GAME FO'!!!! NBA FINALS, HEATS. V. JESTERS, FRIDAY. JUNE 9TH. 8:30PM!!!!!

[Lilseb93]

Just a thought.. Caleb was balling in the ECF.. do ya’ll think him not getting the Larry bird trophy effected his game in the finals? I personally think he deserved the trophy..

I think Caleb was just hot against Boston and was playing way above his actual ability. Sometimes, guys just catch fire in a series. Like Derrick White looked like prime Curry against us. The best players can do it consistently. Not that I'm saying Martin is bad. He was just looking like Kobe against the Celtics lol.

[Spacely]

that ankle injury was on april 30

its june 9 bro

Read on Twitter

that ankle looks normal

the fact is jimmy has always been inconsistent, he is not a true #1 superstar, and you cannot win in this league without a true superstar.

It doesn’t look normal but we can agree to disagree

[MHeat0279]

Or the other team is simply better and more talented. Looking at the two rosters is there any doubt which team has more talent?

Of course, they are far more talented but this isn't the same Heat team from a few weeks ago. They've looked like they've been in the mud since the Boston series. They are exhausted. As Grumpy Heat fan said, it's a superstar league and we don't have enough. With that said, Denver didn't win with just sheer talent. We looked like children against the Lakers and Nuggets on the boards. Denver got everything they wanted because we nothing to stop their bigs. I don't mean just Jokic. He's the best but Gordon look like an elite player. We had no answer when Denver can just get simple 2s from backing guys down.

It's hardly a surprise that we lose when the opposing team does what they do better than we do what we do. Our advantage was spreading the floor, but our shooters ran dry. That's just how it goes.

They didnt just ran dry, Denver is not giving them an inch to shoot from 3 so according to you big teams are not a winning formula, this is the second final we are getting smashed with size, its wat easier to score inside the paint like Jokic does than to nail contested 3's all game. We got up to this point because Jimmy played like a superstar until game 2 in Boston and our role players not missing from 3. Look how we look now when things got really back to normal and competing against a very tall team.

[Kobewade11]

What’s amazing to me is this is probably the worst defensive team we have played in the playoffs and we are struggling mightily

A large part of that is settling for jumpers and careless turnovers. We have enough for this to be a 2-2 series, but we folded in the third quarer in both home games. Pathetic really

[contract]

Of course, they are far more talented but this isn't the same Heat team from a few weeks ago. They've looked like they've been in the mud since the Boston series. They are exhausted. As Grumpy Heat fan said, it's a superstar league and we don't have enough. With that said, Denver didn't win with just sheer talent. We looked like children against the Lakers and Nuggets on the boards. Denver got everything they wanted because we nothing to stop their bigs. I don't mean just Jokic. He's the best but Gordon look like an elite player. We had no answer when Denver can just get simple 2s from backing guys down.

It's hardly a surprise that we lose when the opposing team does what they do better than we do what we do. Our advantage was spreading the floor, but our shooters ran dry. That's just how it goes.

I understand but that's my point. I don't like being that team that has to rely on making historic 3 point percentages to win games. This season is completely wild and it worked this time but I could easily see these same players looking like this in the 1st round and it getting bounced quickly. We had to comeback against the Bucks and shot crazy against them. They could have easily got bounced early. We need to be able to score more consistently in the half court in other ways and do the smaller things like rebounding easier. We need more scoring options that aren't just guys who stand and shoot. That's why this team is so streaky.

I guess being a Warriors fan must suck.

[Heat_Down_Under]

Honestly, win game 5 and lose in 6. Make it respectable.

Haha wouldn’t be surprised.. I was just thinking that. Knowing this team we will win game 5, team will give us false hope, only to lose at home again in game 6.

[3ammy3uck3ts]

Hopefully they don't get supermax contracts

Don’t put it past that old man with dementia in the front office

Is that the same old man that built a team with two finals appearances in 4 years? 3 ECF appearances?

Wade isn’t in the FO

[powerball1373]

We might need a 1 tbh. It was always going to be an uphill battle in the playoffs with the way the 1 and "2" option on this team score (or don't score for that matter lol), we talked about this in the regular season with them being non-shooters. We needed super saiyan Jimmy and/or role players playing above their averages to win. For much of the postseason we were able to bank on at least one of those, but now we're getting average Jimmy and role players below their averages.

Jimmy’s been frustrating as heck but he’s certainly not right. You don’t just go from playing at ‘MJ’ level as some people were saying to this without something major going on. All I’m saying is if we had a guy who can consistently put up 25-30 points a night to relieve pressure off Jimmy, this would be an entirely different series.

Pharenheit, what you just wrote is what upsets me. Because needing a #1 scoring option is the SAME PROBLEM WE HAD AFTER LAST 2022 ECF LOSS TO BOSTON!! We did nothing in the offseason and ran it back and now we are in the same spot only 1 year older

its maddening

Jimmy Butler was the #9 scorer in the NBA this season. The problem with all the 'we need big guys that can shoot and defend' or 'we need a #1 scorer' is that these guys simply aren't available at reasonable costs.

[eddieheatfan]

I’m very curious to see what happens with Gabe and Strus now seeing as they’re the main reason we lost tonight and Max has been horrible 3 games of these finals.

Gabe Vincent and Max Strus has to be the worst starting backcourt to make the NBA Finals of all time, right? And I imagine it's not even close.

gabe has heart but the heat needs to look elsewhere for a backup guard or maybe be the 3rd string combo guard i would be okay with that too

no back2back with this same roster please. address the issues and get better from there

[Lilseb93]

It's hardly a surprise that we lose when the opposing team does what they do better than we do what we do. Our advantage was spreading the floor, but our shooters ran dry. That's just how it goes.

I understand but that's my point. I don't like being that team that has to rely on making historic 3 point percentages to win games. This season is completely wild and it worked this time but I could easily see these same players looking like this in the 1st round and it getting bounced quickly. We had to comeback against the Bucks and shot crazy against them. They could have easily got bounced early. We need to be able to score more consistently in the half court in other ways and do the smaller things like rebounding easier. We need more scoring options that aren't just guys who stand and shoot. That's why this team is so streaky.

I guess being a Warriors fan must suck.

Curry and Klay can do more than just be spot up 3 point shooters. Klay is an elite defender and he can create his own shots. Curry can create his own shots and is the GOAT shooter. All of our guys are just spot up role players who rely on Jimmy and Bam. They can't create their own shots. Denver is defending the 3 point line and we can't make them pay for it in the half court.

[Vertical Limit]

Anytime you see Jimmy jacking up 3's, there's something wrong with him. I think it's his ankle.

that ankle injury was on april 30

its june 9 bro

Read on Twitter

Its the playoffs. Everyone is injured. If jokic tore his ankle tonight and we then won the series, i would still be celebrating the championship..

And like butler said himself, no one gives a ****.. the strongest survive and the weak goes home.

[El Alonzo scowl]

Yea he had a moment here and there, overall just never imposed his will in the moments we clearly needed it. He was a bystander a lot of the time it seemed

Absolutely, even if he's hurt that's part of the calculation, he can't be relied on as the main scorer and Bam can't be the 2nd option, Miami has to find a vet scorer or just rebuild. Maybe they'll just freeze the summer moves trying to get Dame and then not make a move again.

Dame is right there. I think that's the move. But he's also old. Counting on two 35 year olds as your two best players in the playoffs next season is kinda risky. Father time eventually catches up with everyone.
I think Heat should do it. But its gonna be a max of a 2 year run. I don't see Butler and Dame being super elite at 37.

Lillard turns 33 in July. He won't be 35 until after the 2025 season.

[Lilseb93]

Honestly, win game 5 and lose in 6. Make it respectable.

Haha wouldn’t be surprised.. I was just thinking that. Knowing this team we will win game 5, team will give us false hope, only to lose at home again in game 6.

Yah, this season is so crazy that I could see this Heat team winning game 5 just off sheer will.

[Grumpy Heat Fan]

Jimmy’s been frustrating as heck but he’s certainly not right. You don’t just go from playing at ‘MJ’ level as some people were saying to this without something major going on. All I’m saying is if we had a guy who can consistently put up 25-30 points a night to relieve pressure off Jimmy, this would be an entirely different series.

Pharenheit, what you just wrote is what upsets me. Because needing a #1 scoring option is the SAME PROBLEM WE HAD AFTER LAST 2022 ECF LOSS TO BOSTON!! We did nothing in the offseason and ran it back and now we are in the same spot only 1 year older

its maddening

Jimmy Butler was the #9 scorer in the NBA this season. The problem with all the 'we need big guys that can shoot and defend' or 'we need a #1 scorer' is that these guys simply aren't available at reasonable costs.

your problem is worrying about the costs

once upon a time, Pat Riley knew that the secret was to just get the superstar... fill in roster later

you can find replacements for your valuable role players

but you cannot find superstars like that. you have to trade for them.


back in 2004, riley sent half our starting lineup to the lakers and only kept wade... a promising young roster. he sent them all packing and kept only wade to pair with shaq. he rebuilt the roster afterwards.


same with 2010.


you find your untradeable guy, and trade everyone else if you have to. get the superstar in your jersey.

[Bourne85]

I’m very curious to see what happens with Gabe and Strus now seeing as they’re the main reason we lost tonight and Max has been horrible 3 games of these finals.

Gabe Vincent and Max Strus has to be the worst starting backcourt to make the NBA Finals of all time, right? And I imagine it's not even close.

Yup, I said this about Strus. Worst SG to ever start a Finals. Gabe was at least playing pretty good. But sadly he too has now come back to earth at the wrong time. Imo that is clearly the worst starting Back court in Finals history and it doesn’t seem particularly close.

Spo has pissed me off. Strus has been soooo terrible for so many games now, and he just keeps trotting him out there. Duncan has earned the spot, he rode the bench quietly all year, he’s looking deadly out there and one of our better players and Spo just refuses to reward him.

[powerball1373]

Just a thought.. Caleb was balling in the ECF.. do ya’ll think him not getting the Larry bird trophy effected his game in the finals? I personally think he deserved the trophy..

No - I think this had a 0% effect on Caleb. There's a better chance that he's still ill and his twin brother Cody has been playing this series.

[contract]

What’s amazing to me is this is probably the worst defensive team we have played in the playoffs and we are struggling mightily

Our shooters started struggling and then lost their confidence. They are hesitating to shoot a lot of the time and there have been some ugly ugly misses. And that indecision is also leading to poor ball movement. When we are playing well that ball is flying around until it finds a wide open player. That is not happening anymore.

[Enso]

I blame these losses on the transphobia on this board and not allowing me to post Trans allies

[Kobewade11]

Curry and Klay can do more than just be spot up 3 point shooters. Klay is an elite defender and he can create his own shots. Curry can create his own shots and is the GOAT shooter. All of our guys are just spot up role players who rely on Jimmy and Bam. They can't create their own shots. Denver is defending the 3 point line and we can't make them pay for it in the half court.

Klay used to be able to create his own shots, he's washed now. A big reason why GS got spanked by the Lakers is Curry is the only player that could get his own shot.

[nma305]

that ankle injury was on april 30

its june 9 bro

Read on Twitter

Its the playoffs. Everyone is injured. If jokic tore his ankle tonight and we then won the series, i would still be celebrating the championship..

And like butler said himself, no one gives a ****.. the strongest survive and the weak goes home.

I don’t think it’s his ankle, it’s something mental. He looks defeated , disengaged, and I haven’t seen a smile or passion that he usually has.