NBA Playoffs

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

In essence their fate was sealed the first offseason with LeBron. they were still a lottery team and had a legit number two guy in Boozer. They thought they had an agreement with Boozer to extend and then fiasco ensued and he left. That combined with them drafting Luke Jackson from Oregon with their lottery pick was pretty much it. I'd have to go back and see who they could have gotten with that pick, but it was one of the worst picks in NBA history. From that point on they never got high draft picks and they actually got serviceable players in Shannon Brown and JJ Hickson from some of those but they were not difference makers like you get picking high. It became a desperate search to find mainly stationary 3 point shooters to compliment LeBron through a series of trades and bad free agents. I think they did the best they could with what they were working with. And the Boozer fiasco and Luke Jackson occurred pre-Giilbert. And that was the precursar of everything.

It's a star driven league. You're not winning rings with one guy and 7 scrubs. Shannon Brown and JJ Hickson? Stop it.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

The Bulls don't run many plays with Rose anyway so to expect them to run one with the ball in his hands at the end of the game was not a good expectation. Every should be able to see that running a play in that situation probably hurts them far more than helps them. Are you going to run a play for someone else? No. Just about any play for Rose would involve a screener and that's exactly what the Bulls didn't want in that situation. Miami has length and quickness on defense and they don't have to fight through the screen and try to help and recover. They just switch and by bringing up a screener, it would have made Rose have to beat 1 1/2 to two guys. Their best option was to hope that he could beat his man to the basket but with James on him, that was going to be very hard because James doesn't have to play up on him as tight because he can outjump him and get his hand in Rose's face from farther away. It just wasn't a good recipe for success for Chicago.

On the other end, Miami isn't doing anything spectacular on offense but they continue to do just enough. It appears that James and Wade coast for long stretches because they know that either or both of them can turn it on for a 5-8 minute burst and do serious damage and they are trying to save that energy until it's needed most. Neither one of them is playing with the same full game intensity that they did playing alone. Fortunately for them, they've been right. Another major difference between the two teams is that Miami needs a contribution from a third and fourth player but it doesn't matter which two players those are, as long as they get it. In order for Chicago to have any chance, Boozer and Deng have to produce because none of their bench guys have a chance of coming in and producing what they need. All of their offensive pressure is on the starters and those guys are inconsistent. With James and Wade, you KNOW that if they really need it, they can get it. Chicago doesn't have anyone like that. It's a huge psychological advantage. Chicago is out there feeling like they better get up by 12+ in order to have a shot because as long as Miami is within 10, they feel they can get that whenever they want and especially so if they are within 5-6.

Simply put, as Van Gundy said last night in talking about Dirk, when you have the best player on the court, you have a high level of confidence. It's even moreso when you have the two best players on the court and one of them is the best player in the world. Like him or hate him, James is the best player in the world and Wade is arguably the second best. Watching him take on the challenge of Rose and then when they play Dallas and he's going to spend time defending Dirk, it's incredible. How many players can defend those two guys and still be a 25-8-8 guy on offense? Only one. Him.

He's a freak.

Chuck said a couple of years ago that Lebron could guard a point and he proved you guys right the other night. That was incredible regardless of the help.

I am holding out hope for Chicago tonight and I really do hope that Dirk wins one.

I don't know the answer to this question but when was the last time that neither number 1 seed made the final. I want to say cleveland vs. san antonio but that might not be correct. I know it happens but not as often as people might think.

I am surprised that the Bulls coach isn't taking more heat (no pun intended) for that performance the other night. That play, or lack thereof, in the final 8 seconds was awful.

[King Glorious]

I just don't know what they could have done better. Rose has an uncanny ability to beat just about everyone in the league off the dribble and get to the basket at will. Bringing up another player to screen would have brought up another defender as well and I think you want to leave Rose with as much space as possible. Unless you mean that maybe they should have run some kind of play to free up someone else and I just don't like that either because I think you win or lose with your best player making the play. I thought the call was the right one but he just came up against good defense.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I just don't know what they could have done better. Rose has an uncanny ability to beat just about everyone in the league off the dribble and get to the basket at will. Bringing up another player to screen would have brought up another defender as well and I think you want to leave Rose with as much space as possible. Unless you mean that maybe they should have run some kind of play to free up someone else and I just don't like that either because I think you win or lose with your best player making the play. I thought the call was the right one but he just came up against good defense.

I would agree if there was less time on the clock but with 8 seconds you have time for multiple options. Anything but having the entire Heat team waiting for Rose. Rose was obviously having problems shooting over Lebron's length. He couldn't go around because everyone was waiting for him and even if he got to the basket, it would have been difficult to blow a whistle in a tie game in miami and he was pretty certain to get contact.

Maybe you run a staggered screen for Deng and have him as an other option? Heck, even clearing out a side and running a high screen and roll with boozer was better than what was effectively Rose against five.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by horseofcourse

In essence their fate was sealed the first offseason with LeBron. they were still a lottery team and had a legit number two guy in Boozer. They thought they had an agreement with Boozer to extend and then fiasco ensued and he left. That combined with them drafting Luke Jackson from Oregon with their lottery pick was pretty much it. I'd have to go back and see who they could have gotten with that pick, but it was one of the worst picks in NBA history. From that point on they never got high draft picks and they actually got serviceable players in Shannon Brown and JJ Hickson from some of those but they were not difference makers like you get picking high. It became a desperate search to find mainly stationary 3 point shooters to compliment LeBron through a series of trades and bad free agents. I think they did the best they could with what they were working with. And the Boozer fiasco and Luke Jackson occurred pre-Giilbert. And that was the precursar of everything.

HC..you are trying to have horseofcourse discourse with a yammering goof.




Move on to someone without petty jealously in their noodle.

[Dahoss]

Touchy touchy.

[King Glorious]

Guess I was wrong. I thought that if Chicago got up 12+, they would be able to barely hold on. Great comeback by Miami. Wade and James came up HUGE. HUGE. I wonder if all of the idiots talking about James can't finish games will shut up? Same ones talking about Dirk can't do it. Now, one of the "losers" will be a champion. My two favorite players. I love it.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Guess I was wrong. I thought that if Chicago got up 12+, they would be able to barely hold on. Great comeback by Miami. Wade and James came up HUGE. HUGE. I wonder if all of the idiots talking about James can't finish games will shut up? Same ones talking about Dirk can't do it. Now, one of the "losers" will be a champion. My two favorite players. I love it.

Not taking away anything from Miami but the bulls are some chokes. Derrick rose is a choke.

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Guess I was wrong. I thought that if Chicago got up 12+, they would be able to barely hold on. Great comeback by Miami. Wade and James came up HUGE. HUGE. I wonder if all of the idiots talking about James can't finish games will shut up? Same ones talking about Dirk can't do it. Now, one of the "losers" will be a champion. My two favorite players. I love it.

Congrats...I guess.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Congrats...I guess.

Not to me. I just got lucky picking them.

Dalakhani, did you check out the play with 58 seconds to go, after James hit the three to tie it? Rose had it top of the key and they moved him over a little to the right and ran a pick and roll with Thomas. Didn't work. Bosh steps out on the pick and by him showing, it gives James a chance to get back over so now Rose has got James and Bosh guarding him and that's too much size. If they try to run it with Deng or another small, Wade is quick and athletic enough to switch and Miami doesn't lose a beat. The best chance for the Bulls in those situations is a 1-4 set and get out of his way and let him try to get to the basket. You don't want any other defenders up there congesting things.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Not taking away anything from Miami but the bulls are some chokes. Derrick rose is a choke.

Really? What is Rose supposed to do? If he passes to one of the dwarfs he gets killed. He clearly had no other options than to try to force it against the best defender in the league.

I made a prediction after they signed Boozer that a few years down the line they will regret it. I was wrong, they must already regret it.

Wade and James made some unbelievable shots down the stretch, there was nothing outside of fouling them that anyone could have done about that.

[Dahoss]

That missed free throw at the end was kind of a killer though. Very reminiscient of the NCAA championship game.

Rose also fouled Wade on his 3 point and 4 point play at the end of the game.

He's an amazing player that is too spread out right now. He needs some help. They wouldn't even have been in the game without him, but he didn't make the plays at the end and Wade and LeDouche did.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

That missed free throw at the end was kind of a killer though. Very reminiscient of the NCAA championship game.

Rose also fouled Wade on his 3 point and 4 point play at the end of the game.

He's an amazing player that is too spread out right now. He needs some help. They wouldn't even have been in the game without him, but he didn't make the plays at the end and Wade and LeDouche did.

It was a big miss but I wont kill him for the foul on Wade. Chicago needs another option though those are harder to find than people think. The Bulls should get better with the experience but i still have nagging feeling that the Boozer deal will become an albatross.

Yay LeBron! Yay Goldman Sachs! Yay Wal-Mart! Yay King Van Glorious!

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Really? What is Rose supposed to do? If he passes to one of the dwarfs he gets killed. He clearly had no other options than to try to force it against the best defender in the league.

I made a prediction after they signed Boozer that a few years down the line they will regret it. I was wrong, they must already regret it.

Wade and James made some unbelievable shots down the stretch, there was nothing outside of fouling them that anyone could have done about that.

I don't consider the last shot a choke although they were clearly unprepared as a team. As point guard and leader, he has to take control there. What would Isaiah have done there?

The missed free throw was tough. Didn't he miss one down the stretch the other night as well?

How about the turnover inside of a minute? Your pg and best player can't turn it over like that at that point in the game.

They looked scared as a team and it looked that way pretty much the entire series after game 1.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Not to me. I just got lucky picking them.

Dalakhani, did you check out the play with 58 seconds to go, after James hit the three to tie it? Rose had it top of the key and they moved him over a little to the right and ran a pick and roll with Thomas. Didn't work. Bosh steps out on the pick and by him showing, it gives James a chance to get back over so now Rose has got James and Bosh guarding him and that's too much size. If they try to run it with Deng or another small, Wade is quick and athletic enough to switch and Miami doesn't lose a beat. The best chance for the Bulls in those situations is a 1-4 set and get out of his way and let him try to get to the basket. You don't want any other defenders up there congesting things.

You know KG that a pick and roll is only going to be as good as the screener. Thomas is too slow to have to worry about the cut to the basket. If Boozer were in the game, that's where i would have run it but either way Rose shouldn't have turned it over there.

I agree with the 1-4...if you don'thave time and if they were playing Rose with even a shred of honesty. They weren't and that's why they needed to run something in my opinion. All moot now.

Should be a fun finals.

[King Glorious]

I have Miami taking the first two at home, the second game coming to the wire. Dallas then takes the next two at home before losing game five and then going back to Miami down 2-3. I think they win game six then the Heat wins it in seven. One of the two "losers" gets a ring but unfortunately, instead of focusing on how great James and Nowitzki are, the media continues to call the loser a loser. James is the best player in the world and is named MVP.

[horseofcourse]

I have no clue who is going to win and wouldn't even begin to hazard a guess. And I don't really care who wins.

[Cannon Shell]

Miami has the best set of Dirk defenders in the league

Dallas has bad defensive matchups on Miami's wings and will have to play zone a great deal.

Dallas depth is not nearly a big a factor with the spread out finals schedule which will allow Miami to play its best players 40+ minutes and give Haslem extra time between games.

If Dirk's effectiveness is lowered, who picks up the slack?

Miami is athletic enough to defend perimeter enough to force Terry, Stevenson and Peja to put the ball on the floor which is a problem

Barea is a tough matchup for Miami on offense but when Miami goes James, Wade, Bosh, Miller, Haslem who does he guard? Who does Terry guard in that lineup? You dont want to give Miami easy baskets because they are vulnerable when go through dry spells which they seem to do at least once or twice a game.

Dallas has to completely dominate the boards, get a lot of put backs, shoot the lights out which will spread the defense and give them an even bigger rebounding advantage and get Miami in foul trouble. They can probably do it well enough to win a few games but this one should be Miami in 6.

[Antitrust32]

I'm picking the Heat in 5 games