has it? last night was a good game....this series is one 5 minutes span of flukness from being a sweep...this is a credit to Miami... last year's finals was much better..
They didn't "leave him open". It was a designed play to "get him open". Look at the replay. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh_ciV0eDeQ Haslem is literally blocking Dirk from challenging the shot. It was also just plain crappy defense by the Mavs. Who was Shawn Marion supposed to be guarding on the play? Gotta love the faces on the people with the courtside seats: Fat guy's dejected. Justin Bieber haircut wants a call for a moving pick. Old dude is confused.
Mavs doubled Wade first, then Chandler jumps up on James, this left Dirk to guard essentially two players. You double Wade, you leave someone open on the weakside. That's what happened. They forced the ball out of Wades hands and made someone else beat them. Bosh did, series over.
I do think this series has been very good and that this NBA season has been one of the best in a long time. The attendance and ratings numbers support that as well. The NBA announced on Friday (April 15) that its three national TV partners saw a major increase in viewers during this current season, their most ever. According to NBA.com, the highest increase came from TNT, receiving 42% increase in viewers this season, while ABC was up 38%, and ESPN recording a 28% jump. Turner Sports (TNT) also said its 1.6 rating was its highest in 27 years of NBA coverage and that it televised three of the five most-watched NBA regular-season games ever on cable this season. Arena capacity was 90.3 percent, said NBA.com, its seventh straight year of 90 or better, and the 17,306 attendance average was up 1% from last year and was its fifth highest. Merchandise sales also jumped up more than 20%, whiled NBA.com saw an increase of more than 140% in video views. http://besthiphopblog.com/2011/04/18/nba-records-highest-tv-ratings-increases-in-sales-attendance/ The big 3 wasn't the only reason, but it was a big part. I think that it's incredibly obvious that the big 3 was one of the best things to happen to the NBA in a long time. That being said, I thought that last night's officiating was embarrassingly poor and clearly one sided. And the non-Heat, non-basketball fan I watched the game with thought it was blatantly obvious as well. Other than a work stoppage, the perception of a lack of fairness is the biggest threat to any sport. I didn't feel happy after the Heat won, at least not as happy as I normally would. I felt like I watched an attempted fix by the officials that didn't work. I Know that sometimes that type of manipulation will work for my team as well, but that sucks the joy out of the sport for me. I would come back after a work stoppage if the product is good, but if I feel the product is fixed than I might as well go watch a movie.
Last year’s Finals was a snoozefest. The corpse of the Boston Celtics versus the zombified remnants of the Lakers.
thats cuz you hate the 2 teams so you are bias yes of course people are going to watch, the Heat have an appeal...you either like them or HATE them......that makes for good viewership...Dallas isnt the draw...it is the Heat......Dirk while a great player, isnt very exciting to watch...and the rest of that team is snooze worthy as well.... as well, because people are watching, doesnt mean the games are good....yesterdays game was the first game they have played in a while that was actually a fun game to watch...again this is a testament to how good they have been playing lately....
Really, man? Really? How about this: the 2010 Finals were boring because the two teams playing were hollow shells of greater teams and a greater rivalry from three decades ago. You just validated a comment I made last summer after the Heatles were assembled: this would be a bonanza for NBA ratings because dynasties draw eyeballs. People are tuning in to watch year 1 of a six year run. Games 1 and 2 weren’t fun to watch? Huh? This series has been neck and neck. Both teams made great runs and had highlight reel moments. There’s been elite defense, amazing offense, teamwork oozing from every possession. This is a fantastic series just on the basketball merits alone.
yeah I just dont see it bro as far as it being that great of a series, I think people who have a stake in the game (Heat and Mavs) fans will think more of it, because of it is your team and I get that you are excited, and the other team is never out of it no matter what the score yada yada...but unbiasly watching this series, I see a one sided affair (again minus the 4 minute meltdown) regardless of a few runs made here an there by Dallas...Miami is pretty much opposing their will on Dallas...it is one sided...... dude how is it that Miami is a 4 minute meltdown away from a probable sweep, and it is a good series......hey take it where you can get it, I dont wanna see good games....1998 New York Yankees was the best postseason ever.....they lost 2 games total...totally pressure free....that is fun....forget all this close game crap....
Is Miami in control of the series? Yes. But at any given point in any of the three games played so far, the teams were within only a handful of points of each other. All three games were winnable by both teams. Because a. I disagree with your characterization, and b. I'm not being a homer when I say it's been a good series.
I dont think you are being a homer, you just have more to win or lose in this as a fan, so maybe your "jaded" it isnt a bad thing......for me who just wants to see good basketball games.....eh.....not very exciting....you have one team that transitions like no other, plays great d, and when they want to....can go to the hoop at any time, with multiple scoring options......then you have a another team that has one guy that shoots the lights out of the ball from everywhere, another guy who makes a few 3's, that the rest of the team that shoots under 35%...and I am guessing on that, but probrably pretty close.. I do think they lose one more to win it at home though.... they win Game 4, lose Game 5.....
Uh no. First of all, the ball was reversed, so it was no longer the weakside. It was a strong side elbow set, which was the second trigger on that play. The first trigger was a high screen and roll with James and Wade. The Mavs blitzed the P&R...Wade made the correct play and gave it up to the "pop" in James. The Mavs rotated to stop any penetration and then were one man short on the perimeter. The Mavs rotation was heading toward Haslem at this point and Dirk was slipping out to Bosh. BUT............. Haslem recognized what Dirk was trying to do and instead of spacing the floor...he decided to pin down Dirk to keep the rotating Mavs from getting out to the farthest man. That is called SMART offense. It all happened in a second. It took LBJ to recognize the strongside advantage and feed the man that was freed by a pin down screen. it is not a coincidence that Bosh was wide open.
Aannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd now Dirk-Didler is calling teamates out.....perfect... http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nba/news/story?id=6632035
The media’s giving him cover by saying he has no help, and he’s rushing to hide behind it. In many ways, this is even better than a Mark Cuban temper tantrum.
Wow Terry got away with a backcourt there, he touched the ball on that last possession before he went over the line, then after the free throws they call timeout and he goes over to Kidd and says it to him too....watch the replay..... Good game, good series now....cant fault Wade, the kid played on hell of a game, where was LBJ??
yeah the guy who's better than michael jordan singlehandedly swept the mavs ..................oh wait
dwayne wade is having a spectacular series and has proclaimed to the world he is the best player on the Heat. Amazing though that the Heat can't beat a team missing caron butler, brendan haywood and its star suffering a fever of 102. says alot about the quality behind wade
I'm still trying to figure out how Dallas won considering they couldn't make a shot. Oh I suppose the refs gave them this one eh? I think it's been a hard contested series, very good quality basketball on both sides. Great effort. Thought the zone defense down the stretch by the Mavs saved them. Lebron James... 8 points. He wasn't involved all night.
If Dallas can send this series back to Miami just having to win one of two I like them to take it. Neither team has really been dominant, its been a great series so far.
Be interesting to see how LeBron bounces back. This performance was similar to the Game 5 in Boston last year - but Bron was still somewhat involved with some rebounding and timely passing. He came out and put up big numbers after his stinker last year - but they didn't impact the game the game nearly as much as the box score would suggest. If I remember correctly he was off the entire first half and it took 20 first half pts from Mo Williams to keep the Cavs in it. So while I expect Bron to be more aggressive for Game 6, I don't know that he'll have a "Takeover" type of game. Be interesting to see what happens in this series - Can the Mavs finally put together a game where they shoot well before the 4th quarter? Can Wade keep up his insane performance? Will LeBron rebound from this game? Can the Mavs keep up this defensive intensity? What a great game.
LBJ looked fatigued to me. They guy hasn't had a minutes rest in the second half of any of these games. That being said, I expect him to be more aggressive on Thursday, even if he only ends up with 16-18 points. All these games have been in the mid-80's, low 90's. Those scores favor the Heat. The tempo favors the Heat. I don't see Dallas shooting exponentially better than they have so far. It's been 4 games. I think things are as they are at this point.
The Mavs are 28th in the NBA in defending the SG position. They are 7th in defending the SF position. Wade is going to be the primary scorer most likely, and thats the way it should be. LeBron's job is to distribute the ball and get open shots for teammates. He did a good job of that until the 4th quarter. The Heat had no answer for the Dallas zone though.
Barkely went off on the Heat and the fans....I gues him and D-Wade wont be hooking up for anymore T-Mobile commercials.....damn... http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=6642006
I think Barkley is just mad because he knows Lebron is going to get a ring, something Barkley will never have.
That intro was horrendous. Why the hell do they go to commercial between team intros? Nothing will compare to this: [video=youtube;rYFlzJyxWlw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYFlzJyxWlw[/video]
