NBA Games Discussion Thread

[LyricalRico]

#3 for Lance Stephenson. Do it!



Also, loved Hibbert's post-game comments. "We're not going anywhere!"

[FAH1223]

Good to see Indy overcome and tie the series up. There were many bad calls both ways.

Yup, badly officiated both ways. Indiana made good adjustments on LeBron in the post. Steve Kerr made a point that LeBron was shying away from there and played more on the perimeter because Indiana bodied him up and LeBron at his core is a PG who likes to stay on the perimeter despite his Karl Malone-like body.

Lance Stephenson was huge and they just need to keep feeding Hibbert.

[Ruzious]

Stephenson completely outplayed Wade - I didn't see that happening. I thought he was a loser coming into the NBA - goes to show young guys sometimes do mature - especially when after being taken under the wing of Larry Bird. Chalmers was actually more of a force than DWade. And Bosh... just destroyed by the physicality of Hibbert and West. I heard him making fun of Hibbert's lack of ability to cover him outside of the paint. Well, when push came to shove, Hibbert let his actions shut up the man who says he's already earned a spot in the HOF.

[willbcocks]

Stephenson almost single-handedly lost Indiana game 2. This was only avoided by Lebron and the Heat's poor play at the end. Sometimes he looks really good, and sometimes he looks really bad. That's always been his MO, so I doubt it changes...

[verbal8]

Stephenson almost single-handedly lost Indiana game 2. This was only avoided by Lebron and the Heat's poor play at the end. Sometimes he looks really good, and sometimes he looks really bad. That's always been his MO, so I doubt it changes...

He reminds me of a more talented DeShawn Stevenson. He may be one of those guys like Stephen Jackson where he can thrive in the right situation, but will have trouble otherwise. Fortunately for him, it looks like he is starting out his career in the right situation.

[Kanyewest]

I was surprised to see that Stephenson only averaged 1.7 turnovers per game in games 1-3 with 4 of those turnovers coming in game 1. He only had 1 turnover in game 4. He is having a good series while defending Dwayne Wade and he seems like one of the better rebounding guards in the league.

[GhostsOfGil]

The officiating definitely favored Indiana. The traveling violation was a move Wade used to live on. It almost feels like the NBA was favoring Indiana just to quiet the officiating complaints from the previous 3 games.. or at least to extend the series.

[Kanyewest]

^^ Still, Indiana wasn't getting all the calls either. Some of Paul George's fouls were touch fouls. They called a shot clock violation on Indiana when they were about to get a layup when the ball clearly hit the rim. LeBron bulldozed his way to the rim and knocked over George- no foul was called. LeBron got away with an elbow on LeBron. Stephenson's miraculous 3 point shot actually should have resulted in a foul on Dwayne Wade.

Sure the officiating could have favored Miami more though and you could be right that the officiating was a bit dubious towards the end. But by the time Wade's traveling violation was called, they were already down 5 points with less than a minute to go, so I do't think it had much of an impact of the game.

[TGW]

#3 for Lance Stephenson. Do it!



Also, loved Hibbert's post-game comments. "We're not going anywhere!"

Don't get any ideas into Ernie's head.

[FAH1223]

^^ Still, Indiana wasn't getting all the calls either. Some of Paul George's fouls were touch fouls. They called a shot clock violation on Indiana when they were about to get a layup when the ball clearly hit the rim. LeBron bulldozed his way to the rim and knocked over George- no foul was called. LeBron got away with an elbow on LeBron. Stephenson's miraculous 3 point shot actually should have resulted in a foul on Dwayne Wade.

Sure the officiating could have favored Miami more though and you could be right that the officiating was a bit dubious towards the end. But by the time Wade's traveling violation was called, they were already down 5 points with less than a minute to go, so I do't think it had much of an impact of the game.

Also, how could we forget the flopping? David West is flopping here but he has to flop to combat LeBron's flopping.

[gesa2]

^^^
best GIF ever!

[Ruzious]

Both Lebron and West should be fined for that. Isn't that exactly the kind of thing they wanted to stop when they instituted the penalty for flopping. If not, it should be. It's worse than the standard issue flop for selling a typical charge.

[Kanyewest]

^^ Still, Indiana wasn't getting all the calls either. Some of Paul George's fouls were touch fouls. They called a shot clock violation on Indiana when they were about to get a layup when the ball clearly hit the rim. LeBron bulldozed his way to the rim and knocked over George- no foul was called. LeBron got away with an elbow on LeBron. Stephenson's miraculous 3 point shot actually should have resulted in a foul on Dwayne Wade.

Sure the officiating could have favored Miami more though and you could be right that the officiating was a bit dubious towards the end. But by the time Wade's traveling violation was called, they were already down 5 points with less than a minute to go, so I do't think it had much of an impact of the game.

Also, how could we forget the flopping? David West is flopping here but he has to flop to combat LeBron's flopping.

Whoops= LeBron is sure hurting from his own elbow

[FAH1223]

LeBron's 6th foul:



David West's reaction at the end of the game when the ball hit Ray Allen and went out of bounds but the officials said it went off of West last:

[Illuminaire]

FAH,

That's a pretty bad shot of Lebron's sixth foul. He did extend his left foot out, and he did trip the man trying to get past his screen. It wasn't intentional, but it did take a guy out of a play and it was an obvious foul - just one most refs wouldn't call.

[FAH1223]

FAH,

That's a pretty bad shot of Lebron's sixth foul. He did extend his left foot out, and he did trip the man trying to get past his screen. It wasn't intentional, but it did take a guy out of a play and it was an obvious foul - just one most refs wouldn't call.

Yup. Kevin Garnett does it all the time and never gets called.

I expect the Heat to win Game 5 by double digits. I do not believe in Indiana because their guards play too sloppy and turn the ball over too much. Stepehenson will get trigger happy and not feed the big men either.

[LyricalRico]

^ Great video. LeBron fouling out was also pretty awesome.

Go Pacers!

[dobrojim]

ZBo can't run back. He's built like the Michelin Man. Bro be on that blatche diet

when I saw ZBo in person when we played them 3/25, the thing that struck me about
ZBo was how skinny knock-kneed the guy is. I can't believe his knees have held up as
well as they have. His legs overall are really skinny but he's knees just look like they're
2-3 sizes too small.

[dobrojim]

the replay I saw on Wade's travel looked like an excellent call to me
even though it's not called as often as it should be, which is any time
it happens. Kinda like Bron's famous crab dribble.

edit to add - after the 2006 Finals, Wade should never complain about
refs again.

[montestewart]

the replay I saw on Wade's travel looked like an excellent call to me
even though it's not called as often as it should be, which is any time
it happens. Kinda like Bron's famous crab dribble.

edit to add - after the 2006 Finals, Wade should never complain about
refs again.

Seems like you could have a pretty good contest having people do the impressions of the facial expressions and body language of famous NBA players called for fouls.

Oakley used to have a great look of astonishment when called for a foul, like someone had just proven to him that the world was flat.