NBA Playoffs

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Big deal. He traded defense for offense, coaches often do that when their team is in a hole. Carlisle played Stojakovic and Cardinal over Corey Brewer this series and neither of those two could guard a folding chair. And Miami's offense is a mess at times mainly because neither LeBron nor Wade know how to play without the ball.

It sounds like you're pinning the loss on him if you say coaching was 'the big difference' in the series. The big difference was that Dallas had a closer and Miami didn't.

No disagreement that Carlisle coached a great series.

Wade isn't a "closer"? That is news. From what I had heard, he was one of the best "closers" in the game...whatever that means.

Putting Eddie House on Jason Terry wasn't merely trading defense for offense. It was putting your worst perimeter defender against the other team's best offensive player (terry was their best offensive player last night and for other parts of the series). Why wasn't he matched up against Kidd as Van Gundy astutely pointed out or anyone else for that matter. That's coaching and at the times he was on Terry, they weren't in much of a hole although they were after a few minutes of that matchup.

If I say that Dirk Nowitzki outplayed Udonis Haslem and was "the big difference", does that mean that I am pinning the loss on Haslem? Of course not. I am merely stating the obvious. The same goes for the coach. Like Haslem, Spoelstra did a credible job during the series. He simply didn't have anywhere near the effect that Carlisle did for his respective team. He didn't have "skins on the wall" to garner the type of respect necessary from players like Lebron and Wade. Riley does. It will be a big difference next year if Riley is there.

You can't sum up what happened in this series to a few minutes down the stretch in every game. Do you play chess? The end game is merely a result of the opening and the middle. The Heat had two queens but the mavs had but one queen and a full compliment of pawns. Carlisle used his advantage of material to wear down the Heat's advantage in firepower.

The Heat had to work much harder on defense and by the late stages they were worn down especially in the last couple of games. It is undeniable that much of that had to do with the adjustments that Dallas made on the offensive end.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Wade isn't a "closer"? That is news. From what I had heard, he was one of the best "closers" in the game...whatever that means.

Putting Eddie House on Jason Terry wasn't merely trading defense for offense. It was putting your worst perimeter defender against the other team's best offensive player (terry was their best offensive player last night and for other parts of the series). Why wasn't he matched up against Kidd as Van Gundy astutely pointed out or anyone else for that matter. That's coaching and at the times he was on Terry, they weren't in much of a hole although they were after a few minutes of that matchup.

If I say that Dirk Nowitzki outplayed Udonis Haslem and was "the big difference", does that mean that I am pinning the loss on Haslem? Of course not. I am merely stating the obvious. The same goes for the coach. Like Haslem, Spoelstra did a credible job during the series. He simply didn't have anywhere near the effect that Carlisle did for his respective team. He didn't have "skins on the wall" to garner the type of respect necessary from players like Lebron and Wade. Riley does. It will be a big difference next year if Riley is there.

You can't sum up what happened in this series to a few minutes down the stretch in every game. Do you play chess? The end game is merely a result of the opening and the middle. The Heat had two queens but the mavs had but one queen and a full compliment of pawns. Carlisle used his advantage of material to wear down the Heat's advantage in firepower.

The Heat had to work much harder on defense and by the late stages they were worn down especially in the last couple of games. It is undeniable that much of that had to do with the adjustments that Dallas made on the offensive end.

Stop it. The difference in this series was the last six minutes of each game. Dirk was lights out and the Heat tightened up. Only an idiot can't admit that.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Stop it. The difference in this series was the last six minutes of each game. Dirk was lights out and the Heat tightened up. Only an idiot can't admit that.

the only thing I'll add is Terry was lights out also.

Great team game from the Mavs.

Wade rose to the occassion but couldnt do it all by himself... LeBron looked like the 5th option on the team. you and hoss had it right.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

the only thing I'll add is Terry was lights out also.

Great team game from the Mavs.

Wade rose to the occassion but couldnt do it all by himself... LeBron looked like the 5th option on the team. you and hoss had it right.

what about the games that Terry WASN'T lights out in? Did he "tighten up" or could his improvement have something to do with offensive adjustments that were getting him better looks?

Is Dirk, a player that has been accused of tightening up his whole career, suddenly this incredible "closer"? Did he go to closer school? Did Wade skip class when he missed the free throw and turned the ball over during "closer" time?

I'm not going to sit here and say that Lebron's lack of contributions didn't have a huge impact on the Heat's failed title run. At the same time, I think it is too easy for people to say the guy "chokes" and he isn't a "closer". There are so many more variables and the guy has delivered in other pressure situations. He has brought this all on himself but I am trying my best to be objective.

Truth be told? It was really nice to see those jerks lose.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

what about the games that Terry WASN'T lights out in? Did he "tighten up" or could his improvement have something to do with offensive adjustments that were getting him better looks?

Is Dirk, a player that has been accused of tightening up his whole career, suddenly this incredible "closer"? Did he go to closer school? Did Wade skip class when he missed the free throw and turned the ball over during "closer" time?

I'm not going to sit here and say that Lebron's lack of contributions didn't have a huge impact on the Heat's failed title run. At the same time, I think it is too easy for people to say the guy "chokes" and he isn't a "closer". There are so many more variables and the guy has delivered in other pressure situations. He has brought this all on himself but I am trying my best to be objective.

Truth be told? It was really nice to see those jerks lose.

You're projecting a false argument onto me. You're insinuating that I said everything in this series falls into the narrative of closing or tightening up. That's not what I said. I said the Mavs played better late in games and that's what decided this series. Whatever terminology you want to use to describe it is immaterial, the point is that the Mavs owned the fourth quarter in the series and more than anything, that's why they won the series.

Shrug off the fourth quarter performance all you want, but you're mistaken if you think Dirk didn't possess something that wasn't physical in this series that nobody on Miami had.

"Worry about your life. I'm awesome!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGbOCD9z6Uw

Delonte. Most of us don't have that problem, LeBum.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

You're projecting a false argument onto me. You're insinuating that I said everything in this series falls into the narrative of closing or tightening up. That's not what I said. I said the Mavs played better late in games and that's what decided this series. Whatever terminology you want to use to describe it is immaterial, the point is that the Mavs owned the fourth quarter in the series and more than anything, that's why they won the series.

Shrug off the fourth quarter performance all you want, but you're mistaken if you think Dirk didn't possess something that wasn't physical in this series that nobody on Miami had.

No doubt...the mavs outplayed the Heat in the late stages of four of those games. However we arrived at that point is subject to debate, but the difference in play was clear. Dirk played out of his mind and he proved to be one of the toughest players to match up against in the NBA.

Do you think the result is the same if Pat Riley was on the sideline instead of Erik Spoelstra? Not necessarily meaning do the Mavs still win the series, but do you think that maybe lebron and company play a little differently?

I know its speculation but its an internet message board.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Stop it. The difference in this series was the last six minutes of each game. Dirk was lights out and the Heat tightened up. Only an idiot can't admit that.

What is there to admit? I had the Mavs in 6. Its too simplistic to say that an entire team "tightened up" in every game in the final six minutes with the exception of the two games they won. How does that really make any sense? How does Dwyane Wade tightening up make any sense?

Dirk was lights out. So was Terry for that matter in the last few games. If I am reading you right, the final six minutes is all that mattered and the mavs were better for more games during the final six minutes than the heat were and that is because they are better "closers". Is that right? And does that make sense to someone like yourself who obviously understands the game?

The closing is just the product of what happened during the beginning and middle games. Same with football, boxing, chess or any other game that tests stamina of the mind and/or body. Only an idiot would deny this indelible truth.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

What is there to admit? I had the Mavs in 6. Its too simplistic to say that an entire team "tightened up" in every game in the final six minutes with the exception of the two games they won. How does that really make any sense? How does Dwyane Wade tightening up make any sense?

Dirk was lights out. So was Terry for that matter in the last few games. If I am reading you right, the final six minutes is all that mattered and the mavs were better for more games during the final six minutes than the heat were and that is because they are better "closers". Is that right? And does that make sense to someone like yourself who obviously understands the game?

The closing is just the product of what happened during the beginning and middle games. Same with football, boxing, chess or any other game that tests stamina of the mind and/or body. Only an idiot would deny this indelible truth.

Obviously other factors contributed to the result, but in basketball, more than any other sport, the final stages of the game are of extreme importance. What you do when the game is hanging in the balance decides your fate in the NBA playoffs more often than not. The Mavs did just about everything right late in games and the Heat did just about everything wrong. The other angles are nice, but the fourth quarter performance decided this series. The Mavs owned it.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Obviously other factors contributed to the result, but in basketball, more than any other sport, the final stages of the game are of extreme importance. What you do when the game is hanging in the balance decides your fate in the NBA playoffs more often than not. The Mavs did just about everything right late in games and the Heat did just about everything wrong. The other angles are nice, but the fourth quarter performance decided this series. The Mavs owned it.

I think its safe to say Lebron played more minutes than anyone else in that series. In the process, he spent a good deal of time covering Jason Terry while Dirk got to cover Mike Miller or Udonis Haslem or whatever stiff the Heat threw out there.

Dirk got to play in a real offense that actually ran sets and got him shots in spots where he was comfortable (which he nailed!). Lebron had to improvise while being chased by three guys that wouldn't just "show" most of the time while playing in an offense devoid of any sets.

Lebron is still trying to figure out his role in conjunction with Wade and his other teammates. Dirk is the undisputed Alpha on his team and despite some of the new additions, they all know they have to play off of dirk.

Dirk is playing on a team with a coach that played for an NBA dynasty and has earned is stripes as a professional while coaching some pretty decent playoff teams. Lebron is on a team with a coach that never played pro ball and got his break because of his daddy.

Dirk delivered this year (unlike other years) and I was ecstatic to see the heat lose. I really do not like them and i think they set a poor example. At the same time, is it not fair to say that Dirk was set up a little better to succeed than Lebron was here?

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

No doubt...the mavs outplayed the Heat in the late stages of four of those games. However we arrived at that point is subject to debate, but the difference in play was clear. Dirk played out of his mind and he proved to be one of the toughest players to match up against in the NBA.

Do you think the result is the same if Pat Riley was on the sideline instead of Erik Spoelstra? Not necessarily meaning do the Mavs still win the series, but do you think that maybe lebron and company play a little differently?

I know its speculation but its an internet message board.

Not in LeBron's case. LeBron is an egotistical tool who goes into a shell at the first sign of adversity. God himself couldn't have coached a dominant series out of him after that Mavs comeback in Game 2.

Originally Posted by dalakhani

I think its safe to say Lebron played more minutes than anyone else in that series. In the process, he spent a good deal of time covering Jason Terry while Dirk got to cover Mike Miller or Udonis Haslem or whatever stiff the Heat threw out there.

Dirk got to play in a real offense that actually ran sets and got him shots in spots where he was comfortable (which he nailed!). Lebron had to improvise while being chased by three guys that wouldn't just "show" most of the time while playing in an offense devoid of any sets.

Lebron is still trying to figure out his role in conjunction with Wade and his other teammates. Dirk is the undisputed Alpha on his team and despite some of the new additions, they all know they have to play off of dirk.

Dirk is playing on a team with a coach that played for an NBA dynasty and has earned is stripes as a professional while coaching some pretty decent playoff teams. Lebron is on a team with a coach that never played pro ball and got his break because of his daddy.

Dirk delivered this year (unlike other years) and I was ecstatic to see the heat lose. I really do not like them and i think they set a poor example. At the same time, is it not fair to say that Dirk was set up a little better to succeed than Lebron was here?

Your points would be more valid if LeBron James weren't a zillion times better athlete than Dirk. He can do just about whatever he wants on the court. And have you even watched Dirk play? The amount of easy shots he gets per game is maybe two or three. He works his ass off to hit impossible shot after impossible shot while LeBron is clanging wide open jumpers.

There's no way in hell Erik Spoelstra is to blame for LeBron's performance in this series. Not one little bit. LeBron didn't want any part of the ball for most of the series and he's rightfully being ridiculed for it.

[clyde]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

What is there to admit? I had the Mavs in 6. Its too simplistic to say that an entire team "tightened up" in every game in the final six minutes with the exception of the two games they won. How does that really make any sense? How does Dwyane Wade tightening up make any sense?

Dirk was lights out. So was Terry for that matter in the last few games. If I am reading you right, the final six minutes is all that mattered and the mavs were better for more games during the final six minutes than the heat were and that is because they are better "closers". Is that right? And does that make sense to someone like yourself who obviously understands the game?

The closing is just the product of what happened during the beginning and middle games. Same with football, boxing, chess or any other game that tests stamina of the mind and/or body. Only an idiot would deny this indelible truth.

Fine work,Dahla-kins.


I rode your coattails to victory....thanks so much.