So who's afraid of the Heat again??

[Reck]

Because I'm sure as hell not. Bring them the hell on!

Rob something, come here and tell us how Miami would decimate the Spurs. :lol

I am really feeling ring#5 coming up soon.

[jmanu20]

The Pacers look scarier at this point.

The Heat should just call themselves the LeBrons, he's basically the whole team right now.

[bklynspursfan]

you know what sucks... as bad as bosh & wade look, they'd probably get it going against us if we indeed do face them :lol

[hater]

you know what sucks... as bad as bosh & wade look, they'd probably get it going against us if we indeed do face them :lol

:tu

Heat spurs finals is a fact.

its going to be aloooooooooong finals

[capek]

not this niqqa :ihit

[ThePop]

I can't believe I actually want Miami.

[spurs10]

Not afraid of either team. Spurs are the better team. :ihit:fight

[timtonymanu]

I still want the Pacers at the end of the day because they don't have LeBron and their guards are really bad. Even Gary Neal would be starting for them.

The Heat do look more vulnerable but I won't assume that until the series starts.

[DPG21920]

Fans are so in the now. Yes, MIA looks vulernable at times, but lol fans just acting like MIA is terrible or something.

[jmanu20]

Fans are so in the now. Yes, MIA looks vulernable at times, but lol fans just acting like MIA is terrible or something.

Miami isn't terrible, it's just that a lot of people seem to put them on a pedestal because of one player.

[ThePop]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BLuPH_lCAAEI7dq.jpg

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

My concern is - teams that look bad against other teams, seem to play well against the Spurs.

In other words, the Heat's poor play against the Pacers may not carry over to a Heat-Spurs series.

[DPG21920]

Wade and Bosh are still capable guys. They are just having a rough series. Plus, they have a lot of bench guys that can contribute that just aren't playing well. That one player is the best player on the planet tbh. Spurs should not be scared, but even with how MIA looks, they are still the favorites.

[milkyway21]

The Pacers look scarier at this point.

The Heat should just call themselves the LeBrons, he's basically the whole team right now.

l don't think LeBron will stay in Miami next season 50/50 chance, win or not.

[td4mvp21]

They looked really vulnerable last year vs. the Pacers and Celtics. Then they raped OKC in the Finals.

[DeadlyDynasty]

The optimism is adorable. Bless your little hearts

[timtonymanu]

Wade and Bosh are still capable guys. They are just having a rough series. Plus, they have a lot of bench guys that can contribute that just aren't playing well. That one player is the best player on the planet tbh. Spurs should not be scared, but even with how MIA looks, they are still the favorites.

Agreed.

I think Miami's struggles are fool's gold. Plus I'm sensing that guys like Battier, Allen, Miller, and Haslem are going to go off in the Finals.

[cd98]

Miami matches up better with the Spurs than Miami. Home court will be huge advantage. Spurs can still win but they will have to play their best.

[exstatic]

you know what sucks... as bad as bosh & wade look, they'd probably get it going against us if we indeed do face them :lol

Wade is more broken down at this point in his career than Manu. He's not likely to "get going" any time soon. If I'm Pop, I bench any player who DOESN'T go under the screen on him.

[PingPong]

The Spurs aren't athletic as the Pacers, Miami ball will flow better. And those threes with gary neal defending, what a nightmare!

[Reck]

I still want the Pacers at the end of the day because they don't have LeBron and their guards are really bad. Even Gary Neal would be starting for them.

The Heat do look more vulnerable but I won't assume that until the series starts.

Oh yeah there is no question that I'd much rather Spurs face the Pacers for alot more reasons, one being that Spurs would just end them in no less than 6 games in route to a 5th champ.

There is so much bullshit that goes into facing the Heat. The refs alone would be a headache.

[Austin_Toros]

Miami role players are sure to pick it up come the finals. I don't see how they can continue to all play this poorly for another series.

[Kidd K]

I wasn't afraid of them to begin with. It didn't take the Heat losing tonight for me to feel that way. . .shouldn't have for any of you either.

The Spurs are a great team, the Heat are too. Even if they won tonight, they're still not much better than the Spurs, if at all. All they really have on us is HCA. If not for that, I would be confident picking the Spurs to win in 6 or 7 against Miami. Since they have HCA though, I think it can go either way. Flip a coin really unless Spurs steal game 1, then 2/3rds chance of taking it imo.

[milkyway21]

There's a problem between those 3, the teamwork is just missing right now

[BatManu20]

you know what sucks... as bad as bosh & wade look, they'd probably get it going against us if we indeed do face them :lol


Miami role players are sure to pick it up come the finals. I don't see how they can continue to all play this poorly for another series.


Yep. And the Pacers are just a bad matchup for Miami with their size and athleticism. The Spurs aren't. Heat will play better against us.

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

Heat will play better against the Spurs than they do/did against the Pacers. For that reason I'd still prefer the Pacers.

[Brazil]

Heat will win the last game easily and will be the big favorites of the finals

[T Park]

The heat haven't been good the entire playoffs. Why are they gonna just flip a switch again? Or should I say how?

[rascal]

The Pacers are the new kid on the block and don't have the finals experience. Pacers win game 7 and lose game 1 to the spurs after the emotional letdown. Spurs also get home court advantage against Indiana.

The entire playoffs has been playing out just perfect for the Spurs, no reason to believe that will change.
Number 5 and the last will come to san Antonio this year. Enjoy, because it is the last. SA will not see another finals ever.

[Malice]

Its all about match ups. NEITHER of these teams match up with the Spurs well at all....its not rocket surgery people. Spurs in 6 or better...line up the bitch already.

[Texas_Ranger]

I was never afraid of them, but they do have a lot of weapons. Yes, Bosh and Wade are playing like shit right now, but the Pacers still have a hard time with them. Their bench is great. Any one of those guys can change into a Perkins or Ibaka from last year.
The only reason why I would like the Pacers to win it is cause of the home advantage and that's it.

[99 Problems]

Game 7 gives Heat more time carry/less time mend injuries. I'm happy for game 7.

[siraulo23]

the heat are still the scarier team

wade could somehow be dwade again, and bosh plays the spurs well, their 3 pt shooters are due to hit their 3s and lebron is lebron

the spurs would just front hibbert like they did against randolph and force stephenson to shoot jumpers
paul george is an all star but he's no lebron

[Mr. Body]

Every team has a range of performance they can produce any given stretch of games. Miami's goes much higher than Indiana's does. They just have a lot of players not producing right now.

[dbreiden83080]

Root for them in game 7. Tim will kill them inside and walk away with his 4th finals MVP..

[dbreiden83080]

They looked really vulnerable last year vs. the Pacers and Celtics. Then they raped OKC in the Finals.

Mostly because Harden decided he wasn't interested in winning a title..

[siraulo23]

Mostly because Harden decided he wasn't interested in winning a title..

all games were close except that clincher and it was over in 5 because of the 2-3-2 format, i hate it

[Arcadian]

Right now, the Spurs are the best team remaining, and should be favored over either team from the East. They have the best record of all remaining playoff teams (12-2), and they have played their best basketball going into the Finals.

[dbreiden83080]

Spurs have to deal with rust for game 1 but should be healthy.. Should be..

[Budkin]

:tu

Heat spurs finals is a fact.

its going to be aloooooooooong finals

So hater, still got Heat in 6? :lol

[Rogue]

Miami would be as bad a match-up for the spurs just as Indiana to themselves, imho. Memphis and Pacers play similar games (grinding out defense, insufficient power from the 3) and spurs handled them well. Spurs only lost two games the entire postseason so far and both games were lost to the warriors, and miami can play a similar style with a deeper/stronger squad

[100%duncan]

I still want the Pacers at the end of the day because they don't have LeBron and their guards are really bad. Even Gary Neal would be starting for them.

The Heat do look more vulnerable but I won't assume that until the series starts.

This.

[313]

They looked really vulnerable last year vs. the Pacers and Celtics. Then they raped OKC in the Finals.

[Heath Ledger]

Lebron totally fucking phoned it in tonight. I don't think I've ever seen the Heat play so bad. Indiana was a gnat fart away from winning this series tonight.

[BatManu20]

Yall are crazy if you want Miami over Indiana. Lebron is lebron, the best player in the world who can single-handedly take over and win games when he wants, Wade and Bosh could easily start playing like themselves again against us, and they have a plethora of 3-point shooters.. We can beat Indiana by simply packing it in the box and forcing their guards to beat us, which they wouldn't. Miami is by far the scarier team. Anyone who thinks different is kidding themselves.

[wijayas]

My concern is - teams that look bad against other teams, seem to play well against the Spurs.

In other words, the Heat's poor play against the Pacers may not carry over to a Heat-Spurs series.


True. And Ray Allen and Shane Battier are due to improve. It is "regression to the means." I'd rather have Pacers in the Finals. Their relative inexperience will work to Spurs advantage. I don't care about the ratings. Just #5!!!!

:flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag:

[wijayas]

Yall are crazy if you want Miami over Indiana. Lebron is lebron, the best player in the world who can single-handedly take over and win games when he wants, Wade and Bosh could easily start playing like themselves again against us, and they have a plethora of 3-point shooters.. We can beat Indiana by simply packing it in the box and forcing their guards to beat us, which they wouldn't. Miami is by far the scarier team. Anyone who thinks different is kidding themselves.

Very true!!!!!!!!!!!

[playbonner15]

The Spurs should face the better/scarier/League favored team, tbh. I'm tired of seeing those "Spurs have easiest path" threads popping up or getting bumped. If Spurs win it all, they might even go run for a b2b next season

[TE]

I'm still afraid of the Heat...they would get it going against us imo

[cutewizard]

The Pacers are the new kid on the block and don't have the finals experience. Pacers win game 7 and lose game 1 to the spurs after the emotional letdown. Spurs also get home court advantage against Indiana.

The entire playoffs has been playing out just perfect for the Spurs, no reason to believe that will change.
Number 5 and the last will come to san Antonio this year. Enjoy, because it is the last. SA will not see another finals ever.

Aha.....!!???

[cutewizard]

It may boil down to this:

Let us matchup the two best players respectively:

Which superstar pair is performing better in THIS playoffs:

Duncan/Parker or Lebron/Wade ?????????????????????????

[rascal]

The Spurs should face the better/scarier/League favored team, tbh. I'm tired of seeing those "Spurs have easiest path" threads popping up or getting bumped. If Spurs win it all, they might even go run for a b2b next season

b2b won't happen. The Spurs caught lucky breaks throughout the playoffs. That is not going to happen next year.
Other teams will be making changes, the league will not be the same next year.

B2b is the talk we will hear and everyone will want them to bring back the same exact team. Bad move.

The Spurs need to get better next year than what the are now, younger and more athletic.

[pgardn]

It may boil down to this:

Let us matchup the two best players respectively:

Which superstar pair is performing better in THIS playoffs:

Duncan/Parker or Lebron/Wade ?????????????????????????


Wade is fried.

Might as well put down Lebron/Chalmers

[cd98]

Spurs can put up a line up of capable scorers against the Pacers. Pure defensive teams can only score a certain amount of points. If you get 95+ a game, chances are they can't score enough to beat you.

Spurs will struggle to outscore Miami and struggle on defense. They can still win but they will have to play their best defense, improve on rebounding, get good ball movement and have consistent three point shooting. We won't win just going inside to Duncan and Splitter. I'm worried about our rebounding in the playoffs.

[Fireball]

I am not afraid, but I still look at the Heat as the favorites. Roy Hibbert is responsible for the offensive struggles, he is just huge in defending the paint. Tim and Tiago are awesome, but anybody who dies not think the Heat will attack the basket alot stronger against the Spurs are just crazy. And by doing that, they will get their offensive flow back. The few minutes Mike Mliller played last night are an indication for what is to come in the Finals ...

[Anonymous Cowherd]

I want us to win, so I want the Pacers. Aside from anything else, HCA is huge.

[iminol]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/931313_641787402516454_1962959391_n.jpg

[Knoxxx]

Mostly because Harden decided he wasn't interested in winning a title..

The officiating swung heavily from OKC-SA to OKC-Miami. While I am not opposed to conspiracy theories perpetrated by Stern, I think its more referee weakness than anything that results in travesties like we saw in OKC-SA game 6. First off, I think Harden's epic flopping in our series was reviewed heavily by the league and that jig was completely up before he set foot on the court for game #1 of the 2012 finals. Harden was so shocked at the abrupt end to his Oscar-worthy run, he never recovered. Durant was affected to. Remember the flop on his lean into Manu taking away a basket + free throw from us? Against the Heat, LeBron was allowed to barrel into a fully set Durant for the and one. Completely different story from conf finals, and it was great to see OKC know what being jobbed by the refs feels like, so we can thank Miami for that.

Also we now have the replays late in games. Remember those late bad calls against OKC in game 6 once again? Kawhi smashed in the head and out of bounds call against us. Phantom and one for Westbrook v Parker? While I am not sure those are all reviewable, have to think once again that series or even game had a large impact on rules changes heading into this season. I do credit the league for that.

The extreme faggot team in this mix is Miami with floppers like Battier and thugs like Bird Man. Fortunately the Bird has placed himself on thin ice now and the refs are doing a better job calling a balanced game and not giving James superstar calls. If they can figure out the screen man is not allowed to tackle the defender and otherwise put an end to Battier's antics, I love our chances here.

[Knoxxx]

It may boil down to this:

Let us matchup the two best players respectively:

Which superstar pair is performing better in THIS playoffs:

Duncan/Parker or Lebron/Wade ?????????????????????????

I think this is best stated Duncan/Parker = LeBron/Bosh.

Then we can say Manu > Wade because he is healthier.

From there we have Splitter/Diaw/Leonard/Green > Birdman/Haslem/Allen/Chalmers

At the bottom of each rotation you have Bonner/Neal/Joseph > Battier/Cole (more versatility and better shooting)

Did I miss anyone?

[bklynspursfan]

Wade is more broken down at this point in his career than Manu. He's not likely to "get going" any time soon. If I'm Pop, I bench any player who DOESN'T go under the screen on him.

That's true... I hope to God Danny Green knows not to bite on his pump fakes either. I could see Bosh getting hot or even ray Allen for that matter.

[AFBlue]

They have the best player on the planet and very talented group of role players. "Afraid" isn't the right word, but the Spurs should maintain an appropriate fear. If there's one lesson to take from the Pacers it's that you need to play up your size advantage.

[NASpurs]

Isn't this their third Finals (if they make it) in a row? And some of them played in the Olympics? They could very well be worn out at this point.

[tesseractive]

Wade is more broken down at this point in his career than Manu. He's not likely to "get going" any time soon. If I'm Pop, I bench any player who DOESN'T go under the screen on him.
He didn't look broken down when they were winning 27 straight.

Besides, he's about due for another dose of banned performance enhancers getting his knee drained. :lol

And I don't get why people aren't scared by LeBron. Both the Heat and the Pacers knew they had to win Game 5, and the Pacers shut down everybody else, yet LeBron fought through everything they had like he was Jimmy Caan at the end of freaking Rollerball. He's come through in every single game this postseason where they knew they needed to win, and it's going to be hell trying to overcome that.

I think we can win this series, but I think it's going to be an epic battle. We could easily be down to a 7-man rotation by Game 5, and we'll have a legion of cliff jumpers along the way. I just trust our guys enough this season to get us through it.

[Budkin]

He didn't look broken down when they were winning 27 straight.

Besides, he's about due for another dose of banned performance enhancers getting his knee drained. :lol

And I don't get why people aren't scared by LeBron. Both the Heat and the Pacers knew they had to win Game 5, and the Pacers shut down everybody else, yet LeBron fought through everything they had like he was Jimmy Caan at the end of freaking Rollerball. He's come through in every single game this postseason where they knew they needed to win, and it's going to be hell trying to overcome that.

I think we can win this series, but I think it's going to be an epic battle. We could easily be down to a 7-man rotation by Game 5, and we'll have a legion of cliff jumpers along the way. I just trust our guys enough this season to get us through it.

That's not why they lost game 5. They left Haslem and Birdman wide open all game and they turned the ball over unforced about 20 times.

[Embedded]

That 27 regular season games in a row push might actually have cost them a championship. Lebron has always had a problem overemphisizing the regular season. Wade is paying the price.

[thiste]

The optimism is adorable. Bless your little hearts

You're gonna be so butthurt when Tim & Tony raise the trophies :(

[thiste]

b2b won't happen. The Spurs caught lucky breaks throughout the playoffs. That is not going to happen next year.
Other teams will be making changes, the league will not be the same next year.

B2b is the talk we will hear and everyone will want them to bring back the same exact team. Bad move.

The Spurs need to get better next year than what the are now, younger and more athletic.

Ask Golden State and Memphis what younger and more athletic did for them this year.