****OFFICIAL 2013 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD****

[-King-]

2012-2013 NBA Champions:

[tk13]

If the Heat want to really be a great team, games like tonight don't happen. Especially against a depleted team. I don't care how well they're coached.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I didn't knock Durant. I said that his team struggled to beat a far inferior Rockets team and that he was a far worse player than Durant (both of which are true).


I have no problem knocking LeBron tonight. He wasn't anywhere near as good as he had to be to beat the Bulls.

As I've said before (and LeBron still has time to do it)... he still has to prove that he can close a close game. Last year's playoffs and already with the Bucks series, he has been flat-out dominant in the first 3 quarters. But between last year's playoffs and this year's playoffs, he's been deceptively mediocre in the last 2-3 minutes of a game. Passes up on way too many shots in a close game and too often misses the shots he does take.

The question is, seeing that he was pretty bad in the last 2-3 minutes... can he get it out of his head? To his credit, this year, he's been nails late in games in ways that he hasn't usually. But I would say that this is about as much pressure as he's going to face all year, given the expectations of him going into game 2.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by KevB

Amazing what Thibs is getting out of Nate Robinson. He was a borderline NBA player a couple of years ago. Now, he's running a team that could beat the Champs on Game 1 on their home court. Generally making good decisions and actually playing good D.

I was called an idiot for suggesting that Robinson could help the Thunder.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

As I've said before (and LeBron still has time to do it)... he still has to prove that he can close a close game. Last year's playoffs and already with the Bucks series, he has been flat-out dominant in the first 3 quarters. But between last year's playoffs and this year's playoffs, he's been deceptively mediocre in the last 2-3 minutes of a game. Passes up on way too many shots in a close game and too often misses the shots he does take.

The question is, seeing that he was pretty bad in the last 2-3 minutes... can he get it out of his head? To his credit, this year, he's been nails late in games in ways that he hasn't usually. But I would say that this is about as much pressure as he's going to face all year, given the expectations of him going into game 2.

LeBron has been fine throughout his career late in games (and the stats all support this). Thought this myth ended after the NBA finals win last year.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by tk13

If the Heat want to really be a great team, games like tonight don't happen. Especially against a depleted team. I don't care how well they're coached.

If they use it as motivation and bounce back to win in 5 or 6, people will say it was good for character. Nobody will remember about a minor bump in the road. All depends how they react to this.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I didn't knock Durant. I said that his team struggled to beat a far inferior Rockets team and that he was a far worse player than Durant (both of which are true).


I have no problem knocking LeBron tonight. He wasn't anywhere near as good as he had to be to beat the Bulls.

Durant's team lost those games because Thabo Sefalosha, Kevin Martin, Kendrick Perkins etc couldn't convert wide open opportunities. Also, because the coach didn't make an adjustment til game six that everyone and their dog was questioning. You made that point to show how Durant is inferior to LeBron. It has nothing to do with anything. LeBron is out of this ****ing World good, but Durant is fantastic too. The tweet was off base and dumb. That is really all that needs to be said. You make Durant sound like a failure for going 6 games with a team when it's way beyond him. If one player makes that much of a difference beating Houston should be a great win since you haven't had Harden's cock out of your mouth all year.

[Mother****erJones]

Bulls!! What an incredible gutsy performance tonight. I've always been a big Nate Robinson fan. Glad he's tearing it up for us. Got to get Thibs a ring. He's the best coach hands down.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

LeBron has been fine throughout his career late in games (and the stats all support this). Thought this myth ended after the NBA finals win last year.

You can go ahead and look at the game logs from last year. I've posted them a trillion times. LeBron was outstanding in the playoffs last year. He was NOT good in the final 3 minutes of games when the game was close. Like I said, I've seen more resiliency from him and a "I don't give a ****" attitude from him this year than I've ever really seen from him in his career. But he still does not look like the close game playoff "killers" you'd expect from one of the greatest players of all time.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

I was called an idiot for suggesting that Robinson could help the Thunder.

He could now. He was here for a few months and never saw the floor. You might as well say he could help Memphis because he's played almost as many minutes there.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

If they use it as motivation and bounce back to win in 5 or 6, people will say it was good for character. Nobody will remember about a minor bump in the road. All depends how they react to this.

The Heat are well past the character building stage. They could, and probably should win this thing in 5. Still, tonight was a lack of killer instinct, just asleep at the wheel. The really great teams don't need motivation by losing to Nate Robinson to get in gear.

[okcchief]

This loss means nothing for Miami if they win the series. Doesn't matter if you win in 4,5 or 7. Thibs is a fantastic coach that knows how to give them problems. For some reason he seems to give them more problems without Rose.

Also, LeBron doesn't have to be a closer when his team is often crushing his opponent, and dominates in every way. If he keeps winning rings it doesn't matter how. Now if they lose a series with a healthy roster feel free to crucify. I'm not falling for the sky is falling shit. The Heat will be fine.

[Mother****erJones]

People can say rust, I agree. But the Bulls have been playing with like 8 players. If only the Bulls could be fully healthy for a stretch in the playoffs, it would be fun to see.

[-King-]

Loul Deng

So proud of my team man, this bed might be good luck after all. #SeeRed #Holdat

[Mother****erJones]

Originally Posted by okcchief

This loss means nothing for Miami if they win the series. Doesn't matter if you win in 4,5 or 7. Thibs is a fantastic coach that knows how to give them problems. For some reason he seems to give them more problems without Rose.

Also, LeBron doesn't have to be a closer when his team is often crushing his opponent, and dominates in every way. If he keeps winning rings it doesn't matter how. Now if they lose a series with a healthy roster feel free to crucify. I'm not falling for the sky is falling shit. The Heat will be fine.

This could be and I'm afraid it will be, Deja Vu. Chicago beat Miami in game 1 a couple years ago then got run out of the series

[Mother****erJones]

Uh...ya..Deng isn't coming back anytime soon