NBA Playoffs 2014

NufcNavan

I really want the Spurs to win this so that the Big 3 Heat drop to 2-2 in the NBA Finals. Two championship is obviously impressive, but a 2-2 Finals record would have to be a bit disappointing to them and wouldn't quite measure up to the dominance they proclaimed when they were on the stage with the smoke rising behind them. Also, it would zap the Lebron/Jordan comparisons for the time being because comparing Jordan to a player who would be 2-3 in the NBA Finals would just be an insult to MJ's dominance on the biggest stage.

If they win though, they obviously will deserve some major credit for being one of the few teams in league history to three-peat. It would be some accomplishment, and would obviously be a major feather in Lebron's cap.

So yeah, a lot is at stake here. And that's just looking at it from the Heat's perspective. It would be mad for Duncan/Pop to win a title 15 years after first doing so, and for the Pop/Duncan/Parker/Manu core to win one 11 years after first doing so. Combine that with the fact that it would be against a Heat team that delivered a crushing blow to them just one year earlier, and it would make for one of the best stories in recent NBA history.

NufcNavan

benway wrote: »

Seriously.

Should have been an "and 1" too.

buyer95

buyer95 wrote: »

This isn't really the article I wrote, the editors has left out a large piece on Mario Chalmers that I though was the best part of the article. I meant to write about game 3 and the series as a whole, but got a bit sidetracked and ended up devoting large parts of the column to Diaw. I had intended to go into quite a bit of detail, but I ended up writing too much about him, and thus the fcking editor decided to make Diaw the subject of the whole article calling it the cringe worthy "Boris Diaw Effect." A paragraph on Kawhi also fell by the wayside... Thats the link anyway, http://www.punditarena.com/basketball/comahony/game-3-the-boris-diaw-effect/

It looks like my editor reads boards, for the second half of my article has been posted, as a separate article, which is still annoying as it was mean to be one article.

Paully D

Game Four tipping in off in about 20 minutes. I'm going to pick Miami again tonight. They don't often lose must-win games (13 wins in a row coming off a loss in the playoffs now), and this is as close to must-win as it gets.

If the Spurs win tonight it's all over.

PizzamanIRL

Looks like Miami are trying to play Spurs style ball but it ain't working so far.

Nuri Sahin

The day Miami becomes irrelevant again and thus I can avoid the Seven Nation Army ****e cannot come any sooner.

Paully D

Is it just me, or do the Spurs struggle a lot coming out of Heat timeouts during this Finals?

I'd be interested to see the stats, but it seems any sort of run they have built up (with the exception of game three) is wiped out within about 90 seconds off a timeout. They seem very slow and sloppy coming out of them.

Paully D

LeBron's shouting and roaring for fouls is so annoying. He's like a banshee.

PizzamanIRL

Paully D wrote: »

LeBron's shouting and roaring for fouls is so annoying. He's like a banshee.

I hate that with a passion. When has a ref in any sport ever made a decision because of a player moaning to them? Just get back up the court and play defense.

Nuri Sahin

I'd just like to stress that the Spurs were available at +5.5/6 pre-game for tonight. Hopefully I'm not jinxing nowt!

This could be a lot worse for Miami if the Spurs weren't stupidly turning over the ball.

Paully D wrote: »

Is it just me, or do the Spurs struggle a lot coming out of timeouts, more so than normal?

I'd be interested to see the stats, but it seems any sort of run they have built up (with the exception of game three) is wiped out within about 90 seconds off a timeout. They seem very slow and sloppy coming out of them.

I've noticed that to be the case over the years of watching them. Complacency? Maybe. I don't think Pop would say or accept that though. Kinda like a retro car that needs to be running for a bit before she really gets going.

Nuri Sahin

That ball movement..

PizzamanIRL

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

That ball movement..

And again. Holy ****.

Paully D

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

I'd just like to stress that the Spurs were available at +5.5/6 pre-game for tonight. Hopefully I'm not jinxing nowt!

Spurs now 1/2 in play, the price that Miami started the game at. Miami 6/4. I still think this one is a long way from being finished though.

Nuri Sahin

https://vine.co/v/MjxqVEmtTtJ

NufcNavan

Diaw #datpass

Paully D

Pop is seething at Green over that defense on Allen :pac:

Had a very small nibble on the Heat at 2/1 to win there, just to keep me happy enough if they win. :pac:

EDIT - I think I should have just kept that money for a few pints tomorrow night :pac:

stuba

20 point game... Team basketball just wins every day I guess. May regret saying that yet.. ha

Nuri Sahin

To quote the other MJ, blood is on the dance floor. That blood being the Heat's players blood on their homecourt. This is carnage. Beautiful carnage.

PizzamanIRL

I love Kawhi Leonard.

NufcNavan

Gotta box out Lebron LOL.

Nuri Sahin

PizzamanIRL wrote: »

I love Kawhi Leonard.

He's like a higher basketball IQ, more quieter, humble, don't get a stripper up the duff version of Paul George. What's not to love about Kawhi! :pac:

Paully D

The largest comeback in Heat playoff history was 17 points vs OKC in 2012. It'll take a record setting comeback if they're to do it, but if there's one team that can - it's them.

They're going to make a decent sized 3rd quarter run, it's inevitable, but the Spurs need to do what they did the other night and hit back straight away when it comes.

Heat gone out to 13/2 now, Spurs anywhere between 1/7 and 1/10. :eek:

PizzamanIRL

Nuri Sahin wrote: »

He's like a higher basketball IQ, more quieter, humble, don't get a stripper up the duff version of Paul George. What's not to love about Kawhi! :pac:

He's all business. Finals MVP possibility if he continues playing like this.

Nuri Sahin

Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
Bathroom spotting: One of the glow sticks they handed to crowd in urinal. Fans be sad.

Nuri Sahin

Paully D wrote: »

The largest comeback in Heat playoff history was 17 points vs OKC in 2012. It'll take a record setting comeback if they're to do it, but if there's one team that can - it's them.

They're going to make a decent sized 3rd quarter run, it's inevitable, but the Spurs need to do what they did the other night and hit back straight away when it comes.

Heat gone out to 13/2 now, Spurs anywhere between 1/7 and 1/10. :eek:

Under 101.5 2H Points and @spurs +9 2H are the leans for the second half. No money on them myself though as 3-0 sweep is on the cards.

Paully D

Van Gundy: "The change to the Miami line-up, Ray Allen's in. They're now playing without a point guard."

They've been playing without a point guard all series! :pac:

Paully D

Here comes the run, lead down to 13 already. Spurs very sloppy again. For such a good team, they really don't help themselves at times.

Nuri Sahin

Tim Duncan now with the most playoff minutes in NBA history.

PizzamanIRL

I have no words to describe how I feel about their ball movement.

bmcc10

Let's go Heat then a minute later there boooo, Wade has been awful.