I consistently struggle with trying to predict what will happen when these two teams play. They are both so good in very distinct and different ways. Plus you have the LeBron factor that can make any prediction wrong if he gets into a groove and has the energy to play one of those games that only the truly great ones can put up.

 

So no prediction, but here is what I think the Heat need to do to beat the Spurs. The Heat wins games and titles because of defense. Their defense has been shredded the past two games. I think they need to shift their defensive game plan. No double teams. Every man is responsible for his man. Don't drop off the 3 point line to help out. Take away the passing outlets for the Spurs. Their offense is thriving on repeated penetration then kick outs until they get that wide open look. The Heat need to sag off the dribbler, try to keep him in front of you and play those drives one on one. When a Spurs player drives, the other defenders need to stay on their man in the passing lane and look to force turnovers or bad one on one shots. The Heat need points off turnovers to win. They need to get the Spurs out of their pass happy offensive rhythm. They need to make the Spurs hit tougher shots. That is my game plan for a Heat win.

 

Bottom line stat: If the Spurs have fewer than 15 turnovers tonight, they will win the title.

I'm still not going to believe my Spurs win it all until it happens, especially against the Heat. In the not so brilliant words of LeBron discussing this series, "history is meant to be broken." I do feel if the Spurs find a way to pull ahead by a decent amount the Heat will fold.

I'm still not going to believe my Spurs win it all until it happens, especially against the Heat. In the not so brilliant words of LeBron discussing this series, "history is meant to be broken." I do feel if the Spurs find a way to pull ahead by a decent amount the Heat will fold.

 

 

Definitely. If they are down by 10+, especially early, and don't immediately storm back, they are cooked. I can see a lot of their personalities as being a locker room with more than a few guys who are just looking for a reason to fold.

 

I don't see LeBron quitting on his team unless his team quits on him first. Allen doesn't strike me as the type either, especially at this point in his career. I don't think you can say the same for Wade and Bosh if the going gets tough tonight. As for the role players, Birdman and Haslem don't seem like the kind of guys to quit, but I can see guys like Chalmers, Lewis, or Beasley throwing in the towel at the first sign of trouble.

 

The crowd in San Antonio will be ready and the Spurs usually shoot well at home, so I think we'll know early on whether or not the Heat can even make it interesting.

 

The only thing I really don't see is a close, back and forth game. Wouldn't mind watching it if that's how it went down, but I'd be a little surprised if that's how things unfold.

I consistently struggle with trying to predict what will happen when these two teams play. They are both so good in very distinct and different ways. Plus you have the LeBron factor that can make any prediction wrong if he gets into a groove and has the energy to play one of those games that only the truly great ones can put up.

 

So no prediction, but here is what I think the Heat need to do to beat the Spurs. The Heat wins games and titles because of defense. Their defense has been shredded the past two games. I think they need to shift their defensive game plan. No double teams. Every man is responsible for his man. Don't drop off the 3 point line to help out. Take away the passing outlets for the Spurs. Their offense is thriving on repeated penetration then kick outs until they get that wide open look. The Heat need to sag off the dribbler, try to keep him in front of you and play those drives one on one. When a Spurs player drives, the other defenders need to stay on their man in the passing lane and look to force turnovers or bad one on one shots. The Heat need points off turnovers to win. They need to get the Spurs out of their pass happy offensive rhythm. They need to make the Spurs hit tougher shots. That is my game plan for a Heat win.

 

Bottom line stat: If the Spurs have fewer than 15 turnovers tonight, they will win the title.

 

 

Good stuff. Really sound arguments about tightening up in man. If Parker can basically beat you by himself in man, then so be it, what they've been doing so far hasn't been working anyway. You'd also cut down on the passing angles that guys like Diaw are getting and using to pick apart the defense as well. Kawhi, Manu, and Green aren't really the kind of guys who'll just kill you 1-on-1 any more than they're beating you right now. Not saying they are incapable of doing it, just that you are probably beat anyway if Kawhi is able to take his man 1-on-1 for most of the night and still get 20+.

 

 

The only thing I don't really agree with is the turnovers being the indicator, though I see where you are coming from with that and think it's a well reasoned argument. For me, I think if you show me how many assists and/or secondary assists the Spurs have before I actually watched the game or knew the result, I could probably tell you who was going to win with a fair amount of certainty. If the Spurs are in the mid-20's in assists (i.e., no less than 23, but more like the 25 they averaged in the regular season, they win going away). If it's a game where they are in the lower 20's or high teens, then it's trouble.

 

Basically the same reasoning and principles that you are using in saying that turnovers will be the key are the ones that have me thinking it will be assists. Different reasoning, but probably the same result.

The way the Heat handle themselves in this game may be one of the most important things they do in shaping their legacy.

The way the Heat handle themselves in this game may be one of the most important things they do in shaping their legacy.

 

Disgaree. Nothing that happens in this game or series will shape their legacy IMO. They added the Big 3 and have gone to the Finals every year going 2-2. Can't win them all and they simply aren't better than the Spurs this year.

 

And DWade sucks.

The way the Heat handle themselves in this game may be one of the most important things they do in shaping their legacy.

 

Truth

Disgaree. Nothing that happens in this game or series will shape their legacy IMO. They added the Big 3 and have gone to the Finals every year going 2-2. Can't win them all and they simply aren't better than the Spurs this year.

 

And DWade sucks.

 

 

DWade taking the Heat to the title in 2006, questionable calls that went against the Mavericks aside, is his greatest act. Like him or not, he could play, but you can tell his body won't let him do it like he used to any longer.

 

It is going to be really awkward when he asks for a max deal and wants to get paid over the summer but the team balks. If I were Pat Riley, I know what my decision would be if Wade approached me about wanting a max.

 

If the Heat end up losing and looking like a dumpster fire, I think the two most likely casualties, other than losing a Battier to retirement, are Chalmers and Wade.

DWade taking the Heat to the title in 2006, questionable calls that went against the Mavericks aside, is his greatest act. Like him or not, he could play, but you can tell his body won't let him do it like he used to any longer.

 

It is going to be really awkward when he asks for a max deal and wants to get paid over the summer but the team balks. If I were Pat Riley, I know what my decision would be if Wade approached me about wanting a max.

 

If the Heat end up losing and looking like a dumpster fire, I think the two most likely casualties, other than losing a Battier to retirement, are Chalmers and Wade.

 

 

Agree with all of this.

 

For what Wade did this season and in the playoffs I wouldn't pay him more than the vet minimum. What is that? 2.5 a year?

Agree with all of this.

 

For what Wade did this season and in the playoffs I wouldn't pay him more than the vet minimum. What is that? 2.5 a year?

 

 

Don't know what his minimum will be, but reading into the Wade's stance so far, he and/or his peoples think he's worth way more than that. I'm gonna say that one gets ugly.

 

Florida has no state income tax and he probably gets a ton of endorsements with the Heat that he might not get elsewhere (e.g., LeBron left some money on the table, but he also made well more than his annual salary with the Heat in his $20 million in annual endorsements from Nike and the $30 million in stock and options he has with Beats By Dre, who just happened to be acquired by Apple a short time ago). No one is going to be starving.

 

Heck, if I'm LeBron and Wade has been a good friend and teammate, maybe I find a way to slide him some cash as a way of saying "thanks for starting this". Of all the guys, Wade has arguably sacrificed the most, but either way, I don't think he's going to be hurting. Maybe he goes back home to Chicago, but when you are a millionaire a few times over, is it really worth that max deal to leave South Beach to go play in Cleveland or Detroit?

 

 

I'm generally not a fan of Stephen A. Smith and thought the Saturday Night Live spoof of him was awesome, but below is a link with a nice interview with him where he lays some things out in the video accompanying the article.

 

An excerpt from the article itself:

 

"In a recent example, while James was leading the Heat to a victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals, sources say the 29-year-old was finalizing what is believed to be the biggest equity cash payout for a professional athlete in history as part of Apple's recent $3 billion purchase of Beats Electronics. Sources briefed on the situation say James realized a profit of more than $30 million in cash and stock in the Beats sale after he had struck a deal to get a small stake in the company at its inception in 2008 in exchange for promoting its high-end headphones."

 

 

Miami Heat discussing options to target Carmelo Anthony in free agency - ESPN

If Heat get down early they may collapse.

 

The Heat have to play with a lead IMO if they are to win...no way they can mount a comeback tonight if they get down.

#mentallyweak

If Heat get down early they may collapse.

 

The Heat have to play with a lead IMO if they are to win...no way they can mount a comeback tonight if they get down.

#mentallyweak

 

You really think a team that made 4 straight NBA Finals is mentally weak?

Watching the pre-game on the local San Antonio station, they are saying that Ray Allen is starting tonight in place of Mario Chalmers.

Newscaster on the floor doing pre-game goes, "The-Ageo is a paint area kind of player". Hard hitting analysis. One guy is holding notes. I'm just going to assume it's full of buzz words they just throw out.

 

 

If San Antonio wins and I haven't posted in a few days, send a search party. There are people everywhere outside. I'll try and post pictures of the celebration later if there is one.

If Heat get down early they may collapse.

 

The Heat have to play with a lead IMO if they are to win...no way they can mount a comeback tonight if they get down.

#mentallyweak

 

Can't play with a lead either