Spurs/Heat: keys to winning

 Flop……a lot.

The NBA really needs to fix this problem. 

 Flop……a lot.

The NBA really needs to fix this problem. 

 Spurs need to get dribble penetration into the lane.  They are really reliant on that.  Since they don’t have any high-volume post or elbow scorers, the Spurs ball movement depends upon them getting dribble penetration and using that to spring their ball movement.  They struggled a bit over the final three quarters of last game to do that.

The Heat just need to keep doing what they are doing on offense, but without TOs.  As long as the Heat keep moving the ball and spacing the floor, they are really tough to beat.

 Spurs need to get dribble penetration into the lane.  They are really reliant on that.  Since they don’t have any high-volume post or elbow scorers, the Spurs ball movement depends upon them getting dribble penetration and using that to spring their ball movement.  They struggled a bit over the final three quarters of last game to do that.

The Heat just need to keep doing what they are doing on offense, but without TOs.  As long as the Heat keep moving the ball and spacing the floor, they are really tough to beat.

Spurs might have the best talent 1 through 9, BUT you can only play five guys at a time.  Cheap Shot Mario, D Wade, LeBron, Rashard, and Bosh is pretty much unstoppable with Lewis hitting shots like he did in the last game.  Ray Allen is another retro Sonics player who is playing very well.  They aren’t even getting much out of Birdman.  If Birdman picks it up the Heat will be nearly impossible to stop. 

The Spurs blew a GREAT opportunity.  Timmy Duncan started off the game great.  He might wear down as the series drags on.  I thought Manu put some good things on the table AND took some things off the table.

The Spurs need ALL of their rotation guys playing great: Timmy, Manu, TP, Kawhi, Danny Green, Diaw, Splitter, and Patty Mills. 

The Heat win with either Bosh or Wade playing well, LeBron playing his normal game and two role players showing up (either of the Zombie Sonics Fossils, Chris "The Undertaker" Anderson, Mario Chalmers, or Norris Cole).  I am not even counting them dusting off Shane Battier.  Or Haslem.  Or Greg Oden.

Now, if LeBron goes into Video Game Mode, then there is nothing anyone can do about it.

The Spurs need more things to go right to win, than the Heat do.  Basically, the Heat need to have everything go wrong for them to lose.  Like LeBron cramping, D Wade showing his age, Bosh disappearing, AND their role players not hitting open jumpers. 

A biggie for the Heat this series is game 6 being AT HOME.  If they win both at home then they will be up 3-1 with 5 in San Antonio.  Then if they can’t get it done in game 5 they can come back home to wrap things up. 

Spurs might have the best talent 1 through 9, BUT you can only play five guys at a time.  Cheap Shot Mario, D Wade, LeBron, Rashard, and Bosh is pretty much unstoppable with Lewis hitting shots like he did in the last game.  Ray Allen is another retro Sonics player who is playing very well.  They aren’t even getting much out of Birdman.  If Birdman picks it up the Heat will be nearly impossible to stop. 

The Spurs blew a GREAT opportunity.  Timmy Duncan started off the game great.  He might wear down as the series drags on.  I thought Manu put some good things on the table AND took some things off the table.

The Spurs need ALL of their rotation guys playing great: Timmy, Manu, TP, Kawhi, Danny Green, Diaw, Splitter, and Patty Mills. 

The Heat win with either Bosh or Wade playing well, LeBron playing his normal game and two role players showing up (either of the Zombie Sonics Fossils, Chris "The Undertaker" Anderson, Mario Chalmers, or Norris Cole).  I am not even counting them dusting off Shane Battier.  Or Haslem.  Or Greg Oden.

Now, if LeBron goes into Video Game Mode, then there is nothing anyone can do about it.

The Spurs need more things to go right to win, than the Heat do.  Basically, the Heat need to have everything go wrong for them to lose.  Like LeBron cramping, D Wade showing his age, Bosh disappearing, AND their role players not hitting open jumpers. 

A biggie for the Heat this series is game 6 being AT HOME.  If they win both at home then they will be up 3-1 with 5 in San Antonio.  Then if they can’t get it done in game 5 they can come back home to wrap things up. 

B-Ball is right on the money when he mentioned the Spurs ball movement,it gives their players wide open looks and it wears out the Heat players…They get in trouble when they go alone and try to create something,it sometimes leads to turnovers….

Lebron & Wade needs to attack the rim like they did in game 2,their penetration gets them to the line and teammates a chance to make open baskets…Chamers has been invisible in this series,he has to offer them something,either playing physical with Parker getting him off his game or making 3s…….

B-Ball is right on the money when he mentioned the Spurs ball movement,it gives their players wide open looks and it wears out the Heat players…They get in trouble when they go alone and try to create something,it sometimes leads to turnovers….

Lebron & Wade needs to attack the rim like they did in game 2,their penetration gets them to the line and teammates a chance to make open baskets…Chamers has been invisible in this series,he has to offer them something,either playing physical with Parker getting him off his game or making 3s…….

RUDEBOY,

Mario Chalmers’ cheap shot at Tony Parker was one of the biggest plays of the game.  TP got hurt, missed two free throws, and that changed the complexion of the game (along with Duncan’s free throw misses). 

If LeBron is going to play like he did in game 2, there is not much the Spurs can do about it. 

RUDEBOY,

Mario Chalmers’ cheap shot at Tony Parker was one of the biggest plays of the game.  TP got hurt, missed two free throws, and that changed the complexion of the game (along with Duncan’s free throw misses). 

If LeBron is going to play like he did in game 2, there is not much the Spurs can do about it. 

I was thinking the same question of how game three might pan out and if the Spurs really want to win one of the next two they need to make LeBron more on the defensive end have a chance. I’m a big fan of Kawhi and he wasn’t a factor offensively so far and was in foul trouble way to much. We saw how far Bron needed to get in game one and attacking him and make him contest a slashing and running through screens Leonard may pay off at least a little bit. If the Spurs continue to move the ball and the off ball players well they will get looks.

Aside from Bron the Spurs are looking good defensively against the Heat and before game 2 I was praising Wade how well he played throughout the playoffs while it’s obvious he is not comfortable at all with his knees. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to read somewhere that Wade is on pain killer A LOT as from his face it even looks he can’t enjoy playing right now beeing banged up so much. The Heat need Wade and his defensive and offensive performances since Chalmers is playing awful and LeBron can’t do all the distributing. Bosh needs to step up too if Birdman continues to struggle like he did and Haslem doesn’t look like he can handle any minutes so far. 

I was thinking the same question of how game three might pan out and if the Spurs really want to win one of the next two they need to make LeBron more on the defensive end have a chance. I’m a big fan of Kawhi and he wasn’t a factor offensively so far and was in foul trouble way to much. We saw how far Bron needed to get in game one and attacking him and make him contest a slashing and running through screens Leonard may pay off at least a little bit. If the Spurs continue to move the ball and the off ball players well they will get looks.

Aside from Bron the Spurs are looking good defensively against the Heat and before game 2 I was praising Wade how well he played throughout the playoffs while it’s obvious he is not comfortable at all with his knees. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to read somewhere that Wade is on pain killer A LOT as from his face it even looks he can’t enjoy playing right now beeing banged up so much. The Heat need Wade and his defensive and offensive performances since Chalmers is playing awful and LeBron can’t do all the distributing. Bosh needs to step up too if Birdman continues to struggle like he did and Haslem doesn’t look like he can handle any minutes so far. 

Parker didn’t look hurt when he hit a 3 late in the game to put San Antonio up. I do agree the missed FTs were a changing point in the game, but he wasn’t hurt. He might have been a tad shaken up when he got elbowed, but he was fine. Missing free throws happens, its not necessarily a demeaning statement, but he missed them and that was huge.

Whoever said the Heat have a greater margin for error hit it on the head. Miami needs Bosh and Wade to not be awful, and a role player to make an open shot on occasion. The Spurs cannot have anybody really off their game, they need contributions from everybody. I want the Spurs to win really badly, but its so hard to pick against the stupid Heat.

Parker didn’t look hurt when he hit a 3 late in the game to put San Antonio up. I do agree the missed FTs were a changing point in the game, but he wasn’t hurt. He might have been a tad shaken up when he got elbowed, but he was fine. Missing free throws happens, its not necessarily a demeaning statement, but he missed them and that was huge.

Whoever said the Heat have a greater margin for error hit it on the head. Miami needs Bosh and Wade to not be awful, and a role player to make an open shot on occasion. The Spurs cannot have anybody really off their game, they need contributions from everybody. I want the Spurs to win really badly, but its so hard to pick against the stupid Heat.

The Spurs are probably going to start off well… with Parker driving into the lane at will against Chalmers, but then I wonder how the Spurs will adjust when Spoelstra puts Wade on Parker. The Heat is usually double teaming and playing the passing lanes, so ball movement is a double edged sword.

Defensively… do they let Lebron shoot? if he penetrates, do they double team him or they let him kick the ball to a 3pt shooter? Playing zone is not a good option anymore against the heat. I say the Spurs should make Lebron work for each basket tonight. Don’t let the other guys get hot.

The Spurs are probably going to start off well… with Parker driving into the lane at will against Chalmers, but then I wonder how the Spurs will adjust when Spoelstra puts Wade on Parker. The Heat is usually double teaming and playing the passing lanes, so ball movement is a double edged sword.

Defensively… do they let Lebron shoot? if he penetrates, do they double team him or they let him kick the ball to a 3pt shooter? Playing zone is not a good option anymore against the heat. I say the Spurs should make Lebron work for each basket tonight. Don’t let the other guys get hot.

I think it is pretty simple for Miami. They need to keep what they are doing. I’m not 100% sure Spurs win game 1 if LeBron doesn’t go out. If Miami can keep Lebron on the floor they have a great chance because they look really bad when he is off the floor. It will also help them going forward if Mario Chalmers wakes up. He is not going to average 25 and 10 like some poster said, but if he can give you something it will help especially with Rashard Lewis finding a time machine.

For the Spurs they have to move the ball and cut down on bad turnovers like the ones that lead to layups and fouls. They are going to also have to find someone that can get out on Lewis. You can’t put Duncan on him and he is too far out on the perimeter for Splitter. It sounds crazy, but I would consider Ayres in short spurts or Bonner in spurts if you are desperate for floor spacing (Diaw getting the most minutes at the 4) and basically splitting Duncan and Splitter. You can’t let Lewis score like he has been. I also think the longer the series goes the better off the Spurs are going to be because Wade looks really slow. He is getting off the shots he wants, but he doesn’t seem to be moving very fast or fluidly in my opinion. Right now he seems to be scoring a lot off of basketball IQ, strength, the attention everyone pays to Lebron and the occassional flop to get him some free throws.

I think it is pretty simple for Miami. They need to keep what they are doing. I’m not 100% sure Spurs win game 1 if LeBron doesn’t go out. If Miami can keep Lebron on the floor they have a great chance because they look really bad when he is off the floor. It will also help them going forward if Mario Chalmers wakes up. He is not going to average 25 and 10 like some poster said, but if he can give you something it will help especially with Rashard Lewis finding a time machine.

For the Spurs they have to move the ball and cut down on bad turnovers like the ones that lead to layups and fouls. They are going to also have to find someone that can get out on Lewis. You can’t put Duncan on him and he is too far out on the perimeter for Splitter. It sounds crazy, but I would consider Ayres in short spurts or Bonner in spurts if you are desperate for floor spacing (Diaw getting the most minutes at the 4) and basically splitting Duncan and Splitter. You can’t let Lewis score like he has been. I also think the longer the series goes the better off the Spurs are going to be because Wade looks really slow. He is getting off the shots he wants, but he doesn’t seem to be moving very fast or fluidly in my opinion. Right now he seems to be scoring a lot off of basketball IQ, strength, the attention everyone pays to Lebron and the occassional flop to get him some free throws.