Official 2012-2013 NBA Playoffs Thread

[lupi]

Was a waste of a game, miami played so crappy they didn't even get to stress duncan or the turnover machine for an advantage in a long series.

Although that may be a bit moot if parker manages to miss at least 2 games. Outside of the 3 getting hot for them, parker is really the only one to be feared and that could be a decisive change of fate.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Go Spurs Go!!!

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

The idiots claiming Lebron is the greatest ever please turn in your basketball credibility card.

Until he can consistently make an open jumper it's no longer even up for discussion.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Nope, if they played like they did in game 2 they could maybe even win without him. Bosh needs to step up, and Miller, Birdman & Allen all have to play. Tonight every player just sucked, not sure what was the cause. But I don't suspect they'll allow it to happen again. Crazy how different they looked tonight compared to the last game. With the talent they have, they don't even need to play as well as game 2, they just need to play far better than they did tonight and they can still take it. And it wasn't even a case of SA playing craze defense, Miami literally lost the game all by themselves tonight.

I'm still laughing at the person who said Wade isn't as good as Pippen, only on ATOT. I shouldn't be surprised though, I mean hell Rodman said that James shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Pippen. It's hilarious how the Miami hate is so strong it makes people unable to say reasonable shit.

Pippen was better than Wade in his prime. Jordan is so much better than LeBron it's not funny. Rodman would make Birdman look like a fool out there.

 

[Miramonti]

Has a team ever won all 3 in the 2-3-2 finals format? (I'm thinking no, iirc)

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Has a team ever won all 3 in the 2-3-2 finals format? (I'm thinking no, iirc)

Heat 06 against me mavs.

 

[Vdubchaos]

The idiots claiming Lebron is the greatest ever please turn in your basketball credibility card.

Until he can consistently make an open jumper it's no longer even up for discussion.

Agreed

I've been saying this all along. James is all hype simply because NBA sucks this day and age.....that's about as good as they will get, and it's clear that "it's not so good".

Can you imagine James without Wade/Bosh going up against the 80s Pistons like Jordan did......pppppfffffffffftttttt

 

[darkewaffle]

Old stuff is better because it was older!

 

[Vdubchaos]

Old stuff is better because it was older!

Old stuff is better because it was much better quality.

This doesn't apply just to NBA either.....

 

[preslove]

Old stuff is better because it was much better quality.

This doesn't apply just to NBA either.....

Everyone here knows you are a fucking idiot. Go away.

 

[007ELmO]

Nope, if they played like they did in game 2 they could maybe even win without him. Bosh needs to step up, and Miller, Birdman & Allen all have to play. Tonight every player just sucked, not sure what was the cause. But I don't suspect they'll allow it to happen again. Crazy how different they looked tonight compared to the last game. With the talent they have, they don't even need to play as well as game 2, they just need to play far better than they did tonight and they can still take it. And it wasn't even a case of SA playing craze defense, Miami literally lost the game all by themselves tonight.

I'm still laughing at the person who said Wade isn't as good as Pippen, only on ATOT. I shouldn't be surprised though, I mean hell Rodman said that James shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Pippen. It's hilarious how the Miami hate is so strong it makes people unable to say reasonable shit.

Quebert, you're trolling. They played well in game 2, but the spurs just beat "you" by nearly 40. Who played better? Did Spurs "literally lose" the game all by themselves in game 2, too? I'd hate to see your other logical/illogical arguments here on anandtech?

What is reasonable with the Heat? They have only 2 championships. Wade is Pippen. Can't win without Batman.

Spurs are a better team, face it. Lebron is playing with the miami cavaliers, take your rose colored glasses off. Lebron makes "all around him better", and at the same time makes "all around him look worse".

Wade is totally injury prone, who cares what you did in the regular season, he's almost worthless in the playoffs = decoy. Not in the same league as Lebron, either.

Lebron shot well in the regular season, he has not shown consistency in this series so far. Wade/Lebron have no consistent jumper, and are iffy at the foul line (one of LBJ's weaknesses IMO). They aren't even getting trips. Spurs and Pacers might have been the only teams to beat them in a series this year, but other teams were severely injured!

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Old stuff is better because it was older!

Are you arguing that Lebron, Bosh, Wade was better than Jordan, Pippen, Rodman?

I'm not a everything older is better guy. Im a realist. I think the quality of the nba player is definitely up compared to the 80's and 90's. I just think the top 1% of the guys were better then.

 

[007ELmO]

Has a team ever won all 3 in the 2-3-2 finals format? (I'm thinking no, iirc)

I don't know, but the stats are teams who won game 3 in the 2-3-2 format have won 12 out of 13 championships. The team that lost, was the Miami heat. Spurs have the best winning percentage in Finals. All statistics point to a Heat loss this year.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Heat is simply not playing "championship" quality basketball. They have 0 consistency.

They might have played a handful of quality basketball games in they playoffs this year.

 

[vi edit]

Parker's hammy, SA feasting on the threeball, and the simple fact that when Miami *wants* to play, they can play better than anyone doesn't mean this series is anywhere close to over.

SA isn't going hit that many shots every game. They aren't going to get 25+ points out of Green and Neal every game. Lebron & co aren't going to miss as many. Miami will adjust again and it will be a different game on Thursday. If Parker is out that really tilts the tables as you just lost an MVP caliber player.

 

[007ELmO]

Parker being out can tilt statistics, but statistics usually account for all that nonsense. Spurs won't do it again, but Parker had 6 points and they won by 35+. Spurs can win without their superstars, too.

They are coached better. Sorry Spo. Heat won't change their game plan because Green/Neal aren't supposed to do that again. Usually it's the role players that have to step up, those are how these games are won. Consistency out of your superstars and an allstar like game from someone else.

Hard for the Heat, they need one-man-team Chalmers to get 20, or one of their 3 point guys to catch fire. This team is boring to watch.

 

[Miramonti]

Parker's hammy, SA feasting on the threeball, and the simple fact that when Miami *wants* to play, they can play better than anyone doesn't mean this series is anywhere close to over.

SA isn't going hit that many shots every game. They aren't going to get 25+ points out of Green and Neal every game. Lebron & co aren't going to miss as many. Miami will adjust again and it will be a different game on Thursday. If Parker is out that really tilts the tables as you just lost an MVP caliber player.

They will play defense Thursday and that will be the biggest adjustment. SA made 3's, but simply feasted on open shots, which were 3's. I can't think of a single 'bad' 3 they took where the shot clock wasn't run down. Great ball movement started it, but miami didn't 'finish' their defense and also played horrible transition defense.

/edit: after looking back at the video, they took some bad 3's because manu had to scratch his itch in a couple untimely moments, lol.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Hard for the Heat, they need one-man-team Chalmers to get 20, or one of their 3 point guys to catch fire. This team is boring to watch.

Yeeep

 

[Miramonti]

Good news for SA...parker diagnosed with only a grade 1 hamstring strain, the mildest level of strain.

So no damage/tear etc., and there is good chance that he will be playing tomorrow.

 

[Vdubchaos]

How about Jason Kidd ehh? Wow

 

[fustercluck]

How about Jason Kidd ehh? Wow

For reals! That's crazy, he literally just retired. I like them taking a big chance here, though. The NBA is a revolving door of coaches anyways. Even if he gets them to the playoffs he'll probably be fired, like most of the playoff coaches this year, including the Clippers and Grizzlies who had FRANCHISE BEST seasons. And the coach of the year is out, too. If you're looking for a steady job, being an NBA coach would be your last choice.

Having no coaching experience at all is a bit of a concern . Poor Patrick Ewing! He's been an assistant coach for like 13 years and never got a shot at head coaching and Jason Kidd takes his jersey off, walks out of the locker room and gets a HC job offer.

 

[007ELmO]

You know only the top longest tenured coaches have made the finals.

Spoelstra is the 3rd longest tenured coach.

 

[QueBert]

Parker being out can tilt statistics, but statistics usually account for all that nonsense. Spurs won't do it again, but Parker had 6 points and they won by 35+. Spurs can win without their superstars, too.

They are coached better. Sorry Spo. Heat won't change their game plan because Green/Neal aren't supposed to do that again. Usually it's the role players that have to step up, those are how these games are won. Consistency out of your superstars and an allstar like game from someone else.

Hard for the Heat, they need one-man-team Chalmers to get 20, or one of their 3 point guys to catch fire. This team is boring to watch.

Heat can win without their super stars too, Chalmers ring a bell? Spurs can win without their super stars, but it will require Miami to have another melt down like game 3. Spurs only win here if Miami defeats themselves. The way they played in game 2 [Miami] nobody beats them, the way they played in game 3. Any team in the NBA would have beat them. I'm a gambling man, and I'll bet money game 4 they're going to play like game 2, maybe even better.

 

[Miramonti]

Heat 06 against me mavs.

ouch. When I look back at that series, all I can think about was how dirty they played...the refs I'm talking about of course.

How about Jason Kidd ehh? Wow

I think that's bs, albeit it's their choice.

Clearly he hasn't earned his stripes, and they interviewed shaw just to fill their 'minority quota' for the interview process. Kidd must have been impressive, but they should have given him an asst. position first. There are too many long time assistants that have gained a ton of experience and are ready for a shot.

I don't know, but the stats are teams who won game 3 in the 2-3-2 format have won 12 out of 13 championships. The team that lost, was the Miami heat. Spurs have the best winning percentage in Finals. All statistics point to a Heat loss this year.

I expect tomorrow to be the start of another series...just as every game seems to be in this finals (not to mention for the heat in the past 2 playoff series.) I wouldn't count the heat out until it's signed, sealed, and delivered by david stern, and hopefully that's the attitude the spurs maintain.

 

[HendrixFan]

The Spurs really got into the passing lanes in game three and disrupted the flow of the Miami offense. They may not have gotten a huge number of turnovers but they had tons of kickballs and tipped passes. Phil Jackson would always track deflections each game (have an assistant do it obviously) and use that as part of the grade of each player's defense. Traditional stats don't reflect it but it makes a huge difference.

Meanwhile on offense the Spurs were out of their mind shooting. Miami allowed some open threes but nothing they really have to worry about. They funneled the ball away from the corner threes that SA usually feasts on. SA made relatively few of those. Miami pushed the ball out to the top where SA and the rest of the league doesn't shoot it nearly as well. Only last night SA shot it crazy good. On face up shots they were pulling up from 27-30 feet. The defense "gave them space" on those because, c'mon.

Is it time to think of using Wade as a sixth man? I see that the Heat want to involve him and Bosh early to try and keep SA more honest on D so they aren't always tripling Lebron (the vintage Celtics defense used against him) on penetration. But I think they are wasting early possessions and conceding some of the tempo that way. Bring Wade off the bench and let him have some run against SA's second team, exactly like SA uses Ginobili.

Either way the Heat don't really have to adjust too much. When you have two guys hitting 70%+ from 30 feet out all night you aren't going to win. You just won't. No amount of adjustments to a defense makes that a possibility.