NBA 2012-2013

[MarkGrace]

Art Vandelay could guard Wade right now. Dude's got nothing in his legs.

[smokymountainrain]

Wade says he needs more touches. 3-11 FGs, even more damning, IMO - two rebounds in 34 minutes. I imagine LeBron can't wait to pass him the ball.

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

Wade says he needs more touches. 3-11 FGs, even more damning, IMO - two rebounds in 34 minutes. I imagine LeBron can't wait to pass him the ball.

@ZachLowe_NBA

Re-watching the game. Two of Wade's first 3 shots were long twos with plenty of time on the shot clock. Want more shots? Don't take those.

I'm not sure what Wade wants. He's had the ball in his hands, he just can't do anything with it once he's got it. Does he want the team to alter their look to feature him in the post so he can try to get his little jump hook off over Stephenson when everyone knows what is coming when he's down there?

I have wondered why they aren't giving Bosh the ball more and having him face up from 20 feet against Hibbert on the wing. The few times he's driven on Hibbert this series the results have generally been promising, either a decent shot in the paint and/or a foul. Even with a bad ankle, Bosh's offensive skill and quickness would seem to give him quite an edge against Hibbert, and last year in their series Hibbert picking up fouls early in halves changed multiple games.

[MarkGrace]

After the Pacers' 91-77 Game 6 victory Saturday night, Wade said he feels he and Bosh are having their touches and shots cut and it's hurting the team.

"We've got to do a good job of making sure me and Chris have our opportunities to succeed throughout the game," Wade said. "That's something we're going to have to look at as a team."

Here is what Wade is talking about: He averaged 15 shots and 16.8 points over the first four games of the Eastern Conference finals. He has gotten a total of 19 shots and scored a total of 20 points in the past two games. Wade was 3 of 11 for 10 points in Game 6.

Bosh averaged 16.3 points on 11 shots in the series' first three games. In the three games since, he's averaging just 6.3 points on seven shots a game. Bosh was 1-of-8 shooting for just five points in Saturday's loss. It's the first time since Bosh's rookie season in 2004 he's had three consecutive games where he's failed to score 10 points.

Meanwhile, LeBron James' shots are up and his efficiency is down. In the first four games of the series, James averaged 19.8 shots and 28 points. In the past two games, James has averaged 24 shots and 29.5 points.

"We've got guys individually who want to play better," Wade said. "But we've got to try to help each other out in this locker room and not leave it up to the individual to self-will it."

Following the game, James tried to explain this shift in strategy.

"I mean, we can state the obvious; they're both struggling," James said of Wade and Bosh. "When you're struggling, the best thing to get is a layup or a dunk. [Wade] missed a couple of them ... Chris is struggling with his shot and him hurting his ankle didn't help."

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2013...ed-bigger-role

Dissension in the ranks!

[Non Sequitur]

I'm not sure I can remember a playoff series with so many "questionable" calls going against a superstar than this series with LeBron. Especially not so many calls in the 4th quarter. And even more so going up against a team without any "stars". A few of the calls tonight in the 4th really just struck me as odd given past games in the series and how they were officiated. This is normally when the NBA officials default to benefit of the doubt calls to superstars non-stop in a close playoff series.

Shaq said it best when he questioned people who say that Paul George will be a star. He said, "Paul George IS a star."

That guy has serious game.

[ewth8tr]

Haha
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[SandYFan]

Haha
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Can we resist complaining about the officiating until the game as at least started? I assume this picture is referring to Game 7, and not the series as a whole, which has seen LeBron be on the wrong end of some edgy calls, one of which fouled him out.

Anyway, I come to give Paul George his props. After tearing him apart for what I saw as an inefficient skill set, he's really turned it up a notch these last few games. 21-5-5 on 50% shooting is elite. That's Wade-back-in-2006 quality play. And while he hasn't exactly shut LeBron down, he's played him as well as anyone could, and is not afraid to take it to him on both ends of the floor. That's huge.

George will be a good one.

[ewth8tr]

I think it's more a commentary on Dick Bavetta being a terrible ref who likes to give star players preferential treatment.

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[smokymountainrain]

I don't think there is a good argument that LeBron or the Heat as a team are getting preferential treatment from the refs in this series. IIRC, more fouls have been called on the Heat in the series, the ridiculous 6th foul call against LBJ on the screen in game 2(?), etc. Also, why is Wade in that photo? Wouldn't Haslem have been a better choice? Or Birdman - even with his game 6 suspension?

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

I don't think there is a good argument that LeBron or the Heat as a team are getting preferential treatment from the refs in this series. IIRC, more fouls have been called on the Heat in the series, the ridiculous 6th foul call against LBJ on the screen in game 2(?), etc. Also, why is Wade in that photo? Wouldn't Haslem have been a better choice? Or Birdman - even with his game 6 suspension?

There has been a larger FT disparity between the two teams in the 6 games so far in this series than there was the entire season. Indiana has shot 175 FTs in 6 games, Miami 136, for a difference of 39. On the season, the Pacers shot the 8th most FTs and Miami the 10th most, with only 25 FTAs separating them. Miami was 23rd during the regular season in opponent FTAs and Indiana was 24th, with only 7 FTAs difference between the two.

39 FTAs, or 6.5 per game, isn't a huge disparity. But Indiana having the edge over 6 games does seem out of sorts for a series like this. What seems really odd to me is that Miami has only shot more free throws in 1 game so far, and it was the blowout in Game 6 when they shot 19 to Indiana's 18. Is it setting up for Miami to get a 10+ FT advantage in Game 7? If that happens, will the conspiracy claims rain down even though Indiana would've had more FTAs in 5 of the 7 games?

[Pelado]

There has been a larger FT disparity between the two teams in the 6 games so far in this series than there was the entire season. Indiana has shot 175 FTs in 6 games, Miami 136, for a difference of 39. On the season, the Pacers shot the 8th most FTs and Miami the 10th most, with only 25 FTAs separating them. Miami was 23rd during the regular season in opponent FTAs and Indiana was 24th, with only 7 FTAs difference between the two.

39 FTAs, or 6.5 per game, isn't a huge disparity. But Indiana having the edge over 6 games does seem out of sorts for a series like this. What seems really odd to me is that Miami has only shot more free throws in 1 game so far, and it was the blowout in Game 6 when they shot 19 to Indiana's 18. Is it setting up for Miami to get a 10+ FT advantage in Game 7? If that happens, will the conspiracy claims rain down even though Indiana would've had more FTAs in 5 of the 7 games?

What was the free throw disparity in the regular season match ups between the Pacers and Heat?

[Flystripper]

I don't buy in to the notion that free throw disparity by itself tells you much other than one team shot more free throws. It does not necessarily mean the refs did a poor job officiating. There are many reasons (of which I am sure you are aware) why Miami is shooting less free throws in this series. (ie preponderance of jump shots, no offensive rebounds, fewer steals, etc...)

[The_Douger]

I think it's more a commentary on Dick Bavetta being a terrible ref who likes to give star teams preferential treatment.

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FIFY

[BGRTHNUMEGO]

What was the free throw disparity in the regular season match ups between the Pacers and Heat?

Indy shot 4 more FTs in 3 games. 2 of the 3 games were at Indy.

[MartyFunkhouser]

GO PACERS.

As much as I dislike Bron Bron, he deserves no blame so far in this series for it going to Game 7. The guy has been amazing while getting no help.

I agree with Dwyane Wade, Wade and Bosh need more touches in Game 7. They should sit Bron Bron to make sure that they get going.