NBA Finals Game 2

[Mots010]

My completely uninformed opinion after 2 games. These two teams have a very interesting contrast in styles, which results in a pretty even match. At this point, my money goes to the team with the best player in the world. The Spurs have no answer for Lebron, and he's rendering Kawhi Leonard useless. There was a lot of talk that the Spurs defense had some ability to neutralize Lebron, but I think that has been put to bed.

 

[aceboon]

Once again we see Miami win another big game when backed into a corner. All this talk about the Spurs being so much better, running away with it, etc and it's Miami that has stolen the edge now. I fully expect these games to be tough and now we have to see San Antonio perform in a real tough spot.

where did you see this narrative? The talk after Game 1 was how fortunate the Spurs were that Lebron got cramps, the Heat were winning by a slim margin before Bron couldn't go anymore, not sure why there would've been talk that the Spurs were much better than the Heat and we're going to run away with the series. Seems like a narrative you're trying to spin.

 

[traitor71]

There is a lot of "the Spurs play a better game, the bigs will be too much, I'd be surprised if Miami beat them" sort of stuff both here and elsewhere. I think that AFTER game one people may have started to realize that that may not be the case. Anything can happen in this series, but I just think a lot of people want to write Miami off for some reason. Of course, there were some nutjobs who thought that the Pacers would beat Miami as well so mayne I am
just looking too hard for "anti Miami" sentiment.

 

[intlzncster]

And now people are trumpeting "the heat can't lose this series because of Lebron". Lebron absolutely dominated last night, and yet the Heat only won by 2. I'll grant you, it was on the road, but still.

 

[aceboon]

There is a lot of "the Spurs play a better game, the bigs will be too much, I'd be surprised if Miami beat them" sort of stuff both here and elsewhere. I think that AFTER game one people may have started to realize that that may not be the case. Anything can happen in this series, but I just think a lot of people want to write Miami off for some reason. Of course, there were some nutjobs who thought that the Pacers would beat Miami as well so mayne I am
just looking too hard for "anti Miami" sentiment.

eh, just sounds like you're a Heat fan trying to foster some "us against the world mentality". Are there people picking the Spurs to win? Sure, they're a great team, they have HCA, and they did do everything in their power to give away Game 6 last year. But there are just as many if not more going with the Heat, they're the 2x defending champs with the best player in the world, they're not getting run over, anybody saying that(I haven't heard them) shouldn't be paid attention to.

 

[Strummer]

eh, just sounds like you're a Heat fan trying to foster some "us against the world mentality".

I'm not a "heat fan" per se, although I likes seeing history being made, so I'm cheering for them - but, that written, I have to agree with the other poster.

Seems like a lot of effort being put forth to say "Spurs better team, and better than last year," and "Miami worse team, and worse than last year." Through two games, seems to me the difference between the two teams from last year has shifted in favor of the Heat. Time will tell.

 

[Lefty2one]

Scary that Miami hasn't looked that great, especially defensively, and they got a split. I'm still not sure how they won last night's game.

 

[champs99and04]

I'm not a "heat fan" per se, although I likes seeing history being made, so I'm cheering for them - but, that written, I have to agree with the other poster.

Seems like a lot of effort being put forth to say "Spurs better team, and better than last year," and "Miami worse team, and worse than last year." Through two games, seems to me the difference between the two teams from last year has shifted in favor of the Heat. Time will tell.

The two teams were dead even last year and they're dead even this year. Whereas you see people putting forth effort to say "Spurs are the better team", I see a lot of people tripping over themselves to see something that just isn't there. For all the posturing from sports analysts about "intangibles" and "clutch" and all that stuff, sometimes these games just come down to a coin flip and all that other stuff is just rationalization of preconceived narratives. The Heat were a broken A/C away from potentially winning game one and the Spurs were a play or two away from winning last night. I expect the series to be played at a similar pace as the scene shifts to Miami, and at the end of the series, he difference between two dead even teams may prove to be home court advantage, just like it was last year. I'm not saying it isn't a reasonable opinion to believe one team is better than the other, I've just been surprised by how much conviction people seem to have.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Scary that Miami hasn't looked that great, especially defensively, and they got a split. I'm still not sure how they won last night's game.

 

[mauconnfan]

Boeheim has been in the Caribbean since his early exit huh?

 

[UConn990411]

Actually Miami is MUCH better.. LeBron is LeBron.. and Wade isn't getting his knee drained every other day. And Bosh is playing well. Those 3 dictate Miam's success and all 3 are in a good place now.

They were a worse team than they were a year ago all season, and running over an embarrassingly bad Eastern Conference doesn't convince me otherwise. By and large, the supporting cast around LeBron has looked a bit older.

That's not to say I'm picking the Spurs to win, but what I originally said wasn't inaccurate.

 

[traitor71]

They were a worse team than they were a year ago all season, and running over an embarrassingly bad Eastern Conference doesn't convince me otherwise. By and large, the supporting cast around LeBron has looked a bit older.

That's not to say I'm picking the Spurs to win, but what I originally said wasn't inaccurate.

Miami is playing a lot better now than they were at this time last year. The big win streak they had last year sort of skews everything, especially compared to this year when they clearly took a different approach to the season.

 

[huskyharry]

Ray with big D on Ginobili late on three straight possessions. Not an easy guy to guard.

Ray has played super basketball in the first two games...particularly in the intangibles (hustling, fighting hard for rebounds, tapping loose balls to a teammate etc) as well as defensively...excelling in areas where by reputation, he has never been a strong player.

 

[dogfan96]

They were a worse team than they were a year ago all season, and running over an embarrassingly bad Eastern Conference doesn't convince me otherwise. By and large, the supporting cast around LeBron has looked a bit older.

That's not to say I'm picking the Spurs to win, but what I originally said wasn't inaccurate.

The team that played all season is not the team that's playing now...because Wade sat out over a third of the season and they used upwards of 25 different lineups. No way you can gain consistency and play great basketball when there's that much flux. In the playoffs, Wade is playing regularly and effectively and they've been the best team easily up to this point.
Only real difference from last year is Rashard Lewis replaces Shane Battier's minutes.. and Lewis is actually an upgrade bc they can play small with him guarding a PF and not lose as much bc he's a legit 6'10 with long arms.. but on the other end is the real payoff bc they can play a lineup with him at 4 and Bosh at 5.. they can play pick and roll or pick and pop with literally any combination of players in that lineup.. and space out the Spurs' bigs with Bosh and Lewis at the 3-pt line. You can't stop it. So no, Miami isn't worse. They're better. Like I said before.
It's also hilarious how the Eastern Conference was "embarrassingly bad" only after Miami slapped around everybody's new favorite team, the Pacers. When Miami is playing their best basketball, only San Antonio (and occasionally OKC) can reach their level of play. That's the long and the short of it.

 

[UConn990411]

The team that played all season is not the team that's playing now...because Wade sat out over a third of the season and they used upwards of 25 different lineups. No way you can gain consistency and play great basketball when there's that much flux. In the playoffs, Wade is playing regularly and effectively and they've been the best team easily up to this point.
Only real difference from last year is Rashard Lewis replaces Shane Battier's minutes.. and Lewis is actually an upgrade bc they can play small with him guarding a PF and not lose as much bc he's a legit 6'10 with long arms.. but on the other end is the real payoff bc they can play a lineup with him at 4 and Bosh at 5.. they can play pick and roll or pick and pop with literally any combination of players in that lineup.. and space out the Spurs' bigs with Bosh and Lewis at the 3-pt line. You can't stop it. So no, Miami isn't worse. They're better. Like I said before.
It's also hilarious how the Eastern Conference was "embarrassingly bad" only after Miami slapped around everybody's new favorite team, the Pacers. When Miami is playing their best basketball, only San Antonio (and occasionally OKC) can reach their level of play. That's the long and the short of it.

What in the world are you talking about?

For one thing, Lewis isn't an upgrade over Battier. I can't stand the way Battier plays, but his defense was vastly superior to Lewis', and he could defend multiple positions. Rashard can't really defend any.

And the East was "embarrassingly bad" because so many teams (particularly Brooklyn) turned out to be flops. And anyone who watched Indiana play during the second half of the year probably didn't give 'em any chance against Miami.

 

[superjohn]

The team that played all season is not the team that's playing now...because Wade sat out over a third of the season and they used upwards of 25 different lineups. No way you can gain consistency and play great basketball when there's that much flux. In the playoffs, Wade is playing regularly and effectively and they've been the best team easily up to this point.
Only real difference from last year is Rashard Lewis replaces Shane Battier's minutes.. and Lewis is actually an upgrade bc they can play small with him guarding a PF and not lose as much bc he's a legit 6'10 with long arms.. but on the other end is the real payoff bc they can play a lineup with him at 4 and Bosh at 5.. they can play pick and roll or pick and pop with literally any combination of players in that lineup.. and space out the Spurs' bigs with Bosh and Lewis at the 3-pt line. You can't stop it. So no, Miami isn't worse. They're better. Like I said before.
It's also hilarious how the Eastern Conference was "embarrassingly bad" only after Miami slapped around everybody's new favorite team, the Pacers. When Miami is playing their best basketball, only San Antonio (and occasionally OKC) can reach their level of play. That's the long and the short of it.

You don't think the Eastern conference is bad? It's horrendous compared to the West.

 

[JaYnYcE]

The Eastern Conference was historically bad this year. Anyone who tries to say otherwise just isn't paying attention.