NBA Playoffs 2012 Running thread

Do you also complain about intentional walks?

Until the NBA changes the rules, I see no reason not to employ that strategy when it makes sense. You don't want to be fouled? Tell you what, don't be a 53 percent foul shooter. A drunk guy at Dave and Busters can hit half his shots on the Pop-A-Shot machine.

And if you've got a player who still sucks at free throws, don't play him when it counts. It sucks to have your rotation manipulated that way. But it's a decision you have to make.

As a coach, the object is to do whatever it is you feel is necessarily to win a game, within the rules.

 

Well, yeah. Depression will do that.

 

LeBron came up big when the Heat needed it. Now, can he keep doing it through the rest of the series? Until he can lead a team to a title, he's going to be under serious scrutiny that will come and go like the tides as the Heat succeed and fail.

 

Agreed. Somebody else is going to have to step up and contribute. It doesn't even have to be the same person each night. But somebody does. Wade and LeBron can't be expected to have the night they had last night every single time the Heat step on the floor.

 

I'd rather have the rule stay as is than having the officials determing whether a defender was intentional or just over-aggressive on every dead-ball foul. It doesn't happen enough for a special rule to be needed, in my opinion. And in the closing minutes of the game, you can't do it.

 

This might be incredibly old, but it's awesome.

 

Actually, it's a pretty simple calculus for this series.

If Hibbert and West are in foul trouble, the Heat win. If they are not, the Pacers win. The Heat only can win the series (at least, based on the way it's gone so far) if Hibbert and West are off the floor, preferably at the same time, for extended periods. Then LeBron doesn't get his ass beat up by West up and down the floor, and with no goalie left underneath, the Heat aren't afraid to drive the ball.

 

While not a fan of Westbrook's demeanor (whining on court) but am a great fan of Durant, Westbrook's athleticism is unbelievable. Defensively, he also shows flashes of being a lockdown defender (when he wants to do it.)

Give credit to the Thunder for shutting down the Lakers inside and for hustling on the offensive glass (Collison).

 

Kobe gets a lot of criticism for being a dick (deservedly, in most respects), but he's still one of the greats and he's fun to watch.

There was a moment last night I thought illustrated why he's been so much better than many of his peers. With around two minutes to play and trailing by I think 17 after another OKC basket, Kobe turned as his team was coming up the court and yelled to whomever was dribbling the ball, "Come on!" as if the Lakers still had a chance. Everyone else was bailing on the game, but he was going to compete until the clock ran out (or, in this case, when he was taken out of the game).

Compare that with the way LeBron checked out in Game 5 against the Celtics two years ago and I think you see a big difference as to why Kobe has five rings and LeBron has yet to win his first.

 

Obviously I'm a Laker fan, so take that as you will, but my favorite aspect of Kobe is that he's done all he could to maximize his potential. So many dudes in his generation were content to coast on the millions. His partnership with Shaq broke up more of less because Kobe worked tirelessly every offseason while Shaq just got fatter and Kobe (rightfully) got tired of playing second fiddle to a fat jealous comedian. Is he a dick? Yes. Is he selfish? Frequently. Is he a bad person and maybe even a criminal? Perhaps. But as far
guys who actually understood what made Jordan great, the real stuff, not the fame and money and flash, he has no peer in his era. Last night was maybe the last gasp of the last part of his prime. I really would have loved to see him play with Paul this year. It would have been magical. But alas, the autumn of his career is drawing to a close, and to steal a line from Game of Thrones, winter is coming.

 

Kobe is a lot better than I ever thought he would be. But he does come off like a complete prick, and I think we have all had a teammate at one time or another who was a prick just like Kobe.

The only knock you can make against him is Kobe the Prick probably cost the Lakers a few games back in the day. Bird, Thomas and Jordan might have been pricks on the court, but I cannot ever remember them sacrificing wins and losses just because they felt like being a dick.

If you had to make an all-time NBA team, Kobe probably subs in for Jordan as a member of the second squad. There is no shame in that.

 

I really hate that Kobe's such a jerk. Jordan, Magic, Bird, etc. . . .all such nice guys. Always treated their teammates well. Never made any mistakes. Never blew any games or series. Never complained about their teammates or coaches to the media.

Considering the fact some fans really disliked the Vlade-for-a-high-schooler trade back in summer 1996 (not me; I hated that he smoked cigars all offseason then "played himself into shape"), Kobe Bryant's career has been beyond my wildest expectations.

There was all that idiocy five, six years ago where Ray Allen tried to say "No one wants to play with Kobe!" and those D'Antoni/Nash Suns ran their mouths in Jack McCallum's book, and elsewhere. All Kobe really wanted was for his teammates to give a shit as much as he does. They realized that (thanks to Derek Fisher), and were making a move in 2007-08 before they got Gasol. Then, they were in the stratosphere.

Kobe is likely in his driveway private gym shooting 1,000 jumpers as we speak.

All any fan should ask for from an athletic star is that the star cares about playing and winning every single day. And, OK, don't get arrested and don't do drugs.

I have a bunch of dorks posting on my Facebook and Twitter feeds today about how Kobe sucks now, etc. The guy won five titles in L.A. Just two years ago, he lead a team that beat those damn Celtics. In a seventh game.

He can retire without having won anything else, and anyone who rips his career is a complete and utter freaking dunce.