Mick
Years ago

Pacers @ Heat: Game 7

Not looking good for the Pacers at the half. Miami has them in a chokehold up 15.

Wade, Bosh and Ray Allen have all picked up their game. Paul George is really struggling offensively and as I predicted Lebron James has been to the free throw line plenty of times already.

Indy are just looking too shallow right now. They have a grand total of four points, 1 rebound and 1 assist from their bench.

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Ingles13  
Years ago

Augustin has been playing horribly (just like all series)

Reply #421547 | Report this post


LanceUppercut  
Years ago

indiana really doesn't have a bench

Reply #421548 | Report this post


johnny_sack  
Years ago

Miami are giving Indy a golden opportunity to get back in this. And they are wasting it.

Reply #421551 | Report this post


Ricey  
Years ago

Another classic screw job. Could these refs make some more bias calls? Indiana are only a couple shots from making a big run back into the game though

Reply #421554 | Report this post


Ingles13  
Years ago

Chalmers is such a rat

Reply #421555 | Report this post


johnny_sack  
Years ago

He might be but he has been one of the key players for Mia this series. I do really wish Minny hadn't traded him in that draft - he is a difference-making role player.

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johnny_sack  
Years ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_qMagfZtv8

Pretty much sums up Indiana in this game - refs. had marginal bearing. Mid-way through the third Miami's offense dried up and Indy couldn't capitalize - that there was the game.

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Mick  
Years ago

This is the point where the argument against this new breed of "team first", super athletic guys like Paul George gets some ammo. Indiana need someone who can go get their own shot when their structured offense is flailing. All great teams do.

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Ingles13  
Years ago

Need Danny Granger

Reply #421560 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

Yeah Augustin stinks. Indiana have a lot of work to do this offseason to shore up their bench.

Reply #421562 | Report this post


Loco  
Years ago

Heat in total control, 89 to 63. :(

Reply #421563 | Report this post


johnny_sack  
Years ago

Just as an aside. Does anyone reckon Hibbert is the spitting image of Cliff Curtis (The NZ actor who has been in almost everything and anything in Hollywood) - but for the obvious...

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Ingles13  
Years ago

Wouldn't mind a guy like Reggie Jackson off the bench instead of Augustin. Also a SG with some length (6"5 +) that is a knockdown shooter would be helpful.

Reply #421566 | Report this post


johnny_sack  
Years ago

Rashard Lewis sighting! Earning his obscene contract (I actually LOLed when i saw him in the game).

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johnny_sack  
Years ago

I take that back - he signed as a low cost FA. I thought they were waiting out that monster contract - hence the DNP CDs.

Reply #421568 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

Sooo... Spurs or Heat?

Reply #421569 | Report this post


Ingles13  
Years ago

He's still getting payed (off the payroll) from his original contract from Orlando via Washington I believe? Was he amnestied?

Reply #421570 | Report this post


johnny_sack  
Years ago

Dunno basketballreference has his current contract with Miami as ~$1.3m P/A.

Reply #421572 | Report this post


Ricey  
Years ago

I think the pacers losing has a lot more to do with Hibbert getting screwed over and the pacers foul count in general. Seems the most threatening players to the heat seem to constantly be getting into foul trouble these playoffs

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Can we just face it the Heat and Spurs have been the 2 best teams basically all season and deserve to be in the Finals.

Hardly a shock call given they were the 2 top teams, but i was certain they'd both make it in Feb, cant see why so many people thought the Heat wouldnt. Sure teams can beat them in a game, but couldnt see anyone beating either in 7 game series.

So many theories out there its crazy, people were thinking the Lakers could make a run from the bottom half, really? I never saw that happpening.

Once the series was 3-2 up Heats way i knew they would win it, they would have rarely lost 2 in a row especially to the same team twice in a row.

I think its just LeBron bashers that thought/hoped they wouldnt, but surely most expected the Heat to come out of the East.

Refs aint perfect but i dont think they ever conspire/fully decide games, mistakes happen, Heat are better than the Pacers, it is how it is. So lets be real, not blame refs etc,

LeBron (love him or hate him) is the best player in the world,and by a bit of a margin, him + Wade in decent form is probably the best combo in the league certainly better than George + Hibbert.

For the Pacers to have won the series imo Hibbert would have had to average around 25pts 15 rebounds, and George would have had to basically match LeBron, to me neither was ever going to happen across 7 games, they are great young players however, if they stick together and improve a little over the next few years their time may come! I give full credit to them, played a great series.

The Spurs will give the Heat a real run for their money as they are a great all round team that runs like clockwork, and they also have a big body in Duncan to trouble them, but im still backing the Heat in a tight 6 or 7 game series. As a Aussie id love to see Mills and Baynes get some court time and a ring, just dont see it happening this year.

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philly  
Years ago

^^^ anonymous you speak the truth

Reply #421578 | Report this post


Ingles13  
Years ago

I'm a pacers fan but we were outplayed big time that game. But the heat were extremely lucky to steal game one. That lost the series for us.

If David west returns and we can maybe add a solid guard or get better production (and minutes from Orlando Johnson) then the addition of Granger should put us right back in the mix next year and a likely candidate to take on the Heat in the ECF.


I also had the spurs in the finals before the start of the season (they were the best team in the league 2011-2012) vs the heat (who don't have them winning the ECF?). I had the pacers facing the heat in the ECF but I didn't have Memphis anywhere near the WCF. In fact I had Memphis losing in the first round (lol @ me) and Denver facing the spurs in the WCF (another poor prediction). I guess one of the only few that didn't have the overrated thunder or lakers in the WCF from my pre season predictions.

The lakers only shot to make a run was when Kobe went down. Reminder: the lakers were 4-1 without Kobe this season and 5-3 without Kobe last season (they were better both seasons without him). Unfortunately they came up against my championship favourites in the first round and with an injured dwight and missing Steve Nash for 2 games looked like a recipe for a beat down and so that happened

I got Spurs over Heat in 6

Reply #421580 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

There are no guarantees about anything in the NBA. This year was a golden opportunity to beat a Miami team that had two of its best players playing hurt,

Next year you'll have to contend with the Bulls back in full force in the East as well.

I don't know if they have a player with enough fire in their belly to go all the way. I know Hibbert made a huge jump up from his paltry regular season numbers, but I think he'll need to take that next step where he goes for the 30 and 15 whenevr there is a big game against a smaller opponent.

Big offseason for them.

Do you trade Granger for bench depth or can he fit in this team?

Is Lance Stephenson ever going to not be a bonehead?

Will Hibbert become aggressive enough on offense or will we always be left wanting more?

How are you going to cover for those offensive droughts that beseige this team for massive stretches in a seven game series against a quality opponent?

They are a quality team no doubt but they need someone who can get them buckets when the chips are down late in a 7 game series and the opponent knows every play in your playbook.

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Statsheet Stuffer  
Years ago

Maybe the fact that the effective Pacers guys got in foul trouble was because Miami did a good job of getting them into foul trouble, or at least putting them in position to have fouls called against them. I'm not necessarily referring to the fake today, as I didn't watch it, but just talking about foul trouble in general.

Ingles, the thunder aren't overrated, Westbrook is underrated. They would have beaten the Spurs in my mind and it would be act 2 of Lebron v Durant.

Reply #421586 | Report this post


Statsheet Stuffer  
Years ago

Fake=game* autocorrect

Reply #421588 | Report this post


Ingles13  
Years ago

I still think the spurs would beat a healthy thunder team this year. REMEMBER, last year, the thunder had the hottest SG in the league dropping dagger after dagger against the spurs in the WCF. No Harden this year, no WCF for the thunder

Reply #421594 | Report this post


Statsheet Stuffer  
Years ago

For how close a conference final is meant to be, the spurs got mauled last year. The first two games were spurs home games, so don't really read good much into that mate. I'm at work, so I'll get back to you later with stats from that series.

Reply #421599 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I also would pick Spurs over Thunder when both healthy.

Reply #421603 | Report this post


Ingles13  
Years ago

Spurs were set to tie it 3-3 before a pretty relentless comeback spearheaded by James Harden

Reply #421605 | Report this post


MACDUB  
Years ago

Miami should be relieved...they shouldnt be celebrating tonights win.

You win 66 games...you should be in the finals.

If anything this series only highlighted one big weakness...coach spoelstra. Took him 6 games to figure out how to defend the Indy bigs.

If Miami played a more experienced team, they would be on vacation right now.

Spurs in 6 for me. They have bench depth and Parker and Ginobilli will give the Heat more trouble than Hill and Stephenson. Duncan will do his thing.

Xfactor will be Kawhi!

Reply #421615 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

Yeah but one thing you need to take into account is that the spurs have a whole lot of young guys who are a year older and better and are contributing more this season, even if the old guard (duncan, ginobili, etc) are a year closer to retirement.

Reply #421643 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Ingles, too tired to get all the stats. Point is, the Thunder were +27 points from that series. Yes, Harden played well and had the ball in his hands often, but they have had massive improvements since last season from the likes of Westbrook (who actually handles the ball and makes decisions for the whole team), Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Liggins is a handy defender, and Fisher was knocking down the three a lot better this year than I've ever seen him. Chuck KD in as well.

I think that more than accounts for the Spurs young guys (Leonard a little, he was pretty good last year; Splitter a little bit and Green maybe a tiny bit). But Diaw had a nice little cameo last playoffs and he's DIPPED a bit. I don't care too much, just think OKC would run the old legs a little tired. Memphis didn't even give the Spurs a workout at all because they played all in the half-court which isn't what hurts San Antonio. FAST and ENERGETIC offenses HURT them. I personally think the Thunder would beat them again.

Isn't it annoying reading those upper-cased words? You really should stop doing it, at least when addressing me. By the way, you go over the top with your adjectives and verbs. You aren't writing sports reports, your meant to be conversing; that's probably another reason you're considered a little s***. I reckon mummy must have given you a smack recently for being a jerk, because you're getting better on the whole. Thanks for that.

By the way, the is a problem in your statement of 'the Lakers are over .500 when Kobe isn't playing; therefore, they are better. Do you honestly see a problem with it? If not, I will explain why.

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Statsheet Stuffer  
Years ago

That was me^

Reply #421659 | Report this post


Freddy  
Years ago

This series indicated the need to re look at the flopping penalty. Made for horrible basketball in some situations. Penalty needs to be a lot harsher than the measley 5k starter.

Shane Battier by far the worst. Followed by Lebron, West, Chalmers and George.

Reply #421661 | Report this post


Beantown  
Years ago

Well played by the Heat. Pacers didn't take advantage of the Heat's poor first quarter, Ray Allen took advantage of some defensive lapses to break open the game and then Wade and some exceptional defence from Miami did the rest.

You gotta be excited if your a Pacers fan though. Outside of West, this is a very young team still learning how to play a game 7 on the road. George is only 23 and they sky is the limit for him if he keeps developing his game. Hibbert is not much older and he clearly established himself as one of the best two way centres in the game this season.

The way I see it, they need to do two things in the offseason:
- resign West for similar money to this season ($10m)
- trade Granger for backcourt help

West's experience and smart, efficient play at the power forward spot is an absolute must retain for them. He is a free agent, but you'd think he'd want to return after this season.

Granger is the one valuable asset they have that they can afford to give up IMO, and this series showed they need another guard who can help feed the low post, as well as make the three and take some of the scoring/ playmaking burden off George.

One trade I think could be both realistic and very effective would be a swap of Granger for Eric Gordon. Both guys make around $15m, but Granger has only one year left, so he might be an attractive option to New Orleans if rumours are right and Gordon is not fitting in down in the Big Ezy.

The Pelicans need a small forward and they get to trial Granger for a season to see if he fits. They can then resign him if he fits in, or let him go if they would prefer the cap space to chase a big free agent.

Obviously the Pacers would want to be sure Gordon is healthy, but he would give them a massive boost in firepower, not only in terms of his direct scoring, but in taking pressure off George and opening up the paint for Hibbert. The only question marks would be health and defence, but if he stays healthy and buys into the Pacers, I think the second one will be answered positively too.

If New Orleans wanted a bit more, the Pacers could offer up a draft pick as well. It'll be a low pick, so I'd do it if it meant getting a talented player like Gordon.

Reply #421671 | Report this post


How did Harden go in the finals last year Ingles????
Oh that's right........ Cough cough choke.

Kobe would never choke like Harden.

Lol at your Pacers beat down in game 7.

Lol

Reply #421672 | Report this post


Ingles13  
Years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHL85uWYMMA
skip to 12:10 to see one of the most historic unclutch moments in sporting history

Reply #421679 | Report this post


Ha ha tell me what you were doing at 18 yrs of age loser. Let's not forget when Kobe was Hardens age he had 3 championships.

Harden won't win a title ever loser.

Lol lol ingles lol lol

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