)

Against Miami:

Game 1: 9-22 (40.9%)
Game 2: 6-17 (35.3%)
Game 3: 8-21 (38.1%)

Overall: 23-60 (38.3%)

I hope this helps!!!

[FUDU]

A guy like ^ in every crowd.

[e0y2e3]

Not particularly!

Care to break down the bench players? I don't have time at the moment.

And I'm gonna have to give game five ye old outlier treatment.

And again, we're talking about wide open looks for spot up guys!!!!

[Orenthal]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas ... ctors_.ece

Awesome.

[HoodooMan]

POR:
G1: Peja (2-4), Terry (0-2), Barea (0-1)
G2: Peja (5-10), Terry (0-1), Barea (0-1)
G3: Peja (1-4), Terry (5-7), Barea (0-1)
G4: Peja (2-5), Terry (1-5), Barea (0-2)
G5: Peja (2-4), Terry (1-5), Barea (0-0)
G6: Peja (1-4), Terry (2-5), Barea (1-2)

Overall: Peja (13-31, 41.9%), Terry (9-25, 36%), Barea (1-7, 14.3%)

MIA:
G1: Peja (0-3), Terry (3-7), Barea (0-0)
G2: Peja (0-0), Terry (0-2), Barea (0-3)
G3: Peja (0-1), Terry (1-3), Barea (1-5)

Overall: Peja (0-4, 0.0000000000000000000000000%), Terry (4-12, 33.3%), Barea (1-8, 12.5%)

IOW, Terry & Barea are doing pretty much exactly what they did against Portland, Barea's just doing twice as much of it. So it appears Peja's four missed shots spread out over three games are indeed what's killing the Mavs, regardless of whether or not it's being compensated for elsewhere. (<--POSSIBLE SARCASM!!!)