****OFFICIAL 2012 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD****

[dirk digler]

Great sports weekend with the draft and now the NBA Playoffs starting today

First Round Matchups Today:

76ers vs Bulls
Knicks vs Heat
Magic vs Pacers
Mavs vs Thunder

Sunday:

Jazz vs Spurs
Celtics vs Hawks
Clippers vs Grizzlies
Nuggets vs Lakers

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by okcchief

So that stat says James Harden is number 4. He's better than Kobe too?

Harden was a fantastic player in the minutes he played, one of the best and most productive in the league as that shows. The fact that he didn't show up in the Miami series was a huge reason OKC wasn't successful. While that statistic suggests that Harden could be one of the best players in the league if given the chance, he's never had to be the focal point of a team's offense (and therefore the focus of opposing defenses) like guys like LeBron, Durant, Kobe, and Paul. Until he proves he can do that (and he may not get that chance unless he leaves), it wouldn't be fair to those players to compare him. As it stands, he's just a tremendous #2/#3 option.

You are a Raptors fan? I thought you were a Lakers fan?

Nope, not a Lakers fan. Though I do enjoy rooting for them in the playoffs for the lack of a better option because I like several of their players.

The closest I've ever had to success with my favorite NBA team was when Vince Carter was in his prime (though I have to admit...watching him every game was pretty awesome).

[Hammock Parties]

[DBOSHO]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

No, just those with a basic understanding of basketball statistics (and those who are capable of admitting that Kobe isn't anywhere near the player he once was).

And wade is.

[Hammock Parties]

****ing douchebag.

[okcchief]

http://www.dailythunder.com/2012/06/...sh/#more-20977

Take no less than 10 million a year Scotty

[okcchief]

I think it's safe to say to T-Wolves are ****ing cursed.

[okcchief]

Oops wrong thread

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by okcchief

I think it's safe to say to T-Wolves are ****ing cursed.

Yeah. About all that hope I had at the beginning of the season...

...yeah. Forget I said anything about that.

I've got 5th row tickets to see the Wolves/Rockets game at Target Center this Saturday. I'm sure as hell not expecting much.

[Hammock Parties]

Dirk > Iverson

[-King-]

The regular season NBA thread isn't on the first page or anything.

[Hammock Parties]

i must have it on ignore

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Harden was a fantastic player in the minutes he played, one of the best and most productive in the league as that shows. The fact that he didn't show up in the Miami series was a huge reason OKC wasn't successful. While that statistic suggests that Harden could be one of the best players in the league if given the chance, he's never had to be the focal point of a team's offense (and therefore the focus of opposing defenses) like guys like LeBron, Durant, Kobe, and Paul. Until he proves he can do that (and he may not get that chance unless he leaves), it wouldn't be fair to those players to compare him. As it stands, he's just a tremendous #2/#3 option.

To follow up on this post from last June, Harden has obviously since been traded and has been given the opportunity to be a #1 (which he has proven more than capable of). He's 4th in win shares this year behind Durant, James, and Paul and 15th in the league in both PER and WS/48. He's got to keep it up for a full year, but in this limited time he seems to be showing that he's a top 10-15 player in the league. I still think if he shows up for the Finals last year, OKC probably pushes that series to 7 and maybe even wins it.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

To follow up on this post from last June, Harden has obviously since been traded and has been given the opportunity to be a #1 (which he has proven more than capable of). He's 4th in win shares this year behind Durant, James, and Paul and 15th in the league in both PER and WS/48. He's got to keep it up for a full year, but in this limited time he seems to be showing that he's a top 10-15 player in the league. I still think if he shows up for the Finals last year, OKC probably pushes that series to 7 and maybe even wins it.

It makes a huge difference in the series, but it's history. The Clippers and the Heat do a great job of limiting Harden as does his former team. He's a great player, but could never be fully utilized in OKC. Martin is doing a nice job of filling that same role even though he's not as dynamic as Martin. It's also forced Westbrook to become more of a facilitator and he's starting to excel at that role. Im happy for Harden and his All-Star nod, but also think when Lamb develops and the picks are cashed in OKC made the right move.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

He had one of the greatest postseason performances the sport has ever seen. This is shown in just about every statistic and measuring stick there is. But other than that, yeah, he did nothing at all for his team.

Stop with the bullshit putting words in my mouth that I've said he's done "nothing at all for his team." I am taking issue with you grandstanding his performance as some kind of legendary in spite of his mediocre late game performances in close games. If we're talking about the NFL, Big Ben, Eli, Brady, Montana, Elway have had some of the most dominating performances even if statistically underwhelming because they had ice-in-their-veins 2 minute drills. He is basically the NBA's Peyton Manning. He barreled through underwhelming competition and beat a finals opponent that was woefully immature and unprepared. LeBron's 2012 postseason was a dominant performance that was mediocre in the closing minutes of games. So I don't understand your standard, as if late game performance isn't vital.

You didn't present any such thing. Ignoring all of the evidence provided of LeBron playing well in close and late situations over his entire career in the regular season which quite clearly disproves your bullshit theory to begin with (http://www.82games.com/CSORT11.HTM, http://www.82games.com/1011/CSORT11.HTM, http://www.82games.com/0910/CSORT11.HTM, http://www.82games.com/0809/CSORT11.HTM), you selectively picked out a few playoff games last season where he missed a few shots late. That doesn't prove he's a choker or lacks a killer instinct, nor does it supersede the dominant basketball that he played for his entire playoff run.

We are talking about an elite player here and where he belongs in the conversation comparing him to Kobe and MJ. If you were wondering... MJ is 9/18 (50%) on game winning/tying shots in the 4th quarter of the playoffs. LeBron is 5/15 (33%). Kobe is 8/29 (28%). Here's the story. LeBron doesn't come close to touching MJ here. If we're talking about Kobe vs. LeBron, answer one question... in the playoffs, who is the closer? In Miami, it's Wade. In LA, without question it's Kobe. The Heat attempted 7 game-winning/game-tying shots in the 2012 playoffs. LeBron took only 2 and one of them wasn't even the final shot in regulation (Haslem of all people took the game-winning shot and missed). Last year, LeBron didn't take a SINGLE game-tying/winning shot. Wade was the closer. As a closer, he was below average in 2012.

They were won by LeBron being LeBron for the full four quarters of every game that the Heat played. He came through repeatedly when the Heat were on the verge of elimination on the road. Without him and his ridiculous play, Miami doesn't come close to a championship or even the NBA Finals. But he's a choker because he didn't take or make enough shots late in games to your liking? Because he was willing to pass the ball at times to his Hall of Fame teammates to allow them to use their skills as well to win a championship? It's absurd. Do you have any idea how butthurt all of this makes you look?

Only you would celebrate LeBron's passing ability with the game on the line. What does that make you, then? You were the one that threw out there that LeBron had one of the greatest playoff performances of all time. I'm sorry, but that is just plain insane when you compare what I showed you above about his late game performance vs. 1989 Jordan hitting 3 game-winning shots.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by okcchief

It makes a huge difference in the series, but it's history. The Clippers and the Heat do a great job of limiting Harden as does his former team. He's a great player, but could never be fully utilized in OKC. Martin is doing a nice job of filling that same role even though he's not as dynamic as Martin. It's also forced Westbrook to become more of a facilitator and he's starting to excel at that role. Im happy for Harden and his All-Star nod, but also think when Lamb develops and the picks are cashed in OKC made the right move.

Only time and the championships that OKC does/doesn't win will decide the winner of that trade, I think.