NBA Thread

[Lament]

I'm still in the "Anyone else from the West would have definitely lost to Miami" camp.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I'm still in the "Anyone else from the West would have definitely lost to Miami" camp.

Yeah but that is why anybody else in the west isn't in the finals...

[Lament]

I'm still in the "Anyone else from the West would have definitely lost to Miami" camp.

Yeah but that is why anybody else in the west isn't in the finals...

Agreed. But that was my response to whole "Six teams from the West could have beaten Miami" line of thinking. It's just not true.

These are the two best teams, just like they were last year.

[nyquillyn]

I think the Heat would have struggled against OKC. Westbrook was getting healthy and OKC would have had home court advantage.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I'm still in the "Anyone else from the West would have definitely lost to Miami" camp.

Yeah but that is why anybody else in the west isn't in the finals...

Agreed. But that was my response to whole "Six teams from the West could have beaten Miami" line of thinking. It's just not true.

These are the two best teams, just like they were last year.

Oh gotcha. I think they may have struggled with OKC too, maybe.

Also, I think Melo should go to Washington. They are a lot better team than they get credit for, that could work really well with him there.

[E.H. Ruddock]

In fact, I've never really had a favorite NBA team since the Sixers when I was a kid. I might hitch my wagon to the wizards...

[Lament]

While I think OKC may have had the talent to hang with Miami, I'm not sold on their mental toughness. I feel like they'd overreact to every Miami run and play right into the Heat's wheelhouse. San Antonio never panics, and that's the biggest difference to me. They know Miami is going to have stretches where they outplay them, but they never lose sight of the fact that as long as they match those runs with devastating consistency they should end up on top most of the time. OKC still seems like they feel the need to win all 48 minutes of a game, and spends too much time trying to overcompensate for the stretches they "lose." They have the talent to beat most teams when they play like this, but I don't think Miami would be one of them.

[4/5]

OKC is a great matchup for Miami. Very similar style and the type of team that Miami's defense is tailor made to suffocate. The Spurs, not so much.

[Lament]

If I were LBJ, when I sat down with Pat Riley after this series and he asked me what I wanted, I'd tell him "Omer Asik."

[nyquillyn]

Carmelo would be a terrible addition for Miami. He would instantly make them a worse team. His pick and roll defense is possibly the worst in the league. He always makes the wrong decision. Any time any team faces a Carmelo team, their offensive strategy should be to run a pick and roll with Carmelo's man. It's comical. He's actually a good defender iso on the post, but he's a freaking disaster at "team defense."

[4/5]

The Melo stuff is just noise. Remember, Windhorst has had Lebron going to the Clippers and Cavs at various points this season.

The Heat need a big man. A guy who plays tough defense and is content doing the little things. That and a three point shooter or two. That's my wishlist, not Melo.

[bada]

I don't know if any other Western team could beat the Heat in the finals but if the Heat were in the West I'd have a hard time seeing them make it through to the finals and I don't think it would have to be the Spurs who would have to beat them. The cumulative effects would have gotten them. The East is a joke. Has been for the entire Heat run. I think it caught up to them this year. Too much coasting they look out of shape. Still 3 championships in 10 years is great. I'd take it.

[4/5]

I disagree that the East has been a joke all four years. You're right, it hasn't been the West, though. It's kinda like the West in the 80s for Magic's Lakers.

I think next year the Heat will take the regular season a bit more seriously. And also adapt a defensive style doesn't require frantic energy. It's a high risk/high reward tactic and even when it works you still can't play 48 minutes like that, so way too many games all year long are closer than they need to be. And then if you run into a team like the Spurs, well...

[nyquillyn]

By the way, I don't think this is over. If the Heat manage to win Game 5, the Spurs will be in serious trouble.

[4/5]

By the way, I don't think this is over. If the Heat manage to win Game 5, the Spurs will be in serious trouble.

I'm not going to try to dissuade you, because if I were you that's how I'd feel, too. But this feels a lot like the Dallas series where the opponent A. Is shooting lights out and B. is playing such a style where they are obviously at ease and Miami's defense can't do anything even when they try to ramp up pressure.

[nyquillyn]

These were the Spurs regular season team leaders. I wonder if there has ever been a championship team with lower numbers.

[4/5]

You forgot the craziest one of all: minutes per game!

[spike]

weird first half. lebron isn't getting any help again, not looking good for miami.

[spike]

super defense by the spurs. the heat are moving the ball well but no one is ever open.

[bada]

Well done Spurs.