*** Official Teamspeed NBA Playoff's Thread***
#961
Gotta give Carlisle credit here. The mavs were down 9 and he went to zone which disrupted the heat offense. When Spoelstra called a time out and designed a play for the zone, carlisle told hs team to go back to one on one which again disrupted the heat offense. When it was all said and done the heat were down 4 and were fighting from behind for the remaining minutes.
No doubt Carlisle is a great coach though. He's definitely out coaching Spoelstra to this point.
#962
Has this been posted? Bill Simmons is more captivated by LeBron's meltdown than the Mavs' resilience - Grantland
A pretty objective point of view of what's going on with Lebron. I agree with a lot of it, but not all of it.
About halfway down there's this
It's a really good read imo.
A pretty objective point of view of what's going on with Lebron. I agree with a lot of it, but not all of it.
About halfway down there's this
Here's my opinion in four parts:
a. I think he's one of the greatest athletes who ever lived. I will never forget watching him in person with a full head of steam, blowing through opponents like a Pop Warner running back who's 30 pounds heavier and three seconds faster than everyone else. I am glad he passed through my life. I will tell my grandkids that I saw him play.
b. From game to game, I think the ceiling for his performance surpasses any other basketball player ever except for Wilt and Jordan.
c. As a basketball junkie, I will never totally forgive him for spending his first eight years in the NBA without ever learning a single post-up move. That weapon would make him immortal. He doesn't care. It's maddening.
d. In pressure moments, he comes and goes … and when it goes, it's gone. He starts throwing hot-potato passes, stops driving to the basket, shies away from open 3s, stands in the corner, hides as much as someone that gifted can hide on a basketball court. It started happening in Game 3, then fully manifested itself in Game 4's stunning collapse, when he wouldn't even consider beating DeShawn Stevenson off the dribble. Afterward, one of my closest basketball friends — someone who has been defending LeBron's ceiling for years — finally threw up his hands and gave up. "It's over," he said. "Jordan never would have done THAT."
a. I think he's one of the greatest athletes who ever lived. I will never forget watching him in person with a full head of steam, blowing through opponents like a Pop Warner running back who's 30 pounds heavier and three seconds faster than everyone else. I am glad he passed through my life. I will tell my grandkids that I saw him play.
b. From game to game, I think the ceiling for his performance surpasses any other basketball player ever except for Wilt and Jordan.
c. As a basketball junkie, I will never totally forgive him for spending his first eight years in the NBA without ever learning a single post-up move. That weapon would make him immortal. He doesn't care. It's maddening.
d. In pressure moments, he comes and goes … and when it goes, it's gone. He starts throwing hot-potato passes, stops driving to the basket, shies away from open 3s, stands in the corner, hides as much as someone that gifted can hide on a basketball court. It started happening in Game 3, then fully manifested itself in Game 4's stunning collapse, when he wouldn't even consider beating DeShawn Stevenson off the dribble. Afterward, one of my closest basketball friends — someone who has been defending LeBron's ceiling for years — finally threw up his hands and gave up. "It's over," he said. "Jordan never would have done THAT."
It's a really good read imo.
#963
^From that link.
Easily taken out of context if you don't read all/most of the article/blog/whatever it is, but it's viable.
If you watched Games 3 and 4 in person, you knew Miami belonged to Dwyane Wade. That was the hardest thing to shake. We made so much fuss about LeBron these past two years and he's not even the most important dude on his own team.
Maybe he realized that, once and for all, during Game 3. Maybe that's why he wanted to sign with Miami in the first place; maybe he didn't want his own team. Maybe Wade's Game 3 tirade affected him spiritually, broke him down, made him question himself. Maybe he's more exhausted than he's letting on. Maybe 13 months of intense scrutiny is finally starting to break him. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I couldn't possibly tell you how LeBron will respond in Game 5, just that you couldn't keep me away from that arena with a Taser. I have to be there. I have to be there.
Maybe he realized that, once and for all, during Game 3. Maybe that's why he wanted to sign with Miami in the first place; maybe he didn't want his own team. Maybe Wade's Game 3 tirade affected him spiritually, broke him down, made him question himself. Maybe he's more exhausted than he's letting on. Maybe 13 months of intense scrutiny is finally starting to break him. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I couldn't possibly tell you how LeBron will respond in Game 5, just that you couldn't keep me away from that arena with a Taser. I have to be there. I have to be there.
#965
It's no secret I'm a Lebron fan, but I'm also realistic. I'm not jumping ship on Lebron potentially being the greatest player ever by the time he retires, but what happened in game 4 is unexplainable. It doesn't prove that he's not great, but there's no way to add a good spin to it either.
I hope he bounces back, recovers, and plays like he does 99% of the time in game 5, 6, and 7. If he carries the Heat the rest of the way, or even pulls his weight, years from now nobody will remember game 4.
I hope he bounces back, recovers, and plays like he does 99% of the time in game 5, 6, and 7. If he carries the Heat the rest of the way, or even pulls his weight, years from now nobody will remember game 4.
#966
I agree, but I don't think Lebron is struggling in the same way Wade struggled against the Bulls. Whatever is going on with him is mental. Late in the 4th he caught the ball down in the paint and instead of going up and probably getting fouled, he passed it to Bosh. Bosh was surprised by the pass (I think everyone was) and he lost it. Pretty much sealed the game for the Mavs there.
I'm still a huge fan and I will continue to be as long as he doesn't go and do anything stupid off the court like rape someone, get caught using steroids, or anything like that. Just wanted to make that clear.
Last edited by STLG; 06-08-2011 at 11:30 PM.
#967
#968
Would it be safe to say that the team that wins tonight will win the series? I am predicitng a Dallas win tonight despite a monster game from LBJ, with Miami taking game 6 setting things up for a game 7 showdown. At that point it's anyone's game.
#970
damn it... didn't realize I wasn't on page 97 and Eric had said LBJ will have a 'monster' game as well....
I think the Heat are gonna blow the Mavs out of the water tonight though.... LBJ will put on a show tonight.
I think the Heat are gonna blow the Mavs out of the water tonight though.... LBJ will put on a show tonight.