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NBA Playoff thread 2012

#261
Well that was a great game until the final 3:00 or so when OKC freaked out and gave up on the game. I think the kids are just not ready for the moment. Harden definitely seems to be scared of the moment. Westbrook was focused all game long up until it was time to win, and he just made a couple of inexplicable errors. Durant was Durant, but not quite Durant. Bron Bron was a warrior. Chalmers had a great game; he's just a winner.

Wade...man, I never saw him as a "flopper" but now I'm starting to see it more and more. I find the act distasteful. Hopefully the league will come up with something to stem the tide. Also, this particular series is waaaay overofficiated. You see Ibaka get called for a foul diving for a loose ball? That never gets called! Come on, Man!

Looks like the Heat will probably get their "One." We'll see about their "Two," their "Three," their "Fo'" their "Fiiiiive".......
 
#262
Harden has got to step it up in game 5! I found myself screaming at the TV yesterday, "Come on, Harden! You're the difference!"

Westbrook didn't get very many foul calls, because he didn't get fouled very often.

Wade collided in the air with Ibaka, landed two feet square and balanced on the ground, then took a seat on the floor. Watching it on replay was a "come on, man!" moment for me
 
#264
the Refs have altered the last two games to the Heats advantage, IMO. most non-calls also favored Miami. if i were LeBron,.. i'd feel abit aided in my conquest.

what i'm trying to say is,...
as bad as OKC has been playing as a team. as bad as the Refs seem to be. the Heat are barely winning these games!:confused:

it cheapens the Title when the series is over-officiated. James throws a shoulder into Harden on a pick,.. he goes to the foul-line! and Offensive Fouls should be outlawed. you jump in front of a man with the ball and get knocked down, get up and get the rebound.

contact like that is not incidental, it's pre-meditated and THAT should be looked at as the real origin of "THE FLOP"!

/rant
 
#265
electracoyote said:
Around 30 trips to the hoop, and only three whistles?

That's some miraculous defense--as in unbelievably miraculous. I saw a few no-calls on Westbrook.
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That's because he doesn't think of playacting for the refs when he goes to the rim; instead he thinks about trying to hit the shot. This is how it should be. What we have here is a skinny kid (6'3", 190 lbs) who plays hardnosed basketball without the theatrics. As opposed to a guy built like a linebacker in Wade (6'4", 225 lbs) who seems to give heavier consideration to selling the foul than making the shot. If Westbrook can keep his feet on those drives in that traffic among the trees, please explain another reason why Wade can't. As Greg pointed out, yeah, I hate this aspect of Wade's game, and I'm biased by that. So stipulated, your honor. :D But it only works because the refs allow it. LBJ did some of the same last year, but to his credit he's manning up and playing ball this year - contact or no, he's trying to make the shot. He was a beast last night, and is earning my ultimate respect as an on-court warrior. Yeah, he got some calls, but when he didn't he didn't forget to run upcourt while he stood there whining about it. Good for him.
 
#266
Harden needs to get some feather earrings and make the Heat pity da fool who gave him (deserving) flak for his lackluster performance in the past 2 games. I'd love to see OKC turn this into a Cinderella story and sweep the next 3 games, but unless Harden and Durant get out of their respective slumps and the Thunder's D improves it looks pretty bleak.
 
#268
Eric Perry said:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald
James was fantastic, living up to the promise that everybody's been talking about for years. Wade, in addition to perpetrating a pathetic flop in the second quarter in which he either hurt himself or simply playacted hurting himself in the second quarter, actually stepped up and made some big shots when the Heat needed it. The big difference in the game defensively for OKC was Chalmers, who had a career night because James reacted beautifully to the doubles all night and found the open man when they came. Gotta hand it to LJ - that was a beautiful game.

For OKC, Durant played well, and Westbrook was brilliant. The rest of the team didn't supply enough balance to pull it out. Watching them for the last three quarters was like watching a series of fantastic 1-on-1 performances by Westbrook (mostly) and Durant. Once the first quarter was over, they had no flow on offense, no offensive rhythm. Van Gundy was right on the money with his commentary. And the biggest reason they've lost the last two games, IMO, is... the Beard. His season averages as 6th man of the year were 16.8 points on 44% shooting (and 37% from the 3 point line). His averages over the last two games were 8.8 points on 20% shooting and 11% from 3. Bring his averages up to normal, and the Thunder win those two games. But even without the stats, Miami has at had at least one more reliable scorer than OKC in every game, and that's supposed to be Harden's role. He just hasn't stepped up and filled it. Simple as that.

As for the rest, yes, there were some bogus calls and non-calls. Westbrook should have gone to the line more, and Wade less. Wade gets more phantom calls than anyone I've ever seen, and whines more than anyone in memory. But if Harden had played his regular expected game, OKC would be sitting pretty right now. Instead, they're in an insurmountable hole saving a miracle. I want to see them scratch their way back to OKC with some heart, and some Harden.
Agreed on all counts. Regarding Wade's "injury", I'd be willing to bet he wasn't hurt in the least. Watching him go down on replay did not look even remotely bad.

and

Agreed on all counts. Regarding Wade's "injury", I'd be willing to bet he wasn't hurt in the least. Watching him go down on replay did not look even remotely bad.
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Yes, this. Plus just let them play. When BOTH sides are not angry, but CONFUSED about the refs calls, AND a Heat-lover like VanGundy AND a relatively neutral non-ref-hating guy like Breen are all equally confused, then the refs are calling too much. Debate who it goes against all you want, but these teams are not angry or malicious towards each other, so no need to call it so tight. Some of these fouls are just so random.

Great intelligent comments in this part of the thread, very proud of TB. :)
 
#274
GregC said:
that was a bad call. But what's really BS is OKC's defense.
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Agreed. Congrats to the Heat - as much as I dislike them, they've played better ball in this series, and especially in this game. The Thunder defense has been porous all night, leading to all kinds of open shots - many of them threes - and Miami has exploited it beautifully. Harden didn't show again, and at this time has been more than doubled up output wise by Mike Miller, who can barely walk. OKC's defensive scheme was an abject failure, but to Brooks' credit, he stuck with it. :D
 
#275
Chris Fitzgerald said:
Agreed. Congrats to the Heat - as much as I dislike them, they've played better ball in this series, and especially in this game. The Thunder defense has been porous all night, leading to all kinds of open shots - many of them threes - and Miami has exploited it beautifully. Harden didn't show again, and at this time has been more than doubled up output wise by Mike Miller, who can barely walk. OKC's defensive scheme was an abject failure, but to Brooks' credit, he stuck with it. :D
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The Finals were over on Tuesday. By the end of that game you could tell that they were burned out and beaten mentally. It definitely showed tonight. Good fight, Thunder, hopefully you'll be back at the main stage next year and come home with some bling.

And with as much screaming going on in the apartment above me you'd think LeBron James ran over their dog or something :hmm: They're originally from Cleveland so I can't say I'm surprised they aren't fans of him.
 

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