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NBA Playoffs 2012

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,061 ✭✭✭leggo


    ESPN's coverage is an absolute joke. I think I've seen one game on an actual tv and the rest have been on streams on my laptop. Took me a good while to find one for the game on atm

    In fairness, the fact that they have it and cover constant regular season and play-off games sporadically is better than we've ever had (I believe?). They're 100% with coverage during Conference Finals and the Finals themselves. But before that basketball is non-existent on the schedule at weekends.

    I remember my only NBA fix was the Saturday afternoon recap show on UTV and then hunting around to find what station was covering the Finals every year. So at least we have a semi-reliable spot now. ESPN made my Christmas evening this year with their coverage...was great to sit back after the day and just binge on back-to-back basketball.

    But if you want great coverage and can afford it, look into the NBA TV play-off deal. Great quality, you can watch multiple matches split screen, get every game streamed or watch in full afterwards etc. Front Row are good for free streams but you can't beat guaranteed reliability.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,785 ✭✭✭killwill


    leggo wrote: »
    Kinda glad the Lakers are through. It sets up a fantastic conference semi versus OKC. MWP is back, Harden is in fantastic form, OKC have a score to settle but Kobe is still gonna be Kobe. It could be a 4-0 rout for OKC easily or could go the distance. Love it.

    And, whatever the result in tonight's last 1st round game, either the Clippers or Memphis will give the Spurs an entertaining series.

    Lakers and OKC is like an early Christmas present for me tbh.
    I have always been a big Kobe fan and I feel Lakers can step up another gear.
    OKC though are probably the most enjoyable team to watch. Harden is on serious form and Durant, well on his day is unplayable.

    I see the Clippers falling short tonight but they will invest again during the offseason and come back strong next year.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭Carcharodon


    Clippers won't be hard to beat but Chris Paul will be a difficult task to handle for most teams.

    Miami are going to have a tough series against the Pacers, Hibbert caused them massive problems, Miami did well it the 4th to shut down the lanes and keep the ball out of the paint.
    Pacers should keep on trying to get the ball into the big men, I think they have a real advantage there.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,061 ✭✭✭leggo


    Clippers won't be hard to beat but Chris Paul will be a difficult task to handle for most teams.

    Miami are going to have a tough series against the Pacers, Hibbert caused them massive problems, Miami did well it the 4th to shut down the lanes and keep the ball out of the paint.
    Pacers should keep on trying to get the ball into the big men, I think they have a real advantage there.

    I can see Miami/Pacers ending like OKC/Mavs, in that they sweep them but all four games are competitive. Pacers struggled majorly at times against a massively under-strength Magic side, and Miami simply won't allow them that leeway once they drop their guard. We tired ourselves out against them, burned out after a long, stressful season, whereas in the Heat's mind the season just begins at the play-offs and they won't be run down.

    As for the rest:
    • OKC beat Lakers in 6. But who knows, really? Anything could happen in this one.
    • Spurs sweep Clippers. 5 at most, but very much doubt the Clippers will even get one win.
    • Boston beat Sixers in 6.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭Carcharodon


    leggo wrote: »
    I can see Miami/Pacers ending like OKC/Mavs, in that they sweep them but all four games are competitive. Pacers struggled majorly at times against a massively under-strength Magic side, and Miami simply won't allow them that leeway once they drop their guard. We tired ourselves out against them, burned out after a long, stressful season, whereas in the Heat's mind the season just begins at the play-offs and they won't be run down.

    As for the rest:
    • OKC beat Lakers in 6. But who knows, really? Anything could happen in this one.
    • Spurs sweep Clippers. 5 at most, but very much doubt the Clippers will even get one win.
    • Boston beat Sixers in 6.

    Yea, I can see where you are coming from in regards to the Pacers and Heat but I do think if they play smart they could give them a bit of trouble, just pound the ball inside.
    As for the rest, I am thinking pretty much the same but who knows.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,424 ✭✭✭Felexicon


    Lakers vs Thunder starting tonight!!!!!!!

    I cannot wait or this one. As a Laker fan I hope we can hold them off for one more year but you have to respect how far they've come in such a short amount of time.
    If the Thunder can get over the Lakers it could give them the boost they need to go all the way!!!!!!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,710 ✭✭✭✭Paully D


    Really looking forward to OKC V Lakers tonight myself. Should be a cracking series.


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭SoulGuy


    ESPN's coverage is an absolute joke. I think I've seen one game on an actual tv and the rest have been on streams on my laptop. Took me a good while to find one for the game on atm

    You just need to keep checking their schedule each day since they usually give 24 hours notice of a game being shown . I only found out a couple of hours ago that they're showing the Lakers-Thunder game tonight.

    Also looks like Bosh will be out indefinitely.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭Carcharodon


    Sixers v Boston was a pretty poor game, very scrappy and Boston should really be taking care of the Sixers at home without too much trouble, still expect them to win the series but very poor tonight.

    The Thunder are giving the Lakers some hiding, usually don't like blowouts but this is pretty enjoyable to watch :D. Oh and Ebank has just been ejected and threw a little tantrum on the way out. Poor Mike Brown, never had a chance did he...


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭SoulGuy


    The Mike Brown hire sure wasn't Mitch's finest moment. . He didn't make a single sub for 9 full minutes with his team down 30.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,061 ✭✭✭leggo


    Woah...so yeah, OKC kinda mean business in this series. Think the Lakers will just want to get them back to LA after this and pray they can turn it around. Would love a 4-0 though, especially after MWP's carry on since the suspension.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,785 ✭✭✭killwill


    leggo wrote: »
    Woah...so yeah, OKC kinda mean business in this series. Think the Lakers will just want to get them back to LA after this and pray they can turn it around. Would love a 4-0 though, especially after MWP's carry on since the suspension.
    Was last nights game not in LA?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,061 ✭✭✭leggo


    Nope, OKC have home court advantage.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,710 ✭✭✭✭Paully D


    Chicago Bulls ‏ @chicagobulls
    Dr Cole says timeframe for Rose’s return is in 8-12 month range. Sometimes shorter, sometimes longer.

    Best case scenario is he's back January 2013, worst case scenario is he misses all of next season :(


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭Carcharodon


    Well done Pacers, didn't catch all the game but they looked aggressive and deserved the win. As long as they keep on playing to their strengths and play team ball then they can continue to give the Heat problems.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,710 ✭✭✭✭Paully D


    Fair play Pacers.

    What I really liked about them last night is they gave the Heat back just as much as they got in the physical stakes and Miami didn't like it at all.

    LeBron missed clutch free throws again with under a minute left and the Heat down 1, he missed both of them and Indiana went down the court and knocked down one free throw to make it a 2 point game. Both sides had a lot of trouble scoring at the free throw line in the last minute of the game. Made for a really exciting finish with Chalmers missing the 3 to tie at the buzzer.

    Big win for the Pacers who have 2 home games coming up now.

    Did anyone catch the Clippers @ Spurs? I seen the score alright 108-92 Spurs, Duncan scored 26 and grabbed 10 rebounds according to the box score. Cracking win for the Spurs when you consider Parker only had 1 FG in the whole game, he was 1 for 9.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,833 ✭✭✭NufcNavan


    www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NXw7VKopmA

    Wade should have been ejected for this. He's one of the most petulant players in the NBA when things don't go his way.

    Wade is a flopper. There is no way around it. His game has become a shell of it's former, ring-winning self. Tremendous talent, but he falls down almost as often as Mario Chalmers, and is ALWAYS looking to the officials. This is not the Wade that won a championship in his younger days.... back then he played actual basketball, and made actual basketball plays. Nowadays, he plays some other game based entirely on trying to draw fouls. It's no longer basketball. It's drive, flop, fall down, look at the official.


    Oh, and :)

    577107_408452629186935_363680440330821_1258973_1133442276_n.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 554 ✭✭✭RMDrive


    And where is Wades suspension??? Ah no. We could never suspend one of the Heats superstars now could we? Really dirty play. If Psycho T had done it to Wade you can bet your ass that he would be looking at a suspension.

    Great win for the Pacers. They have nothing to fear from the Heat and if they can get big Roy going in the new few games and get DG to waken up, they have a great chance of taking the series.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,833 ✭✭✭NufcNavan


    RMDrive wrote: »
    And where is Wades suspension??? Ah no. We could never suspend one of the Heats superstars now could we? Really dirty play. If Psycho T had done it to Wade you can bet your ass that he would be looking at a suspension.

    Great win for the Pacers. They have nothing to fear from the Heat and if they can get big Roy going in the new few games and get DG to waken up, they have a great chance of taking the series.
    Look at the comparison of Smith's foul on Griffin in the Clippers V Hornets. Pretty much the same foul and he got ejected.


    In the Griffin foul, the NBA is trying to prevent ordinary players from abusing superstars. They don't want teams to start using goons to rattle stars for strategic reasons.

    In Wade's foul, it was the superstar playing goon. That's not something the NBA thinks will become a trend. There's little to no advantage gained to Miami from having Wade hurt Collison.

    So yeah, I think the relative importance of the players played a huge part in the decision. A superstar acts up and gets a slap on the wrist. A nobody attacks a cash cow and gets the book thrown at him. That's how the NBA sees it.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭Carcharodon


    Paully D wrote: »
    Fair play Pacers.

    What I really liked about them last night is they gave the Heat back just as much as they got in the physical stakes and Miami didn't like it at all.

    LeBron missed clutch free throws again with under a minute left and the Heat down 1, he missed both of them and Indiana went down the court and knocked down one free throw to make it a 2 point game. Both sides had a lot of trouble scoring at the free throw line in the last minute of the game. Made for a really exciting finish with Chalmers missing the 3 to tie at the buzzer.

    Big win for the Pacers who have 2 home games coming up now.

    Did anyone catch the Clippers @ Spurs? I seen the score alright 108-92 Spurs, Duncan scored 26 and grabbed 10 rebounds according to the box score. Cracking win for the Spurs when you consider Parker only had 1 FG in the whole game, he was 1 for 9.

    I watched bits and pieces of it, Clippers did well at the start of the game, Butler and Young knocked down their shots which takes the pressure off Paul, but the Clippers need Paul to perform well at all times if they are to compete because they don't really have the players to fill in.
    Spurs are too deep and consistent and should win this series with relative ease.

    On the whole Wade issue, he has gone from being one of my favorite players to a bit of a bitch, kind of just seems like it's since LeBron and Bosh came.
    Remember last year when him and LeBron were mocking Dirk for being sick, was disgusting and cringing to watch, backfired big time on them though.
    They really do just throw the toys out of the pram when things aren't going their way.

    Thunder just stole that away from the Lakers, really thought the Lakers had it wrapped up with two mins left and up 7 but credit to the Thunder for keeping their composure. Harden really went at them in the last few mins and got to the basket.


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭SoulGuy


    Lakers really did blow that game. Two terrible passes and trying to run the same set over and over again was a recipe for disaster. OKC knew exactly what they were trying to do, and it resulted in some awful shots.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,785 ✭✭✭killwill


    Right I have a big problem, I was workign nights for the last while so never missed a game and now when it comes to play offs I find myself back on days.

    Is there anywhere you can watch extended highlights online? Not just the 2:30 ones on NBA.com?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,710 ✭✭✭✭Paully D


    Looking forward to Heat @ Pacers tonight. A Pacers win here please!


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭SoulGuy


    Thoroughly enjoyed this Tim Duncan article from SI. Especially this quote.
    5 His Buddy KG

    Just kidding, as this might count in his favor. In fact, Duncan hates Kevin Garnett. Hates him the way liberals hate Sean Hannity. This information comes from very reliable sources, who talk about how KG has made a career of trying to punk Duncan, baiting him and slapping him and whispering really weird smack into his ear. They talk about how funny this is, because the worst thing you can do as an opponent is piss off Duncan. Then, as Malik Rose says, "he f
    destroys you." Duncan's lifetime numbers versus Garnett's teams, by the way: 19.4 points per game, 11.6 boards and a 44--17 record, including the postseason.

    Duncan is diplomatic about the topic. Asked if perhaps all those years battling Garnett have softened his feelings for the man, led to a Magic-Larry type of kinship, Duncan leans back on the couch in his hotel room and grins. There is a pause. A longer pause. Finally he says, "Define kinship."


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,061 ✭✭✭leggo


    killwill wrote: »
    Right I have a big problem, I was workign nights for the last while so never missed a game and now when it comes to play offs I find myself back on days.

    Is there anywhere you can watch extended highlights online? Not just the 2:30 ones on NBA.com?

    I watch condensed highlights, 15 min or thereabouts, for playoff games I miss on the NBA app. Pretty much all the big plays with the fluff cut out. I'd imagine they're available on NBA.com somewhere if you can't get the app. If you've got the NBA TV subscription you can also watch the full game without breaks etc on the app. Again, I'd imagine they're available somewhere on the site.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,710 ✭✭✭✭Paully D


    Interesting stat:

    scaled.php?tn=0&server=580&filename=581.png&xsize=480&ysize=480


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,424 ✭✭✭Felexicon


    Paully D wrote: »
    Interesting stat:

    scaled.php?tn=0&server=580&filename=581.png&xsize=480&ysize=480
    It is only interesting because Kobe let 7 other people shoot in the 4th quarter.
    What does it prove though? Are they trying to say Kobe isn't clutch? LOL


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,108 ✭✭✭BQQ


    Paully D wrote: »
    Interesting stat:

    scaled.php?tn=0&server=580&filename=581.png&xsize=480&ysize=480

    But....but he's clutch ... and Lebron isn't :confused:;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 712 ✭✭✭Formation


    Lads I want to get back into watching a bit of nba but with work I cant watch the late games. Do they have matches starting before midnight during the regular season?


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 5,014 Mod ✭✭✭✭GoldFour4


    Pacers heat is on espn right now people. Fantastic atmosphere in the fieldhouse in indy, the sea of yellow is a fantastic sight


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,710 ✭✭✭✭Paully D


    Indiana are up 66-55 near the end of the 3rd and D Wade has thrown a hissy fit going at Spolestra during a timeout. They're bad enough when they're winning but my God they are 10 times worse when they are losing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,301 ✭✭✭padraig_f


    Enjoyed that. Pacers did a good job getting West & Hibbert more involved than they were in the first two games. Hibbert had an awesome game, 19 points, 18 rebounds & 5 blocks. The defense has been excellent, they've held the Heat to 86, 75 & 75 points in the 3 games, and were more disciplined tonight (Heat had just 18 FTAs, which is way down on games 1 and 2). Can't see the Heat playing as badly again so expecting a tougher game on Sunday.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭Carcharodon


    Pacers game was great, they really just destroyed Miami in every aspect, they were more physical, aggressive,and played smarter team basketball. They just had the Heats number by forcing them to take jump shots and on offense they caused so many problems in the paint that they were then able to spread the ball around and had open shooters available.
    Hibbert looks like he could be a dominant force in the league for years, great rebounder with a sweet hook shot.

    Then Wade acting like a prima-donna, bad attitude. I expect the Heat to adjust and with two superstar scorers this series could well go to the wire even though the Pacers look to have their number, its still early days.

    Spurs march on to LA, i expect them to split the games there unless they get more out of Paul. Could even be a sweep if the Clippers don't get their at together.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,833 ✭✭✭NufcNavan


    Bosh obviously a big miss for the Heat, but people need to give the Pacers some credit. Terrific defense and the big men in West and Hibbert are excelling.

    If you have a player like Bosh out, it's always made easier when you have the caliber of players like LeBron and Wade to step up. The latter isn't doing that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭SoulGuy


    I think Miami needed that in order to become a championship team. We'll see how they respond. I just think there's a huge flaw in the personality of this team, and it comes from LeBron/Wade/Bosh. They tried to take the easy route to a title by joining forces. They're great at kicking the crap out of a team and beating them in 4 or 5 games. But when they find themselves in a dog fight, they haven't handled it well so far. When things don't come easily...and there's almost always a point in the playoffs where it doesn't come easily for every team...they don't seem to know how to deal with it, and LeBron's the #1 culprit in shrinking from the moment in terms of court presence.

    It's just one game and 2-1 is no big deal, but I think it's worth nothing. They have to learn how to function when things aren't coming easily. I think this is the year that they learn how to fight through it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,061 ✭✭✭leggo


    SoulGuy wrote: »
    I think Miami needed that in order to become a championship team. We'll see how they respond. I just think there's a huge flaw in the personality of this team, and it comes from LeBron/Wade/Bosh. They tried to take the easy route to a title by joining forces. They're great at kicking the crap out of a team and beating them in 4 or 5 games. But when they find themselves in a dog fight, they haven't handled it well so far. When things don't come easily...and there's almost always a point in the playoffs where it doesn't come easily for every team...they don't seem to know how to deal with it, and LeBron's the #1 culprit in shrinking from the moment in terms of court presence.

    It's just one game and 2-1 is no big deal, but I think it's worth nothing. They have to learn how to function when things aren't coming easily. I think this is the year that they learn how to fight through it.

    Great post and analysis of the matter, I just couldn't thank it in good heart because I hate (and fear) your conclusion.

    You could very well be right though. But god, I'd love if the Pacers could do it. Imagine the odds you would've gotten at the start of the season on the Pacers and Celtics/Sixers reaching the Eastern Conference Finals?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,806 ✭✭✭Lafortezza


    Formation wrote: »
    Lads I want to get back into watching a bit of nba but with work I cant watch the late games. Do they have matches starting before midnight during the regular season?
    Only on the weekends, when some games start at 1pm or 4pm US time. During the week games start at usually 7pm US time or later which is midnight or 1am Irish time.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 5,014 Mod ✭✭✭✭GoldFour4


    Saw a tweet last night asking if the heat don't win the title this year, what should they do ?

    Personally, I'd trade Wade. His attitude can have such a negative effect on a team, and his position is not where the heat really need help. Apart from Bosh they have no legitimate big men. Bosh is a center. You know things are bad when a team has to start either Joel Anthony or Dexter Pittman at center in the second round of the playoffs. Honestly I'd consider giving wade to the Bobcats for Anthony Davis. Or even some elaborate D Wade for Dwight Howard trade.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,424 ✭✭✭Felexicon


    Saw a tweet last night asking if the heat don't win the title this year, what should they do ?

    Personally, I'd trade Wade. His attitude can have such a negative effect on a team, and his position is not where the heat really need help. Apart from Bosh they have no legitimate big men. Bosh is a center. You know things are bad when a team has to start either Joel Anthony or Dexter Pittman at center in the second round of the playoffs. Honestly I'd consider giving wade to the Bobcats for Anthony Davis. Or even some elaborate D Wade for Dwight Howard trade.
    LOL!!!!!! You say Wade has a bad attitude yet suggest he should be replaced by Dwight Howard.
    The Heat need Spolstra to grow a pair and put LeBron in at PF until Bosh gets back. He has more than enough size and strenght to compete down there and it will free up space on the perimeter for Wade to excell. As for starting Anthony or Pittman. It is what it is the Heat have made thier bed with 3 huge contracts and have to live with that. LeBron and Wade should have enough fire power to deal with the Pacers tbh


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 5,014 Mod ✭✭✭✭GoldFour4


    Felexicon wrote: »
    LOL!!!!!! You say Wade has a bad attitude yet suggest he should be replaced by Dwight Howard.
    The Heat need Spolstra to grow a pair and put LeBron in at PF until Bosh gets back. He has more than enough size and strenght to compete down there and it will free up space on the perimeter for Wade to excell. As for starting Anthony or Pittman. It is what it is the Heat have made thier bed with 3 huge contracts and have to live with that. LeBron and Wade should have enough fire power to deal with the Pacers tbh

    I think the Heat are heading home tbh. Larry bird has build an awesome team in Indiana. He only made one big acquisition in David West and the majority of the rest were drafted or acquired in trades. They have good big men and scorers like Granger, Hill and Barbosa off the bench. They have 8 good players which should beat the Heats 2 excellent players.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 554 ✭✭✭RMDrive


    Nice of Wade to voluntarily suspend himself from last nights game for his cheap shot on DC.

    Great win for the Pacers. All season long they have been able to lift things in the 3rd quarter and once again that was the key period last night. There's still an awful lot to do though. If the heat win on Sunday then suddenly it's best of 3 and they have home court advantage - a much different picture than the one that the internet is trying to present today. At the same time I suppose that if they win in BLF on Sunday, things are looking pretty good for them.

    It makes me laugh that ESPN etc know so little about the pacers. ESPN had an image of Paul George on their match report page naming him as the top scorer with 20. I know there's a George in there but surely they can tell the difference between the 2 lads?? Then you have Granger being described as "lanky"? He's no DWest but Granger is not a small guy.

    Gold swagger!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,301 ✭✭✭padraig_f


    Indiana's defense of the pick-and-roll has been very interesting in this series since Bosh went out. They adjusted it so they don't have to cover the roll man (usually Joel Anthony now), like they would Bosh. Very nice blog post illustrating it here:
    How the Pacers Are Defending the Heat’s Pick-and-Roll and Flummoxing Dwyane Wade

    Even though he says Lebron has had some success against it, I think if you're the Pacers, you're happy enough with him taking pull-up jump-shots and floaters.


  • Registered Users Posts: 854 ✭✭✭RoundBox11


    I really hope Miami get knocked out. I hate the idea of these "big 3" teams and all that rubbish. You can't have long term success with a team that relies so much on 3 guys.

    At least Boston had some decent role players and the "big 3" new their own roles too (Pierce - scorer, Allen - zone-buster, KG - defensive anchor)

    Miami has no identity. Just 3 big scorers with 3 big ego's.

    Indiana is the polar opposite.

    The East is open now that the Bulls are gone. Can't see any of them beating OKC/San Antonio tho


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,061 ✭✭✭leggo


    Agree with the poster that says Spoelstra is their problem. I've disliked him in that set up since the start...when you see him carry on, he's just not a leader. Seems a sound guy who knows his stuff, but just not a 'coach'.

    When you have a team with such big egos and the outsiders feeling so irrelevant to the bigger picture, you need a guy in there who the names can respect and who can inspire the fringe players to perform better than they really are. When Miami are pushed, they fall apart. And it's been that way since the beginning: look at how abject they were in Game 6 of the Finals last year. The task became difficult, but was still there for the taking, and they just folded. It was the least competitive game of the series IIRC.

    Bleacher Report are calling for Pat Rice to come back and I have to agree. He's exactly what they need. Spoelstra is a Villas-Boas, they need a Mourinho.


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭SoulGuy


    RoundBox11 wrote: »
    I really hope Miami get knocked out. I hate the idea of these "big 3" teams and all that rubbish. You can't have long term success with a team that relies so much on 3 guys.

    At least Boston had some decent role players and the "big 3" new their own roles too (Pierce - scorer, Allen - zone-buster, KG - defensive anchor)


    I just don't think their role players are that bad. Chalmers, Battier, Haslem, Miller...Dallas won a title last year with one superstar and bunch of vets that know how to play. It's how their stars play that makes them vulnerable. They don't create a lot of good shots. . If they're gonna win titles, it's gonna be with the overwhelming defense they played last year.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 5,014 Mod ✭✭✭✭GoldFour4


    Philly just overcame a horrible start 23percent shooting in the first half, to even things up at 2-2. Iggy came up big with 5 straight points which forced the celtics to foul.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭Carcharodon


    leggo wrote: »
    Agree with the poster that says Spoelstra is their problem. I've disliked him in that set up since the start...when you see him carry on, he's just not a leader. Seems a sound guy who knows his stuff, but just not a 'coach'.

    When you have a team with such big egos and the outsiders feeling so irrelevant to the bigger picture, you need a guy in there who the names can respect and who can inspire the fringe players to perform better than they really are. When Miami are pushed, they fall apart. And it's been that way since the beginning: look at how abject they were in Game 6 of the Finals last year. The task became difficult, but was still there for the taking, and they just folded. It was the least competitive game of the series IIRC.

    Bleacher Report are calling for Pat Rice to come back and I have to agree. He's exactly what they need. Spoelstra is a Villas-Boas, they need a Mourinho.

    I agree and disagree with your point, I agree that he is having difficulty dealing with the egos but thats not really his fault that he has to deal with these assholes.

    I am not sure if Pat Rice can use his football knowledge to lead this team ;) but maybe Pat Riley could. Even if Riley did it is no guarantee he will have the respect, how much respect did Jackson get off Kobe down through the years, a lot of grief and attitude is what he got, no coach is immune from it.
    Popovich is one of the few coaches that I think has real respect from his team.

    It is also up to Wade and LeBron to make the fringe players better, thats what all great superstars do.
    But I do agree that a different coach may solve some problems but it shouldn't be the way and is also no guarantee.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,061 ✭✭✭leggo


    I am not sure if Pat Rice can use his football knowledge to lead this team ;) but maybe Pat Riley could.

    I dunno, he's retired from Arsenal now so he's available. :p

    Yeah, I meant Pat Riley, mea culpa! :o

    In fairness, Jackson did a great job of harnessing Kobe's attitude into a winning formula. Even if you look at Alex Ferguson with Ronaldo (may as well keep up the football comparisons), he just let him keep his attitude as long as the side won. I just don't see Spoelstra having the leadership foresight to deal with the egos when things go wrong. There's no right or wrong way to handle it, that's people management at the end of the day, I just think his flaws are massively exposed when they hit tough times.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭Carcharodon


    leggo wrote: »
    I am not sure if Pat Rice can use his football knowledge to lead this team ;) but maybe Pat Riley could.

    I dunno, he's retired from Arsenal now so he's available. :p

    Yeah, I meant Pat Riley, mea culpa! :o

    In fairness, Jackson did a great job of harnessing Kobe's attitude into a winning formula. Even if you look at Alex Ferguson with Ronaldo (may as well keep up the football comparisons), he just let him keep his attitude as long as the side won. I just don't see Spoelstra having the leadership foresight to deal with the egos when things go wrong. There's no right or wrong way to handle it, that's people management at the end of the day, I just think his flaws are massively exposed when they hit tough times.
    Yea, the more I think about it the more I think you are right. It is just a shame because he does seem like a good guy and decent coach.
    Would love to see him stamp down on the attitudes and make an example of Wade by benching him or something but imagine the backlash....player power in the NBA is what its all about.


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 5,014 Mod ✭✭✭✭GoldFour4


    9mins left, close game again in Indiana.

    Heres a stream if anyone needs it :)

    http://www.coolsport.tv/stream6.php


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