Tequila, it's cool that you read Zach Lowe's columns, but you're really going to bet against Lebron going for the three peat? Heat are just as set up to beat Indiana (trapping D, threes) as Indiana is set up to beat Miami. Heat in 6.
Bosh was turrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible last year against the Pacers. Perhaps he plays that terrible again who knows? However, if he's knocking down open jumpers then the Pacers are in trouble.
Also last year Wade was limping into the ECF while he's been tan, rested and ready for all this time off that Spoelstra gave him not to mention these quick series.
Also Hibbert averaged 23 and 10 in last years playoffs against Miami. Is he capable of doing that? Sure. Given the way he's been playing I doubt it though.
Agree with Doogsinparadise. Not to mention Miami might be worse than last year but Lebron is somehow better than last year so Miami is more scary.
I think the problem with Wade was made clear in todays game.
He is still a good player. But he doesn't have any gravity now. (I heard someone use that referring to Dirks "gravity" and loved it. It's basically just how you pull other the defenders who aren't guarding you towards you.) He cant get to the rim anymore. He can get close to it for a little flip shot. But that's about it. He can get his points with that, cuts and mid range jumpers. But he's not creating open looks for other players. If anything I think going to him kind of bogs Miami down. He'll score so it doesn't kill them but the ball movement dies when he isos. And to many of his possessions end with him pump faking, the defender not biting and Miami scrambling for a shot at the end of the shot clock.
He also kills their spacing. I think that was a big reason Spoelstra went with Battier. If you have Haslam and Wade on the court that offense isn't nearly as dynamic. Against a defense like Indiana that's brutal.
I also wouldn't agree that Lebron is better. I think he's topped out. Defensively he's a lot worse. He basically took the year off on that end and I haven't seen him turn it back on for more than a few minutes at a time. He used to be a terror and was everywhere all the time. I don't see that now. Maybe he's tired, maybe it's just really hard to turn that back on, I don't know.
I'd still pick Miami if my life depended on it. But I think it's very interesting the Indiana blew them out. Last year Indiana wasn't good enough to do that. And you could feel it in the games. It never felt like they could run away from Miami. Being able to do that now is a big deal.
In the past, Indiana could beat Miami but you never got the impression that they could blow them off the court.
They didn't just beat Miami yesterday, they outplayed them in every which way. The fact that they are doing that while the entire world says that they are struggling is saying something.
The only "advantage" that I see with Miami right now is that they have LBJ. If you think that Wade's still Wade that's one thing and if you think Bosh has an ability to be effective that's another. But if you were holding a draft of all the players in this series, LBJ would go first, then George, West, and Hibbert before getting to the point of figuring out if you'd rather have Stephenson or Wade. At worst, Indiana's got 5 of the 8 best players in this series and at best they have 4 of the 5 best.
Pressing Tequilla. Indiana shot very well yesterday. 107 points is a great game for them.
They don't have 4 of the best 5 player either. Hibbert was a disaster in the first round. David West is good, but averaged 14 and 7 for the season. Chris Bosh is kind of soft, but he's as good as those guys. He sacrifices a lot playing for Miami. He's a 20 a game guy on a lot of teams.
Pressing Tequilla. Indiana shot very well yesterday. 107 points is a great game for them.
They don't have 4 of the best 5 player either. Hibbert was a disaster in the first round. David West is good, but averaged 14 and 7 for the season. Chris Bosh is kind of soft, but he's as good as those guys. He sacrifices a lot playing for Miami. He's a 20 a game guy on a lot of teams.
If Hibbert's trying he's better than Bosh.
Big IF, I understand. But what Hibbert can do defensively is greater than anything Bosh can do.
I agree Bosh is probably right around David West, that's fair.
And I love Paul George, but LeBron is significantly better than Indiana's best player.
Miami should still win, but Indy having home court makes it interesting. If Indy wins game 2, look out.
Pressing Tequilla. Indiana shot very well yesterday. 107 points is a great game for them.
They don't have 4 of the best 5 player either. Hibbert was a disaster in the first round. David West is good, but averaged 14 and 7 for the season. Chris Bosh is kind of soft, but he's as good as those guys. He sacrifices a lot playing for Miami. He's a 20 a game guy on a lot of teams.
If Hibbert's trying he's better than Bosh.
Big IF, I understand. But what Hibbert can do defensively is greater than anything Bosh can do.
I agree Bosh is probably right around David West, that's fair.
And I love Paul George, but LeBron is significantly better than Indiana's best player.
Miami should still win, but Indy having home court makes it interesting. If Indy wins game 2, look out.
I don't like Bosh, but he's a hell of a lot more consistent than Hibbert. A trying, dialed in Hibbert is a top 10 player. There are very few true centers and his rim protection is a huge and rare asset. Once something goes wrong though, all the little bitch in him comes out and he quits.
In this series would you rather have Hibbert or Bosh?
Everything that I said regarding how bad of a matchup Indiana was for Miami came true in Game 1.
At this point, sure, hypothetically Game 1 was a massive aberation. However, what happens if in Game 2 Indiana wins again in the 95-85 range?
For as much as Game 1 was a must win game for Indiana, Game 2 is a must win game for Miami. Make no mistake, they got run off the court yesterday.
I actually think game 2 is just as much of a must win for Indiana as Miami. I think Miami could rally from 0-2 down while if Indiana loses game 2 then they lose home court. Also proves game 1 was a fluke and it's back to the drawing board.
I think offensively what Miami did you can expect rest of the series. They struggle from outside against Indiana and Bosh often no shows against them. However, the Pacers particularly to start the game shot the lights out making 6 of their first 7 three pointers.
The Pacers scored a playoff high 30 points in the first quarter and 107 points in the game. They also only had 10 turnovers, they rank 26th in turnovers. Against Miami that is what fuels their offense is three pointers and turnovers.
Miami was blown out in game one and recovered. Now I picked Miami in 6 and I'm still sticking with it. I actually had a feeling the Pacers would win game one and probably steal one in Miami. I think Miami wins games 5 and 6 though.
without Ibaka I doubt either series will be all that close Spurs 5 Heat 5
then spurs in 6, barring injury
after thinking about it a bit more, spurs in 7. Westbrook has a huge series, the thunder maybe even outplay them, but Pop will outcoach Brooks badly in a few key spots.
Heat now have won 11 straight in the playoffs after losing a game. Wade has been terrific. Best he's looked since 2012 playoffs if not 2011.
Birdman was a ridiculous +24 in 28 minutes. I know that isn't the be all end all but that's pretty incredible. I felt like him and Cole were the unsung heroes for the Heat tonight.
Miami doesn't win without the defense that Cole and Birdman played.
This may sound crazy, but I actually think that Miami's best chance in this series is to grind it out and focus all of the possessions through LBJ and Wade. If the pace gets going, I don't think they can score enough.
Other huge part of the game tonight was David West getting in foul trouble and Luis Scola playing like shit. Scola's got to be able to make the open 15-19 footers he's going to get.
Tequilla jumped the gun. What a shock. You get stuck on teams, Tequilla. First, Clippers were beating Golden State in 5, then Clippers were beating OKC in 5 after the game one blowout, now Indiana is beating Miami.
I would have stuck with Miami even if it was 2-0. All they needed to do was win the home games and take either game 5 or 7. Indiana doesn't have a chance.
Miami doesn't win without the defense that Cole and Birdman played.
This may sound crazy, but I actually think that Miami's best chance in this series is to grind it out and focus all of the possessions through LBJ and Wade. If the pace gets going, I don't think they can score enough.
Other huge part of the game tonight was David West getting in foul trouble and Luis Scola playing like shit. Scola's got to be able to make the open 15-19 footers he's going to get.
First of all you act like Scola hasn't played like shit. Miami was 2011 Miami today where it was everyone get the fuck out of the way let Lebron and Wade take over(scored 22 of 25 in the 4th).
Birdman has always played really well against Indiana even due to last year. I read when Bosh/Birdman on court together were a plus 25 in 80 minutes against Indiana going into today. That's nothing new.
David West is the key to the Pacers, Heat have no answer for him. However when he goes out Indiana immediately goes to hell. It's either play Scola or go small either way Miami is smiling.
Tequilla jumped the gun. What a shock. You get stuck on teams, Tequilla. First, Clippers were beating Golden State in 5, then Clippers were beating OKC in 5 after the game one blowout, now Indiana is beating Miami.
1) Clippers should have won the first series against the Warriors in 5. Between a terrible call at the end of Game 1 and the Sterling Game in Game 4 and you get what you saw as a 7 game series.
2) I still think that the Clippers are better than OKC but they just flat out blew the series.
3) Miami played a great game tonight. Indiana got nothing from George, West and their bench. Despite that, it took a late Miami run to win the game tonight. If I'm Indiana, I look at tonight as a blown opportunity but at the same time feel very comfortable that if both teams play their best game that I've got the upper hand.
Tequilla jumped the gun. What a shock. You get stuck on teams, Tequilla. First, Clippers were beating Golden State in 5, then Clippers were beating OKC in 5 after the game one blowout, now Indiana is beating Miami.
1) Clippers should have won the first series against the Warriors in 5. Between a terrible call at the end of Game 1 and the Sterling Game in Game 4 and you get what you saw as a 7 game series.
2) I still think that the Clippers are better than OKC but they just flat out blew the series.
3) Miami played a great game tonight. Indiana got nothing from George, West and their bench. Despite that, it took a late Miami run to win the game tonight. If I'm Indiana, I look at tonight as a blown opportunity but at the same time feel very comfortable that if both teams play their best game that I've got the upper hand.
Just stop. You went PLSS territory where every point was wrong.
1. Your silence on Paul getting away with a no call on Curry speaks volumes.
2. OKC did steal the series but remember Clippers also had an 18 point comeback to even the series.
3. Those players didn't show up but is Lance Stephenson going to average 25 this entire series? I doubt it. Is George Hill going to average double figures making three 3's a game? I doubt it. It all evens out.
Scola's been borderline shit most of the year. They don't need him to be great in this series, just something better than the shitty he was tonight. He was 1-6 tonight and 1-3 in Game 1. He's a career 50% shooter and was a 47% shooter on the season. Almost every shot he's getting is a wide open look that he has historically made throughout his career. He just needs to make a few of those shots.
Bottom line is that when George and West have games like they do, then the Pacers are in big trouble.
You are right, West is the guy that Miami doesn't have an answer for.
Scola's been borderline shit most of the year. They don't need him to be great in this series, just something better than the shitty he was tonight. He was 1-6 tonight and 1-3 in Game 1. He's a career 50% shooter and was a 47% shooter on the season. Almost every shot he's getting is a wide open look that he has historically made throughout his career. He just needs to make a few of those shots.
Bottom line is that when George and West have games like they do, then the Pacers are in big trouble.
You are right, West is the guy that Miami doesn't have an answer for.
You are acting like Miami played their best game. I can play this game with Bosh, Allen and Chalmers. You know Bosh or Chalmers is due for a hot shooting game. Chalmers always has that one game a series where he makes 4+ three pointers and drops 15+ points.
Like I said it all evens out. Does Stephenson average 25 for his career? Does George Hill make over 50% of his three's while making 3 a game for his career? no they don't.
It's all balanced out. You are acting like a Doog right now.
Tequilla jumped the gun. What a shock. You get stuck on teams, Tequilla. First, Clippers were beating Golden State in 5, then Clippers were beating OKC in 5 after the game one blowout, now Indiana is beating Miami.
1) Clippers should have won the first series against the Warriors in 5. Between a terrible call at the end of Game 1 and the Sterling Game in Game 4 and you get what you saw as a 7 game series.
2) I still think that the Clippers are better than OKC but they just flat out blew the series.
3) Miami played a great game tonight. Indiana got nothing from George, West and their bench. Despite that, it took a late Miami run to win the game tonight. If I'm Indiana, I look at tonight as a blown opportunity but at the same time feel very comfortable that if both teams play their best game that I've got the upper hand.
Just stop. You went PLSS territory where every point was wrong.
1. Your silence on Paul getting away with a no call on Curry speaks volumes.
2. OKC did steal the series but remember Clippers also had an 18 point comeback to even the series.
3. Those players didn't show up but is Lance Stephenson going to average 25 this entire series? I doubt it. Is George Hill going to average double figures making three 3's a game? I doubt it. It all evens out.
1) A defensive player is allowed to put his hand straight up on defense. I hate the pussy way that the NBA rewards jump shooters for taking bad shots.
2) I realize that the Clippers stole a game that they shouldn't have won. Point being that I think that the Clippers will go back and look at when they were successful and realize that when the ball doesn't stick and they move the ball they are probably the most efficient offensive team. When the ball starts sticking they become relatively easy to guard. They also need to go out in the offseason and find some additional size to be able to throw out at KD.
3) No, I don't expect Stephenson to go out and average 25 points a game. However, it's not like he's not a very capable player and he has a history of playing well against Miami. I think that this is what happens when he plays within himself.
Stephenson last year in the playoffs against Miami averaged 8.9 PPG on 36.4% shooting. He had a big game four I believe but outside of that he was terrible in that series.
He's all over the place, he'll have big games but you also have to realize he's going to lay an egg or two as well. That is going to happen.
Pacers are a mentally weak team too so we'll see how they respond having lost home court advantage again. Have to play at Miami where they have struggled down there(most of the games been blowouts).
Scola's been borderline shit most of the year. They don't need him to be great in this series, just something better than the shitty he was tonight. He was 1-6 tonight and 1-3 in Game 1. He's a career 50% shooter and was a 47% shooter on the season. Almost every shot he's getting is a wide open look that he has historically made throughout his career. He just needs to make a few of those shots.
Bottom line is that when George and West have games like they do, then the Pacers are in big trouble.
You are right, West is the guy that Miami doesn't have an answer for.
You are acting like Miami played their best game. I can play this game with Bosh, Allen and Chalmers. You know Bosh or Chalmers is due for a hot shooting game. Chalmers always has that one game a series where he makes 4+ three pointers and drops 15+ points.
Like I said it all evens out. Does Stephenson average 25 for his career? Does George Hill make over 50% of his three's while making 3 a game for his career? no they don't.
It's all balanced out. You are acting like a Doog right now.
Bosh never matches up well with Indiana. I do expect that at one point he'll have a good game or two for the series. I don't think he's going to all of a sudden start averaging 15-20 the rest of the series.
Ray Allen showing up with a 5 or 6 3 game would be worrisome. I definitely think he's capable of that.
I'm not too worried about Chalmers because I think he's going to lose minutes in this series to Cole because there's a huge defensive difference between the two in the matchups.
You act like George Hill isn't a good shooter. He's always a guy that averages in the 10-12 point range. He'll probably have a game where he shoots like dog shit in this series. But let's be honest, most of the shots he's getting right now are warm up 3's. And a professional player should make those shots.
I'm not going full doog at all right now. There's nothing that I've seen through 2 games that makes me think that I would change my pick. I still like where Indiana sits and matches up in this series. I expect that the 2 in Miami will be a split. I still think that this is a series that goes 7 games and how Indiana handles that will be the ultimate decider in this series.
In four regular season games against Miami George Hill averaged 3.5 PPG and shot 31.3% from the field and 33% from three point range.
Last year in the ECF he averaged 13 a game but only 38.6% shooting from the field. He's shooting 44% from the field this series.
Also George and Hibbert came off the court limping something to keep an eye on. This series just reminds me of Lakers-Kings in 2002. Teams like the Kings or Pacers aren't ready for the challenge they just aren't.
Could you see the Pacers rallying down 2-1 in this series or 3-2? I can see Miami doing that but not the fragile Pacers.
Comments
He is still a good player. But he doesn't have any gravity now. (I heard someone use that referring to Dirks "gravity" and loved it. It's basically just how you pull other the defenders who aren't guarding you towards you.) He cant get to the rim anymore. He can get close to it for a little flip shot. But that's about it. He can get his points with that, cuts and mid range jumpers. But he's not creating open looks for other players. If anything I think going to him kind of bogs Miami down. He'll score so it doesn't kill them but the ball movement dies when he isos. And to many of his possessions end with him pump faking, the defender not biting and Miami scrambling for a shot at the end of the shot clock.
He also kills their spacing. I think that was a big reason Spoelstra went with Battier. If you have Haslam and Wade on the court that offense isn't nearly as dynamic. Against a defense like Indiana that's brutal.
I also wouldn't agree that Lebron is better. I think he's topped out. Defensively he's a lot worse. He basically took the year off on that end and I haven't seen him turn it back on for more than a few minutes at a time. He used to be a terror and was everywhere all the time. I don't see that now. Maybe he's tired, maybe it's just really hard to turn that back on, I don't know.
I'd still pick Miami if my life depended on it. But I think it's very interesting the Indiana blew them out. Last year Indiana wasn't good enough to do that. And you could feel it in the games. It never felt like they could run away from Miami. Being able to do that now is a big deal.
In the past, Indiana could beat Miami but you never got the impression that they could blow them off the court.
They didn't just beat Miami yesterday, they outplayed them in every which way. The fact that they are doing that while the entire world says that they are struggling is saying something.
The only "advantage" that I see with Miami right now is that they have LBJ. If you think that Wade's still Wade that's one thing and if you think Bosh has an ability to be effective that's another. But if you were holding a draft of all the players in this series, LBJ would go first, then George, West, and Hibbert before getting to the point of figuring out if you'd rather have Stephenson or Wade. At worst, Indiana's got 5 of the 8 best players in this series and at best they have 4 of the 5 best.
They don't have 4 of the best 5 player either. Hibbert was a disaster in the first round. David West is good, but averaged 14 and 7 for the season. Chris Bosh is kind of soft, but he's as good as those guys. He sacrifices a lot playing for Miami. He's a 20 a game guy on a lot of teams.
Everything that I said regarding how bad of a matchup Indiana was for Miami came true in Game 1.
At this point, sure, hypothetically Game 1 was a massive aberation. However, what happens if in Game 2 Indiana wins again in the 95-85 range?
For as much as Game 1 was a must win game for Indiana, Game 2 is a must win game for Miami. Make no mistake, they got run off the court yesterday.
Big IF, I understand. But what Hibbert can do defensively is greater than anything Bosh can do.
I agree Bosh is probably right around David West, that's fair.
And I love Paul George, but LeBron is significantly better than Indiana's best player.
Miami should still win, but Indy having home court makes it interesting. If Indy wins game 2, look out.
I think offensively what Miami did you can expect rest of the series. They struggle from outside against Indiana and Bosh often no shows against them. However, the Pacers particularly to start the game shot the lights out making 6 of their first 7 three pointers.
The Pacers scored a playoff high 30 points in the first quarter and 107 points in the game. They also only had 10 turnovers, they rank 26th in turnovers. Against Miami that is what fuels their offense is three pointers and turnovers.
Tequilla here is a history lesson for you.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2011_ECF.html#MIA-CHI
Miami was blown out in game one and recovered. Now I picked Miami in 6 and I'm still sticking with it. I actually had a feeling the Pacers would win game one and probably steal one in Miami. I think Miami wins games 5 and 6 though.
Heat now have won 11 straight in the playoffs after losing a game. Wade has been terrific. Best he's looked since 2012 playoffs if not 2011.
Birdman was a ridiculous +24 in 28 minutes. I know that isn't the be all end all but that's pretty incredible. I felt like him and Cole were the unsung heroes for the Heat tonight.
This may sound crazy, but I actually think that Miami's best chance in this series is to grind it out and focus all of the possessions through LBJ and Wade. If the pace gets going, I don't think they can score enough.
Other huge part of the game tonight was David West getting in foul trouble and Luis Scola playing like shit. Scola's got to be able to make the open 15-19 footers he's going to get.
I would have stuck with Miami even if it was 2-0. All they needed to do was win the home games and take either game 5 or 7. Indiana doesn't have a chance.
Birdman has always played really well against Indiana even due to last year. I read when Bosh/Birdman on court together were a plus 25 in 80 minutes against Indiana going into today. That's nothing new.
David West is the key to the Pacers, Heat have no answer for him. However when he goes out Indiana immediately goes to hell. It's either play Scola or go small either way Miami is smiling.
2) I still think that the Clippers are better than OKC but they just flat out blew the series.
3) Miami played a great game tonight. Indiana got nothing from George, West and their bench. Despite that, it took a late Miami run to win the game tonight. If I'm Indiana, I look at tonight as a blown opportunity but at the same time feel very comfortable that if both teams play their best game that I've got the upper hand.
1. Your silence on Paul getting away with a no call on Curry speaks volumes.
2. OKC did steal the series but remember Clippers also had an 18 point comeback to even the series.
3. Those players didn't show up but is Lance Stephenson going to average 25 this entire series? I doubt it. Is George Hill going to average double figures making three 3's a game? I doubt it. It all evens out.
Bottom line is that when George and West have games like they do, then the Pacers are in big trouble.
You are right, West is the guy that Miami doesn't have an answer for.
Like I said it all evens out. Does Stephenson average 25 for his career? Does George Hill make over 50% of his three's while making 3 a game for his career? no they don't.
It's all balanced out. You are acting like a Doog right now.
2) I realize that the Clippers stole a game that they shouldn't have won. Point being that I think that the Clippers will go back and look at when they were successful and realize that when the ball doesn't stick and they move the ball they are probably the most efficient offensive team. When the ball starts sticking they become relatively easy to guard. They also need to go out in the offseason and find some additional size to be able to throw out at KD.
3) No, I don't expect Stephenson to go out and average 25 points a game. However, it's not like he's not a very capable player and he has a history of playing well against Miami. I think that this is what happens when he plays within himself.
He's all over the place, he'll have big games but you also have to realize he's going to lay an egg or two as well. That is going to happen.
Pacers are a mentally weak team too so we'll see how they respond having lost home court advantage again. Have to play at Miami where they have struggled down there(most of the games been blowouts).
Ray Allen showing up with a 5 or 6 3 game would be worrisome. I definitely think he's capable of that.
I'm not too worried about Chalmers because I think he's going to lose minutes in this series to Cole because there's a huge defensive difference between the two in the matchups.
You act like George Hill isn't a good shooter. He's always a guy that averages in the 10-12 point range. He'll probably have a game where he shoots like dog shit in this series. But let's be honest, most of the shots he's getting right now are warm up 3's. And a professional player should make those shots.
I'm not going full doog at all right now. There's nothing that I've seen through 2 games that makes me think that I would change my pick. I still like where Indiana sits and matches up in this series. I expect that the 2 in Miami will be a split. I still think that this is a series that goes 7 games and how Indiana handles that will be the ultimate decider in this series.
Last year in the ECF he averaged 13 a game but only 38.6% shooting from the field. He's shooting 44% from the field this series.
Also George and Hibbert came off the court limping something to keep an eye on. This series just reminds me of Lakers-Kings in 2002. Teams like the Kings or Pacers aren't ready for the challenge they just aren't.
Could you see the Pacers rallying down 2-1 in this series or 3-2? I can see Miami doing that but not the fragile Pacers.