[lynchburgwildcats]

OKC played terrible last night and lost by three and the Spurs won't win a game in OKC. The Thunder will take the series in six.

And San Antonio played some of their worst basketball of the season for three quarters then thoroughly dismantled OKC in the fourth. So what's your point?

Also, where are all the people who harp on closing games hating on Durant? Dude took two shots (both three pointers) in the 4th quarter. Derek Fisher took more fourth quarter shots than Durant. If LeBron had done that, everyone and their mother would be all over LeBron for no showing the fourth. I haven't seen a darn thing on the internet about it today.

[thepostman]

you guys are putting too much thought into things

Miami will beat Boston because they are better right now then the Celtics and the Spurs will beat the Thunder because they aren't currently better then them. Then the Spurs will go on to beat Miami because they are better then Miami. All your crap stats about age mean absolutely nothing....

OKC played terrible last night and lost by three and the Spurs won't win a game in OKC. The Thunder will take the series in six.

haha ok...san antonio played with them the entire game and when it mattered performed

[lynchburgwildcats]

Notice the words "star driven." Look at the stars from each team.
Spurs -
Tim Duncan - 36
Manu Ginobli - 34
Tony Parker - 30
Average Age - 33.3

Miami -
Lebron James - 27
Dwayne Wade - 30
Chris Bosh - 28
Average Age - 28.3

OKC -
Kevin Durant - 23
Russell Westbrook - 23
Harden/Perkins/Ibaka avg - 23.6 (I did this because one of these three always end up having a big night)
Average Age - 23.2

Boston -
Ray Allen - 36
Paul Pierce - 34
Kevin Garnett - 36
Rajon Rondo - 26
Average Age - 33

I took every player that matters and averaged their age. Oldest team is SA.

The fact that you cite Perkins and Ibaka as stars is comical and that no other player on any of those teams matter is highly comical. Ibaka and Perkins have never come close to sniffing an all-star game or an All-NBA team. Can't be considered a star if the coaches, media, and fans don't consider you one...

Does this mean 37-year-old Derek Fisher can't have some big nights for OKC? Guy had a 2012 playoff high 13 points last night and has four double-digit scoring games in the playoffs. Guess that doesn't count as a big game because he's an old guy on the OKC roster...

Danny Green, Gary Neal, Tiago Splitter, and Kawhi Leonard are capable of having big nights. Green has had five games with double digit scoring in the playoffs. Gary Neal has four double-digit playoff games, including a pretty good game last night with 12 points. Leonard has scored in double-digits in three playoff games and of course adds really good defense, he got votes for All-NBA Defense this year. Splitter has had three playoff games with double-digit scoring.

Chalmers and Haslem are capable of having big nights, do they not count? Chalmers averaging over 11 points a game in the playoffs and dropped 25 on Indiana in one game. Haslem has had two straight double-digit scoring games, including some big baskets in his last two games against Indiana.

Is Bass not capable of a big game either? Heck, the guy outscored the entire 76ers team in the third quarter in one game of that series to finish with 27. If that's not a big game, then I don't know what is. Has eight double-digit scoring games in the playoffs, averaging more points in the playoffs than Ray Allen.

What's interesting here, however, is that all the guys for the Spurs, Heat, and Celtics that you left off, since you cited Ibaka and Perkins in the list of stars because they can have big games, is that they are all under 30. Meanwhile the guy you left off for the Thunder is one of the oldest guys in the playoffs. Trying a bit too hard to skew data even further to support your argument methinks.

Yep, it's clear all those players don't matter and are 100% incapable of having a big game. Why do these teams even have these guys on their playoff roster?! Might as well just sit them all and play three or four on five against OKC!

[Purple Haize]

OKC played terrible last night and lost by three and the Spurs won't win a game in OKC. The Thunder will take the series in six.

And San Antonio played some of their worst basketball of the season for three quarters then thoroughly dismantled OKC in the fourth. So what's your point?

Also, where are all the people who harp on closing games hating on Durant? Dude took two shots (both three pointers) in the 4th quarter. Derek Fisher took more fourth quarter shots than Durant. If LeBron had done that, everyone and their mother would be all over LeBron for no showing the fourth. I haven't seen a darn thing on the internet about it today.

Durante isn't billed as the Greatest Ever. LePippen is.

[lynchburgwildcats]

OKC played terrible last night and lost by three and the Spurs won't win a game in OKC. The Thunder will take the series in six.

And San Antonio played some of their worst basketball of the season for three quarters then thoroughly dismantled OKC in the fourth. So what's your point?

Also, where are all the people who harp on closing games hating on Durant? Dude took two shots (both three pointers) in the 4th quarter. Derek Fisher took more fourth quarter shots than Durant. If LeBron had done that, everyone and their mother would be all over LeBron for no showing the fourth. I haven't seen a darn thing on the internet about it today.

Durante isn't billed as the Greatest Ever. LePippen is.

Yet many thought Durant should have been MVP. MVPs show up for the fourth quarter in the playoffs, Durant sure didn't last night.

[thepostman]

Durant still hasn't had enough big game meltdowns to be put into the same class as lebron, but you're right he did disappear towards the end of that game. The Spurs had a lot to do with that but the great ones fight through that

EDIT: Also Durant wasn't called the savior of basketball his senior year of high school and jammed down our throats. That has probably the most to do with it

[Purple Haize]

Durant still hasn't had enough big game meltdowns to be put into the same class as lebron, but you're right he did disappear towards the end of that game. The Spurs had a lot to do with that but the great ones fight through that

EDIT: Also Durant wasn't called the savior of basketball his senior year of high school and jammed down our throats. That has probably the most to do with it

You know for an Air Force guy you're pretty smart!

[bradyfan]

Notice the words "star driven." Look at the stars from each team.
Spurs -
Tim Duncan - 36
Manu Ginobli - 34
Tony Parker - 30
Average Age - 33.3

Miami -
Lebron James - 27
Dwayne Wade - 30
Chris Bosh - 28
Average Age - 28.3

OKC -
Kevin Durant - 23
Russell Westbrook - 23
Harden/Perkins/Ibaka avg - 23.6 (I did this because one of these three always end up having a big night)
Average Age - 23.2

Boston -
Ray Allen - 36
Paul Pierce - 34
Kevin Garnett - 36
Rajon Rondo - 26
Average Age - 33

I took every player that matters and averaged their age. Oldest team is SA.

The fact that you cite Perkins and Ibaka as stars is comical and that no other player on any of those teams matter is highly comical. Ibaka and Perkins have never come close to sniffing an all-star game or an All-NBA team. Can't be considered a star if the coaches, media, and fans don't consider you one...

Does this mean 37-year-old Derek Fisher can't have some big nights for OKC? Guy had a 2012 playoff high 13 points last night and has four double-digit scoring games in the playoffs. Guess that doesn't count as a big game because he's an old guy on the OKC roster...

Danny Green, Gary Neal, Tiago Splitter, and Kawhi Leonard are capable of having big nights. Green has had five games with double digit scoring in the playoffs. Gary Neal has four double-digit playoff games, including a pretty good game last night with 12 points. Leonard has scored in double-digits in three playoff games and of course adds really good defense, he got votes for All-NBA Defense this year. Splitter has had three playoff games with double-digit scoring.

Chalmers and Haslem are capable of having big nights, do they not count? Chalmers averaging over 11 points a game in the playoffs and dropped 25 on Indiana in one game. Haslem has had two straight double-digit scoring games, including some big baskets in his last two games against Indiana.

Is Bass not capable of a big game either? Heck, the guy outscored the entire 76ers team in the third quarter in one game of that series to finish with 27. If that's not a big game, then I don't know what is. Has eight double-digit scoring games in the playoffs, averaging more points in the playoffs than Ray Allen.

What's interesting here, however, is that all the guys for the Spurs, Heat, and Celtics that you left off, since you cited Ibaka and Perkins in the list of stars because they can have big games, is that they are all under 30. Meanwhile the guy you left off for the Thunder is one of the oldest guys in the playoffs. Trying a bit too hard to skew data even further to support your argument methinks.

Yep, it's clear all those players don't matter and are 100% incapable of having a big game. Why do these teams even have these guys on their playoff roster?! Might as well just sit them all and play three or four on five against OKC!

Ibaka has been huge for OKC this year. He's averaging around 4.5 blocks per game. I can't stand Kendrick Perkins but he has games that give OKC an edge. He also creates match-up problems. I threw Harden in because he also has games that give OKC an edge.

All of the other players don't matter because every team in the NBA has those type of players. I can look to Charlotte and replace Chalmers, Fisher, Green, Neal, Splitter or Leonard. Just because they have a good game, doesn't mean they aren't irreplaceable. JJ Redick (one of my favorite players) scored 30+ in a game this season, does that mean he matters to Orlando? heck no. If they lose him, it's not like they can't pick someone else up on the free agents. Lebron, Wade, Garnett, Durant, Duncan...etc. are all players that teams can't go without. Take out Duncan and SA probably isn't in playoffs. If Lebron isn't playing for Miami, they aren't in semi-finals. These are players that matter. (See the 15mil salaries). The only reason SA is playing still is because of Duncan, Ginobli, and Parker. All of them are 30+. Every team has a Kawhi Leonard or Mario Chalmers, not every team has a Lebron or Ginobli. In the NBA you have 5 players on the court at once and most of the time, teams play at least 2 to 3 of those players more than 3/4 of the game. Additionally, those are the players getting the majority of touches. Wade and Lebron did all of the scoring for the Heat for a quarter basically. Kawhi Leonard isn't winning you an NBA championship. Don't think this is a star driven league? Which team left doesn't operate around 2 or 3 guys? 0 of them. Indiana plays team basketball and that's why they aren't playing anymore. Just because you are capable of having a big game doesn't mean you matter. Heck, anyone in the league can have a big game. I don't know of one player who played 3 or more seasons and didn't at least once score 15+. Does that mean they matter? Does that mean they were crucial to their teams success? No.

In reality, none of this really matters because the Heat are the only team that play offense and defense and don't have an age problem among their stars. No one else has that combination. Heat beat Celtics in five, maybe 6. OKC wins in 6, maybe 5 if they take this next game. Then Heat win in 6 against OKC.

[thepostman]

again you guys are putting way, way too much thought into meaningless stats

[Purple Haize]

If you were picking a team would you pick LePippen or Wade? I think Wade is the most under rated player in the league. AND he has more rings then LePippen

[thepostman]

Wade without hesitation

[RubberMallet]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

[bradyfan]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

+1

[thepostman]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

my hate for lebron is probably blinding me to it, but lebron's history speaks for itself

[Purple Haize]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

Who dropped 40+ in the must have game of thePacers series? Hmmm

[Purple Haize]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

Who dropped 40+ in the must have game of thePacers series? Hmmm

[WinthropEagleFan]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

Who dropped 40+ in the must have game of thePacers series? Hmmm

Lebron did in Game 4, and Wade did in Game 6...not sure which you are considering a "must have' game, but both came up huge in the last few games of that series.

[Purple Haize]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

Who dropped 40+ in the must have game of thePacers series? Hmmm

Lebron did in Game 4, and Wade did in Game 6...not sure which you are considering a "must have' game, but both came up huge in the last few games of that series.

I think a Game 6 is more Must Have then a Game 4. Even being down 3-1 is not as big as taking game 6 to WIN something.

[bradyfan]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

Who dropped 40+ in the must have game of thePacers series? Hmmm

Who carried the team in every other game of the playoffs?

Lebron is averaging 29.3 points, 9.1rebounds and 5.7 assist per game in playoffs.

Wade is averaging 23.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assist.

Lebron has carried the team

[RubberMallet]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

Who dropped 40+ in the must have game of thePacers series? Hmmm

lebron did when the were down 1-2.

[WinthropEagleFan]

As a Heat fan, I don't care who carries the team, as long as they win. But it is obvious that (especially when Bosh is out), both James and Wade have to play well for the team to win, and that's how it has been for the last four games. Both have played very well, and I don't really think one has carried the other the whole time. Both have had their moments of taking over the game (and on both ends of the court).

[Purple Haize]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

Who dropped 40+ in the must have game of thePacers series? Hmmm

Who carried the team in every other game of the playoffs?

Lebron is averaging 29.3 points, 9.1rebounds and 5.7 assist per game in playoffs.

Wade is averaging 23.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assist.

Lebron has carried the team

Exactly my point. He is great at filling up a stat sheet and having impressive numbers. But when you need someone to step up and take over he is NOT the person, especially on the Heat, to do it. So yes he wins the 'other games' battle, but not the 'big games battle' and certainly not the 'big shot' battle.

[Purple Haize]

you guys are high. wade like 4 years ago...sure....wade today? get out of here. and he has 1 ring because he had shaq. lebron had ilgauskas

Who dropped 40+ in the must have game of thePacers series? Hmmm

lebron did when the were down 1-2.

Already addressed that. Game 6 was the clincher, game 4 was not.

[RubberMallet]

http://www.82games.com/CSORT11.HTM

[Purple Haize]

again you guys are putting way, way too much thought into meaningless stats

What he said.