GreenHat wrote:mopper8 wrote:GreenHat wrote:We've faced five elimination games in our two title runs which is a lot for a repeat champion. Of course we went 5-0 in those last 5 games but that includes a much larger element of luck than a team with this much talent should require. Anyone can win one game which is why you want to avoid elimination games. Facing five in only two seasons is not a blueprint that should be followed in the future.
Of course Leonard split those free throws but our season shouldn't be relying on something we have no control over.
I'm definitely not advocating major changes in general or trading Bosh for Asik specifically but we have been very fortunate in these last two years in elimination games. We shouldn't be facing 2-3 per year and if we continue to it will end up biting us in the ass.
That's true as far as it goes, but at the same time, we've played the last two postseasons with one of the big 3 significantly limited and/or missing time with injury and still come out with 2 titles. 2 elimination games against Boston...in a series where Bosh only played in 2.5 games. 2 elimination games against SA and 1 against Ind...in a playoff when Wade severely limited by knee injuries.
It's true that injuries happen and we might wonder if Wade in particular will be ever be healthy through a full playoff run again. At the same time, it's hard to imagine the Bulls 3-peating with Scottie being as limited as Wade was, or the Lakers winning back-to-backs with Worthy missing as much time as Bosh did in the 12 postseason.
If you don't change a single thing about the team but get both of those guys playing at normal playoff level, you might not see
any elimination games. It's not hard to imagine the Indy series, e.g., being a "close" 5-game series (ala Bulls in 11), rather than a 7-gamer, with Wade playing like he did in Jan/Feb/Mar. It's not hard to imagine Miami beating Boston in 6 in '12 if Bosh is there for the entire series. So, I mean, yeah, you don't want to constantly have your back against the wall in the playoffs, and yeah, you always want to be improving, but you also need some perspective.
Its also not hard to imagine the Spurs beating us in a relatively easy series if Parker doesn't get hurt. Or Indiana beating us if Granger was healthy so that they would have more than 5 playable players (remember we won game 1 in overtime). Those guys are part of the "big 3" of their teams. Heck even the Mavs were missing their #2 or 3 offensive option while they were dismantling us (obviously they had guys with defensive value who were better than Caron)
Additionally I think that even with the injuries we were the much better team in all four situations, including their injuries which I'm sure their fans point to as the reason why they didn't beat us (just like all fans do).
As long as Lebron is healthy and at least one of Wade/Bosh is good to go I think we still have the best team in the league which shows just how much more talent we have than everyone else.
The Pacers and Spurs have had their fair share of luck as well. Remember Paul George's 32-footer that sent it to OT in game 1 or the foul call he got at the end of the OT (which is not always called)? We won the game so nobody cares, but that shot probably falls two, maybe three out of ten times and the fall call is probably being made five out of ten times.
Or how about the fact that LeBron James fouled out in game 4, which is something he's rarely ever done in the postseason? On top of that, the refs made a crucial traveling call on Wade that's probably being called two out of ten times, if not just one. Let's go on to the Finals and Parker's floater where he almost lost the ball twice and then made a tough shot. We're not the only ones who've had things go for us in crucial moments of games.
Aside of the luck other teams have had against us, I'd say a healthy Dwyane Wade is a bigger wildcard than anything the other teams can offer.
