The Rest of the Playoffs

Steve3344, I didn't know that. I'm such a tool for now knowing that! No wonder they were never showing his face!

Oh well, it was a good idea on paper!!

Steve3344, I didn't know that. I'm such a tool for now knowing that! No wonder they were never showing his face!

Oh well, it was a good idea on paper!!

mrkleen,

I thought it was justice to put PG on the line for 3 after DWade fouled him. IND just didn't play good D on the final play. They should have taken their guy off the ball and doubled LeBron. How hard is that to do? Especially with 2 seconds left. Giving up a layup was the last thing on everyone's list.

It wouldn't have mattered whether Hibbert was in there or not. LeBron would have never touched the ball. But I agree MIA was getting all the ALL the calls up to that point. But MIA is now under Jordan/CHI rules and they will continue to get the breaks...So What?, say Michael. Advantage MIA. IND is on their own to find theirs.

db

Tonight's game is pretty much THE game of the entire playoffs. It will determine single-handedly the fate of IND and MIA in its 48-minute evolution.

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit, but it pretty much is a must win for IND or this one will be over in 5.

I just want to see how both teams response to that great first game. It didn't turn out the way I wanted but it was still a great game.

I like Hibbert more and more. Very interested in his game tonight.

That's a pretty good start for IND.

Not a bad 1st quarter for IND. They made some stupid turnovers, but Hibbert looks good.

I hope IND doesn't give I all back.

LeBron is ridiculous.

But so is Paul George!

You just can't ever count IND out. They have nine lives.

I don't think IND has an answer for LeBron.

Big basket by West!!

Nice GH!!

Damn!! They may win this one!!!

That'll do it! Nice win IND!!

I think IND may just have MIA's number. We'll see Sunday.

It really does come down to Game 5. IND isn't winning Game 7 in MIA. It just doesn't happen anymore. If it's tied 2-2, they have to win 5 and 6. If they lose both 3 and 4 at home, it clearly over. If they win both 3 and 4, MIA is, to borrow a line from Full Metal Jacket, "in a world of shit!"

I'd like it if IND stays undefeated at home. Not likely, but one can hope.

IND appears to be a very loose, confident group.

While there are only so many permutations of a 7 game series, the order of the wins and the impact of those wins is important in NBA basketball. History has shown that the winner of Game 1 typically has an 70%-80% chance of winning the series.

Clearly, this series should be 2-0 IND, but they screwed up Game 1 on the last play in OT. That's basketball. That's why we watch it and they play the game. And it is possible for a team to not win the first game of the series and then win the series. MIA just did that in the previous round. The math says, though, the odds are against you. That's what Vegas is all about.

Now, did you give MIA only a 20%-30% chance of winning last round's series because they lost Game 1? Of course not. I don't know what the revised number was but it wasn't 20%, not even close. Nor do I think the chances of IND winning the series now is only 20%. It depends on many factors, not just history. It's very subjective.

So we are at 1-1, with MIA wining Game 1 and IND winning Game 2. Now Game 3 and who wins it becomes very important, just as important it was tantamount that IND win Game 2, lest their chances of winning the series drop to 10%. If IND is going to begin to impose their will on MIA and prove they should have won Game 1, winning Game 3 at home becomes a must. Can they lose Game 3 and still win the series? Of course, but it becomes like the monster truck race where the large weight shifts from the back of the truck bed to the front and the puller eventually blows up their engine.

There will be a Game 5, and it will be either 2-2, 1-3 or 3-1. Larry Bird said somewhere that Game 5 was the most important game in the series. He also is a vocal opponent to the Finals 2-3-2 format because it puts Game 5 on the short team's court.

Berlin-T, I hope you are right about the next two games, but I think it is going to go to 2-2. But I really want what you want and that is to put MIA's back against the wall and send them to an unexpected early shameful exit and demise. But let's face it. LeBron is a beast and you might as well enjoy him while we have him in the league. DA would probably give his life to have LeBron in Boston if given the chance.

You make a great point about rebounding, in particular offensive rebounding. I'm guessing on the math, but an offensive rebound is worth somewhere slightly north or south of 1 point when you base it on possession or attempts. If you are averaging 50% from the floor and a basket is worth 2 points (actually slightly more than 2 since you have the 3 ball in play and you have to account for free throws, etc) each possession is worth 1 point. It baffles me that all teams don't crash the boards on offense. The Celtics were averse to doing this as they would always have 2-3+ people over half court each possession after they shot. They must have a very good reason for doing it, like our guys are too old/slow to get back on defense. Defensive rebounds are the same, as they start a possession.

But there is a balance. IND has it. We didn't have that this year. We need to find that balance either via the draft or through trades, etc. That's DA's job.

But you have to love IND's chances when they make MIA a jump shooting team. The next two games, if it is going to wind up 2-2 and for IND to impose will, pretty much must win Game 3. But we all would love 3-1 IND.

db