GAME THREAD: Miami Heat (3-2) @ Indiana Pacers (2-3) - (May. 24, 2012)

questioneverything1 · 2012-05-25T03:04:31.942137+00:00

Great win for the Heat. This is what we envisioned when LeBron announced he was taking his talents to Miami - LeBron and Wade taking on all comers. Bosh was just icing on the cake. Although his injury will undoubtedly affect the next series, if it was going to happen, better for them for it to happen earlier, so they could adjust.

The big question is whether Wade's knee can hold up, as the fluid will continue to build up and then have to be drained if he doesn't get enough rest.

Streeb-Greebling · 1 day

Pretty cool Harden recognized his game was like Manu's. They are very similar in their slipperiness and dead-eye three point shooting. While Harden has a thicker build, I think Manu is actually a better perimeter defender, with better hands and better lateral movement than Harden. Manu is also a more creative passer than Harden. But of course, at this point in their careers, Harden is much more explosive than Manu.

It will be great if they match up with each other during the game.

CyberBot129 · 1 day

What a dramatic postseason this has been!

strangefuture · 3 days

You, cryhav0c, IAMBECOMEDEATH, etc, are the biggest Anti-Kobe fans on r/nba. Amazing how often you pop up to "defend" against anyone who might say something positive about Kobe.

Cryhav0c might not actually be a Lebron fan so I erred there, though he was posthoc, but he definitely is irrational about hating Kobe, that is apparent. Steve Blake should not have thrown that pass, it has nothing to do with any "narrative". Kobe is to blame for plenty, he's not a god and he is not beyond reproach.

PostHoc is not vehemently anti-Kobe, but he definitely is a Lebron fan, that's plain and simple. I think he would be torn in a Spurs-Heat final.

You're the one pushing your "narrative" and confirming your biases by looking for what you want to see. Look through the Lakers threads, there are plenty blaming Kobe. Kobe is not as good as he used to be, I've said as much.

Kobe failed this season, and all the seasons in which his team did not win the title. I am consistent in this regard. The seasons in which his team won championships, as the superstar, he succeeded.

strangefuture · 3 days

I have been watching basketball well before Kobe starting playing in the NBA, for over 25 years. While that doesn't grant me any credibility in terms of analysis, I think it does show that I am not into basketball because of Kobe. As far as pro-Kobe narrative, it's what I consider to be the truth. You don't have to believe it, that's fine. It is interesting though, that you continue to call me a "Kobe fan", because you seem to be much more of an "Anti-Kobe fan", than I am a "Kobe fan".

Consider your comment history vs my comment history, and I think you might be forced to admit that your takes are much more anti-Kobe than mine is pro-Kobe. And mine are definitely much less anti-Lebron than yours are anti-Kobe.

Like you said, it's all banter, but let's try to be a bit rational about calling things for what they are.

strangefuture · 3 days

No problem. Anything I can do to help you understand what it means to be a basketball fan, I will do my best.

strangefuture · 3 days

Serious question, are you a Lebron fan or an anti-Kobe fan? Because I know you're not a basketball fan first, as I am.

InvalidScreenName · 3 days

Wade was back because he had his knee drained, and he's one of the top 5 players in the league.

Sidetracking · 3 days

I'm a basketball fan first.

Sidetracking · 3 days

Great win for the Thunder, they were the better team. When Westbrook is hitting 15 foot pull ups, the Thunder are near unstoppable, considering Durant will hit that shot just about every game. Harden is a slippery motherfucker.

As for the Lakers, there is only so much one man can do when he is not on a 55+ win team. If Kobe is this good right now, try to understand just how awesome he was 5 years ago. He would carry teams like this to victory, and mask their weaknesses, and make his teammates look better than they were. And we have people talking about zero assists. Pshh.

I now don the faded logo, and will fake cry myself to sleep, with loud wailing sob-like sounds. Peace out!

clever_user_name · 6 days

Really not trying to sound hostile, but Lebron got to decide his situation last season.

Doesn't mean that the greats didn't end up in good situations themselves, but Lebron had control over who he played with when he made his decision in free agency.

clever_user_name · 6 days

I was only pointing out that he was the media's easy mark, really until the Lakers got to the 2008 Finals.

Winning changes the perception if you're the superstar (and, I think, for good reason, but that's a different debate). A whole lot of people don't care about your individual stats, just the results of the team you are leading, especially if those teams are expected to do well.

The spotlight was pretty harsh on Bryant when Shaq left. He was called all sorts of things and was held up as the standard of selfishness (his detractors still hold onto that). The biggest question was "can he lead a team to a title"? Winning a title was the only way to get 80% of the critics off his back. And it's going to be the same for Lebron. He knew it too, why do you think he went to Miami?

As I've said before, Lebron fans and fans of Kobe in the years after Shaq left have a lot more in common than they think.

clever_user_name · 6 days

Actually they have been hard on him, and it's funny/stupid because Wojnarowski, the author of this article, used to be one of Kobe's harshest critics. So I would and do take his articles with a big boulder of salt (even though I linked it - someone else would have).

A sampling of Woj's hit pieces on Kobe before he turned his sights on another player:

Kobe the Cheap Shot Artist Mar 2007

Another missed jump shot, and another wild, flail on his follow-through at a defender's face. Whatever the story he's spinning this season, there remains a lot of anger, a lot of unrest within the Los Angeles Lakers star, and these are the moments when it manifests. And isn't it curious how he keeps picking victims whom he doesn't fear will fight back?

The Logo’s Livid with Kobe May 2007

Bryant has stayed true to character in this embarrassing episode, going back and forth on his demands over the weekend. First, he ripped Kupchak, insisting that he had been, more or less, incompetent on the job. Then he told ESPN the Magazine that, unless West was brought back to run the Lakers, he wanted a trade.... Typical Kobe, selling out someone else.

Last Shot: The NBA’s Anti-Kobe Nov 2007

Kobe Bryant is always talking about how no one wants to win more than him, about how all his angst and acrimony comes out of an unparalleled devotion to victory. Well, three years ago, he had a chance to make it so the Los Angeles Lakers wouldn't have to choose between paying Shaquille O'Neal or paying him to keep the championship core together. He never did open his mind to a creative solution.

What Bryant wanted is what he has: All the money and all the shots.

clever_user_name · 6 days

So much undercurrent here, especially when he talks about "some other guys" and how they react to pressure.

You just know this is going to be a controversial article.

Face_Meet_Palm · 6 days

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F3tptzEWmM&t=11s

"No foul, that was all ball"

Face_Meet_Palm · 6 days

That was some CP3 ish.

Gay-sol? Not that there's anything wrong with that.

GeeWhilikers · 6 days

The more interesting debate is whether he belongs if you ignore his international play, because the international play + NBA makes him a shoo-in, but NBA alone is more of a debate.

oduh · 6 days

Getting into the bonus early tends to exacerbate these things.

malmad · 6 days

Not talkin bout Kevin ... UCLA Love

MuZikiNjecTioN · 7 days

You are so insecure, lol, hahahaha.

As if calling someone a "female" or the opposite gender is some kind of insult, what am supposed to take from that? That you are a sexist?

dontreadmynick · 7 days

Yeah, in my version, the video ref would wield a ton of power, in the name of speeding up the game.

Three-Year Club	reddit mold
Verified Email

clever_user_name

TROPHY CASE

you'll need to login or register to do that

create a new account

login