As advertised.

[Kitaman]

Not sure if this playoff will settle definitively who is best, but right now I want Lebron on my team. He is scary good. I once felt KD was his equal but now its obvious that LJ is accepting the challenge and proving that if he wants it no one will stop him. I haven't seen that since the great one retired.

Body to body KD looks like a twig to LJ's tree trunk.

If it were a pick up game and I'm choosing first, I take LJ without hesitation or regret.

 

[traitor71]

then mean mugging the refs afterwards like that slouch Perk does on a consisten basis.

He's doing a good job of matching Wade in regard to complaining to the officials when he doesn't get his way.

 

[champs99and04]

No he's not.

Well, can't argue with that reasoning.

 

[champs99and04]

Perkins isn't a rim protector, and him being played so many minutes in a series in which he serves no purpose is one of the reasons Brooks's coaching is being called out. What he did against Popovich is irrelevant when he's making moves this series to put his team at a disadvantage. Perkins is a low post defender, Miami has no post game, so there's really no reason why he should play when he doesn't rebound, doesn't score, and doesn't block shots. If you're going to go small like the Thunder have done Ibaka or Collison need to be their main bigs since they can offer you more than what Perk can do, mainly shotblocking(Ibaka), hitting an open jumper(Ibaka), and being able to convert a wide open dunk instead of traveling and then mean mugging the refs afterwards like that slouch Perk does on a consisten basis.

I disagree, Perkins can definitely protect the rim. His primary purpose is to defend the post, but he's one of the few big men in the league with the brute muscle to match LeBron at the rim. Perkins was one of the main reasons the Celtics beat the Cavs in 2010 - LeBron's path to the rim was cutoff. Many believe the Celtics would have given the Heat a better series last year had Perkins had not been traded.

With that said, I agree with you that Perkins should play limited minutes in this series. He clogs the floor offensively, struggles guarding the pick and roll, and can't protect the rim as efficiently as Ibaka.

 

[UConn990411]

Yes and no.

Perkins is decent at protecting the rim, but his biggest contribution that series was completely neutralizing Shaq. And in many ways, Shaq's presence in the paint was as big a reason LeBron's path to the rim was cutoff as Perkins' shotblocking ability.

 

[aceboon]

Yea I disagree with pretty much all of this, lol. Your grossly exaggerating Perk's impact on the game imo, but it seems like that's what's been done to his career ever since the KG/Celtics mystique rubbed off on him. He's already not that great at rotating defensively as it is, if he does meet Lebron at the rim he's gonna either be getting dunked on or fouling him, definitely not stopping him. He also definitely doesn't deserve credit as a "main reason" for the Celtics beating the Cavs, the Cs team D was the biggest factor in "slowing" Bron down(I use quotes because Bron still beasted in that series), and KG spearheads that.

I disagree, Perkins can definitely protect the rim. His primary purpose is to defend the post, but he's one of the few big men in the league with the brute muscle to match LeBron at the rim. Perkins was one of the main reasons the Celtics beat the Cavs in 2010 - LeBron's path to the rim was cutoff. Many believe the Celtics would have given the Heat a better series last year had Perkins had not been traded.

With that said, I agree with you that Perkins should play limited minutes in this series. He clogs the floor offensively, struggles guarding the pick and roll, and can't protect the rim as efficiently as Ibaka.

 

[tzznandrew]

No he's not.

Best players, post-MJ:

Kidd
Nash
Rose
Iverson
Kobe
Wade
Durant
LeBron
Garnett
Nowitski
Duncan
Shaq
Howard

Of these players, Nash, Rose, Iverson, Kobe, Garnett, Nowitski, Duncan, and Shaq have won MVPs besides LeBron. Only Duncan and Nash have won more than 1.

Players who may have an argument for being better than LeBron, post-MJ: Kobe, Duncan, Shaq, Garnett. I think we're watching the best player since MJ, and I think that the stats bear that out, but he still needs to keep on playing at this level (and yes, win a couple titles).

 

[RuffRuff]

Let's see what KD can do when he's spent 9 years in the NBA like LeBron has.

I don't think 20 more years in the NBA is going to see Durant develop the athletecism/body that Lebron James has. Lebron James has one weakness - his jumper can be inconsistent at times. That's about as far as that list goes.

 

[champs99and04]

Yea I disagree with pretty much all of this, lol. Your grossly exaggerating Perk's impact on the game imo, but it seems like that's what's been done to his career ever since the KG/Celtics mystique rubbed off on him. He's already not that great at rotating defensively as it is, if he does meet Lebron at the rim he's gonna either be getting dunked on or fouling him, definitely not stopping him. He also definitely doesn't deserve credit as a "main reason" for the Celtics beating the Cavs, the Cs team D was the biggest factor in "slowing" Bron down(I use quotes because Bron still beasted in that series), and KG spearheads that.

I'm not trying to act as if Perk is Dikembe Mutumbo, but comeon, the guy is no pushover inside. If you think I'm over exaggerating Perk's impact on the game, that wasn't my intention. He's a complementary piece - the type of player you generally need to win a title. Obviously he doesn't approach the impact Garnett had on that Celtics team, but he was a rock inside for several years. LeBron's not going to hesitate to attack Perk, but Perk won't hesitate to put him on his ass either. That aside, he's one of the best bigs in the league in terms of setting screens and freeing up dynamic offensive players. He did it for years in Boston, and he's doing it now in Oklahoma City.

As far as most importrant players in this series, he's way down the chart, don't think I'm trying to tell you otherwise. All I'm trying to tell you is that he does a lot of good things on a basketball court that can help a contender.

 

[champs99and04]

Best players, post-MJ:

Kidd
Nash
Rose
Iverson
Kobe
Wade
Durant
LeBron
Garnett
Nowitski
Duncan
Shaq
Howard

Of these players, Nash, Rose, Iverson, Kobe, Garnett, Nowitski, Duncan, and Shaq have won MVPs besides LeBron. Only Duncan and Nash have won more than 1.

Players who may have an argument for being better than LeBron, post-MJ: Kobe, Duncan, Shaq, Garnett. I think we're watching the best player since MJ, and I think that the stats bear that out, but he still needs to keep on playing at this level (and yes, win a couple titles).

Put Kobe on some of those Cleveland teams, and they're a six or seven seed, IMO. Look at this game tonight - LeBron has 12 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds and it's not even the end of the third quarter. He's the one guy in the history of mankind who can do a decent MJ impression one game, and then a decent Magic impression the next. Kobe is a legend in his own right, but he doesn't even begin to approach what LeBron can bring to a basketball floor.

 

[tzznandrew]

Put Kobe on some of those Cleveland teams, and they're a six or seven seed, IMO.

I agree. I think Kobe is, historically speaking, overrated.

He's a Hall of Fame 2-guard, but he's not among the best ever the way LeBron will be if his career stays at this level for a few more years.

 

[nomar]

Does James Harden have money on the heat? Missing everything.

 

[RuffRuff]

Does James Harden have money on the heat? Missing everything.

If Thunder go down in flames in Miami, not sure you have to look much further than James Harden to understand why - he has horrible in the last two games. The guy just missed a layup.

 

[mets1090]

Well Westbrook just undid a whole lot of the good he has done by being unaware of the clock situation.

 

[RuffRuff]

For all those calling Thunder the better "team", take a look at tonight's box score. There are two guys and only two guys filling the entire stat sheet for the Thunder, meanwhile the Heat are getting contributions from a variety of role players.

The storyline in this series is that the supporting cast for OKC has done nothing. It's been a two man one on one show.

 

[RuffRuff]

Well Westbrook just undid a whole lot of the good he has done by being unaware of the clock situation.

It's tough with Westbrook - the guy is incredible, but as a shoot first PG, I get the sense that the rest of the team becomes disengaged on the offensive end and begins standing around watching the Russell Westbrook show. The unexplicable dribble off the foot when James went out and they were up two down the stretch was a momentum changer. That was a lost opportunity.

 

[nomar]

For all those calling Thunder the better "team", take a look at tonight's box score. There are two guys and only two guys filling the entire stat sheet for the Thunder, meanwhile the Heat are getting contributions from a variety of role players.

The storyline in this series is that the supporting cast for OKC has done nothing. It's been a two man one on one show.

Well that goes to your previous comment: Harden has been a total dud after playing so well prior to this series. It's really a 3-man operation as far as scoring goes and if he's shooting 10% it really hurts.

Westbrook made two critical errors down the stretch. You can forgive the physical error of dribbling the ball of his foot, but not the Webber-like brain cramp. That was the nail in the coffin.

He's a true talent, and maybe it's my bias, but I'll keep Rondo.

 

[babysheep]

I really really hope that this becomes a rivalry, which it can be if KD and LBJ keep consistently playing the way they have been. I almost hope this game goes to 7 games. I hope the Heat win, so KD can be the young, down fighter who will constantly challenge the newly crowned king for his throne. I could do a series like this every year for a long time, given the level of play seen.

 

[traitor71]

Miami out toughed them again. They have simply been the tougher team and the smarter team.

 

[8893]

Miami out toughed them again. They have simply been the tougher team and the smarter team.

Agreed. Experience is prevailing. Hats off to Miami.

I just wish the officiating wasn't so poor. I don't know if the outcome would be different, but it seems pretty clear that even the announcers are struggling to keep from commenting on it too much.

 

[Fishy]

The difference between the two teams is that Miami has the best player in basketball and the Thunder don't.

6'8", 250 pounds and 12 assists? Not fair.

That said, I don't think the Thunder are done here.

 

[babysheep]

Agreed. Experience is prevailing. Hats off to Miami.

I just wish the officiating wasn't so poor. I don't know if the outcome would be different, but it seems pretty clear that even the announcers are struggling to keep from commenting on it too much.

You seem to imply that poor officiating in the NBA is this new thing.

 

[8893]

You seem to imply that poor officiating in the NBA is this new thing.

I don't mean to. It just becomes more of a focus in a series, especially when it consistently seems to favor one team so much that the announcers can't help commenting on it.

 

[8893]

That said, I don't think the Thunder are done here.

Oh, they're done. Whether it's Thursday, Sunday or Tuesday, they're done. Unless LeBron has an injury, there's no way this Miami team loses three in a row.

 

[Burnsbros23]

I dont think its over. OKC will have confidence with two in a row at home if they can win thursday. That said I dont think it happens.