Stop with the absurd hyperbole. They had to change the rules of the game in the past for guys.

 

Also squeeking through game 6 and getting an absurd shooting night from Battier = having it on lock?

 

 

 

Game 7 and he scores 37 points and hits the shot to seal the game. It's not like Battier saved James tonight. Battier saved Bosh.

Me thinks LeBron is going to have a hard time 3 peating next yr.

He's still the favorite by quite a bit IMO

Me thinks LeBron is going to have a hard time 3 peating next yr.

 

Could definitely be a much tougher road. Indiana and Chicago will probably have better health and then possibly OKC, who might have a better big-3 by this time next year with the way Wade and Bosh look of late.

Edited June 21, 201312 yr by ZoomSlowik

He's still the favorite by quite a bit IMO

 

As current rosters stand they are the favorite. Do work GarPax.

Stop with the absurd hyperbole. They had to change the rules of the game in the past for guys.

 

Also squeeking through game 6 and getting an absurd shooting night from Battier = having it on lock?

 

They won. I don't care how they did it.

 

Me thinks LeBron is going to have a hard time 3 peating next yr.

 

We'll see. But the east is just not that good. We have no idea what Rose will be like. Indiana has to figure out what they're going to do with Granger. The Knicks can't get a second star to pair with 'Melo. Nobody else is worth mentioning. Forgot about Westbrook, too.

Edited June 21, 201312 yr by Jordan4life

Both teams hit a 3 during the time Duncan/Parker were sitting in the 4th. Duncan also sat for the first 3 minutes of the 2Q and SA outscored the Heat 4-3.

 

So for the 4-5 minutes that Parker and Duncan sat together, the Heat outscored SA 11-5. 14-9 during the 5 minutes where Duncan didnt play tonight.

 

 

But yes, after playing 44 minutes 2 nights ago, lets run Duncan out there for 48 minutes and not give him a breather tonight.

You are making up your stats. SA didn't hit a three until five minutes left in the fourth. They didnt score for the first 1:10.

 

 

 

 

Duncan can sit, just not with Parker at the same time.

Edited June 21, 201312 yr by Buehrle>Wood

Game 7 and he scores 37 points and hits the shot to seal the game. It's not like Battier saved James tonight. Battier saved Bosh.

I was referring to barely getting by in game 6, and separately needing Battier tonight. I'll grant you that Lebron deserves mostly all the credit tonight. The point however remains that, while Lebron is the best player in theNBA, and likely the best post MJ player, its hyperbole to say he "has it on lock"

I was referring to barely getting by in game 6, and separately needing Battier tonight. I'll grant you that Lebron deserves mostly all the credit tonight. The point however remains that, while Lebron is the best player in theNBA, and likely the best post MJ player, its hyperbole to say he "has it on lock"

 

No, it's not. Other than, like, 4 good games from Wade (Bosh was wack most of the playoffs), he still got it done. As long as he has a competent cast, it's his title to lose.

Edited June 21, 201312 yr by Jordan4life

He's still the favorite by quite a bit IMO

I don't think so(and this is nothing against LeBron btw), granted, we have to see what the offseason entails but the Bulls, Pacers and OKC should all be trending upwards while I think the Heat are about to hit a big down turn.

 

Once again, we have to see what the offseason brings but at the moment this will be the first time preseason that I don't think LeBron and the Heat will be the best team in the league.

 

 

I don't think so(and this is nothing against LeBron btw), granted, we have to see what the offseason entails but the Bulls, Pacers and OKC should all be trending upwards while I think the Heat are about to hit a big down turn.

 

Once again, we have to see what the offseason brings but at the moment this will be the first time preseason that I don't think LeBron and the Heat will be the best team in the league.

 

That's a big leap to think Rose, Granger and Westbrook will play at their pre-injury levels, at least in that first year. If Wade is a question mark, so are those three.

Edited June 21, 201312 yr by Jordan4life

I don't think so(and this is nothing against LeBron btw), granted, we have to see what the offseason entails but the Bulls, Pacers and OKC should all be trending upwards while I think the Heat are about to hit a big down turn.

 

Once again, we have to see what the offseason brings but at the moment this will be the first time preseason that I don't think LeBron and the Heat will be the best team in the league.

 

Wade is one HGH revelation away from being a reliable player in the playoffs again.

Wade is one HGH revelation away from being a reliable player in the playoffs again.

 

Wouldn't be surprised if he takes a trip to Germany to see Kobe's doctor this offseason.

That's a big leap to think Rose, Granger and Westbrook will revert back to their pre-injury levels, at least in that first year. If Wade is a question mark, so are those three.

Honestly, there's no reason to believe that those 3 wont be themselves by the time the playoffs roll around, sure it might take them a few weeks during the regular season but unless all 3 of them get hurt again, I have every reason to believe that they'll be themselves come playoff time. Wade is a completely different animal than those 3.

Honestly, there's no reason to believe that those 3 wont be themselves by the time the playoffs roll around, sure it might take them a few weeks during the regular season but unless all 3 of them get hurt again, I have every reason to believe that they'll be themselves come playoff time. Wade is a completely different animal than those 3.

 

Those 3 aren't going to be 32 years old with a ton of mileage, that's one thing that separates them and Wade.

Honestly, there's no reason to believe that those 3 wont be themselves by the time the playoffs roll around, sure it might take them a few weeks during the regular season but unless all 3 of them get hurt again, I have every reason to believe that they'll be themselves come playoff time. Wade is a completely different animal than those 3.

 

We'll see. Rose/Westbrook are all about athleticism and explosiveness. Anything less than 100% in those two things and they're not the same players.

That's a big leap to think Rose, Granger and Westbrook will play at their pre-injury levels, at least in that first year. If Wade is a question mark, so are those three.

 

Not really the same thing with Rose and Westbrook. They're both 24, are coming off one major injury (Westbrook's wasn't even that major) and are supposedly ready right now (yeah, I know, supposedly). Wade is 31 and looks worn down. He keeps piling up a variety of injuries. As for Granger, he's more likely to take a hit, but they don't exactly need him to score 20 a game and he might not even be there.

 

You just never know with the NBA. At this point last year, we thought Miami/OKC was a lock and that Dwight Howard was going to Brooklyn.

We'll see. Rose/Westbrook are all about athleticism and explosiveness. Anything less than 100% in those two things and they're not the same players.

 

And Wade isn't? Usually it's a better idea to bet on the guys in their early/mid-20's when it comes to recovering from injuries.

You are making up your stats. SA didn't hit a three until five minutes left in the fourth. They didnt score for the first 1:10.

 

 

 

 

Duncan can sit, just not with Parker at the same time.

 

 

That's right. I misread the ESPN PBP. I'm happy though ESPN pointed out that a 3-foot shot is with just 2 points.

 

Kawhi Leonard makes 3-foot two point shot

 

 

 

Still nitpicking on the subbing patterns. With older players, youre going to try to maximize the chance for Duncan/Parker to sit. So the final minutes of a quarter + tv timeout + a minute into the next quarter is ideal. You get them to sit for about 8 real time minutes and only miss 4 game minutes. Every coach would have done the same thing, especially if they had the lead at that point.

 

 

When it comes to ranking why SA lost, that is below others. You can blame Green going 1-12. Parker not scoring in the second half. The rushed shot after the steal when it was 85-82. There was plenty of time on the shot clock to wait for the rest of the Spurs to get back on offense. No reason for Green to shoot a 3 with 16+ seconds left on the clock.

 

 

 

And Wade isn't? Usually it's a better idea to bet on the guys in their early/mid-20's when it comes to recovering from injuries.

 

I didn't say they couldn't recover. I question can they fully get back to their pre-injury form next year. Rose could've knocked some of that rust, etc, off had he played and we'd have a much better idea of where he's at- but let's not get into that.

Miami needs a player like Leonard who can consistently score inside and outside, but isn't afraid to rebound.

 

If you flipped Leonard for Bosh, they'd be 5X the team.

 

We'll see how well Wade comes back. You're right, at that age, with all that wear and tear...you just never know.

 

The thing is, Miami is going to attract some veterans players who desperately want a ring and aren't making salary demands their primary consideration.

 

 

As great as Lebron played, and hitting that clutch shot to put them up 4...it's not MJ vs. the Cavs or Celtics.

 

In the end, Leonard played a great game but Green undid it and Battier going off absorbed the loss of points from the enigmatic Bosh.

Edited June 21, 201312 yr by caulfield12

I didn't say they couldn't recover. I question can they fully get back to their pre-injury form next year. Rose could've knocked some of that rust, etc, off had he played and we'd have a much better idea of where he's at- but let's not get into that.

 

You're being kinda silly considering Miami has Dwyane Wade. You're arguing repairable injuries compared to a gradual physical decline. It's especially true with Westbrook since he would have been out like 2 months if the injury didn't occur in the playoffs.

You're being kinda silly considering Miami has Dwyane Wade. You're arguing repairable injuries compared to a gradual physical decline. It's especially true with Westbrook since he would have been out like 2 months if the injury didn't occur in the playoffs.

And come playoff time Derrick will have had how long to recover? Once again, this is nothing against LeBron's greatness but there's a few teams that I think are ready to catch Miami and actually pass them and it's not because of James.

Edited June 21, 201312 yr by Rowand44

Miami needs a player like Leonard who can consistently score inside and outside, but isn't afraid to rebound.

 

If you flipped Leonard for Bosh, they'd be 5X the team.

We'll see how well Wade comes back. You're right, at that age, with all that wear and tear...you just never know.

 

The thing is, Miami is going to attract some veterans players who desperately want a ring and aren't making salary demands their primary consideration.

 

 

As great as Lebron played, and hitting that clutch shot to put them up 4...it's not MJ vs. the Cavs or Celtics.

 

In the end, Leonard played a great game but Green undid it and Battier going off absorbed the loss of points from the enigmatic Bosh.

 

I wouldn't go that far, at least not at his current level of play. They'd have a HUGE hole inside, Leonard just isn't big enough to guard post players. He can get away with it against Miami because of their small lineup. Basically, they need just Bosh to be the guy he was in Toronto.

 

Finding a cheap, productive player like him would be a huge boost to their roster though.

You're being kinda silly considering Miami has Dwyane Wade. You're arguing repairable injuries compared to a gradual physical decline. It's especially true with Westbrook since he would have been out like 2 months if the injury didn't occur in the playoffs.

 

Wade had an off post-season. His regular season numbers were elite. Which one is which? We'll see. Wade doesn't have to be '06 Wade for the Heat to win. But Rose has to be '11 Rose for the Bulls to have any chance at all. By the time next season rolls around, Rose will have not played in an NBA game in damn near 20 months. Forgive me if I question if he can get back to the same level in year 1. I'll believe it when I see it.

I wouldn't go that far, at least not at his current level of play. They'd have a HUGE hole inside, Leonard just isn't big enough to guard post players. He can get away with it against Miami because of their small lineup. Basically, they need just Bosh to be the guy he was in Toronto.

 

Finding a cheap, productive player like him would be a huge boost to their roster though.

Not to defend Bosh here but I feel his struggles are more a product of a system than they are of Bosh. And that's not a shot at Spo cause they have 2 titles but I feel if Bosh went else where, he'd be the Toronto guy again.