I think it's just this thing where it's hard to support more than one star on the team, and for the Kings the problem is magnified because we don't win many games. Don't forget that when we were good a lot of the hate going around was caused by player (Peja) fans, who I wouldn't lump into the same group as pure Kings fans. But when you lose then everybody has a different opinion about who should be our Batman and who should be Robin.
NBA Finals: Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- Thread starter VF21
- Start date
Well many people are down on Westbrook and Harden didn't play well tonight. Here is a funny gif I found someone created about Westbrook. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/25021028/brestbrook.gif
As much as I'm rooting for the Thunder, I have to say that the Heat are going to win this. The Thunder are just too damn stupid when it becomes clutch time. They play amazing defense, but are incapable of converting off the Heat's turnovers. Missing free throws, open 3s, not finishing in transition etc. They will soon find that they can't always dig their way out of the hole they put themselves in. Lebron James is a terrific defender who's probably twice as strong as Durant, yet the Thunder insist on iso-ing Durant from the 3 point line. This is why I thought the Spurs had to reach the finals if the Heat were to lose. The only way to counter the strong and athletic defense of Miami is by real execution through multiple screens and passes. The Thunder, as we all know, do everything off dribble penetration.
Thabo should also be banned from even trying to attempt a field goal if a defender is within 2 feet of him. He appears to think himself far more athletic on the offensive end than he actually is.
Thabo should also be banned from even trying to attempt a field goal if a defender is within 2 feet of him. He appears to think himself far more athletic on the offensive end than he actually is.
It looks like OKC could overwhelm the Spurs with their athleticism, but obviously not the Heat. And they don't match up that well because they don't have an interior scorer to take advantage of the main Miami weakness in the middle. OKC is going to have to play more intelligent basketball, making the extra pass. The one-on-one play doesn't cut it when playing the Heat.
The heat are beating the thunder with pick n rolls. They are using picks constantly. Thunder should do the same thing instead of shooting long jumpers. The lack of an interior scorer is apparent on the Thunders end. For all those who want to trade reke should watch closely as both teams have that player who can create their own shot. its absolutely necessary piece to the championship puzzle
I think OKC's biggest problem is that their best playmaker is Harden. And his main role is to come in off the bench for instant offense. Durant and Westbrook aren't great playmakers. They can beat anyone off the dribble and get their shot off, but making plays for others is not a strong suit for either of them. That's the difference in the series. Not sure why many people thought Miami didn't have that big of a chance to win this series. When you have Lebron and Wade anything is possible. That's what I've been telling people before the series even started.
And I was telling people that OKC hadn't faced a defense like Miami's this postseason either. Miami is great with switches and help defense. They can literally throw Battier, Lebron, Wade, and Haslem at nearly all of OKC's main wing weapons.
And I was telling people that OKC hadn't faced a defense like Miami's this postseason either. Miami is great with switches and help defense. They can literally throw Battier, Lebron, Wade, and Haslem at nearly all of OKC's main wing weapons.
I am predicting OKC is not going to win many Finals with Mr. Max Contract 6th Man averaging 10pts on 37% shooting and getting slaughtered on defense every night. I'm a little interested in how that is going to play out in this offseason. Does this open the door for OKC to sign him for less? Would they want to? What about teams like Charlotte that were rumored to be willing to trade their #2 pick to bring in Harden and make him their max contract Mitch Richmond? They still interested? etc.
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Westbrook was an idiot there at the end, but anyone know what happened with the shot clock? When Wade drove baseline there was about 4.5 seconds left and when the jumpball occurred I figured there'd be 2 seconds left max. Either way, Westbrook thought the shot clock reset. Still wondering why the shot clock was at 5. Anyone know?
Interesting that Coach Brooks when asked in post-game if his teams youth and inexperience was a reason they were now down 3-1 in final - he flat said no. He went on with obligatory response that the Heat just made a few more plays than his team did down the stretch. Kind of a stale answer as I doubt very experienced veteran players like LeBron, D-Wade, Bosh, Battier, would have made such critical bonehead foul that Westbrook did.
That can't be right. I can think of many situations where there was a jumpball with less than a second left on the shot clock and even if the team that had possession regains it the play ends in a shot clock violation.
There's gotta be a rule where it gets reset to 5 if there's a certain amount of time left that I don't know about.
Anyone know?
There's gotta be a rule where it gets reset to 5 if there's a certain amount of time left that I don't know about.
Anyone know?
I flat out agree. Earlier on I said I'd tkae Harden over Westbrook. Boy do I take that back. James Harden has looked absolutely useless in the finals. Even Nick Collison has contributed more than Harden.
Oh well, like I said, the Thunder are just too god damn stupid. They don't box out, they don't run good plays - they would never have made it to the finals if not for the sheer talent of Westbrook and Durant. The problem is Miami has much better and athletic defenders than the Spurs, and so now the Thunder are reduced to an offense that would make Paul Westphal smile. Kendrick Perkins looks like he's thinking about some post-final buffet, and Thabo's only use is on offense.
Seriously, how many free throws, open 3s, layups and dunks have the Thunder blown? And they keep trying to get cute with their passes which result in turnovers and the Heat scoring in transition the other way.
Maybe it doesn't occur to them, and they think they're young and all, but if you ask me - going 1 on 1 in iso situations as your offense from the 1st quarter isn't exactly a championship-sustaining style of play. It could be better if they had good shooters, but with their shortened rotations they basically have Derek Fisher, Thabo and Harden as their perimeter shooters. Harden is sucking, Fisher isn't getting the shots because when he's the game no one is driving to create shots for him, and Thabo well ... to paraphrase anthony1 "can't hit the side of the barn".
Ah well, it's a good year to be a Miami fan. Spurs should have beat the Thunder.
Oh well, like I said, the Thunder are just too god damn stupid. They don't box out, they don't run good plays - they would never have made it to the finals if not for the sheer talent of Westbrook and Durant. The problem is Miami has much better and athletic defenders than the Spurs, and so now the Thunder are reduced to an offense that would make Paul Westphal smile. Kendrick Perkins looks like he's thinking about some post-final buffet, and Thabo's only use is on offense.
Seriously, how many free throws, open 3s, layups and dunks have the Thunder blown? And they keep trying to get cute with their passes which result in turnovers and the Heat scoring in transition the other way.
Maybe it doesn't occur to them, and they think they're young and all, but if you ask me - going 1 on 1 in iso situations as your offense from the 1st quarter isn't exactly a championship-sustaining style of play. It could be better if they had good shooters, but with their shortened rotations they basically have Derek Fisher, Thabo and Harden as their perimeter shooters. Harden is sucking, Fisher isn't getting the shots because when he's the game no one is driving to create shots for him, and Thabo well ... to paraphrase anthony1 "can't hit the side of the barn".
Ah well, it's a good year to be a Miami fan. Spurs should have beat the Thunder.
Interestingly enough, Wade said during the press conference today that last night was the first time he'd heard of the rule that the shot-clock would be reset to 5 seconds. He said he heard it from the bench and thought, 'Ok, well that's good for us'.
Westbrook played too great a game for that jump-ball confusion to diminish his effort.
Still, it looks as if the Heat just want it more this year. (Better able to play the grind-it-out style needed in the tough moments of the game)
Westbrook played too great a game for that jump-ball confusion to diminish his effort.
Still, it looks as if the Heat just want it more this year. (Better able to play the grind-it-out style needed in the tough moments of the game)
Yep, I was thinking the same thing last night. Harden's stock has plummetted during this Finals. Does that impact any potential deal, and if so, in what way.
Does it make the deal more likely, less likely?
I thought that if we wanted to get into the mix of a potential Charlotte/OKC trade where we end up sending Thornton to OKC for the 2nd pick that we'd have to give up some good additional pieces. If such a package could be put together despite Harden's struggles, it would end up making it easier on our end to put the needed pieces into play.
Does it make the deal more likely, less likely?
I thought that if we wanted to get into the mix of a potential Charlotte/OKC trade where we end up sending Thornton to OKC for the 2nd pick that we'd have to give up some good additional pieces. If such a package could be put together despite Harden's struggles, it would end up making it easier on our end to put the needed pieces into play.
This is why it doesn't bother me if the Heat win. He is one of the great players and it is a shame when you see those old greats who played amazing and never got a ring. He is striving to win and has been since he came into the league. It has never really been about stats for him he just wants to win so much he would go play second fiddle to get some talent around him when the Cavs couldn't. Stupid bonehead decisions sometimes but he is the leader of that team and their best player by far and it took him stepping back into that role for them to be successful.
One ring is enough for me though he needs to move aside for Cousins and Reke...
One ring is enough for me though he needs to move aside for Cousins and Reke...
Lebron is 6'8" 250. Fisher fouls chalmers with the same force he goes flying. Just because Lebron is too big to get rocked doesn't mean it wasn't a hard foul. I'm a fan of old school basketball, so I don't think it's worthy of a flagrant as well. But the way they've been calling them lately, that was a flagrant.
Refs caused OKC to lose 4-1 to Miami and hand Heat the trophy... Er, not really. Yeah, that was bad call against Fish but it had zero impact on who won the game and the NBA championship. Miami was and is better but Thunder look like they'll definitely be back in the title hunt for many years to come.
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