Game Thread: NBA FINALS!!! SA vs MIA

[Davis_Mike]

This was one of the most lopsided NBA finals that I can remember. Three epic beatdowns out of 5 games & you can make a case that SA should have swept Miami 5-0.

 

[RobToxin]

It's pretty strange to think I spent so many years of my life waiting for a Spurs title....

and now the Spurs rank 4th in the NBA (behind Boston, Lakers and Chicago) with 5 NBA Titles.

 

[Sportsguy9695]

This was one of the most lopsided NBA finals that I can remember. Three epic beatdowns out of 5 games & you can make a case that SA should have swept Miami 5-0.

I never thought of that. it was really lopsided. the Spurs just looked like the hungrier team out there. they wanted it more and especially after how close they were last year

 

[Wishbone]

it's about fucking time. ive been calling on this lineup since game 2. rio sucks.

Well you got that right!

 

[Black Adam]

This was one of the most lopsided NBA finals that I can remember. Three epic beatdowns out of 5 games & you can make a case that SA should have swept Miami 5-0.

make their FT's in game 2 and it would've been sweepsville...

 

[ATL96Steeler]

It was a great run for the big 3 in MIA, 4 consecutive finals appearances is outstanding in any era...but it's over. Wade is finished as an elite player, the role players aside from a little bit of Lewis just didn't show. Does he stay or does he go? Boy...tough call...imo Melo would help in MIA, but he's not the answer...the Heat need a big that can play, or a replacement for Wade, else they will be a playoff team struggling to get out of the 2nd round.

To a man...SA was clearly a better team, and clearly they were the hungrier team. I think Duncan knew they were better LY and they couldn't prove it...this year they were intent on proving it.

 

[charlie42s]

It's pretty strange to think I spent so many years of my life waiting for a Spurs title....

and now the Spurs rank 4th in the NBA (behind Boston, Lakers and Chicago) with 5 NBA Titles.

I know the feeling. I've been a fan of them since we moved to SA in 1970.

 

[avalon2423]

It was a great run for the Miami Heat and as a true fan and a fan of Miami sports in general. It was refreshing to finally have a championship team come to Miami and stay (not sell its players after a championship). I hope that Lebron will stay and continue with what he started here. If he does stay, Miami will continue to be back to the Finals. Mike Miller would have greatly helped Miami in this series, not that it would have changed the outcome, but it would have been nice to have a guy who can hit the open 3. Our guys just couldnt do it. Riley has to give Lebron a better supporting cast. Wade is nothing more then a bench player now and Bosh is too inconsistent to be considered the #2 option. Miami has to get themselves a PG and a Big man. I hear Patty Mills might be available, he could help us Congrats Spurs, well earned victory.

 

[charlie42s]

Here's something to keep in mind.
Spur's combined salaries $63 million
Heat's combined salaries $80 million
... and the Spurs had the better bench.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Here's something to keep in mind.
Spur's combined salaries $63 million
Heat's combined salaries $80 million
... and the Spurs had the better bench.

True...
But that's the price you pay when you are paying max/near max salaries to players who were entering their prime vs not.

Now, is really the 1st time that Riley can go to work trying to upgrade this roster, assuming the Big 3 give him that flexibility..which I truly believe they will.

 

[ckhokie]

Here's something to keep in mind.
Spur's combined salaries $63 million
Heat's combined salaries $80 million
... and the Spurs had the better bench.

That happens when you have guys willing to take less than max contracts to play together. Duncan, Parker, and Ginobli don't take max contracts.

That said, I am sure we'll hear about it the moment Lebron and others sign somewhere for less than max deal and how they're just chasing rings.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

It was a great run for the Miami Heat and as a true fan and a fan of Miami sports in general. It was refreshing to finally have a championship team come to Miami and stay (not sell its players after a championship). I hope that Lebron will stay and continue with what he started here. If he does stay, Miami will continue to be back to the Finals. Mike Miller would have greatly helped Miami in this series, not that it would have changed the outcome, but it would have been nice to have a guy who can hit the open 3. Our guys just couldnt do it. Riley has to give Lebron a better supporting cast. Wade is nothing more then a bench player now and Bosh is too inconsistent to be considered the #2 option. Miami has to get themselves a PG and a Big man. I hear Patty Mills might be available, he could help us Congrats Spurs, well earned victory.

The Heat are probably not going to get the credit they deserve because of the "6,7..." comments made, and maybe the east being weak, but imo this was an outstanding run.

Wade...how you transition from a superstar to a role player? Kareem did it for the Showtime LAL teams and on some level Duncan is doing it now.

You're right, Bosh & Wade take pay cuts...get a decent big, move Bosh to the 4 spot, and get a 6th man type scorer that can keep the OFC flowing when LBJ goes out....not exactly the guy I was thinking of but does Love fit in MIA?

 

[RobToxin]

I wouldn't necessarily stick a fork in Wade just yet.

Remember, a year ago, Ginobli looked done. He was just awful in the '13 Finals.

Without him, this year's series isn't over yet and Miami might even be winning.

So, yeah, I wouldn't say it is over for Wade just yet.

 

[trojanfan12]

I wouldn't necessarily stick a fork in Wade just yet.

Remember, a year ago, Ginobli looked done. He was just awful in the '13 Finals.

Without him, this year's series isn't over yet and Miami might even be winning.

So, yeah, I wouldn't say it is over for Wade just yet.

True, but with Manu, it was just last years performance. Wade also looked pretty well done in last years finals. Heat fans were saying that Wade was healthy and rested (he sat out something like 28 games over the season) and would be the difference in the series. Instead, he played worse than he did last year.

 

[avalon2423]

Wade just doesnt have anything left in his legs. He sat out most the season just so he could be fresh in the Finals and he wasnt even close at all. he has no lift anymore. Love would be a great fit, but it would require us trading Bosh. and i dont know if Riley is willing to do that,.

 

[avalon2423]

Wade hurt us more then he helped us this Finals. He was a drive killer.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I wouldn't necessarily stick a fork in Wade just yet.

Remember, a year ago, Ginobli looked done. He was just awful in the '13 Finals.

Without him, this year's series isn't over yet and Miami might even be winning.

So, yeah, I wouldn't say it is over for Wade just yet.

I here ya...Just going off the eye test...he looks finished (as an elite player) to me...his legs are gone. I thought he would be able to turn it on one more time like he did in the IND series when they really needed him, but it wasn't to be.

 

[trojanfan12]

Wade just doesnt have anything left in his legs. He sat out most the season just so he could be fresh in the Finals and he wasnt even close at all. he has no lift anymore. Love would be a great fit, but it would require us trading Bosh. and i dont know if Riley is willing to do that,.

Wade can still be an effective player and maybe even earn the money he has coming to him over the next 2 years (not that he hasn't earned it based on what he has meant to the Heat over the years), but he needs to understand that it's not 2006 anymore.

The smartest thing Kobe has done to remain a top player was acknowledge that he has gotten older and doesn't have the explosiveness anymore. Several years ago he started working on post moves, fade aways, a mid-range jumper and shooting 3's. This enables him to set the defense up so that he can still pick and choose when to use what little explosiveness he has left.

D-Wade should spend his off-season working on that aspect of his game. If he does, he can likely still be very effective for at least a couple of seasons.

 

[avalon2423]

Agreed. If Wade realizes he just cant attack like he used to and changes his game. Develops a 3pt shot, he could still be of use off the bench or as our 3rd option

 

[RobToxin]

Another thing and I know Heat fans would not want to hear this but:

in the long run, it might not be a bad thing for LeBron and Co. to go out in the first round next year. And let him have an extra month's rest in the offseason.

We all could see he was running on fumes here.