The Official 2012 NBA Finals Thread: MIA vs. OKC

[Mathew81]

Every time I try and get interested in the NBA again, the officials kill it. They're so inconsistent that it makes it unwatchable.

 

[elindholm]

Todays old worn down Celtics took Miami to the wire. If todays Celtics played the Bird/McHale/Parish Celtics they'd probably get swept.

All that means is that the mid-80s Celtics were better than the current Celtics or the Bosh-less Heat, which I don't think anyone would disagree with.

 

[nashman]

OKC is getting totally screwed by the refs, the nba is just handing the heat a ring! What a fing joke!

 

[Mainstreet]

Well if the Thunder have to decide who to trade in the future, Westbrook or Harden, it won't be Westbrook.

The Thunder definitely are short a SG.

 

[nashman]

The last three games have been the most horribly one sided officiated finals games I have ever seen!

 

[TJ]

Well if the Thunder have to decide who to trade in the future, Westbrook or Harden, it won't be Westbrook.

The Thunder definitely are short a SG.

They wouldn't be if they would bring in a true PG and slide Westbrook to the 2, where his skill set would flourish.

Steve Nash as a one-year rental next season?

As for the game, while Westbrook scored a ton of points, dude went from G.O.A.T. performance to flat out GOAT when he fouled Chalmers intentionally with time left on the shot clock.

 

[D-Dogg]

Harden hesitating on that layup off the steal and blowing it was a HUGE turning point in the game.

LeBron played a great, but boring game. I swear, he puts up more stats in the most non-eye-popping fashion of anyone I've ever seen. He had one pass that was sick, that rocket kick to Wade. Other than that, just good passes to open guys. His late three was a great momentum shot, too.

Thunder take game 5.

 

[TJ]

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Mainstreet]

They wouldn't be if they would bring in a true PG and slide Westbrook to the 2, where his skill set would flourish.

Steve Nash as a one-year rental next season?

As for the game, while Westbrook scored a ton of points, dude went from G.O.A.T. performance to flat out GOAT when he fouled Chalmers intentionally with time left on the shot clock.

I'm just saying Harden has done a disappearing act in the Finals. Many "experts" coming into the Finals were saying if the Thunder had to break up their core, the majority said they would keep Harden over Westbrook.

 

[TJ]

I just saying Harden has done a disappearing act in the Finals. Many "experts" coming into the Finals were saying if the Thunder had to break up their core the majority said they would keep Harden over Westbrook.

What you have to factor is both Harden and Westbrook are very young (23 +/-), which contributes to their erratic play. The Thunder are playing a Heat team with not only a ton of playoff experience, but NBA Finals experience. The moment might simply be too big for them to take in at this juncture. We are seeing the 360 LeBron did from last season's Finals to now, and he is 27 years old.

If the Thunder keep the core as it is and bring in a true facilitating PG to let Westbrook roam the perimeter and penetrate, they'll be fine in the long-term.

 

[Absolute Zero]

Who the heck was guarding Chalmers tonight? Wow.

And Harden. Hmmm.

Weak showing by Thunder.

 

[Joe Mama]

What you have to factor is both Harden and Westbrook are very young (23 +/-), which contributes to their erratic play. The Thunder are playing a Heat team with not only a ton of playoff experience, but NBA Finals experience. The moment might simply be too big for them to take in at this juncture. We are seeing the 360 LeBron did from last season's Finals to now, and he is 27 years old.

If the Thunder keep the core as it is and bring in a true facilitating PG to let Westbrook roam the perimeter and penetrate, they'll be fine in the long-term.

Smite him, Eric. Don't hold back.

Joe

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I'm just saying Harden has done a disappearing act in the Finals. Many "experts" coming into the Finals were saying if the Thunder had to break up their core, the majority said they would keep Harden over Westbrook.

Those experts are morons. Some team (probably us) is going to max out Harden when he comes up in FA and that team will never be anything more than a #5 seed as long as he is the first option. You can't build a great team around Harden, dude's just not good enough.

 

[TJ]

Smite him, Eric. Don't hold back.

Joe

LOL

I still think Spoelstra is a crappy coach despite the results.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Westbrook and Durant just need to learn how to play together in crunch time. Wade and LeBron eventually did, no reason they can't figure it out.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Those experts are morons. Some team (probably us) is going to max out Harden when he comes up in FA and that team will never be anything more than a #5 seed as long as he is the first option. You can't build a great team around Harden, dude's just not good enough.

I don't think he's a first option, but you can pay a couple guys max money. I'd be more comfortable paying him max money than a lot of guys that currently make it.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Harden hesitating on that layup off the steal and blowing it was a HUGE turning point in the game.

LeBron played a great, but boring game. I swear, he puts up more stats in the most non-eye-popping fashion of anyone I've ever seen. He had one pass that was sick, that rocket kick to Wade. Other than that, just good passes to open guys. His late three was a great momentum shot, too.

Thunder take game 5.

lol... you're swimming in the Haterade tonight, aren't you? the guy puts up a near triple double, plays great defense, takes the ball to the rack, posts up, hits a huge three... and he played a boring game.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I don't think he's a first option, but you can pay a couple guys max money. I'd be more comfortable paying him max money than a lot of guys that currently make it.

Well, I think he'll be one of those guys we currently talk about when he inevitably gets his own team. Think Andre Igoudala, Danny Granger, Rudy Gay, etc.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Well, I think he'll be one of those guys we currently talk about when he inevitably gets his own team. Think Andre Igoudala, Danny Granger, Rudy Gay, etc.

I think he's got much more talent than those guys, but is really a solid #2 and a great #3. He's a young Ginobli, but if Ginobli hadn't played with a HOF in Duncan and Parker, he wouldn't be near as special.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't think he's a first option, but you can pay a couple guys max money. I'd be more comfortable paying him max money than a lot of guys that currently make it.

This is true. However, I'm disappointed that Harden has done a disappearing act in the Finals thus far. He was cold blooded coming into the Finals. If the Suns could get him, I'd be alright with that. I never thought Harden would be the weak link.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I think he's got much more talent than those guys, but is really a solid #2 and a great #3. He's a young Ginobli, but if Ginobli hadn't played with a HOF in Duncan and Parker, he wouldn't be near as special.

Harden will never be in the same category defensively as Igoudala or Granger due to his size and relative lack of lateral quickness, although you're right he's much more talented offensively. Gay's only a few years older, I think they're pretty much the same except one of them isn't playing against bench players and every so often a group of starters focusing on his two superstar teammates.

Ginobli is the best comparison right down to the flopping, but how would we define Manu's career had he played for the New Jersey Nets for the last decade? Would he be considered superior according to the masses to Igoudala, Gay, Granger or any other first round wonders?

 

[D-Dogg]

lol... you're swimming in the Haterade tonight, aren't you? the guy puts up a near triple double, plays great defense, takes the ball to the rack, posts up, hits a huge three... and he played a boring game.

Absolutely. He's boring, bro. BOR-ING. Doesn't mean he doesn't fill the sheet, just means I can't stand watching him because his game is boring. I called out the two plays that were exciting, the three and the pass to Wade. The rest was just blah. Tim Duncan is boring as hell too, but a great player. John Stockton is one of the best PGs to ever play but boring as watching paint dry. LeBron is fantastic, but also boring.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Absolutely. He's boring, bro. BOR-ING. Doesn't mean he doesn't fill the sheet, just means I can't stand watching him because his game is boring. I called out the two plays that were exciting, the three and the pass to Wade. The rest was just blah. Tim Duncan is boring as hell too, but a great player. John Stockton is one of the best PGs to ever play but boring as watching paint dry. LeBron is fantastic, but also boring.

lol... I think you (and maybe every other Laker fan) are the only people in the world that would compare LeBron's game to Duncan/Stockton.

that's asinine.

the cold hard truth that you won't admit is that you can't stand to watch him because people have been saying he's better than Kobe for years... and it hurts you that someone's in that convo... and now it hurts you even more that he's about to start winning titles.

LeBron's game is like Duncan/Stockton. That's about as dumb as anything Slin has said on this thread... and that's saying A LOT. I mean come on... if he was that boring, why in the world would his jersey constantly either be the number 1 or 2 selling jersey in the league? I'm pretty sure Duncan/Stockton never sold jerseys... because those guys WERE BORING.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I think he's got much more talent than those guys, but is really a solid #2 and a great #3. He's a young Ginobli, but if Ginobli hadn't played with a HOF in Duncan and Parker, he wouldn't be near as special.

My take exactly...let's face it, outside of about 5-8 guys in the league, almost everyone else isn't a surefire max player. I agree that he can be a good #2, and a great 3.

As opposed to Mao, I'm much less impressed with Granger and Iggy than he is. I'd rather have James than those two, or even Joe Johnson.

Gay is decent, but I think last year has really hurt his stock. He was pretty awful in the playoffs and the team appeared better without him much of the time.

James is certainly not a surefire #1, but he can get his own shot, and makes those around him better.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I never thought Harden would be the weak link.

While Harden has had a couple tough games in a row, Durant has been equally bad, if not moreso. Durant is just bringing nothing to the table outside of scoring and has been invisible at the end of games 3-4.

OKC played awful and still had a chance to pull it out, I guess they can take solace in that.