Heatfans who want to cry about Bosh's absence

[LnGrrrR]

... you can go right ahead and fuck yourself.

Is Bosh a valuable member of the team? Of course. But you still have the consensus best player in the NBA, and one of the consensus top 5 players in the NBA in Wade. That's not enough?

"But our bench sucks! Wahhh! My vagina is so itchy and red and the antibiotics aren't working!!!"

You know what? That's what happens when you have two of the best players in the NBA. They cost money. Don't act like you didn't fucking know that already.

If Lebron and Wade can't get past the fucking Pacers (do you think anyone that didn't watch the NBA would know one player on that team? Do you think they'd even know there was a team from Indiana?) they deserve all the ridicule they'll be getting.

[Kai]

They shouldn't have wasted valuable cap space on guys like Battier and Miller and focused on guys like Sam Dalembert to shore up the front court. The supporting cast is an absolute joke.

[midnightpulp]

... you can go right ahead and fuck yourself.

Is Bosh a valuable member of the team? Of course. But you still have the consensus best player in the NBA, and one of the consensus top 5 players in the NBA in Wade. That's not enough?

"But our bench sucks! Wahhh! My vagina is so itchy and red and the antibiotics aren't working!!!"

You know what? That's what happens when you have two of the best players in the NBA. They cost money. Don't act like you didn't fucking know that already.

If Lebron and Wade can't get past the fucking Pacers (do you think anyone that didn't watch the NBA would know one player on that team? Do you think they'd even know there was a team from Indiana?) they deserve all the ridicule they'll be getting.

It's not enough when Wade is playing like the 30th best player in the NBA. That's the problem with the Heat right now. Wade goes for his usual 25-28, this series is 3-0, so you're correct that the Bosh excuse can be considered something of a stretch. The Heat without Bosh should have enough firepower to beat the Pacers. Problem is, one of those weapons is misfiring.

[LkrFan]

Quality thread LnG. When the Lakers had 2 of the best players in the world + scrubs, they 3peated. Maybe Bron and Wade are not as good as advertised?

[SpursIndonesia]

Miami chose to sign proven yet past its prime outside shooters which don't really come cheap, while they should concentrate their limited budget for a rugged inside banger & defender that can catch & finish, feeding off the big three. They want instant success, while outside shooters can actually be groomed & found cheaper, ala Gary Neal & Danny Green, if they're patient enough.

[midnightpulp]

Quality thread LnG. When the Lakers had 2 of the best players in the world + scrubs, they 3peated. Maybe Bron and Wade are not as good as advertised?

Yeah. Horry, Fox, and prime Derek Fisher were total scrubs.

Add one more shit basketball take to your collection.

[LkrFan]

Yeah. Horry, Fox, and prime Derek Fisher were total scrubs.

Add one more shit basketball take to your collection.

Can you be more delusional? They hit wide open shots due to the Lakers having the best 1-2 combo in NBA history. Not totally dissing them, but don't act like either of these 3 ever even sniffed one all star game. They were veteran role players. Nothing more. Nothing less.

[Sense]

Can you be more delusional? They hit wide open shots due to the Lakers having the best 1-2 combo in NBA history. Not totally dissing them, but don't act like either of these 3 ever even sniffed one all star game. They were veteran role players. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Horry and Fisher gave the Lakers championships with their clutchness... role players? lol...

[LkrFan]

Horry and Fisher gave the Lakers championships with their clutchness... role players? lol...

Role players have a place on every championship team. I'm not denying that. I'm not gone pretend they're all stars, like you and mid though.

[midnightpulp]

Role players have a place on every championship team. I'm not denying that. I'm not gone pretend they're all stars, like you and mid though.

We didn't pretend they were stars. You straight called them scrubs, which they are obviously not. Scrubs are Troy Murphy and Josh McRoberts, you know, the two players who you claimed would replicate Lamar Odom's production :lol

[LkrFan]

We didn't pretend they were stars. You straight called them scrubs, which they are obviously not. Scrubs are Troy Murphy and Josh McRoberts, you know, the two players who you claimed would replicate Lamar Odom's production :lol

:lol

[Kai]

Prime Shaq + Wade or LeBron would bring a championship.

[100%duncan]

Can you be more delusional? They hit wide open shots due to the Lakers having the best 1-2 combo in NBA history. Not totally dissing them, but don't act like either of these 3 ever even sniffed one all star game. They were veteran role players. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Quality take.

Role players are not scrubs.

[resistanze]

Well if losing Bosh is enough to get them bounced from the 2nd round, they weren't winning shit anyway. It's not like they've looked particularly dominant with Bosh this year.

[scanry]

I guess you need a legit Big man to win an NBA championship after all.

Unless you have MJ. :wow

[ambchang]

Quality thread LnG. When the Lakers had 2 of the best players in the world + scrubs, they 3peated. Maybe Bron and Wade are not as good as advertised?

I know Shaq was fat, but counting him as two players is just mean.

[DMX7]

Prime Shaq + Wade or LeBron would bring a championship.

Old Shaq + Wade did

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

lol people who act like Wade has been a top 5 player at any point this year. His numbers are the lowest they've been since his rookie year.

And yes, the heat blowing two contracts on Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem was retarded. Signing two mediocre players as their two best bench players just because they're :cryformer roommates at Florida:cry was too retarded for words. I still don't understand why the Heat were so hellbent on blowing the cap space Lebron, Wade and Bosh left them to sign those two players when it coulda been used to actually get a legit center.

[cheguevara]

Heat will get it together next game and win in 6. El Che has already predicted this before the series started.

[Ace]

... you can go right ahead and fuck yourself.

Is Bosh a valuable member of the team? Of course. But you still have the consensus best player in the NBA, and one of the consensus top 5 players in the NBA in Wade. That's not enough?

"But our bench sucks! Wahhh! My vagina is so itchy and red and the antibiotics aren't working!!!"

You know what? That's what happens when you have two of the best players in the NBA. They cost money. Don't act like you didn't fucking know that already.

If Lebron and Wade can't get past the fucking Pacers (do you think anyone that didn't watch the NBA would know one player on that team? Do you think they'd even know there was a team from Indiana?) they deserve all the ridicule they'll be getting.
Well now we know why you started this thread.

I'm pretty sure I said they could beat the Pacers without Bosh. They lost last night because of Wade and shitty bigs.

[JamStone]

They shouldn't have wasted valuable cap space on guys like Battier and Miller and focused on guys like Sam Dalembert to shore up the front court. The supporting cast is an absolute joke.

At the beginning of the year when the Heat were playing well, people from NBA analysts to fans on these boards were talking about how they had much better depth this year. Battier and the emergence of Norris Cole for a stretch added to Haslem and an allegedly healthier Miller. They were supposed to be deep this season. The problem remained that it was still only perimeter depth. Their frontcourt depth was still very much lacking.

But to your point about Dalembert. Even if the Heat had not given contracts to Miller and Battier, they still couldn't have afforded Dalembert. As a Rockets fan, you know Houston gave him a $7 million per contract. Even if you took the contracts of Miller and Battier off the Heat books, they were still over the cap this year and could only afford up to the MLE. Dalembert should have been a target of the Heat. Maybe he was. But Dalembert signed with the Rockets for a contract the Heat could not match.




I still don't understand why the Heat were so hellbent on blowing the cap space Lebron, Wade and Bosh left them to sign those two players when it coulda been used to actually get a legit center.

The Mike Miller signing is a bit curious only because it was such a big deal to Riley to sign him and Miller is a SG/SF and they had two superstar players at SG/SF who were going to play 36-40 MPG so why should the 4th highest player on the roster be a guy who backs up those two spots? Doesn't make a lot of sense financially.

However, I want to know more about the Heat acquiring a "legit center." Exactly who could they have gotten last summer? I just mentioned that the Heat couldn't have matched the contract Dalembert got from Houston. What legit center was out there and available? This league is devoid of quality centers already. And the centers that are even remotely legitimate are difficult to acquire. Maybe they go after Chris Kaman this summer.

[Jodelo]

I know Shaq was fat, but counting him as two players is just mean.

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao Nicely done!

[HarlemHeat37]

:lol anybody that downplays Bosh's impact, on a team that only has 3 consistent players, including no other big man that can do anything productive, is an idiot..

Bosh was statistically Miami's 2nd most valuable player, this year..Miami's go-to play is the pick&roll between Lebron and Bosh, which has now been replaced by Haslem and Anthony:lol..

Miami would have been better off losing Wade, tbh, since there would be better balance with a perimeter player and big man..either way, any logical fan would know that a team that relies on 3 players won't win a title without 1..

Roy Hibbert has a terrible history guarding Bosh..prior to his injury in game 1, Bosh had his way with him..now, Hibbert doesn't even have to give any effort on D, other than weakside help, and he can use most of his energy utilizing his mediocre offensive game, with success..

Take Rodman or Grant off those Bulls teams, and they aren't winning shit, tbh..

[scanry]

:lol anybody that downplays Bosh's impact, on a team that only has 3 consistent players, including no other big man that can do anything productive, is an idiot..

Bosh was statistically Miami's 2nd most valuable player, this year..Miami's go-to play is the pick&roll between Lebron and Bosh, which has now been replaced by Haslem and Anthony:lol..

Miami would have been better off losing Wade, tbh, since there would be better balance with a perimeter player and big man..either way, any logical fan would know that a team that relies on 3 players won't win a title without 1..

Roy Hibbert has a terrible history guarding Bosh..prior to his injury in game 1, Bosh had his way with him..now, Hibbert doesn't even have to give any effort on D, other than weakside help, and he can use most of his energy utilizing his mediocre offensive game, with success..

Take Rodman or Grant off those Bulls teams, and they aren't winning shit, tbh..

92 & 96 Bulls didn't need them to win a :lobt:

[ffadicted]

IMO they need to get rid of bosh and turn that into two solid players instead of one ok-all star 3rd banana

[HarlemHeat37]

'92 Bulls needed a 7-game series to beat New York in the semi-finals, 6 games to beat Cleveland, 6 games to beat Portland..

They aren't winning without Grant..

1996 may be the only exception..

Regardless, Lebron does need to play slightly better, and Wade needs to play A LOT better, for Miami to even have a shot..

[Kidd K]

Take Rodman or Grant off those Bulls teams, and they aren't winning shit, tbh..

That's sort of irrelevant because those Bulls teams minus Rodman or Grant are still much better than the current Heat minus Bosh. The Heat have nothing around their big 3 because they wanted too much money. They were arrogant and figured everyone would flock to them and play for league minimum just to win a title. What they didn't expect is for most of the league to dislike their egos so much that they would rather just go to Boston or Chicago or New York and try to win there.

Anyway, the heat are worse than the Bulls were by far. After all, JORDAN went off the team in '94, and what happened? 55 wins and still nearly won the damn title.

They took off Grant in '95, then won 3 straight from 96-98 by plugging in unwanted headcase Rodman who was practically non-existant on the offensive end. Replace Rodman with halfway decent rebounding big and they at least still win in it 96 and 97 anyway.

Jordan and Pippen >>>>>>> LeBron and Wade. Wade being the runt of the litter here.

[CavsSuperFan]

Pacers behavior is pretty ghetto TBH….Making the choke sign after LeBron misses a free throw…Stay Classy…

[lurker]

lol people who act like Wade has been a top 5 player at any point this year. His numbers are the lowest they've been since his rookie year.
Stephen A. and Skip were saying they believe Wade's struggles this season were due to him spending too much time babying Lebron. Lebron taking everyone down with him. :lol

[HarlemHeat37]

Unfortunately for the Heat, Bosh's potential rescue isn't likely to happen anytime soon, and there's a chance it might not even happen in this playoffs. What Wade's meltdown and the Heat's 19-point loss on Thursday underlined was the fact that the Heat desperately miss what Bosh brings to the table.

As a smooth-shooting power forward, Bosh functioned as the team's stabilizer and perhaps more importantly, the scoring buffer between Wade and James. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has insisted over the last two seasons that Bosh, not Wade or James, is the most vital player on the Heat roster. But each time the coach made that statement, the declaration was usually met with an air of mocking skepticism.

Bosh, the most valuable Heat player? The guy who averaged 18.0 points and 7.9 rebounds this past season after averaging 24.0 and 10.8 rebounds in 2009-10? The guy who has scored over 30 points just twice this season? The guy who promised in the preseason to average 10 rebounds a game this season and he couldn't even average over eight?

Yes, that guy.

Though often a punchline and target of ridicule, Bosh thrives in the single most important play in professional basketball, the pick-and-roll. When Bosh went down, the Heat also lost one of their greatest weapons in the halfcourt: a simple screen for James or Wade to give them space to work their magic. Now, Bosh is being replaced by non-scorers in Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony and Ronny Turiaf, and the Heat offense has never looked so clogged.

Bosh is often labeled as soft because of his finesse game that includes a nearly automatic mid-range jumper. Among the dozens of players with at least 100 shots from 10-15 feet this season, no one shot better than Bosh's 49.5 percent conversion rate, according to Hoopdata.com. No one was better. Not Dirk Nowitzki. Not Kobe Bryant. Not Kevin Durant.

For this reason, he creates a dilemma for his defender in the pick-and-roll. Leave Bosh to wall off James or Wade's penetration? Or shade toward Bosh and make sure the most sure-handed mid-range shooter doesn't get an open look?

Watch how Roy Hibbert and David West "guard" the Heat's big men. Or better yet, watch how they sag into the paint and completely ignore the Heat's big men. Watch how Wade and James settle for pull-up jumpers -- their least potent weapon in their arsenal next to heaving halfcourt shots -- because multiple bodies are anchored in their way.

Or better yet, just listen to Hibbert.

"Without [Bosh] in the game, I can wander a little bit more and make the paint look a little more crowded and block more shots," Hibbert said following Thursday's rout. "When he's there I have to respect his ability."

To see the Bosh effect, look no further than Wade's whopping total of two shots derived from the pick-and-roll in Game 3. According to SynergySports, Wade missed both of his shots after a screen and they were both as a result of Hibbert's noted lack of respect for big men in red. Wade clanked a running floater over Hibbert in the third quarter because the 7-foot-2 All-Star shifted over to Wade, ignoring Turiaf. On another possession, Wade got blocked by Hibbert after the screen because Anthony was never deemed a threat as a roll man.

The pick-and-roll used to be Wade's bread-and-butter, the vehicle that he road to a title in 2006, but without Bosh, it's almost useless. The Pacers can throw two on the ball and lure Wade into rolling the dice on a jump shot. The result? Wade has shot a putrid 16 percent (4-for-25) on jumpers since Pacers coach Frank Vogel had a day to gameplan for the Heat's post-Bosh offense in Game 2.

James has enjoyed more success than Wade in the pick-and-roll game since Bosh got hurt, but he certainly feels the effects of Bosh's absence. Because the Heat can ill-afford to play two big men without any semblance of scoring ability, ]James often is forced to play power forward and exhaust himself defensively on big men. James ran around like a man possessed defensively in the first half and then predictably trailed off after halftime.

There's little evidence that Bosh's skill-set has diminished since he came to Miami, only his role. Bosh has proved that he can be the scorer we knew in Toronto if he gets the touches. Consider that in Wade's nine-game absence in January this season, Bosh averaged 26 points per game on 59 percent shooting. He sacrificed touches when he came to Miami and did it for the goal of winning that elusive title.

Spoelstra maintains that the Heat "have enough" to replace Bosh's presence. Now, Bosh can only watch from afar while the Heat struggle to survive without him. As we're seeing now in the case of Bosh, sometimes you don't know what you have until it's gone.

[2pac > Kobe]

Bosh the real Mvp?

[DPG21920]

Quality thread LnG. When the Lakers had 2 of the best players in the world + scrubs, they 3peated. Maybe Bron and Wade are not as good as advertised?

And now Kobe is the only player in history to be considered the 11th best player ever & have 2 current top 5 bigs and not even be considered a contender (per most laker fans) :lol

[TIMMYtoZO]

:lol @ all these haters and their false hope that Miami will fail this year. I am as confident in Miami as I was the minute the lockout ended. No team this season is good enough to beat the Heat 4 times. Only Miami can stop themselves.

[tesseractive]

We didn't pretend they were stars. You straight called them scrubs, which they are obviously not. Scrubs are Troy Murphy and Josh McRoberts, you know, the two players who you claimed would replicate Lamar Odom's production :lol

They sure replicated this year's Lamar Odom production. :lol

[WeNeedLength]

"As we're seeing now in the case of Bosh, sometimes you don't know what you have until it's gone."

It's the opposite with the Spurs this year in the playoffs. Sometimes you don't know what you have until everyone's healthy. :lol

[JamStone]

Tbh LeBron should take it upon himself to guard Hibbert.

[hater]

Heat cancel practice, unavailable to media

"there's a couple of our guys crying in the lockeroom"

[stxspurs]

If bosh is so important, why did lebron win the mvp?

[Killakobe81]

Bosh can't guard Hibbert either ... But of course they miss him though Turiaf barely was a starter on some bad Knicks teams and was the 3rd or 4th big on some mediocre Lakers squads. That being said, they should still beat Indy and if they lose LeBron will catch hell even if Wade is the one not playing at an elite level

[HarlemHeat37]

Hibbert isn't even a standout player:lol..

His post moves are terrible, and he moves like a robot..he's also a terrible passer..

However, like I said, he doesn't even have to guard anybody anymore, which makes him look better on the offensive end..with Bosh in the game, Hibbert probably picks up fouls and wastes energy..

[HarlemHeat37]

Also, as I said prior to last game, Miami should still win this series, but Indiana >> the banged up Clippers and = the Kobe-centric Lakers..

I don't know why many are acting as if Indiana is a shitty team..

[Baron Davιs]

:lol Indiana giving people hope that an undermanned Heat team will lose..

Wade will drop 30 next game, book it..

Lebron and Wade will receive MVP chants in Indiana, the crowd will be primarily Heat fans IMO..

Anymore foolish predictions Harlem?

[LnGrrrR]

Well now we know why you started this thread.

I'm pretty sure I said they could beat the Pacers without Bosh. They lost last night because of Wade and shitty bigs.

:lol If you noticed, I called out Heatfans who wanted to bitch about Bosh's absence. I haven't seen you do that, so this post didn't apply to you. Reading is tech. :tu

[DeadlyDynasty]

Also, as I said prior to last game, Miami should still win this series, but Indiana >> the banged up Clippers and = the Kobe-centric Lakers..

I don't know why many are acting as if Indiana is a shitty team..

Indiana's not shitty, but they're also not great either. They're a meh team with no superstars. Basketball is the most talent-driven sport out there as far as the "parts being better than the whole" concept is concerned.

Indiana doesn't have ONE guy who can consistently take over games, while Miami has 2. OKC has 3, the Lakers have 2.5, the Celtics have Rondo and Garnett (and Pierce has had some great playoff games this year as well). Spurs and Clippers have a couple each.

The only teams left w/o superstars are Philly and Indy, so the fact they have no bosses and are primarily young teams is the reason people are shocked.

It's not like Indy's getting by with bullshit either--people keep saying the Heat should be up 2-1 or 3-0, but disregard the fact that Indy had them on the ropes for 3.5 quarters in Game 1 as well.

They're getting outcoached, outworked, and outsmarted.

[LnGrrrR]

They sure replicated this year's Lamar Odom production. :lol

:lmao

[DeadlyDynasty]

Also, from a realistic, global perspective--LeBron James will be a colossal failure if he loses this series. Although I still think Miami ends up taking it (in 7), a loss would be another damaging hit to his legacy.

The everyday fan and the sports media machine will not give 2 shits about Chris Bosh being injured, or how bad Spo is running LBJ into the ground. All that'll matter is that the league MVP couldn't lead his team past a star-less Indiana Pacers team even with HCA.

Under these same circumstances, a loss to Boston or against any west team besides LAC would be somewhat understandable and forgivable, but not to Indiana. It doesn't matter if LBJ plays as well as he did against Orlando in 2009--if the endgame's a series loss then he's fucked.

The game is the game.

[GuillermoDiazFan]

:lol anybody that downplays Bosh's impact, on a team that only has 3 consistent players, including no other big man that can do anything productive, is an idiot..

Bosh was statistically Miami's 2nd most valuable player, this year..Miami's go-to play is the pick&roll between Lebron and Bosh, which has now been replaced by Haslem and Anthony:lol..

Miami would have been better off losing Wade, tbh, since there would be better balance with a perimeter player and big man..either way, any logical fan would know that a team that relies on 3 players won't win a title without 1..

Roy Hibbert has a terrible history guarding Bosh..prior to his injury in game 1, Bosh had his way with him..now, Hibbert doesn't even have to give any effort on D, other than weakside help, and he can use most of his energy utilizing his mediocre offensive game, with success..

Take Rodman or Grant off those Bulls teams, and they aren't winning shit, tbh..

Yeah, I agree with this.

Especially the Hibbert vs Bosh matchup. Hibbert is too slow and imobile. He'd be a huge liability versus Bosh. Now they can't pull him off the paint because those other guys don't really need to be guarded.

Still, the Clippers have it worse, with their two best players at 20% of their full capacity and we aren't whining about it.

[GuillermoDiazFan]

Indiana is underrated in this board. They're a very cohesive team with pieces that complement each other well. Their defensive weakness (a gigantic one) is Hibbert's slowness and pick'n'roll defense - if a team can't take advantage of that, then Indiana becomes an elite defensive team.

I keep saying - with Bosh out, Indiana and Miami are at the same level.

[LnGrrrR]

Also, from a realistic, global perspective--LeBron James will be a colossal failure if he loses this series. Although I still think Miami ends up taking it (in 7), a loss would be another damaging hit to his legacy.

The everyday fan and the sports media machine will not give 2 shits about Chris Bosh being injured, or how bad Spo is running LBJ into the ground. All that'll matter is that the league MVP couldn't lead his team past a star-less Indiana Pacers team even with HCA.


It doesn't help him when he predicts multiple championships like a cockface.

[Stalin]

indiana is legit, they are balanced on the offensive end, have a real center on d, and play team ball

[JamStone]

I don't think Indiana is legit at all. I think they just match up particularly well against the Heat because they can expose the Heat's weaknesses inside and on the glass. They are balanced and they are playing pretty well especially defensively. But I'm not all that impressed by them. The Bosh absence certainly doesn't help, but I still think the Heat should win the series. I think they're under-performing, allowing Indiana to exploit their weaknesses inside, and they're playing mentally weak and fragile right now.

Indiana is a good team. They're not great.

[z0sa]

Bosh's absence didn't have anything to do with Wade scoring 5, bricking an open layup for the lead or turning the ball over a bunch.

Bosh didn't make James a huge bitch during 4th quarters, either.

[Goran Dragic]

However, I want to know more about the Heat acquiring a "legit center." Exactly who could they have gotten last summer? I just mentioned that the Heat couldn't have matched the contract Dalembert got from Houston. What legit center was out there and available? This league is devoid of quality centers already. And the centers that are even remotely legitimate are difficult to acquire. Maybe they go after Chris Kaman this summer.
I wasn't referring to last summer, I was referring to the summer they got Haslem and Miller.

[GuillermoDiazFan]

Miami should have kept one of those centers with beef like Dampier or Magloire. A physical big. It'd be useful in this series to throw at Hibbert. The guys they kept are all too similar in terms of style: Howard, Turiaf, Anthony, Haslem... smaller, more finnesse role-players.

[HarlemHeat37]

Spoelstra's system doesn't suit bigger Cs, which is why he has loaded the team with "quick and athletic" undersized bigs..his defensive system demands quickness..

[Venti Quattro]

Good luck with that. Hibbert is going to eat Dampier and Magloire alive.

[LkrFan]

I know Shaq was fat, but counting him as two players is just mean.

I just saw this. Well played son. :lol

[JamStone]

I wasn't referring to last summer, I was referring to the summer they got Haslem and Miller.

And who is the legitimate center they should have signed in the summer of 2010?

[LkrFan]

Tbh LeBron should take it upon himself to guard Hibbert.

I wish that would happen! He'd be in foul trouble trying to guard 7'2" Hibbert. :lmao :lmao :lmao

[Venti Quattro]

LeBron had no trouble guarding a 7-footer Pau Gasol. I don't see how he can't guard Hibbert. Ohhhhhh Hibbert is not soft compared to Pau.

[JamStone]

I put LeBron on Hibbert and field a starting unit of LeBron-Wade-Miller-Battier-Haslem getting the big minutes. LeBron's job, front Hibbert on the post, and gain defensive rebounding position when he's defending him on the weakside. LeBron is strong and quick enough to do both of those things.

Then the Pacers have to figure out who Hibbert guards at the other end. And the Heat run the Pacers into the ground. It's not an optimum solution for LeBron to expend so much energy defensively. But with the way the Heat bigs have not come to play so far this series, it's a bold move to force the issue with the Pacers.

[HarlemHeat37]

Not a bad strategy to experiment, tbh..

Hibbert has shitty post moves and he's slow as fuck..I doubt Indiana can adjust to aggressive fronting and swarming..I doubt it happens, though..

[Venti Quattro]

Hibbert is so slow that if you pitted him with Enes Kanter in a race, the entire audience would be asleep before either of them gets to the halfway point.

[LkrFan]

I put LeBron on Hibbert and field a starting unit of LeBron-Wade-Miller-Battier-Haslem getting the big minutes. LeBron's job, front Hibbert on the post, and gain defensive rebounding position when he's defending him on the weakside. LeBron is strong and quick enough to do both of those things.

Then the Pacers have to figure out who Hibbert guards at the other end. And the Heat run the Pacers into the ground. It's not an optimum solution for LeBron to expend so much energy defensively. But with the way the Heat bigs have not come to play so far this series, it's a bold move to force the issue with the Pacers.

He said playing PF is taxing. How in the hell do you think he's gonna be able guard a legit center? Hibbert is bigger than every PF Bron will ever have to guard. LeHype is strong and can jump out the gym, but you cant teach size. LeHype is no Rodman. He'll get killed down low.

And you would really trot M:lolller B:lolttier and H:lolslem with Bron and Wade v. them young Pacers? I wish Spo does that. They'd lose the series in 5.

Small ball doesn't win in the playoffs. Ask HOF bound Steve Nash. :downspin:

[LkrFan]

LeBron had no trouble guarding a 7-footer Pau Gasol. I don't see how he can't guard Hibbert. Ohhhhhh Hibbert is not soft compared to Pau.

Your last sentence is the key. Hibbert is no soft Euro.

[JamStone]

He said playing PF is taxing. How in the hell do you think he's gonna be able guard a legit center? Hibbert is bigger than every PF Bron will ever have to guard. LeHype is strong and can jump out the gym, but you cant teach size. LeHype is no Rodman. He'll get killed down low.

And you would really trot M:lolller B:lolttier and H:lolslem with Bron and Wade v. them young Pacers? I wish Spo does that. They'd lose the series in 5.

Small ball doesn't win in the playoffs. Ask HOF bound Steve Nash. :downspin:

Problem is the bigs the Heat use (Haslem, Anthony, Turiaf) are no bigger than LeBron, so you're not losing size when you put that line-up out there. Let's be real, the Heat aren't seriously going to use Pittman or Curry. It will be taxing for LeBron, but you expect him to rise to the challenge. While Hibbert is huge, it's not like he's a brute who really bruises and uses his size the way a Shaq would. And it's not only about the defensive changes it makes but what it forces the Pacers to do when they defend the Heat at the other end.

The Heat don't have a bunch of young athletes to throw out there with LeBron and Wade, so what Miller and Battier provide is flexibility and versatility. And if they can ever start hitting shots, they stretch the Pacer defense. Who is Hibbert guarding of those five guys? And they need Haslem or Turiaf or Anthony as the fifth to put on David West. I chose Haslem because I think he's a smarter defender than the other two.

The Heat are already playing weak with a traditional line-up with Anthony and Turiaf manning the pivot. With Bosh getting injured, it changed the dynamics of the series and the options the Heat have to counter the size of the Pacers. Strategically, they have to do something different to give them an advantage to counter the size. The Pacers have out-rebounded the Heat by 26 boards the last two games. So playing a traditional line-up isn't really working anyway. And it's not something I suggest the Heat do the rest of the playoffs. Only for this series, especially considering the Bosh injury.

[LkrFan]

Problem is the bigs the Heat use (Haslem, Anthony, Turiaf) are no bigger than LeBron, so you're not losing size when you put that line-up out there. Let's be real, the Heat aren't seriously going to use Pittman or Curry. It will be taxing for LeBron, but you expect him to rise to the challenge. While Hibbert is huge, it's not like he's a brute who really bruises and uses his size the way a Shaq would. And it's not only about the defensive changes it makes but what it forces the Pacers to do when they defend the Heat at the other end.

The Heat don't have a bunch of young athletes to throw out there with LeBron and Wade, so what Miller and Battier provide is flexibility and versatility. And if they can ever start hitting shots, they stretch the Pacer defense. Who is Hibbert guarding of those five guys? And they need Haslem or Turiaf or Anthony as the fifth to put on David West. I chose Haslem because I think he's a smarter defender than the other two.

The Heat are already playing weak with a traditional line-up with Anthony and Turiaf manning the pivot. With Bosh getting injured, it changed the dynamics of the series and the options the Heat have to counter the size of the Pacers. Strategically, they have to do something different to give them an advantage to counter the size. The Pacers have out-rebounded the Heat by 26 boards the last two games. So playing a traditional line-up isn't really working anyway. And it's not something I suggest the Heat do the rest of the playoffs. Only for this series, especially considering the Bosh injury.

Quoted for future reference. Your a really good poster Jam, but you're reaching here. The flexibility you speak of is negated by them being TOSBs with a clearly definable skillet: Miller's a no defense playing gunner; Haslem is inferior to West - so the things he does won't matter; Battier is a 3 point chucker who can take an occasional charge. In their primes, I'd agree with you. At this stage of their respective careers - on the road? I just don't see it the way you do.

[GuillermoDiazFan]

I put LeBron on Hibbert and field a starting unit of LeBron-Wade-Miller-Battier-Haslem getting the big minutes. LeBron's job, front Hibbert on the post, and gain defensive rebounding position when he's defending him on the weakside. LeBron is strong and quick enough to do both of those things.

Then the Pacers have to figure out who Hibbert guards at the other end. And the Heat run the Pacers into the ground. It's not an optimum solution for LeBron to expend so much energy defensively. But with the way the Heat bigs have not come to play so far this series, it's a bold move to force the issue with the Pacers.


Not a bad strategy to experiment, tbh..

Hibbert has shitty post moves and he's slow as fuck..I doubt Indiana can adjust to aggressive fronting and swarming..I doubt it happens, though..

What's the difference for the line-ups he's been using? He had one with LBJ at the five - Chalmers, Wade, Miller, Battier, LBJ. Not really much different from the line-up that started the game or that started the 2nd half actually. Basically Haslem for Pittman/Turiaf and Miller for Chalmers. I fail to see what would Miami gain from those changes.

The problem is that Vogel moved Hibbert to the high post. Hibbert is an excellent from there and they can't double him so far away from the lines, he'll simply find the open man. Plus, Battier cant' defend West in the low post. Too weak, too small. Hibbert placed higher opens a space

With that line-up, Hibbert would "defend " Haslem. Great matchup for Indy. Haslem isn't good enough anymore to punish Hibbert. They'll livewith Haslem shooting 15 fters all day. Haslem's FG% in 10-15 fters this season - 26%.

The Pacers would have an ever larger advantage on the boards and it'd be phisically taxing for LeBron to defend Hibbert + Wade to defend George Hill.

Honestly, you guys are even worse tacticians than Spoelstra. That's quite an achievement.

[GuillermoDiazFan]

An excellent passer from the high post, Hibbert. Swarming him was obviously Spoelstra's idea, but Indiana was ready for that.

[HarlemHeat37]

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao..

[LnGrrrR]

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao..

Not quite sure why you bumped this. If Bosh wasn't healthy, you guys would be fishing today.

[HarlemHeat37]

The bump wasn't regarding the OP, it was regarding the posts downplaying Bosh's impact..

[LnGrrrR]

The bump wasn't regarding the OP, it was regarding the posts downplaying Bosh's impact..

Ah, mea culpa. :toast Bosh did lots of work for you, as I figured he would. I didn't think it would be 3 pointers, though... :lol

[racm]

Bosh best stretch 4 in the playoffs tbh

with his jumpers Ibaka won't get as many blocks