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[Carlbeego]

So what would it take for the Heat to, you know, actually win a game to you guys?

This is what happens when a close game is decided by some bullshit calls. Teams lose all the time in the playoffs. It just when refs decide to bail players out, like LeBron clearly elbowing the shit out of Harden, it gets annoying.

As time passes no one will give a damn. Hell, Jordan use to get phantom calls all the time. Just didn't have internet forums to speak out about it.

 

[obijkenobi]

Which is why I add the FT fluke to the discussion. Miami shoots 80%, they lose. OKC shoots 75%, they win. Both are still above or below their respective norms. It took one of the best and worst performances of the season at the same time to occur to give the game to Miami. The odds are that happening are so low...

Each game is its own vibe though. You don't think it's possible that the Thunder are rattled in the first finals or that every so often the Heat will shoot above their average at the line sometimes? Especially since Joel Anthony isn't getting big minutes?

 

[Vire]

I'm not taking anything for granted, we were up 2-1 last year. Doesnt mean shit.

Game 4 is going to be huge.

 

[jman2050]

This is what happens when a close game is decided by some bullshit calls. Teams lose all the time in the playoffs. It just when refs decide to bail players out, like LeBron clearly elbowing the shit out of Harden, it gets annoying.

As time passes no one will give a damn. Hell, Jordan use to get phantom calls all the time. Just didn't have internet forums to speak out about it.

Ask Utah fans how they feel about Michael Jordan and the refs.

 

[Vanillalite]

James Harden played 34:10 in terms of minutes and yet he went 2-10 from the floor and 0-4 from behind the arc. He ended up with only 9 points. If Harden doesn't totally blow then the Durant fouls to make him sit wouldn't have been as big of a deal.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

ESPN3 is coming through for me. Thanks to my cable provider!

 

[iamshadowlark]

????

That's kind of what I'm saying. Refs are shit. You just have to do your best and not give them a chance to affect the course of the game. Sometimes they do and those losses sting, but what can you do? It will always be like that in the NBA.

I was agreeing. I just find it hilarious how this is being broken down as "flukes" and refs. OKC played pretty fucking bad, so did the Heat.

Whatever though we won.

 

[PBY]

I'm not taking anything for granted, we were up 2-1 last year. Doesnt mean shit.

One of the smartest things Lebatard has ever said is that momentum doesn't carry over between games. Totally agree.

 

[ThatCrazyGuy]

The Thunder played worse and lost the game. Everything about if this or this or this had happened, it would had been different.

No crap. If things played out different, things would turn out different. Thanks Doc Browns!

FThunder can still take the series if they score more points the next games.

 

[friskykillface]

wonder why Scott left YNB on the bench with Durant during that 3rd quarter stretch, Durant was in foul trouble but he wasn't



i know YNB struggles but the end of the 3rd quarter was horrible with Harden as the main option was awful.

 

[ph33nix]

I think OKC is going to put Thabo on LeBron, YNB on Wade, and Durant on Chalmers to start games. Durant's going to annoy Chalmers and won't have to deal with LeBron, it seemed to work in some stretches in this game.

 

[iamshadowlark]

James Harden played 34:10 in terms of minutes and yet he went 2-10 from the floor and 0-4 from behind the arc. He ended up with only 9 points. If Harden doesn't totally blow then the Durant fouls to make him sit wouldn't have been as big of a deal.

Or maybe if durant would stop trying to hold players to prevent them from going around screens to get into foul trouble in the first place. Seriously he was like the only one in foul trouble and three of them were completely avoidable. He won't get shit for it though.

 

[Black Mamba]

Each game is its own vibe though. You don't think it's possible that the Thunder are rattled in the first finals or that every so often the Heat will shoot above their average at the line sometimes? Especially since Joel Anthony isn't getting big minutes?

No and No. The Thunder aren't rattled. This is just a story for convenience.

They were up 9 and Durant got called for another bad foul and he came out. The game turned. How were they rattled when they were going up 10 in the 2nd half?

As for the FTs, every team shoots above and below their average...that's how they get their average. But the Heat are shooting really above their average for 3 games. The likelihood of this happening is really low. Combine that with OKC shooting way below their average for 3 games, which is rare. Combined at the same time is probably in the 100k:1 zone if not worse.

Look, a 70% FT team will shoot 80% at times. They will have a random game or 2 around 90%. But at the same time as the Thunder shooting 60%. That's extremely flukey.

 

[jman2050]

Durant: "The refs are actually calling fouls on me, I dunno what to do?!"

 

[Emwitus]

Poor durant I don't think i can hate on this guy....even though i hate the thunder.

 

[friskykillface]

finally a gif of the play

dat defense by Spo

but it didn't cause the brick , just funny to see

 

[The M.O.B]

finally a gif of the play

dat defense by Spo

but it didn't cause the brick , just funny to see

Spo should have came out and blocked that, refs probably wouldn't have called anything.

 

[Vanillalite]

Or maybe if durant would stop trying to hold players to prevent them from going around screens to get into foul trouble in the first place. Seriously he was like the only one in foul trouble and three of them were completely avoidable. He won't get shit for it though.

I'm just saying that the Thunder could have made this a closer game and even won it if Harden didn't totally blow even beyond the Durant foul problems. Hell even beyond Harden sucking from the field he also made that dumb ass foul late game verses either a quick foul or not fouling at all. Instead the heat run down half the clock then Harden fouls.

SMH...

 

[Epsilon-delta]

No and No. The Thunder aren't rattled. This is just a story for convenience.

They were up 9 and Durant got called for another bad foul and he came out. The game turned. How were they rattled when they were going up 10 in the 2nd half?

As for the FTs, every team shoots above and below their average...that's how they get their average. But the Heat are shooting really above their average for 3 games. The likelihood of this happening is really low. Combine that with OKC shooting way below their average for 3 games, which is rare. Combined at the same time is probably in the 100k:1 zone if not worse.

Look, a 70% FT team will shoot 80% at times. They will have a random game or 2 around 90%. But at the same time as the Thunder shooting 60%. That's extremely flukey.

It's called The Finals for a reason. It's either you step up your game or let the other team win.

You call it flukey, I call it choking.

 

[Emwitus]

No and No. The Thunder aren't rattled. This is just a story for convenience.

They were up 9 and Durant got called for another bad foul and he came out. The game turned. How were they rattled when they were going up 10 in the 2nd half?

As for the FTs, every team shoots above and below their average...that's how they get their average. But the Heat are shooting really above their average for 3 games. The likelihood of this happening is really low. Combine that with OKC shooting way below their average for 3 games, which is rare. Combined at the same time is probably in the 100k:1 zone if not worse.

Look, a 70% FT team will shoot 80% at times. They will have a random game or 2 around 90%. But at the same time as the Thunder shooting 60%. That's extremely flukey.

EDIT: lol my bad, your talking about free throws.

surely, the thunder are rattled when they are shooting way below there average on free throws....

 

[reilo]

finally a gif of the play

dat defense by Spo

but it didn't cause the brick , just funny to see

How is that not a technical on Spo? He's even obstructing Crawford's line of sight.

 

[iamshadowlark]

Flukey flukey flukey. LMAO

 

[Godslay]

finally a gif of the play

dat defense by Spo

Crawford too busy waiting to blow...

 

[Red Blaster]

If OKC can't win a game with Miami playing like idiots and turning the ball over 9 times in the 4th quarter then they're fucked

 

[ToyMachine228]

OKC is going to have a tough time winning games if Lebron continues playing as he has.

Look at the Heat's shooting numbers. Wade, Bosh, and Chalmers all shot like shit. That's not going to happen again. OKC really missed an opportunity here.

 

[CoffeeJanitor]

There were def some shitty calls and overall things def went Miami's way, I don't think you can argue that

Wade was shit again, as well.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Spo should have came out and blocked that, refs probably wouldn't have called anything.

If he had blocked it, then inexplicably took it down to the other end and finished it with a windmill dunk, would it be the greatest highlight in NBA history?

 

[jman2050]

I think this has more to do with OKC competing against a much better defense than it has in it's previous playoff series'.

Yeah this is the one thing a lot of people are missing. The Lakers and Spurs are not great defensive teams. The Heat are.

 

[iamshadowlark]

Durant was 2-6 in the fourth. Will he get the shit that lebron does or is it just flukey?

 

[Black Mamba]

It's called The Finals for a reason. It's either you step up your game or let the other team win.

You call it flukey, I call it choking.

Except, it's not. Was Miami choking against the Celtics?

FT shooting has been the most consistent and least variable aspect of basketball for 40 years.

But you're going to have flukes. Lakers had one in game 3 vs OKC. And it's why they won. Net 2 games they are around their norm.

Flukes happen. It's just unfortunate it's happening in the Finals with the FT line.

 

[giri]

Look at the Heat's shooting numbers. Wade, Bosh, and Chalmers all shot like shit. That's not going to happen again. OKC really missed an opportunity here.

Uhhh... they've not been shooting well all play offs. And the thunder are a good defensive team.

It will probably be this way for the rest of the series.

 

[jman2050]

Look at the Heat's shooting numbers. Wade, Bosh, and Chalmers all shot like shit. That's not going to happen again. OKC really missed an opportunity here.

Bosh didn't shoot well but he's been a force in other important ways.

You figure Wade has to regress at some point, but this is three games now where he's played like a moron and almost cost his team. It's almost like Lebron and Wade switched places from last year's finals.

 

[Grimm Fandango]

ESPN gave Wade a B- for tonight's game.

 

[Black Mamba]

EDIT: lol my bad, your talking about free throws.

surely, the thunder are rattled when they are shooting way below there average on free throws....

No, it's called math. You're going to have outliers.

Was Horry rattled that one season he went like 1/27 from 3 in the playofffs? No, of course not. It's just probabilities playing out.

Flip a coin enough times, your going to get head 10 times in a row. It's just unfortunate the heat and thunder are fluking in opposite ways at the same time.

 

[Red Blaster]

Lawl Coach Nick's live chats are hilarious because he reads every question, even the ones that insult him

 

[Blackace]

OKC got jobbed.

a whole city fucked over by the NBA... can't believe it.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Durant was 2-6 in the fourth. Will he get the shit that lebron does or is it just flukey?

Durant not clutch!

 

[Black Mamba]

Couper Moorhead
The Denver Nuggets are the only other team in the league to win a game this year shooting as bad outside the paint as Miami did tonight.

lol.

Such a statistical oddity this game was.

 

[PBY]

Durant was 2-6 in the fourth. Will he get the shit that lebron does or is it just flukey?

Doesnt fit the narrative. Sigh.

 

[iamshadowlark]

Doesnt fit the narrative. Sigh.

He was jobbed I tell ya.

 

[Godslay]

Doesnt fit the narrative. Sigh.

It's also his first finals trip, if anything he has a bit of leeway. Try harder...

 

[Emwitus]

a whole city fucked over by the NBA... can't believe it.

 

[iamshadowlark]

It's also his first finals trip, if anything he has a bit of leeway. Try harder...

But he was crowned the new king the first two games. Before he even won the series. Sounds oddly familiar to what people complain about in regards to Lebron.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

a whole city fucked over by the NBA... can't believe it.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

But he was crowned the new king the first two games. Before he even won the series. Sounds oddly familiar to what people complain about in regards to Lebron.

Lebron crossed the line first. And in their desperation, Lebron haters turned to a man they didn't fully understand.

 

[snack]

 

[Epsilon-delta]

It's also his first finals trip, if anything he has a bit of leeway. Try harder...

That didn't stop Magic or Jordan beasting in their first finals trip.

 

[Stat Flow]

Damn I didn't even see this. Hahahahaha

 

[ThatCrazyGuy]

a whole city fucked over by the NBA... can't believe it.

Seattle? heh

 

[Puddles]

Funny how teams never, you know, lose a game. Its always something else.

A loss is a loss.

This one shouldn't have been. Correctly officiated, this would have been a 10 point Thunder win.