NBA Playoffs 2012/13

leggo

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Not sure it'll be Miami dude!

Ah we thought that last year. This year, Indiana are without Danny Granger and Miami are better.

Don't get me wrong, the Pacers deserve HUGE credit for what they've done in the series so far. They've been the better team overall. But the 7-games don't leave much room for massive upsets like this would be. Miami can adjust on the fly (as they did last year against the Pacers, and again against Boston) and while the Pacers' Plan A is working for now, can they come up with a workable Plan B? With LeBron James still behind Miami's Plan B...I don't think so. Barring a major injury for Miami, I'd still consider them odds-on for the Finals.

buyer95

Paully D wrote: »

Bookies are down to Heat -1 or Heat -1.5 for tonight. Huge difference from the -9.5 and -8.5 they were offering in the home games.

How do you see tonights game going lads?

Just saw that, and put my money on Miami. The Heat have played terribly twice now in a row, and I feel tonight they'll get it together. The big problem has been the offense obviously, but Battier and Allen aren't going to keep missing great looks from 3, and the Pacers, despite how well they have played, and the match up problem they pose, simply do not have the players in reserve Miami has. As well I have a feeling Hibbert may have an offensive stinker, he was inconsisten offensively against the Knicks, after his big 24 points in game 3 he followed it up with 6 points. I could be wrong, but I think Miami go out and get this one.

Lafortezza

I think Miami will scrape tonights win, or at the very least will keep it very very close. The Heat have shot really badly so far in this series but if they get some good production from Allen/Chalmers/Battier and Bosh I think they win. Indiana for all their defensive prowess, can't deal with a Miami team that is shooting at a decent clip. LeBron will do as LeBron does and approach a trip-dub, it's the role players that will decide this one.

NufcNavan

Pacers by 5.

GoldFour4

Heat by 2. Lebron to dominate, Wade to stay in single digits :P

Nuri Sahin

You take away Haslem's production at the offensive end and the Pacers are leading this game. Really can't prepare for that.

BQQ

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

You take away Haslem's production at the offensive end and the Pacers are leading this game. Really can't prepare for that.

They're gonna have to give him at least a little more respect the way he's playing.

On the flipside, Stephenson has been atrocious

darced

This post has been deleted.

leggo

Hopefully the Pacers' don't let the heads go down now and can still make a bit of a fight of this series. Miami just woke up, though.

BQQ

leggo wrote: »

Hopefully the Pacers' don't let the heads go down now and can still make a bit of a fight of this series. Miami just woke up, though.

Yes, Miami played a lot better, but I think it was equally a case of Indiana falling asleep.

The number one defence in the league conceded 114 pts (70 in the first half :eek:).
They missed 14 free throws - team FT% was below 70%
Paul George had more turnovers than the entire Miami team

It was a flat performance not helped by the Heat playing very well at both ends of the court.

ButtersSuki

My betting has been really good in this playoffs and idiot that I am I nearly lost the house on that one last night. Didn't see that performance coming from the Heat given how they've played the last 3 games (I'm including Game 5 v Chicago here). I went heavy on Indiana win, points total and a couple of LeBron bets assuming he'd have a big game in a losing or winning performance to cover the possibility of a Heat win. So annoyed. Thanks Udonis Haslem.

Nuri Sahin

ButtersSuki wrote: »

My betting has been really good in this playoffs and idiot that I am I nearly lost the house on that one last night. Didn't see that performance coming from the Heat given how they've played the last 3 games (I'm including Game 5 v Chicago here). I went heavy on Indiana win, points total and a couple of LeBron bets assuming he'd have a big game in a losing or winning performance to cover the possibility of a Heat win. So annoyed. Thanks Udonis Haslem.

As I eluded to last night, no matter the amount of research betting wise or not, you cannot factor in what Haslem did and the numbers he put up. Wade also somewhat woke up scoring wise as well. Had €500 on the Pacers moneyline for a third straight night myself, thankfully covered it with an Team Total Over bet (Pacers 94.5 Points) in play early in the third. Never a doubt

NufcNavan

Pacers came out so flat. They've had a blowout loss in each series now so far.

Scoring 96 is good but you need to bring it on D and they didn't.

leggo

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

As I eluded to last night, no matter the amount of research betting wise or not, you cannot factor in what Haslem did and the numbers he put up.

This Miami team have a history of bringing role players more into the fold when needed, though, and making them the focal point of the team. It goes back to the Finals against the Mavs when they saw how ineffective the team was when LeBron was successfully handled on defence. Since then, they've almost used him as a distraction at times to open up the likes of Battier (remember his performance against the Celtics last year?), Norris Cole (vs Chicago this year) and Mike Miller (in Game 5 of last year's finals).

Then, when the defence starts to plug these holes, LeBron comes out to play again. When it works it works to perfection, and that's why we saw what we saw from Haslem last night. It's the depth that I speak of that makes them damn near unbeatable right now when they get in the zone.

The only team that uses role players even nearly as effectively as Miami, imo? Their likely Finals opponents, San Antonio.

padraig_f

That 70-point first-half was probably the most dominant half we've seen in the playoffs. Some nice adjustments from Miami, I think generally designed to reduce the defensive influence of Hibbert, running more plays for Bosh/Haslem to draw Hibbert out, or increase the chances of him getting into foul-trouble. And Lebron going in the low-post against George, where it's harder to help (I think George needs to shade him into the lane more in future, where help can come, instead of the baseline).

And their outside shooters shot well also, which isn't going to continue as consistently, but makes the offense look pretty awesome when they are.

While the series looked somewhat open at 1-1, it took just 24 minutes to give it a real sense of inevitability. The Pacers need to win 3 out of 4 now, which looks like a tall order. But they can't look that far ahead, and game 4 is an absolute must-win for them now.

recyclebin

Poor defence from the Pacers last night. Hope they can regroup and win the next one. Overall I see the series going 4-2 to Miami just like last year. Hope I'm wrong though.

I still think the inexperience of the Pacers team is holding them back. If we can get Granger back next year and keep our current starting 5 then we will be the team to beat.

padraig_f

Thought I might find out something about Bobcats' new head-coach Steve Clifford on Wikipedia...

"Steve Clifford is the head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association."

That's it.


The Spurs showing great attitude so far, they want to close it out in 4.

Nuri Sahin

How this is only a six point game is beyond me. Neither team playing particularly well, especially the Grizzlies and yet are within touching distance.

D2D

And the Spurs are going to the Finals

buyer95

padraig_f wrote: »

Thought I might find out something about Bobcats' new head-coach Steve Clifford on Wikipedia...

"Steve Clifford is the head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association."

That's it.


The Spurs showing great attitude so far, they want to close it out in 4.

Apparently Jeff Van Gundy has great time for him, he was one of his assistants in Houston and Jeff has been all praise(although that's could be just Jeff getting in his guys corner.) Gundy said " Steve Clifford is a no-brainer, just like (Tom Thibodeau) was." He's a defensive first coach and if he turns out to be half the coach Thibs in then M.J has made a great appointment

Dublin Red Devil

Come on Pacers. Let's take this series back level.

BQQ

Slow start by Miami, but the've come back into the game without really playing well.
Pacers one point up at the half.

Lebron not shooting well so far. Bosh and birdman both on 3 fouls already, so Joel Anthony got some minutes.

Hibbert playing well both ends of the floor. Paul George quiet though.

Anybody's game.

Dublin Red Devil

Pacers are on a 7 - 0 run, take back the lead.

BQQ

Dagger 3 to end the 3rd. Pacers up 7.

Uphill task for Miami now.

Dublin Red Devil

What a finish to the 3rd. Lance Stevenson drops a buzzer beating 3 from the corner to give the Pacers a 7 point lead going into the 4th.

Dublin Red Devil

Nice one Big Roy

Dublin Red Devil

Bye Bye James:P

Mouzone

Coach Spo may have something to say about the officials after this.

opr

Mouzone wrote: »

Coach Spo may have something to say about the officials after this.

Some awful calls for both sides tonight.

Opr

Ruck Inspector

Joey Crawford ladies and gents.