NBA Finals 2013 Part 3

[baxus]

2) Genuinely feel like the refs did the best they could under some incredibly tough 50/50 calls. People just have a hair trigger with regard to it because the NBA has a credibility problem and a lot of people hate the Heat. This was a long way from 2006 Heat-Mavs or 2002 Lakers-Kings.

i'm still pissed off about that series.

it's all coming back to me, staying up all night or waking at 3-4am to watch divac and stojakovic, going to school immediately after the match is over all pissed off because of the refs' decisions...

[Guest]

I agree that this was an all-time great game, and it should be seered into everyone's memory that this is what Miami fan does: leave an all-time great game early.

It's a day later, and I still don't remember being this sucker-punched by a game that wasn't for my team. It would be all the sweeter if SA somehow won Game 7.

[Calibandar]

I really didn't have a horse in this race to begin with. I've never been a Spurs fan, and yes, I've found them boring in the past, even in the past two regular seasons. I would only root for Miami if they were really the better team though, if LeBron would shoot for the stars. I don't want to see Miami to win if they play like this, as if even this Miami play would be good enough for the title. I want the best team to win, and in this series the Spurs have impressed more with their offensive work than Miami. If Miami go lights out in game 7 and take it, I am fine with it. But a Spurs win in game 7 would feel more deserved overall, mainly because they seem to have maintained their regular season form, while Miam hasn't ( and some on the Miami team have been downright abominable).

That's another mad thing about last night. I saw Ray Allen on the floor last night and he offered so little. And then suddenly he hits that three. Hadn't seen the guy do anything all night. Same for that Mike Miller 3 pointer wearing only one shoe. That's why Spoelstra keeps them on the floor I guess, in the hopes of such flickering moments of quality.

[aeu]

Ok. The only call that I saw to give credence to that would be on the final drive by Manu, when Allen reached in and stripped the ball, but there was a lot of contact. You could say that he should have gotten that call, but to me that is much more of the "the refs don't bail you out in the final seconds" rather than "the fix is in".

That was an obvious foul and a good no call :) It also appeared that Lebron sent Parker flying out of bounds on the last play of regulation. Would probably have been called at another point in the game.

I would be super happy if either of those were called, but I'm not sad that they weren't. Deciding this championship on such calls would not be fitting.

I thought the refs were inconsistent overall but not necessarily biased. I was impressed that they weren't bailing Miami out, especially considering how much Miami players were whining. I don't think Spurs have much to protest here, except for the review at the end of regulation that made Pop go insane.

[Relic]

That review gave Miami a free time out and a chance to set their defense. Not happy about that. Otherwise i agree with you aeu, inconsistent but not overly biased. I think the NBA shoudl over haul the entire ref process though. They simply have too great an impact on the game.

[aeu]

I think the NBA shoudl over haul the entire ref process though. They simply have too great an impact on the game.

They really do. I would be happy with things being called consistently for a start. That should not be too much to ask.

Disagree with the Pop criticism. Even if Ginobili was 0-8, it wouldn't shock me at all for him to provide the dagger in a big spot. He has the history (even recent history considering what he did in Game 5).

How about when he is 0-8 with something like 20 turnovers?

[Maithanet]

That review gave Miami a free time out and a chance to set their defense. Not happy about that. Otherwise i agree with you aeu, inconsistent but not overly biased. I think the NBA shoudl over haul the entire ref process though. They simply have too great an impact on the game.

Although I thought it was very surprising that the Spurs were allowed to sub after that review. Duncan inbounded the ball, and he obviously wasn't in before. I know Pop didn't like the refs blowing the whistle, but it could have worked out for them.

[Guest]

Part of what was so frustrating about Manu's night was that he didn't just have 8 turnovers. It was that several of them were spectacularly bad. I know he's pretty adept at making tough passes, but he was just out of line with it last night.

[aeu]

uh oh..

"I have no clue how we are going to be re-energized," Ginobli said. "I'm devastated."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--gregg-popovich-s-substitutions-open-to-second-guessing-after-spurs--game-6-loss-064549161.html

This thing could have a hell of an ending if Manu and Parker come back and have monster games to win it. I really cannot see how that could happen, but i still have a sliver of hope.

[DanteGabriel]

That's another mad thing about last night. I saw Ray Allen on the floor last night and he offered so little. And then suddenly he hits that three. Hadn't seen the guy do anything all night.

That shit made me all bitter again about the 2010 Finals, when if Ray had just had a really awful shooting night instead of going 0-13, that would have won a tight game for the Celtics and probably tilted the series.

[Jabronius Maximus]

A few thoughts:

1) Miami fans really are the worst. Who leaves an elimination game 6 early?! You fairweather fucks, you do not deserve this team. The Marlins, that's the team these Seven Nation Army chanting d-bags deserve. Not this embarrassment of riches.

In the NFL, even bad teams can nearly sell out a game. But in 2008 (or 2009?) Miami had a great run to a division title, first home playoff game in a long time, and during those games they weren't close to a sellout. This is a team with an actual history (an undefeated Superbowl winning year in 1972 for example). The Dolphins essentially have to sell many of the non premium seats to themselves or sponsors to call it a sellout. The last 'true' sellout I can remember was last year against the Patriots, where like 50% of the stadium was full of Pats fans. (the nearby Jags aren't great with fans either).

Honestly if you're a big city with an NFL team whose games you can't sell out, I don't know how you can call yourself a sports city. They really don't 'deserve' this spectacle of a basketball team. And every time I see Marlins highlights I cringe because there's literally like 10 guys in the stands lol, no one there to catch a home run or foul ball.

Edit: Looking at the next few years (because, let's face it, this title is wrapped up), I really want to see a Thunder-Bulls final or two. There won't be any of the external drama, the worry of a legacy and all that crap. I'm sure it'll be super entertaining basketball, with the worry of legacies and reputation coming after the play is done. Plus Rose and Durant seem like the perfect guys to carry the league for the next decade or so.

[aeu]

Although I thought it was very surprising that the Spurs were allowed to sub after that review. Duncan inbounded the ball, and he obviously wasn't in before. I know Pop didn't like the refs blowing the whistle, but it could have worked out for them.

They were inbounding from under their basket. Don't think the inbounder makes that much of a difference, if any. Their best chance in that scenario was to push the ball.

[Fez]

In the NFL, even bad teams can nearly sell out a game. But in 2008 (or 2009?) Miami had a great run to a division title, first home playoff game in a long time, and during those games they weren't close to a sellout. This is a team with an actual history (an undefeated Superbowl winning year in 1972 for example). The Dolphins essentially have to sell many of the non premium seats to themselves or sponsors to call it a sellout. The last 'true' sellout I can remember was last year against the Patriots, where like 50% of the stadium was full of Pats fans. (the nearby Jags aren't great with fans either).

Honestly if you're a big city with an NFL team whose games you can't sell out, I don't know how you can call yourself a sports city. They really don't 'deserve' this spectacle of a basketball team. And every time I see Marlins highlights I cringe because there's literally like 10 guys in the stands lol, no one there to catch a home run or foul ball.

I was listening to some people talk about this not too long ago (possibly it was Bill Simmons, but I really don't think so), and the consensus was that in Miami (and everywhere else in Florida, and also San Diego) the problem is that the weather's too nice, there's too much else to do, and there's too many transplants from other places that root for their home teams. The only really comparable place is LA, but it's developed this culture where status is closely associated with great tickets to games.

[Rhom]

I was listening to some people talk about this not too long ago (possibly it was Bill Simmons, but I really don't think so), and the consensus was that in Miami (and everywhere else in Florida, and also San Diego) the problem is that the weather's too nice, there's too much else to do, and there's too many transplants from other places that root for their home teams. The only really comparable place is LA, but it's developed this culture where status is closely associated with great tickets to games.

Colin Cowherd talks about this all the time. At one point, I heard him give a stat that said something crazy like 75% of Miami's economy is directly related to the cruise ship industry. Literally, 3/4 of the town's income is derived from people who show up with the purpose of leaving. :lol:

[Ramsay B.]

Ok. The only call that I saw to give credence to that would be on the final drive by Manu, when Allen reached in and stripped the ball, but there was a lot of contact. You could say that he should have gotten that call, but to me that is much more of the "the refs don't bail you out in the final seconds" rather than "the fix is in".

Manu clearly took 3 steps so it should have been either a foul or travel. Up until I had to stop watching late in the 4th quarter, I thought the refs did a good job. The fix is in talk gets brought up everytime a team makes a nice comeback in a big game. It gets old.

[Relic]

Their best chance in that scenario was to push the ball.

Yarp. And Joey Crawford took that away from them.

[Maithanet]

Yarp. And Joey Crawford took that away from them.

But that was a call the refs really really can't afford to miss. If Allen actually was in front of the line, then "the fix is in" crowd would be 10X what we're hearing today. It does suck that they couldn't immediately press the attack, but they did get to make substitutions and draw up something of a play during the review. I'm sure if I were a Spurs fan I would be pissed, but that's the price you pay when you have instant replay in sports.

[Relic]

i mean i agree with you to a certain extent, it's just hard to believe no ref was in place to see allen was like 6 inches behind the line. it wasn't even a close call.

[Jabronius Maximus]

I was listening to some people talk about this not too long ago (possibly it was Bill Simmons, but I really don't think so), and the consensus was that in Miami (and everywhere else in Florida, and also San Diego) the problem is that the weather's too nice, there's too much else to do, and there's too many transplants from other places that root for their home teams. The only really comparable place is LA, but it's developed this culture where status is closely associated with great tickets to games.

It looks like culture is the key word here. The Heat, panthers, and marlins haven't really been established as a tradition, so they have mostly fair weather fans. What's weird is the Dolphins have been around for a while, have had some great success back in the day, they have the hottest cheer leaders, yet they're an afterthought. Most of the Dolphins fans aren't even in Miami lol

If the Lakers didn't establish themselves like they did, then it'd be the same situation as Miami. Last year the LA Kings won a cup and had tremendous support, but otherwise their fans are fairweather too. I guess that's just how the coastal southern US is with their sports.

[Rhom]

It looks like culture is the key word here. The Heat, panthers, and marlins haven't really been established as a tradition, so they have mostly fair weather fans. What's weird is the Dolphins have been around for a while, have had some great success back in the day, they have the hottest cheer leaders, yet they're an afterthought. Most of the Dolphins fans aren't even in Miami lol

If the Lakers didn't establish themselves like they did, then it'd be the same situation as Miami. Last year the LA Kings won a cup and had tremendous support, but otherwise their fans are fairweather too. I guess that's just how the coastal southern US is with their sports.

Eh... professional sports maybe. Don't forget, college football is king in the South.