Random Thoughts After Sleepless Night

[ALVAREZ6]

Only thought after last night: Spurs have a very small chance at winning.

The Heat have the momentum and confidence of having just stole a game and putting themselves in great position to win game 7 at home. The role players of the Heat will have higher probability of knocking down their shots as they're gonna be playing with more confidence. The opposite is true for the Spurs. Every time the Spurs take a jumper, what happened last night will be fresh in their mind and won't generally feel as confident. The Heat will step up defensively and it's become an obstacle to manage Tony's hamstring situation and make sure he isn't running out of gas in the 2nd half.

I just don't see it. I'm an admitted pessimist in these situations. It could go either way as each game has been unpredictable, but I give Miami the edge. If the Spurs lose, Game 6 will be remembered for a very long time as one of the biggest choke jobs in history, ultimately costing the Spurs what they've been trying to achieve again for years. This year was the year to do it, there's no next year. Didn't have to go through a tough Laker team or a full strength OKC. Wade isn't 100%. A ing shame.

[ALVAREZ6]

Co-signed.

As well tbh.

The Spurs played most of the game pretty damn well, even though Manu sucked ass and Parker didn't have a particularly explosive game. Duncan compensated and the Spurs answered each Heat run and stayed in front for basically the whole game. They put themselves in the best realistically possible position (this late in this series and switching back to Miami yone can't expect a 3-point barrage and Spurs win via blowout) on the road in Miami to win last night and still ed it up.

The key is to get up first and maintain it throughout the game. The Heat have sky high confidence when things are going well and they're up by several points. A lot of things need to go right for the Spurs throughout 48 minutes. Miami? Well, they can play a tier game and still win because they have a guy or two who can bail them out. I predict a Miami 20 point win tbh.

[ace3g]

Not sure if I'm ready to watch this yet, even with the BTS stuff

[RD2191]

Or the moment of truth in your lies...

[TheGreatYacht]

Spurs can't win game 7.

Even if they don't get blown out by 30 and quit during the first quarter like I expect them to, Pop will find a way to lose the game. I've called him the most overrated coach of all time and he proved it last night.

Mentally tough? I don't see it. Even if they are, it won't help. Neal will still leave shooters, Duncan will still not get the ball or be benched, Parker will over dribble and be benched, Manu will still turn the ball over, and Pop will still be there with game-losing decisions. Whether it's leaving the inbounder unguarded to get a clean pass in, or benching one of the all time greats . . . Pop has never and will never win without the more talented team. Because he needs the talent surplus to cover his mistakes.

It's a disgrace that the Spurs are now without question the biggest chokers of all time. And turned Lebron into a bigger legend.

Shameful.

He's not as bad as Phil Jackson.

[TheGreatYacht]

Only thought after last night: Spurs have a very small chance at winning.

The Heat have the momentum and confidence of having just stole a game and putting themselves in great position to win game 7 at home. The role players of the Heat will have higher probability of knocking down their shots as they're gonna be playing with more confidence. The opposite is true for the Spurs. Every time the Spurs take a jumper, what happened last night will be fresh in their mind and won't generally feel as confident. The Heat will step up defensively and it's become an obstacle to manage Tony's hamstring situation and make sure he isn't running out of gas in the 2nd half.

I just don't see it. I'm an admitted pessimist in these situations. It could go either way as each game has been unpredictable, but I give Miami the edge. If the Spurs lose, Game 6 will be remembered for a very long time as one of the biggest choke jobs in history, ultimately costing the Spurs what they've been trying to achieve again for years. This year was the year to do it, there's no next year. Didn't have to go through a tough Laker team or a full strength OKC. Wade isn't 100%. A ing shame.

Thumbs up.

[timvp]

Not sure if I'm ready to watch this yet, even with the BTS stuff

Wish me well, I'm about to press play

[ace3g]

oh and should LeBron have been in the game with blood on his leg?

[ace3g]

Wish me well, I'm about to press play

Let us know how the players look in the locker room after the game, if there is footage of that (usually there is).

[hommeaetage]

Green should have stolen that ball from Bosh tbh, at the very least get a jump ball

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

-Damn that stings.

-I love Manu and I still want him back next year but watching the tape makes it difficult not to be mad at him. If he dies during warmups of Game 6, the Spurs win by 15 to 20 points. He was literally the best player on the Heat last night.

-I'm slowly growing more confident about Game 7. The Spurs were the better team last night. And really, that's probably the first time I've felt that way all series. Game 1 was won due to fluke low turnovers. Game 3 was won with fluke three-point shooting. Game 5 was won with fluke 60% shooting. Last night the Spurs were just better. Let's hope that is a good omen.

-Any other team in the history of the world would be toast mentally. But not these Spurs. Their greatest gift is the mental toughness forged through years of fighting arm in arm. They will bounce back.

Believe.

Nice sentiments, and a positive way to approach the loss.

I just don't see ANY team bouncing back from that loss. Just absolutely brutal tbh.

However, I think Mugen's right. This feels like 2004 all over again, and I think we'll fight gamely in the first half, then age and injuries and the mental battering of losing gamne 6 will take its toll in the second. We shall see.

[hsxvvd]

It's simple. They will need to play the greatest and most suprising game to win what will be the greatest and most suprising championship.

Seriously, did anybody think we'd be here at the beginning of the season? No, if your honest.

Does anybody think we can bounce back and win game 7? Probably not.

This season has been full of the unexpected.... no better way to cap it off, than an unexpected victory.

[timvp]

Wish me well, I'm about to press play

Son of a.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

It's simple. They will need to play the greatest and most suprising game to win what will be the greatest and most suprising championship.

Seriously, did anybody think we'd be here at the beginning of the season? No, if your honest.

Does anybody think we can bounce back and win game 7? Probably not.

This season has been full of the unexpected.... no better way to cap it off, than an unexpected victory.

Let's go with that!

[timvp]

Let us know how the players look in the locker room after the game, if there is footage of that (usually there is).

Morgue, tbh.

[TheGreatYacht]

Let us know how the players look in the locker room after the game, if there is footage of that (usually there is).

I skipped to the last part of the videos and Jesus Christ, their faces look depressing. Makes feel sad as if I were part of the team. Skip to 6:20.

[LakerLanny]

-Damn that stings.

-I love Manu and I still want him back next year but watching the tape makes it difficult not to be mad at him. If he dies during warmups of Game 6, the Spurs win by 15 to 20 points. He was literally the best player on the Heat last night.

-I'm slowly growing more confident about Game 7. The Spurs were the better team last night. And really, that's probably the first time I've felt that way all series. Game 1 was won due to fluke low turnovers. Game 3 was won with fluke three-point shooting. Game 5 was won with fluke 60% shooting. Last night the Spurs were just better. Let's hope that is a good omen.

-Any other team in the history of the world would be toast mentally. But not these Spurs. Their greatest gift is the mental toughness forged through years of fighting arm in arm. They will bounce back.

Believe.

My sympathies...I was upset all day and I am a Laker fan, that's how tough a loss that was. In fact, I think one could argue that was the toughest loss of all time in basketball if the Spurs do not win Game 7.

It makes me sick that Kawhi missed that FT because I am a huge SDSU fan (and alum) and a huge fan of that great kid. It heartens me to see that the vast majority of Spurs fans are not blaming him for that, the pressure was immense and he played a fantastic game (and series) to that point.

As you mentioned, Manu was simply horrific. There is little doubt that his turnovers cost the Spurs the game, that cannot be logically debated. I just don't understand how he could be so careless with the ball, those were just awful plays and there were so many of them that it just boggles the mind.

But to me the biggest blame has to go to Popovich. I have always thought he gets way more credit than he has deserved for the Spurs success over the years. Last night was an example of a coach who has read too many of his own press clippings and fallen in love with himself to the point of overcoaching.

I could name 10 different coaching moves of his last night that were awful and not just in hindsight, I was screaming at the TV when he made them. How can you have Ginobili in the game in OT? He was obviously way off and shouldn't have been on the floor, his mistakes in OT doomed them of course.

But even worse was not have Duncan and Parker on the floor at the end of regulation. He also did not seem to grasp that the Heat had to foul at the end of regulation and allowed a young player who has never been a great FT shooter (Kawhi) to be the one to get fouled for the most critical FT's in the NBA since Sasha Vujacic took down the Celtics in Game 7 of 2010.

His lineup to start the 4th was atrocious, he completely botched the game and deserves a lot more blame than he is getting. If the Spurs don't win Game 7, I would submit that Game 6 was the worst single game coaching performance of all time, it really was that bad.

I feel for you guys, that game was as tough a loss as you will ever see and it makes me sick just thinking about it and not just because I bet the Spurs at +190 to win the series before it started. Get them in Game 7, please.

[doobs]

I'm still kinda pissed about what happened but I can't imagine losing sleep over it. I hope the Spurs didn't lose any sleep either.

I hope Lebron & Co. stayed out late at Liv and celebrated like they won the championship.

[hsxvvd]

Time for a "Win one for the Gipper" from Popovich.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Son of a.

It's like watching a nightmare again, isn't it...

[LakerLanny]

Wish me well, I'm about to press play

Don't do it, you are a masochist if you watch that one again. God that sucked.

[Chinook]

Parker and Green made the plays of the game, which gave the Spurs a chance at the end of regulation and in overtime. Tony's shot needs no explanation, and to me, Green's block on James was even better than James' block on Duncan, since Lebron saw it coming and Green was falling back. Had the Spurs won that game, I don't know who'd have gotten MVP after those two plays and Duncan's first half. That's moot as far as awards go, but it's not negligible.

I think Danny has the heart of a champion now; even when he had a bad shooting game, he came up clutch on defense to make a play that no one else in the league could make. If Leonard didn't before, I think he does, too. I think he'll take the appropriate responsibility for the loss and play that much harder. They're ready to step up to make the Big Five, but they won't be able to do it without the other three to help them. Ginobili having another terrible game can only help him. He knows now that the team CAN'T win without him. He'll step up. Parker knows he has a big culprit of the loss with his selfishness. When he sees how open everyone was, he'll know exactly when to pass. Duncan knows that he can beat anyone Miami has one on one, and he just has to try to find the open shooter during the inevitable doubles. Pop saw everything the Heat had to throw at him, and he can make his adjustments.

Lesson learned. That's why they had TWO chances to win. Just come out and get this one.

[timvp]

Son of a.

Most interesting part was Pop telling TP to keep shooting. That explains TP's mindset, tbh.

[hommeaetage]

Don't do it, you are a masochist if you watch that one again. God that sucked.

I had to watch it to see the mistakes. I've already stated them in other threads, gosh that sucked

[midnightpulp]

My sympathies...I was upset all day and I am a Laker fan, that's how tough a loss that was. In fact, I think one could argue that was the toughest loss of all time in basketball if the Spurs do not win Game 7.

It makes me sick that Kawhi missed that FT because I am a huge SDSU fan (and alum) and a huge fan of that great kid. It heartens me to see that the vast majority of Spurs fans are not blaming him for that, the pressure was immense and he played a fantastic game (and series) to that point.

As you mentioned, Manu was simply horrific. There is little doubt that his turnovers cost the Spurs the game, that cannot be logically debated. I just don't understand how he could be so careless with the ball, those were just awful plays and there were so many of them that it just boggles the mind.

But to me the biggest blame has to go to Popovich. I have always thought he gets way more credit than he has deserved for the Spurs success over the years. Last night was an example of a coach who has read too many of his own press clippings and fallen in love with himself to the point of overcoaching.

I could name 10 different coaching moves of his last night that were awful and not just in hindsight, I was screaming at the TV when he made them. How can you have Ginobili in the game in OT? He was obviously way off and shouldn't have been on the floor, his mistakes in OT doomed them of course.

But even worse was not have Duncan and Parker on the floor at the end of regulation. He also did not seem to grasp that the Heat had to foul at the end of regulation and allowed a young player who has never been a great FT shooter (Kawhi) to be the one to get fouled for the most critical FT's in the NBA since Sasha Vujacic took down the Celtics in Game 7 of 2010.

His lineup to start the 4th was atrocious, he completely botched the game and deserves a lot more blame than he is getting. If the Spurs don't win Game 7, I would submit that Game 6 was the worst single game coaching performance of all time, it really was that bad.

I feel for you guys, that game was as tough a loss as you will ever see and it makes me sick just thinking about it and not just because I bet the Spurs at +190 to win the series before it started. Get them in Game 7, please.

I just can't find it in myself to blame a guy who goes 9-14 and is the sole reason other than Duncan the Spurs were in the position they were in. Pop also hung him out to dry by having him on the floor in that situation, as, like you said, he's never been a great FT shooter. And then when you factor in his youth and the gravity of the moment, he was guaranteed to miss at least one. Once he got the ball, I knew he was going to miss one or even two.

And then Manu. in' Manu. No words.

Just wasn't meant to be, I guess.

It happens.