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

[Nuntius]

I've noticed Indy fans in particular tend to get down on things related to their squad at the first sign of trouble, but also tend to over-value anything related to their squad at the drop of a dime. On their other forum, I saw one of their fans comparing Paul George to prime Kobe, and others saying the Pacers have the positional advantage against the Heat at every spot but SF (which they stated was close)

And that means what exactly? One or two people do not characterize the whole fanbase.

Take a look at this:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7lyXUhg5NI[/youtube]

That's Brent Barry and Mike Fratello breakind down the ECF position by position. Both of them gave Miami a 4-1 positional advantage.

Does that mean that all the media over-value anything related to Miami at the drop of a dime?

[Nuntius]

Not really. Most Heat fans predicted a competitive 6-7 game series while obviously picking the Heat. If you read the thread most of the people here saying Heat will win in 5 or this will be a short series aren't even Heat fans.

Some Heat fans. Not most of them. I think that your fanbase is equally split between the ones that think that this is going to be a long series and the ones that think that Miami is going to make short work of Indiana. This thread was a lot of examples from both sides.

Of course there are some, however, I would say majority of the people saying this is going to be a short series are NOT Heat fans. We know how your team gets up for us. I even said this before the series started before someone argued with me that I was wrong. I said no matter how the Pacers are playing right now against us they will play like world beaters and they did last night.

On the Heat board, most are saying 6-7 competitive game series with a few saying it will be a short series.

Yeah, I remember you arguing that Indiana always gets up for Miami. As I said before you are among those Heat fans that believe that this is going to be a long series. And it's also true that some of the people saying that this is going to be a short series were not Miami fans but people who just love to troll Indiana (the same people that trolled during the Atlanta and Washington series).

I just don't think that it's the majority saying 6-7 competitive games. I did read the Playoff Predictions thread on the Heat board and I think that the results in the ECF were much closer to 50/50 or 55/45 instead of 80/20 (which would mean a majority).

[PaulieWal]

I just don't think that it's the majority saying 6-7 competitive games. I did read the Playoff Predictions thread on the Heat board and I think that the results in the ECF were much closer to 50/50 or 55/45 instead of 80/20 (which would mean a majority).

I don't understand what you mean by this. Of course, almost everybody on the Heat board picked the Heat but most said 6-7.

If you are referring to the NBA prediction playoff thread, that's different. That thread didn't even get a whole lot of replies. In most of the other threads we had majority saying Heat in 6ish.

[Nuntius]

Are we really talking about how Indy will do in the finals?

Yeah, I don't know why people responded to that post.

GB Rule #1 during the playoffs: Ignore ballboys that post baiting one-liners. 90% of the time they are just here to troll and react a fanbase to lash out to them leading to suspensions.

So, let's ignore the trolls and the conversation that they're trying to start. This series still has a lot of basketball to be played.

I don't see Indy letting up at all, they might even play harder in Game 2.

That's the important part. Indiana should be greedy at this point in time. They should want to get as big of a lead as possible before going to Miami. They have to play even harder in Game 2.

[Nuntius]

I just don't think that it's the majority saying 6-7 competitive games. I did read the Playoff Predictions thread on the Heat board and I think that the results in the ECF were much closer to 50/50 or 55/45 instead of 80/20 (which would mean a majority).

I don't understand what you mean by this. Of course, almost everybody on the Heat board picked the Heat but most said 6-7.

If you are referring to the NBA prediction playoff thread, that's different. That thread didn't even get a whole lot of replies. In most of the other threads we had majority saying Heat in 6ish.

Yeah, I was referring to NBA prediction playoff thread.

[PaulieWal]

I just don't think that it's the majority saying 6-7 competitive games. I did read the Playoff Predictions thread on the Heat board and I think that the results in the ECF were much closer to 50/50 or 55/45 instead of 80/20 (which would mean a majority).

I don't understand what you mean by this. Of course, almost everybody on the Heat board picked the Heat but most said 6-7.

If you are referring to the NBA prediction playoff thread, that's different. That thread didn't even get a whole lot of replies. In most of the other threads we had majority saying Heat in 6ish.

Yeah, I was referring to NBA prediction playoff thread.

Fair enough. That thread only has 50+ replies and it has been going on since the first round. I wouldn't use that as the barometer of the entire board. We have like 3 or 4 threads where people are talking playoffs and most predicted a long series.

[Nuntius]

I don't understand what you mean by this. Of course, almost everybody on the Heat board picked the Heat but most said 6-7.

If you are referring to the NBA prediction playoff thread, that's different. That thread didn't even get a whole lot of replies. In most of the other threads we had majority saying Heat in 6ish.

Yeah, I was referring to NBA prediction playoff thread.

Fair enough. That thread only has 50+ replies and it has been going on since the first round. I wouldn't use that as the barometer of the entire board. We have like 3 or 4 threads where people are talking playoffs and most predicted a long series.

Those threads are 40+ pages long. You don't have a poll anywhere so reading the shortest thread that also happens to be a betting competition made the most sense.

[Nuntius]

(I only saw bits of the game so can't say this definitively)

Watch Coach Nick's Bball Breakdown video. It's quite good. It also links to one of his older videos about how a team can take advantage of Miami's overaggressive defense.

[HotRocks34]

The Spurs and OKC will never admit it but they much rather see the Pacers than the Heat in the Finals. I think Pacers will lose to the Spurs and OKC in 5-6. Against OKC, Miami would be slightly favored and they are underdogs against the Spurs. Even then, with Miami you risk LeBron and Wade going into Super Saiyan mode and making it tough on you. As good as Indy is, PG is the only guy on that team who can completely take over a game and I am not even fully sold on that. Both the Thunder and Spurs have good match-ups for Hibbert too.

I've said it for weeks: Indy can beat Miami but I don't think they can win the title. They're like a tennis player that can always beat a certain high-ranked opponent but they don't do as well against the rest of the field. I'm not saying this to rile Pacers fans, this is honestly how I feel. If the Pacers win the East, I hope I'm wrong because I would like to see a good Finals.

I don't get why people don't favor Indiana in a finals
matchup vs OKC or SA


If Indy can beat Miami, They can definantly win the title too.
Their competition would be inferior to Miami.

An old beat up Spurs team and a team that heavily relies on
Durant and Westbrick cannot beat Indiana in a final seven
game series.

It's just a style match up thing, IMO

[HotRocks34]

Pacers easily will beat western champion in the Finals.

No shot at all IMO unless one of the teams (SAS, OKC) is hurting. But fortunate for the Pacers, both teams are hurting (Ibaka; Parker).

Of the remaining 4 teams playing, Vegas has Indy at the longest odds to win the title. I think that's the correct assessment.

Indy matches up extremely well with Miami. But that is where it ends. Not saying they are not a good team, they are very good, but OKC is all wrong for them in terms of styles and San Antonio just has too much experience and depth.

The only version of the Pacers that would have a shot against those teams is the version that showed up against Miami in Game 1 and the version that showed up at the end of the Wizards series. The version that can score at a high clip.

The problem is, Indiana doesn't overpower either San Antonio or OKC with their size in the way they do the Heat. If the Pacers win the Eastern Conference Finals, I think The Finals will be a real letdown unless the Spurs or OKC is really hurting. Which could be the case.

Hilarious how the pacers have been struggling lately, one good game and miami has already lost the series. GTFO, even if they magically beat miami, what makes you think they will easily beat oklahoma?

I think OKC bets Indy, although the Ibaka injury could change the equation.

[HotRocks34]

(I only saw bits of the game so can't say this definitively)

Watch Coach Nick's Bball Breakdown video. It's quite good. It also links to one of his older videos about how a team can take advantage of Miami's overaggressive defense.

Thanks for the tip, Nuntius!

[Q00]

Wade wearing Bad Boys socks at pratice today.

[FreeChef]

Great game by Indy. I have a feeling Miami ramps up the blitzing on D; they kinda blitzed and kinda didn't, which explains their lack of defensive coherence. The few times they ramped up the pressure, they went on little runs...

Question is: do they have the legs to sustain that defensive style?

[BKing10]

Wade wearing Bad Boys socks at pratice today.

I wish that Pistons team got a shot at the Heat

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Question: Whats the deal with Michael Beasley? Weren't Heat fans talking him up big time earlier in the season?

[dr3am]

Question: Whats the deal with Michael Beasley? Weren't Heat fans talking him up big time earlier in the season?

Michael Beasley sucks, that's why he's not playing. Most Heat fans treat him like he's the second coming. Fact of the matter is he's a low IQ'd basketball player who takes unnecessary shots & does a piss poor job at rotating on defense

The only player I feel that could make an impact that hasn't played in the postseason so far is Oden. Beas can continue to be a cheerleader on the bench where he belongs

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Question: Whats the deal with Michael Beasley? Weren't Heat fans talking him up big time earlier in the season?

Michael Beasley sucks, that's why he's not playing. Most Heat fans treat him like he's the second coming. Fact of the matter is he's a low IQ'd basketball player who takes unnecessary shots & does a piss poor job at rotating on defense

The only player I feel that could make an impact that hasn't played in the postseason so far is Oden. Beas can continue to be a cheerleader on the bench where he belongs

Do you not think he could be an asset against the Pacers by spreading the floor?

I haven't checked his stats in a while, but I remember Heat fans thinking he was a Sixth man candidate.

[dr3am]

Question: Whats the deal with Michael Beasley? Weren't Heat fans talking him up big time earlier in the season?

Michael Beasley sucks, that's why he's not playing. Most Heat fans treat him like he's the second coming. Fact of the matter is he's a low IQ'd basketball player who takes unnecessary shots & does a piss poor job at rotating on defense

The only player I feel that could make an impact that hasn't played in the postseason so far is Oden. Beas can continue to be a cheerleader on the bench where he belongs

Do you not think he could be an asset against the Pacers by spreading the floor?

I haven't checked his stats in a while, but I remember Heat fans thinking he was a Sixth man candidate.

Nah he's a ball stopper. I've liked the way our offense has looked in the playoffs. We've got a lot of wide open looks yesterday from 3. Beasley would mess up the flow in our offense & he wouldn't spread the floor consistently. He can go on stretches where he could put up points but on defense David West would lick his chops whenever Beasley tried to guard him

Also Beasley was our leading scorer off the bench earlier in the season averaging 11 ppg & 5 reb which is probably why you saw some Heat fans saying he was a 6th man of the year candidate

[Colbinii]

Miami plays their worst game of the post season. Chris Bosh doesn't show up. Ray Allen plays like a rookie. All 5 of Indiana Starters play very well. Yeah, don't see any of that staying consistent. Miami still in 6.

[King John]

I've noticed Indy fans in particular tend to get down on things related to their squad at the first sign of trouble, but also tend to over-value anything related to their squad at the drop of a dime. On their other forum, I saw one of their fans comparing Paul George to prime Kobe, and others saying the Pacers have the positional advantage against the Heat at every spot but SF (which they stated was close)

And that means what exactly? One or two people do not characterize the whole fanbase.

Take a look at this:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7lyXUhg5NI[/youtube]

That's Brent Barry and Mike Fratello breakind down the ECF position by position. Both of them gave Miami a 4-1 positional advantage.

Does that mean that all the media over-value anything related to Miami at the drop of a dime?

Yes