NBA Playoffs 2014

NufcNavan

Get the brooms out!

Paully D

Very happy with game 1's events. That said, we're all long enough in the tooth to know that this won't be continuing. 23 three point attempts for Miami, 15 FT attempts per Dare_2_Defy's stats. Not a chance.

Miami adjust and still take this series.

Dublin Red Devil

Fantastic result last night. Excellent performance from everyone. Huge step up against Miami more than delivered. Spread the floor well, moved the basketball, made their shots, man defense, everything. Cannot fault them. Brilliant stuff.

ButtersSuki

DYINg with "Extreme Man Flu Maximus" so went to bed instead of watching. Have to say surpised by the stats and the margin of victory (haven't even seen highlights yet). Have the Pacers woken up? That's their highest pts total in regulation since January. Will watch later but you have to expect a reaction from the Heat in Game 2.

That said, if the Pacers win G2, the Heat have to win 4 out of 5....could be a very interesting series. Is this the end to LeJon's Dream to be the GOAT?

buyer95

ButtersSuki wrote: »

DYINg with "Extreme Man Flu Maximus" so went to bed instead of watching. Have to say surpised by the stats and the margin of victory (haven't even seen highlights yet). Have the Pacers woken up? That's their highest pts total in regulation since January. Will watch later but you have to expect a reaction from the Heat in Game 2.

That said, if the Pacers win G2, the Heat have to win 4 out of 5....could be a very interesting series. Is this the end to LeJon's Dream to be the GOAT?

Pacers were good, but the Heat sleepwalked there way through this one. Defensively there was zero urgency, the going super small and starting Battier experiment is definitely over after last night. I would expect Haslem to start at 4 next game, which then allows Lebron to defend George. Last night James was on West for a lot of the game, and this meant that someone else was picking up George. We must also remember, the Pacers are not a good offensive team, so last night has to be viewed as an anomaly. They are not going to consistently score 100+ points, and the Heat generally put up about the 100. Peoples opinions get swayed too easily on the basis of one game, and it would be ridiculous to think that the pacers are now likely to win this series comfortably after one bad game from the Heat. The home team is supposed to win the 1st game. The Heat will bounce back, and will be in the finals.

Nuri Sahin

ButtersSuki wrote: »

DYINg with "Extreme Man Flu Maximus" so went to bed instead of watching. Have to say surpised by the stats and the margin of victory (haven't even seen highlights yet). Have the Pacers woken up? That's their highest pts total in regulation since January. Will watch later but you have to expect a reaction from the Heat in Game 2.

That said, if the Pacers win G2, the Heat have to win 4 out of 5....could be a very interesting series. Is this the end to LeJon's Dream to be the GOAT?

Can't really fault what Buyer said whatsoever. Indiana just had one of those days where they shot lights out for an entire game, but for a 3 minute spell at the end of the 3Q. They shot in and around the 80% mark from three at half time, which says it all as they're not anywhere near effective from beyond the arc. Battier offered nothing. Bosh was non-existant. Said it earlier in the day, but if he shows up at all, Indiana are in trouble. If he doesn't show up in Game 2, I'd honestly consider starting Birdman over him. It won't happen though. In general, Miami just seemed lethargic. If it was any other team, Indiana wins by 20-25 points last night, but despite playing in second gear for large spells of the game, especially on the defensive effort and seemingly being a man down on offense, they did well to claw it back somewhat. It'll be interesting to see if the Pacers team goes all Paul George mode and becomes jumper happy again in Game 2. LeBron was stat padding/protecting again too at times too IMO in the second half which was pitiful to see.

Their is some interesting stats knocking about (check Twitter if you can ), all of which work in Miami's hands.

Just to add, it was a strange game as a whole for both teams. Both teams were allowed a free pass into the paint for the most part. Not much defense played at all.

leggo

buyer95 wrote: »

Pacers were good, but the Heat sleepwalked there way through this one. Defensively there was zero urgency, the going super small and starting Battier experiment is definitely over after last night. I would expect Haslem to start at 4 next game, which then allows Lebron to defend George. Last night James was on West for a lot of the game, and this meant that someone else was picking up George. We must also remember, the Pacers are not a good offensive team, so last night has to be viewed as an anomaly. They are not going to consistently score 100+ points, and the Heat generally put up about the 100. Peoples opinions get swayed too easily on the basis of one game, and it would be ridiculous to think that the pacers are now likely to win this series comfortably after one bad game from the Heat. The home team is supposed to win the 1st game. The Heat will bounce back, and will be in the finals.

I think this post sums it up. I dunno about them winning comfortably, but they still have to be favourites. I'm just glad this series has a bit of spice now.

Last night, for me, was a consequence of Miami getting such an easy ride on the way to the Conference Final. They were still only in, like, third gear. Meanwhile the Pacers have been fighting for their lives since game 6 of round 1. It's good to know the Pacers can punish Miami if they're slack, but winning another three games is a big ask.

ButtersSuki

Still haven't seen a second of play from last night but the 1/2 in the big 2 and a half didn't turn up - again. The RuPaul of Power Forwards' light is fading again.......after his miracle escape last year.

Steve The Barman

is the game tonight on tv???

Nuri Sahin

Steve The Barman wrote: »

is the game tonight on tv???

BT Sports 1 according to Oddschecker.com

Steve The Barman

Thanks mate.

Nuri Sahin

The arena went from playing Linkin Park to Mexican music.. to the Undertaker theme music. Interesting :pac:

PizzamanIRL

This is beautiful.

Nuri Sahin

It took 7 minutes for that idiot to make the adjustment and go small ball, but at least he did it. OKC down 3, somehow(!) after the 1Q. Spurs killing them in the paint without Iblocka.

Nuri Sahin

Duncan and Fisher both trying to outscore their ages tonight.

buyer95

OKC rally well to get it to single digits at the half. They can't stop anyone inside atm, and Ibaka is being sorely missed. Timmy turning back the clock, playing beautifully, but I bet even he is surprised with how easy he is getting his shots. T.P's ankle doesn't appear to be hampering him too much, he's playing very well also. Brooks is going to have to make some adjustments.

buyer95

Westbrook gambled far too much on d for my liking in the first half, you just can't do that with T.P.

buyer95

Hat tip to knicks beat writer Chris Herring who called out Reggie Miller for a ludicrous statement.

Still trippin that Reggie said Diaw isn't used to guarding perimeter players, as if he didn't defend Lebron in the finals or something.

Reggie, oh Reggie.

PizzamanIRL

Kawhi ****ing Leonard!

NufcNavan

Back to the Pacers game:I can't blame the Heat for playing the way they dud. The
trapped the ball in the expectation that the Pacers would turn overt the ball. Instead they held on to it. In game 2 I expect thy will rether to a zone.

BQQ

NufcNavan wrote: »

Back to the Pacers game:I can't blame the Heat for playing the way they dud. The
trapped the ball in the expectation that the Pacers would turn overt the ball. Instead they held on to it. In game 2 I expect thy will rether to a zone.

That's the way they play and I don't think they'll change it after one bad game.
Their whole system depends on forcing turnovers and getting out in transition.
The Pacers normally give up a lot more turnovers, so I think it was the step up in quality from the Nots* which caught Miami out.
I expect more defensive intensity from game 2 onwards.

*(not a typo) :pac:

Nuri Sahin

:mad:

Fell asleep during the commercials between 3rd and 4th quarter, so just catching up on highlights now.

OKC play a great 3Q.. then Brooks decides to not to use the lineup they used for the majority of the quarter to shut down the Spurs for the rest of the game. Idiot!

ButtersSuki

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

:mad:

Fell asleep during the commercials between 3rd and 4th quarter, so just catching up on highlights now.

OKC play a great 3Q.. then Brooks decides to not to use the lineup they used for the majority of the quarter to shut down the Spurs for the rest of the game. Idiot!

Ah I see the problem....he wasn't wearing his hipster galsses.....:D

ButtersSuki

Ade, tough one for you this - choose the Shaqtin' A Fool 2013-14 MVP between Swaggy P and GOATkins.

http://allball.blogs.nba.com/2014/05/19/shaqtin-a-fool-worst-of-round-2/?ls=nbahpsplit1

(The voting button is beneath the video)

D2D

JaVale in the background:pac::pac::pac:

It's a tough choice but I'd have to give it to Perkins this year

ButtersSuki

Dare_2_defy wrote: »

JaVale in the background:pac::pac::pac:

It's a tough choice but I'd have to give it to Perkins this year

It's all about Swaggy P for me this year. The in and out 3 pointer + celebration and the 360 airball layup are hard to beat.

padraig_f

buyer95 wrote: »

Brooks is going to have to make some adjustments.

It's over, isn't it?

Coach Nick did a comparison of the plays out of timeouts in last night's game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm1plzt-PG4

I think if you didn't watch basketball, you could still see the difference, just in how much hesitation and unsuredness there is in the OKC plays, compared to how smooth the San Antonio plays are, where the ball never stops moving.

Soby

Brooks let us down again. KD was playing off fumes in the 4th Q. Guarding Duncan at times didn't help either . Also not playing Collison in the 4th was idiotic

PizzamanIRL

Soby wrote: »

Brooks let us down again. KD was playing off fumes in the 4th Q. Guarding Duncan at times didn't help either . Also not playing Collison in the 4th was idiotic

Collison was doing feck all anyway.

3 of their starting five were scoreless. Well we can count Perk's 5 points I suppose, but that's obviously not going to win games. Can't depend on the bench to make up for the lack of offense from the starters.

Korrayls

OKC have 2 consistent scorers (Ibaka would make it 2.5)
Spurs have about 5/6 consistent scorers

Scott Brooks takes the blame as usual. Amount of open looks OKC got in 1st quarter, sefelosha and collison in particular.
Again....Scott Brooks takes the blame. Scapegoat.