NBA Finals: #2 Miami Heat (4) vs. #2 Oklahoma City Thunder (1) - Page 6 - Basketball Forum : Professional and College Basketball Forums

**Sir Patchwork** · 06-10-2012, 02:37 PM

Most Thunder fans were Mavericks fans just based on geography, but they ditched perennial contender Dallas to root for a true hometown team that started 3-22. Hard to call that fairweather, but at the end of the day everybody is a bandwagon fan to some extent, because you had to pick them at some point.

BlackNRed · 06-10-2012, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperion

You can't be expected to be a die hard fan of another city's team. So if you live in a city that doesn't have a team, people trend to pick based on players. My alternative team is the pacers because reggie miller was a great villain and I was a fan of his shooting. It's funny how I despise his commentating as much as I enjoyed his playing. Had Indiana traded him, I probably would have moved allegiance to that new team. So, had I not become a Suns fan, I would probably be a fan of a particular player's team.

I'm not from Miami. Geographically Orlando is a little bit closer to my home town than Miami. But I am from South Florida, so that's the team I chose. Out of those two choices I just liked the Miami Heat organization better.

And I understand how people can be player fans, just not primarily. It's like, I love having Lebron on my team it's truly an honor and I hope when he retires he does so in Miami. But that said if he left tomorrow I'm not following him to root for his new team. Heat fan first and foremost.

You have to go through the bad times and hardships of a team to truly feel the joy of the good times.

**Dissonance** · 06-10-2012, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackNRed

I still don't get how anyone can be a player fan first. If you don't have a team to bleed with then you can never feel the true passion of and for the game.

I kinda feel this way. I have more allegiance to my teams than the players. I was huge fans of players that have come and gone on the Suns or my other teams in sports and when they leave, I don't follow and I'm barely a fan of them when they were with my team.

**Dissonance** · 06-10-2012, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Patchwork

Most Thunder fans were Mavericks fans just based on geography, but they ditched perennial contender Dallas to root for a true hometown team that started 3-22. Hard to call that fairweather, but at the end of the day everybody is a bandwagon fan to some extent, because you had to pick them at some point.

This is all true, too.

**R-Star** · 06-10-2012, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperion

You can't be expected to be a die hard fan of another city's team. So if you live in a city that doesn't have a team, people trend to pick based on players. My alternative team is the pacers because reggie miller was a great villain and I was a fan of his shooting. It's funny how I despise his commentating as much as I enjoyed his playing. Had Indiana traded him, I probably would have moved allegiance to that new team. So, had I not become a Suns fan, I would probably be a fan of a particular player's team.

Disagree. I followed Indy initially because when I got into basketball Reggie was the player that caught my eye. But if he would have got traded I would have still kept with Indy.

Following players over teams is for suckers.

hobojoe · 06-10-2012, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeastMode

If Chris Bosh is really healthy and can keep playing at full strength, I think he will be huge in this series. Who's going to guard him? If he's matched up with Perkins, he'll pull him away from the basket and face him up and Perkins is too slow to stop his drive. Ibaka bites on pump fakes and you have to guard Chris Bosh for the mid-range jumper. Ibaka won't be able to help off him every time James or Wade is in the lane, or Chris Bosh will get easy baskets all day.

Also, this is going to be the best defense the Thunder have faced so far. The Heat need to give maximum effort on defense as much as they can, because that's their biggest strength as a team. They're athletic, long, and disruptive.

The Thunder tend to be an isolation-heavy team most of the time, last series notwithstanding, and the Heat will attempt to force them into tough isolation shots. The Thunder did a great job of moving the ball against the Spurs, but I think the Heat have the potential to be more disruptive against that.

I know everyone is saying that the Thunder have this great size and great front line that will bother Wade and James, but Chris Bosh is really the X-factor there. Because his ability to space the floor could negate a lot of that. And, Chris Bosh won't have to guard KG in this series, either. I think Bosh is a big match-up advantage for the Heat.

I can't pick who's going to win this series but I think it's going to be closer than most people think. Also, I think the Heat are more experienced and hungrier right now. I'm not saying the Thunder are going to get "happy to be here" syndrome, but I think the Heat have a greater appreciation of this opportunity and I expect them to seize the moment.

Good post. Bosh is a key against either Perkins or Ibaka, especially if he he's hitting his jumpers and making them guard him from the perimeter. Not only is that a mismatch, but it opens up the middle for Wade and James to penetrate. It'll be tough to stay out of foul trouble with those matchups too.

BeastMode · 06-10-2012, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobojoe

Good post. Bosh is a key against either Perkins or Ibaka, especially if he he's hitting his jumpers and making them guard him from the perimeter. Not only is that a mismatch, but it opens up the middle for Wade and James to penetrate. It'll be tough to stay out of foul trouble with those matchups too.

Yep. It's easy to say "Thunder have size" but it merits a closer look. Perkins is a great post defender one-on-one but the Heat aren't going to attack the low post with a big man. There's no Duncan or Bynum for him to guard. And he's really not a great help defender, especially not against quick players like Wade and James. I imagine that those two guys will draw a lot of fouls against Perkins in this series.

If the Thunder go to their smaller lineup, with Ibaka at the 5 and Durant at the 4, the Heat have a great answer for that with their smaller lineup of Bosh at the 5 and James at the 4. That lineup has been very effective this year, and Ibaka won't be able to help against James without leaving Bosh open.

I think this series presents a lot of intriguing match-ups.

**Hyperion** · 06-10-2012, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R-Star

Disagree. I followed Indy initially because when I got into basketball Reggie was the player that caught my eye. But if he would have got traded I would have still kept with Indy.

Following players over teams is for suckers.

Only because reggie stayed I can't argue that I would have changed allegiances. However, if the suns traded Nash (again) I would feel like a wife that not only gets beat by her husband but gets cheated on as well but knows about it but stats with him due to their history together and there was a time when things were good.

**Eternal** · 06-10-2012, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XxIrvingxX

You do understand that Bosh was injured for a good portion of the series right?

Yes I have. The team still was unimpressive IMO. This Thunder team is more dangerous then Dallas last year, and Heat got dominated pretty well against them. Heat look less impressive to me then last year. Bosh is still iffy for me and Wade is declining.

I'm also interested to see if Lebron gets the jitters again in the Finals and does another no-show like he has every year so far he has been in the Finals.

**Eternal** · 06-10-2012, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeastMode

If Chris Bosh is really healthy and can keep playing at full strength, I think he will be huge in this series. Who's going to guard him? If he's matched up with Perkins, he'll pull him away from the basket and face him up and Perkins is too slow to stop his drive. Ibaka bites on pump fakes and you have to guard Chris Bosh for the mid-range jumper. Ibaka won't be able to help off him every time James or Wade is in the lane, or Chris Bosh will get easy baskets all day.

Also, this is going to be the best defense the Thunder have faced so far. The Heat need to give maximum effort on defense as much as they can, because that's their biggest strength as a team. They're athletic, long, and disruptive.

The Thunder tend to be an isolation-heavy team most of the time, last series notwithstanding, and the Heat will attempt to force them into tough isolation shots. The Thunder did a great job of moving the ball against the Spurs, but I think the Heat have the potential to be more disruptive against that.

I know everyone is saying that the Thunder have this great size and great front line that will bother Wade and James, but Chris Bosh is really the X-factor there. Because his ability to space the floor could negate a lot of that. And, Chris Bosh won't have to guard KG in this series, either. I think Bosh is a big match-up advantage for the Heat.

I can't pick who's going to win this series but I think it's going to be closer than most people think. Also, I think the Heat are more experienced and hungrier right now. I'm not saying the Thunder are going to get "happy to be here" syndrome, but I think the Heat have a greater appreciation of this opportunity and I expect them to seize the moment.

The bigger mismatch out of everything is who is going to guard Lebron? You will see Durant cover him in crunch time, but who else for majority of the time? The only option I see is Sefolosha on Lebron, Harden on Wade.

Ibaka will obviously get Bosh, and does a good job defending perimeter players, such as he did against Gasol in the Lakers series.

BlackNRed · 06-10-2012, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eternal

Yes I have. The team still was unimpressive IMO. This Thunder team is more dangerous then Dallas last year, and Heat got dominated pretty well against them. Heat look less impressive to me then last year. Bosh is still iffy for me and Wade is declining.

I'm also interested to see if Lebron gets the jitters again in the Finals and does another no-show like he has every year so far he has been in the Finals.

I was reading this comment on CBSsports and was wondering if it was you...

Quote:

After LBJ suffers a career ending injury in game one, the Thunder cruise to the championship in five games. Fittingly, James slips, on the very talc he threw in the air before they game, while charging down the sideline on a fast break. Karma bites him in the butt for leaving the Cavs the way he did.

By the way, I'm glad everyone is picking the Thunder. Being the favorites guarantee's Nada.

**Sir Patchwork** · 06-10-2012, 08:27 PM

Is this the first series Miami has been underdog since superfriends formation?

**Hyperion** · 06-10-2012, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eternal

The bigger mismatch out of everything is who is going to guard Lebron? You will see Durant cover him in crunch time, but who else for majority of the time? The only option I see is Sefolosha on Lebron, Harden on Wade.

Ibaka will obviously get Bosh, and does a good job defending perimeter players, such as he did against Gasol in the Lakers series.

Thaboo is a damn good defender, better than anyone on the celtics. That said, this series is about westbrook not roving for steals while chalmers lights them up.

**R-Star** · 06-10-2012, 08:41 PM

Prediction:

James outplays Durant

Harden makes a joke of Wade

Westbrook destroys Chalmers

Bosh slightly outplays Ibaka and Perkins but not by much.

Miami loses, and people start to see its Wades fault and not Brons.

doctordrizzay · 06-10-2012, 09:24 PM

I can see Heat in 5 also. Bosh is key to bring out Ibaka or Perkins out of the paint. Lebron and Wade will be on another level. I can see cole on westbrook alot to.

View Poll Results: Who Wins the NBA Championship?
Heat in 4	0	0%
Heat in 5	5	6.94%
Heat in 6	18	25.00%
Heat in 7	5	6.94%
Thunder in 4	2	2.78%
Thunder in 5	4	5.56%
Thunder in 6	27	37.50%
Thunder in 7	11	15.28%
Voters: 72. You may not vote on this poll

06-10-2012, 08:41 PM	#89 (permalink)
R-Star BBB.net Archivist Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The village of Clive, bro Age: 30 Posts: 37,845 Rep Power: 21474884	Re: NBA Finals: #2 Miami Heat (0) vs. #2 Oklahoma City Thunder (0) Prediction: James outplays Durant Harden makes a joke of Wade Westbrook destroys Chalmers Bosh slightly outplays Ibaka and Perkins but not by much. Miami loses, and people start to see its Wades fault and not Brons. __________________

06-10-2012, 09:24 PM	#90 (permalink)
doctordrizzay Veteran Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 2,332 Rep Power: 0	Re: NBA Finals: #2 Miami Heat (0) vs. #2 Oklahoma City Thunder (0) I can see Heat in 5 also. Bosh is key to bring out Ibaka or Perkins out of the paint. Lebron and Wade will be on another level. I can see cole on westbrook alot to.

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06-10-2012, 02:37 PM	#76 (permalink)
Sir Patchwork MVP Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oklahoma City Age: 28 Posts: 17,119 Rep Power: 13211371	Most Thunder fans were Mavericks fans just based on geography, but they ditched perennial contender Dallas to root for a true hometown team that started 3-22. Hard to call that fairweather, but at the end of the day everybody is a bandwagon fan to some extent, because you had to pick them at some point.

06-10-2012, 08:27 PM	#87 (permalink)
Sir Patchwork MVP Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oklahoma City Age: 28 Posts: 17,119 Rep Power: 13211371	Is this the first series Miami has been underdog since superfriends formation?

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