Knicks @ Heat Game Thread

[Killakobe81]

LL was my back in the day, but Big Daddy always fit the bill for me.

BDK was the ... The cats today should take note how to be lyrical, pimp and work the ladies from BDK ...

[crc21209]

Billups just out-nutting LeBron in the clutch that's all....

[Koolaid_Man]

Rap has gone gay, homie. Just be glad we got youtube.

I'm thankful for youtube.... by the way thax for reminding the board what a real got midget is...this negro has a serious problem...he's eternally running from pussy and can't understand basic analogies...he's a hopeless eternal virgin...I don't think he knows what a pussy feels or even smells like...

remember this the same dude that said he never keeps nude pics of his ex's...he throws them away....

[Harlem Preach]

i gotta say this loss devastated me. i mean we had it. wtf! wade you idiot gotta help lebron out more

[HarlemHeat37]

Where are the ellipses and emoticons?..poor spelling and grammar..do your research, it's pretty easy, tbh..

[Killakobe81]

Rap has gone gay, homie. Just be glad we got youtube.

I wont say gay, but all we get is stripper anthems, (Wacka) good mataphors and punchlines (Wayne/Drake) with no structure or theme. the last two are talented but I have yet to buy an albulm. Outside of Em and Kanye I havent bought a rap albulm since Blueprint3 ...

[j.dizzle]

The new rap is in trash. Anyone can make it these days. Soulja boy is making millions & he says the same in every song with the same garbage lyrics. I miss when rappers used to tell stories, Now they only talk about smoking weed & money.

[Killakobe81]

i gotta say this loss devastated me. i mean we had it. wtf! wade you idiot gotta help lebron out more

The force is strong with this troll ...take it as a compliment Harlem, LOL

[HarlemHeat37]

There are 3 trolls that are based on me, I take it as a compliment..however, it's a little insulting that this troll can't properly imitate me..it's definitely an amateur, not Bump, Jam, Mid or one of the troll OGs IMO..

I hope the new Harlem_Ho37 troll is better..

[midnightpulp]

In theory all of this makes sense. Problem is when you suck in the 1st quarter you have 3 other quarters to make up for it. Yes of course if you play well you can end a game in the first ...but as the heat found out ...as good as they played in the first quarter the 4th mattered so much more. Because when they struggled in those last few mins. there is no time to make that up.

If end of games didnt matter in sports so much why do coaches manage the clock. Why do teams work plays to get the ball to their "clutch" players. hitting tough shots beating a double team are all factors that matter in clutch play. Shaq is great Rondo too to a less degree and i love their play for 42 minutes but I dont trust eiither with under 6 mins to go ...and that is a stain on their resume ..period. Kobe quit against phoenix, Mj gambled and punched kerr, Neal raped (sorry couldnt resist), pip sat out on the Kukoc game winner. Great players have flaws no one is perfect.

Pointing out shaq not being clutch or Kobe's poor shot selection does not mean that they are not great. But if you tell the WHOLE story it matters ...

It's actually not theory, logically speaking. It's a fact that a basketball game is a progression of events in real time that influence one another. For instance, closing the 2nd quarter on 10-0 run to cut a 14 point lead to 4 could be the event that triggers the team to win the game in the 2nd half. If that moment doesn't happen, the team likely loses the game. And going back earlier, say that same team closed the 1st quarter on a 4-0 run. If they didn't, the team is trailing by 8 instead of 4, and an 8 point deficit is obviously harder to come back from than a 4 point deficit. Even the most seemingly insignificant events can affect the outcome of a game.

And I never said the 4th quarter didn't matter. Where did you infer that? My argument is that is no more important than the 1st quarter, and I bet if we could find the stats, the team that wins the 1st quarter wins the game at a similar statistical rate as the team who wins the 4th.

How many times have you seen a stat pop up while watching the game that states, "X team is 30-4 when winning the 1st quarter?"

[Killakobe81]

There are 3 trolls that are based on me, I take it as a compliment..however, it's a little insulting that this troll can't properly imitate me..it's definitely an amateur, not Bump, Jam, Mid or one of the troll OGs IMO..

I hope the new Harlem_Ho37 troll is better..

I thought Jam at first but think the lines would be more creative but the name and gif's do seem of Jam's quality posts are just a bit lacking in creativity ...

[Keyser soze]

The Knicks aren't a true contender yet but they will obviously be a tough out in the playoffs. Let's put it this way, the difference between getting the 2nd or 3rd seeds in the east will be huge. Would you rather play Philly or a team with 2 guys who can drop 40 on you any day of the week AND a clutch point guard who is going to make every big play down the stretch?

[Killakobe81]

It's actually not theory, logically speaking. It's a fact that a basketball game is a progression of events in real time that influence one another. For instance, closing the 2nd quarter on 10-0 run to cut a 14 point lead to 4 could be the event that triggers the team to win the game in the 2nd half. If that moment doesn't happen, the team likely loses the game. And going back earlier, say that same team closed the 1st quarter on a 4-0 run. If they didn't, the team is trailing by 8 instead of 4, and an 8 point deficit is obviously harder to come back from than a 4 point deficit. Even the most seemingly insignificant events can affect the outcome of a game.

And I never said the 4th quarter didn't matter. Where did you infer that? My argument is that is no more important than the 1st quarter, and I bet if we could find the stats, the team that wins the 1st quarter wins the game at a similar statistical rate as the team who wins the 4th.

How many times have you seen a stat pop up while watching the game that states, "X team is 30-4 when winning the 1st quarter?"

I infer it from you saying "they matter equally".
I said (read it again) if they didnt matter as much, why do players, coaches, stat s focus on it so much more? the Lakers are a perfect example. Bynum's length matters but late he does not play because PJ wants guys he trusts Odom (who ironically choked FT's today and has done many times in his career) to close out games. Coaches manipulate suns utions to get their best players on teh floor to close out games. To your point in most cases that is the same group that starts but on some of the best teams (Lakers and spurs) Odom and Manu before this year were not starters even though they closed games frequently. Mchale was a 6th man who closed games Terry doe sthe same for the Mavs this season. Those are all guys who are good early but are valued for the wining plays they make (odom not shooting but more intangibles) late in games.

Now Back to shaq for a second ...most great players the strategy for opposing coaches is to KEEP them off the FT line. Not Shaq or rondo because they sucked so bad at that late in games Coaches can not rust them to make winning plays in the most important part of the game. Because they know they suck shaq and Rondo tend to play "hot potato" with the ball late in games. That not only is a detriment to the team but also is someting the opposing team can plan for ...sure they helped you win sometimes even more than a fisher or horry but late I want those guys making plays ...not shaq, rondo or Even Karl Malone.

This actually was a deep and fascinating subject and you bring up some great points. But in sports, just like any other field (business) compe ion exposes the fraud and the champions shine. I have played with guys that were clutch players unfortunbately im only clutch defensively but have played with guys who were ... LOL

Now if you were to point to Game 7 last year of the Finals or Kobe's uneven Final's performance I would agree. Kobe has not been the most clutch and deserves the heat he gets for it. But kobe i spretty clutch even his crappy Finals performaces have included some clutch moments. And I know if he doesnt shoot 6 for 24 maybe we dont need clutch I dont dispute that, but since so many games come down to the last 5 minute si want the guys who strive in that moment ...