2013 NBA Playoffs

[IceCap]

Wade, Bosh, and Allen have been horrible this series, yet if the Heat lose Game 7, we all know who's getting all the blame and it ain't those three.

If I'm LeBron, I'm seriously considering my options come 2014.

[Billy B]

I still don't think keeping Hibbert out at the end there was as bad of a decision as people are/were making it out to be.

[pmoehrin]

I still don't think keeping Hibbert out at the end there was as bad of a decision as people are/were making it out to be.

The criticism assumes that Hibbert would have been down low and not on the in bounds pass. I don't know if that would be true or not. That's a call you generally make on the spot and you have about 3 seconds to make a decision there, so who knows. He may have been, he may not have been. I can't say for sure either way, but there's definitely a point to be made there.

Still I can't think of a good reason not to have your best defender on the floor in the final seconds in that situation regardless of what he's doing, so to me it was still a coaching flub even if some of the criticism is unjustified. Paul George also did a terrible job of defending LeBron. The one thing you don't allow in that situation is a layup. If you have to foul him to prevent it, foul him. If it means potentially giving up an open jumper so be it. I rather him take an open jumper then a contested layup. If he hits the shot he hits the shot. He's one of the greatest players in NBA history. There's no shame in having him hit the game winning shot. But there's always shame in having your man beat by going to the hole in the final seconds of a game, I don't care who he is. Its just the one shot you don't allow to happen in that spot.

Instead of playing San Antonio they're now going to Miami for a tough game seven (as opposed to an easy game seven) and if they lose the game that game one is going to haunt them for a long time.

[rams80]

I still don't think keeping Hibbert out at the end there was as bad of a decision as people are/were making it out to be.

The criticism assumes that Hibbert would have been down low and not on the in bounds pass. I don't know if that would be true or not. That's a call you generally make on the spot and you have about 3 seconds to make a decision there, so who knows. He may have been, he may not have been. I can't say for sure either way, but there's definitely a point to be made there.

Still I can't think of a good reason not to have your best defender on the floor in the final seconds in that situation regardless of what he's doing, so to me it was still a coaching flub even if some of the criticism is unjustified. Paul George also did a terrible job of defending LeBron. The one thing you don't allow in that situation is a layup. If you have to foul him to prevent it, foul him. If it means potentially giving up an open jumper so be it. I rather him take an open jumper then a contested layup. If he hits the shot he hits the shot. He's one of the greatest players in NBA history. There's no shame in having him hit the game winning shot. But there's always shame in having your man beat by going to the hole in the final seconds of a game, I don't care who he is. Its just the one shot you don't allow to happen in that spot.

Instead of playing San Antonio they're now going to Miami for a tough game seven (as opposed to an easy game seven) and if they lose the game that game one is going to haunt them for a long time.

Or they'll move on because they've been playing with house money since they got to this round.

[hbgoo1975]

If Indiana wins, they lay down to the Spurs!

[Lights Out]

More coaching news:

Mo Cheeks appears to be the favorite for the Pistons job

Brian Shaw wants the Clippers job - is a top candidate along with JVG

Lionel Hollins allowed to talk to other teams - Nets could be interested

George Karl's job status "unsettled"

Jerry Sloan back to the Jazz?

[pmoehrin]

Jason Kidd has decided to call it a quits on what's sure to be a first ballot Hall of Fame career.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/sports/basketball/jason-kidd-announces-retirement-from-nba.html?_r=0

A little sad to see what he put out against Indiana, but that's only a slight tarnish on what was otherwise a brilliant career. At his best, hands down the best point guard in the game and will go down as one of the ten greatest players ever to play that position.

[crashcarson15]

Instead of playing San Antonio they're now going to Miami for a tough game seven (as opposed to an easy game seven) and if they lose the game that game one is going to haunt them for a long time.

To be truthfully honest, had the Pacers won Game 1, I think you would've seen Miami put on a much better performance in Game 2. Just my two cents.

I really, really want to believe the Pacers will win tonight.

[pmoehrin]

Instead of playing San Antonio they're now going to Miami for a tough game seven (as opposed to an easy game seven) and if they lose the game that game one is going to haunt them for a long time.

To be truthfully honest, had the Pacers won Game 1, I think you would've seen Miami put on a much better performance in Game 2. Just my two cents.

I really, really want to believe the Pacers will win tonight.

Well that's always the problem with playing the what if game. Nobody knows for sure for what would have happened had Indiana pulled out game one. The Heat may have completely crumbled and gotten swept in four straight, or gotten mad enough to beat the Pacers in four straight. Who knows.

I just don't see how a loss like that cannot eat at you. I certainly don't think it will crumble the franchise. Indiana may very well have the brightest future of anybody in the East right now. But those are the type of losses I don't know if you ever really get over as a player. You can learn from them and they get better as time passes. Success or lack thereof has a lot to do with it as well. I don't think Michael Jordan is really bummed out about those Pistons defeats at this point and if Indiana is able to pull out this game tonight, a lot of the sting of that defeat will certainly subside. But you never forget those games.

[CS85]

After 1, Pacers with a slight edge. Bosh can't buy a bucket but Wade/James have it going.

Really all the Pacers need to do is as their namesake says: set the pace. Use their size to frustrate the Heat but the key is hitting free throws and especially open shots. And for the love of god, stop turning the ball over.

[pmoehrin]

Through one quarter even though Indiana has nine turnovers I actually don't think they're moving the ball that bad. They're getting a lot of quality shots off and MIami has played the passing lanes very well.

Miami for their part I think is forcing things. No idea why Bosh keeps trying to drive to the rim. He's the arguably the best power forward in the NBA playing at the top of the key. Let LeBron or Wade drive to the hole. I think they are playing right to Indiana's strength by trying to score points with Bosh at the rim. Overall I think Miami needs to dial back the aggressiveness some. I think they were a little too amped up for the first quarter.

I think Indiana right now is playing smarter, Miami is playing with more effort, but effort only gets you so far in these type of games, so if I'm Indiana I'm liking the way this game is going right now.

[Rockstar Matt]

LeBron almost hit his head on the rim on his last alley-oop dunk. His head almost hit the ing rim. He's a hell of an athlete.

In other news, TNT caught Paul George shouting at Chalmers to stop effing flopping, which was fantastic.

[CS85]

Bosh found his groove. MIami's rolling.

[pmoehrin]

Bosh found his groove. MIami's rolling.

Well Miami did pretty much everything I said they needed to do at the end of the first quarter.

They've dialed back the aggressiveness without sacrificing effort and have done a much better job of taking what's given to them.

.

Bosh for his part as well has been playing further away from the basket and taking his spot shots when open, which is what his game is. All three of his shots made have come from at least 12 feet out.

Indiana has stopped playing smart basketball and will probably have to play from behind for the rest of the game unless they can put together some kind of big run. I could forgive the turnovers as long as they were getting open shots, but those have stopped coming.

[CS85]

Heat are simply out of the Pacers class. This one probably won't be close.

[Kramerica Industries]

Yeah, these turnovers and offensive rebounds being so decidedly in Miami's favour is a deadly combination.

It's really starting to slip away from the Pacers right now. A strong 1st half finish is damn near a necessity.

[CS85]

Three fouls on Hibbert before halftime pretty much seals it. Pacers are desperately heaving up shots to little consequence.

[pmoehrin]

Three fouls on Hibbert before halftime pretty much seals it. Pacers are desperately heaving up shots to little consequence.

Well they are making bad passes and I would say are playing too passive.

Move the ball around and work it inside. Taking jump shots on double teams is not going to get the job done.

Miami is a good enough team offensively to play 48 minutes of iso ball and win. Indiana is not and that's what it looks like they are trying to do.

The stupid mistakes need to stop as well. I remember one possession in particular where they passed the ball out to the corner with seven seconds on the shot clock. You only move the ball out to the corner if somebody is open and you especially don't do it with less then 10 seconds on the shot clock. Miami trapped and got a shot clock violation on Indiana.

Indiana has looked better in the third and has done a better job of working it inside, but at this point Miami has to lose the game. The way Miami is playing right now the best Indiana can do is match up them shot for shot and when your down by double digits you can't be doing that.

[crashcarson15]

This has been disappointing so far.

[pmoehrin]

Five fouls on Hibbert and down by 19.

I'm calling ballgame on this one.