NBA Basketball

[AnthonyCinder]

I was amazed that no one on that Miami team stepped up offensively at the end of the fourth quarter and in overtime. I sure do love watching them lose, especially to the Bulls. If Chicago can win like that without Rose, then shit . . . they should have quite the successful playoff run.

How sweet would it be to see a first or second round Miami exit?

[Luzwei]

I was amazed that no one on that Miami team stepped up offensively at the end of the fourth quarter and in overtime.

Well, they are playing 3 on 5 every single game. That shit is fucked up. Yesterday they scored what, 71 out of 86 points?

They simply ran out of gas down the stretch.

[eephour]

I was amazed that no one on that Miami team stepped up offensively at the end of the fourth quarter and in overtime.

Well, they are playing 3 on 5 every single game. That shit is fucked up. Yesterday they scored what, 71 out of 86 points?

They simply ran out of gas down the stretch.

I keep waiting for Pat Riley to come out of the tunnel ala Willis Reed and start coaching.

[djimbe]

Miami put a buncha guys on the floor last night and told them to play basketball.

Chicago put a basketball team on the floor last night. Basketball is a team sport.

That's a bit far fetched. First of all, Chicago is a better coached team. That's where all that starts at. Any player on that Miami team can play ball just as well as any player on that Chicago team. The difference is in coaching, effort and desire to win. It seems to me like Miami is convinced they can flip the switch which is a dangerous game to play 10 games until the playoffs start. They are not the Chicago team from the 90's and even they had 70 win season then.

Yeah, maybe a little hyperbole there, and this Bulls team isn't the Jordan era team by far. Neither is Miami, and I agree there is outstanding individual talent there. Still...

the Coach IS part of the team. And the team (if it's to be successful anyway) should be responding to the coaching. That desire to win and effort stuff is partly coachable, but also is something that grows out of the collective of players on the floor. Wade put in a lot of effort in the 4th and obviously has the desire to win, but where was his help? Looked to me like his team mates kinda said "ok...D.Wade gonna do it for us. Here's the ball".

Believing they can flip a switch and blow anyone out comes from more than than the coach. I suspect it comes from a small group of individuals who have the power or cache or bully nature to make the lesser lights think it's possible and they just gotta come along for the ride and spell the big shots once in a while to pick up W's.

I don't think the Bulls will be in the Finals, but neither will Miami.

[andteater]

i'm curious - if you don't think the Bulls or the Heat will represent the East, then who will?

andyk

[AnthonyCinder]

I'm curious too. The only other possibility as I see it is Boston, and that still seems like a longer shot that Chicago or Miami, even with the recent improvements in the Celtics play. No way it's Indiana or any of the others.

The West seems like a much more wide open race.

[Clyde]

Really? I have a hard time imagining anybody but Miami of Chicago getting there. I guess, Boston could make a run. They're a well-coached team of veterans who've been there before (How many sports cliches did I manage to cram into one sentence? Geez.)
The West seems much more open than the East. The top six teams all have a legit shot.

[John Houlihan]

Went to the Knicks game tonight. Felt bad for the Wizards. Total embarrassment. They had 47 with a few minutes left. Crowd started chanting "FORTY-SEVEN!" Got into an argument with a lady who was kicking my seat. Didn't realize she was seven feet tall, the only Wizards fan in the crowd, and Ugandan. Shook hands with her at half-time and apologized for getting my seat kicked because I'm no dummy. My son is way into it now. Knows the playoff scenarios and can't shut up about them. It was a lot of fun. Best seats I've ever had at MSG by far.

Should be a fun playoff hunt for the bottom four or five teams.

[Luzwei]

i'm curious - if you don't think the Bulls or the Heat will represent the East, then who will?

andyk

I'm gonna say NEW YORK KNICKS!

Let's all pretend this is 1999 and the Knicks will be in the Finals again and that Melo will go into that Spree mode and blow everybody away come playoffs. Not that he's not playing this last month out of his mind.

I would LOVE TO see a Miami - New York first rounder. That would be such an awesome series. And on paper, and looking only at last month NY is playing way better basketball than Miami. Talking about your coaching aspect there, right?

[Luzwei]

I was amazed that no one on that Miami team stepped up offensively at the end of the fourth quarter and in overtime.

Well, they are playing 3 on 5 every single game. That shit is fucked up. Yesterday they scored what, 71 out of 86 points?

They simply ran out of gas down the stretch.

I keep waiting for Pat Riley to come out of the tunnel ala Willis Reed and start coaching.

It is clear two years removed that Spo still is too young and not capable of making a difference as a coach like Doc can or Thibs can. Still lacks a lot of experience and command of his team. No way he would get away with benching his stars at the end of the game like Thibs did that last Miami game. NO FUCKING WAY. Pat Riley would, though.

[andteater]

It is clear two years removed that Spo still is too young and not capable of making a difference as a coach like Doc can or Thibs can. Still lacks a lot of experience and command of his team. No way he would get away with benching his stars at the end of the game like Thibs did that last Miami game. NO FUCKING WAY. Pat Riley would, though.

while this is true, one advantage Thibs has is that his bench is very productive. Riley could bench his starters, yes, but I don't think they'd match the production that the Bulls bench provides.

the real deal is this: if the Heat get a strong performance from 2/3 of the "big three" they should beat the Bulls in a 7 game series. however, right now, the Heat look very...ummm...odd. something is wrong there. that being said, i totally expect a Bulls/Heat ECF and furthermore, expect the Heat to be the favorite.

andyk

[Adam P]

The bottom line with the Heat is that offensively they need one of two things to happen to win consistently: either 75+ points from LeBron/Wade/Bosh combined, or one of their role players to produce well beyond his average output. It was that way last year and its that way again this year. Take away their transition game by being smart with the ball and you can beat them. Oh, they struggle against the 2-3 zone, too.

[eephour]

I'd much rather see Chicago in the first round than Miami. I have a feeling they'll just wake up for the playoffs and give em the business. The Knicks can take Chicago in six, seven games. Miami, I'm not so sure.

I guess tomorrow will be a good gauge of things.

[MWilke]

I don't think the Bulls will be in the Finals, but neither will Miami.

Would you care to back this assessment up financially? I disagree with your assessment and would be willing to back my disagreement with this assessment up financially.

[MWilke]

however, right now, the Heat look very...ummm...odd. something is wrong there. that being said, i totally expect a Bulls/Heat ECF and furthermore, expect the Heat to be the favorite.

Every good team has prioritized limiting their transition opportunities, keeping the ball in the low post for a larger majority of a given shot clock. Being much more careful with swing passes where the Heat could jump the route and create a fast break opportunity. This has cost Miami a lot of ground in point differential because they're not particularly strong in the half court game offensively unless Lebron or DWade is going off. I've been waiting for the adjustment on it. I still expect by the ECF.

[Luzwei]

Well , the only scary thing about Miami is that they look really not interested playing regular season anymore. They had that stretch before the all star brake where they were really impressive beating teams by double digit score. It seems to me like they were then playing at a level no one could really match them. The only question is, can they reproduce this come playoff time. If they can they are a scary good team.

And they should get something out of bench. At least a couple of treys from James Jones or Mike Miller. Mike Miller has been a big mystery to me, and I think to everyone at Miami management too. He was an over 10 point player his entire career. Yes, you can say he was a starter most of his career, but if he played better he would get more minutos.

[Luzwei]

Oh, they struggle against the 2-3 zone, too.

This baffles me too. They had the entire year to take care of this thing. Sure, it was a lockout. But still. This zone is not really rocket science to attack. And still, sometimes it seems like they don't know what to do against it. Poorly coached I say.

I don't know why NBA players have problems against the zone all the time. It could be they are not used playing against it but it can be coached. It must be because players are playing only one year of college basketball and they get into the NBA really not as complete players, I guess.

[Adam P]

Miller's problem is that he's one-dimensional, so if his three-point shot isn't falling there's no reason to leave him on the court. He's got a game where he went 6 of 6, but past that he's hit three in a game only once, and has ten games where he hasn't hit any.

I think the issue with the zone is that they don't have a big who can score except Bosh, and he's not an inside player. They can drive and kick out to guys outside the arc, but if the shots aren't falling then they're not scoring. Why teams try to play them man-to-man so much is beyond me, because Wade and LeBron are obviously athletic freaks who need to be routinely doubled, which leaves guys open. And yeah, that whole coach thing too.

[Luzwei]

Miller's problem is that he's one-dimensional, so if his three-point shot isn't falling there's no reason to leave him on the court. He's got a game where he went 6 of 6, but past that he's hit three in a game only once, and has ten games where he hasn't hit any.

I don't agree. Mike is much more than a spot up shooter. He can create his own shot and he can use a pick and roll and can create his own shot after that or drive to the basket for a layup. He was a beast in Memphis. But I don't get his scoreless games at all. He is such a better player than that.

I think the issue with the zone is that they don't have a big who can score except Bosh, and he's not an inside player. They can drive and kick out to guys outside the arc, but if the shots aren't falling then they're not scoring. Why teams try to play them man-to-man so much is beyond me, because Wade and LeBron are obviously athletic freaks who need to be routinely doubled, which leaves guys open. And yeah, that whole coach thing too.

Every zone is easily beaten by a drive. You put three players above upfront and you attack it, attacking the upper corners in the 2-3 formation. Another way is to put a post player on the free throw line and play high low or spread the floor by having a good passing post player which Bosh is. He's an intelligent passer and a good free throw line jump shooter. If that doesn't work I would put Wade in that position, or Lebron. When you put Lebron at the top of the key at 2-3, he is really lost and can't command the offense like he does when played straight up.

[Adam P]

I never watched Miller in Memphis so you may be right, but he sure isn't doing anything like that in Miami. I'm sure he was also asked to do a lot more in Memphis than he is in Miami, so that likely plays a role.

I agree about how they could beat the zone, but they're never going to let their offense run through Bosh in the high post. Whether thats a coaching thing or an ego thing on the part of Wade and LeBron, who knows...probably a combination of both, really.