2014 NBA EC Finals: IND (1) vs MIA (2)

[HelloPrimo]

heat in five pretty easily IMO. IDC if indiana gets up for Miami. They stink.

[Mars]

.

[snoopdogg88]

so if the Heat win and go on to 3 Peat, at what point do you inevitably have to start talking about Spoelstra as a HOF Coach?

It sounds weird, but 4 straight NBA Finals, 3 straight championships. He almost has to be in the discussion whether you think he is or not

[Benedict_Boozer]

The reason I can't see Indy actually winning the series is they have a team full of good to very good players, but they don't have that singular star player who can just take over games. I can't think of a team like that who won the chip outside of the '04 Pistons who had a historically great defensive frontcourt and one of the most balanced starting 5's of all time.

The Pacers are good but they aren't as mentally tough as that Pistons team either.

Also Lebron ALWAYS plays well on the road so MIA will take at least 1 game in Indy, possibly 2, so Indy can't use HC as a crutch or it will get them nowhere.

[reignfire]

Styles make fights, baby. Miami plays better but when put together they look even,

Hibbert is key though. If Indy wins it is because of him. Same if they lose. He is the difference this series.

[daschysta]

The reason I can't see Indy actually winning the series is they have a team full of good to very good players, but they don't have that singular star player who can just take over games. I can't think of a team like that who won the chip outside of the '04 Pistons who had a historically great defensive frontcourt and one of the most balanced starting 5's of all time.

The Pacers are good but they aren't as mentally tough as that Pistons team either.

Also Lebron ALWAYS plays well on the road so MIA will take at least 1 game in Indy, possibly 2, so Indy can't use HC as a crutch or it will get them nowhere.

Paul George is a star now. 22/9/4 on 58% TS with all world perimeter defense this postseason. PG not being a star hasn't been true all year long.

[crazy_me_87]

The reason I can't see Indy actually winning the series is they have a team full of good to very good players, but they don't have that singular star player who can just take over games. I can't think of a team like that who won the chip outside of the '04 Pistons who had a historically great defensive frontcourt and one of the most balanced starting 5's of all time.

The Pacers are good but they aren't as mentally tough as that Pistons team either.

Also Lebron ALWAYS plays well on the road so MIA will take at least 1 game in Indy, possibly 2, so Indy can't use HC as a crutch or it will get them nowhere.

Paul George is a star now. 22/9/4 on 58% TS with all world perimeter defense this postseason. PG not being a star hasn't been true all year long.

i agree that PG is a star but he is not that "takes whole series over" kind of star

when your Best player is doing 22ppg and the next player does 14ppg you have problems scoring

and the Pacers have that totally

and his all word perimeter defence isnt woth much against Lebron James... Lebron usually plays even better against Indiana

and even if George gets over 20ppg this series it will be on pretty bad shooting % because even though Lebron is not the full time defensive monster he was... he still can shut people down himself.. so PG does have is work cut out on both ends of the floor

i said it before... George is more of a Pippen than a Mcgrady or something like that.. he would be best as a elite 2nd offensive option while leading the perimeter defence.

even the Original(Pippen) could not win anything on his own the one year he tried

so for the Future... the Pacers have to think about retooling and getting more scoring to allow PG to flourish as a great all around player.

the old saying is "defence wins championchips" ... i think many people missunderstand that.. what this statement is saying is that without any defense you wont win... and thats very true you need at least above average defence as seen with the recent champs(every champ was top 10-12 in defence the year they won)
BUT: it does not mean that you win with defence alone... a team like the 2004 pistons is the outlier.. not the rule.. and even they had 20ppg Hamilton 18ppg Billups and 14ppg Rasheed

so the more true saying would be "only balanced Teams win championchips" wich would be much closer to what almost every champ shows.. almost every champ is top 10-12 in Offense and Defense

the last years ECF where so close because Wade and Haslem were not nearly as healthy

as we know Haslem is pretty good in Containing Hibbert or West if needed..

and a healthy Wade is bad for every opponent

and oh yeah.. Lebron is in his 2012 Playoff mode again even better scoring wise..

i do think the Pacers will put up a fight.. and i do think it will go 6 games

but they would have to turn a huge switch to win..

they had to give their all against ATL and WAS to just barley move on... i dont know if they are ready to face the Heat ... thats a completly other Level

[Blame Rasho]

so if the Heat win and go on to 3 Peat, at what point do you inevitably have to start talking about Spoelstra as a HOF Coach?

It sounds weird, but 4 straight NBA Finals, 3 straight championships. He almost has to be in the discussion whether you think he is or not

You know when he is in the conversation as being one of the top 2 or 3 coaches in the NBA, we might entertain the notion that he is a HOF.... but he has never been in that discussion has he?

Do people think of RudyT as a great HOF coach because he won back to back titles... No...

Just because you have the most aggregate talent in the NBA and thus by default gives you the highest probability to win, doesn't make you a good/great/HOF coach. The Heat were one shot away from not only losing the title, but completely tearing down their team...

[dr3am]

It's kind of weird how so many other team fans that are not Heat or Pacers fans have Miami winning this series pretty quickly. My head just can't wrap around the fact that we will beat the Pacers in 4 or 5. My head/heart is telling me 6 games with the possibility of 7. Hawks have always been a pain for the Pacers. They took the Pacers to 6 games last year with Al Horford. Wizards just melted under pressure & add on the fact that Roy Hibbert had a better matchup in that series against Gortat/Nene...Pacers have always gave us problems. This series is going to be a war & I'm anxious to see Game 1 (Even though I won't be able to watch it live tomorrow) to see which Heat team & which Pacers team shows up

[PaulieWal]

Pacers have always gave us problems. This series is going to be a war & I'm anxious to see Game 1 (Event though I won't be able to watch it live tomorrow) to see which Heat team & which Pacers team shows up

Prepare for massive overreactions after game 1.

If Miami wins: This series is over, Miami sweeps, this is unfair, they have the easiest road to the Finals ever.

If Indiana wins: Miami is old and done, they just feasted on easy competition in the first two rounds, Pacers will beat them in 6.

[dr3am]

Pacers have always gave us problems. This series is going to be a war & I'm anxious to see Game 1 (Event though I won't be able to watch it live tomorrow) to see which Heat team & which Pacers team shows up

Prepare for massive overreactions after game 1.

If Miami wins: This series is over, Miami sweeps, this is unfair, they have the easiest road to the Finals ever.

If Indiana wins: Miami is old and done, they just feasted on easy competition in the first two rounds, Pacers will beat them in 6.

Actually it would be more like

If Indiana wins: "Pacers from December are back!!! They're going to finally get over the hump. The Heat are a flawed team"

[PaulieWal]

Pacers have always gave us problems. This series is going to be a war & I'm anxious to see Game 1 (Event though I won't be able to watch it live tomorrow) to see which Heat team & which Pacers team shows up

Prepare for massive overreactions after game 1.

If Miami wins: This series is over, Miami sweeps, this is unfair, they have the easiest road to the Finals ever.

If Indiana wins: Miami is old and done, they just feasted on easy competition in the first two rounds, Pacers will beat them in 6.

Actually it would be more like

If Indiana wins: "Pacers from December are back!!! They're going to finally get over the hump. The Heat are a flawed team"

For sure. It will be a combination of both.

"Pacers are back + the Heat are old and done (flawed team)".

Same goes for Spurs-OKC too, btw.

[KevKP]

Why is there no poll?

[JesusHCoxMd]

Pacers talk strong game, can they back up their talks though?

[blind prophet]

Indy in 7.

Tough series, for 4-5 games, think Miami will get hot and win 2 or so fairly easily.

[will]

Roy Hibbert was merely saving himself for this series. No homo.

[TDevilsG]

The reason I can't see Indy actually winning the series is they have a team full of good to very good players, but they don't have that singular star player who can just take over games. I can't think of a team like that who won the chip outside of the '04 Pistons who had a historically great defensive frontcourt and one of the most balanced starting 5's of all time.

The Pacers are good but they aren't as mentally tough as that Pistons team either.

Also Lebron ALWAYS plays well on the road so MIA will take at least 1 game in Indy, possibly 2, so Indy can't use HC as a crutch or it will get them nowhere.

George is definitely that star.

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[Juggynaut]

INDY in 4, I BELIEVE IN YOU

[WD]

This is it

[6rings4LeClutch]

Anyone hear Lebron on Espn about being another team? He seemed pretty pissed lol.