2012 Finals !!

[Chris]

I am strangely at peace with this. At this point I just want it to be over and to get to the draft.

 

[Noonan]

Game 4
Total Fouls on Mia 18
Total Fouls on OKC 20

Sure looks like one team got all the calls to me. :weirdo:

Hilarious. During the Celtics series you were saying you couldn't look at the total number of fouls and that you had to watch the game.

All in the name of trolling hard. Whatever works, right?

 

[I'mWithDan]

Game 4
Total Fouls on Mia 18
Total Fouls on OKC 20

Sure looks like one team got all the calls to me. :weirdo:

Total fouls aren't a 1v1 calculation.
In the last 3 games, since OKC went up 1-0, look at the total FT numbers:

Heat: 85
OKC: 66

That is a MASSIVE difference maker in close games. Especially when OKC attacks the basket as much as they do.

I'm more amazed at Wade getting calls, still. That guy is such a clown. He argues on every single play and he still gets more calls than Durant, who almost never argues (especially on offense). The only thing he's taken exception to is some of the awful fouls that have been called on him.

 

[billmac91]

Total fouls aren't a 1v1 calculation.
In the last 3 games, since OKC went up 1-0, look at the total FT numbers:

Heat: 85
OKC: 66

That is a MASSIVE difference maker in close games. Especially when OKC attacks the basket as much as they do.

I'm more amazed at Wade getting calls, still. That guy is such a clown. He argues on every single play and he still gets more calls than Durant, who almost never argues (especially on offense). The only thing he's taken exception to is some of the awful fouls that have been called on him.

That is the reason he doesn't get calls. In today's NBA you need to be a whiny punk otherwise officials don't feel pressure to bail you out. It goes to a larger point in regards to the entire series. Scott Brooks needs to go get himself that $25,000 fine and draw some attention to the inequality of the officiating. There needs to be some external pressure on the officials. Until Brooks, or someone on OKC goes off, the officials aren't going to reward them with fairness.

 

[caf]

Just ignore Jay_em. He obviously is either a closet Heat fan or just a troll.

If you watched the games you would see what a travesty this has become. Just look at the first quarter. The refs let a lot of ticky tack fouls go (which they should because it's the finals). This allows the game to be played at a pace that suits OKC... and what do they do with that? Pretty much blow the Heat out of the water.

Look. Miami has a lot less depth than OKC (never mind that Brooks isn't using his depth properly for a second). They have been playing a 6-7 man rotation for the last three series. They are tired. LeBron, one of the most athletic specimens in the world cramped up hard from how hard Spo has been pushing him. Of course OKC is going to blow them out when the pace is quickened for extended periods of time.

The disparity of shooting fouls that the Heat are getting isn't the only advantage they get from the fouls. There are continual stops in play because of these. Miami gets an extra breather... they get the chance to get set on the other end of the floor after free throws. Two large advantages for a team that is only 6-7 players deep on a good day and very top heavy in terms of talent.

 

[jay_em]

Total free-throws Miami 24, OKC 16.

Westbrook goes off for 43 and takes 3 free-throws. Oh, and he attacked the rim with frequency and was never rewarded like D-Wade does time and again on non-contact.

And the third quarter was an atrocity. 9 fouls on OKC, 5 on Miami, but Miam's fouls result in a massive amount of free-throws. 4 of which were for 2 non-fouls on D-Wade. I will say in fairness, that on both of the non-fouls on D-wade his shots resulted in putbacks for Miami. Essentially, even though the officials blew the call, D-Wade missed the shot and someone for Miami was right there for the lay-in or put-back on the miss. It was resulting in 4 points with or without the whistle. Still terrible officiating though to make such awful awful awful calls.

I get that you're a LeBron lover, but you can't sit there and say the officiating has been solid. It's been horrid and one-sided this entire series.

I can sit here and say its been NBA officiating. I watched missed calls that went both ways. I watched James get hit 2 times on drive/shot attempts in the first half with no call. I watched Westbrook (iirc) get react late and bump Bosh on a PnR layup in the 4th. I watched Serge go to block a Chalmers layup with one full of Bosh's jersey. On the other side I saw Wade grabbing at Harden on his blown lay-up, I sawaslem step up to take a charge late and bump into Westbrook as he slid out of the way on a layup attempt. I saw a cheap one called when Serge barely "fell" on Chalmers. I saw a cheap one called on Battier on the free throw block out.

I mean look I know what it is for goodness sakes in game 1 Okc had a 16 to 19 advantage in total fouls and 27-18 ft advantage and the sentiment in here was the officiating was favoring the Heat. If thats the baseline/standard set then......never mind have at it guys:chuckles:

 

[Rondo]

I mean yea the reffing may seem atrocious but you have to keep in mind that the Thunder are playing like shit. Durant is not rebounding or creating for his teammates, Hardens balls haven't dropped, and Westbrook was phenomenal last night but hes still a bonehead. Plus where is the help from the role players. Where are the other scorers besides Durant and Westbrook. I mean Sefalosha isnt scoring, Perkins isn't scoring, and Ibaka isn't scoring. Harden, who should be their 3rd option, is turning into a Mo Willams under pressure. Durant completely dissapeared in the 4th quarter the past two games. All the Heat's big 3 are contributing, and then you have Battier and Chalmers pitching in to get them over the hump. Unless Durant can be more dynamic and the role players (especially Harden) can step up, OKC doesn't stand a chance, regardless of the officiating.

 

[Walter White]

Miami seems to want it more. Like Dallas last year. Every single person said last year Heat were gonna win last year. Everyone this year said Thunder would win.

 

[Walter White]

I mean yea the reffing may seem atrocious but you have to keep in mind that the Thunder are playing like shit. Durant is not rebounding or creating for his teammates. Hardens balls haven't dropped, and Westbrook was phenomenal last night but hes still a bonehead. Plus where is the help from the role players. Where are the other scorers besides Durant and Westbrook. I mean Sefalosha isnt scoring, Perkins isn't scoring, and Ibaka isn't scoring. Harden, who should be their 3rd option, is turning into a Mo Willams under pressure. Durant completely dissapeared in the 4th quarter the past two games. All the Heat's big 3 are contributing, and then you have Battier and Chalmers pitching in to get them over the hump. Unless Durant can be more dynamic and the role players (especially Harden) can step up, OKC doesn't stand a chance, regardless of the officiating.

Literally and figuretively.

 

[Rondo]

Actually, I think the Thunder should try and trade Westbrook for Rondo. OKC needs more involvment from its role players but they have no one to create for them.

 

[caf]

I mean yea the reffing may seem atrocious but you have to keep in mind that the Thunder are playing like shit. Durant is not rebounding or creating for his teammates, Hardens balls haven't dropped, and Westbrook was phenomenal last night but hes still a bonehead. Plus where is the help from the role players. Where are the other scorers besides Durant and Westbrook. I mean Sefalosha isnt scoring, Perkins isn't scoring, and Ibaka isn't scoring. Harden, who should be their 3rd option, is turning into a Mo Willams under pressure. Durant completely dissapeared in the 4th quarter the past two games. All the Heat's big 3 are contributing, and then you have Battier and Chalmers pitching in to get them over the hump. Unless Durant can be more dynamic and the role players (especially Harden) can step up, OKC doesn't stand a chance, regardless of the officiating.

You're absolutely right, the Thunder are not playing well at all... but the Heat aren't playing much better. They really aren't.

I wouldn't care too much if the Heat earned their championship, but they haven't earned it. This series and the Boston series have been atrocious games, and even though both teams are playing terribly, one team has to win.

The thing I am most upset about is Miami's game plan, is that it includes taking advantage of the refs. Let's ignore how the game has been called. Let's ignore my opinion of one sided refereeing. It is impossible, literally impossible, for someone to argue with a straight face that the Heat aren't actively looking for fouls whenever they can get them. Every opportunity, fair or foul, they can eek out a whistle... they take it. Even at the expense of playing the game properly.

I am disgusted that a champion can possibly be crowned by using fouling as part of your game plan. I'm not talking about situational fouling. For instance if someone is in foul trouble, you go attack them. That's fair. But to look for fouls on ever.single.possession to the point that it is part of your game plan ruins the game itself. Fouls were put in place so the defense couldn't take advantage of the offense with over the top physical (dirty) play. Fouls aren't designed so that the offense can take advantage of the defense.

 

[jay_em]

Actually, I think the Thunder should try and trade Westbrook for Rondo. OKC needs more involvment from its role players but they have no one to create for them.

That would be a huge mistake imo. One of the reason OKC has become an elite team so quickly is Westbrook play. Taking away the 2nd best scorer and replacing him Rondo is problematic. Having that many guys you can sag off of makes KD's job that much harder (although Rondo's vision may negate that). However the Thunder are still staring at having to make huge decisions on Harden and Ibaka (although those two are costing themselves $$$ thru the first 4 games) and if you lose Harden especially. You're essentially telling KD he has to score 35+ throught the playoffs to win a title.

It all seems too reactionary for me. They're young and they have to mature and learn. Breaking that duo up isnt the way to go.

With all that said...this series isn't over yet. They're in a hole, but not so deep that they cant get out. A win in game 5 changes everything...technically down 3-2 is how they're seeded to be.

 

[Frank Reynolds]

You're absolutely right, the Thunder are not playing well at all... but the Heat aren't playing much better. They really aren't.

I wouldn't care too much if the Heat earned their championship, but they haven't earned it. This series and the Boston series have been atrocious games, and even though both teams are playing terribly, one team has to win.

The thing I am most upset about is Miami's game plan, is that it includes taking advantage of the refs. Let's ignore how the game has been called. Let's ignore my opinion of one sided refereeing. It is impossible, literally impossible, for someone to argue with a straight face that the Heat aren't actively looking for fouls whenever they can get them. Every opportunity, fair or foul, they can eek out a whistle... they take it. Even at the expense of playing the game properly.

I am disgusted that a champion can possibly be crowned by using fouling as part of your game plan. I'm not talking about situational fouling. For instance if someone is in foul trouble, you go attack them. That's fair. But to look for fouls on ever.single.possession to the point that it is part of your game plan ruins the game itself. Fouls were put in place so the defense couldn't take advantage of the offense with over the top physical (dirty) play. Fouls aren't designed so that the offense can take advantage of the defense.

Thanks cafemerald X1000.


Not even to mention how late some of these whistles are coming in. I still don't understand how an official on the baseline can call a reach in foul from a mid-post attempt?

Bottom line is that these officials have greatly assisted Miami winning these games. Yes Miami made the plays and O.K.C played like shit, but the referees psychologically broke Oklahoma's comebacks. Two points off a shady whistle is two points, I don't care when it happens in the game, those two points prove to be critical at the end of a close game.

Miami deserves to win, they executed when the time was right, but Oklahoma was clearly robbed by some really shady no calls + Miami got extra free points because of their flailing.

What Miami does is a disgrace to the game, so let's reward them with a championship! The NBA lost a HUGE fan in me.

 

[PosterTime]

I guess I should just accept the fact that LeBron is going to get his shallow championship........

.......but for some reason I feel it's not over yet. OKC has been SO CLOSE in every game. A few awful calls/no calls and a few bonehead plays made this series 3-1 MIA instead of 3-1 OKC. If OKC can squeek out a win tomorrow and bring it back home, this is a whole new series.

Though I should mentally prepare myself for the Heat dick sucking that is bound to happen

 

[billmac91]

That would be a huge mistake imo. One of the reason OKC has become an elite team so quickly is Westbrook play. Taking away the 2nd best scorer and replacing him Rondo is problematic. Having that many guys you can sag off of makes KD's job that much harder (although Rondo's vision may negate that). However the Thunder are still staring at having to make huge decisions on Harden and Ibaka (although those two are costing themselves $$$ thru the first 4 games) and if you lose Harden especially. You're essentially telling KD he has to score 35+ throught the playoffs to win a title.

It all seems too reactionary for me. They're young and they have to mature and learn. Breaking that duo up isnt the way to go.

With all that said...this series isn't over yet. They're in a hole, but not so deep that they cant get out. A win in game 5 changes everything...technically down 3-2 is how they're seeded to be.

You don't want to hear it, but they're not winning game 5 with the way the games have been called. It's impossible. You can't beat Miami's three stars when 2 of them are protected as much as they are by the officials. There is nothing OKC can do. It took a ridiculous first quarter and Westbrook/Nick Collison playing out of their minds to keep it close. The third quarter was just too much to overcome. They can't sustain a high enough level of play when Miami gets bailed out so much.

Series is over Thursday night.