I hate to break this down so simply but I really do think this will be accurately depicted in game 2.....
Bonner / Neal combined minutes = 30+ again = spurs lose big.
Bonner / Neal combined minutes between 25 and 30 = spurs lose a close game.
Bonner / Neal combined minutes between 20 and 25 = spurs win a close game.
Bonner / Neal combined minutes between 15 and 20 = spurs win big.
Someone on the Spurs said in the postgame that they expected James on Tony come the fourth. They we're actually surprised it wasn't for a longer stretch. If they were expecting it they have to have some plans to respond to it. Guess we will see game two.
I just hope the Spurs don't have a letdown in Game 2.
Miami will be playing with desperate energy, because they CANNOT lose Game 2 and expect to win the Championship.
If the Spurs DO win Game 2, then a sweep becomes very likely, or at most, 5 games to win it all.
That said, I fully expect LeBron to go off on Sunday and Miami to win Game 2 comfortably.
We'll see what happens...
You're right, the fatigue wasn't related to guarding Parker. My point was that it seemed you were dismissing the idea that Lebron looked fatigued because he had such a monster statistical game, my argument that it was him having to get 18 boards and 10 assists that made him fatigued, and that was all guarding relatively limited offensive players like Kawhi and Diaw in comparison to Parker.
LeBron's suffocating D on Parker in the 4th. What if they do this more often?
No one else capable of keeping up with LeBron other than Kawhi. What if Kawhi gets into foul trouble and LeBron chooses to exploit his matchup with Green more?
Pretty much it for now.
The Heat know that their best weapon against the Spurs is taking Tony Parker out of the equation. They tried that last night. But this isn't the same Tony Parker we saw in Round 2 against the Warriors. He was slowed by that calf injury, and it had people questioning if he was still quick enough. (SMH) But you could see him getting better through the Memphis series, and after that nine days off everyone saw the real Tony last night. Anyone can have an off night, including Tony. But if you think LeBron is going to spend a whole game chasing him off those baseline screens, and bouncing off of picks trying to cover the PnR, you're mistaken. Besides getting worn out, if LeBron is chasing Tony, he won't be pulling down 18 rebounds in a game like he did last night. And that was key to the Heat's chances in Game 1.
To me, the biggest things SA has to worry about in any given game are:
1. Foul Trouble - a quick 2 fouls on Tim or Kawhi, in the first quarter, and one of them could be on the bench for a big part of a first half. That could give Miami a chance to build a lead. And they are a LOT better front-runners than they are at grinding.
2. Tony has an off night and/or the Heat have one of those nights where everything is falling. Any team can be invincible on a given night, when the shots are falling.
3. The refs allowing that arm-slap bull on defense, that gets the Heat so many steals. They already use the Derek Fisher body-bump defense constantly. And when you're leaning on a ball-handler, and constantly pushing him away from the basket (even a small amount), it makes the offense take place a little farther from the basket. And distance = FG% - the farther the average distance from the basket, the lower the percentage. The other thing that happens with that body bump is that legs get "inadvertently" tangled, and guys lose the handle on the ball. Throw in that arm-slap business, and you get turnovers. Lots of turnovers. And when Miami gets turnovers, they turn them into points.
Miami was switching everything there at the end. I recall Tony abusing the switches to end up with Chalmers and Mike Miller in front of him. When that happens, Lebron will come over and help when Tony starts his move. Whoever ends up open has to make them pay.
A lot of it is by design to stop LeBron, but at the same time, a lot of them are unnecessary "showing of a double team, when theyre not really doing anything but leaving their man open smh (IE Gary Neal)
Well, if a healthy-in-his-prime Lebron gets tired out with a 18 pts/18 boards/10 assists stat line while guarding Kawhi/Diaw for most of the game, it's all good news for the Spurs.
Kawhi was somewhat agressive making Lebron play some defense on him, if he had stayed out of foul trouble early who knows what would have happened?
This!
You can't ask him to do more but that's all SpoiledStra knows to do. He's already getting outcoached and its only 1 game.
Lebron himself admitted that he was gassed from his 3rd quarter effort and asked Spo for a breather to start the 4th.
Skip to 3:53:
http://www.nba.com/heat/video/2013/0...MESmov-2501855
That's a good find. He may be the best player in the league, but contrary to what a lot of people believe, he's still human. He also weighs 260 lbs. It's not just a matter of being in shape, it's physics. It takes a lot more energy for him to run around than it does Parker. Tony is lightweight, AND he's the freaking Energizer Bunny. There's no way LeBron keeps up with Tony for a full game. And that's no slight to LeBron.
Could there have been a more overrated Triple-Double?
Good for LeBlowJob to do more than his whole team combined, but seems like Heat fans are trying to Rationalize their loss with some sort of moral victory.
Pitiful.
One more thing: LeBron said he "used up his entire tank" in that third quarter. He said he was doing everything - scoring, defensive rebounding, chasing down Kawhi's shots, etc. Well the teams tied that quarter, 20-20. If the Spurs can force LeBron to use up his entire tank in a quarter, and still tie? The Heat are in deep .
If he was tired last night he would be exhausted if they did this.LeBron's suffocating D on Parker in the 4th. What if they do this more often?
Of course not but I don't think one should automatically assume we're going to lose games in advance, either. Personally, I've never had the "Spurs in 7" or [blank] team in 7 mindset where you picture your team losing games. You just analyze games as they're played, talk about game-planning in between games but I leave it at that and not forsee losses. It's all about believing at this point for me and hope for the best...however corny that sounds.
Can we all wake up and realize that Lebron James is actually NOT a superhuman? Yes, he's an abnormal athlete, but he's not immune to the effects of fatigue and there are players that can do things better than he. Yes, he's the best player in the world, but he needs a team to beat a team.
I disagree that he shut down Parker in the 4th. There were times that he started on Parker, they ran a screen and he was now on someone else. How is that suffocating defense? Parker got into trouble on that one play because he tried to iso. Great shot, but lets also not forget that the Spurs won by 4. That was NOT a game winner. The game winner was the Spurs defense. As long as the Spurs can keep up that same defensive intensity, then we'll continue to have the upper hand.
I agree, the heat are in serious deep . I had to chuckle at watching Lebron's frustration grow throughout last night's game. Lebron was being required to do just about everything to compensate and mask all the heat's weaknesses. He was being asked to rebound, protect the rim, assist other players, provide scoring, play post defense and also stifling perimeter defense on Parker, etc etc etc. If Spoelstra doesn't figure out a way to get more out of his roster this thing will be over quickly.
Really, we just need to make the open shot.
Lebron will go Hulk mode in game 2
- concerned about Cojo not spelling TP enough and Tony getting tired.
- concerned about BS foul calls and ref bias to make sure heat don't get down 0-2.
- concerned about Pop playing Bonner instead of Diaw or even Blair when going small when it's clear Bonner is not knocking his shots.
- concerned about free throws and turnovers, after doing so well in those categories in game 1.
Lebron also had 2 killer turnovers maybe three in the 4th that allowed the Spurs to mount momentum and eventually take the lead.
The cracks are showing.
This can't be stated enough. Role players have to start/keep knocking down their open looks, esp Leonard and Green.
And also Lebron did have a triple double..
but he was in no way shape or form dominant.
Also... Duncan and Tiago got surprised a couple times when they suddenly found Lebron on them, if they just take it up right away they are jamming it in his face. They had position they just hesitated like, they were too open.
The whole game I was fearing Lebron going into "Super Saiyan mode" but he was 007 Bron.
Him and Wade had words more than couple times too. And they prolly pretty tired with Bosh's ty play, how many times is that guy gonna apologize.
I am encouraged more than anything after that game.
On Sunday his tank will be refiled with HGH
I wonder how much more selfish he is gonna be in the next game
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