NBA: *** NBA Playoffs Thread V2.0 ***

Obviously James, Wade, and Bosh executing were the key to this game, but it was a fantastic gameplan. Like it or not Spo is a good coach. Not the best, but a good coach.

As long as LeBron is clearly the best in the world, and Wade can play like a top five player in the world plenty of nights as he did tonight, it's truly just hard to judge him as a coach. If they both have their A game I bet a lot of random Joes off the street could be getting accolades for their substitutions and timeouts. Not a plus or minus, just the situation.

Spo could be replaced at some point, but as it's all happening, it's all about LeBron's mental state in terms of what is scrutinized...and you really can't fault that either given his epic physical superiority. Leonard was right in his interviews to not take full credit on defense and admit he got a little lucky that LeBron took himself out at times in game 1 and 3.
 
care to elaborate why spoelstra out coached Poppovich or just call everyone that doesn't agree with you butthurt?
 
Midway through the 3rd seems to be the separating point for the winning team the last 3 games.

Agreed at half it's been

52-49 Miami (Spurs win by 4), 50-45 (Heat win by 19), 50-44 (Spurs win by 36), and 49-49 (Heat win by 16).
 
There is some epic butt hurt in this thread right now

Uh, not really. I do see most posters that clearly don't want you to derail another thread with an epic amount of posts vouching that Eric Spatula is the 3rd best coach in the NBA. I guess if you're a big enough Heat fan maybe you see that as "butt hurt".
 
care to elaborate why spoelstra out coached Poppovich or just call everyone that doesn't agree with you butthurt?

I know you're not directly talking to me but I'll elaborate. Playoffs are essentially chess matches by the teams and coaches. In this game, Spo chose to go small which in my opinion opened up the driving lanes. Like I said earlier, Miami still had to execute but that goes for every game plan. Not saying Spo is better, just had the better gameplan.
 
As long as LeBron is clearly the best in the world, and Wade can play like a top five player in the world plenty of nights as he did tonight, it's truly just hard to judge him as a coach. If they both have their A game I bet a lot of random Joes off the street could be getting accolades for their substitutions and timeouts. Not a plus or minus, just the situation.

Spo could be replaced at some point, but as it's all happening, it's all about LeBron's mental state in terms of what is scrutinized...and you really can't fault that either given his epic physical superiority. Leonard was right in his interviews to not take full credit on defense and admit he got a little lucky that LeBron took himself out at times in game 1 and 3.

It's a good point, most judge him based on how he did without LeBron. Even though I'm obviously not a Spoesltra fan, there are worse coaches out there than him.

His main job is to engage LeBron and Wade together. Just in this series, when they've been active, they win easily (game 2 and 4), when they are invisible, they look terrible (game 3). Basically what the series will come down to.

Wade was somewhat invisible game 2 but not as bad as game 3 as far as the total game goes.
 
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I know you're not directly talking to me but I'll elaborate. Playoffs are essentially chess matches by the teams and coaches. In this game, Spo chose to go small which in my opinion opened up the driving lanes. Like I said earlier, Miami still had to execute but that goes for every game plan. Not saying Spo is better, just had the better gameplan.

fair enough,at least you backed it up, agree to disagree. :smile:
 
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It's a good point, most judge him based on how he did without LeBron. Even though I'm obviously not a Spoesltra fan, there are worse coaches out there than him.

His main job is to engage LeBron and Wade together. Just in this series, when they've been active, they win easily (game 2 and 4), when they are invisible, they look terrible (game 3). Basically what the series will come down to.

Someone on another NBA board I read was outraged that the Nets took a chance on Jason Kidd when they could have Vinny Del Negro...to me that's crazier than someone who thinks Spo is an above average NBA coach. Spoelstra will likely get his chance unless he retires young, an injury, a trade, he gets fired...sometime he'll coach without LeBron and two other max deal free agents and we'll get a better read. I try not to go too far either direction, 3rd best in the NBA is too far in the positive direction.
 
Someone on another NBA board I read was outraged that the Nets took a chance on Jason Kidd when they could have Vinny Del Negro...to me that's crazier than someone who thinks Spo is an above average NBA coach. Spoelstra will likely get his chance unless he retires young, an injury, a trade, he gets fired...sometime he'll coach without LeBron and two other max deal free agents and we'll get a better read. I try not to go too far either direction, 3rd best in the NBA is too far in the positive direction.

Someone who is worse than Spo, Vinny Del Negro, sadly there are worse coaches out there than both of them.

A big problem I have with the NBA, and I think even Shaq pointed this out, is that instead of new faces (Jason Kidd, Brian Shaw), that teams will recycle coaches who have failed. Del Negro is a good example. It happens in college, though not nearly as frequently as far as BCS to BCS moves for coaches who failed. Altman is one that worked, and no, I don't consider Creighton that even with the conference switch.
 
Someone on another NBA board I read was outraged that the Nets took a chance on Jason Kidd when they could have Vinny Del Negro...to me that's crazier than someone who thinks Spo is an above average NBA coach. Spoelstra will likely get his chance unless he retires young, an injury, a trade, he gets fired...sometime he'll coach without LeBron and two other max deal free agents and we'll get a better read. I try not to go too far either direction, 3rd best in the NBA is too far in the positive direction.

He did this already for two years and made the playoffs both years with two first round playoff losses aka George Karl status.
 
Uh, not really. I do see most posters that clearly don't want you to derail another thread with an epic amount of posts vouching that Eric Spatula is the 3rd best coach in the NBA. I guess if you're a big enough Heat fan maybe you see that as "butt hurt".

The other team scores 4 points in a row and dumass spo always call his token TO's

Erik Spoelstra will be cleaning the halls of the Hall of Fame

any other usage should be banned.

Eric Spatula outcoached by Pop.

jeff van gundy just mentioned spolestra and hall of fame together lol.

Spool looks like he's gonna cry.

hypothetical situation: Heat lose this series.

Over/Under years until Spoelstra gets canned? after next years playoffs.

A good coach would have taken Mario Chalmers out of the game a long time ago. Good news is, the Heat are coached by Eric Spoelstra.

Yes I'm the only one derailing this thread by talking about Spoelstra. LOL.
 
Pop went stupid with his rotations again. That lineup to open the 4th quarter was as bad as it could have been.

Diaw came in and got them back on the game. He was tremendous. Then he went out for a blow, and pop forgot about him, again.

But the key was d wade, and whatever shot he took to get ready for this game. For 3 weeks now, he couldn't run, especially in the second half. Tonight he was elevating on his jumper, dunking, and flying all over. There is no way that happens without some help. ******, the guy has had to go to the locker room and get his kneecap adjusted in the middle of games, but, all of a sudden, he's fine?

Yep and the acne and the fact that his head is differently shaped than it was 10 years ago probably is just evolution.

But in the end, the heat had to win this one. The Spurs now have to win Sunday. Should be interesting.

What the series has lacked in competitive games, it has made up for in storylines.
 
As long as LeBron is clearly the best in the world, and Wade can play like a top five player in the world plenty of nights as he did tonight, it's truly just hard to judge him as a coach. If they both have their A game I bet a lot of random Joes off the street could be getting accolades for their substitutions and timeouts. Not a plus or minus, just the situation.

Spo could be replaced at some point, but as it's all happening, it's all about LeBron's mental state in terms of what is scrutinized...and you really can't fault that either given his epic physical superiority. Leonard was right in his interviews to not take full credit on defense and admit he got a little lucky that LeBron took himself out at times in game 1 and 3.

As long as MJ is the best in the world and Pippen is a top 5 player it's hard to judge Phil Jackson... As long as Shaq and Kobe are the best at their collective positions it's hard to judge Jackson...


I'm in the crowd that believes that Spo is an average coach but why judge a coach by his players?
 
Pop went stupid with his rotations again. That lineup to open the 4th quarter was as bad as it could have been.

Diaw came in and got them back on the game. He was tremendous. Then he went out for a blow, and pop forgot about him, again.

But the key was d wade, and whatever shot he took to get ready for this game. For 3 weeks now, he couldn't run, especially in the second half. Tonight he was elevating on his jumper, dunking, and flying all over. There is no way that happens without some help. ******, the guy has had to go to the locker room and get his kneecap adjusted in the middle of games, but, all of a sudden, he's fine?

Yep and the acne and the fact that his head is differently shaped than it was 10 years ago probably is just evolution.

But in the end, the heat had to win this one. The Spurs now have to win Sunday. Should be interesting.

What the series has lacked in competitive games, it has made up for in storylines.
That's quite an accusation.