NBA Post Season - (and Finals PTSD therapy thread)

[Relic]

Old thread filled up. Use this one to cry.

[ebevan91]

Step your game up, Eastern Conference.

Or else the Heat will just lol their way through to the Finals again.

[BLU-RAY]

Trust me T.D. is taking this harder than Parker. Parker goes out and pops bottles with models. T.D. goes home to his wife.

This is possibly the sickest burn I've ever seen, and it's made more hilarious by being unintentional. Ouch.

The Miami boxscore looks absurd. Out of nine players who got minutes, four of them had zero points (and a fifth had three), including two of their starters.

This ties into another point - this was a set of really big individual performances by members of the Heat; to some extent, a triumph of talent over team (you heard Pop making that point in one of the Spurs' huddles). Primarily James, but Wade/Chalmers as well. Check this out: Miami's assist numbers for the series: 20, 22, 21, 23, 25, 23, 14.

They moved the ball less, and instead just kind of said, "hey, I'm going to get this"... and then they did.

Just to reiterate.

[Ferrum Aeternum]

Primarily James, but Wade/Chalmers as well.

I don't know that they counted on Shane Battier making six threes (tied for his season high, which he previously accomplished only once, in November).

It's a different game if he doesn't make those shots at all the right times.

[Jabronius Maximus]

Step your game up, Eastern Conference.

Or else the Heat will just lol their way through to the Finals again.

If Indiana is kept together and learns how to play their game when it counts most (read:IF) then I could see them taking the Heat out next year, not unlike what the Mavs did to the Lakers in 2011 (a man can dream).

Now mentioning the Lakers, it's crazy how both teams' 3 consecutive finals runs mirrored each other: Both lost in 6, Then won in 5 and 7. By this logic I am 100% sure the Heat will be swept in the 2nd round next year (again, a man can dream).

But this was an awesome finals. I still think Lakers-Celtics in 2010 was better, mostly because of the result. But GAWD DAYUM TD will be haunted for a long time by the end of that game...

[ebevan91]

The look on Duncan's face near the end of that game broke my heart.

[Jaime L]

Just to reiterate.

I know 6 of those 14 assists were to Battier. But the rest of the Heat offense was almost entirely Lebron and Wade doing it on their own and showing that when you have 2 of the 20 greatest players all time,on their game and hitting from distance, you really don't need much else. Bosh, Allen and Miller combined for 0 points. Didn't matter.

And yet the Spurs brand of brilliant team play would generally have a great chance at trumping that. But they needed everyone on their games and Parker and Green just notably weren't.

If Game 6 broke differently in those final 28 seconds, those two would've easily been the top two vote getters for Finals MVP. Instead of going out as heroes they lived long enough to see themselves become the villains.

(okay, not villains, but when you're trying to quote The Dark Knight you gotta work with what you got. Let's say weak links)

[Jabronius Maximus]

At least I have the NFL season to look forward to...by proximity (Edmonton/Vancouver), I grew up a Seahawks fan, and they look even better than they were last year.

GO SEAHAWKS

[Relic]

Instead of going out as heroes they lived long enough to see themselves become the villains.

That's quoting Dark Knight AND Jay-Z. Well done.

[Relic]

But honestly. FUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!

[Jabronius Maximus]

I would've been happy for Lebron if he won for any other team except MIAMI. I was pissed as fuck in 2006, and same feeling these last 2 years. FUCK

He is clutch as fuck tho

[sperry]

It will be interesting to see what veterans jump on the Heat title train next year, because if Wade's diminished capacity is permanent, I don't think they can win it all next year with this roster. They need to add some impact players. Will also be interesting to see what htey do with Bosh. He's not worth nearly what they're paying him.

[Maithanet]

Watching the highlights of the game this morning, I got a little teary when TD missed his game tying runner in the final minute. He slammed the floor in frustration at the other end, because in many respects, that was the final play of his career. How many times has Duncan found himself covered by a smaller man, made that same move, and scored? Hundreds. How many times has he missed? Not many. But age comes for us all, and I think that his body just wasn't able to play at his level in the 4th quarter of both games 6 and 7. Passing the torch is sad (doubly so because i am reaching that age in my own, far far smaller athletic career).

Congrats to Lebron and the Heat. They earned this win, the Spurs played like true champions but Miami just had a little more. I think that Parker's hamstring was the difference, but health is part of being a champion, and the Spurs have been battling that in some way or another essentially since the 07 championship.

[Jalapenohitchhiker]

I have to give the Heat respect for defending their title. With that said, I hope they fail miserably next season and fall into the deepest pits of NBA hell. And if D-Rose doesn't return by the start of next season, heads will be rolling.

[Rhom]

Questions to be answered in the next few months: Wither goest Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers? Can you break up a big three that expressly came together in your town just to be with each other? Can any of the young teams take the "next step"? Does anyone care about this draft at all?

So when can I start talking about Nerlens Noel being the number one pick?!!! ;)

The Cavs are now feinting they'll take Alex Len.

I think they're also desperately looking up to see if Georghe Muresan has a son and if so, if he's declared.

I think I mentioned earlier that someone said they were looking to shop the number one pick to the Kings for Cousins. In most situations, that seems patently absurd... but Cousins could legitimately be the best young big man in the game, if you can get a coach that can keep his head in the game.

I like Alex Len from what I saw of the few Maryland games I watched. He has improved dramatically in the last year and a half, so perhaps his ceiling isn't as limited as conventional wisdom says. I think Len could be a solid pro for several years, never a star, but a solid pro. Its sort of the same way I feel about Cody Zeller. Noel has definite star potential, but could equally flame out and you have the injury concerns now. So I'd say its a higher upside, but with a potential lower downside as well. :dunno:

The drumbeats are getting louder of "experts" who think LeBron will go back to Cleveland after next year to play with Irving. Putting aside the sheer irony of him going back to the town that loathed him so very much after the decision; if Cleveland can get an athletic big in this draft and put that in place with Irving and Dion Waiters, then the Cavs would have a legit roster to put around James if he were to return. I suppose stranger things have happened.

[DaarioKnowsBest]

i think Cousins might be Derrick Coleman pt2

[Rhom]

i think Cousins might be Derrick Coleman pt2

Could be... but he behaved so well in his one year at Kentucky, its hard for me to believe that there's no one out there that can reach him.

[Fez]

The drumbeats are getting louder of "experts" who think LeBron will go back to Cleveland after next year to play with Irving. Putting aside the sheer irony of him going back to the town that loathed him so very much after the decision; if Cleveland can get an athletic big in this draft and put that in place with Irving and Dion Waiters, then the Cavs would have a legit roster to put around James if he were to return. I suppose stranger things have happened.

I really don't see it. I also don't think he'll end up with the Lakers (especially if Howard resigns there), which seems to be the other predication "experts" keep making. I really think he'll just stay with Miami, unless next season is a complete disaster (by Heat standards) and they don't even make the Eastern Conference Finales, and try building a legit dynasty (3+ more rings before the end of his next contract). First with Bosh and Wade, then with Wade and superstar X, and then with superstar X and Superstar Y. Miami still has their amnesty if they want to use it, and if they don't, in the summer of 2015 (since unless Wade and/or Bosh have insane seasons next year there's no way they're opting out of a year of a max contract, they aren't going to see those again) they will an enormous amount of cap space to bring in whoever LeBron wants.

[Calibandar]

Parker was 3 out of 12 last night, and 6 of 23 in game 6. That just isn't good enough, and he was absent too often last night in particular. Then there is Danny Green. And that really makes all the difference. The Heat are inconsistent as hell when it comes to their role players, Miller and Allen missed every shot they tried to make last night, and of course so did Bosh. But then there is Battier, who was already playing well of late, and who has for the last two years been described as a vital member of this team, the glue that holds them together.

Best players this series overall for the Spurs? A magnificent young Kawhi Leonard, the new Spurs star, and Tim Duncan, the outgoing 37 year old Mentor who's still got it. Parker, Ginobili, Green, Neal, had their fine moments but were inconsistent. Tim Duncan was great but not did get the support he needed there.

Wade really put on a show last night. He was so good that I had confidence that every time he shot, it would go in. He was really playing at his best. It's a shame that this is Miami, they really are the most unlikable team in the NBA.

They've got James, whose personality I go on and off on, who has these weird games where he just goes lethargic, but also shows most of the time why he is the best player in the world ( for now). There's Wade, whose got tremendous skill but is such a whiner and a dirty player. There's Chalmers who is such a snake. Then there is Bosh, who just looks like a weak chick amongst the nest of NBA centers , and who Jaime very adequately described as looking like a velociraptor. There's the Birdman, whose look I like, but who seems to be something of an asshole as well. There's Mike Miller with that douchebag look, who has frequently been a liability but still got way more time than Battier. It's a shit franchise, and they won again.

Next year might well be different though. I don't necessarily see the Spurs going worse. They will get another year out of their big 3, and Leonard, Green will be back. OKC will be better than this year with Westbrook in the team and hopefully one powerful signing, possibly by getting rid off Perkins. Indiana will be stronger if they keep Granger and make it work. My 4th candidate are the Bulls, with Rose back in the team and a shooting guard threat added, they could be contenders again.

[Maithanet]

I really don't see it. I also don't think he'll end up with the Lakers (especially if Howard resigns there), which seems to be the other predication "experts" keep making. I really think he'll just stay with Miami, unless next season is a complete disaster (by Heat standards) and they don't even make the Eastern Conference Finales, and try building a legit dynasty (3+ more rings before the end of his next contract). First with Bosh and Wade, then with Wade and superstar X, and then with superstar X and Superstar Y. Miami still has their amnesty if they want to use it, and if they don't, in the summer of 2015 (since unless Wade and/or Bosh have insane seasons next year there's no way they're opting out of a year of a max contract, they aren't going to see those again) they will an enormous amount of cap space to bring in whoever LeBron wants.

I kinda go back and forth on the "Lebron wants to win a title for the Cavs". I think he does, but it seems too early to return the Cleveland at this point. Maybe by 2015 it wouldn't be, but at the moment it seems soon. The crazy thing is that if Lebron stays in Miami, a target superstar to add would be Kyrie Irving, seeing how superstars never want to play in Cleveland.