NBA Finals Thread

Kliq

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Wade played like shit on offense, but the Heat kept letting Boris Diaw post up on him. After it happened the first few times, they should have adjusted, but it just kept happening. Diaw is too big and too skilled for this current incarnation of Wade to guard on the block, and anytime a double team came, Diaw deftly dished it for an easy bucket.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Kliq said:
 
I'm not trying to knock Spo, I think he is a fine coach, but finding energy on the defensive end had been a problem for a while in this series. Why did it take him till late in the 3rd quarter tonight to put Haslem in? Haslem has been a decent player for Miami for a long time, why did it take Spo so long to get Haslem in the game?
 
Spo went to Haslem because Anderson had foul trouble IIRC.  There haven't been any minutes for Haslem - and many minutes for Anderson - up to now because Spo has preferred using Lewis at the 4 to try to space things on offense.
 
Too bad with Lewis at the 4, whatever he gives on offense seems to be outweighed by what he gives up on defense.
 
Spo doesn't have a ton of options.  He has lineups that can score and lineups that can defend but apparently not one that can do both.  I guess the first two that come to mind is to figure out how to get Bosh more touches - maybe run PnR with him and James or him and Wade.  The other is to bench Chalmers and see if a line up of Bosh, Battier, LBJ, Wade, and Allen can both score and defend.
 

jon abbey

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LeBron has run out of steam a bit, just like Durant did. Both were hurt by having their primary sidekick out for long stretches of the regular season, hence both had to expend more energy all season than was ideal. It's not an accident that the team that focuses the most on resting their guys all year is the freshest at the end. 
 

ivanvamp

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Jul 18, 2005
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It's not just a matter of being fresher.  The Spurs are showing themselves to be, quite simply, a better team.  The regular season numbers told the story.  In the vast majority of meaningful statistical categories, San Antonio bested Miami, often by sizable margins.  Moreover, they had 8 more wins then Miami did during the regular season, playing in a MUCH better conference.  
 
By basically any measure, the 2013-14 Spurs are a significantly better team than the 2013-14 Heat.  And they're showing it in spades during this series.
 
It's not over yet, but so far the Spurs have just taken Miami out to the woodshed.
 

Cerebus the Batboy

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Jul 15, 2005
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jon abbey said:
LeBron has run out of steam a bit, just like Durant did. Both were hurt by having their primary sidekick out for long stretches of the regular season, hence both had to expend more energy all season than was ideal. It's not an accident that the team that focuses the most on resting their guys all year is the freshest at the end. 
 
What happened to Wade?  He only played 54 games of the regular season averaging 33 mpg and he's under 35 mpg in the playoffs.  Seems like he should be as fresh as anyone but he's been terrible in every way.
 

jon abbey

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ivanvamp said:
 The regular season numbers told the story. 
 
Miami had literally nothing to play for this entire regular season, they were going to be a top 2 seed in the East no matter what, and they won games on the road in both Indiana and San Antonio. The lopsidedness of the conferences hurts the league in so many ways. 
 

jon abbey

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Cerebus the Batboy said:
 
What happened to Wade?  He only played 54 games of the regular season averaging 33 mpg and he's under 35 mpg in the playoffs.  Seems like he should be as fresh as anyone but he's been terrible in every way.
 
He's been on the decline for years, he's got a ton of NBA mileage on him. He has had some very good games in the playoffs, but he's nowhere near the Wade of a few years ago, let alone 2006.
 

Brickowski

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The Spurs are one of the best passing teams ever to play in the NBA. IMHO they are even better than the Kings with Divac, Webber and Williams, because on the Spurs, every one in the rotation can pass. They are putting on a clinic.
 

Cerebus the Batboy

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jon abbey said:
 
He's been on the decline for years, he's got a ton of NBA mileage on him. He has had some very good games in the playoffs, but he's nowhere near the Wade of a few years ago, let alone 2006.
 
That explains why he isn't playing great, but not why he looks utterly incompetent.  It's stunning how little help LeBron is getting.  Bosh and Allen seem like they can help and even Lewis has his stroke going but they aren't getting utilized as much as they should.  I just don't understand Miami's offense at all. 
 

Cerebus the Batboy

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Cerebus the Batboy said:
 
That explains why he isn't playing great, but not why he looks utterly incompetent.
 
Oops, I forgot his numbers in Game 3 were actually pretty good.  Guess his body isn't made for three games in five nights anymore.  I wonder what he'll have in the tank on Sunday with the extra day's rest.
 

CreightonGubanich

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Wade is absolutely killing them on both ends of the floor. He can't guard Diaw, but Miami has to leave him there because they don't want him guarding Ginobili or Leonard either. On offense, his lack of shooting is allowing San Antonio to leave him unguarded on the perimeter while they rotate to other threats. He's also been totally unable to beat Diaw off the dribble, which means San Antonio gets to stay with bigger lineups instead of matching Miami's smallball. 
 

Devizier

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I have no particular animus for the Heat (Wade excepted), but I am desperately rooting for a Spurs in 5-type outcome so that we can see how messy their offseason gets. 
 

ElUno20

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Wade's refusal to even attempt to play defense on the perimeter triggers so many problems.

Also there main defensive tactic of trapping and swarming is playing right into the spurs hands because they move the ball so well.
 

DaughtersofDougMirabelli

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ElUno20 said:
Wade's refusal to even attempt to play defense on the perimeter triggers so many problems.

Also there main defensive tactic of trapping and swarming is playing right into the spurs hands because they move the ball so well.
 
This doesn't include Game 4.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6awLLLgeYM&feature=youtu.be
 

Mugthis

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The Spurs are running perhaps the best offense of all-time at the moment. It's frightening how perfect they are right now on offense. The Heat look demoralized, as they should be. 
 

Kliq

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I was listening to Bruce Bowen and Israel Gutierez's podcast today, and Izzy rolled out this crazy stat. Guess how many points Miami has scored on LeBron slash and kicks? ZERO. Miami is 0-6 on them during this series. That is just mindblowing to me.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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tims4wins said:
Wow that video is p*rn
 
Edit: it's incredible how little energy he gives getting back
 
He's moving like a 50-year-old man.
 
I would be interested in knowing if he played like that against the Pacers.  Perhaps the Eastern Conf was so bad that the Heat could still get by with Wade giving a modicum of effort.
 

Mugthis

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Kliq said:
I was listening to Bruce Bowen and Israel Gutierez's podcast today, and Izzy rolled out this crazy stat. Guess how many points Miami has scored on LeBron slash and kicks? ZERO. Miami is 0-6 on them during this series. That is just mindblowing to me.
 
???
 
Didn't Bosh hit a big 3 near the end of Game 2 on a LeBron slash and kick?
 
M

MentalDisabldLst

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DaughtersofDougMirabelli said:
 
This doesn't include Game 4.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6awLLLgeYM&feature=youtu.be
 
Good lord, that is like the basketball equivalent of this classic:
 

 
He must be nursing an injury, that's not the D-Wade of years ago.
 

Kliq

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I don't know guys. Wade is certainly battling injuries, but over the last few years I have noticed him always slacking back on D after he either misses a shot or turns the ball over. Usually he is bitching at the ref and neglects to go pick up his man. I don't really consider this new for Wade, just that a team like the Spurs will rip apart a team with a weak link on defense.
 

Clears Cleaver

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Wade's been on the Kobe-Germany treatment now for a couple years. platelet treatments,e tc. It was rumored he actually flew there during the series versus Boston and then during the finals last year. 
 

riboflav

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One way to defend the Spurs' motion is to be really physical especially inside, disrupt timing, break up picks, smash the cutters, and so on. No, the Heat cannot do this for three more whole games. Not without the inside personnel and not without a better/physical performance from Wade and Chalmers defensively.
 
EDIT: Also, if the Heat were to play more physically, they'd risk foul trouble and we've all seen how poor their bench is this year.
 

HomeRunBaker

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The Spurs spent all weekend reading their press clippings I see. They are mortal after all.