2011/2012 NBA Thread: Where Weather Happens

[Matt]

ESPN needs a new announcing team. Van Gundy is awful.

 

[runawayboulder]

He'll be a coach again once Stern leaves.

 

[Matt]

Ok, I will agree that a lot of the criticism of LeBron is unfair. Now granted, LeBron brings it on himself, but a lot is unfair. That being said, do Breen and Van Gundy really need to spend the first quarter and a half acting more as LeBron's publicists (and apologists) than actually calling a friggin basketball game?

 

[runawayboulder]

Probably not but that's the fault of someone up high not telling them to shut up and be less objective. Bottom line - it's not going to happen because that's the culture of ESPN/ABC.

I think Breen is one of the top play by play men in the business but I agree he does need to tone it down some. Van Gundy just loves killing the league because they can't do anything about it while he's in a booth.

 

[The Apocalypse]

LeBron has this look in his eyes tonight...

 

[Matt]

LeBron has this look in his eyes tonight...

Here's the thing. Doc Rivers is a good coach. Eric Spoelstra is not. Rivers is going to make adjustments. Spoelstra is not. LeBron is making up the entirety of the Heat's offense tonight. The Celtics are going to adjust to defend him. If the Heat don't make adjustments to get the rest of their players in the game, the Celtics could come back.

 

[The Apocalypse]

Here's the thing. Doc Rivers is a good coach. Eric Spoelstra is not. Rivers is going to make adjustments. Spoelstra is not. LeBron is making up the entirety of the Heat's offense tonight. The Celtics are going to adjust to defend him. If the Heat don't make adjustments to get the rest of their players in the game, the Celtics could come back.

I sure hope so. I'm hoping the Celtics win this tonight.

 

[Doc Samson]

This game right here is exactly why people criticize Lebron like they do. Because if he played with this type of intensity more often, he'd definitely have at least one ring already. He's completely unstoppable but hardly ever decides to be this aggressive, but this is what it takes!

 

[runawayboulder]

Boston's blowing a lot of easy baskets in the paint.

 

[The Apocalypse]

Pierce can't hit a shot for his life tonight.

 

[Matt]

If the Celtics weren't so cold they'd be leading. LeBron's play isn't defining this game. The Celtics lack of is.

 

[Darthphere]

You could also credit the Heat defense but of course, that is out of the question. Though admittedly, the Celtics have missed a fair share of open shots. Still, this is the best I've seen the Heat play defensively this series.

 

[Matt]

But the Heat defense hasn't been THAT good. Yes, this is the best they've played since game one, but that isn't saying a whole hell of a lot. The Celtics are getting all kinds of open looks. They just aren't making them. Anyone can play great defense when the opposing offense can't make a shot.

 

[Mister J]

You could also credit the Heat defense but of course, that is out of the question. Though admittedly, the Celtics have missed a fair share of open shots. Still, this is the best I've seen the Heat play defensively this series.

They don't seem to be taking the headless chicken approach as much. They're also getting to Rondo earlier and not letting him have all kinds of space to pick the D apart.

Finish the ****ing job.

 

[Darthphere]

But the Heat defense hasn't been THAT good. Yes, this is the best they've played since game one, but that isn't saying a whole hell of a lot. The Celtics are getting all kinds of open looks. They just aren't making them. Anyone can play great defense when the opposing offense can't make a shot.

See though, I'd argue that the increase of effective defense has thrown the Celtics off their rhythm. Along with Bosh's return which has taken KG out of that free role. I agree, the Celtics are missing a lot of open shots but the Heat defense will get zero credit for that when it deserves some. Less than half maybe, but some.

 

[Matt]

Some, perhaps. At any rate, we're going to game seven. I'd say the momentum is on the Heat's side after what will seemingly be a blow out, but the last time that the Heat blew the Celtics out, Rondo put up 44 points and they were a bad call away from winning. My guess is, both teams will be playing their asses off on Saturday and it will be a lot of fun to watch.

 

[JaD]

Way to go LeBron. I loved that D-Rose-at-the-All-Star-game business look on his face. There was one glare from him coming back from commercial that was damn near scary.

 

[Scrandy Randy]

LeBron realized if he goes off for three quarters the fourth doesn't matter.

 

[Poeman]

Big game for lebron...all that talent, he had a business look to him. Let's see game 7, but I think we are getting thunder heat

 

[craigdbfan]

Lebron played incredibly today. Major kudos.

 

[Matt]

Way to go LeBron. I loved that D-Rose-at-the-All-Star-game business look on his face. There was one glare from him coming back from commercial that was damn near scary.

But my concern if I'm a Heat fan is this....do I really want LeBron going off like this tonight? LeBron is the mentally weakest great player in the history of the game. The only time he really plays hard is when he isn't being treat like a kid in high school whose coach tells him that he is the greatest thing since sliced bread and that he can do whatever he wants.

After a week of being trashed by the media, he played like he had something to prove....and boy did he ever prove it. But now what? He will go have his press conference with Wade, they will wear their mismatched, brightly colored clothing and silly glasses, yuck it up for the press, laugh and have a good time. The anger is gone. The hunger is gone. He no longer has anything to prove. Everyone will go back to calling him King James again and he will walk into game seven taking it for granted.

If I were a Heat fan, I would prefer Wade have the great game tonight because now, I think there is a damn good chance LeBron will be complacent in game seven.

 

[Matt]

Big game for lebron...all that talent, he had a business look to him. Let's see game 7, but I think we are getting thunder heat

If this were a 95-90 loss for the Celtics, I would agree. But the Celtics got embarrassed. Celtics tend to play good after being embarrassed. I think that we are going to see Rondo coming out like mad man. I think that we going to see the game 2 Celtics on Saturday. And if the game 6 Heat show up to play the game 2 Celtics, we are in for a hell of a finish to this series that could go either way.

 

[Matt]

The ESPN studio team has anointed the Miami Heat the Eastern Conference Champions. Well, that makes it official, Boston will win on Saturday.

 

[runawayboulder]

Based on what I saw tonight, Game 7 is a toss up. LeBron still can't do it alone and there's no way Boston is going to miss that many easy shots again.

 

[Matt]

Based on what I saw tonight, Game 7 is a toss up. LeBron still can't do it alone and there's no way Boston is going to miss that many easy shots again.

I really think it would be better for the Heat if this were a close game. Like you said, Boston isn't going to mess up again. This isn't a team that is going to fall apart from one bad game. If that were the case this would've been a sweep. This team is mentally tough. What I could see happening is, since LeBron is the king again (it has already been said twice on ESPN), he will be complacent LeBron and not hungry LeBron that we saw tonight.