CrypticVillain Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 It's not just Ibaka, though he is 90% of this turn around, it's that Brooks finally went to a more athletic/better scoring rotation. I called Brooks out after game two. And who knew that all he had to do was sprinkle in more athleticism to look like a decent coach. I think I was saying when this series started that I knew nothing about Adams, but still thought he could do a little something in this series. Well he is doing more than that right now. Sure, last night, stat wise, he didn't have as good of a game as game three, but he was still a presence. The Spurs are not done, but if they lose game five, it's not coming back to San Antonio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbi3stix Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Seems to me like the wrong person was voted MVP, pretty cut and dry. OKC was done and getting spanked along the way until Serge came back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeWolf990 Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I see Jeremy Lamb was put in ahead of Fisher and playing over Sefalousha's garbage behind, and did good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Meh, Pop benched his starters because they were sucking, not because he was overthinking things and worrying about the next game. He was pissed at them for the way they were playing. They were getting their asses run out of the gym by the time he took them out in the third. Scared to shoot. Turning it over constantly. Getting beat on the boards and they couldn't stop OKC at all. He went with the bench too long because they got gassed and couldn't finish it. But he went with them because they wholly outplayed the starters. I see Jeremy Lamb was put in ahead of Fisher and playing over Sefalousha's garbage behind, and did good. There was some good in there, some really athletic looking plays. But he looked pretty rough. Bad defense and bad shooting. He doesn't look like he belongs yet and I can see why Brooks hasn't used him more. He's trying to win a title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 (edited) The team enjoying Ibaka's return the second most is probably Miami. I think it's pretty clear that SA, OKC, and Miami are the three best teams and they are like rock/paper/scissors. When healthy, OKC kills SA with its athleticism. Miami can withstand OKC's athelticism, because OKC doesn't kill them on the glass like other teams do. SA's size and balance kills Miami's hyper-trapping, attacking defense. If the ball finds its way into the hands of a wide open Perkins or Fisher or Sefolosha, Miami has won the possession. If that happens with anyone on SA's roster, Miami has lost the possession. This is fun again. I'm happy. Edited May 28, 2014 by Lombardi's_kid_brother Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 There was some good in there, some really athletic looking plays. But he looked pretty rough. Bad defense and bad shooting. He doesn't look like he belongs yet and I can see why Brooks hasn't used him more. He's trying to win a title. Yea. If OKC gets by SA, I don't see Lamb playing a ton against Miami. I wouldn't trust him with the ball a lot in that series. San Antonio doesn't make you pay instaneosuly for mistakes on offense the way Miami does. San Antonio makes you pay over the long haul for mistakes. But if Miami gets one breaway dunk off a steal or long rebound, they can get a 10-0 run in a blink. I actually thought the late third quarter was a pretty good synopsis of how San Antonio wins when it is clicking. Boris Diaw controlled the ball which meant every possession was slow and methodical. But he hit a turnaround, hit a three, and after a few minutes, you realized, "Hey....this is a 9-0 run.......How the hell did that happen?" When Miami or OKC goes on a run, you know they are on a run. San Antonio has the quietest 12-2 runs in baketball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrypticVillain Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 The team enjoying Ibaka's return the second most is probably Miami. I think it's pretty clear that SA, OKC, and Miami are the three best teams and they are like rock/paper/scissors. I was thinking the same thing, well except that awesome rock, paper, scissors analogy. Miami will probably finish off OKC in 5 if they played in the Finals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I was thinking the same thing, well except that awesome rock, paper, scissors analogy. Miami will probably finish off OKC in 5 if they played in the Finals. I don't know, this OKC team looks pretty dang good with Ibaka back. I agree Miami is the favorite. Against SA too. But I think it's a 6 or 7 game series against either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrypticVillain Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I don't know man. Miami seems to just be toying around with the Eastern Conference right now. I think they can go to another level that we haven't seen yet in the playoffs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I don't know, this OKC team looks pretty dang good with Ibaka back. I agree Miami is the favorite. Against SA too. But I think it's a 6 or 7 game series against either. I like Miami in 6 over OKC. I like SA in 7 over Miami. I just think SA is designed by God to attack Miami's defense. But I may be wrong. The big issue for San Antonio is that Miami renders Splitter unusable almost from the opening tip. San Antonio likes to be flexible but that's still a problem. Also, the big concern for Miami this year was the ungodly number of minutes Lebron had to play this year. Well, the playoffs have been a vacation for Lebron so far. And Wade looks like the Wade of three years ago. So, they may be far more rested this year than in last year's Finals when they looked tired. Does everyone agree that whoever wins Game 5 in San Antonio wins the series? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiCkSoULjA Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I think if OKC wins in San Antonio then its a wrap, however if San Antonio win then I still can't see them beating a healthy OKC team in OKC making game 7 a toss up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrypticVillain Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Does everyone agree that whoever wins Game 5 in San Antonio wins the series? Yes. As confident as I was when I said whoever won game 3 in the IND/MIA would win the series... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 (edited) By the way, there may be no player in NBA history I enjoy watching more than Russell Westbrook. Jordan, Lebron, Bird, Durant, Duncan, etc are all better and enjoyable in their own way. But Westbrook is unique. Every possession where he has the ball feels like an interesting physics question to me. Everything those other guys did was logical. Even Jordan's reverse layups or that shot where he switched hands in mid-air made sense in some way. "There is a shot blocker there and I can literally fly...so I will do this now....." Only Westbrook would think, "I'm going to pull out a Euro-step, then a cross over, then cut across the lane, and then shoot a lay up wth my right hand while jumping left except I'm going to bank it off the left side of the glass and count on a backspin that only I can create to make it go in and also there are two defenders there but I won't try to avoid them because they will just run into each other like Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern in a Home Alone movie and then I'm going to stare down everyone." The fact that he even tries this **** is incredible. Lance Stephenson watches him and thinks, "Hey, man, know your limitations....." I'm the only NBA fan who gets sad when Westbrook passes to Durant. Oh....it's another boring gorgeous jumper. I want to see Russell try to score while shooting with his feet. Edited May 28, 2014 by Lombardi's_kid_brother 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrypticVillain Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 For me, it's just will he miss it or make it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiCkSoULjA Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Westbrook is my favorite player in the NBA period, I love the guy and his no ****s givin attitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Seems to me like the wrong person was voted MVP, pretty cut and dry. OKC was done and getting spanked along the way until Serge came back. care to speculate what their chances would look like with Durant on the bench? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 The team enjoying Ibaka's return the second most is probably Miami. I think it's pretty clear that SA, OKC, and Miami are the three best teams and they are like rock/paper/scissors. When healthy, OKC kills SA with its athleticism. Miami can withstand OKC's athelticism, because OKC doesn't kill them on the glass like other teams do. SA's size and balance kills Miami's hyper-trapping, attacking defense. If the ball finds its way into the hands of a wide open Perkins or Fisher or Sefolosha, Miami has won the possession. If that happens with anyone on SA's roster, Miami has lost the possession. This is fun again. I'm happy. They've done less trapping in this series, which is one of the biggest reasons for the turnaround. IND was killing them on the high pick and roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 They've done less trapping in this series, which is one of the biggest reasons for the turnaround. IND was killing them on the high pick and roll. That's true, but that's because they realized that Indy can't score against a basic defense while they were good at attacking their traps. I don't think you can sit back in a conventional defense against the Spurs though. Everything Miami does is driven by their D and the Spurs can attack their D. Miami is sort of in-between. They aren't as hyperathletic as OKC so they can't blitz the Spurs. But they are more athletic than the Spurs so they don't get run off the floor by OKC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbi3stix Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 care to speculate what their chances would look like with Durant on the bench? Well, that's all that it would be, speculating... San Antonio curb stomped OKC twice and with all accounts were looking at a sweep... So, no speculation, without Ibaka the OKC are watching the finals just like you and me. And for the record, I think Durant is an awesome person (from what the public can tell) and a great scorer... But LeBron is in a different league and should have been MVP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I think if OKC wins in San Antonio then its a wrap, however if San Antonio win then I still can't see them beating a healthy OKC team in OKC making game 7 a toss up. Agreed. Although a game seven would lean SA. Well, that's all that it would be, speculating... San Antonio curb stomped OKC twice and with all accounts were looking at a sweep... So, no speculation, without Ibaka the OKC are watching the finals just like you and me. And for the record, I think Durant is an awesome person (from what the public can tell) and a great scorer... But LeBron is in a different league and should have been MVP. Then LeBron should have played better than Durant. MVPs are supposed to be awarded on a year by year basis and Durant was better than LeBron this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I hate MVP arguments. This is going to go on forever and will never not be boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I'd enjoy Westbrook a lot more if he didn't make so many dumbass decisions each and every game. BBIQ is the one single thing that keeps him out of the conversation of best guard in the game with CP3 and Rose. Well... who knows if Rose will ever be a part of that conversation again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I hate MVP arguments. This is going to go on forever and will never not be boring. I like Final's MVP's better anyway. Let everyone else bicker about the regular season and What Jordan Would Do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lombardi's_kid_brother Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I'd enjoy Westbrook a lot more if he didn't make so many dumbass decisions each and every game. BBIQ is the one single thing that keeps him out of the conversation of best guard in the game with CP3 and Rose. Well... who knows if Rose will ever be a part of that conversation again? I actually think he has a pretty high basketball IQ. He's just.....exuberant? Overly exuberant at times. I think this is ultimately a silly argument, because if he played like CP3, he wouldn't be Westbrook, and if he's not Westbrook, OKC becomes ridiculosuly one-dimensional. Ultimately all crticism of Russell Westbrook becomes this, "We want Russell Westbrook to stop doing the things that make him Russell Westbrook." I've been saying for years, that team only succeeds because Westbrook will take any shot at any time and will attempt to drive into four defenders at any time. It would be better if he always took fewer shots than Durant, I suppose, but a more conventional point guard would murder that team's offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma There Goes That Man Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) I just think Westbrook needs to pick his spots better. Sometimes it seems like he just goes off and forgets about the other guys out there. When he engages his teammates more, he and the team are much better. I know that is pretty much a dilemma with just about any elite level "scorer' and you learn to live with them taking bad shots making some wtf decisions but when you are on a team with the best scorer in the league, that kind of play is magnified and easy to point to in losses IMO. Edited May 29, 2014 by Momma There Goes That Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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