NBA Finals: Spurs vs. Heat
- Thread starter Beantown
- Start date
Getting Traded
Banned
They were giving LeBron too much room on those jumpers. He hadn't been hitting them but tonight he was on and that was the ball game. Still if Battier hadn't gotten hot, the Spurs win. And how can you blame Ginobili at the end. It was desperation time, but I agree he was reckless. In the past, it used to pay off for him but he's not as fast as he used to be. Probably time for him to retire. Duncan should've gone stronger on that chippy and he at least would've gotten fouled and might've gotten a three-point play. That turned out to be the deciding play of the game. Parker didn't look like he was at full strength tonight.
The Thriller
Well-Known Member
LeBron worked hard for this. If anyone deserved it, he does.
MoreFeasts
Member
*** burp ***
The Thriller
Well-Known Member
This ain't happening for a long time, hate to say it.
I saw a lot of playoff basketball over the past month or so... And we aren't even close to being at even a playoff level let alone contender.
We have no franchise player (Kanter is the closest thing we have). We have no coach. We need more athleticism. We have no bench. We have no PG (which is vast becoming the most important position in the game due to P&R).
The 2 most lacking? Coaching and toughness. Fan favorite Hayward lets JJ Barea and Delonte West kick his *** and bully him all over the place. To me, that is scary. Burks plays with a chip on his shoulder, Favors seems grumpy sometimes, and Kanter is a hard ***.
By far, our most precious player IMO is Kanter. He's the X-factor. He's the Tim Duncan/Big Z/Hibbert that we can build our offense around. Favors hasn't a clue offensively. If he can ever become Tyson Chandler then it'll be a success. Hayward, if he can be as good as Leonard will be awesome. And if Burks can become a contributor, then we'll be on our way.
We have 2 things... Size and 3 pt shooting. That is it.
We have a lot of work to do.
Depending on what we draft next year, we're a good 2-3 years away from just being a solid playoff team. Probably more than that to actually contend, depending on if we can get a franchise player in next year's draft...
Just look at how quickly Denver and GS folded and they are a good 2 years ahead of us in the rebuilding process. Although, I would say that Denver is taking a few steps backward with Karl gone, Galinari's injury, and AI opting out.
carolinajazz
Well-Known Member
Lebron does play the right way.....he's certainly a team player and uses his head most of the time! However, Allen and Battier are also "first class" ball players and both use their heads out there as well as anyone in the league! Would have loved to have either one or both of them on the Jazz when Stockton and Malone were around! They are both "Jazz" type players, don't ya think!? Battier does all the "dirty" work on defense and can hit that open 3 pointer! Sure he flops....but how else can you defend against the flagrant palming and traveling that the refs refuse to call?
The Thriller
Well-Known Member
Another reason why we should question the importance of NBA rings? Birdman just won a ring. Birdman.
Malone, Stockton, Ewing, Sir Charles, The Glove, Steve Nash, >>> Birdman
Malone, Stockton, Ewing, Sir Charles, The Glove, Steve Nash, >>> Birdman
Former Member
Banned
The Heat team is ridiculously stacked and deep. They were the better team tonight, and the Spurs gimmick of giving LeBron wide open jumpers completely backfired.
Also, I believe that every "Heat fan" were also "Bulls fans"in the 90's.
I really wanted the Spurs to win this one.
Also, I believe that every "Heat fan" were also "Bulls fans"in the 90's.
I really wanted the Spurs to win this one.
The Thriller
Well-Known Member
Other than "The Decision" I have no idea why anyone would hate Lebron. He's not a chucker. He's not selfish. He's not an offense only player. The dude is probably the most complete player in the history of the game.
The problem is, D-Wade is a dirty *** player. Battier is a pathetic flopper. Ray Allen is a pansie. Mike Miller is ugly as sin. Bosh is a wannabe. Chalm/Cole are riding coattails. And Birdman... Birdman.... **** you Birdman!
The problem is the entire Heat team and bandwagon fans.
In fact, Lebron and Haslem are about the only positives that team has to offer. And Spol. A former video guy turned coach. Nice to see a Joe Sixpack get a chance. Unlike Kidd, who no one knows if he can coach or not but gets jobs because he was a great player.
The problem is, D-Wade is a dirty *** player. Battier is a pathetic flopper. Ray Allen is a pansie. Mike Miller is ugly as sin. Bosh is a wannabe. Chalm/Cole are riding coattails. And Birdman... Birdman.... **** you Birdman!
The problem is the entire Heat team and bandwagon fans.
In fact, Lebron and Haslem are about the only positives that team has to offer. And Spol. A former video guy turned coach. Nice to see a Joe Sixpack get a chance. Unlike Kidd, who no one knows if he can coach or not but gets jobs because he was a great player.
MoreFeasts
Member
Pops made some strategic moves I disagreed with -- this was one example.
The Thriller
Well-Known Member
In defense of pop....
He had no one to go to at the SG position.
Green's brain was left in San Antonio still obsessed with breaking Ray Allen's record.
Manu should have retired 3 years ago.
Pops only had T-mac to go to for SG. And honestly... Could he have done any worse than Green or Manu?
The defensive gambles on Lebron really were dumb.
MoreFeasts
Member
Green and Neal played great earlier in the series. He could have gone big.
Seems like some adjustments could have been made, but he had no answer other than to keep pushing the ball as much as possible, even though this was leading into way too many turnovers.
Did they ever try a zone? Doesn't Miami have trouble with a zone?
Seems like some adjustments could have been made, but he had no answer other than to keep pushing the ball as much as possible, even though this was leading into way too many turnovers.
Did they ever try a zone? Doesn't Miami have trouble with a zone?
Safetydan
Well-Known Member
I don't know, The Spurs won games 1 and 3 holding Lebron well under his average. Lebron adjusted. I suppose Pop should have re-adjusted, but still, it was a relatively successful gambit.
If by "completely backfired" you mean "obviously slowed him down for 5.5 games and almost stole an NBA finals from the best player since MJ" then yes, I completely agree.
Sometimes guys make shots. If your choice is giving the most insane physical specimen and versatile talent the league has ever seen (it's not really even close) open shooters, an open lane to the basket because he blows by you, or shooting off-the-dribble 20+ footers, you give him the latter and hope it works. And it did for 5.5 games.
The Thriller
Well-Known Member
Mike Miller, Battier, and Ray Allen would laugh at a zone. Zone would have been disastrous.
Go big? With who? This ain't the Twin Towers. Splitter? Ugh. The less he played, the better. The Spurs "Big" Lineup would have had to include Blair. Which... I'm not sure if he would have had much success defensively.
The only thing the Spurs could have done over the last 2 games was to play Neal and Parker together... And/or unleash T-Mac.
The Spurs need the lottery in the worst way. For a franchise that has been wonderfully run... They are in desperate need to be in the lottery and refurbish that team...
Former Member
Banned
In all fairness, I still root against LeBron because of "the Decision." I felt he should have stayed loyal with Cleveland instead of embarrassing the entire city and organization on National TV. I cheered for LeBron before the decision, but now I cannot cheer for him.
How would we have felt if Stockton would have fled somewhere else in his prime?
BTW - ESPN's attempts to persuade me to cheer for LeBron (through articles and other forms of media coverage) only dissuade me into really cheering against him.
With all that said, he is possibly the best basketball player I have ever seen play the game.
Safetydan
Well-Known Member
This. Few teams are as well equipped to shatter a zone defense than the Heat.
MoreFeasts
Member
they weren't off the dribble shots,
they were wide open uncontested shots.
and they didn't do that all the previous games.
they were wide open uncontested shots.
and they didn't do that all the previous games.
The Thriller
Well-Known Member
I have no problem with the initial defensive strategy. But by the time Lebron made his 3rd it was obvious that he was going to be on tonight. I'm not sure what you can do... When Lebron is being the best player in the world, Wade is active, and Battier is going Reggie Miller out there, I don't know if there's a team alive that can beat them.
The counter would be to fight fire with fire. Maybe unleash T-Mac or Neal and hope that they can get it going