NBA FINALS Game 1: Los Angeles Lakers VS Miami Heat 9/30/2020 9PM EST ABC

[Wiltside]

We haven’t played them since we acquired Crowder and Iggy. That makes most of the other two matchups relatively obsolete. We are a different team since then.

Rebounding and paint scoring are probably the two biggest concerns. I have concerns for Bam and Jimmy in particular, especially with a potentially tighter whistle. Bam has struggled in the past vs guys who are athletically similar and bigger to him. We’ll see if his increased touch from 12-15 helps here.

Basically, we need to rediscover our 3pt stroke. Duncan, Crowder, Herro, Gogi and Iggy are all going to have to take and make a lot of threes. I’m hoping LA don’t defend the 3 as well as Boston does, but we’ll see.

My biggest concerns are the defensive boards. We gave up a ton in Game 6 vs Boston and LA has size that we simply can’t match. I can see this being a really frustrating part of this series if we don’t gang rebound with intensity and help Bam on the boards.

Fully expect to see a lot of zone. I hope Spo and the coaching staff have some tricks up their sleeve. We are going to need it.

Having said that, we bounced Milwaukee, we bounced Boston, we can bounce LA. They’re beatable, but it will be tough.

[carnageta]

Obligatory.

Watch on YouTube

[IggieCC]

Im I the only one that's not that scared of the Lakers?

I don't think many people here are scared of the Lakers. I am seeing a few different mindsets here.

A. Heat fans who think the team has far exceeded expectations and everything here on out is gravy (50%? this is the safest frame of mind should we not win: defense mechanism 101)

B. Heat fans who can't stand LeBron, and can't stand the thoughts of losing to LeBron (35%?)

C. Heat fans who are confident that we can win it all (10%)

D. Heat fans who feel doomed coz Lakers are tall (5% lay off the booze bondiga!)

E. Chalm Down (100% Lakers fan)

Fans A and B can be divided into more nuanced subcategories but I don't sense too much fear out here anyhow. There is just this irky feeling to be potentially eliminated by a team led by LeBron, and understandably so. Other than that most fans must be feeling like we're playing with house money imo.

[HEATVols865]

I wonder how much input our players are getting from people like Wade, Bosh, and Battier? If any team has the blueprint to steal a series from LeBron, it’s us.

We were there for 2011 and 2014. Iggy was around for just about everything else.

Wade is pulling for LeBron, no matter what he tweeted


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[carnageta]

Lakers aren't scary and they sure as hell won't scare this Heat team.

They're the favorites but it's literally house money for us at this point. What's there to lose?


We saw Kevin Porter Jr. run circles around Kyle Kuzma in the last round, Tyler Herro is probably licking his chops right now.


I like our chances but it depends on how the game is officiated. Like I said earlier, if our defense is getting called for ticky-tacky fouls than it's probably going to get ugly. The 04' Pistons that eliminated the Lakers in five played some of the most daunting, most physical defense I have ever seen during that series. That's our key to success. We're a bunch of dogs, but the league needs to allow us to be dogs.


Doubt it happens though. If we were getting fk*d by the referees against the Bucks and Celtics, it's going to be even worse against the Lakers, who are the darling's of the NBA. Oh and Lebron will be there too, literally crying on every non-call and foul that he commits.


If we go out, I want us to go out in style. Insert UD and Solomon Hill to clothesline Lebron and AD.

[carnageta]

I wonder how much input our players are getting from people like Wade, Bosh, and Battier? If any team has the blueprint to steal a series from LeBron, it’s us.

We were there for 2011 and 2014. Iggy was around for just about everything else.

Wade is pulling for LeBron, no matter what he tweeted


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Nah, he's going for his heart and home, which is Miami.

[goodboy]

Only lbj/ad

And some height.

We have shooters and more dept. Our bench really needs to come through.

[carnageta]

Lowkey, I feel Solomon Hill is going to be huge for us this series. He's big and strong enough to guard both AD and Bron.


We're the Miami Heat. We turn nobodies into somebodies and we do it often.

[IggieCC]

Only lbj/ad

And some height.

We have shooters and more dept. Our bench really needs to come through.

[IggieCC]

Lowkey, I feel Solomon Hill is going to be huge for us this series. He's big and strong enough to guard both AD and Bron.


We're the Miami Heat. We turn nobodies into somebodies and we do it often.

[IggieCC]

I love you guys

Good night

[broke]

Media on some bullchit acting like this Heat team is just gonna lay down for the Lakers.

Yeah I haven't seen a single analyst give us more than maybe 2 games

[QUIZ]

I also want to openly admit that I was completely wrong about Bam. I spent the first two years of his career calling him Bum Adebayo and comparing him to Tristan Thompson. Somebody should really dig up those posts.

I was initially angry at his selection and I called him TT, but not as a diss(never called him a bum, and everyone assumed you were joking just as well). They're very similar in ways that are unique only to them; 6'9 centers that can keep up with guards on the perimeter. I short-changed him based on his resume, but he has a legit handle for a big, can pass/drive, with similar touch and agility to an SF. If he gets a 3 pt shot he's going to be a problem offensively

TT's not trash man, I really wish the basketball world would cease disrespecting the dad bod god like that. Wish we could get TT and Thaddeus Young on Olynyk money this summer to hold up the bench

TT's a free agent Bish.

If Olynyk opts out I'd gladly through that money at him for one year. I doubt that happens tho. He would be just what we need off the bench.

[QUIZ]

I also want to openly admit that I was completely wrong about Bam. I spent the first two years of his career calling him Bum Adebayo and comparing him to Tristan Thompson. Somebody should really dig up those posts.

Two things you were wrong about, Bam and Conor.

Also make it 3, 2k.

Rent free

[QUIZ]

I also want to openly admit that I was completely wrong about Bam. I spent the first two years of his career calling him Bum Adebayo and comparing him to Tristan Thompson. Somebody should really dig up those posts.

Two things you were wrong about, Bam and Conor.

Also make it 3, 2k.

Read on Twitter

[HeatFanLifer]

Only lbj/ad

And some height.

We have shooters and more dept. Our bench really needs to come through.

Looks to me like PER is not a very good stat to compare with historical players if 5 of the top 10 are active players.

[Wiltside]

Lowkey, I feel Solomon Hill is going to be huge for us this series. He's big and strong enough to guard both AD and Bron.


We're the Miami Heat. We turn nobodies into somebodies and we do it often.

I love your optimism bro but if this guy is playing a major role we are in deep chit

[IggieCC]

Only lbj/ad

And some height.

We have shooters and more dept. Our bench really needs to come through.

Spoiler:

Looks to me like PER is not a very good stat to compare with historical players if 5 of the top 10 are active players.

Stopped reading at PER

[IggieCC]

I think people who don't take Lakers seriously don't really understand the significance of LeBron teaming up with AD. I was definitely one of them as I was pretty meh on AD. The more you watch the more you realize that's a pretty devastating duo.

It's still two players though. We pretty much have 3rd to like 8-9th best players in the series after those two. That's what everyone said about Portland, Rockets, and Nuggets too though.

Love yall

[HeatFanLifer]

Spoiler:

Looks to me like PER is not a very good stat to compare with historical players if 5 of the top 10 are active players.

Stopped reading at PER