NBA Playoffs

[Larvell Blanks]

Every time I watch the Spurs, I spend the first 10 minutes thinking they are out of control, driving to the hoop, getting lucky to find a kick out guy available, drive again, get lucky to find another kick out option...


Then the light bulb goes off and I remember, at times like last night, they play perfect offensive basketball and it is a thing of beauty. Nobody is ever in more control than they are, nobody is ever in the perfect location to receive the kick out pass as they are and nobody is more deadly once they work it around and end up with a wide open look. They are as close to watching a clinic on offensive hoops as anyone could ever be.

OKC is too good at home. And Miami/Boston will surely take a game, but if anyone gave you the impression they could pull off 4-4-4-4...it is these San Antonio Spurs.

Watching this team make the extra pass to insure a wide open look nearly every possession is something that hasn't been seen in 25-30+ years. How many looks did OKC throw at them defensively trying to slow it down and the Spurs just kept doing the same thing with different players. Granted SA can't rely on Danny Green consistently knocking down wide open looks but if the bench continues to contribute the way they have the first 2 games, OKC's gonna have a hard time making this a series.

[dmiles]

Reminds me of the '86 Celtics when they got some mileage out of Bill Walton.

[Larvell Blanks]

OK Rondo last night was unbelievable. Kid could not miss and was on fire from the line where he ALWAYS struggles. Don't know how the C's expend all that energy last night and recover in time for game 3.

[peeker643]

OK Rondo last night was unbelievable. Kid could not miss and was on fire from the line where he ALWAYS struggles. Don't know how the C's expend all that energy last night and recover in time for game 3.

Lebron Game 5 in 2007 may have been better, but not many others come to mind that surpassed what Rondo did last night. Whisker away from 3pl 2bl and played every second because he had to.

Amazed at his stamina before last night's game and he did it again. Simply one of the two or three best playoff efforts I've ever seen and if that's a Game 7 no one ever forgets his name or that game.

[CAVSTRIBEBROWNSin07!]

OK Rondo last night was unbelievable.

Lebron Game 5 in 2007 may have been better, but not many others come to mind that surpassed what Rondo did last night. Whisker away from 3pl 2bl and played every second because he had to.

Amazed at his stamina before last night's game and he did it again. Simply one of the two or three best playoff efforts I've ever seen and if that's a Game 7 no one ever forgets his name or that game.

Game of his life, but take away those last 2 garbage time 3s and you're not talking so breathlessly anymore. 44/8/10 looks 1000x prettier than 38/8/10. 2 or 3 best ever? MAY have been better than LBJ at the Palace 07? Cmon man.

[peeker643]

OK Rondo last night was unbelievable.

Lebron Game 5 in 2007 may have been better, but not many others come to mind that surpassed what Rondo did last night. Whisker away from 3pl 2bl and played every second because he had to.

Amazed at his stamina before last night's game and he did it again. Simply one of the two or three best playoff efforts I've ever seen and if that's a Game 7 no one ever forgets his name or that game.

Game of his life, but take away those last 2 garbage time 3s and you're not talking so breathlessly anymore. 44/8/10 looks 1000x prettier than 38/8/10. 2 or 3 best ever? MAY have been better than LBJ at the Palace 07? Cmon man.

Not may as in 'maybe', may as in 'Was, but'.

Now we're taking buckets away in 'garbage time'? A bucket that brought them to within one more missed free throw of chance to tie it?

And can we take away the non-call when he got hit across the face on a drive to the basket and the resulting Heat dunk while he was still sprawled on the floor?

Please.

That was as agood as it gets. LeBron's was better because it was better.
But you can make a valid argument Rondo's was more impressive.

Especially when you consider the efficiency and the fact dude is 6'1" 180 or so and scored his 44 on 24 shots while LeBron threw up 33 of them.

[e0y2e3]

PEEKER IS TALKING ABOUT EFFICIENCY!!!!!

I CAN DIE A HAPPY MAN NOW!!!!!!

[peeker643]

I CAN DIE A HAPPY MAN NOW!!!!!!

As long as you die now....

What?

Umm.... it's not something I'm unable or unwilling to consider. Ever. Rondo's game was magnificent specifically because of how he did it. This wasn't James, Wade or Kobe throwing up 36 shots for their 30 points or Kobe getting his 40 without an assist.

This was probably (honestly) 2 rebounds shy of simply legendary.

[e0y2e3]

(To be fair, LBJ is typically the efficiency king, but yeah I agree with you)

[rebelwithoutaclue]

Still sweet watching Lebron James brick a wide open, game-winning jumper.


Sweeter than Yoohoo.

[furls]

I gotta admit, I am pretty amazed by how well the Celts are playing this series. They probably could have (should have?) won one of those games in Miami.

[Larvell Blanks]

It continues to amaze that LBJ still cannot play w/ his back to the basket even when he has the advantage.

Ray Allen has not had a stellar series so far, he's bound to light it up in one of these 2 games coming up.

Funny how Rivers knows to keep Pavlovic on the bench, something Mike Brown could never do.

[leadpipe]

It continues to amaze that LBJ still cannot play w/ his back to the basket even when he has the advantage.

Ray Allen has not had a stellar series so far, he's bound to light it up in one of these 2 games coming up.

Funny how Rivers knows to keep Pavlovic on the bench, something Mike Brown could never do.

To be fair, he's got zero "classic back to the basket game," but I'm not sure how much that needs to develop when you're scoring a zillion points in the paint otherwise. Gettin' that guy closer to the hoop is what matters, and they seem to have got that in his skull.

The most amazing thing in all of this Heat deal is how inept they are at the end of games. When they first came together, one of my first thoughtswas, holy shit, are they gonna be unstoppable with all those options on the final possession. And whether it be LBJ or Wade not coming thru, or roll players missing wide open looks, they just can't get it done.

And Rivers has also realized just how truly awful Ryan Hollins is as well.

[Gradysmanldy]

Lebron actually came down and tried to do something in the post in one of those last few posessions, and he weak-armed a quick turnaround with Pietrus living in his back pocket.

Felt like I was watching a mirage....a team with an ancient KG, Allen, partnered with Marquis Daniels, Keyon Dooling, Pietrus, etc in CRUNCH TIME take down the Heat. Hell, you can argue that the most impressive plays down the stretch for the Heat were made by Cole and Chalmers, which is pretty remarkable.

Also pretty surprising that if not for some bad officiating, the Heat would be looking at a 3-1 hole.

[Larvell Blanks]

Lebron actually came down and tried to do something in the post in one of those last few posessions, and he weak-armed a quick turnaround with Pietrus living in his back pocket.

Felt like I was watching a mirage....a team with an ancient KG, Allen, partnered with Marquis Daniels, Keyon Dooling, Pietrus, etc in CRUNCH TIME take down the Heat. Hell, you can argue that the most impressive plays down the stretch for the Heat were made by Cole and Chalmers, which is pretty remarkable.

Also pretty surprising that if not for some bad officiating, the Heat would be looking at a 3-1 hole.

He received the pass on the block and elbow but rather than backing his man in, he turned to face him in the Heat form of LeIso.

[furls]

I am not going to pretend to be an avid NBA fan, I mostly just like the playoffs or the occasional big game during the year. Is the Heat's problem bad chemistry or bad coaching? Bad chemistry not necessarily in the sense of players that hate each other, but like a bad mix of players with a lot of redundant parts.

When I watch the Heat play, the overall talent of their "big 3" is pretty obvious. It also seems kind of obvious that they don't seem organized or coherent.

[peeker643]

I think it's some of both.

Spoelstra is a door mat. they have two Ferraris and a Lincoln but can't afford tires for the rest if the fleet. The end of regulation Sunday was a clusterfuck and that 'play' where LBJ collided with Chalmeds before desperately passing to freaking Udonis Haslem has Spoelstra's blood all over it.

They lack depth and they lack cohesion from night to night.

[jb]

I am not going to pretend to be an avid NBA fan, I mostly just like the playoffs or the occasional big game during the year. Is the Heat's problem bad chemistry or bad coaching?

Or good opposition that started the series with tired legs and caught its wind?

Way, way, way too soon to dump on the Heat becasue of some bounces here & there. Wade had a GREAT look and should have gone to thye line for 3 FTs had he done what he does 99% of the time.

The senior chowds still have to win one on the road. We'll see.

Knock me over with a feather at the Spurs falling apart.

[jb]

I think it's some of both.

Spoelstra is a door mat. they have two Ferraris and a Lincoln but can't afford tires for the rest if the fleet.

No sale. I'm NOT sitting here telling you they have Bad Boys depth in waves, but Chalmers, a healthy Miller, Haslem and Eddie Munster hairline Batty Batty Batty aren't the NBADLers you make them out to be.

They have more than enough to win a title.

Esp with Riles doing the real coaching. *

* - This is predicated on the idea that NBA teams do something between games which may send Eye into apoploexy. ;-)

[Orenthal]

It continues to amaze that LBJ still cannot play w/ his back to the basket even when he has the advantage.

Ray Allen has not had a stellar series so far, he's bound to light it up in one of these 2 games coming up.

Funny how Rivers knows to keep Pavlovic on the bench, something Mike Brown could never do.

To be fair, he's got zero "classic back to the basket game," but I'm not sure how much that needs to develop when you're scoring a zillion points in the paint otherwise. Gettin' that guy closer to the hoop is what matters, and they seem to have got that in his skull.

The most amazing thing in all of this Heat deal is how inept they are at the end of games. When they first came together, one of my first thoughtswas, holy shit, are they gonna be unstoppable with all those options on the final possession. And whether it be LBJ or Wade not coming thru, or roll players missing wide open looks, they just can't get it done.

And Rivers has also realized just how truly awful Ryan Hollins is as well.

Physical revulsion upon seeing Hollins play. It hurts me emotionally too. On the last possession, Wade and James both need time to ISO and their perimeter cluthcness can be called into question. Just seems to minimize the one without the ball in his hands, though it is quite the Andre Rison to have on the offensive end.

*James did hit that open three late to tie the game. Van Gundy had a good quip on the clutch nature of the shot.

[e0y2e3]

Spo is actually a very underrated coach at this point.

And ain't he, nor Riles, nor Black Geezes himself gonna come down and get Wade/LBJ to run anything but an ISO where the other player stands around to end a game. Also, the loss of Bosh as an outlet let in games is pretty effin huge, guy was a definition of consistent and efficient this year.

It's just the rule of LBJ and Wade.

And I do agree that the Heat's bench isn't as bas as is being painted here. Now they played that terrible for a stretch earlier this year, but there is no resaon for that entire collection to suck.

[peeker643]

Spo is actually a very underrated coach at this point.

And ain't he, nor Riles, nor Black Geezes himself gonna come down and get Wade/LBJ to run anything but an ISO where the other player stands around to end a game. Also, the loss of Bosh as an outlet let in games is pretty effin huge, guy was a definition of consistent and efficient this year.

It's just the rule of LBJ and Wade.

And I do agree that the Heat's bench isn't as bas as is being painted here. Now they played that terrible for a stretch earlier this year, but there is no resaon for that entire collection to suck.

Spo is awful. He's weak. He's passive. He had Wade step right into his face on the sideline against Indiana and he let that shit pass. I don't care if he has to. He's a door mat.

Is that happening with Popovich or Riley or Thibodeaux or anyone else with an ounce of self respect and respect from his players?

No. And that's a BIG part of the reasons why James and Wade go rogue when it comes down to it.

He doesn't get respect because he's a puppet. And if he's done a terrific job and that bench is fine and the other two starters are fine and Bosh has been stellar and he has two of the other five best players in the league then exactly how terrific a job has he done? Or how good is Chalmers (who doesn't start for half the teams in the league)? How good is Halsem? How good is that bench if everything else is good and Spo is fine?

Which of these guys who isn't a problem is responsible for that abominable possession at the end of regulation where LBJ goes iso and dribbles out the clock while Wade stands in a corner, Chalmers bangs into LeBron and brings his guy up into LeBron and Haslem is taking a fallaway, desperation 18 footer over a double team the Heat helped create themselves?

That possession started with 20+ seconds on the clock and that's what they got. You guys can defend SPO and the Heat-ettes all day. That was pathetic and it likely will go down as the perfect representation of Heat basketball when the season ends.

If they win a title it will be in spite of Spo and the minions. It'll be because LBJ and Wade went Indiana all over someone while Spo stood on the sidelines angling for the 'Metrosexual Living' cover.

[e0y2e3]

Frankly I don't think any coach can fix the late game shenanigans of Wade and LBJ and Spo, more often than not calls some damn fine X's and O's plays that one or the other opts out of (typically Wade these days).

Spo was hand picked by Riley as well, so if the president is supporting the coach getting shit on by the stars then the president (AKA the head of the organization) owns that, not that coach. You can only correct what your boss lets you.

Spo has weakness problems, but that comes from having a spineless cocksucker running the org... and last time Riley had a coach stand up to a player Stan Van Gundy was sent packing in Miami as well. I blame the guy at the top (and the guy with the history of backing cocksucker players over coaches, even great ones like SVG).

[Orenthal]

Not really defending SPO or any of the Heat, outside that lil bit about James and his 3 point make. I wonder if James would try to pull that shit on Pop. It seems like an almost impossible scenario as the only tough coach James played for was Silas and he was fired by Gilbert, (at LBJ's bidding?) and bailed before Gilbert hired his own old school coach.

Eh, either way the whole story (narrative ) could change tonight with Bosh coming back...

[e0y2e3]

Also true, I forgot LBJ was handed one of the ultimate player coaches by Gilbert in the same way Riles did for Wade/Shaq with SVG getting canned for "Nice Riles" and then Spo.

[Orenthal]

Still Spo did come off as a bitch by totally letting Wade get away with that punk shit when he described it as the actions of a fierce competitor. Maybe I've lost some brain cells to VOC's, but I don't remember Jordan pulling this child-like stuff.

[YahooFanChicago]

There is little Spo could have done publically about that incident with Wade during the Indiana series and none of us know what was said in the locker room.

The right thing to do would have been for Spo to get Wade in his office after the game and tell him if that shit ever happens again he won't see the court again with Miami- - had a one-on-one blow-up confrontation and then gone out to the media and said "it happened in the heat of competition, the guys a competitor...no big deal...blah, blah, blah". That would have been the right way to handle it and actually the more courageous and difficult path since it hurts his public image.

For all we know that could be exactly what happened.

Sometimes you have to take the bullet for the greater good knowing in the end the team will be better off and that the people on the team and who are close to you will know what actually happened.

The easy thing to do would have been for him to talk big and tough in the media and throw Wade under the bus. It would have further hurt the chemistry on the team but hey he would have looked tough.

[YahooFanChicago]

Jordan would have never done that shit that Wade did. Jordan would have taken it on himself and the guys on the court as opposed to the coach.

BTW, how would the Zen master Phil himself handled the situation with Wade? I think he would have done the same thing as Spo.

Wade is the pouty bitch in this not Spo.

[jb]

Celtics just lost the series with that Heat run.

[e0y2e3]

They lost the series game 2.

This game is being takin from them.

And with a 50% healthy Pierce and a 50% Allen, Wade needs to be embarassed. He's shooting 28% now on shots from deeper than 5 feet and LBJ is literally carrying his used up and diseased dick around the court.

[jb]

When did Scalabrine dye his hair blonde ?

[e0y2e3]

John Schuhmann ‏@johnschuhmann
Celtics (4-for-25) & Heat (3-for-16) are a combined 7-for-41 (17 percent) from mid-range.

GOOD FUCKING CHRIST WHY AM I WATCHING THIS

[jb]

They lost the series game 2.

This game is being takin from them.

And with a 50% healthy Pierce and a 50% Allen, Wade needs to be embarassed. He's shooting 28% now on shots from deeper than 5 feet and LBJ is literally carrying his used up and diseased dick around the court.

You know how that knee draining shit is tho. Wade's good for a while between drains.

If Celts go up 3-2 they have a shot. Down 2-3 good it'd Irene. Now they need to work so hard to get even they'll be gassed.

Plus Cole is in. Heh.

[jb]

John Schuhmann ‏@johnschuhmann
Celtics (4-for-25) & Heat (3-for-16) are a combined 7-for-41 (17 percent) from mid-range.

GOOD FUCKING CHRIST WHY AM I WATCHING THIS

Ur a Chowd?

[jb]

Patented JB anti-hex in full effect.

[YahooFanChicago]

wow, I hope the Celts can steal this one. Lebron's only had about 2 minutes of rest so far this game?

[YahooFanChicago]

Jb, how about saying the Celt's suck and that they are gonna get blown away now?

[e0y2e3]

John Schuhmann ‏@johnschuhmann
Celtics (4-for-25) & Heat (3-for-16) are a combined 7-for-41 (17 percent) from mid-range.

GOOD FUCKING CHRIST WHY AM I WATCHING THIS

Ur a Chowd?

Right now I am, I don't think I'll ever again see a 17 year vet with the top 3 of all time at his position KG has do what he is doin.

This shit is unreal to watch.

And Rondo is mostly too, but damn tonight he been rushing things and making it ugly.

[e0y2e3]

Jb, how about saying the Celt's suck and that they are gonna get blown away now?

Fuck him, he's ignorable at this point. I'll post you what he had to say during the Dallas series last year if you really want....

[jb]

Jb, how about saying the Celt's suck and that they are gonna get blown away now?

Fuck him, he's ignorable at this point. I'll post you what he had to say during the Dallas series last year if you really want....

It was the series before. Get it right.

[e0y2e3]

<3 you JB, but you gotta get that Norris Cole Troll is soon or it gonna get stale and forgotten

[YahooFanChicago]

Wow, huge presure on the Heat and LBJ now!

[TouchEmAllTime]

The NBA has gotten on my nerves as of late with the forming of super teams and the lockout, not even because of Lebron leaving, I'm over that. But the C's have become a great story as well as OKC, they both have peaked my interest, especially with the Stanley Cup Finals being such a dumpster fire. I'd love to see an OKC-Boston Finals, and I love that so far the super team model has been a failure as far as championships are concerned anyway. Or was Boston the test dummy of the super team?

[e0y2e3]

The Spurs better damn well perk your interest then.

AND

http://twitpic.com/9t9pmy

[TouchEmAllTime]

The Spurs better damn well perk your interest then.

AND

http://twitpic.com/9t9pmy

I'm actually a Timber puppies fan since their inception, do they have a chance to be relevant any time soon, or will they just be the Hawks of the West even if they start making the playoffs?

[e0y2e3]

The TImber Puppies are my second favorite team in the West. I can't promise you anything in terms of rings, but that team was my top team to watch this year... AMAZINGLY fun and K-Love is the greatest fat white dude hope in sports since David Wells ate some dude. Him and Rubio together, they never, ever let you down.

They may be my team next year.

I can promise you this, following them is nothing like following the Cavs has been as long as I've been alive. It's not Brad and Price nor is it LBJ, but it is pretty damn awesome in its own right.

Drafting well will do that.....

[e0y2e3]

Also, all yall that screamed about the lock-out and small teams and killed OKC's core, a pretty good chance you also killed Minny's core in two years.

[TouchEmAllTime]

The TImber Puppies are my second favorite team in the West. I can't promise you anything in terms of rings, but that team was my top team to watch this year... AMAZINGLY fun and K-Love is the greatest fat white dude hope in sports since David Wells ate some dude. Him and Rubio together, they never, ever let you down.

They may be my team next year.

I can promise you this, following them is nothing like following the Cavs has been as long as I've been alive. It's not Brad and Price nor is it LBJ, but it is pretty damn awesome in its own right.

Drafting well will do that.....

Thanks for the input, I've been watching since Tony Campbell and Pooh Richardson, and the playoff years of KG and Troy Hudson, got a Starter jacket of them in '89 and that's how it started. I'm looking forward to a full season of hopefully healthy Rubio.

[e0y2e3]

You should be, they are awesome. Rubio is the only player even similar to Rondo and no one is K-Love.

Not to mention that center dude whose name I still can't spell... pretty sure he eat's KG's offspring nightly.

[YahooFanChicago]

Very funny post I just saw on the Miami real gm board.....every fanbase has it's nuts...this one is a super special nut:

Re: Game 5 Post Game/Vent Thread
by StrengthNHonor on Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:49 pm

Maybe this is not Spoelstra's fault.

Anyone else have a suspicion since the 2011 NBA Finals loss, that Dan Gilbert is paying a team of coaches to study game tape and find ways to beat the Miami Heat, and then send the notes and game tape to the enemy Coach?

For instance, a team of coaches start studying game tape and put their minds together for a Dallas-Miam0 or Boston-Miami series, and then send all of those notes to Carlisle or Doc Rivers to help them beat us and outcoach us.

So then Spo would be fighting against a lot of basketball minds and it wouldn't be fair.

It's just a crazy thought I had, but Dan Gilbert DID promise we would never win a championship. and it IS kind of weird how much this team has not played up to expectations.