NBA Finals (Heat vs Lakers)

[16thBBall Fan]

Should be a good one. Game 1 is scheduled at 9:00 on Wednesday night.

[bugatti]

Lakers are (-370) so, a pretty solid betting favorite. If you are doing a power rankings of the rosters, the Lakers obviously have players 1 and 2. Then Miami probably has the next 4 of 5 players. If I am doing confidence rankings in players, I would go Lakers 1-3 and add in Rondo.

Who would have thought the team LeBron gets to face in the Finals is the Miami Heat.

[bugatti]

How about the UK connection in the Finals? Rondo, Davis, Herro, Bam, and Pat Reilly. Saw where UK has already broken the record for points scored in the NBA playoffs from one school. That record is going to be even more obliterated in the coming days.

[SnottieDrippen]

I do think Bam is going to present a new challenge for AD, but, this is LeBron's title to lose. As much as I like Jimmy & Co., I don't think they have enough to overcome a healthy Lakers team. Probably a good, entertaining, hard-fought series. 

Lakers in 7

[SnottieDrippen]

Could we do prop bets for this series beyond FMVP?

How many games are "decided" by officials? 

Which injury does LeBron blame in the event of a loss?

How many times do we hear "Hero Ball?"

Does Bam block AD more or the other way around?

Combined annoying things by Rondo/Dwight?

I'll hang up and listen to you degenerates set the line.

[theguru]

I look forward to watching the finals.

[bugatti]

2 hours ago, SnottieDrippen said:

Could we do prop bets for this series beyond FMVP?

How many games are "decided" by officials? 

Which injury does LeBron blame in the event of a loss?

How many times do we hear "Hero Ball?"

Does Bam block AD more or the other way around?

Combined annoying things by Rondo/Dwight?

I'll hang up and listen to you degenerates set the line.

How many games are "decided" by officials? TBD. Once the Heat go to the line more than the Lakers, Palinka and Vogel will make a call to the league office. (This really did happen last series)

Which injury does LeBron blame in the event of a loss? I like this one. I am going with his "lingering hamstring issue that started the second week of the bubble" and he will be wheeled into the press conference.

How many times do we hear "Hero Ball?" Over/under has been set at 84.

Does Bam block AD more or the other way around? Bam will block AD more, but AD will record more blocks.

Combined annoying things by Rondo/Dwight? Off the board. If Dwight is breathing, he is annoying. He made an already dis-likeable Lakers team to all time Mount Rushmore of dis-likeable teams.

[16thBBall Fan]

9 hours ago, bugatti said:

How about the UK connection in the Finals? Rondo, Davis, Herro, Bam, and Pat Reilly. Saw where UK has already broken the record for points scored in the NBA playoffs from one school. That record is going to be even more obliterated in the coming days.

Also, Frank Vogel he was a student manager at Kentucky when Pitino was there.

[MBWC41]

Lakers in 6. Maybe 7.

I really like how Miami matches up with LA but LeBron and AD will be too much talent to overcome.

[theguru]

From NBA.com:

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat
Game 1: Wednesday, Sept. 30: Miami Heat at L.A. Lakers, 9 ET
Game 2: Friday, Oct. 2: Miami Heat at L.A. Lakers, 9 ET
Game 3: Sunday, Oct. 4: L.A. Lakers at Miami Heat, 7:30 ET
Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 6: L.A. Lakers at Miami Heat, 9 ET
Game 5*: Friday, Oct. 9: Miami Heat at L.A. Lakers, 9 ET
Game 6*: Sunday, Oct. 11: L.A. Lakers at Miami Heat, 7:30 ET
Game 7*: Tuesday, Oct. 13: Miami Heat at L.A. Lakers, 9 ET

* = if necessary

[TheDeuce]

Lakers in 5.

[bugatti]

3 hours ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

Also, Frank Vogel he was a student manager at Kentucky when Pitino was there.

Oh wow. I didn’t realize that.

[8th Region Warrior]

Very interesting matchups.  I have no idea how the Heat will match the size advantage the Lakers have, but on the other hand I have no idea how the Lakers are going to stop dribble drive when their bigs have to guard out in the floor.  Help and they will give up 3's to the Heat and if they are hitting they could be dangerous to the Lakers.  Transition points will be huge in this series, missed 3's by the Heat will lead to Lebron steam rolling his way to the rim.  I thought the Nuggets stayed in foul trouble and no bench cost them.  I love Miami's bench so advantage Heat.  I think another factor is Caldwell-Pope, he has been shooting it really good lately.  I think the coaching nod goes to the Heat, making the adjustments in this series will be critical.  PG for the Heat is very under rated in my opinion, he has been a stud in the bubble.

[bugatti]

4 minutes ago, 8th Region Warrior said:

Very interesting matchups.  I have no idea how the Heat will match the size advantage the Lakers have, but on the other hand I have no idea how the Lakers are going to stop dribble drive when their bigs have to guard out in the floor.  Help and they will give up 3's to the Heat and if they are hitting they could be dangerous to the Lakers.  Transition points will be huge in this series, missed 3's by the Heat will lead to Lebron steam rolling his way to the rim.  I thought the Nuggets stayed in foul trouble and no bench cost them.  I love Miami's bench so advantage Heat.  I think another factor is Caldwell-Pope, he has been shooting it really good lately.  I think the coaching nod goes to the Heat, making the adjustments in this series will be critical.  PG for the Heat is very under rated in my opinion, he has been a stud in the bubble.

I am not saying they have the horses to do it, but Miami is built to give the Lakers fits on the perimeter. They're also too savvy as to not allow LeBron to operate like he did against Denver. I don't see them cowering in his shadow. On the other side Miami has no answer for AD. It has been a few years, but I think many forget Dragic was once named third team all NBA. Dude can ball.

[16thBBall Fan]

I'm a Lakers fan have been since the 1979-80 season. The thing that worries me about this series is the Miami zone defense they played vs the Celtics. The outside shooting is by far the Lakers weakest area if the can make some 3's the Lakers will roll but if they struggle from the outside it will be a tough series in my opinion. Go Lakers!!