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2012 NBA Finals |OT| Good Job, Good Effort
- Thread starter reilo
- Start date
except nobody said he wasn't going to
You went out on a limb with that one, huh?
I also predict that the next game will be played in OKC.
With analysis like this you could get a job on ESPN
Herpes Reasons
Banned
if okc outscores Miami in game 2, it's safe to say okc will win the game.
As you never played in the NBA i'm going to assume you don't know what you're talking about. Come back when you get inducted into the HoF!
Black Mamba
Member
I can't believe Bosh played 8 less minutes than Battier in the Finals with no foul trouble or injury at hand.
Spo is fucking stupid. Joel Anthony getting minutes. lol.
Spo is fucking stupid. Joel Anthony getting minutes. lol.
benjipwns
Banned
Or at least won a three point contest!
Durant's Level__________
Lebron's Level__________________
Lebron can't lose this series to Durant. He's loses this series and all the GOAT talk and maybe even endorsements shifts over to a younger guy that has a chance of winning more titles than Jordan as an alpha dog.
Yeah, he scored 7, but two of those were on a Sefalosha foul where he wasn't touched (complete bailout call), and another was a FT on a 3 point play where the contact was quite dubious. He only really deserved four of those 4th quarter points.
Considering the other bailout calls, plus that absolute travesty of a continuation call earlier in the game, LeBron would have had closer to 22 points tonight without the help of the officials. Really, it's pretty impressive that the game was as close as it was.
Black Mamba
Member
Lebron didn't guard Durant the final 6 minutes of a winnable Finals game. A game where Durant was playing damn well, especially in the 4th.
This is the equivalence of Hakeem guarding Horace Grant in the 1995 Finals instead of Shaq down the stretch.
Spo, you so silly.
This is the equivalence of Hakeem guarding Horace Grant in the 1995 Finals instead of Shaq down the stretch.
Spo, you so silly.
I gave him the full seven so that Lebron wouldn't look too bad. Miami couldn't even win this game with the help of the ref's. There was a phantom call that put Bosh on the line at one point and a charge that was called a block for Wade too. And Miami still lost. You know its bad when ref help can't do anything to save you.
Thunder can carve up a defense with slashing and Durant is always open because he doesn't have to worry about someone contesting his shot.
CoffeeJanitor
Member
Game was reffed fairly, imo. There were botched calls on both teams.
iamvin22
Industry Verified
but why cant lebron make the better decision to guard durant on his own?
Black Mamba
Member
Thabo got 2 FTs on a phantom Chalmers foul, too.
The game was officiated quite well. The only real problem I saw were the 2 block/charge calls being called differently when they were the same play. But other than that, the refs did their job quite well tonight. neither team got any real help.
Honestly, he should. The best players usually tell their coach "i'm guarding him now." Lebron is too passive, I guess.
edit: Also, Wade and Chalmers flopped at least 4 times tonight and the refs didn't call any of em. Great job.
Black Mamba
Member
The level of competition in international basketball has steadily improved over the past 20 years, to the point where various national teams can do pretty well without a big-name NBA star on board. That said, it's sure a big help for a team to have some of the best players in the world on the roster. That's even more the case if you're a relatively small, baseball-obsessed country like the Dominican Republic.
So it must have come as something of a shock to Detroit Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva when he was cut by national team head coach (and, more famously, Kentucky head coach) John Calipari. From Vincent Goodwill for The Detroit News:
After dealing with injuries for the entire lockout-shortened season for the Pistons — he didn't play any significant minutes — he won't play for the Dominican Republic national team because he's out of shape, head coach John Calipari said.
"Charlie was not in good form when we saw him," Calipari told Deportes en la Z. "He was overweight, and unfortunately, we could not slow down the entire team and it was a decision taken collectively. Last year, Charlie behaved really well with us and his only problem was his weight."
Villanueva never was in camp with the team this summer, contrary to the FIBA.com report that said he had a private workout with the team in New York.
It's believed the team wasn't pleased with his conditioning last summer, which led to the decision, after being a big part of the national team in recent years. An ankle injury slowed his progress and any hopes of getting much playing time for the Pistons this season.
Villanueva fired back at Calipari's accusations by tweeting this photo of his scale, which reads 243.5 pounds, or roughly 11.5 pounds fewer than his playing weight of 255. (That reading includes the weight of CV's Connecticut championship ring from 2004, the inclusion of which I don't understand since Coach Cal won this year's NCAA title with the Wildcats.) Check out that photo below:
This development is goofier still because the Pistons praised Villanueva for his conditioning in April, noting that he'd gone above and beyond what they'd asked even as he recovered from his injuries. By most indications, Villanueva is in as good shape as he's going to be for the foreseeable future? What exactly is making Calipari unhappy?
The answer is probably a fairly dull one: that Villanueva, in any shape, just isn't a good fit for the run-and-gun system that Cal is known for. When he's at his best, Villanueva is still a very deliberate player. Calipari wants to run, and there's no room for big guys who can't keep up (Al Horford, for example, is doing just fine). Even at many pounds below his usual playing weight, CV just isn't the right guy for the system.
What's curious here is that, in almost all cases, mid-range national teams tend to organize themselves around their NBA players — no one implements a game plan that doesn't fit their best players. It's possible that Villanueva's reputation outstrips his talent. Yet it's more likely that Calipari is simply trying to establish his brand, and perhaps even give this nation a basketball character that can take hold for many years. The results will ultimately determine which person is right. For now, though, it's clear that Calipari is going to get his way.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-b...a-dominican-republic-team-235413262--nba.html
hahaha.
edit: unrelated:
that's bullshit. Even on TV you can tell that the crowd is on another level in OKC.
iamvin22
Industry Verified
i think he is talking from a NBA players aspect, as in on the court and not from the crowd or what you hear on television.
The Chosen One
Member
I can't believe the "Lebron needs help!!!11" meme is really taking flight again. You guys can believe that myth at your peril.
Yes, the Heat don't have much depth, but they have two legit superstars and one legit perennial all-star. Also Chalmers has proven to be a legit 3rd/4th option who can hit 3s AND drive to the hoop in clutch situations.
The Heat got enough tools and that's why they're in the Finals for the second straight year much to my chagrin.
The problem is the coach and they still haven't figured out the best combination to use their assets. It's nice that it's now "Lebron's Team" but clearly Wade hasn't been the same since the change-over. It's not because he's old because he's still perfectly capable of doing some crazy shit at times. The problem is he just can't get in rhythm consistently anymore. And even when he does, it usually takes him the second half to get things going. I don't blame Lebron, but I blame Spo for not getting them to run an offense that has Lebron control the ball while still getting Wade enough touches in good spots.
Same problem with Bosh. Bosh is a borderline franchise player, but he's reduced to playing like Old-KG, taking long jump shots. Yes it's good to have Bosh help them spread the floor, but he also could be much more of a threat if they established his interior game more. Go search "Chris Bosh Mix" on Youtube to remind yourself how explosive he can be.
Lebron by going to South Beach he chose to be on a top heavy team. Lebron doesn't need help, there's plenty of pieces. It's just they have to be utilized right and a lot are dependent on injuries or if one of the major players has an off night.
I mean the roles have almost reversed from last year. Last year Lebron was underperforming well under his potential while Wade was still doing well, especially in the playoffs. Now Lebron is in his comfort zone but Wade is all over the place. It's not that Wade sucks or Lebron needs help, it's just they still need to find a way for the experiment to work. I give Wade credit for at least trying to change the dynamic from last year, even if now he's playing like relative ass. Too bad now all the supposed loyal Heat fans are turning on him. That's Heat Culture I guess.
Yes, the Heat don't have much depth, but they have two legit superstars and one legit perennial all-star. Also Chalmers has proven to be a legit 3rd/4th option who can hit 3s AND drive to the hoop in clutch situations.
The Heat got enough tools and that's why they're in the Finals for the second straight year much to my chagrin.
The problem is the coach and they still haven't figured out the best combination to use their assets. It's nice that it's now "Lebron's Team" but clearly Wade hasn't been the same since the change-over. It's not because he's old because he's still perfectly capable of doing some crazy shit at times. The problem is he just can't get in rhythm consistently anymore. And even when he does, it usually takes him the second half to get things going. I don't blame Lebron, but I blame Spo for not getting them to run an offense that has Lebron control the ball while still getting Wade enough touches in good spots.
Same problem with Bosh. Bosh is a borderline franchise player, but he's reduced to playing like Old-KG, taking long jump shots. Yes it's good to have Bosh help them spread the floor, but he also could be much more of a threat if they established his interior game more. Go search "Chris Bosh Mix" on Youtube to remind yourself how explosive he can be.
Lebron by going to South Beach he chose to be on a top heavy team. Lebron doesn't need help, there's plenty of pieces. It's just they have to be utilized right and a lot are dependent on injuries or if one of the major players has an off night.
I mean the roles have almost reversed from last year. Last year Lebron was underperforming well under his potential while Wade was still doing well, especially in the playoffs. Now Lebron is in his comfort zone but Wade is all over the place. It's not that Wade sucks or Lebron needs help, it's just they still need to find a way for the experiment to work. I give Wade credit for at least trying to change the dynamic from last year, even if now he's playing like relative ass. Too bad now all the supposed loyal Heat fans are turning on him. That's Heat Culture I guess.
With your borderline masochistic hate of LBJ i sometimes wonder if you have a genuine mental dis-order that you need to get help with.
i also haven't read any of that, i'm just going to assume it says "lbj sucks".
Black Mamba
Member
His post is mostly blaming Spo and Wade for sucking.
I do wonder if Wade's knee is worse than he's let on. Time to make a quick flight to Germany...
iamvin22
Industry Verified
while i agree with you, it appears that dwade is not a superstar you can really rely on even in the finals. to me lebron always wanted someone to go to and i think he see's that in wade. i would love for lebron to call out wade at an interview for not showing up on important games. kobe does it and it makes a difference. maybe it will change the dynamic of wades game because right now i dont think he feels he is even 50% of the problem(dwade).
sorry drunk.
I generalise, 99% of his posts are trax esque LBJ sucks stories.
And yeah, considering wades out put this post season i wonder if he's injured. They were never going to be a great fit together, but wades fall off shouldn't have been this... dramatic.
Again though, health will always be an issue when all your salary is tied up in 3 players.
Nah, that's definitely part of it. Wade's body is probably five years older than he is with all his injuries and inherent fragility.
The Chosen One
Member
He's the Limbaugh of sports talk. Except he doesn't actually believe all the shit he says.
Hell the guy has pretty much admitted he doesn't believe all the shit he says but he knows how to drum up controversy and it works for ratings so he takes extreme positions.
I give him credit that he at least comes out fairly often and admits that. So I tend to think the people who get all worked up about him need to calm down.
The Chosen One
Member
I don't know, I don't think he just fell off the wagon all of a sudden this season.
I think 70-80% is just that he's not playing smart and can't establish any kind of rhythm. He takes waaay too many difficult shots these days. He was never a great mid-range shooter but he had improved on it substantially over the years. But now a lot of his mid-range shots are taken off-balance or off-broken plays. He's trying to be like Kobe but his mid-range is nowhere close to that level. Wade's mid-range is usually on when he has some spacing and can hold the ball for at least 5-6 seconds.
Also Wade often times when driving to the hoop he goes in with a circus shot hoping for a bail-out call. When he doesn't get the call, it just ends up being a wild shot that misses horribly.
Maybe Wade is battling some hidden injuries we don't know about, but I don't think he's fallen off the wagon yet. I think he just hasn't found a way to play effectively with Lebron controlling the tempo. It might just be a matter of Wade spending the off-season learning better to play off the ball and with less touches. Especially if Wade gets embarrassed this Finals, I could see him doing that. Remember because of the lockout, there was no real training camp this season so Wade has to adjust in-season when they decided Lebron was going to be The Man.
Just as many of you accuse me of blind Lebron-hate (which now makes sense some of you don't even read what I actually right), but I see a lot of people here quickly dismissing Wade as old and busted.
Give Wade an off-season to adjust and get a real coach, and you'll likely see the difference.
iamvin22
Industry Verified
do you think management will even want him next year if they dont win this year? just askin
The Chosen One
Member
I will say that if Durant chips first, everyone will instantly stop caring if Lebron ever gets a ring or not. Durant will be the new boy wonder and media darling since he might actually have a chance to win a half-dozen championships and he isn't even in his prime yet.
I doubt it would sting Bron though with KD getting a ring first. If anything it would probably release the pressure on him because people will stop making such a big deal about it and he could just play loose.
Durant already is a media darling.
Black Mamba
Member
release the pressure? haha. The media is relentless. They build you up only to make your fall even greater should you fail.
The pressure will never release until he wins a title. And if he wins one late, the media will always talk about his failures once the glow of it wears off.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Impressive vertical.
The Chosen One
Member
I'm talking about being proclaimed the best player on the planet and having a bunch of incessant MJ comparisons. Not just being considered a nice wholesome guy.
Black Mamba
Member
They'll jump on him, but I don't think the MJ stuff will come out because their styles are so insanely different. Yes, lebron is also not that much like Michael stylistically, but they were both ball dominant. Durant isn't.
Maybe more Bird comparisons? I dunno. They'll begin the dynasty talk for sure.
But the media will still focus on lebron failing. And perhaps on whether there needs to be a trade.
He came second in the MVP Voting this year.
3rd? straight scoring title.
He'll be getting those regardless.
( though he might be more Bird than Jordon)
Lol, good timing mamba.
The Chosen One
Member
Bird comparisons would certainly be more logical. Just like the Magic Johnson comparisons were probably more logical for Lebron. But the media likes to make the most sensationalist comparisons as possible these days, so don't put it past them to make constant MJ comparisons if KD chips.
I will say though, the Heat have been down for two consecutive playoff series and they managed to come back both times. That's definitely something new for a Lebron-led team. It's just with the 2-3-2 format, the Heat really need to steal one of these first two games at OKC to have a legit chance.
Edit: And giri, considering you're a long-time NBA-GAF, I figured you would be able to see through my trolling by now. If you can't, may Durant have mercy on your soul.
I will say though, the Heat have been down for two consecutive playoff series and they managed to come back both times. That's definitely something new for a Lebron-led team. It's just with the 2-3-2 format, the Heat really need to steal one of these first two games at OKC to have a legit chance.
Edit: And giri, considering you're a long-time NBA-GAF, I figured you would be able to see through my trolling by now. If you can't, may Durant have mercy on your soul.
benjipwns
Banned
Durant's not the passer or ball handler Bird was.
Durant is a pretty unique player statistically. http://bkref.com/tiny/e34Av
The notion of him being a taller Gervin isn't that far-fetched probably.
Durant is a pretty unique player statistically. http://bkref.com/tiny/e34Av
The notion of him being a taller Gervin isn't that far-fetched probably.
Durants ball handling has improved so much since he first entered the league.
hell even compared to last year.
And he made many correct passes against the spurs.
But you're right, he's not there. Yet.
His FG% is absurd for someone who takes so many jump shots. This post season he's shooting over 50% from the field.
demigod
Member
Lebron never said 1. He skipped it and went straight to 2.
omfg