2012 NBA Finals: Thunder vs Heat (OK to bet)

[WolverineMike]

LeBron still didn't "shine" in the 4th, but he had a key assist, a key bucket, and some clutch free throws.


Like most said, if OKC shows up in the 1st half, this wouldn't have been a game.

 

[OH10]

Glad I didn't stay up for that game. I was pretty much done after the BS goaltending call on Ibaka in the first half that helped quickly turn a 37-29 game into a 42-29 game just as OKC was starting to get some momentum.

I'm not going to say the NBA is fixed. Quite frankly, I'm pretty sure it isn't. But when your officiating is so consistently incompetent, you leave yourself open to speculation.

That said, OKC can't let the Heat sprint out to 18-2 and 25-8 leads. People talk about Lebron not showing up in the fourth quarter. When will the Thunder, as a team, show up in the first quarter?

 

[tsteele316]

Glad I didn't stay up for that game. I was pretty much done after the BS goaltending call on Ibaka in the first half that helped quickly turn a 37-29 game into a 42-29 game just as OKC was starting to get some momentum.

I'm not going to say the NBA is fixed. Quite frankly, I'm pretty sure it isn't. But when your officiating is so consistently incompetent, you leave yourself open to speculation.

That said, OKC can't let the Heat sprint out to 18-2 and 25-8 leads. People talk about Lebron not showing up in the fourth quarter. When will the Thunder, as a team, show up in the first quarter?

and considering this is the 3rd series in a row this has been a problem, it's not finals jitters or an isolated incident. i think not starting perkins would help some. but shane battier coming back to earth would certainly ease this as well.

all that being said, the phantom goaltend, the ridiculous loose ball foul on fisher and the final play of that game were all total failures from an officiating standpoint. the 50/50 calls haven't been too lopsided. but every brazen botched call has gone miami's way, and they have all coincidentally been big momentum shifters.

 

[Mac]

I agree with the above. It's almost like the refs are working for just the heat from what I watched last night. But you can't let a team jump out to a lead like that. I hope OKC can win 2 of 3 there in Miami.

 

[Tlangs]

I agree with the above. It's almost like the refs are working for just the heat from what I watched last night. But you can't let a team jump out to a lead like that. I hope OKC can win 2 of 3 there in Miami.

excet that Durant should have fouled out on the play with Battier. Not only did he not foul out, but they called the foul late on battier during the scramble for the rebound. They called that exact play a charge all night long, except on KD when he had 5 fouls.

 

[jwinslow]

excet that Durant should have fouled out on the play with Battier. Not only did he not foul out, but they called the foul late on battier during the scramble for the rebound. They called that exact play a charge all night long, except on KD when he had 5 fouls.

That was either a no call or a blocking foul. Shane set up, saw Durant was going to miss him, and shuffled sideways to ensure contact. He just did it too late.

The two swallowed whistles on LeBron's consecutive fouls kept the thunder from stealing a game they really didn't deserve to win for most of it.

 

[Jake]

If the Heat were 26-40 this season no one would be bitching about "the refs" ad nauseam. The hatred for LeBron James has made it impossible for some to be even remotely objective about the NBA.

The Heat are one of the best teams in the league. James is one of the best players in the league. They aren't a title contender because of David Stern or a vast conspiracy. As for the officiating when the complaints about them are 99% only about calls against one team - apparently every call they make against Miami is accurate - it is difficult to take such expressions seriously.

Just keep it simple: "Fuck LeBron!" That's what it all comes down to anyway. I'm rooting for OKC, too. But they lost game two on their own merits. Miami outplayed them over 48 minutes. It's okay to admit it. It doesn't mean you love LBJ.

 

[Jake]

Steven A. Smith - anyone want to guess what the "A" stands for? - and Magic Johnson went off on Russell Westbrook for "losing game two". Seeing Smith say that doesn't surprise me but Magic but needs to check his meds.

Westbrook was a big part of OKC's comeback to even make it a game. The Thunder are 25-6 when he takes more shots than Durant, so apparently it's not a death sentence for them when that happens. I'll bet 1% of Magic's wealth that neither he nor Smith knew that stat.

 

[jwinslow]

If the Heat were 26-40 this season no one would be bitching about "the refs" ad nauseam. The hatred for LeBron James has made it impossible for some to be even remotely objective about the NBA.

The Heat are one of the best teams in the league. James is one of the best players in the league. They aren't a title contender because of David Stern or a vast conspiracy. As for the officiating when the complaints about them are 99% only about calls against one team - apparently every call they make against Miami is accurate - it is difficult to take such expressions seriously.

Just keep it simple: "Fuck LeBron!" That's what it all comes down to anyway. I'm rooting for OKC, too. But they lost game two on their own merits. Miami outplayed them over 48 minutes. It's okay to admit it. It doesn't mean you love LBJ.

It was a terrible call, especially in conjunction with yanking away westbrook's arm right afterwards.

That is a separate topic from how LeBron played, which was great, especially down the stretch, which was the only time the thunder showed up.

It is okay for people to be emotional and have their villains.

 

[OH10]

If the Heat were 26-40 this season no one would be bitching about "the refs" ad nauseam. The hatred for LeBron James has made it impossible for some to be even remotely objective about the NBA.

The Heat are one of the best teams in the league. James is one of the best players in the league. They aren't a title contender because of David Stern or a vast conspiracy. As for the officiating when the complaints about them are 99% only about calls against one team - apparently every call they make against Miami is accurate - it is difficult to take such expressions seriously.

Just keep it simple: "[censored] LeBron!" That's what it all comes down to anyway. I'm rooting for OKC, too. But they lost game two on their own merits. Miami outplayed them over 48 minutes. It's okay to admit it. It doesn't mean you love LBJ.

I agree that OKC did enough to themselves to lose that game. But as Spoelstra said in his pre-game speech, this game will come down to 6 or 7 plays. Sometimes it also comes down to a couple of calls.

There is no vast conspiracy. I would never say that, have never said it. But the NBA has an officiating problem and a manipulation problem. It's more than just flopping. For example, star players like DWade doing the pump fake and then jumping into the defender for a foul. Shit like that shouldn't be called or it should be called a technical.

 

[jwinslow]

Emphasizing and enforcing a charge of an airborne defender would be a welcome change.

 

[Tlangs]

That was either a no call or a blocking foul. Shane set up, saw Durant was going to miss him, and shuffled sideways to ensure contact. He just did it too late.

The two swallowed whistles on LeBron's consecutive fouls kept the thunder from stealing a game they really didn't deserve to win for most of it.

watch the play in real time game speed. It is 100% a charge. Worst case it is a 50/50 call that went in Durants favor....about 2 seconds after he missed the shot.

 

[WolverineMike]

Steven A. Smith - anyone want to guess what the "A" stands for? - and Magic Johnson went off on Russell Westbrook for "losing game two". Seeing Smith say that doesn't surprise me but Magic but needs to check his meds.

Westbrook was a big part of OKC's comeback to even make it a game. The Thunder are 25-6 when he takes more shots than Durant, so apparently it's not a death sentence for them when that happens. I'll bet 1% of Magic's wealth that neither he nor Smith knew that stat.

both were saying it was the "worst performance by a point guard in the finals they had ever seen."


yikes.....

 

[OH10]

both were saying it was the "worst performance by a point guard in the finals they had ever seen."


yikes.....

When in doubt, resort to hyperbole.

Magic is an awful analyst by the way. The entire ESPN halftime and postgame show are just terrible to watch. When the Heat lose though, it is quite enjoyable to watch a despondent Chris Broussard.

 

[WolverineMike]

When in doubt, resort to hyperbole.

Magic is an awful analyst by the way. The entire ESPN halftime and postgame show are just terrible to watch. When the Heat lose though, it is quite enjoyable to watch a despondent Chris Broussard.

he does look like someone kicked his dog when the Heat lose.