2012 NBA Playoffs: I love this game!

[Blueintheface]

whatever it was, it made my ears hurt

Rome couldn't stop playing the sound bite.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Really good article on the Heat and LeBron James.


http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ba...tml#more-22693

Yeah, you either have to have alpha dogs who play two completely different positions (Shaq and Kobe), or have a designated first banana, second banana and some really good role players. And those Lakers teams from 2000-02 still had some good role players -- I thought Derrick Fisher was a nice compliment to Kobe in the backcourt and then they had Big Shot Rob.

LeBron and Wade are both first bananas and they do very similar things. The Heat can still make the Finals, but they're not beating OKC or the Spurs. Wade is going to be traded in the off season. Riley should build around LeBron and Bosh and I imagine he can get a couple good role players with Wade's salary. I think Mario Chalmers is actually a decent player. Battier is still his annoying self, so they need to get 4-5 combo guy to play along with Bosh and then get a bench guy that plays the 1 and 2 or the 2 and 3 (James Harden -- although he's too good to get for cheap, or someone like Stephen Jackson).

[Jacob]

Yeah, you either have to have alpha dogs who play two completely different positions (Shaq and Kobe), or have a designated first banana, second banana and some really good role players. And those Lakers teams from 2000-02 still had some good role players -- I thought Derrick Fisher was a nice compliment to Kobe in the backcourt and then they had Big Shot Rob.

LeBron and Wade are both first bananas and they do very similar things. The Heat can still make the Finals, but they're not beating OKC or the Spurs. Wade is going to be traded in the off season. Riley should build around LeBron and Bosh and I imagine he can get a couple good role players with Wade's salary. I think Mario Chalmers is actually a decent player. Battier is still his annoying self, so they need to get 4-5 combo guy to play along with Bosh and then get a bench guy that plays the 1 and 2 or the 2 and 3 (James Harden -- although he's too good to get for cheap, or someone like Stephen Jackson).

The Heat made it to the finals last year, and would likely be cruising to the finals now if Bosh weren't injured (they may still make it). So I think it is still unfair or too early to say that their project is a failure.

[MartyFunkhouser]

The Heat made it to the finals last year, and would likely be cruising to the finals now if Bosh weren't injured (they may still make it). So I think it is still unfair or too early to say that their project is a failure.

I think it is too early to call it a failure, but certainly not too early to call it flawed. The Heat are going to eventually win a title, but it is going to take them either getting lucky on one of their mid-level exceptions or getting someone to play for way under market value. Wade and James are also both going to have to put their ego aside and take some time improving playing off the ball. Both players should watch film of a guy like Reggie Miller and learn what they should be doing when they don't have the ball.

[smokymountainrain]

The Heat made it to the finals last year, and would likely be cruising to the finals now if Bosh weren't injured (they may still make it). So I think it is still unfair or too early to say that their project is a failure.

You really think they can beat the Thunder or the Spurs? Perhaps we will need to revisit this later this month, but for now I agree with cmbf that we can go ahead and call this a failed experiment.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

The Heat made it to the finals last year, and would likely be cruising to the finals now if Bosh weren't injured (they may still make it). So I think it is still unfair or too early to say that their project is a failure.

They also proceeded to lose four games in a row in the Finals last year, and I don't think that Dallas team was nearly as good as those Lakers and Spurs teams that won all the championships. It's not like they came across a champion for the ages.

And even at full strength they won't beat the Spurs or OKC this year. OKC is setting up to be a multi-championship winner and I also think a full strength Bulls team would have beaten them this year.

[smokymountainrain]

They also proceeded to lose four games in a row in the Finals last year, and I don't think that Dallas team was nearly as good as those Lakers and Spurs teams that won all the championships. It's not like they came across a champion for the ages.

And even at full strength they won't beat the Spurs or OKC this year. OKC is setting up to be a multi-championship winner and I also think a full strength Bulls team would have beaten them this year.

And the Pacers will only get better with the young team they have. Even this year they had LeBron's team on the ropes.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I think it is too early to call it a failure, but certainly not too early to call it flawed. The Heat are going to eventually win a title, but it is going to take them either getting lucky on one of their mid-level exceptions or getting someone to play for way under market value. Wade and James are also both going to have to put their ego aside and take some time improving playing off the ball. Both players should watch film of a guy like Reggie Miller and learn what they should be doing when they don't have the ball.

The Heat could win multiple championships if they traded Wade and picked up a couple quality players in return. Wade is 30 years old and the way he plays has to tear up his body. So I'm really wondering how much longer he's going to be the player we're used to seeing.

Although I agree that these guys don't have a good idea of what to do without the ball, neither one has Reggie Miller's 3 point and mid-range jumper ability. And quite honestly confining either guy to being like Reggie Miller would only take away from their strengths. LeBron is getting better, but Wade has consistently shot poorly from 3. LeBron has always reminded me a lot of Charles Barkley when he was in Philly offensively (of all players, I know this sounds strange, but it's the power and finishing ability I'm thinking of) with better ball handling and passing ability (I'm not going to compare him to Magic, I've never seen anything from James that remotely compares).

[TripletDaddy]

You really think they can beat the Thunder or the Spurs? Perhaps we will need to revisit this later this month, but for now I agree with cmbf that we can go ahead and call this a failed experiment.

I think LBJ will win a title someday, probably more than one. But the failure in this experiment has already manifest itself. There is no need to wait to see what happens. When this team was assembled, media, fans, and the players themselves assumed that the team was going to steamroll immediately to championships. There was talk about besting the Bulls regular season record. yet here we are and MIA is in serious jeopardy of not even making the finals, which would be Year 2 of not winning a title. When this team was assembled, nobody was saying, "the Heat will probably need 3 or 4 years to put this whole thing together and win one ring."

It is a great problem to have, to be sure, but look at BOS. They put together their Big 3 and what did it get them? One ring. That's it. It is tough to win one, extremely difficult to win two, and historically rare to win three or more with the same core. most noteworthy is that if you look at the true dynastic teams in NBA history, they were ALL lead by first ballot lock HOF coaches....Red, Riley, Jax, Pop. I don't expect to see Spo's name on that list anytime soon.

[oxcoug]

The Heat made it to the finals last year, and would likely be cruising to the finals now if Bosh weren't injured

You're aware that they were 1-3 vs in BOS in the regular season this year, even though Rondo-Allen-Pierce-KG didn't start any of those games together.

Boston being up now isn't a fluke. They've clearly outplayed the Heat in four straight games and the only one they didn't was just 48 hours after the end of their previous series while the Heat had been resting for 4-5 days.

[TripletDaddy]

You're aware that they were 1-3 vs in BOS in the regular season this year, even though Rondo-Allen-Pierce-KG didn't start any of those games together.

Boston being up now isn't a fluke. They've clearly outplayed the Heat in four straight games and the only one they didn't was just 48 hours after the end of their previous series while the Heat had been resting for 4-5 days.

BOS has been the savvy vet in this series. And KG has been one of the best all-around players in the playoffs, regardless of team or position. In the fourth quarter, KG had a monster dunk that resulted in his moving without the ball, he drained a critical shot that was just inside the three point line, and in the final crucial seconds, he got to the line and hit both free throws. Dude was doing it all.

[CJF]

BOS has been the savvy vet in this series. And KG has been one of the best all-around players in the playoffs, regardless of team or position. In the fourth quarter, KG had a monster dunk that resulted in his moving without the ball, he drained a critical shot that was just inside the three point line, and in the final crucial seconds, he got to the line and hit both free throws. Dude was doing it all.

He blocked a layup attempt by LaBron in the 4th last night also.

[oxcoug]

BOS has been the savvy vet in this series. And KG has been one of the best all-around players in the playoffs, regardless of team or position. In the fourth quarter, KG had a monster dunk that resulted in his moving without the ball, he drained a critical shot that was just inside the three point line, and in the final crucial seconds, he got to the line and hit both free throws. Dude was doing it all.

Yep. I know KG occasionally dishes dirty elbows in pursuit of victory (in true Stockton fashion), but I'm genuinely baffled by the intensity of the dislike some people have for him - he plays every aspect of his game w/ commitment and intensity and prepares as thoroughly as anyone in the game. Yeah he's a bit over the top w/ his "anything is possi-blllllllllllle!!" shtick but I don't think it's a pose at all. I don't think you can fake the kind of intensity he delivers game in and game out.

As a fan of a game full of guys that take plays off and then go blow themselves post game, I think I'd be inclined to admire KG's game even if he didn't play for my team. Oh wait, already did that earlier in his career.

[TripletDaddy]

Yep. I know KG occasionally dishes dirty elbows in pursuit of victory (in true Stockton fashion), but I'm genuinely baffled by the intensity of the dislike some people have for him - he plays every aspect of his game w/ commitment and intensity and prepares as thoroughly as anyone in the game. Yeah he's a bit over the top w/ his "anything is possi-blllllllllllle!!" shtick but I don't think it's a pose at all. I don't think you can fake the kind of intensity he delivers game in and game out.

As a fan of a game full of guys that take plays off and then go blow themselves post game, I think I'd be inclined to admire KG's game even if he didn't play for my team. Oh wait, already did that earlier in his career.

The "anything is possible" thing was an error. He was supposed to say, "Impossible is Nothing," to coincide with the promo commercial campaign that adidas was running during those playoffs, in the same style as the old "Im going to Disneyland" commercials. He botched it in what appeared to be a haze of disorientation and that killed the capstone commercial for the adidas promo. Also, Muhammad Ali was displeased.

If you recall, he also yelled out and thanked someone named, "peanut." I think KG was pretty worked up. Truly, anything is possible.

[Maximus]

Yep. I know KG occasionally dishes dirty elbows in pursuit of victory (in true Stockton fashion), but I'm genuinely baffled by the intensity of the dislike some people have for him - he plays every aspect of his game w/ commitment and intensity and prepares as thoroughly as anyone in the game. Yeah he's a bit over the top w/ his "anything is possi-blllllllllllle!!" shtick but I don't think it's a pose at all. I don't think you can fake the kind of intensity he delivers game in and game out.

As a fan of a game full of guys that take plays off and then go blow themselves post game, I think I'd be inclined to admire KG's game even if he didn't play for my team. Oh wait, already did that earlier in his career.

Ah he said "did you have a good ****ing mothers day" to a player whose mom had died of cancer.