The (Unofficial) NBA Finals Thread

Go Bron!

 

I would like to see LeBron go off for about 40 a night.

I think he's scared to fail, which leads him to choke, but I do like the guy.

 

I just think he gets more criticism than he deserves. I want him to get one under his belt to shut his critics up (at least for a while).

 

I think the Heat are better than the Thunder, and LeBron is a better all-around player than Durant. I'll take Miami in 6....maybe 7.

 

Eh, he was a world wide phenom before he graduated high school. It comes with the territory. People raking him over the coals for the "decision by ESPN" do piss me off. It was a fundraising event that Clevelanders took as a slap in the face.

 

Westbrook should be able to take advantage of the Heat in every way imaginable. He's the deciding factor. I also like Seph as a defender in general.

If Miami continues to push LeBron to be the selfish player that his talent warrants, they are a much better team and have a chance. If he defers to his nature and tries to be the passer, they won't be beating the Thunder. In fact, the Celtics would have finished them off in game 6. The dynamic of all the media hype about "can they share the ball" in Miami appears to have had the guy deferring too much, and it manifested because it's his nature. He decided to take it over and run with it, there really isn't any team ready to handle him, especially if he keeps getting the nod from the refs.

 

You can't overlook Bosh's return in Game 6 and 7. They're definitely better with than without him.

 

Derrick Rose thought the same thing in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, then looked up and had a linebacker with sprinter speed guarding him.

 

Then who is going to guard Durant, if not LeBron?

 

I would assume Battier......maybe Bosh if he is healthy.

If LeBron decides to continue to take over, I say Heat in 6. I fully expect Westbrook to decide to have a couple of games where he tries to be hero.

 

A combination of Battier, Wade, Haslem, Miller, et al. If the offense can't get initiated, it's not near as difficult to deal with a wing scorer.

 

I don't think Bosh or Battier can contain KD

 

Stephen Jackson did just fine in the first two games of the West finals.

 

Two games out of 7. He MAY get stopped for a game or two, but not for four. If not more.

 

spot on.

 

Probably not, but if LeBron can contain Westbrook, Durant's 30 won't be enough.

 

come on. That's an entirely different team. Chicago had no other offensive threats whatsoever, so the Heat could effectively play a box and 1. They slough like that and they'll get sent to the house in about 5.

 

KD will probably turn the ball over from laughing if Spoelstra's dumb enough to put Mike Miller (who walks like he's 80 years old) or Udonis Haslem on him. He ought to be summarily fired if that happens. Also, KD will get a jumper any time he wants it on Wade because he's about 6 or 7 inches taller. Battier can't stop him, but he would be the only option out of the people you listed.

 

It's all about transition defense with containing Westbrook. If the Heat don't get the dribble stopped at half court, Bron's going to get several cheap fouls, and the Heat will be in trouble.

 

That'll go both ways in this series. LeBron and Wade will put OKC defenders in the same jeopardy.