Official NBA Finals Thread

[MadDog73]

Miami is done.

Miami doesn't have enough weapons, period, and Shaq is useless.

Wade looks messed up too. I don't see anything changing next game either... what are the refs gonna do, give Shaq more free throws to miss?

[bulletedge]

Yep- it looks like the Diesel is out of gas. Getting outplayed by the guy he refers to as "Erica Dampier" is the ultimate insult. Maybe Shaq should shut his big mouth and instead of telling everyone why he is the greatest center to ever play the game actually show it on the court.

Miami just doesn't have enough to challenge the Mavs. I think the Heat will win one or two at home but that the Mavs will take this series. But I won't feel comfortable until the buzzer sounds at the end of a 4th win by the Mavs.

[MadDog73]

Yep- it looks like the Diesel is out of gas. Getting outplayed by the guy he refers to as "Erica Dampier" is the ultimate insult. Maybe Shaq should shut his big mouth and instead of telling everyone why he is the greatest center to ever play the game actually show it on the court.

The funny thing, was listening to all smack talk from the Heat before Game 2:

"Ooh, Shaq is angry. Dallas better watch out."

"We've watched the tape, and unless Dallas totally changes the way they play, they're in for a rude awakening."

(paraphrasing here, but that's basically what Heat players were saying)

They have to be totally demoralized by this point. And losing confidence in their coach, and themselves, to get it done.

[JichaelMordan]

[stumbles out of the gate]

[Spurologist]

spurologist is a moron. duncan is a ######. end of story.

You are clearly a visionary. That is a great quote

P.S Great story

[bulletedge]

The funny thing, was listening to all smack talk from the Heat before Game 2:

"Ooh, Shaq is angry. Dallas better watch out."

"We've watched the tape, and unless Dallas totally changes the way they play, they're in for a rude awakening."

(paraphrasing here, but that's basically what Heat players were saying)

They have to be totally demoralized by this point. And losing confidence in their coach, and themselves, to get it done.

MadDog- I agree with you. I have never seen as much smack out of anybody but Rasheed as came out of the Heat- and especially Shaq- between games 1 & 2. I was at the game last night and I've gotta say that Shaq looked nothing but pathetic sitting his butt on the bench for the entire 4th quarter.

I still expect Shaq to have a couple of big games in Miami but I don't think he and Wade have enough support to beat Dallas over seven games.

[Trainwreck2100]

spurologist is a moron. duncan is a ######. end of story.

You, my good sir, have chaned my life forever.

[MadDog73]

spurologist is a moron. duncan is a ######. end of story.

Wow, first person I'd like to see banned.

[kalikot_boy_kr]

go spurs go!!!!!

[strangeweather]

I was wondering how long it would take the Spurs fans to shift from "The Heat are going to beat your asses" to "Ok so the Heat may not beat your asses but the Pistons certainly would have."

Apparently the answer is about 5 days.

If the Pistons hadn't collapsed, I don't know for sure that they could have beaten the Mavs -- you guys are playing really well.

But I have to believe they could have made a better showing than the Heat have. Through 2 games, the Heat haven't made a showing any better than the Grizz did. For the NBA Finals, that's really sorry.

[DubMcDub]

If the Pistons hadn't collapsed, I don't know for sure that they could have beaten the Mavs -- you guys are playing really well.

But I have to believe they could have made a better showing than the Heat have. Through 2 games, the Heat haven't made a showing any better than the Grizz did. For the NBA Finals, that's really sorry.

I was glad the Heat won partially because I thought theyd be a moderately easier matchup for us than the Pistons. So I totally agree.

But I also think, as you said, that we probably would have beaten the Pistons (though the lack of HCA would have made things interesting). IMO the two best teams in the entire playoffs met 2 rounds ago.

But you're a reasonable and intelligent Spurs fan, so my comment wasn't really directed at you in the first place.

[strangeweather]

my comment wasn't really directed at you in the first place.

I figured, but I also meant that it was reasonable to wish the Pistons had made it out of the East beyond simple spite toward the Mavs.

A couple more games like the past two, and even Stern will be wishing they had a "boring" team like the Pistons over a marketable one like Miami.

[mavsfan1000]

I also thought the Heat would be the easier team. Erica Dampier>Shaqiqua. I guess Dampier is the second best center next to Yao Ming. Miami has been flawed from outside shooting all year yet teams refused to double team Shaq. Finally a coach that realizes that you make Miami beat you from the outside.

[Extra Stout]

Two thoughts about the series:

1) ABC has no idea how to broadcast the NBA.

2) The salary cap is going to plummet when the current TV deal expires.

[DubMcDub]

I figured, but I also meant that it was reasonable to wish the Pistons had made it out of the East beyond simple spite toward the Mavs.

A couple more games like the past two, and even Stern will be wishing they had a "boring" team like the Pistons over a marketable one like Miami.

It's too bad the Finals aren't more entertaining, but the Spurs-Mavs series itself was better than most playoff series (Finals included) in most years...so hopefully the NBA at least feels somewhat satisfied.

Of course the TV audience and the commercialism for a semifinals series doesn't even remotely approach the Finals...so they're probably actually really pissed that the Spurs dont play in the Eastern Conference.

[MadDog73]

Two thoughts about the series:

1) ABC has no idea how to broadcast the NBA.

2) The salary cap is going to plummet when the current TV deal expires.

Agreed with that. The Halftime show is a joke. I bet they lose whatever meager mainstream audience they have during a report about Soccer. (Nothing against the World Cup, I'm a fan myself. But not during the Halftime of the Finals!)

I remember against the Nets, in Robinson's final year, ABC could have done a great human interest feature on the Admiral... instead they did a movie review of Godzilla or Jurassic Park 3 or some (I can't even remember, it was so lame!)

WTF, a movie review?

[mabber]

If the Pistons hadn't collapsed, I don't know for sure that they could have beaten the Mavs -- you guys are playing really well.

But I have to believe they could have made a better showing than the Heat have. Through 2 games, the Heat haven't made a showing any better than the Grizz did. For the NBA Finals, that's really sorry.

It would probably be 1-1 now as the 1st two games would have been in Detroit.

[beirmeistr]

Well, in spite of the fact that I'm a Spurs fan, I must admire the way that the Mavs have handled the Heat so far in the finals. They have demonstrated a large arsenal of weapons and an adequate defense. At this point, I have to admit that the Mavs are a better team than the Spurs this year. The Spurs need to take care of business this offseason----acquire a decent, mobile center, and a reliable, backup point guard---so that they can compete with Dallas next season.

[Extra Stout]

Agreed with that. The Halftime show is a joke. I bet they lose whatever meager mainstream audience they have during a report about Soccer. (Nothing against the World Cup, I'm a fan myself. But not during the Halftime of the Finals!)

ABC's suckage goes deeper than that. NBC did a ton of research for its broadcasts that we as viewers took for granted, so that when something happened during the game, they could show a graphic with the germane stat, or the clip of something that happened during the season that relates to the game, or they could arm the announcers with the right set of facts to add background and perspective to the events unfolding. Imagine how much background work goes into that, since there's no way to know what's going to unfold on the live telecast.

TNT does it too. Did you ever sit back and think why the TNT NBA experience is so much more fulfilling than the ABC/ESPN broadcast? They're both showing the game with the same camera angles, right?

ABC doesn't do that, and there's no excuse, given that ABC Sports is run by "The Worldwide Leader in Sports." And now that there's no chance of a major-market dynasty during the duration of this TV deal, they've stopped trying.

CBS did a better job 20 years ago with a fraction of the resources. ABC.

[strangeweather]

ABC's suckage goes deeper than that. NBC did a ton of research for its broadcasts that we as viewers took for granted, so that when something happened during the game, they could show a graphic with the germane stat, or the clip of something that happened during the season that relates to the game, or they could arm the announcers with the right set of facts to add background and perspective to the events unfolding. Imagine how much background work goes into that, since there's no way to know what's going to unfold on the live telecast.

TNT does it too. Did you ever sit back and think why the TNT NBA experience is so much more fulfilling than the ABC/ESPN broadcast? They're both showing the game with the same camera angles, right?

ABC doesn't do that, and there's no excuse, given that ABC Sports is run by "The Worldwide Leader in Sports." And now that there's no chance of a major-market dynasty during the duration of this TV deal, they've stopped trying.

CBS did a better job 20 years ago with a fraction of the resources. ABC.

Good post.

I almost hope Fox picks up the network rights for the next broadcast window. Sure, it would be annoyingly flashy, but at least they would give a crap.

[rayray2k8]

Its not really a "good" finals when its pretty one sided.
If Miami loses tommorow...
Then Dallas will sweep, no doubt in my mind.

[PaceMonster]

This is the best "this game is boring" post ever

holy your sig makes me wanna choke sonebody.....shaq got outplayed for 1 ing game u .....if i start posting all the games shaq outpled his opponent it would fit in this whole ing forum....whoop ti doo ericka dampier outplayed his opponent in one ing game...lets have a party since that doesnt happen very often....ericka got his point off of 2 assist dunks one by terry and one by stackhouse and 2 free throws....shaq works for his points...god mavs fans piss me the off....i have to go to calm down

[mabber]

holy your sig makes me wanna choke sonebody.....shaq got outplayed for 1 ing game u .....if i start posting all the games shaq outpled his opponent it would fit in this whole ing forum....whoop ti doo ericka dampier outplayed his opponent in one ing game...lets have a party since that doesnt happen very often....ericka got his point off of 2 assist dunks one by terry and one by stackhouse and 2 free throws....shaq works for his points...god mavs fans piss me the off....i have to go to calm down

Wow! There's still hope (not much but some) for your team, dude. You need to have a few more positive vibes

[PaceMonster]

no that just makes me go crazy lol i hate when ppl do that.....anyways im not 1 bit worried...dallas did what it was supposed to do and took care of homecourt....if we lose 1 out of these 3 at home then i would be worried....and i am a heatologist i study these mother ers...o and by the way antoine walker is a garbage time scorer...that alien looking mother er only scores wen we are down by 20+...i hate him he is a momentum killer...and wade is starting to get on my nerves with all the call complaining and not getting baq on D....go heat

[Amarelooms]

Hmmm sorry just don't see the Heat winning all three...which they must do to have any shot of beating the Mavs. Think they'll have hard enough time winning 2...time will tell I guess.