NBA 2016-2017 Season Thread

[LawrenceMD]



This lost was expected

lol @ people surprised Spurs win. the 3's were just for entertainment

If Heat's win 1 I think they have an okay chance at winning 2 at home
If then win 2, I say it can be a toss up with Spurs perhaps stealing a win at Miami and possibly the chip

Series is entertaining.

NBA Finals Game 3 Preview: History favors tonight's winner - CBSSports.com

winner of game three wins the series 92.3% of the time in the 2-3-2 era (12 out of 13 times).

 

[dlm4114]



NBA Finals Game 3 Preview: History favors tonight's winner - CBSSports.com

winner of game three wins the series 92.3% of the time in the 2-3-2 era (12 out of 13 times).

Whoa. I expected it to be high but not that high. Good stat.

 

[Neo_Version 7]



NBA Finals Game 3 Preview: History favors tonight's winner - CBSSports.com

winner of game three wins the series 92.3% of the time in the 2-3-2 era (12 out of 13 times).

That's crazy! I don't put a lot of value in these type of statistics but this one is just too good to ignore.

Seeing this blowout was like watching PBF get knocked down in Round 5.

 

[gettoasty]



NBA Finals Game 3 Preview: History favors tonight's winner - CBSSports.com

winner of game three wins the series 92.3% of the time in the 2-3-2 era (12 out of 13 times).

The one team to lose the NBA Finals after splitting the first two games and winning Game 3 was the 2011 Heat against the Dallas Mavericks.

 

[dopey]



Q: What are you asking of your defense in terms of covering Lebron?
A:"I can't tell you that."
Pops is awesome.

I loved that. Here it is in detail.

ESPN’s Doris Burke and Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich make for an outstanding interview pairing, as the league’s foremost coaching curmudgeon is confronted with legitimate questions from one of the best sideline reporters in basketball. Of course, great questions don’t guarantee great, thoughtful answers. When asked about his team’s approach to guarding LeBron James during the second half of Game 3, he delivered a perfect, guarded response worthy of a place in the greater Popovich canon:

Burke: LeBron James [scored] nine straight to end the quarter. What are you asking for from your defense on him?

Popovich: I can’t tell you that.

Interview antics aside, the Spurs had defended James well up to that point, holding him to just 13 points on 6-of-17 shooting from the field and zero free throw attempts while forcing him into two turnovers. San Antonio’s defense has very clearly prioritized its coverage on James over all other potential threats, primarily by loading up on his drives and challenging him to shoot from the perimeter. James missed on some great, open looks in Game 3, but ultimately struggled to find a productive rhythm in a 113-77 loss, finishing with just 15 points on 7-of-21 shooting. Game 4 of the Finals is Thursday in San Antonio.

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[idfnl]

Am I the only one that things Lebron looks exhausted?

 

[lawyerdad]



edited: joke was funnier in my head.

Ha. Sounds like 99% of my joaks . . .

 

[lawyerdad]



I actually do not understand why Heat does not play Birdman that much, they need more offensive punch and rebounds in the paint, who cares if he fouls often, these are away games, you are expected to get more fouls than the home team.

In place of whom? He doesn't have Bosh's outside shot, which means you can't space the floor as well and create room for the Heat's perimeter players to drive the lane. As far as offensive punch, he's a good finisher around the rim but he really only gets those shots off double-teams or the interior defense collapsing on a driver - he's generally not going to be able to create his own shot. And at least last night, there were a number of occasions where he seemed to be a step late on defense, allowing Spurs players to get to the rim consistently.

 

[LawrenceMD]



The one team to lose the NBA Finals after splitting the first two games and winning Game 3 was the 2011 Heat against the Dallas Mavericks.

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[Gibonius]



In place of whom? He doesn't have Bosh's outside shot, which means you can't space the floor as well and create room for the Heat's perimeter players to drive the lane. As far as offensive punch, he's a good finisher around the rim but he really only gets those shots off double-teams or the interior defense collapsing on a driver - he's generally not going to be able to create his own shot. And at least last night, there were a number of occasions where he seemed to be a step late on defense, allowing Spurs players to get to the rim consistently.

Speaking of a step late on D, Wade was just awful on D last night. Seemed like half the open 3s were him gambling off his man or just getting lost. How many games does it take to realize you need to stick to Neal on the perimeter?

 

[lawyerdad]

I haven't taken the time to look at the conspiracy theorist comments on espn.com or wherever. Is the current theory that Stern will instruct the refs to send LBJ and Wade to the free throw line at least 15 times in Game 4?

 

[idfnl]

News is Parker as a slight strain of the hamstring. Day to day.

Regarding Birdman, he's not fit enough to play more minutes, I don't recall him ever really playing big minutes in his career. He'd be gassed if he played more than 20 and then less than useless. Anyway LD is right, he'll never create a shot or get a play called, he'd just be a butt plug taking up space getting an occasional tip in or easy dunk. And Haslem is not much better, but he can at least drop a 10 footer.

You'd think with all this firepower, the heat would at least have a legitimate center that could use the paint.

Ha ha, Gibonious, I think it was Wade that bit on that Manu fake that allowed him to dunk.

Regarding Stern. Must say, this has been the cleanest finals basketball I've ever seen. You just can't find fouls to call. Leonard has been as good as Butler was on Lebron, maybe even better, and super clean.

 

[Gibonius]



I haven't taken the time to look at the conspiracy theorist comments on espn.com or wherever. Is the current theory that Stern will instruct the refs to send LBJ and Wade to the free throw line at least 15 times in Game 4?

Stern tells James after the game: "You gotta at least drive to the hoop for us to make calls for you."

 

[RFX45]

Refs tried to get Duncan in foul trouble, there was that one play where Haslem was elbowing him non-stop and he is the one that got the foul.

Speaking of a step late on D, Wade was just awful on D last night. Seemed like half the open 3s were him gambling off his man or just getting lost. How many games does it take to realize you need to stick to Neal on the perimeter?

Wade was awful on offense too, he's had those 5-8 feet hook/floaters that doesn't even hit the rim, simply terrible. Lebron must cringe every time he has to pass the ball to Wade these days, he did kind of keep them in the game in the first half but geez, dude is just out of this whole post season.


Also, Heat needs more flops. Stern will reimburse LBj the fees.

 

[Neo_Version 7]

Mike Miller can't do it alone.